True Love's Seventh Kiss

Ch.7 Budding Friendship

Marion pulled out the vial to show off the sample that he had collected. "Have you ever seen a root that was this color of green?" He handed off the glass vial to Kaliban.

"Isn't this the theoretical color of a world tree root? I'm sure you are already aware of the world tree theory, but since it has never been found most just accept there is an ancient root system left since the tree is gone." Kaliban looked it over and then handed it back.

"It's not gone, it is just underground." Marion tossed his gun to Henry who bumbled with it before catching it. "I'll show you." Marion pulled a map out of his pack and walked away from the edge of the ship and when he got too far, he caught on the safety line unexpectedly and fell on his face. He also managed to tear the map during the fall and was promptly laughed at by a certain god.

"Young master!" Kaliban shouted.

"Captain Rion!" Henry shouted.

Marion unclipped the rope and shamelessly ignored the fact he had fallen as he unfolded the map on the ground. He smoothed out the map pointed at the chasm where they had just been. He pulled out a pencil and marked the root location on it. "This is the first root. I've scoured all of my parents' research but all the research on world tree locations focuses on mana density and legends. Research on the roots is minimal at best, since the spring was most important."

"But if we accept that there is an underground world tree, thanks to the tip from my god. Then we can assume that it is a literal tree in some unground space. If we track it by the roots, then all we need to do is find a mine that leads to it or start digging at x-marks-the-spot." Marion tapped on the map.

"So half the day will be spent mapping known root locations and the other half gathering shrikes while tracking above ground roots?" Henry asked.

"That's the plan." Marion said as he stood up and brushed off his knees.

"But why are you aggressively shooting over the edge of the ship?" Henry asked.

"I get tasks from my god. He rewarded me with this sword for entering the forest. I already have the mission to save my mom. And now I have a mission to kill 10,000 creatures of Cliffgard forest." Marion said as he folded up the map. "I don't think you realize the logistics behind getting that done in the time we have left!"

Marion then started cursing at the sky as he realized just how long that would take at the rate he was going. "Son of a- I don't have time for this! If I don't snipe monsters from the ship, I'll have to hop down every dungeon and jump at every extermination quest and do you really think my mom and dad are going to let that FLY!" Marion swiped the gun from Henry and immediately started firing over the edge.

"Goddamned slave driver, first it is getting dash and then mastering it. Now it is this nonsense!" Marion cursed.

"Mastering dash? Is that why you run so much?" Kaliban asked.

"That's right, Kaliban you are a genius!" Marion shouted. He then dashed to the side fired, across the deck and started dashing in a square around the deck while he fired into the forest.

"Is... is he really doing this?" Henry asked.

"The young master is very dedicated; it makes you wonder what this god wants with the young master." Kaliban said with a new suspicious look in his eye.

*

Since open wounds were all the more dangerous with the mana rich environment, Marion was shipbound. At least until his wounds were sealed up. Since Henry knew why they were important he took his father's bolt thrower with him and descended to get a sample of the world tree root and mark which directions they were going on Marion's map.