Luke landed on the moist ground and immediately noticed that this place was considerably cooler than the level above.

Then again, a massive layer of earth separated the two regions.

The air carried a strong scent of grass and moss. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it was far from something he would want to breathe for extended periods. The fragrance was dense, almost overwhelming.

His gaze swept across the vegetation surrounding him.

The plants here looked different from those on the surface.

More vibrant.

Larger.

Alive in a way that felt unnatural. Like everything was moving and breathing.

Luke crouched in front of one of them, keeping a careful distance. After his encounter with the snake, a healthy amount of paranoia had become second nature.

His eyes settled on a crimson flower.

It resembled an orchid, though it was noticeably larger and far more vivid, as if its colors had been painted onto reality itself.

[Name: Carcadia Belciara]

[To assess the flower’s properties, please interact with it physically.]

Luke nodded.

Remaining cautious, he slowly extended a hand toward the flower.

His fingers brushed against one of the crimson petals.

Immediately, the system notification appeared before him.

[A flower that traditionally grows beneath harsh sunlight appears to have mutated into something contrary to its nature.]

[The source of its nourishment remains unknown.]

[Its characteristics and properties cannot currently be determined.]

Luke stared at the message for a moment before shifting his gaze back to the flower.

A plant that should not have been able to survive here was not merely surviving.

It was thriving.

[Host, for deep researching purposes, it is advised to tear a petal from the flower, extract its nectar, and allow the system to conduct a more thorough analysis.]

Luke let out a slow sigh.

It seemed the system was just as confused as he was.

Taking out his knife, he carefully sliced off a small section of one of the petals.

The reaction was immediate.

The flower’s petals folded inward, wrapping around themselves until the blossom resembled a tightly sealed pod.

Luke instantly retreated several steps, the severed piece of petal still pinched between his fingers.

His gaze remained fixed on the flower, waiting for any further movement.

Nothing happened.

Only then did he turn his attention to the petal fragment.

He squeezed it gently.

A crimson liquid seeped out and pooled onto his palm.

The nectar was surprisingly cold.

A strange yet pleasant fragrance rose from it, sweet enough to make his mouth water.

For a brief moment, Luke had to restrain himself from tasting it.

The thick red liquid looked uncannily similar to freshly crushed strawberries.

A few seconds later, the system completed its analysis.

[Analysis Complete.]

[As anomalous as it may sound, the nectar contains a unique enhancing property capable of improving metabolism and strengthening immunity.]

[For ordinary humans, the concentration of energy within the nectar may prove difficult to digest.]

[For superhumans, however, it can serve as a rapid source of replenishment.]

[Safety Recommendation: Boil the petals before consumption.]

Luke read the report twice before glancing back at the flower.

A plant hidden in a subterranean ecosystem.

A nectar capable of enhancing the body.

And a system that couldn’t even determine how the thing sustained itself.

The deeper he ventured into this place, the more convinced he became that nothing here followed the rules of the surface world.

Luke was genuinely amazed by the description of what had initially seemed like an ordinary flower.

It turned out his instincts had been right.

There really were valuable resources hidden down here.

Curious, he stepped toward another plant. This one was slender, with pale yellow petals swaying gently despite the absence of any wind.

[Description: Consuming the roots of this flower grants the host the ability to breathe underwater for up to one hour.]

Luke’s eyebrows rose.

Without wasting time, he moved on to the next specimen.

[Description: Consuming the stem of this plant temporarily grants the host spatial awareness of the surrounding area by connecting with nearby plants of the same species.]

"..."

Insane.

The more descriptions he read, the more he realized just how extraordinary these plants were.

Each one possessed abilities that bordered on the supernatural.

If not for the snake, he never would have discovered a place like this.

The thought almost made him grateful for the encounter.

Almost.

The only drawback was that he couldn’t take these resources back to the real world.

Still, that wasn’t much of a problem.

Most of these materials would be useful within the dungeon itself.

And even if they couldn’t be carried over to the next floor, he still had three more levels to clear on this floor alone.

That meant countless opportunities to put these strange plants to use.

Luke slowly swept his gaze across the underground landscape.

What had initially appeared to be random vegetation now looked more like a treasure trove.

A hidden garden filled with natural resources that could easily rival dungeon rewards.

"Hmm?"

His attention shifted toward the large pond occupying the center of the cavern.

Walking to its edge, he looked down into the silent body of water.

The surface was eerily still.

Not a ripple.

Not a sound.

It resembled a sheet of dark glass resting in the heart of the underground world.

Curiosity stirred within him.

Maybe the source of all these mutations lay beneath those waters.

After all, nothing else in this cavern seemed capable of explaining the bizarre evolution of the surrounding flora. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Luke narrowed his eyes and continued staring into the depths.

The pond looked calm.

But the calmness didn’t sustain.

And then, a ripple surfaced.

Luke took a step back, his body tense.

The ripple widen and became frequent.

It was apparent that something was approaching from within, disturbing the place’s tranquility and his calm.

Luke summoned his dagger in his right hand and got prepared.

However, the moment the water surface stretched to reveal the being, he was stunned.

From the inside came out a person...or more like a half human?

Her dark crimson hair cascaded like liquid silk over her drenched, glistening body, clinging to her wet skin in seductive strands.

It veiled parts of her face in teasing shadow, yet did nothing to hide those mesmerizing golden eyes—smoldering with primal caution and otherworldly allure.

Her upper body was gloriously bare, completely unrestrained, the cool water tracing rivulets down her smooth curves.

Her full, perky breasts stood proudly exposed, nipples hardened into tempting pink peaks that begged for attention, rising and falling with each breath in the light.

Below her narrow waist, the transformation stole his breath: instead of legs, her body flowed seamlessly into a powerful, shimmering fish tail, its iridescent scales catching every flicker of light like liquid jewels.

The seductive sway of her hips melted into that sleek, muscular length, exposing both danger and irresistible temptation.

For a few moments, both of them remain silent and staring at each other.

Then, slowly, the woman raised her head and called out, "Umm...are you dead?"

Luke exhaled a sigh, "Not really. But...what are you?"

The woman frowned.

Ah, did he phrase that right?

•••••••••

A/N:- I hope you liked the Chapter.