Surviving The Beast World With My 'Sassy' System-Chapter 48: Verdant Coil Vine

His jaw tightened.

Lavayla’s lips curved upward. "Hold it there. Don’t circulate yet. Let your body recognize it first."

The crystal’s glow dimmed ever so slightly.

For several long seconds, nothing happened.

Then Mirek exhaled slowly, a low sound escaping his throat as his posture shifted—stronger, steadier, as if something inside him had clicked into place.

"...It’s working," he said quietly, disbelief threading his voice.

Lavayla allowed herself a small breath of relief. "Of course it is. You’re doing exactly what you should."

She observed him closely. "The energy will increase after each absorption until you reach your limit for the day."

She continued, "So you can keep going the way I told you, and I’ll wait here. You can’t stop midway—we will have to stay here until you’ve finished absorbing it."

With that, she stepped backward and glanced around the cave. To her surprise, despite a beast having made this place its residence, it was relatively clean. Not spotless, but clean enough. She could make do—especially since her clothes weren’t exactly in the best condition anyway.

Lavayla sat down, turning her back to him, and retrieved the baby formula from the space vault. Finally, she was able to tend to the now-awake baby.

She twisted open the bottle cap just as a soft cry bubbled from his throat. Her voice followed, coaxing him as she brought the bottle to his lips. The moment it touched his mouth, his fussing stopped. He latched on eagerly, small sounds of satisfaction filling the cave as he drank.

Lavayla steadied the bottle with one hand and patted his leg with the other, her lips curving into a quiet smile as his body relaxed against her.

She leaned closer, amusement warming her voice. "You cute little rascal."

His round eyes stayed fixed on her face, unblinking and curious, tiny fingers flexing while his mouth worked diligently around the bottle.

A soft laugh escaped her. She pressed a kiss to his forehead, lingering for a heartbeat before murmuring, "You little, little cute thing... so chubby, so cute."

Suddenly, the bottle slipped free, and he let out a frustrated sound, flailing slightly as he tried to reclaim it on his own. She guided it back without a word and he instantly settled, resuming his eager sucking as though nothing had happened.

Moments later, his hand reached out and clamped onto her cheek.

"Ow—!" Lavayla yelped, more startled than hurt, laughter following immediately as she gently pried his fingers loose.

Before she could recover, his grip shifted again—this time catching her ear.

"Hey—" she protested softly, easing his hold once more. Her relief lasted exactly one second before his fingers tangled in her hair. He didn’t pull. He only stared at it, utterly fascinated, as if he’d discovered something miraculous.

Lavayla watched him, his face was impossibly cute—chubby cheeks, round eyes, and soft, smooth, fair skin.

Almost an hour and a half later, he had finished eating. Her hair was disheveled from his playing, and he was now fast asleep on the fur wrap in front of her.

Sighing softly, a small smile on her lips, she rolled her neck from side to side, a satisfying crack sounding, then rolled her shoulders.

The muffled sound of the waterfall near the cave entrance made her drowsy. She was utterly exhausted, but worry for the Shadowclaw tribe members kept her uneasy.

She wondered if they were looking for her. Remembering Ressha’s expression when she fell, she sighed heavily, hoping she wouldn’t worry too much. Then she thought of the Beastman’s companions and had a feeling they wouldn’t be overly concerned.

Even so, the thought only emphasized the difference between her—a human—and powerful Beastmen.

The sound of rolling stone snapped her out of her thoughts, followed by something dragging across the ground.

She snatched the baby up in an instant, cradling him tight against her chest as she rose to her feet, stepping back several paces toward the Beastman before her eyes dropped to the floor.

Something long and green lay stretched across the stone floor.

A snake—no, it was too thin. And leaves sprouted along its sides, small and jagged, swaying as the thing shifted. Lavayla went rigid. It didn’t coil or strike like a serpent. It slid, inch by inch, its movement unnervingly slow.

Her gaze followed it back to where it emerged—from behind the crystallized primal energy.

It looked like a... plant?

A slithering plant?!

’Nessa...?’ she called inwardly, panic creeping into her thoughts. ’What. The. Hell. Is. That?!’

The thing crept closer, leaves brushing softly against the stone.

Lavayla retreated again, her steps uneven. She didn’t realize how far she’d backed up until her shoulders struck something solid and warm.

Her balance tipped.

Before she could fall, arms snapped around her waist, hauling her upright. The sudden solidity behind her grounded her as a low voice murmured near her hair.

"What’s wrong?"

Lavayla barely registered how close they were. She lifted a trembling hand and pointed toward the creature.

"There," she said. "That thing."

Mirek’s attention snapped to where she pointed.

And he saw a surprising sight. What lay before them wasn’t a beast, but a living primal plant—its body thin, its verdant hue faded to a light green.

’Host! Calm down!’ Nessa’s voice chimed urgently in her mind. ’That’s a Verdant Coil Vine! A semi-sentient primal plant!’

Lavayla froze, blinking.

’...Really?’

’Yes, host! But its energy is a bit depleted,’ Nessa continued quickly. ’I guess that its life energy was nearly depleted and it’s been staying here to absorb residual primal energy from the crystallized source and it’s almost back to normal.’

The vine slowly lifted its front end from the stone floor. Its body was long and supple, light-green with faint golden veins pulsing beneath its surface. Leaf-like fronds unfurled along its sides, fluttering softly as if tasting the air. Where a head should have been, a closed bud-like structure quivered, releasing faint motes of pale light.

Mirek’s eyes narrowed, the last remnants of circulating energy settling deep into his core as he shifted fully back into awareness. One arm remained firm around Lavayla’s waist, instinctively anchoring her behind him.

"...A primal plant," he said slowly. Not startled but alert. "And a high-grade one."

’Nessa, is it a high grade?’

’No, it’s a mid grade primal plant but a high-level one.’

Lavayla instinctively wanted to correct him—that it wasn’t high-grade but mid-grade—but she stopped herself just in time. If she spoke now, it would only raise questions. Just moments ago, she’d nearly screamed thinking it was a snake. Knowing its exact classification all of a sudden would look... off.

So she swallowed the words and chose another path.

"Have you seen this before?" she asked instead.

Mirek shook his head slowly. "No. But I’ve heard of it."

Lavayla frowned, turning her head to study the sharp line of his profile. "Then how do you know it’s high-grade? I mean—you called it a primal plant, right?" She gestured subtly toward the vine. "What exactly is that? Is it like... a sentient plant that can move and respond?"

"Primal plants are plants that aren’t meant for consumption," he replied evenly. "They’re alive. They can move, attack, and hunt prey much like humans do, though their intelligence is limited. Some consume flesh. Others feed on energy—or even other plants."

Lavayla’s grip on the baby loosened just a little as she looked back at the vine, seeing it properly this time. It no longer resembled a snake in her mind. Stripped of fear, it was... beautiful, even in its pale green state.

The vine paused, swaying gently, as though reconsidering its approach. Its leaf-fronds curled inward and brushed the stone floor in a slow, cautious rhythm.

Listening to Mirek, Lavayla realized something—he didn’t actually know what kind of primal plant it was. Just the category.

So instead of pressing him further, she turned inward.

’Nessa,’ she called silently.

The system replied instantly, her tone oddly bright.

’Host, you didn’t even ask why I’m so giddy. First, let me explain what kind of primal plant this is. Verdant Coil Vines are extremely rare companion-growth plants found in areas saturated with condensed primal energy. They are not hostile by default and instead are kind of timid.’

Lavayla’s brows knitted together.

’Then why is it moving toward me?’

’Probably because it sees that you have no energy like Beastmen. I’m not sure, host.’

Lavayla’s lips twitched despite herself. Alright. Guess I’m radiating "harmless" energy.

Mirek shifted slightly, every line of his body spelling protectiveness. "If it attacks—"

’It won’t!’ Nessa cut in hurriedly. ’Host, do not provoke it. Verdant Coil Vines respond to intent, not fear. If threatened, they can restrain even high-tier Beastmen.’

That snapped Lavayla fully back into focus.

’...What?’

’Yes, Host. They are plants—but plants that evolved to survive apex predators.’

Well. That was comforting.

The vine lifted higher, its movement slow. The bud at its front parted just a little, revealing soft golden filaments within, glowing like spun sunlight. The light pulsed once—curious, almost cautious.

Lavayla watched.

Then, instead of stepping back or panicking like her survival instincts were telling her to do, she relaxed.

Her shoulders eased. Her breathing slowed. She adjusted the baby against her chest, one hand instinctively patting his back until his tiny frown smoothed out.

The change was immediate.

The Verdant Coil Vine stilled, as if reassessing her. Then it moved closer.

Mirek tensed—but didn’t interfere.

The vine’s bud extended toward Lavayla’s outstretched fingers. The moment it brushed her skin, a cool, refreshing sensation flowed through her—like dipping her hands into a clear mountain spring after days of thirst. The bud opened fully, and the golden motes drifted down, sinking into her skin one by one and vanishing without pain or resistance.

Lavayla sucked in a quiet breath.

It felt... good.

Mirek watched intently, red eyes sharp—yet the vine showed no aggression. No tightening. No restraint. Only a gentle brush, a soft glow.

Lavayla stared at her hand, then at the vine, awe slowly replacing her earlier fear. "It’s like it’s... greeting me."

The vine swayed gently, leaf-fronds fluttering in a slow, almost content rhythm, before retreating just a little.

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