As evening settled over the flower field, the light softened into shades of orange and gold. The tall flowers swayed gently, their silhouettes stretching long across the ground. Near the old wooden house, Tyler had set up a simple bonfire using dry branches and fallen wood. The fire crackled quietly, pushing back the chill that crept in with nightfall.

Dinner was simple.

A few fruits gathered from the forest. Potatoes roasted directly in the embers, their skins charred and splitting open from the heat.

They sat around the fire in a loose circle.

Chole ate quietly, her movements slow and calm. She didn’t seem shaken at all— no signs of panic, no confusion. It seemed she had lost consciousness the moment she was captured, sparing her from remembering anything that had happened afterward.

That, at least, was a relief.

Kristina sat close to her, occasionally glancing up as if to make sure her mother was really ok. Serena crouched nearby, tail swaying lazily as she chewed on a roasted potato, completely at ease.

Tyler finished his portion quickly. He wiped his hands, then reached out and picked up Dia, who was still holding onto a piece of potato nearly half her size.

Dia froze.

Her large eyes widened as she looked up at him.

Before Tyler could say anything, she reacted instinctively— shooting a thin strand of web straight toward Serena’s food.

The potato was yanked cleanly out of Serena’s paws.

"MEOW?!"

Serena yowled in annoyance, swiping at the air. Dia squeaked softly and dropped the stolen potato in surprise.

Serena didn’t hesitate.

She grabbed the fallen piece and stuffed it into her mouth, glaring triumphantly at Dia while chewing.

Tyler sighed. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"You two..." he muttered.

Dia sulked slightly, hugging her remaining food closer as Tyler took her away.

Tyler walked toward the old house. He placed a hand against the wooden wall and tapped it lightly.

Thud.

The sound was dull.

"This is one fine wood," Tyler said thoughtfully. "Where did Gailo get this?"

Dia, who was still nibbling on the last of her potato, paused. She lifted one tiny leg and pointed off into the distance, toward the edge of the flower field.

Tyler followed her gaze.

"...That way?"

Dia nodded— or at least did something close enough to be considered a nod.

Tyler stepped past the flowers and walked in the indicated direction. The air changed as he left the field behind. The scent of blossoms faded, replaced by something heavier, earthier.

Soon, dense trees surrounded him.

Their trunks were thick and tall, their bark dark with faint reddish patterns running through it.

Tyler stopped and pressed his palm against one of them.

His breath caught.

"These are... Red Sandalwoods?" he muttered.

Even in his original world— Zi World— Red Sandalwood was rare. Durable, naturally resistant, and valuable both for construction and cultivation purposes. He had seen it before... but never here.

"I’ve never seen Red Sandalwood in the Boundless World, This one seems reinforced with Mana too... So it’s so sturdy, at the level of Aura Cedar Trees from boundless world," Tyler said quietly.

His eyes shone.

This place keeps getting better and better.

---

The next morning, Tyler stood before one of the massive trees, axe in hand.

He took a deep breath.

"Alright," he said. "Let’s start."

Before swinging, he noticed Dia clinging to a nearby branch, watching him intently.

"Hey," Tyler said gently, pointing away. "Can you move? This might be dangerous."

Dia didn’t move.

She tilted her head, eyes fixed on him.

"...Fine," Tyler sighed. "I’ll cut another one."

He stepped to a different tree, adjusted his grip, and swung.

CLANG— !

The impact sent a violent vibration up his arms.

"Ouch!"

Tyler yelped and staggered back, dropping the axe. His palms stung, and his fingers tingled painfully.

The axe hit the ground—

And shattered.

The stone blade cracked into several pieces.

Tyler stared at it in disbelief.

"...You’ve got to be kidding me."

He flexed his fingers, wincing.

"The axe isn’t strong enough..."

From the corner of his eye, he saw Dia still watching from the tree.

For a moment— just a moment— Tyler felt like the spider was laughing at him.

"...Don’t look at me like that," he muttered.

Dia blinked innocently.

Then she suddenly jumped down and tugged at his sleeve with her web.

"Huh?"

She pulled again, insistently, then started moving toward the ground near the tree roots.

"...You want me to follow you?"

Dia tugged harder.

Tyler sighed and followed.

She led him to what looked like a narrow opening hidden behind roots and vines— an underground tunnel. Old, thick spiderwebs clung to the walls, layered and dusty.

"It’s a burrow..." Tyler murmured. "A giant spider’s burrow."

They moved deeper inside.

With each step, Tyler felt a faint pressure in the air— not hostile, but heavy. Old. Like something long forgotten.

Then he saw it.

A massive white spider lay motionless in the cavern.

It was enormous— house-sized. Its legs were thick and rigid, gleaming faintly even in the dim light. There was no glow of life, no dust, no decay.

Tyler froze.

"...Gailo?" he whispered.

He approached cautiously.

As he reached out and touched the body, his fingers sank in slightly.

Hollow.

"...This isn’t a corpse."

He examined it more closely.

"It’s a shed," Tyler said slowly. "A molted skin."

The shape, the structure— it looked just like Gailo, but far larger.

"So he sheds his skin..." Tyler muttered. "What are you, a snake or something?"

Dia scurried forward and pointed at the spider’s legs.

Tyler followed her gesture.

The legs shimmered faintly, silver-like, almost reflective. Sharp edges lined them, polished by time.

He reached out and touched one.

Slice.

"Ouch!"

Tyler pulled his hand back, a thin cut forming across his palm.

Blood welled up.

"...Yep," he said, grinning despite the pain. "This is great."

His eyes shone with excitement.

Using effort, he lifted one of the shed legs and swung it against a nearby rock.

SHHNK.

The rock split cleanly.

Tyler stared at the result, heart pounding.

"It works..."

The leg was heavy, awkward, and difficult to hold— but it cut.

And that was enough.

Tyler smiled.

"Looks like I’ve found a weapon."

Dia looked at him with big eyes. Tyler patted her head and said, "Thank you."

---

A few minutes later, Tyler stood before another tree, adjusting his grip on the spider’s leg.

Unnoticed, a goblin armed with a small stone knife quietly crept up behind him, its steps light and cautious.

Tyler swung.

The spider’s leg cut through the tree effortlessly, cleaving the thick trunk cleanly in two. The force of the swing was far greater than Tyler expected— he moved too fast, lost control, and spun with the momentum.

The goblin froze.

It blinked, staring at Tyler’s back, still standing right behind him.

A heartbeat passed.

Then the goblin’s body slid apart and fell in two pieces.

Tyler stopped spinning and slowly turned around.

"...This knife is pretty sharp," he said, gulping.