Chapter 43: Serpendity III

A/N: Forgive me, I had Exams but now I am back.

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Ryan continued deeper into the forest, following the faint green glow.

Along the way, he encountered several corrupted creatures, but none of them posed much of a threat. With his current strength, he could deal with them easily.

After walking for some time, he finally reached a different part of the forest.

The trees here were healthier than those in the surrounding area, although their leaves still had a strange green color. Small plants grew along the ground, and a clear pond sat near the center of the area. Beside the pond stood a small house made of wood and stone.

Ryan stopped and looked around.

"Hmm, I wonder what this place is," he muttered.

According to the information he had obtained from the Witch Doctor, this area was connected to the fallen Tree of Life. However, he had not expected to find a place like this in the middle of a corrupted forest.

He approached the small house and examined it from the outside. The structure appeared old, but it was still in good condition. There were no signs of damage, and the surrounding garden seemed to have been maintained carefully.

Ryan tried to sense what was inside, but he couldn’t detect anyone.

He walked around the house and checked the pond as well. The water was clear, and several small fish swam beneath its surface. Unlike the corrupted water he had encountered earlier, this pond did not seem to contain any poison or strange energy.

However, something about the place still felt unusual.

Ryan returned to the front of the house and noticed a small sign beside the entrance. Strange characters were engraved on its surface, but he could understand their meaning after acquiring the Witch Doctor’s knowledge.

[Lady Mysteria’s Garden]

Ryan raised an eyebrow.

"Lady Mysteria?"

He had never heard that name before, but the title suggested that this place had once belonged to someone important.

He pushed open the door and entered the house.

The interior was much larger than its exterior suggested. Several rooms were connected by a small hallway, and the furniture looked as though it had been arranged recently. There were shelves filled with books, cabinets containing various objects, and a table with a few empty cups placed on it.

Ryan walked through the rooms, checking each one carefully.

There was no one inside, but he discovered several interesting things. A small storage room contained gardening tools, while another room held various containers filled with seeds and dried plants.

He also found a few books about plants and potion-making.

Ryan collected the useful items and stored them in his inventory. He was about to leave when he noticed a ring lying on a wooden table.

The ring had a simple silver band with a small green gemstone in its center.

Ryan picked it up and examined it.

[Consecutive Acquisition: Lady Mysteria’s Ring House]

Ryan blinked when he read the notification.

"Wait, this is a spatial artifact?"

He examined the ring more carefully, and a small amount of information entered his mind.

Spatial artifacts were rare items capable of storing objects inside a separate space. Most storage rings could only hold ordinary items, and their storage capacity depended on their quality.

However, some special spatial artifacts could contain much more than a simple storage space.

They could hold entire buildings, gardens, ponds, and even living creatures. The most advanced ones could contain a complete miniature world with its own environment.

Ryan looked at the ring in his hand again.

"An entire house inside a ring? Spatial artifacts are already rare, but this one is on another level."

He carefully examined the information associated with the ring.

Lady Mysteria’s Ring House was a special spatial artifact that contained a separate dimension. Inside it was a furnished house, a garden filled with various plants, a pond, and several other areas that Ryan had yet to explore.

The space was large enough to accommodate multiple people, and its environment was stable enough to support plant life.

Ryan’s expression brightened.

"This is actually pretty useful."

He had been planning to find a safe place to rest while exploring the second floor. Although he could rent a room in the city, doing so would require him to reveal his identity and spend money unnecessarily.

With this ring, he could have his own private residence wherever he went.

He could also store valuable materials inside it without worrying about running out of inventory space.

Ryan slipped the ring onto his finger and examined it again.

"Not bad. I came here looking for potion ingredients and ended up finding a house."

He looked around the garden once more before leaving the area.

The small house and its surroundings appeared peaceful, but he knew better than to assume that everything in this dungeon was safe. He would investigate the ring’s interior properly later.

For now, he still had to explore the area around the fallen Tree of Life.

Ryan put the matter aside and continued toward the deeper part of the forest, wondering what other treasures this dungeon might contain.

Ryan continued deeper into the forest, hoping to find something valuable near the fallen Tree of Life.

Unfortunately, his luck seemed to have run out.

After leaving Lady Mysteria’s Garden behind, he encountered several groups of corrupted elves and other monsters. Some were hiding among the trees, while others wandered around the forest in search of prey.

However, none of them could pose a serious threat to Ryan.

Whenever a monster appeared, he simply drew his Death Blade Greatsword and dealt with it. Most of the weaker creatures couldn’t even withstand a single strike, while the stronger ones only managed to put up a brief fight before being defeated.

Ryan also collected their monster cores and useful materials whenever he found them.

Unfortunately, none of the monsters dropped anything particularly valuable.

After defeating another group of corrupted elves, Ryan checked his surroundings and sighed.

"Seriously, is this all there is?"

He had already explored several areas and defeated countless monsters, yet he hadn’t found anything comparable to Lady Mysteria’s Ring House.

Although he had obtained plenty of ordinary materials, none of them particularly interested him.

Ryan had hoped to find another hidden treasure or perhaps some rare potion ingredients, but the forest seemed determined to disappoint him.

He continued walking, occasionally checking the information stored in his Memory Transmission Crystal.

According to the Witch Doctor’s knowledge, the fallen Tree of Life was located somewhere deeper in the forest. However, the corruption had changed the surrounding terrain, making it difficult to determine the exact route.

Ryan wasn’t particularly worried about that.

With his current strength, he could easily defeat any monsters that stood in his way. Even if he accidentally entered a dangerous area, he had enough confidence to protect himself.

After walking for another hour, he finally noticed something unusual.

The trees ahead were much larger than the ones surrounding him. Their trunks were thick and twisted, and their branches stretched across the sky, blocking most of the sunlight.

A faint green glow could be seen between them.

Ryan stopped and looked ahead.

"Finally, something interesting."

He adjusted his equipment and continued forward.

As he approached the enormous trees, the atmosphere gradually changed. The air became heavier, and the green mist grew thicker. He could also sense a strange energy coming from the direction of the glow.

Ryan knew he was getting closer to the fallen Tree of Life.

He soon encountered another group of corrupted creatures, but this time, he didn’t bother slowing down.

He activated Death Blade Aura and rushed toward them.

His greatsword swept through the air, releasing waves of Death Energy that cut through the approaching monsters. Several corrupted elves tried to surround him, while a few larger creatures charged from the side.

Ryan dealt with them without much difficulty.

He blocked an incoming attack, countered with a powerful slash, and immediately turned toward the next enemy. Within a short time, the entire group had been defeated.

He collected the useful materials and continued moving.

Along the way, he encountered more powerful monsters, including several corrupted beasts that had absorbed the energy of the fallen Tree of Life. Their bodies were larger, and their attacks carried traces of corruption.

Unfortunately for them, the difference in strength was simply too great.

Ryan defeated them one after another, barely needing to use any of his stronger abilities.

By the time he reached the next section of the forest, his inventory contained even more monster cores, corrupted plant materials, and other miscellaneous items.

Yet he still hadn’t found anything particularly valuable.

Ryan glanced at the materials he had collected and shook his head.

"Well, at least the monsters are generous enough to provide experience."

He wasn’t completely disappointed. Every defeated monster gave him experience, and the materials might prove useful when he started making potions with the Witch Doctor’s knowledge.

Still, he hoped the area around the fallen Tree of Life would offer better rewards.

After all, he had already spent several hours exploring this dungeon.

Ryan continued forward until the trees finally began to thin out.

Beyond them, he could see a massive shadow rising above the forest.

He stopped and looked up.

Even from a distance, the enormous structure was impossible to miss. Its thick branches extended in every direction, while its trunk was so wide that several buildings could have been constructed around its base.

However, the tree was no longer alive.

Its bark was dark and cracked, and countless dead branches stretched toward the sky. Strange green energy flowed through the cracks in its trunk, while thick roots spread across the surrounding land.

A faint mist gathered around its base.

Ryan stared at the enormous tree for a moment before smiling.

"Looks like I’ve finally found it."

The fallen Tree of Life was right in front of him.

And considering how important this place was to the dungeon, Ryan hoped his luck would finally improve.