Atlas’s eyes widened.
He struck a fist against his chest with absolute conviction.
"Don’t worry, Big Brother! I’ll protect you!"
His expression tightened. Straightening his back, he began scanning the surrounding trees as they walked deeper into the forest.
Leo couldn’t help chuckling at his enthusiasm. It seemed Atlas was taking his new responsibility very seriously.
Alas, that determination didn’t last long. A few minutes in, Atlas ground to a halt.
"Big Brother!"
Leo turned around. Atlas was crouching beside a tree, staring intently at a small plant growing near its roots. He flipped open the Spirit Plant Encyclopedia and held it over the foliage. A faint glow spread across the parchment.
A moment later, information materialized.
Atlas’s jaw dropped. His serious expression vanished, swallowed by pure excitement. He looked at the plant, then at the book, before spinning toward Leo.
"Big Brother! Look! I found something!"
Leo walked over and examined the plant. It bore dark green leaves with pale silver veins and several small white flowers. He glanced at the text on the page:
Moonshade Herb
A simple Spirit Plant that grows in shaded forest areas. It features dark green leaves with pale silver veins and small white blossoms.
Properties: Its leaves contain a trace of spiritual energy. When properly processed, they serve as an ingredient in basic recovery medicines.
Leo nodded. "Not bad. That’s quite a good find. Well done."
Hearing the praise, Atlas scratched the back of his head with a wide grin. "Hehehe..."
Leo crouched down and harvested the Moonshade Herb with utmost care, making sure not to damage its roots before placing it inside the Herb Gatherer’s Basket.
Once finished, he stood up, scanned the clearing, and pulled out a utility knife. Atlas watched curiously as Leo sheared several sturdy twigs from a nearby tree. Gathering a length of rope from his Void Pocket, Leo began lashing the branches together. He worked in silence, shaping the wood into a rudimentary frame.
Atlas couldn’t hold back his curiosity any longer. "Big Brother, what are you making?"
"A cage trap." Leo kept working as he explained. "I have a feeling small animals frequent the places where Spirit Plants grow. I’ve spotted tracks near almost every patch of herbs we’ve uncovered."
He pulled another knot tight. "Even if we catch something small, we can keep it alive and save it for emergencies."
Leo continued explaining, but failed to notice the shift in Atlas’s demeanor. The young man’s smile had vanished. His eyes were glued to the wooden frame.
After a long hesitation, Atlas finally mustered the courage to speak.
"Big Brother..."
"Hmm?"
"I’m sorry, but..." Atlas lowered his head. "Can you not make those cages?"
Leo stopped working. He turned around and noted the young man’s troubled expression. Atlas hastily averted his gaze.
Leo set the rope aside. "What’s wrong, Atlas?" His voice was gentle. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"
Hearing the reassurance, Atlas slowly relaxed. He fidgeted with his fingers, speaking in a low murmur.
"It’s nothing important... but I don’t like cages."
Leo studied his face. "Why? What happened?"
Atlas remained silent for a heartbeat before answering. "Before I met Nina... people in white coats used to put me inside cages."
His voice dropped to a whisper. "They would cut my body... and put bottles filled with different colored liquids inside me. It hurt a lot."
He clenched his fists. "Whenever they did that, I always wished I could die. Sometimes, I thought dying would be better than staying trapped in that cage and suffering."
Atlas dropped his head further. "I don’t like cages, Big Brother. I’m sorry."
For a long moment, Leo stayed quiet. His thoughts drifted back to the Hall of Mercenaries. That mountain had been another sort of cage—a place where he had been trapped, forced to endure endless drills and torment. More than once, he had considered ending his own life just to escape the misery. He understood that feeling far better than Atlas could imagine.
Leo stepped forward and pulled the young man into a hug.
"It’s alright."
Atlas froze in surprise.
Leo patted his back with care. "I won’t let anyone put you inside a cage ever again."
For a few seconds, Atlas stayed rigid. Then, his arms crept around Leo, gripping him tight. The warmth of the embrace chased away the knot of dread in his chest, making him feel safe at last.
When Leo finally released him, he gave Atlas’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "See? You’re already smart."
Atlas looked up, blinking.
Leo offered a faint smile. "You stopped me from making a mistake I would have regretted."
Atlas blinked again.
Leo glanced down at the half-built wooden frame, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Come on. Step on it."
Atlas stared at the wood in confusion. "Huh?"
Leo pointed toward the frame. "Let’s see how it feels to destroy one."
Atlas stared at the structure for a second longer before comprehension dawned. A smile broke across his face. He raised one boot and brought it down hard.
CRACK!
The frame splintered beneath his weight.
Leo nodded approvingly. "Not bad."
"Take this!" Atlas stomped on another section.
CRACK!
Leo joined in. "Take this! And this!"
CRUNCH! CRACK!
The pair stomped the wooden pieces until the entire trap was reduced to splinters. Atlas even ground the broken branches deep into the soil.
When they finally paused, he looked down at the wreckage. A wide, bright smile spread across his face.
"You’re right, Big Brother! That felt really good!"
Leo laughed. "Hahaha!" He clapped Atlas on the back. "Alright. Let’s get moving."
Atlas nodded eagerly.
The two pushed deeper into the forest. This time, however, Atlas walked a little closer to Leo. And the Spirit Plant Encyclopedia wasn’t the only thing he carried with him—he had gained a little more confidence that day, too.
Leo and Atlas continued exploring the forest.
With Atlas’s help, Leo soon discovered seven more varieties of simple Spirit Herbs.
Although none of them were particularly rare or valuable, they were still useful ingredients. Leo carefully collected each one and stored them inside the Herb Gatherer’s Basket.
Their exploration continued.
Not long afterward, Atlas suddenly stopped again.
"Big Brother! Look over there!"
Leo followed his gaze.
A short distance away stood a fruit-bearing tree.
Its branches were covered with clusters of small, round fruits resembling cherries. Their smooth skins glistened faintly beneath the sunlight.
Atlas immediately took out the Spirit Plant Encyclopedia.
He held the book toward the tree.
The pages began turning on their own.
A faint glow spread across the parchment before an illustration of the tree appeared.
A moment later, new information materialized beneath it.
Dewveil Cherry Tree
A Spirit Fruit Tree commonly found in forest regions with rich soil and sufficient spiritual energy. It produces clusters of small, cherry-like fruits with a naturally sweet and refreshing taste.
Properties:
Dewveil Cherries: The fruits contain a small amount of Aether l energy. When consumed, they help replenish stamina and provide mild relief from fatigue.
Medicinal Use: The fruits can be processed into basic recovery medicines and used as ingredients in low-grade potion preparations.
Growth Requirements: Requires fertile soil, sufficient moisture, and regular exposure to Aether energy.
Leo stared at the Dewveil Cherry Tree.
Its branches were covered with clusters of small, cherry-like fruits. Even from a distance, he could see their faint reddish glow.
For a moment, he felt conflicted.
He wanted to uproot the entire tree and take it back with him.
According to the description of the Herb Gatherer’s Basket, it could store even large plants and entire trees without damaging them.
So carrying it wouldn’t be a problem.
The real issue was his Spirit Garden.
Although he had expanded the available space inside Storm, the garden itself wasn’t particularly large. The Dewveil Cherry Tree was simply too big to be planted there right now.
Leo looked at the tree again.
What a waste.
He considered his options for a moment.
But he didn’t remain troubled for long.
Even if he couldn’t take the entire tree, there was no reason to leave empty-handed.
He turned toward Atlas.
"Atlas, collect all the fruits."
Atlas immediately brightened.
"Alright, Big Brother!"
He hurried toward the tree and began plucking the ripe fruits from its branches.
Meanwhile, Leo opened his Void Pocket.
Several empty plastic containers appeared in his hands.
He placed them beside the tree before taking out a small shovel.
Since the encyclopedia had mentioned that the Dewveil Cherry Tree only grew in fertile, nutrient-rich soil, Leo had another idea.
If he couldn’t take the tree, he could at least bring back some of the soil surrounding its roots.
The Spirit Soil inside his garden was already fertile, but adding soil from the tree’s natural growing environment might prove beneficial.
It was worth a try.
Leo crouched down and began carefully digging around the base of the tree.
He avoided damaging the larger roots, collecting only the surrounding soil and placing it inside the plastic containers.
He worked methodically, making sure not to take too much from any one section.
After all, he didn’t want to damage the tree just because he couldn’t take it with him.