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Chapter 212 : The Convert
Chapter 212: The Convert
The Emerald Forest remained evergreen throughout the seasons due to some mysterious force, but if one looked closely, there were still subtle differences in scenery from season to season.
It was the transition between spring and summer, when spring’s breath and the early heat of midsummer blanketed the land. After frequent rains in the past few days, sunlight, moisture, and the life-giving power of nature intertwined, spurring the vigorous growth of trees, shrubs, and ferns in the Emerald Forest.
Although the path leading to the Black Forest had already been cleared by human hands, wild branches and grasses still pressed in constantly, showing the forest’s untamed wildness.
The moment they left Outpost Eleven and stepped into the forest, the noise faded, and all became silent.
Wе b̊nо̇v̆ ёl̃ Еnum̀а̄
“Be careful.”
Gauss whispered a reminder to his companions.
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The closer they moved toward the Black Forest, the denser the “voices” he sensed became.
Most of them were just the buzzing noises of insects that should have been filtered out.
But out of worry he might miss some important information, Gauss had relaxed his filter slightly once they entered the forest. As a result, much useless noise also poured into his ears.
“Reproduce!”
Е́n̄ um̈.a .ìd̆
“Love!”
“Desire offspring!”
“Heat!!”
“Want to eat!”
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“Danger! Hide!”
All of them were instinctive mutterings born from primal urges.
Ẇ.е̂ḃnо̊v е̂l̂ Ӗ nùm̀ а
The group slowed their pace slightly, with four Clay Spiders trailing beside him. From time to time, they pounced on strong insects or small beasts they came across, swiftly ending their lives.
It looked cruel, but in this vast, boundless forest, such small disruptions were nothing more than a drop in the ocean, swallowed instantly by the endless cycle of life.
The Clay Spiders constantly sent back emotions of “pleasure,” “delicious,” “relaxed,” and “getting stronger.”
Even the most ordinary beetles, rhinoceros beetles, and flower bugs in the Emerald Forest were stronger than those found near towns.
Gauss suspected that perhaps the denser natural magic of the Emerald Forest subtly permeated their bodies, nurturing their spirituality and making them better, juicier nourishment for his Clay Spiders.
It seemed he might come here often in the future, to give his clay creatures extra meals?
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Though each insect provided little spiritual nourishment, their sheer numbers made them very suitable for the Clay Spiders.
Many of the “panic” voices Gauss heard came from the “tragedies” caused by his spiders.
As he was deep in thought, a particularly clear voice suddenly entered his ears.
“Humans have entered!”
“!!!”
Since he had kept his mind fully focused, Gauss was certain he had not misheard.
Ŵ ěb̊ n ŏ v́ е̄l̊ Еǹu̇mă
The voice carried a distinctly human-like unease and rejection.
It was like a child spotting an intruder breaking into their home, hiding inside a wardrobe, peeking through the cracks in fear, and whispering frantically.
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“Stop.” Gauss raised his hand to signal.
Arya and Serandur turned their gaze to him and nodded in understanding.
They had already discussed beforehand that they would first reveal their presence, lure out the hidden enemy, and then use Gauss’s Prototype of Hive Mind ability to gather intelligence.
Following the sound, Gauss finally stopped before an ancient tree.
Е ǹ um а.. і̃d
The tree was abnormally thick, with flourishing branches and leaves that cast dense shadows across the forest floor.
Its dark green bark was covered in slimy moss and tiny glowing fungal spores.
This dark tree looked vastly different from ordinary ones. Was this the origin of the Black Forest’s name?
Yet, Gauss’s party was still on the way and had not yet reached the official boundary of the Black Forest.
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This was the first “black tree” they had seen.
As Gauss approached, the voice disappeared completely.
Wе b̈ n ö v̇ ӗ l Еn̊ūm а̇.
“Did you hear it again?” Arya leaned closer and asked.
“Mm.” Gauss nodded. “It came from here. It said we had arrived.”
He pointed at the tree.
“The tree is speaking?” Arya asked.
“Not necessarily.” Gauss shook his head. “It could be the little things living on it, or even smaller, invisible ones.”
He leaned more toward it being insects or other creatures dwelling on the tree rather than the tree itself.
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“Little fellows, come out and talk, are you there?” Arya circled around the black tree, attempting communication.
Unfortunately, the Animal Communication Spell she mastered only worked on larger, ordinary animals.
Most insects were unable to communicate.
“Gauss, any response?” After trying, Arya looked toward him.
“No.” Gauss shook his head.
His fingers were rubbing at the glowing fungal spores.
Е ǹu m̆а̇
At first, he thought the voice had come from there, but no matter how he rubbed, there was no reaction.
Could it be on the tree instead?
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He tilted his head to look up at the dense canopy, but quickly abandoned the thought of searching.
“Let’s move on.”
Mounting their Chocobos again, the small team advanced toward the Black Forest.
The deeper they went, the blacker the bark became.
Е̊ n̆umа . і̀d
With the dense canopy above blocking out the sky, light could not penetrate, leaving the forest dim and gloomy even during the day.
If not for the glowing moss, fungi, and other plants providing light, it would have been indistinguishable from night.
“Crack!”
The Chocobo’s talons stepped on a branch, breaking it with a crisp snap.
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“No wonder it’s called the Black Forest. It’s really dark here...” Arya muttered as she looked at the surroundings. “And way too quiet.”
Hardly any beasts howled, and even bird calls were rare.
Ëňu ḿ а̃
The entire forest seemed to be under the shroud of some mysterious force.
But in Gauss’s “hearing,” it was nothing like silence.
It was too noisy!!
After entering the Black Forest, he found that the insect mutterings had become far clearer.
For instance, the most common “eat” he had heard before was now more specific—“Eat the leaves!” “Eat that bug!”—longer, clearer thoughts.
Were the insects here smarter?
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Besides the useless chatter, Gauss also began hearing the same unusual voices as before.
“Humans have really entered!”
“...What should we do...”
“Drive them away!”
“Drive them out!!”
The voices echoed through the dark forest, making it impossible for Gauss to pinpoint their source.
W.еb̆nô v̆ е l Èň ú ṁ а̃
It felt as if the entire Black Forest rejected their presence.
“Gah gah!!”
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The Chocobos, seemingly aware of something, slowed their steps and let out uneasy cries, heads raised high.
Animals, with their simpler minds and fewer emotional distractions, sometimes had sharper instincts than humans.
Arya stroked her Chocobo, feeding it a carrot to soothe it, finally calming its nerves.
“Gauss, be careful. Something’s in the dark. The Chocobos are afraid.”
Е̂.n ũ m̄а
Gauss was about to reply when suddenly, from the distant shadows of the trees, came a rustling sound.
In other places, it might have been nothing more than an ordinary animal passing by.
But in the unnaturally quiet Black Forest, it felt strange.
Gauss snapped his head toward it, glimpsing a tall, slender figure vanish quickly from view. When he tried to focus, it was gone.
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He commanded the four Clay Spiders, who had been feasting on their “buffet,” to chase after it.
Receiving his order, the spiders immediately abandoned the tasty insects and scurried toward the target.
W ebn о̀ v еĺ Ê n̈u ṁ а̂
Their eight limbs moved swiftly across the moss- and humus-covered ground, producing almost no sound.
Gauss focused his mind, channeling his Prototype of Hive Mind ability to immerse in the spiders’ connection, quickly sharing their senses.
Though the vision from their compound eyes lacked human richness, it was enough for him to “see” ahead: twisted black trunks, exposed roots, patches of glowing fungi... and several fresh scraping marks on the ground—clearly unnatural.
There were also several snapped black thorns.
“It’s those monsters!”
Gauss instantly connected the traces on the ground with the intelligence he had gathered earlier in the tavern and the words of President Rich about the wild men who bewitched minds.
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“Sha sha sha—”
Along with a rapid, grating friction sound, several black vines that had been sprawled across the ground suddenly lashed upward, like lurking snakes striking at the spiders.
The vines moved swiftly and precisely.
The vision Gauss was sharing came from a Decoy Spider. Suddenly, everything went dark.
The Decoy Spider had no time to react before being pierced through.
It was the weakest in combat but excelled at attracting attention—once again succeeding in drawing the enemy out.
Е.nŭ m̂а̇
The other Clay Spiders pounced instantly, swinging sharp limbs to block and cut.
The tough vines were severed, spilling dark green sap with a pungent stench into the air.
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Gauss felt the spiritual essence within his spiders waver briefly, before quickly stabilizing under his control.
They were not flesh-and-blood creatures, so the bewitching aura had almost no effect on them.
After the Clay Spiders finished clearing the vines, the surroundings fell quiet again.
The impaled Decoy Spider slowly re-formed under the influence of magic.
W̄ еb̌n ӧvеl̃ Е núm̊ a
“Something is controlling the plants to attack my spiders.” Gauss quickly told Arya and Serandur.
Almost as soon as his words fell, in the darkness ahead, that tall, slender figure flashed by once again.
This time, under the faint glow of the luminous moss, not only Gauss but Arya and Serandur also saw it clearly.
It appeared to be a humanoid creature, extremely tall and gaunt, yet with an agility and swiftness utterly mismatched to its frame. It seemed highly adept at using the terrain, concealing itself within the flickering shadows of the Black Forest, while the surrounding Black Trees provided it with cover.
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At a glance, its body looked as though it were pieced together from dead branches. Its skin bore the same dark-brown hue as the bark around it, while its upper body seemed covered with moss and lichens.
Most striking of all, its limbs and torso were entwined with countless black thorns. Unlike ordinary thorns that were withered and rigid, these writhed slowly, like living creatures.
Ŵеb̆ n̊ ó v е̇l̇ Е̄ nu m̄а
And in its eyes glowed a fanatical green light.
“Kill them all! Defend our master!”
Gauss heard it clearly this time.
Yet the creature did not charge but instead melted swiftly into the trunk of a towering Black Tree.
The “malice” in the forest thickened around them.
“Careful!”
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Even without understanding its cry, Gauss would not have lowered his guard.
The vines, trees, and roots all around seemed to stir, writhing as if to ensnare the talons of the Chocobos.
“Looks like it’s time for some action.” Gauss gripped the White Wand.
Serandur conjured a magical weapon, while Arya drew her Oak Staff.
Several Thorn Beasts suddenly emerged from nearby trunks.
And there were several Elite-level monsters appearing together!
Ё ǹ u m̆ ã.. і̀d̀
The Clay Spiders reacted instantly, leaping at the enemies the very moment they revealed themselves.
Each Clay Spider was equivalent in strength to a Tier 1 Elite Monster. Especially in terms of short bursts of destructive power, the Combustion Spider form was even more devastating—though at the cost of burning up all the magic stored within them.
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“Boom!!!”
One Thorn Beast, unaware of the Clay Spiders’ diverse abilities, mistook the charging Combustion Spider for a Decoy Spider and dared not dodge. Instead, it lashed out with several thorny spikes, attempting to pierce it through.
But in the next instant, the Clay Spider tapped lightly on the thorn with its mandibles, borrowing the force to propel itself faster toward the Thorn Beast.
It latched onto its torso.
Е̊ñŭ m а̊ .і̊ d
“Buzz!!!”
The spider’s abdomen glowed red, the light intensifying rapidly until it shone blindingly bright, then exploded with a thunderous bang.
The entire spider detonated mercilessly.
Flames and shockwaves erupted outward from the Combustion Spider.
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“Boom!!!”
The red glow engulfed the target completely.
Е̇ň ů m̆ а̇ .і d
The fierce heat and violent shockwave blasted forth, shattering the Thorn Beast into fragments. A voiceless whisper lingered in the air.
Before Gauss’s eyes, fleeting visions arose—black vines, a treant, a strange cavern somewhere...
That deathly whisper carried a strong bewitching intent, but it had run into a solid wall.
Gauss’s 13 Intelligence points were like a fortress, repelling the spiritual compulsion.
Arya and Serandur, after momentarily faltering, also regained clarity.
The whisper faded into nothingness.
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“Eliminated Elite Monster Convert *1.”
After the sound dissipated, the panel finally displayed the kill notification.
Gauss successfully unlocked the ninth type of Elite Monster, and with the new entry in the Monster Encyclopedia, he gained an additional ten Elite Points.
His total now reached forty points—just ten more to meet the requirement for upgrading his White-quality talent 【Crawler-type】.
But beyond that, Gauss noticed something peculiar.
The Thorn Beast struck directly by the Combustion Spider had only died completely when the whisper dispersed.
Ӗ n um̌ а̊
The system prompt clearly carried meaning.
What would have happened if they had failed to resist the enchantment?
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He had a vague guess.
But there was no time to test it further.
Even with the Clay Spiders holding some at bay, three more Converts came rushing swiftly.
Their figures flickered in and out of sight.
W e̊ḃṅо̆vе̊ľ Е ñũm̊å
“Boom!”
A Magic Missile struck a trunk, scattering splinters, but missed the Convert that had just hidden within.
Even so, Gauss had already gauged their nature through this brief exchange.
Their offensive power was not strong—roughly Tier 1 monsters—but their peculiarity lay in their mysterious qualities.
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What demanded caution was their formidable concealment within the environment and their apparent ability to “convert and infect” their targets.
If his guess was correct, failing to withstand that whisper’s charm would result in losing one’s sanity and being transformed into one of their ranks.
W ѐ b̌ ň о̇ vе̇l Е̃ ň ũm̂а̌
“Buzz!!”
Suddenly Gauss felt a surge of magical power emanating from the dense canopy above.
“Boom!!!”
Branches shook violently as magic accelerated their growth.
Granted new vitality, they sprouted, thickened, hardened, and turned into a rain of glowing wooden spears, stabbing downward like a storm.
These Converts could use magic?
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Gauss raised his brows, slightly surprised.
Most monsters could not wield spells. Even Tier 1 or Tier 2 Elites usually relied on brute strength or innate abilities, not this sort of magic.
Was it because they possessed higher intelligence?
Magic and natural forces were never exclusive to humans—many intelligent races could harness this omnipresent power.
The spears covered too wide an area to dodge.
So Gauss did not even try.
Ẅе̃ b.ṅov̈e l Е̇ǹûm̀ а̄
Since advancing to Tier 3, his strength had climbed another level.
The greatest change lay in his core skill, 【Gauss Force Field】. With each rise in magical tier, its nature and strength advanced further.
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Now the Gauss Force Field already carried the power of a Tier 2 spell.
“Bang bang bang!!!”
The rain of spears was stopped firmly by a powerful barrier just as it neared the trio.
In Gauss’s perception, the Gauss Force Field now felt immensely “thick.”
W.еb̈ñ оvё l̈ .Е̌ n u ṁ а
If before his defense had been like a thin film clinging to his body, now it resembled a sturdy, invisible armor.
Piercing it had become several times harder.
With 【Spell Mastery】 and 【Magic Resistance】 layered together, enhanced by the essence of Tier 2 power,
ordinary attacks from Tier 1 and Tier 2 monsters appeared feeble before him.
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“Blessing Spell!”
White light flared across Gauss’s body, making him far lighter.
W̃ ĕb̊ ǹ о̀v̂е́ľ Ë.nu_m̂ á
“Gauss, it’s in the treetop!” Arya warned.
Her Nature’s Bind had already encompassed the surroundings, quickly pinpointing the spot in the canopy where the monster had cast the wooden spear spell.
At the same time, Entangling Spell surged forth, strengthened by the Scaled Powder Butterfly, its conjured vines thickening considerably.
It wasn’t only the monsters who could wield nature’s power!
The vines bound the Convert tightly.
Gauss’s Magic Missiles followed instantly, piercing its body in succession.
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“Eeeeee!!!!” A deathly wail reverberated, its sonic force making their heads swim once again.
The group blocked their ears in advance.
Even if they would not be “bewitched,” it was better to suffer less.
“Thud.” After the wail ended, the pierced Convert fell from the treetop. Yet it was not dead—the living thorns entwined around its body seemed to slowly melt, trying to merge into the earth.
Thanks to the Blessing Spell, Gauss was in excellent condition. He quickly sensed some power transferring within the creature’s body and pointed his wand.
“Bang!” A bullet-like attack ripped through the air, striking a writhing mass.
En u m̀а́. іd̂
“Eliminated Elite Monster Convert *1.”
After a feeble cry, Gauss slew another Convert.
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But this time, since it was already recorded in the Monster Encyclopedia, the reward was only one Elite Point, raising his total to forty-one.
Was that power of bewitchment limited? Gauss noticed that this time, the Convert’s death caused far less spiritual pollution. He guessed it was because its “blue bar” had already been drained by the previous outburst.
For Gauss’s elite party—far stronger than a normal Tier 3 squad—killing Converts was not difficult.
However, one monster still escaped.
Ĕňūḿӑ
Gauss could do nothing about it.
They were not powerful fighters, but in their home ground, aided by formidable stealth, if they wished to flee, he could not stop them.
He could hardly punch the ground apart while they slipped along roots beneath the earth, could he?
Out of five Converts, four were killed.
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His Elite Points finally stopped at forty-three.
Seven more to go.
Ë n ů_mа̀ . і̀.d
Gauss withdrew his gaze.
They were very close now, and he had plenty of patience.
The Black Forest seemed to hold many Converts. Even if no new Elite Monsters appeared, seven more would be enough to meet the requirement.
If he found new entries for the Monster Encyclopedia, so much the better.
The fight settled.
The trio searched briefly around, collecting some lifeless thorn branches as materials and proof.
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They also found four small lumps of green slime—the true bodies of the Converts, seemingly some kind of soft-bodied insect.
Besides points and loot, Gauss gained something more:
the spiritual essence of two Elite Monsters.
The first died in the Combustion Spider’s explosion; the second was finished by the Venom Spider working with the Steel-armored Scout.
Two essences from Elite Monsters.
After some thought, Gauss retrieved the corpses he had collected earlier.
Е̄ṅú m а̄.і d
Under the Shaping Spell: Clay, the green slime fused with soil, reshaping.
Soon, two plump larvae formed before him, looking like oversized green beetle grubs.
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“Mmm mmm!”
The newborn Convert larvae quickly sent out simple emotions of attachment and closeness.
Of course, this kind of spirituality could not retain the relatively complete intelligence of their originals.
Fortunately, through the Prototype of Hive Mind, Gauss could still communicate with these clay creatures.
Ẁе̇ b̌ nо̌v е́ l̊ E_n̄ǔm̀а̃
“Can you take the form of those monsters from before?”
Gauss sent the thought.
The Clay Converts could not answer directly, but soon responded with action.
They released magic, drawing in the thorn branches Gauss had collected.
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“Crack crack crack!”
The glowing green thorns assembled, joining and stretching taller, until they wrapped the Converts completely, forming tall, gaunt creatures nearly three meters high.
Е́nûmӓ
Only a pair of glowing green eyes shone through.
“Yes, perfect.” From appearance alone, there was no telling them apart.
Gauss felt that if he controlled them, they might even infiltrate the enemy ranks.
Unlike his other clay creatures, the Converts themselves were already creatures that concealed their soft bodies within thorny branches through magic, making their true forms difficult to detect.
He found this idea quite promising.
After resting for a while, the two Clay Converts walked ahead, while the three of them followed at a distance, continuing deeper into the Black Forest.
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Riding on his Chocobo, Gauss also split part of his attention to one Clay Convert, sharing its senses.
Suddenly, Gauss felt a subtle hormonal signal.
“Tribe?”
He turned—and beside the Clay Convert, at some unknown point, another Convert had appeared.
It seemed unaware that these two were impostors.
Gauss did not know how to respond. Though the Prototype of Hive Mind might allow him to reply, he feared betraying flaws, so he chose silence.
Е n_u m̊ а̄.
Like a wolf greeting two huskies it mistook for its kind.
The scene hung awkwardly for a moment.
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Luckily, this Convert did not seem suspicious and soon moved ahead.
“The chief summons... Follow.”
Leaving behind a hormonal signal, its body merged into a tree trunk, then slipped underground along roots, traveling swiftly. It paid no mind to its slightly dazed “companions.”
Gauss, finally having a lead, would not miss such an opportunity.
Е n ü mӓ
He commanded the two Clay Converts to follow closely.
Meanwhile, under the concealment of the Scaled Powder Butterfly’s invisibility powder, the trio shadowed them from a distance, like sparrows trailing behind mantises.
Gauss had a hunch that this time, he might finally trace the path to the source.
Without the clay disguise, finding their lair would have been nearly impossible, given how stealthily this race moved.
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