Suddenly, another sound came from the bushes. It seemed this wasn’t over yet…

From the undergrowth emerged a Fungoid much larger than the others, wearing a crown-like growth on its head.

—"Oh no!" Zara said, alarmed. —"It’s a Fungoid King!"

—"What?" Maya turned to her, still slightly dizzy from the spores. —"So that thing’s like their leader or something?"

—"Something like that," Zara replied. —"And it’s worse than I thought. From what I’ve read, it’s highly resistant, and every time it’s attacked, it spawns more Fungoids like the ones we just fought. If we don’t take it down fast, this’ll become a real problem."

—"What a pain!" Maya groaned. —"And on top of that, I can’t even use my flaming sword!"

I tightened my grip on my blade.

—"Our best bet is probably a coordinated attack," I suggested.

The girls nodded, readying themselves.

Before we could move, a sharp whistle cut through the air. Thwack! An ice-encrusted arrow slammed into the Fungoid King with enough force to pin it against a nearby tree. The creature froze instantly.

All three of us stared in shock.

—"Was that another one of your tricks, Ren?" Maya asked.

—"Wasn’t me," I said, just as stunned.

Movement in the bushes caught our attention. Pointed ears and a fluffy, swaying tail were barely visible through the foliage.

—"Look, over there!" Zara pointed.

—"Now what? Can’t we catch a break?!" Maya exclaimed.

The figure darted forward, landing right in front of me. Maya and Zara froze at its speed.

—"She’s fast!" Maya said, tightening her grip on her sword.

—"Ren, be careful!" Zara warned, electricity crackling in her palms.

The one who’d emerged from the bushes was a feline demi-human girl. She had green ears and a tail, a fitted top, loose shorts, and a dark wooden bow strapped to her back.

She began sniffing me curiously.

—"Hey! What are you doing to Ren?!" Maya protested nervously.

—"Back off!" Zara threatened, aiming her lightning.

I blinked at the demi-human.

—"Uh… what’s going on?"

After finishing her inspection, the girl grinned, revealing small fangs.

—"You… you have a blessing… just like me! Though yours is… different-nya!"

—"WHAT?!" Maya and Zara shouted in unison.

The girl straightened up, her tail flicking excitedly.

—"I like your scent! Oh, by the way! My name’s Noko."

Zara and Maya closed in, cornering her. Maya raised her sword, while Zara kept her hands charged with energy.

—"What are you doing here?" Maya growled. —"What’s your game?"

Noko raised her hands in a peaceful gesture.

—"Easy! I’m not your enemy."

Before we could respond, Noko moved again with blinding speed. She darted up to Maya and poked her armor in admiration.

—"Wow! So shiny! It’s really pretty."

—"Huh?" Maya blinked, bewildered.

Next, Noko leaped toward Zara, examining her hands with fascination.

—"Amazing! You can cast lightning magic!"

Zara looked stunned, but before she could react, Noko was already back with me—this time clinging to my shoulders like a playful cat.

—"And you! You’re really strong, aren’t you?! I like you!"

—"WHAAAT?!" Maya, Zara, and I all yelled at the same time.