"You okay, Liam?" Elizabeth asked, tripping over her own feet as she tried to brush the mud off her chest.

Liam cradled the basil leaves in his palm like a bundle of kittens, not bothering to look back at the others, "got what we need, but there’s more." He lifted his nose, inhaling deeply. "Fresh water Spring’s taro root is somewhere close by."

"The one with the XP buff?" Rogue scrambled up, suddenly energised. "And the guardian boss thing? Let’s go. I need a win today that doesn’t involve me getting kicked in the head by Mirra."

As they pushed through the final layer of bushes, the jungle opened up into something impossible. A crystal clear lake sat in the centre, the water glowing with a faint, magical blue light. But it wasn’t just the water that caught their eye.

The heat here was even more intense, a tropical steam that made the girls’ clothes practically translucent. Mirra paused to wipe her forehead; the fabric of her top clung to her, revealing every detail. Even the stoic Elizabeth began fanning herself, her ears pinned back as she shifted her stance.

"The water," Mirra breathed, her eyes widening. "The mana density is off the charts, Liam. If we get in there, our stats will skyrocket."

Liam stepped to the edge of the water and crouched down, his eyes fixed on the far bank where large, purple-veined roots were poking out of the mud. He pointed and said, "Taro," then added quietly, "and the guardian." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

The water began to bubble. A massive, sleek shape started to rise, a serpent covered in iridescent scales, its eyes glowing with the same blue light as the lake. It was fast, beautiful, and looked like it could swallow Rogue whole without chewing.

"Guardian’s here!" Rogue yelled, finally drawing his daggers. "Time to earn that XP!"

Liam didn’t draw his sword. Instead, he began unbuckling his heavy chestpiece. The metal clattered to the mud, revealing his sweat-slicked torso.

"It’s in the way," Liam said, his voice a low, dangerous growl. "I need that root for the coffee, and I need this lake for the prep. If it won’t move, I’ll cook it too."

Mirra and Elizabeth exchanged a look, Mirra raising an eyebrow and Elizabeth biting her lip. They were supposed to be worried about the boss, but looking at Liam standing there half-naked, glowing with power, and ready to take on a legend just for a side dish, they had other things on their minds.

"I’ll take the left," Mirra said, her voice a little shaky as she gripped her staff. "You take the right, Elizabeth. Try to stay focused on the snake and only the snake."

The steam rising from the lake was doing more than just making the environment look like a fantasy sauna; it was turning the party’s equipment into a legal liability.

"The mana density," Mirra repeated, though her eyes weren’t on the blue water anymore; they were a bit busy and locked onto Liam’s back.

Between the food buff’s and his constant "Weightless Forge" training, Liam’s physique had moved past "athlete" and straight into "demigod." Every time he moved to unbuckle his armour, the muscles in his back shifted like tectonic plates.

"Whose snake? I mean, easier said than done," Elizabeth stammered, her pink tail lashing so hard it was kicking up mud. She was staring at the V taper of Liam’s waist where his low-slung leather trousers met his hips. Her brain was effectively a 404 Error page.

"Seriously?" Rogue deadpanned, looking from Mirra’s flushed face to Elizabeth’s glazed-over eyes. "Am I invisible? I’ve got daggers! I’ve got a cool scarf! I’m literally standing right here with a six pack...well, a four pack if the light is right and you guys are acting like you’re watching a religious miracle."

"Shut up, Rogue," Mirra snapped, not even looking at him. "You’re a ’Background Character’ right now, you have to deal with it."

"Background character?!" Rogue clutched his chest. "I’m the DPS! I’m the flair! I’m the..."

"The distraction," Liam interrupted, his voice a deep rumble that seemed to vibrate the very water in the lake. He took a final step forward, his bare feet sinking into the warm mud. "Rogue, if you’re done complaining about your screen time, the serpent is about to strike. Mirra, prep the frost bind. I want the meat chilled, not charred." Liam’s ears were flushed pink, and he was trying his hardest not to look at the girls.

The Azure Serpent didn’t care about Liam’s awkwardness, and rising tent in his pants, it hissed, a sound like a high-pressure steam leak, and lunged. It was an iridescent blur, its fangs dripping with a glowing blue venom that sizzled when it hit the mud.

"Scatter!" Liam commanded, finally finding a reason to move that didn’t involve looking at Mirra’s soaked robes.

Rogue dived to the left, his daggers glowing with a faint purple light.

Mirra hoisted her staff, her translucent robes fluttering as she channelled. "Ice Shackle! Frost Floor!" she shouted.

The ground around the serpent’s tail froze instantly. The serpent thrashed, its massive scales grinding against the blue ice, but its eyes were locked on Liam.

The serpent’s eyes weren’t just glowing; they were swirling vortexes of high-pressure mana. As its tail froze, it didn’t panic. Instead, the creature unhinged its jaw, and the temperature in the clearing plummeted.

"Liam, move!" Mirra screamed, but she was struggling to keep her own footing as the humidity turned into a freezing fog.

The serpent didn’t strike with its fangs; it exhaled. A high-pressure jet of water, sharp as a diamond cutter, sliced through the air. Liam pivoted, but the jet caught his Gauntlets, and it nearly cut through him like a knife through butter. The force sent him skidding back ten feet, his boots carving deep furrows in the mud.

"Damn it," Liam growled, clutching his shoulder. A shallow red line opened on his skin. Even with his stats, the water pressure was insane. He swiped his hand through his inventory, his fingers frantic. "Every buff I’ve got is for fire resistance or poison neutralisation. I’m geared to fight dragons, not a high-pressure hose."

The serpent reared back, its shiny scales vibrating, and the water around its base began to swirl, forming three spinning orbs of liquid death.

[Tool Tip]:

[Culinary Effects]

The Perfect Garnish: When used as a finishing touch on "Monstrous Roasts," it increases the final Quality Rating of the dish by +15%.

Soul-Soothing Aroma: Consuming a meal seasoned with this Basil grants the [Iron Heart] buff: +25% Resistance to Mental Debuffs (Fear, Confusion, Charm) for 4 hours.

Thermal Catalyst: If seared at temperatures exceeding 800°C, the Basil releases a burst of concentrated Mana. Restores 5% Max MP every 10 seconds for the duration of the meal.