After indulging in some of the eggs produced by the rabbits and leftover meat Ambrose looked at his lack of amenities. The cabin was as empty as the surface back on Earth, but Ambrose had plans to fix that today.

He started off by gathering a few of the stray logs and branches that he had chopped down when he was building his house. Then with a small iron dagger, he started whittling away.

[Wood Working] had been a boon for creating the table and chairs within his house, especially the roughly constructed bed upstairs. But the skill did barely anything for the much smaller and delicate forks and spoons that he was attempting to create. The first wooden fork that he made came out misshapen and with an extra prong. Putting a bit of force behind it caused it to snap in two, Ambrose’s mouth turned downwards.

“Perhaps it would be better to visit a blacksmith to place an order for some utensils?” Ambrose had delayed visiting the settlement as he only wanted to show his face when he had something to sell, like potions or grain from a recent harvest. He had been approached during the first days about procuring a few mounts for the village to use, but he hadn’t seen any beast that could come close to filling that position.

In truth, Ambrose was antisocial, which was part of the reason he had decided to live on the furthest piece of land from the village. But as each day passed, Ambrose truly understood that he simply didn’t have the required skills or tools to do everything by himself.

Sure he could farm with ease, and constructing buildings was a breeze with his spell and strength. Although, what was the use of a large house if it wasn’t filled with anything? Ambrose grumbled for a bit and eventually relented to the need for him to visit the budding settlement. While he didn’t have anything of value to trade, Ambrose hoped that he could barter with promises of eventual returns. After ripping a bit of paper off a sheet, Ambrose starting making a list of items that he needed for his cabin. One of the items on the list was to find an experienced crafter to make him some furniture. Though Ambrose was a bit reluctant to hire someone when his skills had clearly been improving.

After pocketing the list, Ambrose took care of his daily needs. One of which was boiling some water from the lake to wash himself with. As he sat shirtless cleaning his smelly body, Ambrose questioned how hard it would be to produce a shower or bath.

Ambrose already had plans for making a self-watering irrigation channel that connected his farm fields to the lake. So how much more troublesome would it be to make a pipeline into his house? After bathing himself and donning a new set of clean clothes, Ambrose walked to the edge of the lake.

Its crystal clear water glimmered in the dawning sunlight and Ambrose could see numerous fish swimming on the bottom of the bed. He practically salivated at the thought of the two-foot-long fish roasting over a fire. On a whim, Ambrose channeled [Water Manipulation] to try to capture a fish in a ball of water but within seconds the misshapen ball dropped back into the water. Ambrose tried to do it again but just the same it splattered back over the serene scene. Ambrose could effortlessly make a water ball but it appeared that whenever something disrupted the focus or target of the spell it made the concentration slip, rendering the spell obsolete.

Ambrose brushed it off as a simple lack of rank in the spell and got back to work on making the irrigation channels. After using [Earth Manipulation] for the past days back and forth, the level had already reached (Apprentice V) and was as easy as moving a limb. The rocky soil tumbled into itself as stone rose from the soil into a hardened half pipe. He kept his focus as he created the pipeline alongside the road. Though there was a small dip so that the water didn’t overflow onto the cobblestone path that led from his house to the lake.

Molding the land in the fields, the channel soon reached the golden wheat that seemed almost a mere few hours away from being ready to harvest. Water flowed through the pipes, the refreshing liquid running into the farmland. Ambrose had made the irrigation pipes smaller throughout the wheat field in order to not overflow the land with water, effectively ruining the crops. Various tiny holes poked out of the sides that let weak streams of water seep into the earth. Ambrose used [Inspect] on the bursting harvest.

[Northern Wheat Plant

Area Size: Medium

Growth Rate: Growthling

Soil Quality: (Uncommon)

Water Content: (Uncommon)

Condition: (Uncommon)

Growth Time: One hour]

Ambrose smiled, maybe he would have something to bring to the settlement to trade with. Though perhaps it would have to be delayed for a while since it would take a day at the least to make the grain usable.

Ambrose also noticed that the water content had gone up a rarity, likely due to the ongoing watering that was now taking place. At the rate it was going, Ambrose would have a yield of (Uncommon) rarity wheat crop. And a massive increase in his [Farming] skill. As the skill increased through the ranks and levels, Ambrose would be able to farm more difficult crops and increase the amount and quality of them. Ambrose grinned in excitement, ready to start as soon as possible.

Time flew fast as Ambrose slowly increased his level in [Wood Working] by carving more utensils out of miscellaneous pieces of wood. No level was earned and all the forks and spoons buckled under the pressure when they were put to the test. It was simply a fact now that he would have to search out for a good pair of metal cutlery.

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Prior to this, Ambrose had simply been eating with the small iron dagger that was given to him by the starting kit. Whatever couldn’t be picked up by his makeshift utensil was thrown into his mouth via his hands. As much as Ambrose wanted to live the life of a frontier settler, he also didn’t want to live like a barbarian. Ambrose felt himself wandering as he refocused on the task, gripping the scythe in his hand.

While he didn’t have a skill for handling the scythe, his [Farming] skill gave him multiple clues and hints on how to effectively wield it to harvest the wheat in front of him. Gripping the two carved handles, one at the end of the wooden pole and one halfway down the length, Ambrose swung.

The unresisting stalks gave way to the cold hard curved metal, the sound of grass being cut gave out a crisp sound. A small area of the field fell down, weighed heavily by the overflowing grain on top.

[Northern Wheat

Rarity: (Uncommon)

Deterioration: (Epic)

Description: A northern variant of wheat that commonly grows in harsher climates. This wheat has not yet been processed or bundled. Store in a cool dry area to prevent rot and deterioration]

Ambrose swung again, and he didn’t stop swinging until his arms were sore and the entire field had been harvested. He felt the sudden rush of levels as the sensation of a soft ember of warmth spread throughout his body.

[Farming (Apprentice II)]

It appeared like the first harvest had been of good enough quality to directly increase his rank to (Apprentice).

Not one to waste time, Ambrose collected some string from his home that he had purchased from the general goods store in Bjora, and began tying up the wheat into bushels. At the end of the process fourteen, tightly wrapped bundles of unprocessed wheat were stacked neatly off to the side. They couldn't be considered to be perfect bushels since Ambrose didn't have any sort of weigher, but they all felt like the sixty pounds they were suppose to be.

Ambrose would have to leave them out to dry in the sun before he would thresh them so Ambrose laid them out in rows with intentions to come back the next day. After resetting the soil by milling the ground and bringing new dirt up from underneath, Ambrose thought about expanding his fields.

Before the Earth was destroyed and before machines that allowed a single man to harvest an entire farm were invented, families would come together to spend weeks at a time collecting a summer’s yield. Yet Eden didn’t have technological wonders, nor did Ambrose have a few farmhands to help him with his field. But what he did have was enough strength and magic to do the work of five men by himself.

What should’ve taken days to bring in new soil and fertilize the ground was done in a matter of minutes with his rapidly leveling spell. What could have taken another day to harvest the grain was done in a simple hour. Even Ambrose building his house in a matter of less than a week was all accomplished due to the higher strength attributes and the most useful [Earth Manipulation].

Ambrose had been limiting himself due to a lack of confidence in his ability to handle the strain of running a farm all by himself, but the ease of growing the grain proved to Ambrose that he had barely even brushed against a possible limit for himself.

It would take a few days to dry the grain and Ambrose would put all the gathered wheat towards replanting an expanded field. Ambrose had only planted half an acre of wheat but this time he planned to try his hand at raising at least five acres. It would take days of clearing trees and crafting more irrigation pipes but Ambrose had confidence that he could do it.

Wheat wasn’t the only plant on the agenda. The other half of the acre had been cleared out for the hopes of planting corn, and now that the first harvest had proved to be successful it was time to make due on that promise.

Molding more irrigation channels took less and less time, and as he went along Ambrose tossed seeds into manipulated soil. The half-acre of corn would sprout in a week or so which would leave enough time for Ambrose to take care of the already harvested wheat and leave room for clearing out more land for the farm expansion.

After the corn was taken care of and the channels worked to where Ambrose was satisfied, he took a step back to add some tasks to his growing list.

“I’ve been putting it off long enough. I need to go to the settlement to see how I can effectively use them to advance my farm,” Ambrose thought internally. He had put it off long enough and now it was time to make the trek. After gathering a handful of small materials like a few of the rabbit laid eggs and the [Grapemelon], Ambrose set off.

The trail that Ambrose had followed around the lake had already grown back with fortified strength and it took a bit of effort for Ambrose to not passively manipulate the earth into a road of some sort as he walked. The last thing he wanted was for people to have a direct path towards his undefended home and property. Ambrose had a bit of faith in the collective, but not in the adventurers that were undoubtedly among those who traveled from Earth.

While there weren’t many adventurers and their ilk among the newest inhabitants of Norsgege Isles, it was certain that some hoped to venture into the wilderness in search of lost artifacts or mythical beasts. There were bound to be countless natural treasures from this rich and fertile land. Ambrose wanted to try his hand at looking around to see if he could find something but played it safe until he managed to soul-bound a strong creature to defend him.

Ambrose could use [Earth Manipulate] on animals and people just like he had with the rabbits, and he would try it out if it ever came to it. Although some creatures would simply be too strong to be trapped or damaged by simple stone. Ambrose had to concentrate to reinforce stone to support the insides of his underground silo and cellar, and he had no confidence in his ability to do that in the middle of a fight. As Ambrose continued his walk towards the settlement, he collected the various herbs growing around the bountiful lake.

At some point, Ambrose had stored his herbs in his cellar. Putting them in small stone boxes that could be inserted into the wall or tying them up on stone-hanging racks to dry. There were at least a dozen of the insertable “lockboxes” as Ambrose would never store different herbs together, due to contamination and simple obsession over the organization. Thus, Ambrose’s herb bag was ready to be filled up to max capacity once again.

[Herbology] was stuck at (Novice IV) and Ambrose knew the reason why. The book that Ambrose had purchased from the herb shop owner clearly stated the different requirements for an aspiring alchemist to rank up in a few respective skills. To advance to the (Apprentice) rank of the [Herbology] skill Ambrose would need to consume at least three herbs. Eating ingredients was the fastest way to learn the effects of said herb or item necessary for potion concocting. Higher levels of the skill even gave more detailed versions of effects and revealed new ones that were hidden.

But consuming herbs could also prove to be fatally dangerous. Eating a random plant in any situation, without knowing anything about it, was always a bad idea. The white mushroom might look edible until you’re passed out for days. That was why Ambrose had yet to take even a nibble of any herb he came across even at the risk of his skill not ranking up.

Although, Ambrose did have the three herbs already stored away, ready to be consumed. The herb book listed the experience and knowledge of a woman with the skill of [Herbology (Journeyman)] and had definite evidence on most effects of the herbs on the outer lands of Norsege Isles. While the book didn’t have everything, as at least half the herbs Ambrose had come across weren’t identified in the pages, it did let Ambrose gain the opportunity to not risk himself towards a potentially murderous course of events. Ambrose would eventually have to take the risk of consuming some of the herbs that weren’t listed, but that time would come at a later date.

After a few hours of walking and harvesting herbs, Ambrose finally caught sight of the erected wooden walls of the settlement. A few guards were wanding outside the opened gates and Ambrose saw a single acre of corn at the middling stage. A good halfway mark for plants and a sure sign that the harvest would be around three days away. Ambrose felt a bit envious at the man’s larger yield and vowed to begin clearing out more land once he returned home.

But then the shouting started and Ambrose felt the ground tremble beneath his feet. He barely had enough time to turn to look behind himself when a bulky body of brown fur crossed his vision.

[Savage Brown Bear - Level ???]