Chapter 81 — The Path Only Zemo Sees
S.C. 1510 — Late December
Foosha Forest, Deeper Wilds
Morning fog hugged the ground like it refused to start the day.
Ren cinched his satchel tight, checking his supplies with the precision of a tiny old man:
New KEA blade → sharp enough to slice through Luffy's excuses
Hammer → technical tool and emotional therapy
Marking stones → because getting lost three times was enough
Two jars → for scientific mystery liquids he absolutely didn't want leaking in his pants
Outside the shed, Zemo already stood waiting, tail flicking with the energy of a fox who had seen THE TRUTH and needed to show it immediately.
Ren crouched.
"You found something yesterday, didn't you?"
Zemo barked once.
Then strutted into the deeper forest—
the part Ren avoided like adults avoided Luffy with scissors and matches.
Ren hesitated.
The deeper forest felt… wrong.
No birds.
No squirrels.
Even the mosquitoes refused to enter.
But Zemo walked like he owned the place.
Ren groaned.
"…If I die, it's your fault."
Zemo's tail wagged.
Ren followed.
---
Into the Silent Trees
The deeper they walked, the more the forest changed:
Sunlight faded
Trees grew thicker and warped
Soil darkened to charcoal
Air grew heavy
Ren stepped on a patch of mud—
and sank halfway down.
"…Perfect. Exactly what I needed today. Cursed swamp mud."
Zemo didn't even turn around.
"Do you enjoy this?" Ren muttered.
Zemo's ear twitched: absolutely.
A few minutes later Zemo stopped suddenly.
Sniffed the air.
Sniffed the ground.
Then shoved his entire head through a curtain of vines.
Ren blinked.
"…That is absolutely a bad idea."
Zemo's tail flicked impatiently.
Ren sighed and followed.
---
The Ore Nest — A Hidden Treasure
Ren stepped through—
—and froze.
"Oh."
Dark metallic stones lay scattered everywhere.
Not buried.
Not hidden.
Just tossed around like the forest dropped a treasure chest and never picked it back up.
Ren crouched and lifted one stone.
It was heavy.
Shockingly heavy.
And cool to the touch.
He turned it slightly—
and it shimmered faintly.
Like it was trying to flirt with the sunlight.
Zemo scratched another stone with his paw, leaving a faint streak.
Ren unsheathed his KEA blade and scraped the ore.
SCRATCH—
A clean silver line cut across the surface.
Ren's eyes widened.
"…You scratch differently. And that's either a sign of brilliance or disaster. Hopefully brilliance."
Zemo barked in full confidence.
Ren grabbed another stone and tapped it.
TING!
A crisp ringing sound.
Ren's heart jumped.
"This—this is the metal! The real thing!"
He looked at Zemo.
"Do you sniff metal underground now? Is that a skill?"
Zemo sat straighter, clearly pleased with himself.
Ren sighed.
He should not be outclassed by a fox.
---
A Strange Clearing With Stranger Clues
Ren circled the clearing slowly.
Everything here was… off.
The soil sparkled with tiny metallic dust.
The tree roots broke the ground like they were trying to escape.
The fallen leaves shimmered faintly.
He knelt and ran his fingers through the soil.
Cool.
Soft.
Filled with mineral fragments.
"…This whole area is some kind of natural ore dump."
He scribbled notes:
Leaves coated in metallic dust
Stones heavier than iron
Shimmering vein patterns
Resonant when struck
Likely source of KEA 0.3's dark veins
Zemo suddenly pushed a large stone toward him.
Ren tapped it lightly.
TING—
…but deeper.
Lower.
Almost humming.
Ren blinked again.
"…Okay, that's definitely new."
Zemo stiffened, ears razor-sharp.
Ren whispered, leaning toward the ore:
"This might be it. The stabilizer."
The metal that could bind other metals cleanly.
A missing puzzle piece.
A step toward KEA Prototype 0.4.
Ren couldn't stop smiling.
"This will change everything."
Zemo wagged his tail smugly, as if saying, Yes, bow before my greatness.
---
Hauling the Treasure — Teamwork (?)
Ren packed the smaller stones easily.
The large chunk?
Not so easy.
He tied vines around it and pulled.
It didn't move.
Ren scowled.
"Alright, big guy. Move."
He pulled again.
Nope.
Zemo grabbed the vine with his teeth and pulled hard.
Together, they dragged the ore inch by inch.
Ren sweating.
Zemo grunting.
Both looking like two idiots stealing a giant metallic potato.
But it worked.
Eventually.
Ren wiped his forehead.
"Good job, partner."
Zemo puffed his chest proudly, the picture of fox dignity.
---
A Forest With Secrets
As they exited the clearing, Ren turned back.
The trees swayed faintly, though there was no wind.
Silver motes sparkled in the soil.
Something felt… aware.
Connected.
Alive.
"…This forest is hiding something bigger."
Zemo looked up, eyes sharp and thoughtful.
Ren placed a hand on the fox's head, softening.
"Thanks for finding this. This changes everything."
Zemo wagged his tail in satisfaction.
Together, dragging their ore pile behind them, they headed home—
never noticing the subtle rustling behind them.
Or the silent forest watching them go.
---
End of Chapter 81