The fierce wind that tore through the farm caused trees to bend perilously and plants to whip back and forth wildly, as though caught in a relentless storm. The sky overhead had turned a deep, foreboding shade of blood red, setting an ominous tone that reverberated through the air.
At the heart of this disturbance, the area where he had planted the flower-bud-like Eternal Seed was drastically transformed. What had once been a mere budding plant was now dominated by a robust, thick, vine-like stem that stretched upwards, anchoring a meter-long flower bud at its peak. This bud was enshrouded in a swirling crimson fog, pulsating with an eerie glow that seemed to draw all the surrounding energy towards itself.
The entire farm appeared to revolve around this new epicenter; the Eternal Seed had become the pulsing heart of the Demonic Farm, visibly sucking in streams of Abyssal energy.
Despite Theo’s attempts to focus on the dramatic transformation of the Eternal Seed, his attention was continually diverted by the barrage of notifications that popped up in front of him.
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[Warning: The Eternal Seed is absorbing significant amounts of Abyssal energy. Increased energy flux detected in the Demonic Farm.]
[Alert: The Eternal Seed, enriched with Abyssal water and possessing its own consciousness, is undergoing a significant transformation.]
[Alert: The Eternal Seed is evolving. Monitor closely for unexpected ecological impacts.]
[Transformation Complete. The Eternal Seed has become the Abyssal Eternal Seed.]
[Critical Warning: The Abyssal Eternal Seed is attempting to take control over the surrounding entities, striving to become the sovereign entity of the Demonic Farm.]
[The Abyssal Eternal Seed is now evolving into an Abyssal Eternal Flowerbud. Closely monitor this development.]
[Evolution complete. The Abyssal Eternal Seed has transformed into the Abyssal Eternal Flowerbud.]
[Crop transformation alert! Mischievous and demonic behaviors in nearby vegetation are directly influenced by the Abyssal Eternal Flowerbud. It is absorbing power and asserting control.]
>>>>
The vivid memories of the last incident were still fresh in Theo's mind as he read the notification. Unlike before, he was neither overweight nor weak this time around, and he felt capable of handling the situation. The primary complication, however, was that he was alone without Lilith and couldn't afford to step outside the farm.
Without wasting a moment, Theo immediately commanded the Darkreaper's Scythe to spring into action, knowing full well what was about to unfold. The most effective solution to stave off the impending crisis was to harvest everything in sight.
Responding to his mental command, the Darkreaper's Scythe dashed out of the Obsidian shed and soared into the sky, swiftly beginning to harvest the crops across the thirty-seven acres of land.
But it wasn't fast enough. Just as the Darkreaper's Scythe had finished harvesting only half an acre, another notification popped up in front of him:
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[Critical Warning: Nightshade Tomatoes have developed aggressive tendencies and may mobilize unexpectedly. Harvest with extreme care.]
>>>>
Theo watched in alarm as the Nightshade tomatoes began to transform. They swelled in size, and the newly gained weight of their bodies caused them to detach from their mother plant. Slowly, two glowing eyes opened, and sharp teeth emerged as they opened their mouths.
In just twenty seconds, hundreds of thousands of Nightshade tomatoes started to bounce energetically, perfectly in sync with the chaotic theme of the farm, intensifying the mayhem.
A roar akin to a turbulent sea began to fill the surroundings, adding to the already tumultuous rhythm of the storm caused by the Abyssal Eternal Flowerbud, as an entire swarm of lively tomatoes bounced wildly.
As soon as they turned monstrous, they seemed to recognize Theo's presence as if commanded by some unseen force. Some of the more audacious tomatoes began to chase towards him. The sound of the swarm grew even louder, advancing towards him like a raging sea of red.
For now, Theo's plan was clear: he would tackle the cheeky, newly-transformed tomatoes himself and allow the Darkreaper's Scythe to continue clearing the other crops that hadn't yet awakened.
He surmised that if he didn’t act swiftly to harvest the other plants, they too would join the monstrous tomatoes, compounding the difficulty of the situation. Although he was unsure of what kind of demonic abilities they might manifest, he was least interested in finding out. His focus was solely on containing the chaos before it could escalate further.
Theo turned around and glanced at the sleeping beauty on her bed. Realizing that there was no time to sit back and wait to be hunted, he exhaled deeply, bent his knees, and, like an arrow released from a bow, he propelled himself towards the fray at incredible speed. His agility was significantly higher than before, and his defenses were robust enough that he remained unconcerned about the attacks from the monstrous tomatoes.
As he met them head-on, it was as if fire were melting ice. With great speed, their numbers began to dwindle—it was a one-sided massacre, and the demonic Nightshade tomatoes stood no chance, despite their vast numbers.
Theo barely flinched as some monstrous tomatoes tackled and attacked him; their efforts felt like mere tickles. His sword swung left and right, cutting through them without hesitation.
Just then, the system delivered more unsettling news that caused him to turn his head while continuing to swing his sword, chopping tomatoes in half.
<<<<
[Critical Warning: Shadowroot Carrots have undergone significant alterations and have developed omnivorous traits, influenced by the Abyssal Eternal Flowerbud’s presence. Offer veggies to sate their hunger.]
>>>>
Just as before, the Shadowroot Carrots had transformed, their roots now resembling tiny snapping maws, greedily snapping at the air.
With already enough on his plate, Theo raced towards the predatory plants while the wild tomatoes followed him in a frenzied pursuit.
It was futile to command the Darkreaper's Scythe to harvest them, as it had failed with the Omnivorous Shadowroot Carrots last time. The only solution was to feed them vegetables. However, tomatoes, which are botanically considered fruits, might not satisfy these omnivorous plants. Despite this, Theo needed to test this theory.
Leading the relentless tomatoes towards the snapping maws of the Shadowroot Carrots, Theo maneuvered skillfully, dodging them easily. The Nightshade tomatoes, however, were not so lucky and ended up being devoured by the hungry roots.
<<<<
[Omnivorous Shadowroot Carrots pacified.]
[Shadowroot Carrots have begun to revert to their original state after consuming enough veggies.]
>>>>
Reading the notification brought Theo a brief moment of relief, signaling that his unconventional strategy had indeed worked, at least for the moment. This outcome hinted that Earth's nutritionists might be onto something, or maybe the Omnivorous Shadowroot Carrots weren't too fussy about the whole fruit versus vegetable debate after all.
Regardless of the botanical nuances, this wasn't Theo's concern at the moment. The immediate crisis had been momentarily contained, allowing him a brief pause to regroup and plan his next move in the chaotic farm.
With his scheming, Theo managed to address two issues simultaneously, but it was still insufficient to resolve his ongoing problems. Even after the last Omnivorous Shadowroot Carrot had pacified and reverted to its original state, hundreds of thousands of Nightshade tomatoes remained rampant behind him.
Theo turned to glance at the Darkreaper's Scythe, which had managed to harvest twelve acres of land. With the Nightshade tomatoes and Shadowroot carrots occupying eleven acres, this meant there were still fourteen acres of his thirty-seven-acre farm that remained under threat and could potentially cause further problems.
Just then, Theo’s gaze shifted toward the Radiant Yggdrasil tree. The Nightshade tomatoes had also targeted the slumbering lady, but they had been crushed into a red paste on the ground, rendered harmless.
Around Lilith, the tree’s roots, which had previously been limp and lifeless, had regained a bit of vitality. They were now dancing in the air, forming a protective barrier around her. However, the movement of the roots was slower than before, suggesting that the Radiant Yggdrasil tree was gradually losing its former strength.
As Theo battled the wild tomatoes, slicing through them with his well-practiced swordsmanship, a sudden increase in heat and a burst of light caught his attention. Glancing towards the source, it seemed as if a swarm of fireflies had taken over, except these were much larger and more menacing.
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[Critical Warning: Infernal Dragonfruit are emitting small bursts of fire under the influence of the Abyssal Eternal Flowerbud. Water or be toasted.]
>>>>
As the notification warned, these firefly-like fireballs began shooting towards him, converging on his location. With no other option, Theo teleported out of the way, allowing the fireballs to strike the swarm of tomatoes instead, roasting them alive.
‘I wasn't exactly in the mood for a barbecue today... and definitely not one featuring a main course of demonic tomatoes,’ Theo sighed, dodging another fiery projectile as he continued his battle.
However, the notification’s advice, 'Water or be toasted', sparked an idea. Quickly, he commanded the Abyssal Bloodstone Watering Can to douse the Infernal Dragonfruit.
The lively Watering Can soared into the air, hovering above the Infernal Dragonfruit and began showering them with water. Within seconds, their fiery wrath began to subside, and they too returned to a normal state.
Although the Infernal Dragonfruits helped Theo deal with tens of thousands of tomatoes by turning them into barbecue, he was not entirely pleased with the outcome. The multitude of small fireballs had significantly raised the temperature, making it unbearably hot.
Despite their generous assistance in dispatching the monstrous tomatoes, Theo knew he had to neutralize the Dragonfruit first. The temperature had become too high, literally burning him from the heat, demanding that he prioritize extinguishing these fiery threats to restore some semblance of order to his farm.
Just then, a song akin to an intoxicating, dreamy melody started to hum in the air, overshadowing the raucous yells of the Nightshade tomatoes.
<<<<
[Alert: The Nightmare Nuts have started singing lullabies. Sleep-resisting armor recommended.]
>>>>
Upon reading the notification, Theo turned towards the source of the music. The Nightmare Nuts were gently swaying in the air, their haunting song drifting across the farm. His eyelids began to droop as the lullaby took effect, but he could hear the thuds behind him as the cheeky tomatoes also succumbed to sleep.
Quickly, Theo stowed his dual-blades into the golden vault and placed both hands over his ears, trying to block out the seductive lullabies. He glanced at the Darkreaper's Scythe, which had just finished harvesting the last acre of crops, and commanded it to turn its blades towards the slumbering Nightshade tomatoes.
The Darkreaper's Scythe began to harvest the sleeping tomatoes, who were defenseless and unable to escape due to the soporific effect of the lullabies.
Despite his efforts to resist, the music was overwhelming—loud and tempting. Theo fought hard, exerting every ounce of his will to remain unaffected by the enchanting melody.
By the time the Darkreaper's Scythe had finished, Theo found himself barely maintaining his stance, struggling to stay upright on the farm floor.
With a mental command, he redirected the Darkreaper's Scythe towards the Nightmare Nuts, which had proven to be one of the strongest adversaries of the day, bringing him to his knees.
After ten minutes of intense harvesting, the cacophony of the storm was the only sound that filled the Demonic Farm. Most of the plants had been harvested.
Exhausted, Theo pushed himself off the ground to look towards the Abyssal Eternal Flowerbud, which had turned a deep crimson.
‘Is it over?’ Theo wondered internally. However, his question was soon answered.
Serpentine roots burst from the earth, slithering towards him from the area where the Eldritch Trees were rooted. Slowly, they advanced, leaving behind only disturbed earth as a manifestation of their presence, signaling another challenge initiated by the malevolent influence of the Abyssal Eternal Flowerbud.
As Theo watched the menacing approach of the roots, his eyes turned cold, understanding that the fight was far from over.
<<<<
[Critical Warning: Eldritch Trees are now under the control of the Abyssal Eternal Flowerbud. Expect unusual behavioral patterns. Monitor and approach with caution.]
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