I find myself alone in another empty chamber.
** DING **
Roll?
Y/N
'Yes please.'
[87] Awarded:
2 Lesser Mana Potion
3 Minor Mana Potion
1 Minor Health Potion
1 Weak Druidant Mana Concoction
Roll?
Y/N
Nice! Was afraid I would lose the chance to roll for the normal reward Just now. 'Yes again!'
** DING **
Please select your reward
[38] Awarded:
1 Shovel
1 Paddy Boots
2 Sack of Druidant Fertilizer
[66] Awarded:
Hammer
Caping
1 Potent Druidant Mana Concoction
[11] Awarded:
1 FarmHand's Bracelet of Diligence
1 Sack of Druidant Fertilizer
1 Sack of Druidant Loam
1 Bambreeze shoots
1 Lesser Mana Potion
1 Minor Mana Potion
1 Minor Stamina Potion
1 Weak Druidant Mana Concoction
'Eleven please.' The tools are mundane, while the Farmhand Bracelet is definitely magical. Besides who would willingly take the less numerous when everything is generally about the same quality, I inwardly chuckle.
** DING **
Awarded
I loot the lidless treasure chest, wear the Magic Bracelet and exit. All six of us appear together at the exact spot we entered from, only facing the opposite way, which is away from the Dungeon Gate. I did not bother to touch and recheck the Dungeon this time as my Soul Sense immediately detects the presence of the discarded Soul Seed
** DING **
First clear achieved!
Title awarded [Depthblazer 2]
"I got loot! Title!!" Agus spoke excitedly. "Oh my god that was so~ exciting! I had to roll then choose from three options!! I ended up getting this Bambreeze Spear and four different potions! Too bad it's a non-magical spear, this is s—"
"We get it already kid!" Roy cut him off. Something on his head and wielding a sledgehammer approximately twenty centimeters in diameter with a 1 meters long handle. "I defeated a dungeon and all I got was this Samurai Cap and Sledgehammer."
"That's a Caping, a farmer's hat." Henry corrected Roy, earning a snort. He then asks. "What potions did you get, Agus?"
"Oh!" The teenager enthusiastically showed us a Minor Mana and Stamina potion, as well as what seems to be one of the dungeon's special products, two Druidant Stamina Concoction, one prefixed with Weak and the other, Fine.
"It seems like the rewards are randomly pulled from a list, and I happen to be lucky this time." Henry pointed at the Bracelet I have on, then to the one he too has on. He mentions getting two magic items, a Watering Can of Condense Water and a FarmHand's Bracelet of Diligence. Some materials that includes a 15 by 15 cm patch of moss, as well as a bambreeze shoot. And lastly five potions.
"What! How is this fair!?" Roy complained to the gate. Then stomped towards our previous camp, prompting us to follow.
"Yeah, that's quite the reward. Though I'm probably as lucky." She has on a similar bracelet Henry and I are wearing on our arms, while holding an identical Watering Can, with the addition of plastic-ish boots. She points at it and say, "this one is called Boots of Minor Desiccation. And I also got a Trait."
"What's desiccation? What Trait?" Agus asks. But got ignored by Kirana.
"desiccation is when moisture is removed from something." Explains you-know-who.
"Oh~" Agus nods with a sage-like expression, before looking to the side. "What about you Dianti?"
"Um~," she seems uncomfortable. "I…"
Kirana approached her and they began discussing silently. Agus stares at them with a confused look before looking at me. "What did you get mist—Zen?"
"Well," I grin at him, "to start with, I got some Potions, and this bracelet, and some random materials." I got into details when he asked.
During our rest, I can feel the damaged soul slowly approach me as it gradually enters the range of my sense. Is it trying to attack me? I ignore Agus, to his confusion, and focus on it. I waited a while, ready to cast Animus Incision, but all it did was hover around me, weird.
Soon after our conversations died down and everyone got ready for rest. I offered to keep watch, on account of the stray soul.
It's just been annoyingly hovering in place, near me for the last few minutes. "What?" I ask it, not expecting a reply. So I sat there accompanied only by a spirit of sorts, in the middle of an overgrown city. Guarding my sleeping teammates under the moonlight, breathing in a much fresher air as it blows over my hair... I enjoyed every moment of it.
The zeroth hours came and passed.
** DING **
Your galaxy is now perfectly integrated into the Multiverse
Short and precise. I tried to access the CredStore but got a prompt that says, store unaccessible... Bored, my attention comes back to the lost soul, "seriously, what do you want?"
If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
It is requesting access into your Soul Hearth.
Ohh~. The System answered instead. 'That makes sense, the thought never occurred to me. Thank you. Should I allow it?'
That is thy decision
Remembering having full mana, I decided to summon a v3 Magico Disk, the permanent kind, bringing my total to seven. 'I'm torn about the soul.' This time, the system deigns to answer. I absentmindedly take out a candy bar to snack on while I ponder, hilarious how I can eat anything now but still end up eating sugar.
Wait… I can eat anything! Souls?
This Soul Seed, I understand, is new and thus, mostly still mere energy. So I won't be eating a sentient creature… not to mention, I don't feel bothered much for some reason. So, yeap.
The soul was incorporeal, of course. But coating my hands with mana and, as with the newest spell, making them exist between two planes allowed me to grab on to it. If you're wondering, eating one involves a lot of slurping, like having ramen. Bland ramen.
My new constitution seems to be incapable of feeling satiated, or rather, I'm now always in a state of perpetual hunger. Thank System for SYMPHONY, as the skill keeps my mind calm and in control. Will need to make sure it stays active. In my mind, I trigger digestion for Attributes and resource regeneration only.
** DING **
Intelligence +1
That's… not much. But every little bit helps, right? So I move on and sit back down to trigger my updates.
** DING **
Combat summary
Enemies slain, Participants: 2:
Druidant Sentry lv 12 x 26
156 syscred and 1069 exp awarded
Slayed Druidant Sentry lv 12
12 syscred and 84 exp awarded
Combat summary
Enemies slain, Participants: 6:
Druidant Planter lv 8 x 6
Druidant Sprinkler lv 8 x 12
Druidant Fertilizer lv 8 x 6
Druidant Harvester lv 8 x 6
39 syscred and 182 exp awarded
Combat summary
Enemies slain:
Druidant Planter lv 8 x 1
Druidant Sprinkler lv 8 x 2
Druidant Fertilizer lv 8 x 1
Druidant Harvester lv 8 x 1
40 syscred and 183 exp awarded
Slayed Druidant Concocter lv 10 x 4
40 syscred and 229 exp awarded
Combat summary
Enemies slain, Participants: 2-3:
Druidant Concocter lv 10 x 6
28 syscred and 161 exp awarded
Slayed Druidant Sentinel lv 18
18 syscred and 185 exp awarded
Combat summary
Enemies slain, Participants: 6:
Druidant Sentinel lv 18 x 1
3 syscred and 31 exp awarded
Slayed Druidant Young lv 5
50 syscred and 143 exp awarded
Combat summary
Enemies slain, Participants: 6:
Queen Druidant lv 25 x 1
5 syscred and 59 exp awarded
Spell mastery rank up, Animus Incision Basic - Intermediate
Congratulations. You have created a new Expert rank spell. As its creator, the spell will grow with you as your understanding of it grows.
Please name the spell…
Skill obtained Harvest Flora
Skill obtained Parallel Thoughts
Skill level up, Inspect 12 > 13
Skill level up, Dagger Proficiency 6 > 7
Skill level up, Soul Sense 4 > 5
Skill level up, Mana Manipulation 21 > 22
Skill level up, Thrown Weapons Proficiency 8 > 9
Skill level up, Sneaking 13 > 14
Skill level up, SYMPHONY 9 > 10
Skill level up, Inspect 13 > 14
Skill level up, Mana Sense 14 > 15
Skill level up, Soul sense 5 > 6
Skill level up, Harvest Flora 1 > 2
Skill level up, Taunt 9 > 10
Skill level up, Evasion 8 > 9
Skill level up, Dodge Roll 3 > 4
Skill level up, Heavy Armor Proficiency 10 > 11
Skill level up, Visualization 15 > 16
Skill level up, Mana Manipulation 22 > 23
Skill level up, Soul Sense 6 > 7
'Snatch'a Soul-inator, thanks.' During the spell's creation, with how it's kinda mechanical invention-y, I was reminded of a villain from this old cartoon show that names all his inventions something-literal-inator. So here it is, the spell to Snatch'a Soul-inator!
Spell logged
Alrighty! Well, that's not much exp. But then again, every bit helps. Skill gains are as expected, except one. 'Inspect Parallel Thoughts, thank you.'
** DING **
Parallel Thoughts. Multitasking at its finest! Due to diligent practice, an adequate amount of brain power, or a quirk in your biology. You are now physically capable of naturally maintaining a minimal of two consecutive thought processes at once.
Really, I don't feel any different. So I spend the rest of my time between creating 4 centimeters rock cubes and then Artificial Infusing them with spells that cost below 30 mana, give or take. That and recovering mana. Only noticeable difference is how I can grind those two skills while still paying attention to Mana and Soul Sense. Which is awesome!
We also did not decide on a rotation for the watch. But, at 3 AM, after getting four hours of sleep, I figured Henry and Agus would survive being woken up early…
"Zen…ake up… Zen, get up!" I awake from someone shaking my shoulder, Henry. "Get ready, we're departing for home in a few." I drowsily took a peak at Roy's analog watch. Henry woke me up at six-damn-AM!
Our travel back was uneventful, just the usual assaults by Rats or Vespas that Agus eagerly disposed of. Though, we yet again had to skirt over the banana tree, one Musa Phasma Treanter. It is located on the largest roundabout in what was once a residential area called Perumahan Modernland.
"Why are you making us walk as far away as possible from that tree?" Agus asks me.
"Because I have a bad feeling about it, even its name is eerie. Just keep away, okay. Tell everyone else too." I answer, extending my reply to involve the other four.
"If is dangerous wouldn't it be prudent to nip it now while its still weak." Roy says.
"That's a good point." I ponder, "maybe gather a good team, a larger one too, then we come back and nip it."
"Can I come?" Agus, always the eager kid.
"Why, I would rather not. It's dangerous!" Dianti argued. "Don't you have family back at Garuda Hospital?"
"I do, which is why I need to get stronger! To protect them!." He punches up to a fighting pose."Now that I have this armor, I can venture further out and get stronger. Don't you want to protect yours?"
"I… yes! But, I figured I don't enjoy fighting… much" Dianti says, then in a whisper only audible to Kirana, spoke, "instead, maybe having my own garden would be nice. Supply foo–"
"Learning how to fight is not the only way to protect your family." Kirana intercepted, giving Agus a light shoulder smack. "Providing fresh supplies is also protecting them! You should follow your dreams, leave the fighting to violent idiots like them." She points at Agus, Roy then me. Why?
"What dreams? Provide fresh food?" Asked the insensitive kid who might soon be getting a beating from the tough lady. "You wanna be a human refrigerator? an Ice mage or something?"
Dianti quietly keeps walking with her head held low, while Kirana lets out a sigh. "It's true what Kirana said." Roy told Dianti, "leave the fighting to us! You do what you wanna do."
Henry, insensitive number two, the logic freak decided this is the time for a logic dump. "Absolutely. Fresh supplies and logistics are also important to our territory, there will be increasingly higher demand for food as people grow stronger or as our population grows, not to mention the childrens that require adequate nutritions to support their growth. As well as the sick and elderly. We'll be able to sell any exce—sthhh"
I relish this opportunity to smack him. "Don't listen to these idiots." I point at Agus and Henry. "I assume you're inspired by the Druidants and want to walk the farmer route but is worried you'll be weak? Worry not, there are plenty of fics where a farmer becomes OP, that way you can still provide fresh food, and at the same time protect your fam—mipthh"
Kirana smacked me, hard.
"What the hell?!" I look at her, only to find her glaring at me. "What'd I say wrong?"
"You, you, you. Shut up!" She points at insensitive one, two and I. Whaa~, I was just about to offer Dianti help to become an OP farmer. "Listen here you idiots!"
Kirana mercilessly began admonishing us right there, something about not understanding what a girl wants. This puts a stop to our journey… and we're so close too, I can see Garuda Hospital just a little further past the bend and across the road. Such a waste of time, which reminds me about summoning another v3 Magico Disk, bringing my total to 8… Now I find mo—Kirana standing close and giving only me, a strong poke every once in a while for emphasis. She even made me remove the Trilattic Swarm covering my upper torso.