"Timber" I yell to the empty forest. I watch as the tree falls almost in slow motion as it crashes to the ground. I let out a sigh, why am I felling trees alone even though it is not safe. Simple I need firewood for winter and this section of my forest needs some thinning.
I look down at the golden dot that has a wave design on its edge that is on my hand. I made it using tree sap and sand mix then tattooed it. Was it a stupid idea yes! Then why did I do it, well I saw it in my dream one night then every night thereafter until I know every detail. Like where to get the sand that ended up being on a beach under three pine trees that were twisted together. The sap was located over 30 km into a half-dead forest there was the biggest oak I ever saw So, one day I did it and my life changed slowly. At first there was nothing but a small need to own land. Since I have always trusted my gut feelings, I started to look for a farm. One that had an abundant amount of land and forest that so I can develop it like make a huge lake, build new buildings, or own different animals.
My finances were not the best, but I had a 4 room apartment I inherited from my deceased parents that I could sell, and that gives me the money to buy my farm. I felt empty before I got my land, when I did, I started to smell better things like rain never surprised me anymore. Over time, I felt a stronger connection to the earth around me. But lately, it has gotten weird, I can smell a weird odor in the air.
I Pick up my ax and start removing branches from the fallen tree. Suddenly I smell that weird odor stronger than ever and growing stronger by the second. Looking around I can feel the direction where I can practically see a pillar of energy. It soon starts to fade and, I no longer can only smell it, but I can feel it all around me but it is at its strongest close do were the pillar was.
Gripping my ax, I start moving towards it my heart beating faster than it ever has before. The closer I got the more my feelings changed from wonder do danger. When I crossed the 10-meter mark suddenly a floating box’s appeared that was slowly rotating and glowing blue. Before going in deeper I took a step back and the box’s disappeared. Moving back in the box was there again suddenly there was a flash of blue light that blinded me for a moment.
After blinking my eyes a few times, I saw a sight that shocked me. There was a small, green, humanoid creature looking around. The moment our eyes met there was a small pause then the creature yelled and charged me. I think the yell was supposed to scare me but all it did was focus me on this small little thing that as best I can tell wants to kill me. I just smirk and bring my ax over my head.
That creature did not react do me moving my ax but it just kept moving my way with blind rage. When the creature was in range, I swing down with all my strength it is over in a moment. The creature is laying on the ground dead with my ax buried in its skull.
I can feel the energy going from the creature do the box’s and some do me it feels different from the energy that is in the air similar but feels like more refined somehow.
Looking around I do not see more of these things, so I take a closer look at the creature that kind of looks like a goblin. I have never killed anything before this day, and I do not know why but I am happy, well shit that is not good I take my ax and sit on a nearby rock.
I need to think this through was I happy because I killed something or was it something else. That is the most important thing do find, second, why am I not upset I killed something and finally what the hell is going on with that box’s thing that goblin looking thing, and this energy stuff that I can now feel somehow.
Now think back what made you happy, after some time I come to the lucky conclusion it was not the act of the kill itself it was the battle that made me happy good, now the next problem. A little bit later I knew I think I have known this point for some time already but I do not have the same morality that many of my fellow humans do if a person needs killing then I have no problem with that. Luckily, it seems I am not a kill for fun type, but I guess if I was like that, I would already be dead, killing some innocent person or in prison so at least that is a good thing.
Now the hardest thing do figure out what is happening today well wait it did not start today it started with that weird odor like a half a year ago. So that smell is this energy that I can now feel it was just a lot weaker back then. Before I can think more there is a flash of light looking towards the box’s I see a new goblin standing up and looking around, nothing different happened. It just rushed me, and I killed it with my ax. Energy started moving and this time I tried do see what it was doing most of it flowed towards the box and me, but some dispersed around the area.
What I can feel was the energy nurturing my body and some being sucking up by the golden dot rune. Well, that explains some things like why I can feel this energy but it a bit creepy too, hopefully, there will be answers soon. I take out my phone to check if it still worked and to my surprise it did. There was no signal but usually, tech did not work when magic of some kind is in use, or is it magic maybe its just advanced technology well time will tell no point going mad about things, I do not know.
I find my timer app on my phone and start it will be a bit off but there is no guarantee that this thing spawns them in a regular interval. About three more minutes go by and there are another flash and a new goblin, they are similar but not the same. Still naked and no weapon but still angry as ever when it sees me. More energy for me hope this helps me, but I can’t let them wander around my lands.
Well now that I think about it this box’s is just outside my land interesting need do make a mental note out of this. There are 10 dead goblins around me and its annoying, I almost tripped over one when I killed the last one. What is weird is that they are still naked and still as easy to kill as ever. But I can’t be here forever killing goblins its getting do my lunchtime and at night I can’t be sure I can kill theme so easy.
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Every 5 minutes 28 seconds one goblin spawns that like 12 goblins an hour, not a good thing. Maybe call the police over and let them handle this, well first I need to find a signal, what if there is no signal anywhere what if there are monsters everywhere, well that is not good. I am gaining energy from killing them and that is doing something do me.
Well let’s continue, when there were 20 dead goblins, I started do clean the area around the box. I just throw them as far as I can I wince when one hits a tree and some leaves start falling. I watch as one of them floats towards the box’s I hold my breath as I watch it hit the box’s and there is a small flesh and the leaf vanished.
My phone started peeping and I readied myself for a fight but there was no goblin I started do worry but then the goblin spawned but it was not naked there was a leaf loincloth thingy it is wearing. It still rushed at me as soon as it spotted me and killing it was still simple. Examining the loincloth, it was made from the same leaf that fell into it but folded and braided into a simple and easily destroyed shape. I mean it started falling apart when it was running towards me.
This is an interesting and scary development. So, this box’s can absorb and repurpose materials question is what limits are there if I throw a gun in will goblins be armed with a gun and shoot me will they know how to do that. I like do test this box’s capabilities but that is a stupid idea. What if I throw a stick of wood and they start spawning with spears then killing them will not be easy maybe they will still charge with blind rage and not use the spear but my gut feeling does not believe I will be that lucky.
Spawn rate increase by 6 seconds for the new goblins with loincloths I have killed them for hours and I am enjoying my lunch before I finish I throw a slice of bread into the box’s to see what will happen and because it's getting dull killing them there no thrill anymore.
It took 2 minutes longer for the next goblin it’s a bit bigger and has more muscles on it and there is a leaf-covered rapping next do it on the ground. Killing it was still simple I just needed to start my swing earlier because it was a little bit faster. When I went do check the leaf rapping, I found 8 pieces of bread. Tasting it, I found them do be the same I eat earlier.
Infinite food generation that’s useful. I continued killing goblins for a few hours more when something truly wonders happened. A blue box appeared in my vision like in a video game in it was written congratulation after a few moments the text changed.
Welcome to the system
Detecting that a critical amount of energy has saturated your body to start your journey in the world of cultivating
You have surpassed the mortal realm and have reached G tier
Calculating your parameters please wait
Please wait
Please wait
Please wait
I have killed 2 more goblins and it’s still displaying that please wait every 10 seconds. All its missing is some elevator music. It gave me time to think and that thinking leads me to a decision do wait and see what happens. After 2 more kills, a new message appeared.
Parameters calculated
Detecting new planet in the system
You qualify for a reward
You receive a starting guide
Evaluating starting class
Detecting class
Starting class present
You qualify for a reward
You receive a starting guide for a druid class
You qualify for a reward
You receive a druid class guide for tiers G to E
Access granted to the status page
There is a small flash and there are two pamphlets and a small book floating in the air. I narrow my eyes as I take the pamphlet that has Starting guide written on it. Well shit as I look through it there is barely anything there but at least it’s something. The first page is all about how it’s an honor to be a cultivator and how important it is to fight the monsters created that are spawned where there is a lot of raw cultivating essence.
It turns out that smell I can detect is raw essence and if there is a lot of it a few things can happen one thing is raw essence will corrupt everything it touches only way do be safe from it is do cultivate refined essence. This corruption sound bad it makes everything more dangerous and turns the crazy factor to 11 there are a few examples given grass that will pull you down and strangle you, rocks when you touch them it will burn like acid, animals that will mutate and attack on site like that goblin but worse they will be madder like they have rabies.
How do you get refined essence, where there is a lot or raw essence eventually a dungeon seed will reach it and sprout into a field dungeon or a dungeon core. Dungeons refine essence and use it to great defenders do protect itself. It seems that raw essence flows come from somewhere and these dungeon seeds float with the flow like in a river. If the flow is slow and there is enough raw essence it sprouts. That is super interesting and I wanted to know more but that was all the info there was about how dungeons come into being.
Next was an explanation about dungeons themselves all dungeon has a power rating like every being in the system but more importantly, if you are the same power you can try to control the dungeon it says that older dungeons will have a personality and taking them over is impossible but younger ones can be controlled.
A new goblin spawns but this time after I kill it, there was a small blinking icon when I mentally press it a blue box appeared.
You have demonstrated skill in ax handling
Received Axe handling skill
You have demonstrated an ability for power strike
Received Power strike ability
Well, that’s awesome but I quickly walk to the box’s and follow the starter guide instruction on how do control a dungeon. I place my right hand on it and say display options.
FIELD DUNGEON
Try to destroy Field Dungeon
Try to control Field Dungeon
I mentally press try do control Field Dungeon, there is a struggle between our energy it is close for some time but then I'm starting to lose slowly when that happens my rune starts helping, and I slowly push the field Dungeons energy back and then a message appears.
Congratulations
You have won control of this Field Dungeon
Please name it