"Listen carefully," Lupa began, his voice grave. "If you truly wish to bring back those you have lost... there is a way."
"You must pour a drop of a specific water down their throats. It comes from a place called the Fount of the Second Breath."
"It is a waterfall of legend. It is said that if you place the fallen beneath its flow, the water entering their bodies will pull them back to the land of the living."
Liuke, Rayna, Luka, and Rika stared at the Elder in disbelief. A fountain that could reverse death itself? It sounded impossible.
"Listen, monkey," Rika snapped, crossing her arms. "I think you're playing a sick joke on us. If you don't know the way out, just say so. Stop with these fairy tales."
"Foolish girl," Lupa huffed. "If you do not believe my words, you are free to leave. No one is forcing you to stay if you are so arrogant."
"Rika, shut your mouth!" Rayna hissed. "Can't you see this entire forest is built on magic? A life-giving waterfall isn't the most shocking thing we've seen today."
"Exactly," Luka added, glaring at Rika. "Stop talking before you make us look even more like idiots. We shouldn't have brought you along."
Rika's face flushed with anger. "I was just having a doubt! Why are you all overreacting? Fine, do whatever you want!"
Liuke ignored the bickering and turned to Lupa. His voice was calm but carried a heavy desperation.
"Lupa, please tell us everything you know. I am willing to do whatever it takes to save my squad. I won't stop until I've tried everything."
Lupa and the other talking monkeys looked at Liuke with pity. They could see the power radiating from his metallic form.
It was powerful, yes—but it was also consuming him. Lupa knew this silver transformation came at a terrible price. Liuke was running out of time.
"Look, Liuke," Lupa finally decided. "I am old. I have experience, but my old bones cannot keep up with your young blood on such a journey."
"However, I have someone who can. He is young, but he knows every hidden corner and secret path of this forest."
"He will lead you to the place where the Fount of the Second Breath lies hidden."
Lupa walked toward a younger talking monkey and brought him forward to meet Liuke.
"This is Tori," Lupa introduced. "He has spent his entire life wandering this forest. He knows the way to the waterfall."
Tori looked a bit awkward as he faced Liuke. He nervously rubbed the back of his neck, clearly intimidated by Liuke's intense aura.
"Thank you, Lupa," Liuke said with a sincere nod. "You saved me from the radiation, and now you are giving me a chance to save my friends. I am forever in your debt."
"There is no need for thanks," Lupa replied. "You ended our nightmare by killing the Fire Leopard. We are simply returning the favor."
"I must go then," Liuke said, ready to move.
"Wait, wait!" Tori shouted, waving his arms. "Don't be in such a rush! Let me at least grab my maps!"
Tori hurried away and returned with a collection of stones. They weren't paper maps, but rocks marked with strange, etched symbols showing locations.
In a forest governed by ancient magic, modern tools were useless.
"Why are you stuffing your clothes with rocks?" Luka asked, confused.
"These aren't just rocks," Tori explained, annoyed. "These are the coordinates for the Fount. I have to piece them together to find the right path."
"Then let's move," Rayna said. "We've wasted enough time already."
Finally, the group left the cave of the Great Tree and stepped back out into the heart of the Everdread Forest.
"Hey, Liuke," Rayna whispered as they walked. "Can't you turn back to normal? Can't you drop this form?"
"This transformation isn't under my control," Liuke admitted quietly.
"I don't know much about it, but it awakens when I am consumed by rage and grief. I have almost no power to stop it."
"Rayna," Liuke continued, his voice hardening. "Tell me... how did Commander Elvis and the others fall to a man like Ramonian?"
"He attacked from the shadows," Rayna explained, her eyes darkening at the memory.
"His assassins took out the lower-ranked cadets first—from the 10th to the 15th seats. By the time we realized what was happening, it was too late."
"Ramonian killed Gary from behind and stole his Solar Core. Using Gary's ability, he invaded everyone's minds and bodies simultaneously."
"He destroyed them from the inside out. It all happened in an instant."
"I see," Liuke muttered. "So that metal dimension I felt inside me was Ramonian's attack... but it didn't work on me."
"He tried," Rayna said. "But even though the ability was Gary's, he couldn't break you. He took the three of us hostage after the rest were gone."
"It doesn't matter now," Liuke said firmly. "I will do whatever is necessary to bring them back."
Tori suddenly stopped and turned to the group, pointing toward the horizon.
"Where we are going is deep and unforgiving," Tori warned. "Think of this forest in three levels."
"Level 1 is where we are now. The creatures are unique but not too deadly."
"Level 2 is where the environment becomes hostile. It is no place for ordinary people."
"And Level 3... that is where things become unimaginably dark and dangerous. I have never been that deep, but I have an idea of the horrors there."
"Great," Rika groaned. "So we're just shooting in the dark. This talking monkey isn't as useful as I thought."
Tori's ears twitched with annoyance. "If you don't want my help, fine! I'll go back right now!"
Luka immediately delivered a swift punch to the top of Rika's head. "Shut up and stay quiet!"
Luka then turned to Tori with a nervous smile, telling him Rika was only joking.
"We have no time to waste," Liuke urged. "Let's move."
And so, Liuke's journey to save his fallen comrades truly began.
Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, Commander Jems's squad was still busy with their mission.
They remained blissfully unaware that the other squad had been completely wiped out.
Thanks to their guide, Orishima, they had already collected four or five different types of magical fruits and rare seeds.
"Orishima," Jems said, looking at their haul. "We've gathered a lot of material for research. Is there anything else we need?"
"We've only just started exploring," Orishima replied, looking deeper into the woods.
"We still have to enter the second layer—the Shadow Fen. After that, the Grim Grove. The journey is still long."
"If that's the case, then no problem," Jems laughed. "We'll see it through. This exploration is actually quite a thrill!"