The three of them took a brief respite before departing from this space using the same method as their descent.

  Glen made sure to bring along the colossal red greatsword, the shriveled fleshy mass, and the stele. The stele, which previously could have caused the eyes to burst upon a mere glance, now seemed to have shed its former properties and was indistinguishable from an ordinary object.

  Upon reaching the surface, Gotaya exclaimed with haste, "Just now, the Forest Will expressed concern that something might have befallen you. How are you faring at present? Are you injured?"

  Glen cast the spoils in his hands onto the ground and replied, "It was a perilously close call. Truly, it was an exhilarating yet harrowing experience."

  As he spoke, two luminous orbs emerged from Glen's eyes, transforming into the antler - man and the enigmatic female mage.

  "Spirit of the forest, you've procured an extraordinary ally. We are deeply indebted to him for this," the antler - man declared in a solemn and earnest tone.

  Seemingly capable of perceiving the Forest Will's voice unaided, without awaiting Gotaya's mediation, he paused briefly before adding, "Indeed, he is truly exceptional. We both owe him our very lives."

  "Let's not make it seem as though the entire credit is mine alone. You both lent me a hand earlier. Had there been no unforeseen complications, this would have been resolved long ago, wouldn't it?" Glen said with modesty.

  The antler - man was on the verge of speaking when, it seemed, he heard an inquiry from the Forest Will. Consequently, he provided a concise account of the events that transpired below.

  Upon the conclusion of his narrative, the entire forest fell into a profound silence. Glen faintly detected subtle emotional tremors.

  He was uncertain as to the nature of these emotions, yet they did not seem to be of a positive disposition.

  Subsequently, Gotaya's voice resounded, "The Forest Will acknowledges that it bears the inescapable responsibility for subjecting you to such grave risks. Here, it wishes to extend a sincere apology to all of you."

  "Rather than an apology, I believe recompense would serve to soothe my spirit. You are well - aware of the significance of a moonstone imbued with such pure lunar power to me, are you not?" Glen feigned a sorrowful mien.

  However, all present were cognizant that he was employing this approach to alleviate the oppressive atmosphere and simultaneously mitigate the Forest Will's self - reproach.

  Despite their awareness, the effect was remarkably effective. Everyone's spirits were lifted by his words and comical demeanor.

  "The Forest Will assures that, given the magnitude of your assistance, it will not allow you to suffer the slightest detriment," Gotaya stated, her tone tinged with a hint of cheerfulness, which, in fact, mirrored the Forest Will's improved disposition.

  "Then that is most satisfactory," Glen chuckled softly.

  At this juncture, the mysterious female mage stepped forward, seemingly engaging in communication with the Forest Will through some means. Subsequently, she nodded to each of the other three in turn and prepared to take her leave.

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  "Wait a moment," Glen called out promptly. The female mage halted and regarded him with a quizzical expression.

  Glen continued, "The means by which I saved you was a curse. This curse shall endow you with exceptional magical resistance and formidable vitality. I wish to assure you in advance that this curse harbors no adverse effects, should you place your trust in me."

  The female mage regarded Glen in silence for a moment. Then, for the first time, she graced him with a faint smile, nodded once more, and turned to vanish from sight.

  The antler - man beside him interjected, "Both she and I are willing to repose our trust in you. From the moment you shielded us from harm with your own body, we have regarded you as an ally in whom we can place absolute confidence."

  "You're making me almost blush with embarrassment," Glen replied with a smile.

  The antler - man, too, smiled, took a step backward, executed a peculiar bow, straightened himself, and, looking at Glen, said, "Should you ever find yourself in need, at any time, both I and the mute female mage will exert our utmost to come to your aid."

  Before Glen could respond, he, too, employed some means to disappear.

  "Two enigmatic individuals …" Glen murmured, casting his gaze upon Gotaya.

  The elven maiden wore a puzzled expression. Just as she was about to inquire as to why Glen was looking at her thus, the voice of the Forest Will echoed in her mind.

  She then relayed with an air of sudden comprehension, "The Forest Will states that your reward is ready. Please accompany this powerful forest sprite to retrieve it."

  "I suspect it didn't quite refer to a 'powerful forest sprite'," Glen remarked.

  "You're so garrulous!" Gotaya retorted.

  "Just as I thought …" Glen replied.

  The two had not walked far when every plant along the way made way for them. Soon, they arrived beside a small pond that shimmered with iridescent light.

  Glen detected an aroma in the air, reminiscent of fruit candies.

  "Is the item in the pond?" Glen inquired of the elven maiden at his side.

  The latter shook her head, indicating her ignorance.

  Suddenly, the waters of the pond began to seethe, and a profusion of bubbles surged forth.

  The two by the pond witnessed a basketball - sized bubble rise to the mid - air in the center of the boiling pond. The surface of the bubble was veiled in a riot of colors, obscuring its contents from view.

  The boiling of the pond subsided, and the bubble slowly drifted before Glen.

  Glen gently prodded the bubble with his fingernail, and it burst forthwith. Within was a werewolf statue.

  The werewolf was depicted in a curled - up sitting posture upon a square base. Its eyes were inlaid with unknown red gemstones.

  Whether it was an illusion or not, as Glen regarded the statue, he experienced a sensation of his spirit being massaged, a most pleasurable feeling.

  "What is the function of this object?" Glen inquired of Gotaya as he played with the statue in his hands.

  The latter, having received a mental communication from the Forest Will, explained, "This was originally the primordial statue of a deity from ancient times. When that deity vanished, the statue found its way here. Initially, the Forest Will intended to present you with the original statue directly. However, upon learning of the presence of a malevolent god's remnant below, the Forest Will had to invest additional time in modifying this reward. After all, the risks you had to undertake had increased substantially.

  "Prior to the modification, you would have needed to gradually acclimate to the statue. Once the process was complete and you had possessed it for a certain duration, you would have acquired exceptional mental fortitude and mastered the vestige of divine power encapsulated within the statue. Now, however, the Forest Will has fully modified the statue, rendering it perfectly attuned to you, and the resultant effects will be doubled."

  Upon hearing this, Glen immediately grasped the significance of this statue.

  An augmentation of mental fortitude meant that he could endure more intense mental onslaughts, signifying that the upper limit of his transformation had been elevated.

  Unlike the moonstone, which was a consumable item.

  Although the Forest Will had not explicitly stated it, Glen knew that transforming the original statue into its current state must have exacted a significant cost.

  "This is indeed a reward sufficient to more than compensate for my losses," Glen remarked, his satisfaction palpable.

  However, the elven maiden seemed to receive another communication and said, "The Forest Will states that the present statue has merely enhanced your mental fortitude to a slight degree. As you carry it with you for an extended period, your mental fortitude will gradually increase. The Forest Will is unaware of what the upper limit may be."