I stood in the clearing, a broad smile spreading across my face as I faced Goose and Ethan. The sun was high overhead, casting a warm glow over the grassy field and the surrounding forest. Goose, with his rugged appearance and massive iron golem by his side, looked skeptical. Ethan, the young golemancer, was fidgeting with excitement and nervousness.

Goose asked, “You want us to hit you?”

“Yeah,” I said. “I am bored and I am exploring the bounds of the system. I want to know about skills. Have you noticed skills can increase in power in between levels?”

“Not really,” Goose answered back.

I nodded. “Yeah, it does and I want to try to quantify the changes. Also, you and Ethan have golems. Or summons, I can let go a little bit more with summons.”

“The summons aren’t free, Mr. Reyes,” Ethan said.

“Mr. Reyes was my dad,” I smiled. “Call me Gavrin, Ethan lad.”

“Ok, Gavrin.” Ethan continued. “The summons aren’t free. I still need to collect the materials. And in case you haven’t noticed, metal doesn’t grow on trees.”

I rubbed the back of my head and smiled sheepishly. “About that, it does for me. Anything I break, I will help fix. I think this will increase the abilities of everyone involved. You get practice, I get practice, everyone wins.”

“Well, alright,” Ethan said.

Ethan stepped back and began to summon one of his golems. He channeled his mana into a small pile of metal parts he collected earlier. The parts began to glow and levitate, assembling themselves into a humanoid shape. The golem stood about six feet tall, its body made of a mix of iron and steel, with glowing blue eyes that indicated its magical nature.

“Ready?” I asked, stretching my arms and rolling my shoulders.

“Ready,” Ethan confirmed, his excitement palpable.

The golem stepped forward, its metal feet thudding heavily on the ground. I stood my ground, my eyes focused and my stance relaxed. The golem raised its arm and swung a heavy metal fist towards me. With a quick sidestep, I dodged the blow easily, my movements fluid and precise.

I countered with a swift punch to the golem’s midsection, my fist glowing with a faint green light as I channeled my mana. The impact was strong, denting the golem’s chest and sending it stumbling backward.

Ethan’s eyes widened in surprise. “Whoa, that was fast!”

I grinned. “Keep it coming, Ethan. I need to push my limits.”

The golem regained its balance and charged at me again, swinging both fists in a flurry of blows. I moved with practiced ease, dodging and weaving between the strikes. I landed several quick jabs and kicks, each hit causing small bursts of green energy that further weakened the golem.

In a final move, I spun around and delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to the golem’s head. The metal construct’s head snapped back with a loud clang, and it crumpled to the ground in a heap of metal parts.

Ethan rushed forward, concern etched on his face. “Are you okay, Gavrin? Did I summon it too weak?”

I laughed, wiping a bit of sweat from my brow. “No, that was perfect for a warm-up. I just needed to test my agility and basic strikes. Now, let’s up the ante. Summon a stronger golem, and Goose, feel free to join in with your iron giant. Let’s see what we can really do.”

Goose crossed his arms, a smirk forming on his face. “You sure about this? My iron golem packs a punch.”

My eyes sparkled with excitement. “Absolutely. Let’s give it all we’ve got.”

I stood at the ready, my stance shifting subtly as I assumed my new Stance of the Leaf. My movements were light and fluid, my body swaying gently as if I were a leaf caught in a gentle breeze. I focused my mind, feeling the connection between my body and the natural world around me.

My mind quickly flicked over the prompt I had received several days ago while fighting in the woods.

Stance of the Leaf

Type: Martial Art Stance

Rarity: Rare

Description:

The Stance of the Leaf allows the practitioner to move with the fluidity and grace of a leaf caught in the wind. This stance enhances agility and reflexes, enabling the user to evade attacks and counter with precise, rapid strikes. By attuning oneself to the natural flow of energy, the practitioner can seamlessly transition between offensive and defensive maneuvers.

Effects:

Agility Boost: +15% to Agility while in the stance.

Evasion Increase: +20% chance to dodge incoming attacks.

Energy Flow: Attacks made while in this stance are more fluid and rapid, increasing attack speed by 10%.

Adaptive Striking: Each successful hit slightly increases the power of subsequent strikes, stacking up to 5 times.

Skill Level: 1/10

Experience Required for Next Level: 0/1000 XP

Goose nodded at Ethan, who began to summon another golem, this one larger and more robust than the last. Its body made of reinforced iron, with sharp spikes protruding from its limbs. Beside it, Goose’s iron golem loomed, its massive form casting a long shadow over the clearing.

“Ready?” Goose asked, his voice filled with anticipation.

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I nodded, a determined smile on my face. “Ready.”

The two golems charged at me simultaneously, their heavy footsteps thudding against the ground. My body moved with effortless grace, my stance allowing me to flow with the movements of the golems. I could see and feel the flow of mana around and through the golems and moved with them. I ducked under a sweeping blow from Goose's golem and rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a crushing stomp from Ethan’s construct.

With a swift kick, I struck the knee joint of Ethan’s golem, causing it to momentarily falter. I used the opportunity to leap into the air, twisting my body midflight to deliver a spinning kick to the head of Goose’s golem. The iron giant staggered back, its head dented from the impact.

“Impressive,” Goose muttered, his eyes gleaming with admiration.

Ethan’s golem recovered quickly and lashed out with a flurry of punches. I moved like a dancer, my body bending and swaying with the strikes. I countered with quick, precise jabs, each blow sending ripples of green energy through the metal frame of the golem. My fists and feet seemed to blur as I struck multiple times in rapid succession, my movements almost too fast to follow.

Goose’s golem joined the fray again, its massive fists swinging with devastating force. I shifted my stance, flowing seamlessly from the Stance of the Leaf to a more aggressive posture. I met the golem’s fists with my own, my punches resonating with a powerful energy that reverberated through the clearing. Sparks flew as metal met mana, the air crackling with the intensity of our clash.

The fight was a whirlwind of motion, my body a blur of green energy and fluid movements. I struck with the precision of a seasoned martial artist, my attacks hitting the golems’ weak points with pinpoint accuracy. Each blow seemed to amplify in power, the strikes growing stronger as I adapted to the rhythm of the battle. It had been ages since I had so much fun sparring.

In a final, dramatic move, I spun low to the ground, sweeping my leg out in a wide arc. I yelled, “Sweep the leg, Johnny.” The kick caught both golems off balance, sending them crashing to the ground in a shower of metal and dust. I stood up, my chest heaving with the exertion, a triumphant smile on my face.

Goose and Ethan exchanged looks of amazement. “That was incredible.” Ethan said, his voice filled with awe.

“I can see why you have trouble sparring.” Goose observed. “Is there anything left in the vicinity that can challenge you anymore?”

I shook my head. “No. And that spar was only worth one hundred experience for the skill. Progress, is progress but this is slow.”

“Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Goose opined.

I nodded my head in agreement. “Wise words.” I replied. I looked at the golems. They were wrecked.

“Looks like we’ve got some work to do.” Ethan said scratching his head. “These golems took quite a beating.”

“Yeah,” Goose agreed, examining a dented arm. “We need to fix them up before they’re good for another round.”

I nodded. “No problem. I’ll help you with the repairs. I’ve got some metal ingots we can use to replace the damaged parts.”

I reached into my dimensional storage and pulled out several gleaming ingots of metal, handing them to Ethan and Goose.

“These should do the trick. Let’s get started.”

The three of us set to work. Ethan and Goose guiding me on the specific parts and mechanisms that needed replacing. I used verdant mastery to shape the metal with precision, crafting new components that fit perfectly into the golems’ frames.

Ethan’s golem had several joints and armor plates that were bent or broken. I softened the metal with a controlled burst of mana, softening it just enough to reshape it. My hands moved deftly, molding the metal into the required shapes and fitting them seamlessly into the golem’s structure.

Goose’s iron golem had more significant damage, with one arm nearly severed. I crafted a new arm from the metal ingots, ensuring it was strong and durable. I worked with focus and determination, my expertise shining through as I assembled the new parts.

“Uh, Gavrin?” Ethan hesitantly began. “You’re a druid right?”

“Sure thing, druid through and through.” I answered absentmindedly, my focus still on the golems.

“I can understand the plants and animals,” Ethan continued, “But what is with the roots and the metal? How can you control so much? Some of this seems outside the bounds of what your class should be able to do.”

“Ahh,” I said, turning to face him. “Well, Verdant Mastery is a wonderful and versatile skill. But it really comes down to how you see the world.” I held up my arms, which were wriggling with a mass of roots. “It started with just one root, and I just kept adding more. Then I realized that at the most basic level, everything is just elements. And mana acts as a catalyst or a lubricator of reality. And once I made that logical leap in my mind, the mana began to affect more than just plants. After all, everything is either a plant or eats plants. Or is a mushroom, but mushrooms are special.”

Ethan’s eyes widened with curiosity, his fingers tracing the runes on his golem. “So, you’re saying that by understanding the fundamental elements and using mana, you can influence more than just the flora and fauna.”

“Not exactly,” I said, shaking my head. “It is more like I convinced the mana that everything is flora and fauna. Think of it this way; mana is like the thread that weaves through the fabric of reality. By understanding how to pull on that thread, you can influence the tapestry. For a druid, it starts with plants because they are the simplest and most direct expression of life. But as you deepen your connection to mana, you start to see that everything is interconnected.”

Ethan frowned in thought. “But how do you make that leap from plants to metal?”

I smiled, holding up a chunk of raw iron ore. “It’s about seeing the potential. Metal, at its core, is a natural element. It comes from the earth, just like plants do. With enough understanding and control over mana, you can manipulate the elements that make up metal, shaping it just as you would shape a tree branch. It’s all about understanding the properties and relations between the elements.”

Goose, who had been listening intently, chimed in. “So, it’s like alchemy? Transforming one thing into another?”

“Not quite,” I replied. “Alchemy is about changing the nature of one substance into another, often through complex processes. What I do is more about encouraging elements to express themselves in different ways. It’s a subtle difference, but an important one. Alchemy forces change, while druidic manipulation encourages it.”

Ethan slowly nodded, absorbing the information. “So, your Verdant Mastery allows you to see and interact with the elemental threads of reality, and by understanding those threads, you manipulate them?”

“Manipulate, yes. See, no.” I sheepishly explained. “I had assistance in seeing and comprehending the fabric of the universe. Once the connection was made, its like a muscle that gets stronger with use.”

Ethan glanced at his golem, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Do you think I could learn to do that? To see the elemental threads?”

I giggled a little bit while placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “With time and practice, anything is possible, Ethan. Your class as a golemancer already gives you a unique connection to materials and constructs. By expanding your understanding of mana and elements, you can achieve even greater things.”

Goose grinned, clapping Ethan on the back. “Looks like we’ve got some training to do, then. Let’s see if we can catch up to Gavrin’s level of mastery.”

I laughed out loud. I reached back into my dimensional storage. “This is a mana bong. And this is mana weed.” I flourished two of my more recent discoveries.

Ethan’s eyes widened in shock, his face paling slightly. “Gavrin, are you serious? I’m only eighteen! My parents never let me near stuff like this before…well, before the Lightning Fall.”

Goose’s eyes lit up with interest. “I’ve never tried anything like that, but I’m game.”

I held up a hand, shaking my head. “Hold on, guys. The mana infused herb is incredibly potent. It’s not something you should take lightly, especially out here. It needs special preparations to be safe and effective.”

Goose tilted his head, curiosity evident. “Special preparations?”

“Yeah,” I explained. “Using it outside without proper control could lead to unpredictable results. The mana in the herb amplifies its effects and can cause intense reactions. It’s something best handled in a controlled environment, where we can monitor and manage the effects.”

Ethan let out a sigh. “Not gonna lie, you had me in the first half. What sort of danger and effects?”

I looked around and got a shifty look. “Um, there are things out there. They can feel it when you look at them. And it’s kind of intense to catch their attention. And this kind of removes the filters on perception our mind usually erects to protect us from seeing reality too closely.”

Now Goose had an interested look. “Holy shit, just how strong is that weed? You ok man?”

I sighed. “Not really.” I quickly changed the subject. “I’m hungry, are you guys hungry? We should get something to eat.”

Goose laughed. “I get it, buddy. You don’t want to talk about it.”

I bounced my head from side to side. “More like it will be easier to show, than tell you.”