Adventurer of Many Professions-Chapter 87: Vine Demon Trees!

Sotoler, still processing the encounter but grateful for Raymond’s help, also nodded in agreement. "Exactly. If we can help you in any way, we’d be glad to."

Raymond and Sylph exchanged a quick glance. It had already been a while since they entered the forest, and the sun was beginning to dip. If they didn’t find what they were looking for soon, they’d have to turn back. After a moment’s pause, Raymond finally answered.

"We’ve been tasked with finding something called the ’Blood Vine Grass’. Do you happen to have any information on it?"

"Blood Vine Grass?" Sotoler frowned, thinking deeply for a moment. His sharp eyes suddenly lit up, and he said, "When I was using my Eagle Eye to scout the area earlier, I spotted something unusual; a silhouette of a Vine Demon Tree. That might be where you can find the Blood Vine Grass."

Raymond’s expression brightened. He hadn’t expected to find such a specific lead, but here it was. "Really?" he asked, his hopes rising. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Sotoler replied with certainty. "I marked the spot. It’s westward from here, not too far off. If you follow the direction I saw it, you should find it."

Raymond nodded in appreciation. "Thank you. We’ll head there immediately."

Sotoler pointed toward the west, giving them a rough idea of the location. "I’d love to take you there myself, but unfortunately, we need to stay here and make sure Griffin and the others are taken care of."

Griffin, the injured assassin, had taken a hit from one of the jungle cats. His right hand and left foot were wounded, leaving him unable to fight, and the team needed to rest and tend to his injuries.

As the group talked, Lorene, who had been quietly holding her magic wand, looked at Raymond with a gentle expression. Raymond understood what she was implying, but he didn’t speak on it.

Sotoler noticed the exchange and raised an eyebrow, understanding what was going on. "Don’t worry about us," he said, addressing Raymond. "We’ll rest here and be fine. Griffin’s already had a healing potion, so he should recover soon. Besides, you might need all your strength for what’s ahead. We’ll be fine for now."

Griffin, despite his injuries, gave a slight nod. "Sotoler’s right," he said with a weak smile. "Save your healing magic for later; there’s no point wasting it on me right now. Besides, you’ve seen what happens when we run out of magic power. You’ve got to be careful out there."

Raymond nodded in agreement, grateful for their understanding. It was exactly what he had been thinking, and hearing them say it made things easier.

Lorene, after hearing their words, smiled faintly and nodded. She understood and no longer insisted.

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After a while, when Griffin had recovered enough to walk without too much pain, Kris and her team got ready to leave.

"Raymond, we’re heading off now," Kris said, waving as she turned to leave. "Good luck to you and your team."

Raymond waved back, watching them disappear into the trees.

Once they were out of sight, he turned to Sylph and Lorene. "Alright, time for us to move too," he said, his voice steady.

Sylph, now more energized than ever, waved her magic wand. "I hope we find something useful this time!"

Lorene nodded with determination, her eyes shining with anticipation. "Let’s hope the Vine Demon Tree leads us to the Blood Vine Grass."

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With the new direction in mind, the trio set off. Following Sotoler’s directions, they made their way west, their eyes scanning the dense undergrowth for any sign of the mysterious Vine Demon Tree.

After about two miles, they reached a hill, careful not to make too much noise. As they climbed, they finally saw it; a grove of massive, twisted trees with vines snaking up their trunks like serpents. These were the Vine Demon Trees Sotoler had described.

Raymond squinted, taking in the sight. "This is it," he murmured. "Let’s see if we can find the Blood Vine Grass here."

The atmosphere was thick with anticipation. They had come this far, and now, the true test of their mission was about to begin.

The ’Vine Demon Tree’, a fearsome creature of the Moonlight Forest, lurks at the boundary between its edge and the heart of the woods. This tree-like monster boasts four thick, vine-like branches that can extend up to an impressive 20 meters in length. These branches are not only long but also incredibly sharp; sharpened to a deadly point like jagged stumps, capable of piercing through the earth. The Vine Demon Tree lies in wait, blending into the soil until an unsuspecting prey ventures too close. Then, with lightning speed, its branches shoot from the ground, impaling anything within reach.

However, despite its terrifying hunting abilities, the Vine Demon Tree has a critical flaw: its mobility. These monsters move painfully slowly, with a speed no faster than a human walking. This slow pace gives any prepared adventurer a chance to react, if they can spot it in time.

---

Raymond, Sylph, and Lorene were crouched down, observing the cluster of ’Vine Demon Trees’ from a distance of about one hundred meters. The forest around them was thick and dark, the air filled with the soft rustling of leaves. The trio scanned the area, counting how many trees they could see. At this distance, even if the trees noticed their presence, they could easily escape.

The ’Vine Demon Trees’ were easy to identify; despite their resemblance to ordinary trees, they were only about three meters tall, with thick trunks resembling human arms. Their four massive branches, as thick as a grown man’s legs, sprouted from their tops, extending outward like deadly limbs, ready to strike.

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"Ten," Raymond muttered, his eyes narrowing as he finished his count. He turned to Sylph and Lorene to see if their count matched.

"I’ve counted ten too!" Sylph replied quickly, her sharp eyes scanning the trees.

"Same here," Lorene added with a nod.

Raymond gave a nod of approval. "Alright, let’s search around the perimeter first. If we can find the ’Blood Vine Grass’ without stirring up any trouble, we’ll call it a win. If not, we’ll move inward slowly."

The two women agreed with a determined look, and the trio began moving cautiously along the edges of the clearing, their steps careful and deliberate. The goal was simple: find the elusive ’Blood Vine Grass’ while avoiding detection by the menacing trees.

But as they searched, nothing came up. They moved deeper, inching closer to the center of the grove. The tension was palpable; the ’vine magic trees’ were only about 50 meters away, and the risk of provoking them was high.

Finally, Lorene spotted something. "Look!" she pointed ahead, her voice barely above a whisper. In front of them, among the sea of green, stood a patch of blood-red plants; unmistakably different from the surrounding foliage.

Raymond’s heart skipped a beat. He moved forward quickly, kneeling by the plant to inspect it closely. The ’Blood Vine Grass’ had thin, rough stems and leaves that felt almost brittle to the touch. Its deep red color was unmistakable.

"It’s the ’Blood Vine Grass’!" Raymond exclaimed, turning to his companions with a triumphant smile.

Sylph and Lorene’s faces lit up with excitement. "Hurry, dig it up!" Sylph urged, her voice full of impatience.

Raymond nodded and, with swift but careful movements, began digging around the base of the plant. Using his leather-gloved fingers, he pried the roots from the soil and, once the plant was free, wrapped it in a cloth from his backpack to protect it.

With the first ’Blood Vine Grass’ in hand, the team’s spirits lifted. They became more focused, their movements quick and precise as they continued their search. Soon enough, they found a second plant, and then a third. But as they ventured further, the distance between them and the ’vine magic trees’ grew dangerously smaller, no more than fifty meters separated them now.

They knew they had to be more careful.

Without speaking, they communicated only through hand signals, signaling each other to move silently, to be cautious. The air felt heavier, the tension palpable as they worked quickly but silently, digging up the third plant.

Just as Raymond carefully extracted the ’Blood Vine Grass’ from the soil, his instincts kicked in. He paused, his gaze snapping to the direction of the ’vine magic trees’.

Something was off.

His mind raced through a quick mental count, his eyes darting over the grove of ’Vine Demon Trees’. One, two, three... seven, eight, nine...

There should be ten. But there were only nine.

One of the ’Vine Demon Trees’ was gone.

The realization hit him like a cold splash of water. His heart started to race.

Before he could warn Sylph or Lorene, a strange noise split the air; a deep, unsettling hissing, almost like the sound of something moving beneath the ground.

’Chi chi chi…’

The noise grew louder, more insistent, like the rustling of roots or branches twisting and snapping. It was coming from below, from under the earth. The ground beneath them seemed to hum with an unnatural energy.