I nodded my head, and went to work on my assigment. Since I had been studying mana signatures for quite a while now, this part was fairly easy to me. Surprisingly, I even managed to finish before Sharon did, though she still seemed disturbed by what had been discussed previously. Once I had the aura of the grass tightly wrapped up, I pictured it entering my body. After that, I watched it dissolve in strands of green light, which then flew into my chest.
With that part taken care of, I quickly entered the grove again, and found that green light floating above the ground. Since I didn’t have a physical body here, I simply willed it into the ground. Almost immediately, the green light shot into the ground, where it formed that single blade of grass, already planted. Exiting my grove, I smiled triumphantly. Though, I was a bit saddened when I looked over and saw that Sharon was still struggling to finish the first step. That must have been a pretty heavy blow to her.
After a few more minutes, she let out a relieved sigh as the grass similarly turned into a series of green lights that flew towards her chest. Seeing her enter the meditative state, I watched for a little bit before she emerged, a slight smile on her face. Now that I thought about it, I really didn’t know anything about Sharon. Even if she was a member of the net communities or a Seeds tester. We hadn’t spoken much at all since that first meeting.
With that, I began thinking about other things. If the grove carries over when I log off, that meant I could take the birds out of the game. It also meant that I might be able to take other people out too, once I got strong enough. I might even be able to bring out someone that’s already been virtualized.
Though the net communities would feel very real, there was always the problem of it being a virtual environment. Like I had said previously regarding other VR games, there would always be a feeling of wrongness. While most people are able to move past that and accept their new lives, some still longed for the real world again.
I felt a bit wrong, thinking about using this ability to let others experience the real world again as a chance to make some easy money, but the poor man in me naturally thought of it. To distract myself, I took a moment to go over the gains I had received from my two week session of refinement and cultivating.
Name
Falenel
Race
Half-Elf(Woodland)
Titles
Vengeful Heart
Fame
0
Level 11
11%
Class
Druid
Sub-Class
Wild Shaper
Deity
Malthan
Health
120/120
Health Regen
0.2
Mana
400/400
Mana Regen
0.45
Strength
12
Wisdom
68
Agility
20
Intelligence
40
Dexterity
19
Charisma
9
Vitality
12
Luck
14
Points Remaining
0
Earth 7%
Fire 7%
Wind 8%
Water 7%
Lightning 0%
Light 7%
Dark 1%
Plant 6%
Luck 2%
Madness 2%
Skills
Mana Manipulation – Basic Level 6: 35%
Nature Magic – Basic Level 4: 20%
Wind Magic – Beginner Level 6: 41.5%
Archery – Beginner Level 3: 25.9%
Dagger Mastery – Beginner Level 3: 14.1%
Wild Luck – Beginner Level 6: 0%
Sketching – Basic Level 6: 50%
Herbology – Beginner Level 2: 2%
Gathering – Beginner Level 6: 6%
Alchemy – Beginner Level 5: 2%
Mana Signatures – Basic Level 3: 12%
Cooking – Basic Level 3: 52%
Flight – Beginner Level 6: 12.3%
Aura Sight – Beginner Level 2: 33%
Looking at that, I was quite satisfied. The process of refining the pellets three times each had let all of my affinities increase by a further two percent, and now my Wind Affinity was nearing the point where I wouldn’t have to focus on it anymore in order to cultivate. Though, I had my suspicions. Cultivation should naturally proceed faster if you focus on it, so if I let it go on in the background, the effects would be significantly less than if I actively purused it.
Although my stats hadn’t skyrocketed through intense training to make me match a character ten times my level, like in a classic novel, I considered myself fairly talented. With basic control over five of the primary elements, I could fight pretty much anywhere except in outer space. And by the time I got there, I should have a few additional tricks as well, I would hope.
Thinking a few things over in my head, I looked at Jarl and decided to ask something that had me curious. “Since the grove is based on elements we absorb, what about the elements that aren’t part of the ‘big seven’? For instance, my Plant Affinity?”
Jarl looked over towards me, and thought about that for a moment. “Different affinities will have different effects. The ones that influence the size of your grove are fire, wind, earth, and water. However, having a weaker Light Affinity will mean that the light will not cover your grove as strongly, so it is suggested for that to be in balance as well. If you add in the Lightning Affinity, then there will be the chance to have a weather cycle in your grove. Dark Affinity grants day and night. As for Plant Affinity, that should have an effect on the growth speed of plants in your grove, as well as their quality.” He then looked over towards Sharon. “Same with the Beast Affinity, the strength of animals raised in the grove would surpass normal ones.”
Sharon looked up at that, and nodded with a slight smile. “As for the other minor affinities, I’m not too sure. They should generally either have an impact on the organisms in your world, or your world itself.”
I nodded my head again, and then asked. “So how do we add another affinity to our grove? Do we have to go through the entire process again?”
Jarl shook his head at that before answering. “Just make a seed for whatever element you want to add, and then ingest it the same way you did to start your grove. It’s only necessary to mix them together for those five elements. Though, I would strongly suggest that Sharon learn the Dark Affinity before moving animals into the grove, as many rely on a day and night cycle.”
She nodded, seemingly a bit more energetic than before, while I decided that I had to refine a plant affinity seed next. Having my herbs grow faster and have stronger effects would be a great benefit as an alchemist.
Chapter 24: Goldilocks Never Had To Put Up With This.
Placing my hands down on the grass, I began the process of refining my Seed of Plants. Seriously, that name sounds redundant. Well, I should probably save up a few of these eventually and have Jacobs do some enchanting with them. Either that, or I’d have to learn how to enchant in order to do it myself. And really, that didn’t seem like such a bad idea since I already had my heart set on Technomancy. Since most devices are made with at least some level of enchanting in this game, the two skills compliment each other as well as Alchemy and Nature Magic.
A few hours slow
ly passed before the small pellet gradually formed in my hand, with varying shades of green. If I had to describe it, it’d be like someone painted a classic camouflage pattern on it. Shrugging my shoulders, I popped it into my mouth like a pill and let it dissolve with my Nature Magic. I think by this point I had the process worked out pretty well. Even though I was essentially just doing the same thing I had spent a few hours on, but in reverse, the effect was still clear.
In order to introduce a new element into the world, rather than gradually letting it pour in over time, you had to shock it with a large amount all at once. Doing so would force the world to adapt in order to accept this new element. To my pleasant surprise, my grove actually expanded a full meter in radius after I put the plant mana into it. Then, I pulled out a few of the herbs I had gathered so far.
Starting with the most rare plant I had acquired to date, the mushroom, I planted a total of four herbs. First was that mushroom, second being blood Weed, then fireflower so that I could make health potions whenever I wanted. Finally, I decided to plant the mushroom that said it was a component in mana potions, spider cap. I still needed to learn what other herbs go with it to make the mana potion, though.
This process went fairly smooth, since I had previously pulled the entire plant out of the ground in case the roots might be an ingredient of their own. Thankfully, they didn’t seem to have withered away while in my inventory, so replanting them was not an issue. Now I simply had those four herbs planted at equal distances around my small globe, with only that single blade of grass breaking the pattern. And, when I concentrated, I was even able to sense that several other blades had appeared around it beneath the surface, just unable to break through yet. Must be because of the plant mana.
Now, I had a few options. I could either cultivate Dark Affinity to have a day/night cycle in my grove, or I could cultivate one of the elements already present to expand it. However… I chose neither option for now. I still needed to advance my other class skills, specifically my shapeshifting. In order to do that, it was time to begin a leveling frenzy!
Thanks to my flight a couple weeks ago, I now knew that this pond was at the center of the forest, meaning that the strongest animals should be directly around it. Looking to the two lovebirds that were just coming back from getting themselves a meal, I instructed them to stay behind mentally. Rather than it being because I cared about them, it was more because I didn’t want them getting in my way. However, they didn’t seem to get that part, and only happily agreed, thinking I was doing so for their sake.
God, I sound like one of those cheap characters from an old story. What were they called? Tsunders? Thundere? It doesn’t matter, either way I focused for a few moments to activate my Aspect of the Armored Beast, covering my entire body with snake scales as I stood. Sadly, it took a bit longer than normal to activate, and there was a bit of pain suggesting that I didn’t get it completely right. I really needed to hurry up and get Technomancy. Maybe with that I’d be able to solve the issue of memory.
Although I had taken the precaution to equip my scales, I did not intend on playing the role of the brute melee fighter again. My vitality was not nearly high enough to do that if I ran into a bear. Rather, I planned to try out some of my new magic abilities instead!
Guiding a bit of mana into my eyes, I activated Aura Sight, and my vision was bathed in various lights. I had a theory that this skill could be used for more than just failing to memorize auras, and as I set out into the forest my hunch was soon proven correct. I mean, why would there be an entire skill that just covered such a small purpose?
After I was about twenty meters from the clearing, I began seeing irregularities in the aura of the ground. At first, I was able to overlook them, but then they turned into a pattern and my eyes were naturally drawn to them. Specifically, the pattern was as if something had walked by, a sort of magical footprint. Kneeling down next to it, I decided to study the pattern for a few moments, to see if I could gain a new skill or ability. However, the only thing I was able to determine was that it did not match the aura of the wolf I had killed previously.
Knowing that, this should be a different animal. With the track being on the ground, it obviously wasn’t a bird. They were clearly not snake tracks, so it eliminates that as well. The most likely option, then, would be a bear. At least, I hadn’t seen any other animals this close to the clearing besides those.
Either way, I had a target. Comparing what I knew from other games, if a wolf was considered level 10(and I hoped they were, given the difficulty I had in killing them), then an average bear should be level 15 or 16. That would put it at the same tier of difficulty as the Great Boa. However, each had their natural weaknesses. The snake could only attack in one direction at a time, but had incredible strength if it got ahold of you, and its defense was likely among the best in the forest. As for bears, they were typically known for strength as well, and while their thick hides were weaker than a Great Boa, they were more versatile while attacking.
By the way, I’m sure there are some people wanting to know why I’m not simply using my Light Manipulation to bend the light around me and make myself invisible. To be honest, that was the first thing I did after I gained the ability. And yes, it even worked. However, there was an inherent flaw with that technique. If all light is bending around my body, that means that it is not being directed into my eyes to be processed by my brain. In other words… light bending invisibility blinded me.
Maybe if I got a higher affinity, I’d be able to selectively make it so that light can hit me, but passes through? But that is way beyond what I can do now. As such, I was left stalking through the forest, my dagger at the ready. I had a feeling that I was getting closer to the source of these aura footprints, but if Celeste didn’t keep interrupting me I would have already found them! Why does an AI need to clear her throat anyways?
“What is it?” I asked as quietly as I could manage, looking down at my wrist. When I did so, I saw a rather timid looking hologram slowly pointing in front of me before vanishing. Following where she had pointed, I was reminded of an ancient saying, passed down from generation to generation. Such a wise saying had saved many lives, and ensured the continuation of the species to this day. However, I seemed to have forgotten it until now. Always watch where you’re going.
Ahead of me, staring in a rather upset manner, was a bear. A rather big bear at that, easily as big as I was while still on all four legs. Oh, hey, look, it has a friend… make that friends. Three bears. Three, really big, really brown, really angry bears. I suddenly felt like a sudden blonde girl who had stumbled into a dangerous cabin. His teeth are too sharp, her teeth are too dull, but his teeth are just right to bite me in half.
Okay, I can do this. This is just like that time against the snake. No, wait, bad example, that time there was only one, and it ate me. I crouched down, planting one hand against the ground while the other held the dagger in front of me in what I assumed to be a defensive posture. If I was going down, I was at least going to look cool doing it!
Gathering the earth mana below me, I prepared to make the ground suddenly rise in order to launch me at the pack of bears. A dumb idea, which is exactly why it will catch them off guard! The three bears slowly walked towards me, which I took as my sign to begin. Suddenly lifting the ground with my Earth Manipulation, I launched myself towards them like a catapult, aiming my dagger towards their vitals!
Yeah, since when has that ever happened? “Waaaah!!” I screamed as I tore through the air, faster than expected, my arms flailing to either side. Thankfully, I managed to keep a grip on my dagger, because I felt it sink into something soft, which made my flight path change from a straight line into a sideways arc. Next thing I knew, I collided head first into something not as soft, and heard a dull cracking noise. However, it also made me black out for a moment.
When I woke up, I saw one of the bears staring rather dumbly at the scene before it, not even paying me much attention anymore. For som
e reason, one of the bears had a giant gash straight down one of their sides, with their entrails spilling out. Obviously, it was already dead. Then, some distance away on the other side of it, another bear was lying limp on the ground, blood coming from a wound on the side of its head, right behind its eye.
Did I just… no… that’s not possible, right? I took a quick look, and saw that Wild Luck had surprisingly gained two full levels, while my luck stat even increased by a point. Apparently, snake scales beat bear skull, and chain dagger beats bear hide… However, I had also lost half of my health, by what the message window labeled a ‘head on’ collision. I seriously wanted to smack the developers of this game.
Looking at the last remaining bear, I decided to go back to my original druid fighting plan. Drawing a bit of fire mana from my body, I amplified it with wind mana, while pulling out any water mana from nearby it. Although it took nearly all of my concentration to simultaneously command three elements, it was not nearly as difficult as it had been to form that cursed pellet. And the result was quite satisfying, an intense fireball forming in my hand. However, my hand was starting to blister just from being so close to the burning flame, so I quickly threw it at the distracted bear, setting its fur on fire.
Well, that didn’t kill the bear, but it certainly got its attention, as the beast was flailing its arms angrily to try to put out the fire. It even laid flat on the ground and rolled around, which would have proven successful if I wasn’t still feeding it fire and wind mana to keep it going. Eventually, it simply stood up, and charged at me. At this point, I was perhaps more terrified than when I was facing three bears at once. I mean, now I was facing a giant, angry, FLAMING bear.
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