The Dark Mage Of The Magus World-Chapter 42: The Sleeping Mushroom Hunt

For many apprentices, even after searching the Moonlit Forest for three to five days, they might not find even ten mushrooms. It was an exhausting and time-consuming task.

Only First-Class Apprentices frequently took on this mission—mainly because it was one of the few ways they could earn mana stones while remaining relatively safe.

Hutson continued reviewing Sleeping Mushroom research notes.

These rare fungi typically grew 20 to 30 centimeters beneath the surface.

Experienced gatherers relied on intuition and environmental clues to determine whether an area was suitable for them. Only then would they carefully dig into the soil to check for mushrooms.

However, even the most skilled gatherers had a low success rate—it was a laborious process that demanded patience and precision.

Hutson thought for a moment.

"Maybe AI chip can help."

Given the low risk and potential reward, this mission seemed perfect for him.

Unlike other tasks, there was no need to officially accept the mission—he could simply gather mushrooms and exchange them for mana stones at the Administration Hall.

With his decision made, Hutson headed to the flea market to buy the necessary equipment.

Journey to the Moonlit Forest

The Moonlit Forest lay north of the Northern Woodlands, about an hour’s walk from town—or twenty minutes by carriage.

At the Northern Woodlands’ entrance, a carriage station provided transportation for apprentices.

The fare? Two silver coins.

For full-fledged wizards, the ride was free, though most never took carriages at all—they had better means of travel.

While waiting at the station, Hutson noticed three others also waiting.

All of them wore wizard apprentice robes—likely heading to the Moonlit Forest as well.

A short silence lingered before one of them, a plump apprentice, broke the ice.

"You guys heading to the Moonlit Forest too?"

"Yeah... this is my first time, though," a thin, nervous apprentice admitted.

After a brief conversation, the four became acquainted.

The plump apprentice was Miken, who had taken this mission three times before—earning one mana stone and some gold in total.

The thin apprentice was Ruka, clearly anxious about the trip.

The third was Sunny, a quiet but observant apprentice.

Like Ruka, Hutson was also a first-timer.

"Once we enter the Moonlit Forest, don’t go too deep," Miken advised.

Ruka frowned. "Why? This mission isn’t supposed to be dangerous, right?"

Miken shook his head.

"The task itself isn’t dangerous. But if you go too deep, you might run into magical beasts—or worse, people from Green Cottage."

"Green Cottage?" Ruka blinked. "The Moonlit Forest is pretty far from their territory. What are the chances of running into them?"

"Not high—but it’s happened before," Miken said darkly.

"An apprentice wandered too deep into the forest once... and ran into them."

"They tortured him to death—and hung his corpse at the forest’s entrance."

His voice carried the weight of someone who had seen or heard too much.

Sunny nodded in agreement.

"It’s true. Green Cottage members sometimes gather herbs in the Moonlit Forest, so it’s best to keep our distance.

We’re just First-Class Apprentices—going too far in is suicide."

Hutson listened silently, already aware of these risks.

The Tavern Bulletin had threads discussing Green Cottage’s presence in the area.

After their conversation, the carriage finally arrived.

The carriage was not drawn by ordinary horses—but by Hellhoof Beasts, magical creatures bred for speed and endurance.

Their flaming hooves left behind scorched marks as they galloped.

Moonlit Woodland’s carriages required no drivers—the Hellhoof Beasts simply followed a fixed route, automatically returning to their stables at dusk.

Inside, the carriage was small, barely seating six people.

The Hellhoof turned its head slightly, its dark, ember-like eyes scanning its passengers before setting off.

Flames flickered under each hoof as it ran, leaving burnt trails across the dirt road.

It was early morning, meaning they had only until sundown before they needed to return.

No matter where one was—a forest at night was never safe.

After twenty minutes, the carriage reached the Moonlit Forest’s entrance station.

As soon as they stepped out, the Hellhoof Beasts remained for only a brief moment, waiting to see if any more passengers would board.

When none did, they resumed their silent, fiery journey forward.

The Moonlit Forest was ancient.

Towering trees with massive trunks stretched toward the sky, their canopies forming a dense emerald dome overhead.

Beneath them, thick underbrush and tangled roots covered the forest floor.

At the entrance, faint footpaths were still visible—trails worn by countless travelers over the years.

But beyond that?

Nothing but untouched wilderness.

Dense, wild, untamed.

Hutson drew his sword, prepared for difficult terrain.

Selecting a direction, he began his search, while the other three apprentices split off, each heading their own way.

"AI chip, begin underground scan. Target: Sleeping Mushrooms."

His enhanced physical abilities had expanded AI chip’s detection radius to 250 meters—more than enough to locate the fungi, which were typically buried 20 to 30 centimeters underground.

Sleeping Mushrooms naturally had a mana-blocking property, making them immune to most magical scans.

But AI chip was different.

"Target located. Marking position in red."

Hutson had barely walked a few steps before AI chip flagged a location.

In his vision, a small, red marker highlighted an underground spindle-shaped object just a few meters ahead.

He retrieved a small shovel from his storage ring and carefully began digging.

Precision was crucial.

Sleeping Mushrooms were fragile—if handled carelessly, they could easily be damaged, making them worthless.

Minutes passed.

Soon, he uncovered the mushroom’s cap—a deep violet, without a traditional fungal umbrella.

His first Sleeping Mushroom.

And with AI chip’s help, it would not be his last.

Hutson’s advantage was clear.

While others relied on instinct and luck, he had a flawless detection system.

This tedious mission, which took days for other apprentices, could be done in mere hours.

With a small grin, he tightened his grip on the shovel.

It was time to make some mana stones.

Hutson carefully cleared away the surrounding soil, ensuring the delicate fungus remained intact.

With a gentle motion, he lifted it from the earth.

His first Sleeping Mushroom was secured.

Without hesitation, he moved forward.

With AI chip’s assistance, he bypassed the tedious task of scanning the ground manually, something that would normally take even the most experienced gatherers a great deal of time. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

The forest floor was thick with undergrowth—dense bushes and tangled roots made it difficult to even see the ground, let alone locate the elusive mushrooms.

For others, merely observing and guessing where to dig could take hours.

For Hutson, it took minutes.

Five minutes later, AI chip flagged another mushroom.

Hutson stopped, dug carefully, and added a second to his growing collection.

By midday, he had already harvested sixteen Sleeping Mushrooms.

He glanced at the sky—still early.

Taking a brief break, he pulled out some dried rations, ate a quick meal, and resumed his work.

Time blurred into quiet repetition—search, dig, collect, move on.

The forest remained silent, save for the occasional rustle of unseen creatures within the foliage.

It wasn’t until the dimming light cast elongated shadows across the ancient trees that Hutson finally looked up.

Dusk had arrived.

He took a deep breath, his body aching slightly from a full day of work.

Reaching into his bag, he counted his harvest.

Fifty-five Sleeping Mushrooms.

His cloak and sleeves were damp with morning dew, his boots covered in mud, and twigs and leaves clung to his clothes.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he turned toward the forest’s edge, his steps steady.

He had remained within the outer perimeter of the forest, ensuring that his journey back took only ten minutes.

As he emerged from the treeline, he stretched his shoulders—fatigue creeping in.

Spending an entire day navigating the dense forest had taken its toll.

Yet, compared to the others...

He looked practically untouched.

One by one, the other three apprentices dragged themselves out of the forest, their expressions weary and defeated.

Miken, the most experienced among them, looked like he had just fought a battle.

Sweat drenched his robes, the fabric clinging to his body, his breath labored and heavy.

Compared to Hutson, the others were in far worse condition.

"How many did you get?" Miken panted, barely able to speak.

"Two," Ruka admitted, voice tinged with exhaustion.

"Two," Sunny echoed.

Miken took a deep breath, wiping his drenched forehead.

"I only found three... I’m exhausted."

Then, he turned to Hutson.

"And you?"