'I wonder how many Ani Bananas did the Demonic Beast eat. I have stored almost four hundred, and we ate a large amount which we didn't count. How many more remain on the tree is a mystery.' Vincent pondered while gazing at the Elder Demonic Ani Banana Tree. Vincent decided to help with fruit gathering as he didn't want to spend another day training. Time waited for no one, and their journey had to continue. He didn't wish to stall any longer. Lupa stopped dropping Ani Bananas a few hours later. She jumped down from a branch and landed on all fours like a nimble cat. "I have faintly heard a few footsteps of something approaching. I looked at the direction of the sound and saw a pack of around five large boars cautiously approaching at a turtles pace." Lupa pointed at the direction of the approaching danger. "Do you think all of them were normal boars? or was there a Magical Beast mixed with them?" Vincent asked to confirm on what their next decision should be. To leave or stay and fight. Lupa shook her head said, "I could only see five. I quickly jumped down to warn you afterwords, but there could be more following behind." "I guess we should leave. The smell is tempting, and it's better to be safe than sorry. I don't want to fight and endanger our lives so soon. Ester, Tula, pack our things." "What about the smoke? Is the fire still burning?" Vincent asked to choose their next destination after decided it's better to leave. He already learned to choose his fights wisely from the dangerous Demonic Beast event. "The smoke and the gray cloud is also the same. I think it never ends." Lupa answered. [Then we should leave and head for the river. It's best to skip any unnecessary fights, as you said. I also think we had enough for now.] Lupa went to help while Vincent stored the Ani Bananas and the mudcrab shell. He wanted to lighten the load of the cart and pull at a quicker pace. [38x Ani Banana (Unkown Quality) gained.] [1x Broken Adult Freshwater Mudcrab Carapace (Rare Quality) gained.] Vincent grabbed the handles and pulled the cart. He walked behind Lupa as she guided them in the direction of the river. [You might be able to store the whole cart and the things inside it.] -But then I will have to become a portable warehouse. I feel it would become bothersome, so I'm leaving some things in the cart. I want to train by pulling the cart as well.- "Goodbye, uncle Kass... I will miss you." Tula waved at Kass gravesite's direction and then followed the leaving group. The group of four left the bloody forest arena, and a large pack of boars entered a few minutes later. It was the right call to leave as their number was double than what Lupa saw. A Great Yok Boar was with them as well. They ended up spending all day walking. It was uneventful, but they were happy about it. Meeting with no danger and leaving the stench of death behind provided a comfortable trip. The girls would sometimes catch a ride on Vincent's transportation services to rest. It seemed they liked taking turns while enjoying the endless view of nature. 'I feel like a taxi.' Vincent thought. Night arrived and decided to rest for the night. Ester and Lupa cooked the fish while Tula tried to help. Vincent sat near, watching the girls cook. [I think we should start planning on what to use your Soul Power on next.] -We could plan, but let's leave it for another time. I'm tired. - Vincent yawned, his eyes squinted from time to time, feeling the collecting tiredness affect him. He walked a long day while pulling the cart without the wish for aid. The Inspection Gemstone showed how it could track the four essential strengths. Strength, Agility, Perception, and Mana. If they could be increased through training or level-ups became his and Kazumi's next objective. He can't only depend on the ten minutes a day power up. Vincent considered the cart's heaviness as training. To try and increase his strength stat became his goal from this hard-headed idea. He had a similar thought before finding out that people had stats in this world. The delicate thin Ester being stronger than him raised the urge to train even further. The four of them later ate dinner and dessert. As their bellies became full, shortly, they fell asleep with a content smile. Kazumi watched over them like always. She saw Lupa and Ester wake up at different intervals to train in the night under the shining stars. She felt happy at how Vincent, Ester, and Lupa wanted to grow stronger to protect each other. *Day 24* The twenty-fourth day dawned, blessing the four sleeping under the tree with a bit too much love, causing them to wake one after the other by the sun's warm rays. The shade of the Elder Demonic Tree they got so used to wasn't there anymore. "Uff... it's so hot. I wish I brought sunscreen with me." Vincent wiped his forehead while heading for the shade. "We don't have enough materials to make a tent. " Ester added while wondering what sunscreen was. Ani Banana was eaten for breakfast and soon resumed on their journey to the potential river. It was a day like any other. They didn't discover any food, and the same could be said for water. The line caused by missing trees was still out of sight. Vincent and Kazumi discussed if he should try healing Tula. They both wanted to test out if the heal rated as minor could dent the condition rated as high. Maybe cause Tula to start remembering something about her older memories. Vincent felt a bit sorry every time he saw Ester clean Tula's injured head. He could see how Tula, with the ten-year-old mentality, tried to brave her pain and fake how she felt fine. The night's darkness crept, making it safer to stop and rest. Soon they feasted on the last of the frozen fish and went to sleep. They felt a bit sad about having Ani Banana as their only remaining food source. Vincent had one cooked fish in his Soul Dimensional storage, but he forgot about it. *Day 25* Vincent made his mind about using Minor Heal on Tula. He possessed three chances with sixty Soul Power but decided to use only one. He took out a few Ani Bananas for breakfast and waited for the three sleeping beauties to wake up. [You look like a pervert staring at them, hehe.] -Why not? Two of them will be my wives.- [You changed a lot to say something like this with a straight face. Well, it's understandable. My dating support is world-class, after all.] -Ye, ye, I'm nothing without you, world-class cupid Kazumi, hehe.- Vincent and Kazumi chatted and joked until the three girls woke up. He later explained how he wanted to heal Tula and maybe help with her memory loss. Vincent gently placed his hand on Tula's shoulder and uttered the keywords, activating spell, "Soul Power Minor Heal." [-20sp used for Soul Power Minor Heal on Tula. 40sp Remaining.] Vincent quickly focused on Tula and used Inspection. A layer of faint green light surrounding her body appeared. The light brightened on her head injury and shortly faded when the brief duration ended. A few scrapes around the body and her injured head healed. [Name] Tula [Condition] Healthy, Tired, High Amnesia A frown quickly appeared on his face. Vincent didn't dent the High Amnesia condition. A more potent healing spell or a different type of spell is needed to help cure the condition he assumed. "I feel a bit tired, but the owie from my head is gone. Did the pretty light heal me?" Tula asked. She touched her head and her previously itchy arms with a smile, happy for not feeling pain anymore. Ester gently removed the cloth wrapped around Tula's head and said, "Yes, it seems your wound is healed. Vincent healed you by using all the power he collected so far." Tula turned her gaze on Vincent. On her face was plastered a bright smile and a few chuckles escaped from her joyous mood. Then she lept on Vincent and said, "Thank you, big brother. You really are keeping the promise, hehe. I'm happy." "Ahem..." Ester cleared her throat, and in a cute jealous manner, pulled Tula from her embrace. Lupa agreed with a nod as she was about to do the same thing. [My, my. Those jugs are mighty deadly. But why aren't you blushing?] -I'm trying my best to consider her as a little sister. Somehow it's working.- "I'm glad you're feeling better, but I can't bring your memories back. They will need to return on their own." Vincent responded with a hint of sadness to his tone. He wanted to know more about Lusterfall City and the strength of the soldiers. 'How strong could soldiers be if the old soldier Kass was this powerful? The fight might've been different if Kass had a good weapon like a large greatsword or a mighty hammer to fit his swole build.' He sometimes pondered along the day. Unlike Vincent, Ester, and Lupa, Tula had a great day. She kept singing and humming while repeating the few songs she knew. If she thought her singing was a reward, she was clearly mistaken. Tula sounded cute while talking with a tone of innocence, but her singing was a different story. She was tone-deaf. A nightmare for their unfortunate ears. Kazumi could stop using her mana and cut the connection to the living world. It meant she could choose when to see and hear around Vincent at her pleasure. Kazumi slept on the emerald grass to pass the time, but unlike her, the other unfortunate three had no choice but to let Tula tire from singing and stop. Lupa gave many excuses to scout ahead that day, but she could still hear Tula because of the heightened hearing. The enhanced senses became her achilles heel for the second time after meeting Vincent. The first time was the Demonic Beast's killing ground pungent smell of death. Vincent and Ester understood her intentions and problem. Both accepted every time she asked without asking why. Vincent learned a valuable lesson that day, to use his powers with responsibility. As some say, a person needs to take responsibility for the ones they help. He believed in this saying and let her sing. However, not only Vincent used twenty Soul Power on a non-fatal injury, but he almost lost his hearing in the process of letting Tula express her happiness.