In Search of a Legendary Fruit

Chapter 1:

The night was dark and eerie, with two moons shining brightly, casting an otherworldly glow across the landscape. Dark clouds drifted lazily across the sky, shrouding the stars.

In the distance, a pack of unknown beasts could be seen surrounding a young man. The young man's name was Siltriver Rayn, mostly known as Siltri, a hunter working for a living, hired to gather resources from different dimensions beyond the Gateway.

Siltri had once been a prodigy at the university, but after the apocalypse, he lost his friends and family and was left alone with only his trained and enhanced pet wolf, Vee.

The beasts surrounding him were like lions with an intimidating appearance. Each had a single horn protruding from its forehead, adding to its intimidating appearance and dangerous vibe.

"Seriously, when will you stop following me?!" he said, a little louder at the pack of beasts.

All of a sudden, a transparent display appeared in Siltri's left eye Scouter, together with an AI voice indicating that his device was back online.

-Display-

Name: Horned Lions

Category Level: Desolate Wild Beast

Description: Horned Lions are fierce creatures with rippling muscles, glowing eyes, and a single horn protruding from their forehead. They possess immense strength and agility, known for their speed and precision in attacks using sharp claws, teeth, and deadly horns. Horned Lions are highly territorial and aggressive, attacking anyone who poses a threat to their pride. They are skilled hunters that attack at night and will relentlessly pursue their prey until it is killed or driven away.

Knowing such danger in front of him, Siltri armed himself with a handgun and moved with precision and grace, firing off shots with deadly accuracy. His face was set in a determined expression as he dodged the beasts' attacks, his movements fluid and graceful.

A few of the beasts closed in, but Siltri remained calm and focused, knowing that any misstep could mean his death. Suddenly, out of the bush, a huge figure emerged and killed one of the beasts by biting its neck with extreme force. It was Vee, Siltri's loyal wolf companion.

Siltri walked over to Vee, who was covered with a few scratches and bruises and patted him gently on the head. "Good boy, Vee. You saved my life again," Siltri said with a small smile.

Vee barked in response, and his collar translated into a voice. "Of course, Master. That's what I'm here for."

Siltri laughed at the translation and asked Vee, "So, any leads on the fruit, Vee? Have you found anything?"

Vee tilted his head and barked again, and his collar translated his response. "I'm sorry, I haven't found anything yet."

Siltri nodded in understanding. It was a tough mission, and they had been searching for days without any luck.

Together, Siltri and Vee fought the pack of beasts with extreme caution and great reflexes.

Despite the danger, there was a sense of exhilaration that coursed through Siltri's veins. He had always been a thrill-seeker, drawn to danger like a moth to a flame. But this was different. This was survival.

As the last of the beasts fell, Siltri let out a sigh of relief. He had survived, but at what cost? They were almost out of supplies. "Damn it! When will I find it?" he sighed and cursed in frustration.

He looked out across the landscape, taking in the otherworldly scenery, and exhaled deeply. It was like nothing he had ever seen before, a place of mystery and wonder.

Siltri had been tasked with retrieving the legendary Panacea fruit, which was said to possess incredible healing properties capable of curing any illness or injury known to man, restoring life to the dying, and reversing the effects of aging.

The group of scientists that Siltri worked for had been searching for the Panacea fruit for years, hoping to use its powers to save countless lives and advance medical science to new heights. They were trying to save the lives on the other side of the gate that were suffering from strange sickness and diseases due to the unnatural occurrences.

Siltri was their best hunter, and he had been chosen to retrieve the fruit from a distant dimension where it was rumored to grow. It was a dangerous mission, but the potential rewards were worth the risk.

As Siltri gathered some remains of the beast they encountered, his arm watch beeped, indicating an incoming call. He answered it, and Dr. Lewis, his colleague and monitoring assistant from the lab, appeared on the screen, looking worried.

"Siltri, are you okay? We lost your signal for a while, and we've been trying to contact you," Dr. Lewis said.

"I'm okay, just had a run-in with some aggressive beasts," Siltri replied, trying to hide his exhaustion.

"Are you close to finding the fruit?" Dr. Lewis asked, her eyes scanning the area behind Siltri.

Siltri shook his head. "No luck yet. I've been searching for days, but no leads so far."

Dr. Lewis's expression grew more serious. "We just received news that a rival company is also searching for the fruit. They have a team of hunters just like you, and they're willing to do anything to get it first."

Siltri's jaw clenched at the news. He knew how ruthless some of the rival companies could be, and he couldn't afford to let them beat him to the fruit. They were different from Siltri's team; most were just hungry for power and wished to dominate the remaining humans.

"I'll keep searching," Siltri said, his tone determined. "I won't let them beat us."

Dr. Lewis nodded. "Be careful, Siltri. We need that fruit more than ever now."

Siltri felt a sense of urgency rising within him. He couldn't let the rival company get their hands on the Panacea fruit. It was his mission, and he would do whatever it took to complete it.

"Doc, can I ask a favor?" Siltri asked, Dr. Lewis can see the grin in his face.

Dr. Lewis laugh for a while, "I know that smile Silt, what is that you want to ask? I know you're running low on supplies there, we'll send you some through the item bag that you have"

"No Doc, I can still survive here with what I have but I do need them," Siltri laughs. "I want to send you these beasts that I have in my bag, it's a Horned Lion. Uhhhmmm.. Can you make some gears for me out of that beast?"

"We'll try Silt, just send them here and we'll do the best we can." Dr. Lewis smiles then her face suddenly looks pale for a moment, "Siltriver, this is almost a whole pack what in the world are you doing in there?"

"Hehe... I somehow did not notice that I entered their hunting grounds, maybe that's why they keep chasing me" He jokingly laughs.

"Please be more careful next time, how is Vee doing?" Dr. Lewis scanned his surroundings.

"He's doing fine Doc, my buddy here is as strong as he is," Siltri assuredly said.

Vee barked at the screen and the translator responded, "Master, careless, sometimes. I am fine."

Dr. Lewis's face lit up with a smile after hearing about their situation. "Vee, take care of your master." Dr. Lewis turns to Siltri with a little strict face, "Also, you should be more careful next time."

Siltri nodded, "Yes Doc, thanks for the reminders, we have to hurry back now."

"Okay, remember to be very careful. I just hope you won't encounter those thugs from the other companies. Take care Silt, we'll try our best for your request." She worriedly said.

"We'll do Doc, we'll do." He smiles and ended the call.

He ended the call and turned to Vee. "We have to be careful, Vee. Our rivals are on the move, and we can't let them beat us to the fruit."

Vee nodded in agreement, his eyes gleaming with intelligence. "I understand, Master. We'll do whatever it takes to retrieve the fruit."

He took a deep breath and focused on the task at hand. He loaded his gun with a grappling hook, aimed it at the highest branch he could see, and pulled the trigger. The hook shot out, latched onto the branch, and yanked Siltri upwards with incredible force. He felt the wind rushing past him as he ascended higher and higher into the tree's canopy.

When he finally reached the top, Siltri surveyed his surroundings using his scouter as binoculars. He could see for miles in every direction, and he took in the breathtaking view. The night was dark, but the two moons shone brightly overhead, casting an ethereal glow over the forest, and the stars twinkled brightly overhead. The forest stretched out as far as the eye could see, with dense clusters of trees and winding rivers that glimmered in the moonlight.

But Siltri's attention was soon drawn to a strange grove of trees that was glowing dimly in the dark, a few hundred meters from where he stood. He could feel a shiver run down his spine as he gazed at the eerie sight.

"Vee," he called down to his loyal companion. "We need to investigate that grove of trees. It could be a trap, so stay alert."

Vee barked in response, and Siltri took a deep breath before making his descent. He carefully made his way down the tall tree, his heart pounding with anticipation. When he reached the ground, he motioned for Vee to follow him, and they set off toward the glowing grove.

As they got closer, Siltri could see that the trees were different from any he had ever seen before. They were tall and slender, with leaves that shimmered like diamonds in the moonlight. The air around them crackled with energy, and Siltri could feel his skin tingling as he approached.

Siltri tried to scan the trees with his scouter but the scouter failed to identify the trees,

-Display-

Name: ???

Category: ???

Description: ???

It only means one thing, humans have not reached this part of this dimension yet. Most of the plants were identifiable except for the trees.

Suddenly, he heard a faint rustling sound coming from the trees, and he instinctively raised his gun. Vee growled his senses on high alert. They both knew that danger was lurking in the shadows, and they had to be prepared for whatever lay ahead.

.

World Lore Trivia:

Vee is a genetically enhanced wolf adopted by Siltriver Rayn's father, Lieutenant Victor Rayn. He has a thick, lustrous coat of fur with a mix of black and silver-grey and bright golden eyes that glow in the dark. Vee has a lean, muscular body with powerful limbs and razor-sharp claws. He is highly intelligent and able to understand and follow complex commands. Vee is very loyal to Siltriver and accompanies him in his line of work. He is fiercely protective of his pack and an indispensable asset in their fight for survival.