You have encountered a Thumper! You have encountered a Garden Servant!

Scott ignored the glowing blue panel. His head remained raised, eyes fixed on the leviathan that loomed above—a creature thousands of times taller than the highest bamboo, its body fused with the earth itself. Bamboo sprouts jutted from its form like coarse, unkempt hair.

The thumps continued—louder, fiercer. The trembling earth bore witness to the creature's might. Each massive leg, like a rising mountain, slammed down with seismic force, sending ripples of chaos through the bamboo forest.

Scott narrowed his gaze. Instinctively, he flexed his right hand, and the war hammer materialized in his grasp.

It's so far away… and yet, it doesn't feel like it.

All around him, the bamboo quaked violently, as if on the verge of ripping free from the soil. Fault lines spiderwebbed across the ground, only to collapse and reform with each successive tremor.

Every one of my senses is screaming—this thing is absurdly powerful.

His grip tightened on the war hammer.

This thing isn't just strong; it wields authority too. And not a small one.

While the rhythmic quakes persisted, Scott noticed something new: cyclones, massive and wild, began to take shape near the Thumper. More disturbingly, cracks spidered across the bamboo stalks—yet they didn't appear randomly. There was a system, a pattern, to their emergence.

Something's coming… I can feel it.

Another titanic stomp sent a thunderous shockwave tearing through the forest. This time, the cracked bamboo bulged outward, jagged sections protruding like blades ready to launch.

Scott's expression hardened.

Thump!

Another quake. The protrusions shot forth, sharp as flying knives.

Scott didn't hesitate. He raised the war hammer, and a gravitational force erupted from its core, bending the very air. Bamboo splintered by the hundreds, echoing like cannonfire, but the hammer remained lifted—its aura absolute.

Boom!

A colossal shockwave exploded outward. Bamboo within a 50-mile radius shattered. The earth groaned beneath the full weight of the summoned gravity.

Thump!

A familiar quake pulsed again. The gravitational field wavered—slightly—but held strong. None of the bamboo projectiles breached its perimeter.

Scott's gaze returned to the distant titan. The cyclones surrounding it churned with unnatural force, mingling with massive lightning bolts that streaked across the grey skies.

Look at this bastard. Does it think it's the only one with authority?

He slowly lowered the war hammer, reducing the field's intensity. Around him, the land lay flattened—leveled beyond recognition. He stepped forward. Each footfall slow, but heavy with resolve.

The cyclones swelled further, stretching skyward. Bolts of lightning danced within the vortex—each one the size of an apocalyptic serpent.

The Thumper moved again. Another cataclysmic stomp rippled through the landscape. Still, Scott advanced, unfazed.

He stared at the colossus, its upper body veiled in thick cloud cover. Then—subtle but unmistakable—the clouds began to churn.

An outline appeared, faint but growing clearer. An all-seeing eye was forming in the sky.

"Hold on," a voice said—ancient, resonant, and impossibly vast. It filled Scott's mind, halting him mid-step.

Was that…?

He narrowed his gaze, peering through the calamitous clouds. Did it just speak… or was that someone else?

The voice had pierced the veil of infinite worlds to reach him. That fact alone made him guarded.

The voice returned, louder now, yet still calm—like a mountain choosing to speak.

"Do not let your madness befall the sacred garden of our lord."

Scott didn't react at first. But he was certain—the voice had come from the Thumper.

"In case you haven't noticed," he said, breaking the silence. His voice was low, yet the sky trembled as if dreading his tone. "You're the one wreaking havoc. Not me."

"I only seek to preserve the balance entrusted to me by my lord," the voice replied.

Before Scott could respond, it spoke again.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"The land grows fertile from my tears. The earth is strengthened by my flesh. The wind destroys what bears no yield. My eyes search for fruit worthy of my lord."

Scott stood silently. Though the words were cryptic, he sensed their meaning.

"You…" the voice continued, thunder crackling like divine judgment overhead, "You intruders seek to harvest what is sacred. Fruit meant only for my lord. How dare you!"

The skies convulsed in response. Lightning writhed across the heavens like a storm of serpents.

Scott didn't flinch. A quiet smirk played at the edge of his lips.

Through the storm-choked clouds, he could make out the shape of an otherworldly being. Its eyes—bottomless abysses—spewed lightning, vapor, and torrential rain. Its mouth resembled the maw of a primordial forest, ancient and unknowable, filled with truths too dangerous for the waking world.

A terrifying gale exuded from what resembled a nose—but Scott knew the winds from that cavernous form would shred all life to pieces if touched directly.

The voice thundered again. "You pests!"

Lightning cracked, louder than ever. The ground lurched as another colossal thump struck.

The Thumper had taken another step forward.

Scott raised his war hammer and pointed it at the Garden Servant.

"I don't give two fucks about your master or whatever mission you've been given," he said, his voice booming across the chaos.

"Let me make this crystal clear—don't threaten me."

His voice didn't tremble. He stood tall, unwavering, staring into the spiraling maelstroms where the creature's eyes might have been.

Silence settled. Thunder alone dared to answer as the grey skies deepened into black.

Not as smart as I thought, Scott mused. If it wants a fight, I'll gladly give it one.

He lowered the war hammer, readying his mind and body. But instead of escalation, the darkness above lightened. The blackened sky faded.

Then came the Servant's voice.

"I do not wish to lay waste to my lord's garden," it said evenly. "Leave. And never return."

In that moment, Scott noticed the cyclones—once screaming through the air—vanish all at once. Even the massive one blocking the path ahead was gone. Yet the winds still howled, and the rain pounded relentlessly.

For the first time since arriving at the bamboo forest, a strange calm lingered.

Scott didn't move.

"I'm not leaving unless you give me some of this place's treasure," he said evenly.

The creature's rage was palpable.

"You dare make demands of me?" it snarled.

Lightning split the heavens. Explosions rocked the earth within fifty miles of where Scott stood. Infernos erupted from impact sites—short-lived, however, as wind and rain swallowed them whole.

"Yes," Scott said simply. "Yes, I do."

He smiled—slowly, but there was nothing amiable about it.

"You can give it to me willingly…" he paused, sharp as a blade, "or you can find out what happens if you don't."

The silence that followed was heavy. The Thumper stood unmoving. Scott waited, arms folded but calm.

Then—another step. The tremor that followed rattled the entire forest.

Scott smirked. "So that's your answer."

With a thunderous crash, three massive golden bamboo stalks dropped twenty feet from him. Runes spiraled along their surfaces, glowing faintly. Clouds danced across their lengths like mist clinging to sacred relics.

Then a fourth bamboo landed beside them—larger, darker. Its surface was pitch black, bare of symbols or elegance. But from within, a low, mournful wail echoed, like the sorrow of the damned.

"Take it," the Garden Servant growled.

Scott didn't hesitate. "I won't stand on ceremony."

He waved his hand. The stalks disappeared into his inventory in a blink.

Turning back to the creature, he nodded. "Glad we could come to a mutual understanding."

"You should be on your way," it replied coldly.

Scott chuckled. "Yeah... but before that—one last thing."

The war hammer faded to its dormant form. "You know I'm the Primary Target, right?"

"So what?" the Thumper cut in. "Do not compare me to others who forget their duty."

Its voice turned grim.

"Your corpse might feed this land well. But what good is fertile soil if I fail my lord's will?"

Scott didn't respond.

It's smarter than I gave it credit for, he thought, nodding in quiet praise.

He had expected a fight—expected the Servant to salivate at the thought of turning him into magical compost. But the creature had done the math. It would lose more than it gained from a clash with him.

If only most of my enemies had this kind of sense, Scott sighed, shaking his head.

But no... most of them are just dumb and prideful.

There was nothing left to do here. The cyclone was gone. He been compensated too. Lingering would be pointless.

Scott glanced one last time at the Thumper. "Nice doing business with you. I'll be on my way."

"Never come back," it warned.

"Yeah, yeah… I heard you the first time," Scott said, waving over his shoulder as he walked away.

Despite turning his back, he didn't look back, didn't fear an ambush. He trusted the creature's logic more than its words. It had gone to great lengths to avoid battle—what reason would it have to change its mind now?

I wonder if I'll meet more servants like this along the way, Scott thought. Wouldn't that be a refreshing change?

Knowing his luck, Scott didn't have high expectations.

He hadn't turned to look at the Thumper since making his parting statement, but he could still feel its gaze pinned on him—massive, relentless, watching.

Scott didn't mind. After all, the infinite eyes from the infinite worlds of madness were already observing him. One more made no difference.

Would it attack me if I snatched a few more bamboos on the way out?

He considered it for half a second—then chuckled and shook his head.

I can pick up broken stalks along the path. No need to push my luck. Especially not here. It's not the only one in this place. They might think I haven't noticed… but there's no point letting them know I have.

With measured steps and the full weight of the Servant's gaze on his back, Scott moved in silence.

Then his form blurred.

He broke into a sprint—focused, smooth, and swift—driven by the desire to reach the next area ahead of time.

Hours passed.

The towering bamboos vanished behind him, replaced by a barren region. The land here was cultivated, almost artificially filled with countless tiny bamboo sprouts stretching toward the horizon.

Scott's steps slowed.

An imperceptible wall blocked his path, and just beside him, a notification blinked into existence.

Congratulations! You have reached the end of the Second Active Zone! Do you wish to continue ahead? Yes! No!

Scott instinctively turned around.

You've got to be kidding… it's still watching me?

He chuckled softly.

The Thumper's gaze still lingered—immense and distant, like a storm on the edge of his soul.

Does it think I won't leave? he mused, shaking his head.

He turned back to the prompt.

Hopefully, the next area isn't another active zone. I'd like to see what a shared silent zone looks like…

With a flick of his finger, he clicked [Yes!]

A steel-like door shimmered into existence ahead of him. It creaked open with a deep groan that echoed into the field of sprouts.

Only then did the Thumper's presence begin to fade.

Scott didn't hesitate. No second thoughts, no glances back.

With confident steps, he crossed the threshold and vanished into the next area.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.