Chapter 373: The Road to Paradise

The next morning, Arthur was ready before everyone else.

He stood near the village entrance with his backpack secured, his equipment checked, and a smile that made Vedas immediately suspicious.

"You’re enjoying this too much," Vedas remarked as he approached.

"Enjoying what?"

"The fact that we’re going somewhere new."

"Is that a crime?"

"No. But when you look that excited, something usually happens."

Arthur chuckled. "You’re worrying too much. We’re visiting a hot spring, not fighting a monster."

"Those words would be more reassuring if you hadn’t said something similar before we encountered the last monster."

Melo walked past them carrying a small bag of supplies. "Don’t bother arguing. He’s been like this since he woke up."

Kong followed behind her, hugging a bundle of food to his chest.

"Can we leave already? If we’re going to spend the day exploring, we should get there before lunch."

"You packed enough food for three days," Athy observed.

Kong looked offended. "And what if we get hungry?"

"What if we discover a restaurant hidden beneath the roots?"

"Then we’ll have more food!"

Melo shook her head. "His reasoning is impossible to defeat."

Nearby, Professor Roland finished checking the expedition’s equipment while Professor Scolding reviewed the route. Cassian and Athena carried their survey instruments, and Leon and Metapholes secured the remaining supplies.

Luna arrived last, accompanied by several villagers who had recovered enough to join the outing.

Her grandfather remained in the village. Though he was improving, he still needed rest, and the village’s recovery required someone familiar with its original network to coordinate the work.

Before Luna left, he had given her an old map drawn on a piece of weathered paper.

"The trail should begin behind the eastern ridge," he had told her. "Follow the stream until you reach the old root bridge. After that, the path climbs through the southern woods. The hot spring should be beyond the ridge."

Luna had studied the map carefully.

"Should be?"

Her grandfather had smiled apologetically. "It’s been a long time since anyone traveled that route. The corruption may have changed parts of the landscape."

Now she held the map in both hands and looked toward the southern hills.

Arthur noticed her expression.

"Don’t worry. We’ll check the path as we go."

Vedas turned toward him.

"Carefully, I hope."

"Of course."

"Say it while looking at the trail."

Arthur stared directly at the path ahead. "We’ll proceed carefully."

"Good."

Sun stepped forward, resting a hand on his chest.

"Then let us begin! Today, we shall conquer the southern wilderness and discover the legendary resting place!"

Mithra glanced at him. "We’re going to bathe in warm water."

"Every great journey deserves a grand declaration."

"Every great journey also deserves someone who knows where he’s going."

Sun fell silent.

Kong laughed so hard that he nearly dropped his food.

With the professors leading the way, the group finally departed.

The southern trail began as a narrow path between tall trees. Sunlight filtered through the branches, illuminating patches of moss and wildflowers. The farther they traveled, the thicker the vegetation became.

Luna walked near Arthur, comparing the landscape with her grandfather’s map.

"I remember him describing the southern woods," she said. "He used to say the ground stayed warm even during winter. He also said the plants grew unusually well around the streams."

Arthur glanced at the trees.

"He wasn’t exaggerating. Look at those roots."

Several enormous roots twisted through the soil, their surfaces covered in healthy green moss. Small flowers had grown between them, and a faint warmth rose from the ground.

Eden slowed beside one of the roots.

"The World Tree’s influence reaches farther than I expected. The circulation here is weak, but it’s stable."

"Is that because the network is recovering?" Luna asked.

"Probably. The southern roots may have been less affected by the corruption than the village’s local connection."

Professor Roland nodded. "We’ll record the readings before drawing any firm conclusions."

Arthur looked around with interest.

"Then let’s see what else this place has."

Vedas sighed.

"Please stop saying things like that."

They discovered the stream less than an hour later.

It flowed between smooth stones, its surface clear enough to reveal the pale sand beneath. A thin mist hovered over the water despite the cool morning air.

Luna knelt beside it and dipped her fingers into the stream.

Her eyes widened.

"It’s warm!"

Arthur crouched beside her and tested it himself.

The water felt pleasantly warm against his skin, much warmer than an ordinary mountain stream.

Kong immediately hurried over.

"Warm water? Let me see!"

He dipped one hand into it, then looked at the others with obvious delight.

"It’s perfect! Does this mean we can cook things in it?"

Melo stared at him.

"Why is that your first thought?"

"Because we brought food."

"You brought snacks."

"Snacks are food!"

"Then eat your snacks. Leave the stream alone."

Kong ignored her and examined the water more closely, apparently trying to determine whether it could serve as an enormous cooking pot.

Athena knelt beside the stream with her instrument.

"The temperature is unusually high for water flowing through this terrain," she said. "There are mineral deposits along the bed, and the mana concentration is slightly elevated."

Leon examined the stones along the bank.

"Geothermal activity could explain the warmth. The mana circulation might be contributing to it."

"Possibly," Professor Roland replied. "We’ll need more measurements before deciding how much each factor contributes."

Sun had meanwhile stepped onto a flat stone in the middle of the stream.

"I propose a test!"

Mithra looked at him. "What test?"

"We shall determine who can follow the stream without getting their boots wet. A simple challenge of balance and coordination!"

"Or," Vedas suggested, "we could continue walking."

Sun ignored him.

He took another step, spreading his arms theatrically.

Then his boot slipped.

"Whoa!"

Mithra caught him by the collar before he fell into the stream.

Sun hung there for a moment, his arms still spread.

Mithra stared at him.

"An impressive display of balance."

"I was testing the terrain."

"Of course."

She pulled him back onto the bank.

Kong burst into laughter, while Melo leaned against a tree to recover from her own.

Arthur grinned. "I think the terrain won."

Sun straightened his clothes with as much dignity as he could manage.

"The challenge was inconclusive."

"Then perhaps you should try again," Mithra said.

"Perhaps we should proceed to the next stage of our expedition."

"Excellent idea."

They continued along the stream, following it deeper into the southern woods.

The trail eventually ended at a natural ravine.

Across the gap, thick roots formed a bridge between the two sides. Some were as wide as tree trunks, while others intertwined to create a rough walking surface. Beneath them, the ravine descended into shadow, where water rushed over rocks far below.

Arthur approached the edge but stopped well before the loose stones.

"That’s our bridge?"

Luna checked the map. "It should be."

Vedas examined the crossing from several angles.

"Some of those roots look unstable."

Professor Scolding nodded. "Nobody crosses until we check the structure."

Leon and Metapholes secured a rope between two sturdy trees while Professor Roland examined the roots’ connection to the surrounding network. Athena recorded the readings, and Eden carefully sensed the faint circulation beneath the bridge.

"The structure is still connected to the southern roots," Eden reported. "But some sections have weakened. We should stay close to the thicker roots and avoid the outer edges."

Arthur looked toward Vedas.

"You heard her. We’ll cross carefully."

"I heard her. I’m more concerned about whether you heard her."

Arthur gave him a reassuring smile.

Vedas stared back.

"Don’t smile at me. It doesn’t help."

Once the professors approved the crossing, Arthur went first. He tested each section before placing his full weight on it, keeping one hand on the rope.

Star balanced on his shoulder, its small body shifting gently whenever the bridge moved.

Halfway across, Arthur paused to help a villager step over a broken section. Vedas followed close behind, ready to assist if anyone lost their footing.

The others crossed in small groups.

Kong approached the edge and looked down.

Then he looked at the bridge.

Then down again.

"I am not afraid of heights," he announced.

Melo raised an eyebrow. "Nobody said you were."

"Good. Because I’m not."

He took one step onto the bridge.

His tail curled tightly around the nearest secure support.

Melo watched him for several seconds.

"Very convincing."

"I’m using my tail for balance!"

"Of course."

Kong continued across, keeping his eyes firmly on the roots ahead. When a section shifted beneath his feet, he immediately grabbed the rope and clung to it.

"I meant to do that!"

"I’m sure you did," Melo called.

Kong refused to answer until he reached the other side.

When he finally stepped onto solid ground, he released a long breath.

"See? Easy."

Melo patted his shoulder.

"I’m proud of you."

"Really?"

"No."

Kong groaned while everyone else laughed.

The crossing took longer than expected, but nobody was injured. Once the last villager reached the other side, the professors checked the rope and marked the bridge’s weaker sections for their records.

Arthur glanced back at the ravine.

"That was a nice little challenge."

Vedas gave him a flat look.

"It was a bridge."

"A bridge with consequences."

"Please stop trying to turn everything into an adventure."

Beyond the ravine, the landscape began to change.

The trees grew taller, and the ground became warmer beneath their feet. Thin streams of mist rose from cracks between the stones. Small pools appeared along the path, their surfaces shimmering in the sunlight.

Some plants grew unusually close to the water, their leaves broad and vibrant. Others had grown around exposed roots, forming natural arches over the trail.

Athena stopped beside one of the pools.

"The mineral concentration is increasing."

Cassian checked his instrument.

"So is the local mana level. The pattern seems to follow the roots beneath the ground."

Professor Roland looked toward the ridge ahead.

"That supports the possibility of a larger geothermal basin beyond this point."

Kong brightened.

"A larger pool?"

"Possibly," Athena answered.

"Large enough to cook in?"

Melo grabbed him by the shoulder before he could approach the water.

"Keep walking."

Athy had stopped beside a stone marker partially hidden beneath moss. She brushed the surface clean, revealing a symbol carved into the rock.

"Wait. I’ve seen this before."

Luna moved closer.

The symbol resembled the branching-root pattern found in her grandfather’s records.

Athy opened her notebook and compared the markings.

"This matches a reference to the southern resting place. The record mentions a series of warm pools beneath the roots, though it doesn’t provide a precise location."

Luna studied the symbol, trying to remember where she had seen it.

"I recognize it, but I can’t remember what the rest of the inscription said."

"That’s all right," Athy replied. "We can record it and compare it with the other markings later."

Luna nodded, still looking at the stone.

Something about the symbol felt familiar, but the memory remained just beyond her reach.

Arthur called from farther up the path.

"Everyone, come take a look!"

The trail climbed toward a final ridge, where the trees began to thin. A gentle breeze carried the scent of minerals and warm water toward them.

Beyond the ridge, something roared softly.

Not a beast.

Water.

Arthur reached the top first.

Then he stopped.

For once, he didn’t say anything.

The others gradually caught up, and one by one, they fell silent beside him.

Below them lay a vast natural basin filled with turquoise pools. Steam rose from the water in delicate clouds, drifting between stone terraces and enormous trees. Several waterfalls descended from the higher rocks, feeding smaller pools that connected through winding channels.

The largest spring rested beneath an arch of ancient roots, its clear surface reflecting the surrounding greenery. Sunlight shimmered across the water, while patches of colorful vegetation covered the terraces.

It looked less like an ordinary hot spring and more like a hidden paradise.

Even Vedas said nothing.

Kong’s mouth fell open.

Sun slowly raised his chin, apparently searching for a declaration grand enough to match the view.

Mithra glanced at him.

"Don’t ruin it."

For once, Sun obeyed.

Luna stepped forward, her eyes shining.

"So the stories were true."

Arthur finally turned toward the others with a broad grin.

"Everyone, welcome to our next investigation."

Melo laughed.

"You mean our vacation."

Arthur looked back at the steaming pools.

"Both can be true."

Then he started down the trail.

Behind him, the others followed, eager to discover what awaited them in the southern paradise.