Chapter 340: Variety

Chapter 340: Chapter 340: Variety

Seraphina Sinclair could see clearly that the Healing Potion Fayestar had just taken out was only D-level.

The purplish-blue traces of poison on Fayestar’s calf, though still visible, had stopped spreading. It was under control.

She let out a long sigh of relief and pushed herself up from the ground. Though her face was still pale, the sharp glint had returned to her eyes.

She looked at Seraphina Sinclair, her tone complicated. "You saved my life."

’Seraphina Sinclair remained noncommittal. Those tentacles had certainly put her in a difficult spot. If she hadn’t been covering Fayestar’s retreat, none of this would have happened.’

"This isn’t the time for that." Seraphina Sinclair’s gaze returned to the room.

After they had retreated from the room, the Rotsea Emberfiend seemed to have lost its target. Its frenzied movements calmed slightly, but it continued to writhe slowly in the center of the room, tentacles waving restlessly in the air. The poisonous fog had yet to fully dissipate.

Thanks to its Regeneration Ability, the destroyed vents and severed tentacles had all regrown, maintaining a bizarrely pristine condition.

"Its Regeneration Ability is too strong, and it becomes explosively more powerful when stimulated," Seraphina Sinclair analyzed quickly. "We’ve already tried brute force. That didn’t work. We need a new approach."

Fayestar struggled to her feet, testing her still-weak leg. "If brute force won’t work," she said grimly, "then we’ll have to outsmart it!"

As she spoke, she glanced at the Sunflower hanging from Seraphina Sinclair’s pack. Her brow, which had just relaxed, furrowed tightly once more.

"You accomplished so much even while carrying that thing. If you weren’t burdened by it, our chances of killing the monster together would be much higher. Just leave the Sunflower here. Lyra Lowell and Alaric Hawthorn can watch over it. It’ll be fine."

’How is that a suggestion for outsmarting it?’

’Fayestar talked about outsmarting it, but from the looks of it, she was still planning to use brute force.’

Seraphina Sinclair slipped a hand into her pocket, her thumb unconsciously stroking a D-level Talisman she had just retrieved from her Silver Moon Earrings.

’If Alaric Hawthorn hadn’t been able to hold on a moment ago, she would have used this Talisman.’

’She had only used F-level runes before. She’d sold plenty of those, so no one could use them to figure out her identity.’

’But the moment she used this Talisman, Fayestar would recognize her as Blacktiger Ford.’

A nagging sixth sense warned Seraphina Sinclair that it would be best if Fayestar didn’t discover her identity.

With that in mind, she lifted her gaze to Fayestar—or more precisely, to the wound on her leg. "Can you still move properly on that leg?"

At her words, Fayestar stomped the ground and then took a few quick steps. Her brow twitched in pain, but her movements were surprisingly sharp.

"It’s fine. The potion is taking effect, so I can manage. Most of the poison is gone. It won’t slow me down."

Seraphina Sinclair nodded and turned to look at the increasingly agitated Rotsea Emberfiend. "Maybe... we don’t have to kill this monster at all."

"What?"

She had spoken so softly that even Fayestar, who was closest, couldn’t make out the words, to say nothing of Lyra Lowell and Alaric Hawthorn standing farther back.

Seraphina Sinclair didn’t repeat herself. She just stared at the Rotsea Emberfiend, searching for a strategy.

The corridor fell silent once more, leaving only the sound of four people’s deliberately hushed breaths and the distinct rustle of leaves.

Seraphina Sinclair followed the sound with her gaze and spotted the Sunflowers belonging to Mimi and Alaric Hawthorn huddled together. Their leaves brushed against each other from time to time, like good friends teasing and playing around.

Almost subconsciously, Seraphina Sinclair glanced at her own Sunflower, which she carried on her back.

Its flower head remained quietly in its leather bag, showing no signs of movement or any attempt to communicate with the other three Sunflowers, like a detached observer.

An indescribable sense of dissonance washed over Seraphina Sinclair.

’It was perfectly reasonable for Sunflowers to communicate and interact. The question was, why did her own Sunflower seem so aloof?’

’It didn’t seem the least bit upset by the other three’s interaction; it hadn’t even made a single move to communicate with them.’

’Was it because of the Sunflower’s current, unique form, or was it a matter of its breed?’

The questions flashed through her mind and were gone. Seraphina Sinclair cradled the Sunflower in her arms, staring at it intently for a moment.

As she waited expectantly, the Sunflower’s inner voice finally emerged, though it was just useless babble. "My person..."

Its leaves quivered, a clear sign of its happiness.

Seraphina Sinclair was left speechless. As she turned the pot, about to sling the Sunflower back onto her pack, she heard it say, "Yummy... yummy!"

The voice was bursting with excitement, and Seraphina Sinclair froze.

She looked down at the Sunflower in her arms. Its flower head was trembling slightly, seemingly straining to turn in a specific direction. Her heart leaped.

"Yummy?" Seraphina Sinclair repeated in a hushed voice, her gaze following the direction the Sunflower’s head was vaguely indicating.

It was pointing directly at the Rotsea Emberfiend inside the room, the one still radiating a terrifying aura!

’Could it be... the "yummy" thing the Sunflower meant was this C-level monster?!’

’The thought was horrifying, yet it seemed to align with the hint from the Stone Tablet.’

’If the Sunflower could somehow consume this monster...’

’But the Sunflower hadn’t reacted at all when the monster first appeared.’

’Seraphina Sinclair knew her Sunflower. When a Path’s Gift appeared, it could spend an entire night chanting, "Gotta eat! Gotta eat!"’

’If there was truly something edible nearby, it would never have stayed silent.’

’Then that meant the monster must have changed!’

’The changes the monster had undergone since the fight started...’

Seraphina Sinclair froze. Her eyes immediately fixed on the flesh the monster had just regrown.

’The change was the flesh it had just regenerated!’

’Could it be that the only part the Sunflower could eat was the monster’s newly grown flesh?!’

Fayestar noticed something was off with Seraphina Sinclair. Seeing her clutching the Sunflower tightly, a strange look in her eyes, she frowned. "What is it? Did you find something?"

Seraphina Sinclair took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the storm of shock and speculation raging within her.

’This theory was too outlandish, and she had no proof. If she said it out loud now, Fayestar would just think she was crazy.’

’She needed more concrete evidence. Or... a chance to test her theory.’

"Something’s not right."

Seraphina Sinclair answered vaguely, tucking the Sunflower back into its small leather bag. This time, however, she held it against her chest.

"Fayestar, we’re going again. This time, you do everything you can to draw its attention. Cause a distraction, and make sure it doesn’t notice me."

"And then what?" Fayestar asked, her eyes fixed on the Sunflower at Seraphina’s chest, her displeasure obvious.

"And then, you focus on staying alive, retreat to safety, and leave the enraged monster to me." Seraphina Sinclair’s voice was calm, leaving no room for argument.