I Became a Veteran Who Has to Stir Up Trouble to Survive - Chapter 64

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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[064] Malevolent Vine Hydra
‘First, I need to approach without provoking them, getting as close as possible…!’
Carnivorous or insectivorous plants employ various mechanisms to detect prey.
In the case of the Malevolent Vine Hydra, much like a Venus flytrap’s sensory mechanism, stimulating the roots embedded in the ground beyond a certain threshold causes the flowers to extend at ferocious speed and snatch up prey.
Therefore, to simultaneously bloom all four flower buds, I must touch the roots buried deep within the creature’s core body.
For an ordinary human, navigating through the fine rootlets densely woven like a net across the ground to reach the interior would be nearly impossible.
But for me, it is possible.
“Malton, hold onto my clothes for me.”
“A-are you insane?! Why are you undressing here right now…!”
I paid no mind to Karen’s flustered voice and activated the skill with practiced ease.
｢You have disguised yourself as a [Lesser Imp]!｣
｢Though among demons they rank among the weakest, they possess the ability to fly!｣
｢You have slaughtered a considerable number of [Lesser Imps] in the past! Due to your high understanding of monsters, your resonance and synchronization rate increase during disguise!｣
｢Your ally Karen is shocked! Your agility temporarily increases by 2!｣
For a moment, Karen’s scream—unaware of my abilities—echoed in my ears, but I paid it no heed and flapped my stubby bat wings, launching myself toward my destination.
One hundred meters… eighty meters… sixty meters….
As I drew closer to the towering tree, the grotesque maw of the plant coiled around the trunk came into sharp focus.
‘Huff… huff… why is this so exhausting?’
Forcing muscles I rarely used felt like torture.
Without the stat enhancement from the [Chaos] skill, transforming into an unfamiliar monster made it difficult to control my body as if it were my own.
Yet simultaneously, I was gaining valuable insights.
‘This… the strain on the wing joints is far greater than I anticipated. Next time I face an Imp, I should focus on targeting these joints rather than the wing membrane.’
Creatures with similar body structures like Gargoyles or Harpies probably share the same vulnerability.
Once I judged myself sufficiently close to the tree, I chanted another incantation mid-air.
A dual transformation—something I had never attempted before.
｢You have disguised yourself as a [Lesser Rat]!｣
｢Though its physical abilities are unremarkable, its small frame makes it optimized for covert movement!｣
｢Karen witnesses your transformation and is flailing about frantically! She begins questioning your companions intensely and preparing to cast a spell!｣
Thump! I tumbled across the ground after falling from the air.
Standing on my short, plump hind legs, I surveyed the tree roots buried like mines within the grass.
‘Let’s see… tap!’
First, I had to distinguish which stems among these countless roots connected to each of the four flower buds.
And I had to stimulate them as much as possible without narrowly avoiding an attack.
Though the roots appeared identical at first glance, careful inspection revealed subtle differences.
‘The roots have distinctly different shapes…!’
The root of the first carnivorous flower to bloom was thick and sturdy, while the second was paler and thinner.
The third root was slender and long, stretching far to maximize reach, while the fourth—apparently deprived of sufficient nutrients—had its vessels withered and twisted, clustered in a narrow area.
This was why I risked danger to penetrate deep into the ancient tree’s core.
I carefully touched the tree root with my tiny front paw.
｢You have stimulated the first tree root! The first flower’s bud has been activated by 14%!｣
“You have stimulated the second tree root! The flower bud of Flower 2 has been activated by 22%!”
“You have stimulated the fourth tree root! The flower bud of Flower 4 has been activated by 7%!”
“You have stimulated the third tree root! The flower bud of Flower 3 has been activated by 34%!”
‘If I accidentally awaken it to 100%, I’ll be swallowed whole…!’
I delicately manipulated the roots entwining the area around me, working with the precision of someone defusing a time bomb.
As the activation level climbed higher, the tightly sealed flower buds began to writhe and unfurl, revealing sharp-toothed blossoms that crept into view from behind the tree.
Like ravenous beasts drooling with hunger, the massive carnivorous flowers advanced, dripping thick, fragrant sap with each step.
Monsters I couldn’t possibly hope to subjugate with my current abilities.
‘Almost there…!’
The moment I touched the root of the fourth flower buried deep within the tree, bringing all the flowers’ activation levels to a hair’s breadth below 99%.
─Snap!!
I picked up a branch and waved it, signaling my allies.
Then I immediately transformed into an Imp and flew back the way I came.
The flower buds of the Malevolent Vines close rapidly as time passes, so Karen, who had been waiting for my signal, recited the final incantation of the spell she had prepared.
“…Eternal flames, heed my will and become inferno. Scorch the heavens and consume all the earth!!”
A ball of fire the size of a house materialized in the air, then began charging directly toward the tree where I stood.
But….
‘Wait… the spell is activating way too fast?!’
No matter how much I told her not to hesitate, this felt like she was trying to incinerate me from the start.
Karen and my allies had already retreated to a safe distance.
I flapped my bat wings with all my might to escape, but as the fireball drew closer, I felt my fur singeing and curling in the intense heat.
So this was what Icarus must have felt.
‘No, not again…I’m going to burn to death!’
The moment the massive fireball struck and flames engulfed everything, I activated my transformation ability once more.
“You have transformed into a Selurian Golem!”
“The golem’s body absorbs the magic! The flames are far too intense! The body cannot withstand it!”
“Your body is collapsing! Critical damage sustained! Your left arm and right leg are burning! The severed edges are melting! You cannot transform into a Selurian Golem for a certain duration!”
“You have been forcibly reverted to human form!”
“Ow, it’s hot!! So hot!!”
“Doran!!”
“Doran, are you alright?!”
I rolled frantically across the Grassland to extinguish the embers clinging to my body, and Radi and Malton, who had rushed over in panic, poured water from their canteens over me.
“I… I’m fine….”
Lifting my head to look toward the direction where I could feel the eerie heat, I beheld a landscape indistinguishable from hell itself.
The once-sturdy Stone Wall had its surface melted, flowing down like lava, while the Malevolent Vines that had stretched out like demonic claws were charred black down to their roots, barely maintaining their form.
Each time a burning tree’s remains fell, the ground trembled with a heavy thud, and embers carried on the wind descended upon the vegetation, setting the entire Surface ablaze.
Throughout the Garden, the sounds of traps and explosive devices detonating echoed sporadically.
A sight that could only be described as utter devastation.
“Karen has exhausted all her mana and lost consciousness!”
“The flames have consumed the traps! The poison traps are neutralized!”
“A hidden bomb beneath the stepping stones detonates!”
“Traps buried among the leaves spring to life!”
“The illusory flowers burn to ash!”
“Master Doran, the Mage has fainted…!”
“It’s fine. She just exhausted herself channeling so much mana at once. She’ll come around after a brief rest.”
Still, to reduce a monster in the triple digits of levels to nothing but cinders, even with every ounce of mana unleashed….
‘At this rate, I could use her like a tactical nuke…?’
An unstoppable, catastrophic destructive force that defies all resistance.
As I venture through this world, I’ll inevitably encounter countless formidable foes that seem utterly impossible to face. Having Karen as an asymmetrical asset would prove to be excellent insurance each time.
‘Honestly, I thought she was just dead weight most of the time… but she definitely packs a punch when it counts.’
I tapped Karen’s unconscious form repeatedly to rouse her.
“Hey, Karen. Wake up. We need to get out of here before the flames spread any further.”
“Mmm… five more minutes….”
“That won’t work. Radiya, you still have some of that water left from earlier, right?”
Splash—the moment cold water drenched her, Karen jolted awake and began screaming.
“You monster!! What exactly are you?! Transforming into all manner of creatures and flying around like that—I’ve never even heard of such abilities….”
“Now you have.”
“Put some clothes on, you… idiot!!”
“…Oh, right.”
After applying salve to my body and hastily throwing on clothes, I approached the charred ancient tree. Malton and Radi followed behind, supporting the completely drained Karen.
“Truly devastating firepower. The monster blocking our path is gone, but the flames are too intense to get close. And this Mage has exhausted all her mana, so there’s nothing more she can do.”
“…I can still manage this much.”
As Karen swayed and gestured weakly, the flames blocking our path instantly subsided.
Radi looked on with curious eyes as Karen muttered dismissively.
“This isn’t magic—it’s more like a natural constitution. You wouldn’t understand.”
“To manipulate fire without using magic at all—you truly are a remarkable Mage! But then, why can’t you master something as fundamental as mana control?”
“…Be quiet.”
“We can chat later. Fireballs could rain down on us any moment, so let’s hurry. The air is getting thicker by the second.”
We crossed the ash-covered ground and headed toward a wooden door that remained intact even amid the inferno.
After pushing through the scorching flames—so hot it was nearly impossible to keep my eyes open—and reaching the New Room, I found a note written in a familiar hand.
[You’ve conquered the trials I prepared.]
[It seems you have worthy companions.]
In an instant, the dark interior blazed with light, and the space filled with gold and items that overwhelmed my vision.
“Congratulations! You have reached the final destination of the Mysterious Mansion!”
“As a reward for uncovering the mansion’s secrets and overcoming all obstacles, you are granted a special prize! Select one item each of your choosing!”
“However, once you choose, your decision cannot be undone! Decide carefully.”
“Once you claim your rewards and open the door to leave, this phenomenon on the Surface will naturally disappear!”
Though covered in some dust, the weapons all gleamed with an extraordinary luster.
The excited party members equipped themselves with the gear, each letting out exclamations of wonder.
“This is… a crossbow with reinforced springs installed? It fits my hands perfectly!”
“Hmm… this weighty mace is rather tempting. The grip feels absolutely superb, like a weapon I’ve wielded for years.”
“And there’s a circlet exclusively for flame mages too, isn’t there? Did the Mansion deliberately arrange items that the challengers would covet? How curious.”
My companions browsed through the treasures with voices tinged with excitement.
Rather than new equipment, these were relics bearing the subtle marks of long use.
I had a vague inkling of the identity of these worn artifacts.
‘Are these weapons from my past…?’
Meanwhile, there existed items entirely unrelated to our current Party.
A bow that seemed to choose its wielder carefully, an elf-silk garment, a spear embedded with crimson gems, the saddle of some colossal beast whose nature I couldn’t fathom—and more besides.
‘Could these possibly be… traces of former comrades who no longer exist?’
Just as with Radiya and Malton now, perhaps in some timeline of the past, I had fought alongside them, risking our lives in battle.
Yet I remember nothing of it.
As I gazed at the dust-covered weapons with a distant expression, I heard Malton calling my name.
“Doran, what are you doing standing there in a daze?”
“Ah, I was lost in thought for a moment. Has everyone decided what they’re taking?”
“Yes, now only you remain, Master Doran.”
I swallowed the bitterness and turned to face my companions.
The items they had ultimately chosen were….
[Crossbow Equipped with Reinforced Springs]
｢While the rate of fire is somewhat diminished, this improved crossbow dramatically increases range and accuracy! In the hands of a skilled marksman, it will demonstrate remarkable power!｣
[Elixir of Vitality Recovery]
｢A mystical elixir that aids in the swift restoration of stats diminished by curses or aging!｣
[Mana-Sealing Bracers]
｢An ancient magical artifact that excels at controlling rampant mana. By suppressing the wearer’s mana runaway, it enables stable spellcasting. *However, its effects may prove negligible against overwhelming magical forces!｣
‘They all chose items that suit them well.’
It was the result I had anticipated.
Though I hadn’t expected to find equipment that perfectly matched Karen’s constitution.
Now it was my turn to choose.
I slowly surveyed the Treasure Vault.
Among the weapons displayed on one wall of the storage chamber, there were quite a few suitable for my immediate use.
Exquisitely honed masterwork blades, shoes imbued with acceleration magic, full plate armor gleaming in jet black—and more.
Without even trying them on, I could tell they would fit my frame perfectly.
Yet I furrowed my brow in conflict.
‘Is claiming rewards here truly the best course of action…?’
An ordinary person would be satisfied with such sweet spoils and depart.
Valuable items obtained, experience points accumulated substantially, and the Distorted Space resolved—what more could one ask for?
If I simply seized the weapon before me and left this place, my combat strength would certainly increase, but….
‘…truthfully, these rewards aren’t that appealing to me.’
They’re certainly enticing, but as someone stagnant, if I make the effort, these aren’t items I cannot obtain at all.
To use an analogy, they’re merely transitional equipment, not my final loadout.
If I set my mind to it, no matter how long it takes, I can acquire these things eventually.
If my past self had prepared something for my future self, would I really have left behind only these trivial things?
Moreover, when I first set foot in this Garden, the status window message told me something very specific.
‘If you were searching for something in this Mansion, you will be able to find it here.’
I still haven’t received an answer to the question I’ve been seeking.
“Doran…?”
“….”
I pressed my forehead, lost in contemplation for a long moment, until finally I reached a decision.
“I’ve made up my mind.”
“Yes, Doran, which one will you—”
“I won’t choose any of the items here.”
“What…? What are you saying?!”
“Are you certain? Think carefully once more, Doran. This is a rare opportunity.”
My companions stared at me with disbelief in their eyes.
Karen looked at me as though I’d lost my mind entirely.
To throw away such a golden opportunity with my own hands—was I in my right mind?
Just as everyone was trying to talk me out of it—
—That is correct.
An incomprehensible voice echoed through the void, and a worn book tumbled into my grasp.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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