Petyr’s proposal was unsettling and fraught with danger. After hearing it, Jonn spent a solid four minutes in silent contemplation, his gaze fixed on the somber horizon, searching for answers.

Taking action against travelers would be a grave error, difficult to undo. Targeting the wrong group could lead to severe backlashes. Moreover, the path of criminality leads nowhere good. Grandpa had always affirmed that principles build while their lack destroys.

Closing his eyes, Jonn felt a wave of anxiety wash over him. He noted that, if left with no alternative, he might resort to Petyr’s suggestion. Ultimately, he would prioritize his village’s interest, even if it meant bringing darkness and death to others.

“Give me a few days,” he finally responded to Petyr, neither rejecting nor accepting the proposal outright. “I need to gather all the facts before making a decision.”

Petyr had foreseen this response, and despite the pressing urgency, nodded in agreement. “Take the time you need. Acting now or waiting a week won’t alter our situation. However, Jonn, don’t hesitate too much. In this apocalyptic world we live, we can’t afford to cling to futile hopes.”

“I understand. I genuinely appreciate your honesty.”

Petyr departed shortly after, heading towards his residence. Although he had been Hewet’s right-hand man, he wasn’t privy to internal affairs. To grasp the full scope of the village’s situation, Jonn would need to consult at least half a dozen individuals.

Right now, my priority is to estimate our situation. From Petyr’s report, hunting in the vicinity won’t be viable for much longer. We’re likely the last living beings in the Barren Hills of Deepshadow.

I need to consult Arber about the greenhouse and Lance regarding the livestock. Jan should possess information on regional maps and traveler group routes, while Tim would be knowledgeable about the land surrounding the village.

Until this morning, Jonn had been an ordinary young man. He had acquired crucial skills from Hewet, such as improvising tools, judging character, treating non-lethal wounds, and basic education—fundamental abilities. He had observed the old man lead the tribe, but he himself was not a leader. He hadn’t prepared for this role, or so he believed.

If one had queried him about the village’s situation the previous night, he would have described it as dire. At least three families were at risk of losing members in the coming months, and sustaining them was challenging because of the shortage of plant and animal food sources.

Jonn certainly lacked solutions for many of the village’s problems.

However, from the moment he inherited Hewet’s position and legacy, Jonn sensed an ability to achieve feats far beyond his previous capabilities. Part of him attributed this to the Celestial Magnifying Glass now integrated into his being, while another part whispered it was due to his newfound {Reputation}.

“Sigh!”

Turning away, he proceeded with his plans, returning to Arber and Lance’s house, where both were still mourning Hewet’s passing.

Arber, ever practical, had already replaced the sheets on her bed with clean ones, resuming her responsibilities despite the recent loss of their leader.

A few villagers near the house discussed the old Elder’s departure, once again offering their condolences to Jonn.

He thanked them, and once alone with Lance and Arber, he broached the subject directly. “My grandfather entrusted his position to me. Although I never aspired to succeed him, I’m here to serve the village.” Glancing skyward, he attempted a smile despite the circumstances. “I intend to fulfill his last wish, so I need your help to gather the necessary information.”

Lance and Arber wouldn’t make things difficult for him. In fact, he would have the same experience with the others later, when he would go around speaking with the more experienced people of the village.

By mid-morning, he would have a comprehensive understanding of the village’s situation.

The animal enclosure, situated south of the village, currently housed 21 hens, 3 roosters, 2 cows, and 1 bull. Recent figures indicated a daily yield of about 40 liters of milk and 20 eggs.

The greenhouse had been producing 200 kilograms of various foodstuffs monthly, a mere fraction of the ideal harvest for a village of their size.

Consequently, all residents of the Eternal Village were malnourished, with only a handful maintaining physical fitness. If not for Petyr’s efforts in hunting wild meat, they would have perished long before Hewet’s passing!

Learning the exact quantity of food available to his people alarmed Jonn. He felt particularly troubled upon discovering that the village elders often sacrificed portions of their meals to ensure the younger ones, like himself, could eat better.

Beyond the precarious food situation, the village had limited options in the vicinity. The land itself was tainted by chaotic mana from past mages’ battles, rendering the soil infertile.

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Valuable minerals undoubtedly existed in the area, but their exploitation proved challenging. Given the village’s current population and limited tools, extracting anything of significant value seemed a near-impossible task.

The region, however, boasted solid coal reserves. Occasionally, the village would export surplus coal to neighboring territories, striking deals with traders traversing the roads of the Barren Hills of Deepshadow. Yet, this venture fell short of resolving their hunger crisis. Once again, the village lacked both workers and adequate tools to scale up activities.

Merchants sporadically traversed the roads near the village, but beyond the meager reserves of coins left by Hewet, they had no financial resources to fall back on.

Additional challenges intensified their dilemma. For instance, fewer than 10 individuals in the entire village possessed combat capabilities.

A bandit incursion would find them virtually defenseless!

Similarly, an attack by wild beasts would place them in dire hazard.

Grasping all this information compelled Jonn to consider Petyr’s proposal with greater solemnity.

Will we ultimately be driven to this extreme?

The young man pondered, perched on his doorstep, his thoughts reaching impasses, invariably circling back to the possibility Petyr had raised.

My remaining option is to test the {Skills} bestowed by the Celestial Magnifying Glass. They’re designed for analysis and knowledge acquisition. I had hoped to avoid total reliance on it, but there seems to be no usable alternative to Petyr’s suggestion.

I’d better find out the full extent of these {Skills}’ capabilities. I’m uncertain how they’ll aid our situation, but it’s urgent I explore their potential over the coming days.

Now, where do I begin? Or rather, what is the village’s most pressing concern at this moment?

The answer materialized instantly in his mind.

Food.

But what’s my best way to address this?

By increasing both plant and animal-based food sources.

If I can cultivate in the black soil and boost milk and egg production… It would also be beneficial to encourage animal reproduction—no, that circles back to our food shortage.

We don’t have enough for humans. We can’t recklessly increase our animal population.

Jonn exited his house and traversed the village to the greenhouse area for the first time. Typically, only Arber was permitted entry, with everyone else under strict orders to keep their distance. He used his grandfather’s master key to access the building where his tribe cultivated a diverse array of foods on hanging shelves.

The greenhouse boasted an assortment of vegetables, leafy greens, herbs, and a few fruit-bearing trees. The terrain of the Barren Hills of Deepshadow was unforgiving, but over the years, the tribe had imported fertile soil from distant locations and used pots to nurture plants in this desolate land.

As Jonn surveyed the greenhouse, lush with vegetation adorning its walls and even its roof, he felt a spark of optimism. If such a thriving environment could be created here, perhaps he could enhance conditions for the entire village.

Alone in this verdant sanctuary, he summoned the Celestial Magnifying Glass from within his soul. Instinctively, he channeled his mana, forging a connection between the magnifying glass and his essence.

At first glance, peering through the artifact in his right hand, he discerned no significant difference in the tomato plants he was examining. However, as seconds ticked by, his eyes detected colored streams coursing through the small plant. Remarkably, the toxic mana from the surrounding area entered through the plant’s leaves and was directed to the roots in the pot, where pure crystallizations of mana appeared to have solidified.

Somehow, this purified mana in the plant’s roots fortified it and sped up its growth rate, establishing a positive feedback loop in which it concentrated more mana in that crystal and produced ever-increasing amounts of food.

Time slipped away unnoticed as Jonn’s focus intensified on the pot, the soil, and the water used to nourish the greenhouse plants. He gradually assimilated the structure and functioning of the tomato plant. Intrigued by his observations and the implications suggested by his two {Skills}, he extended his investigation to the potato plant and lettuce.

To his astonishment, all the plants he examined possessed identical mana crystals at the base of their pots, working in symbiosis with the plants as they grew denser and richer in mana.

These crystals, while their full potential remained unclear to Jonn, seemed akin to mana bombs, exquisitely sensitive. Mishandling one of these pots could trigger a minor explosion, likely devastating the plants within.

These mana crystals… What would happen if I transplanted them into the dead soil? Would the potted plant’s productivity decline? Could this potentially reduce the toxicity of the barren earth?

As [Analysis] reached its limits, [Essence of Life] seamlessly took over, providing answers to some of his questions.

No, the plant’s productivity wouldn’t diminish. The crystal it generated fortifies it and enhances its yield, but from what I can discern, it concentrates more mana in the crystal than necessary for this growth cycle. If I extract half the crystal from the pot, there’s a high chance of maintaining the plant’s production.

He resolved to test his ‘theory’ with five distinct plants from the greenhouse.

Despite his lack of horticultural experience, he instinctively knew how to manipulate the pots, extracting the roots and small plants without causing harm, until he gained access to the crystals.

Enveloping a pair of gardening shears with his mana, he bisected the mana crystal as [Analysis] had instructed, ensuring it split without shattering.

He now held five mana crystal fragments, each shaped like a rectangle, reminiscent of light green gold bars.

Gathering a small hoe, shovel, rake, and some seeds from the greenhouse, he ventured outside and began working on a modest plot of land measuring one square meter.

With meticulous care, Jonn cleared his chosen plot, demarcating the experimental site with stones before manually tilling the soil with his hoe. The process consumed a mere 20 minutes, resulting in a series of small depressions where he distributed the mana crystals across the area.

Lightly covering the mana crystals, Jonn sowed tomato seeds and incorporated some of the greenhouse’s fertilizer. He then blanketed the seeds with soil, employing the rake to ensure their protection before gently irrigating the area.

Now, all that remains is to wait. I’ll take care of you for five days. If no sprouts emerge by then, it signifies my theories were lacking… I’ll continue studying the greenhouse plants and exploring the black soil of the Barren Hills of Deepshadow. With luck, I’ll make some advancement before Petyr comes seeking answers.

As for the livestock, I’ll address that concern later. For now, sadly, I must stop.

He consulted his system status, noting only 5 units of mana remaining. An innate sense advised him to undertake meditation to replenish his mana reserves. Afterward, he could once again wield the Celestial Magnifying Glass.