“Those with Life affinity can invigorate life, enhancing the body’s resilience, reaction speed, movement, muscles, and more. Able to perform beyond the limits of the body. They can also heal wounds in mere seconds but are restricted when healing severe wounds. Much like health potions, they work by enhancing the body’s natural healing capabilities. However, those with Healing affinity restore and replace what was lost. However, healing affinity is rare and requires the proper knowledge to use to its fullest extent. Of course, there is an alternative, after all there is the God of Healing and God of Purity where almost anyone practicing in the way of medicine are their believers.”
A piece from “Way of Medicine Ⅱ” by ????
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Aiden
There were three types of monsters in Veggie Valley. First,, there was the casters. I watched as the carrot monsters began to use earth magic and water magic to soften and wet the ground, trying to pull Bianca and her party beneath, letting them get stuck and immobilizing them.
Species
Carrot Caster
Description
A plant-type monster based on the carrot plant. Has evolved to gain affinities and be proficient in using it however has lost its mobile ability in the process. Skilled in earth and water magic, it will trap its prey in the ground as roots entangle below draining its energy.
Affinity
Arcane, Nature, Life, Earth, Water, Mud, ◼◼◼
Skill
Earth Manipulation, Water Manipulation, Earth Sense, Create Water, Mud Manipulation, Sticky Ground, Root manipulation, Mud Bullet, Heavy Mud, Sticky Mud, Tangle, Drain
Trait
Dungeon Born, Mob
The casters were underground vegetables like onions, parsnip, beet, radish, daikon, and more.
Bianca then used her water affinity on a potion as it sprayed on the ground, Soon, the mana imbued by the carrot monsters in the ground began to disperse as they came into contact with the liquid.
Intermediate Magic Disruption Potion
Quality: Exquisite
A potion made by a grandmaster herbalist has brought out most of the effects of the herbs and was made with skillful mana manipulation in the process, increasing its quality by a large margin.
-Provides a Large magic disruption effect on anything contacting it for 14 hours once used
A little excessive, but her master is a grandmaster herbalist, so maybe it isn’t, anyway more things for me to use Extraction on after they leave, so I’m not complaining.
With their magic sealed from use on the ground, they retort by firing mud at them, trying to impede their movements. Travis and Bianca try to attack them and only manage to defeat one, as the other attacks are blocked by the other monsters.
Species
Broccoli Guardian
Description
A plant-type monster based on the plant broccoli. It will hide as a regular broccoli but will grow to 2.5~ 3 meters once an enemy is near and is ready to attack. Resilient, tough vitality, and strong regeneration, it cooperates with fellow monsters, protecting them from harm. Any direct contact will drain its enemy's energy.
Affinity
Arcane, Nature, Life, ◼◼◼
Skill
Growth, Regeneration, Restore, Resistant Leaves, Tough Skin, Moist Stem, Tough Vitality, Protect, Charge, Drain
Trait
Dungeon Born, Mob
Cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, pumpkin, zucchini, and such were the tanks and protectors. They would take the brunt of the force as the casters attacked. I see them charge in front of the party as Randy clashes with them head-on with his shield and bashes them with his mace.
However, soon, mana was imbued to it, healing the damage at a much faster rate.
Species
Ringing Cherry Tomato
Description
A plant-type monster based on the plant cherry tomato. Specialized in life affinity, they shake their fruits as the mana stored inside bursts in a mana wave, healing and buffing any monster contacting it. It cannot heal, and buff once all the mana stored in all its fruit is used up.
Affinity
Arcane, Nature, Life, ◼◼◼
Skill
Store, Imbued Fruit, Invigorate, Accelerated Healing, Enhanced Vitality, Enhanced Resistance, Enhanced Resilience, Mana Burst, Drain
Trait
Dungeon Born, Mob
Bell peppers, peas, spinach, lettuce, and such were the healers and buffers storing life mana in their fruits, seeds, or leaves, releasing them at intervals once a fight starts.
‘I know tomatoes and bell peppers are fruits, but I don’t eat them thinking they are, so they belong in the vegetable garden.’
I observe as Travis actually manages to kill one of the buffing monsters as the arrow pierces through the protecting monster, hitting behind it. However, it drained quite a lot of his mana as he took out his rations and some tomatoes they harvested, stuffing them in his mouth as he chewed and continued to draw his bow.
‘Looks like they have the leisure to eat for mana restoration instead of resorting to mana potions.’
It's a strategy most delvers use. After all, taking too much mana potin has its side effects, where as eating can restore mana without. But I wonder if they will have that luxury once she intervenes.
Soon, a more powerful mana spreads to the monsters as the monsters grow bigger and stronger, attacking with new vigor.
Name
Samina Jade Seraphim
Race
Berry Queen
Titles
The Vegetable Lord, Life Bringer, Berry Heart
Affinity
Arcane, Life, Nature,◼◼◼
Skill
Imbue Life, Growth, Invigorate, Enhance Strength, Enhance Speed, Enhance Life Force, Life Link, Healing Wave, Frenzy, Regeneration, Imbue Fruit, Fruit Burst…
Trait
Dungeon Born, Floor Monster, Serious
Samina was a 5-meter bush bearing all kinds of berries, including blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and cranberries, as well as all the berries I had ever eaten. She was a buffer and healer, buffing and healing all the nearby monsters.
With her intervention, the party got serious, Bianca using her heated daggers, fire magic, and potions. Travis fully using his metal affinity to control multiple arrows, and Randy charging toward Samina to make way for his party members to attack.
Of course, it wasn’t easy. The caster monsters created and manipulated water to counter the fire and tossed mud at the arrows, knocking them down and sticking mud to them making them heavier. The tanks protected the casters and healers from daggers and arrows, as the other half blocked Randy from charging ahead. The healers and buffer monsters used much stronger buffs to make the monsters much more resilient and stronger.
Overall, it was hectic, but I could also sense that the three of them were excited and having fun despite pushing their minds and body to the limits. I smiled as I watched them fight.
My dungeon was safe, but it didn’t mean it was easy. Even without the threat of death, the sense of joy of harvesting goods, the sense of accomplishment of fighting and winning over a difficult foe, the thrill of exploring new places, and the excitement of discovering new things.
I know the novelty won’t last forever. I’m sure rumors will spread, and people will know what to expect. But seeing only its picture can never compare to seeing the real thing. Plus, I’m sure my dungeon will be one of a kind, no matter what.
‘Yeah, you are doing good!’
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With a part of my mind on Bianca’s party, I roam the other sections.
Rosamel and Mellisa’s Land of Milk and Honey was a popular one. There was always a scent of honey and milk in the air. Bees made out of literal honey roamed throughout, sharing their mana with the milk plants helping the production of milk, as they drink the milk in return, gaining more mana than they shared, creating a virtuous cycle.
The animal milk-producing plants had sacks that were flowers containing milk, while the nut trees, instead of sap, milk was being produced instead. There were a variety of them, from almonds, walnuts, cashews, chestnuts, and every kind of nut I ate.
I saw delvers harvest the milk as they plucked the flowers filled with milk as big as their fists. The petals themselves were edible as well, with a sweet milky taste. They also began tapping the nut trees as milk flowed down to the bucket below, filling it with their respective milk. While some delvers were harvesting honeycombs, the bees had produced all stuck to trees, grasses, or rocks.
Of course, they had to fight off the monsters to go near them. As I watch some delvers fight them off.
There were three kinds, one was the animal milk-producing plants spraying milk from their flowers on the delvers. And the other, nut trees were throwing a volley of nuts toward their enemies.
Species
Goat Milk Flower
Description
A unique plant-type monster producing goat milk inside their closed petals, forming a ball, can get as big as a person's head. Will throw milk at their enemies, signaling help to other monsters.
Affinity
Arcane, Nature, Life, ◼◼◼
Skill
Produce Milk, Spray, Milky Scent, Nutritious Milk, Regeneration, Drain
Trait
Dungeon Born, Mob
Species
Almond Milk Tree
Description
A unique plant-type monster based on the almond tree produces almond milk instead of sap. It will help the milk flowers once it has detected the unique scent of milk signaling help. It will throw a volley of hardened almonds to the enemies.
Affinity
Arcane, Nature, Life, ◼◼◼
Skill
Hardened Seeds, Tough Bark, Produce Milk, Regeneration, Produce Fruit, Volley, Drain
Trait
Dungeon Born, Mob
Soon, bees join in the fight after smelling the milk thrown at the delvers.
Species
Honey Bee
Description
An animal-type monster based on the animal honey bee. This bee is made entirely out of honey. It will come to defend the milk flower once it senses the milk scent on enemies. It attacks by throwing honey and wax at its foe. The honey is extremely sticky and will attract other honey bee monsters in the vicinity. The honey gains special properties when mixed with milk.
Affinity
Arcane, Nature, Life, ◼◼◼
Skill
Flight, Foraging, Enhance Production, Enhance Plant, Cooperation, Dancing Communication, Produce Honey, Produce Wax, Throw, Drain
Trait
Dungeon Born, Mob
The bees construct their mana into honey and wax throwing them at the devlers as the honey and wax stick to them, impeding their movements. Sensing the scent, more bee monsters emerge, creating and throwing more honey and wax.
Once the honey and milk mix, the mixture gains a special property. It begins to absorb the energy of the delver touching it, and once it falls and sinks into the ground, the energy-filled milk is absorbed by the milk flower.
Soon, there were numerous bees in the sky, too many for an ordinary party to kill, designed purposefully that way. Once the devlers killed the milk plants, the bees would scatter and escape, allowing the delvers to kill a few as they dropped honeycombs as loot.
Soon my attention is caught by a two-person party I have come to remember, one archer and the other a mage. They made quick work as they deliberately got hit with milk and honey, waiting for the bees to be attracted as the mage created an earth shield to block the rain of honey and wax, and a wind blade cutting off the milk flowers.
The archer’s arrow, charged with mana, hit the almond tree like a hammer, creating a massive hole in the trunk. The tree began to fall, but it burst into mana before it could hit the ground. Soon, the archer rained a volley of arrows on the bees, scattering and escaping, killing about twenty of them.
In the end, leaving behind 27 honeycombs, three 1-liter globs of goat milk, some almonds, a 5-liter glob of almond milk, and two mana stones.
I had some leeway on the monster's loot. When the basic loot for the bee, milk flower, and nut tree was honeycombs and milk, I was distressed since when the loot dropped, it would drop on the ground, soiling it or letting it seep into the ground.
Normally dungeons didn’t have this problem since liquid forms of loot would drop in high-level floors and they would use potion bottles, but for me, it was too expensive and inefficient.
Thankfully with slimes inhabiting my second floor, they produced slimes throughout, like nails and hair for humans. I stored this slime and combined some mana to create transparent thin materials like rubber or plastic wrap to hold liquid loot, edible too. They are super cheap, making a thousand of them costing only one mana compared to 0.1 mana for one potion vial.
The two of them weren’t interested in the mana stones and went straight for the honeycombs and milk as they began to devour them on the spot. I was amazed at how they ate. Honey and milk were high in calories and nutrition, and that was only enhanced after being imbued with mana, especially for the honey and milk dropped by the monsters.
As they ate, the excess calories and nutrients turned to mana much more than they could hold as they would purposefully let their mana leave their body and disperse in the air.
‘I mean, more mana for me, so good for me, but why do I feel like I’m stuffing them with food like geese for foie gras.’
As I felt their pure bliss, I thought about the first time I saw them. From their conversation, I learned they were brother and sister. They were quite chubby when they first came here, but soon, they began to slim down as the curse/blessing of hunger started to take effect. They began a killing spree, devouring any food dropped or harvested. They weren’t exactly powerful themselves, as they mostly relied on their overpowered weapons to power through.
Soon, however, as the food started to get low, they started bickering and fighting for the last piece. It really was childish saying you took the last piece last time met by you had the bigger pieces till it became you’re stupid, and no, you’re stupid responded with your whole face is stupid, and so on, and on.
Till the floor bosses approached them, snatching their bow and staff dropped when they were fighting against each other as they drained them dry of their energy, and the elites carried them out like always.
‘Why do they never learn?’
I’m sure they will come again with new, expensive equipment. At this point, I almost felt bad for them for always taking their expensive equipment—almost.
‘Naw, someone has to vitalize the business in the settlement, right? Let them two rich young masters do it.’
Name
Rosamel Leche Seraphim
Race
Milk King
Titles
The Milk Lord, Milky Way, Milk Heart, Milky Land
Affinity
Arcane, Life, Nature, Water, ◼◼◼
Skill
Milk Blossom, Produce Milk, Milk Volley, Blossoming, Water Manipulation, Nutrient Concentration, Enhance Production, Milky Chains, Healing Milk…
Trait
Dungeon Born, Floor Monster, Naive
Name
Melissa Honey Seraphim
Race
Honey Queen
Titles
The Honey Lord, Royal Queen, Honey Road, Honey Throne
Affinity
Arcane, Life, Nature, Fire,◼◼◼
Skill
Command, Lead, Queen’s Aura, Dance Command, Sticky Honey, Explosive Honey, Volatile Honey, Hardened Wax, Honey Armor, Honey Coating, Wax Shield, Produce Honey…
Trait
Dungeon Born, Floor Monster, Aloof
As I said my hellos and thanks to Rosamel and Melissa, they both showed joy, but Melissa didn’t think much of it since this had happened a few times before.
Their fighting style is the same as the others. Melissa was a 40cm big bee made of honey, she was beautiful, looking like a sculpture made out of amber. She would call any bee monsters in her vicinity as she commands them, and she would also throw much more potent and sticky honey and wax. She also had some special explosive honey, packing a punch.
Fortunately, they always went in pairs, since Rosamel could turn down the heat and heal their burns if they got too serious. Rosamel was a 5-meter bush full of milky white flowers that had their petals shut into a ball with milk inside. He would manipulate the milk with water affinity, controlling the battlefield by using it. Of course, once Melissas and Rosamel’s milk and honey mixed, they would drain the delver’s energy much more quickly than the mobs.
Engaging with the two of them, I drifted my attention as I felt one of my floor bosses on the brink of falling and distress. I was in the starch section called Zea’s Starchy Sanctum. There were corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, ube, rice, wheat, and any other starchy plant I had eaten.
The way they attacked was simple, underground crops blew up to a starchy mess, capturing delvers. Grains did the same except they would fire their seeds, the seeds becoming a sticky, starchy substance as it hits and explodes, its stickiness being enhanced by mana.
The Floor Boss Zea was interesting. She was shaped like a 10-meter corn in the middle of a lake. However, instead of corn on the cob, it was a type of seed that was a mix between rice and wheat on the cob.
The lake was white, a mixture of starch and water. It was made by Zea and with a few taro monsters underneath, providing scratch to it, creating an oobleck lake.
The delvers had to walk across the lake to the middle, where Zea would constantly fire sticky starch grains while they were coming. Also, she would control the oobleck with water affinity, and since her mana-filled starch was in it, nobody else could control it but her.
She creates waves to make them fall, shields to block arrows and magic, and sometimes manipulates them to grasp their ankles, pulling them down. Delvers had to continue moving on their feet because they would start to sink once they stopped. Worst of all, every time you contacted directly with the oobleck, it would drain your energy.
Name
Zea Mochi Seraphim
Race
Starch Queen
Titles
The Starch Lord, Starch Magician, Domain Controller, Lake Protector
Affinity
Arcane, Life, Nature, Water, ◼◼◼
Skill
Produce Starch, Create Water, Control Starch, Water Manipulation, Enhance Starch, Sticky Starch, Seed Bullet, Seed Explosion, Growth, Water Waves, Sense Water, Water Flow…
Trait
Dungeon Born, Floor Monster, Conniving
Seeing her situation, I figured out the reason for her distress. Zea liked to play with the delvers, she liked to make it as hard as possible for them, sometimes using trick moves and making it difficult for one person. However, this time, it went too smoothly. Most of the delvers brought fire-related potions and items considering this floor's main monster type.
However, fire was ineffective for her since she could just block it, and the evaporated water could be condensed, summoned back, or pulled from the river. This time, the delvers used ice magic and items to freeze the lake, creating a path directly to her as they ran across it.
She didn’t have the skills to melt it, so she could only attack from the side. It was still difficult for the delvers but not enough for her to be satisfied. Soon, they reached her as she fought, but she was weak in direct combat, so it was only soon that she would fall. She wasn’t distressed about that. She was just annoyed that they didn’t suffer as much as she wanted.
I sighed to myself as I tried to relieve her distress.
‘Haa, I wonder if this is alright?’
She wasn’t doing it out of malice. She never failed to immediately take out any delvers sunken too low on the lake, even if it meant stopping the attacks on the others.
She really liked the delvers, except how she expressed it was different.
‘No matter, as long as it isn’t harming anyone.’
Soon, I knew she was feeling better, and then when the delvers attacked for the final blow, she blew herself up to a starchy mess, imbuing all her mana to make sure it wouldn’t dissipate to mana with her as she went off with a blast.
‘This child.’
However, seeing the now seething and distressed delvers, feeling uncomfortable with the starchy mess filling up all the nooks and crannies inside their clothes. Wondering why it didn’t burst into mana like her(it would in about 30 minutes or so), I got a say it's fun to see them like that.
‘Oh! It looks like Bianca and her party killed Samina. Still can’t get used to me saying my children got killed.’