They had no time to waste. Theo knew that Lithium Fungus—the mission target—only appeared around Stone Bugs. They had a strange symbiotic relationship: Stone Bugs ate Crystal Fungus Fat and remaining mine minerals to harden their shells, while Lithium Fungus absorbed Stone Bug powder as nutrients, because that powder layer contained a bit of mana accumulated from the environment.

  This very symbiosis had created the Lithium Fungus's conditional reaction: when Stone Bug powder was sprinkled on it, it would activate the extraction process of a substance like cotton wool but heavy as fat, which mages called Crystal Fungus Fat—a precious material.

  Liam nodded, Short Spear sweeping lightly ahead to clear rock fragments and red moss. The two continued going deeper.

  The deeper they went, the more dense the fishy smell became, and the soft clack clack clack now heard more clearly, like the sound of stone continuously scraping.

  They reached a cave area that began widening a bit, forming a narrow U-shaped curve.

  "Ahead. That curve," Liam whispered; he was the one who discovered it first.

  In the faint light of the headlamp on Liam's head, Theo saw the rock wall at that curve was no longer rough stone. It was covered by small, gray-white objects: those were Lithium Fungus clusters.

  These fungus clusters didn't resemble ordinary mushrooms. They had shapes like milky white quartz crystals, growing close together in patches, creating the feeling like an ice layer. The surface slightly slimy, and each fungus "crystal" emitted faint, cold light like moonlight. They grew crowded, clinging tightly to rock as if breathing slowly to the cave's rhythm.

  And right below that fungus cluster, a Stone Bug colony was busy. About 10 to 12 Stone Bugs were crawling clumsily. Some were nibbling minerals on the wall, others rubbing backs against each other, creating thick powder layers.

  This was the symbiotic epicenter, where they could collect both Lithium Fungus and Stone Bug Powder.

  Liam gripped the Short Spear tightly, ready to charge in.

  "What now? Too many for direct combat," Liam asked, his voice nearly invisible.

  Theo touched the special Smoke Bomb attached to his side, different from the first two he'd made. This one was marked with a green leaf—that's right, it was added with a bit of mint powder. This was a component Stone Bugs were very sensitive to; just touching the shell would confuse Stone Bugs, make them uncomfortable, even not bothering to notice surroundings.

  Cold sweat beaded Theo's forehead. In that moment, all the knowledge he'd learned, all the formulas G provided, suddenly became frighteningly fragile. He found no orthodox records about whether mint truly affected Stone Bugs or not—absolutely none. Everything was just scattered information fragments from Madam Lyra and a few stories Liam overheard from hunter circles.

  A tactic based on conjecture.

  Theo's heart pounded in his chest.

  He hated gambling. Especially when their lives depended on it.

  Hesitation squeezed his throat. He imagined if they missed just one beat, 12 Stone Bugs would simultaneously turn around, charging like living boulders. In this cramped space, a single collision would be enough to crush Liam's leg bones, or slam him into the cave wall unconscious. Just one mistake...

  Neither of them would escape.

  But letting Liam charge into close combat with 12 Stone Bugs was even more insane, right?

  No. Never.

  Liam was always excited before battle, but Theo saw more clearly than anyone: just one graze, one missed step, one spear thrust off direction... Liam wouldn't have enough retreat path in such a tight cave.

  A choking feeling rose in Theo—part fear, part determination, part desperation.

  He couldn't let Liam take that risk.

  If anyone had to gamble, it was him—not his friend.

  Theo gripped the Mint Smoke Bomb tightly, the cold feeling of the wrapped leather covering transmitting through his palm. Fear had been suppressed, replaced by cold determination.

  "Have to do it. No safer choice."

  He shook his head slightly at Liam:

  "I'll throw. You must retreat seven steps and be ready for Remnant Wind."

  Liam understood. Seven steps was the safe distance to avoid being irritated by Mint smoke, while still maintaining striking range if the Stone Bug colony reacted violently. He nodded, Short Spear lowered, method already ready.

  Theo closed his eyes one last time, not to calculate but to erase all doubt. He determined the Stone Bug colony's center position by "clack clack clack" sounds and the Lithium Fungus's dim light.

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  He opened his eyes, wrist snapping hard.

  The Mint Smoke Bomb flew swiftly in darkness, following a perfect arc, colliding right in the middle of the Stone Bug colony.

  BOOM!

  A muffled, compact explosion, and immediately, a pale green-blue smoke screen rose. Not thick like ordinary Smoke Bombs, it diffused quickly into thin mist, carrying a pungent mint scent.

  The reaction was instant.

  The previously quiet Stone Bug colony suddenly became frantic. Not ferocious, but uncontrollably chaotic. Their keen sense of smell was stimulated so strongly it was painful.

  They didn't charge at Theo or Liam. Instead, they crashed into each other, rubbed shells on cave walls, rolled on the cave floor, frantically trying to eliminate the scent. The "clack clack clack" became brutal "bang" sounds as they slammed into everything.

  "It works! Mint is effective!" Theo exhaled with relief; unexpected relief nearly made his knees buckle.

  G spoke up, voice carrying rare astonishment, no longer completely cold as usual:

  "Mint Powder (Mentha) contains Menthol, a compound irritating cold receptors in species with keen smell. System is recording sensory overload state in Stone Bugs, causing acute neural disorientation. This isn't blinding—it's olfactory torture."

  A brief pause, then G continued, precise as a knife blade:

  "Host has created an exceptionally effective control agent. Collection opportunity has arrived. Thirty seconds according to collected data, be careful as data is insufficient so there will be +-20% variance."

  Thirty seconds! Time more precious than pure gold.

  "Thirty seconds!" Theo called softly, voice choking with concentration.

  "Liam! I'll collect Crystal Fungus Fat, you scrape Stone Bug powder and throw it to me! Quick!"

  Liam needed no more words. Like an arrow from the bow, he charged into the narrow curve, Short Spear compact against his body, ready to block any that escaped the chaos.

  The Stone Bug colony was still slamming into each other, banging sounds echoing. The mint smoke screen covered the symbiotic area, smell so intense even Theo had to frown.

  Liam glided through the danger zone, Remnant Wind Method helping him avoid random strikes. He drew the small bronze spoon—tool Theo prepared in advance—to scrape powder without damaging quality.

  He moved among the frantic Stone Bug colony, scraping each thick powder patch on their backs, collecting in small containers. Each time a container filled, Liam threw it toward Theo.

  "Hurry up!" Liam growled softly; eyes still sweeping the entire colony to ensure none had yet regained composure.

  Theo stood several steps away, far enough to avoid collision. He collected Crystal Fungus Fat on rocks—quite fortunately, the bugs had already sprinkled much powder on the fungus in this area, saving Theo effort for crystallization; silver knife continuously cutting white fat layers then pouring into containers mixed with powder from before.

  A powder container flew over. Through years of rapport, Theo caught it without needing to look at Liam, opened lid, sprinkled powder on the next Lithium Fungus cluster.

  The fungus began crystallizing rapidly. A substance like white cotton wool but heavy gushed out—that was Crystal Fungus Fat.

  Theo used his knife to collect each precious "fat cotton" chunk, placing in the Spirit Cedar Box.

  "Fifteen seconds remaining," G reminded, voice emotionless.

  Liam threw the second powder container. Theo continued the motion: activate fungus, sprinkle powder, collect fat. The Spirit Box had noticeably grown heavier.

  "Ten seconds remaining."

  Right then, Liam roared—voice sharp and cold:

  "Retreat! Theo, retreat!"

  Theo's head snapped up. No need to ask. He saw the largest Stone Bug at the colony's edge had stopped being frantic; its antennae began moving, fixing on the mint scent location.

  It was recovering. If it became alert, the entire colony would immediately follow.

  Without hesitation, Theo slammed the Spirit Box shut, locked it. Liam had already retreated quickly, Short Spear raised in defense.

  "Retreat! Back to the cave entrance!"

  Both ran, footsteps rapid on the slippery red moss layer. Behind, Stone Bug sounds changed from chaos to pursuit, the clack clack sounds of stone bugs becoming sharp and prolonged—recovery signals.

  Air currents in the cave began sweeping the mint smoke layer backward, making the Stone Bug colony recover faster.

  When they stopped to catch breath, G reported:

  "Mint agent maintained 24.5 seconds against stronger entities. Collected Crystal Fungus Fat amount estimated 170%—equivalent to 17 Marks (510 grams). Mission meets requirements."

  They had succeeded. But they had also agitated the entire colony.

  Bang! Crash!

  The pursuit sounds behind were no longer aimless, but targeted.

  G updated, voice sharp as steel:

  "Takes 4.2 seconds for Stone Bugs to recover 80% movement capability. At current speed and friction coefficient μ≈0.15, they will catch up at the intersection near where the first Stone Bug was brought down."

  Liam and Theo ran desperately. Remnant Wind Method helped Liam maintain balance, but speed was still limited by red moss.

  Theo, though trying to stay alert, knew clearly: he himself was slowing Liam down.

  He gripped the ordinary Smoke Bomb in his hand.

  "I'll slow them down!"

  They reached the curve where the first Stone Bug's corpse was still stuck in glue.

  Theo didn't hesitate. His hand pulled the Smoke Bomb pin but inside rose bitter truth: Liam could run much faster, but he would never leave Theo behind.

  I'm dragging Liam down.

  Guilt flashed through, but Theo immediately suppressed it. He had to compensate with intelligence. A bold idea appeared in an instant.

  G analyzed:

  "Smoke Bomb neutralizes smell for 10 seconds. Current speed 2 m/s. Distance only increases 20 meters—not enough to leave Red Moss Cave."

  Theo's eyes flashed in the darkness. Decisively threw the Smoke Bomb into the middle of the narrow path.

  POP!

  Black smoke with thick dust burst up blocking smell, making the Stone Bug colony slow down.

  "Liam! Run full speed to the partition wall on the other side!"

  Liam understood. The two boys used Remnant Wind running full speed toward the partition wall. Because Liam ran behind blocking the bugs' path, Theo waited for Liam to pass the curve before continuing action.

  This was the decisive moment.

  Theo spun around, planted fire wick in arrowhead, struck fire, drew bow—fluid motion.

  "Cover your ears!"

  G screamed one last time:

  "Chain reaction risk 65%! Danger!"

  For one second, the entire cave fell silent—only Theo's heart pounding.

  BOOM!

  The carbon dust explosion reverberated, flames spurted up then lunged forward like a python then retreated into the cave in a flash. The shockwave swept through, pushing back the Stone Bug colony, stunning them, slamming into cave walls, completely losing track of the two boys.

  After the explosion, all organic dust was burned clean, the two boys' scent also completely erased.

  Ears ringing and dizzy, Liam and Theo helped each other stand up leaning against the partition wall. Theo's palms burned from heat waves, but he didn't stop.

  "Success! 30 seconds of safe distance created!" G announced.