The sun beat down on Jim's brow as he surveyed his plot of land in the Garden of Damien. It was a decent size, a generous reward for his unexpected victory at the Christmas Bowl. But instead of the imposing fortress he had envisioned, or the sleek, high-tech workshop he had initially considered, he had chosen to become a farmer.
The decision still felt surreal. After weeks of agonizing over the government program, the intense negotiations, and the unsettling revelations about the program's true nature, he had chosen this… this peaceful, almost mundane path.
He knelt, examining the rich soil. He had spent the last few days learning the basics of farming from other players, his initial apprehension giving way to a surprising sense of calm. There was something therapeutic about the rhythm of it all - the tilling of the soil, the planting of seeds, the anticipation of the harvest.
A notification chimed on his wrist. It was a message from Agent Smith.
"Mr. Davis," it read, "Your progress in the program is being monitored. We understand your desire to pursue your own path within the game. However, we expect you to maintain a level of preparedness at all times. Regular reports will be scheduled."
Jim sighed. He had hoped that by choosing this seemingly innocuous path, he could minimize his involvement with the government. But it seemed his hopes were misplaced.
He spent the rest of the day tending to his crops, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. He was enjoying the tranquility of his new life, the simple satisfaction of nurturing something from seed to fruition. Yet, the shadow of the government program loomed large, a constant reminder of the obligations he had undertaken.
He wondered if he had made a mistake. Would his farming skills be considered a liability by the program? Would they view his dedication to this peaceful pursuit as a sign of weakness, a distraction from his duties?
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the fields, Jim made a decision. He would excel at this. He would become the most successful farmer in the Garden of Damien. He would prove to the government, and to himself, that even in the face of adversity, he could find purpose and fulfillment.
And perhaps, just perhaps, his unique skills could be used in unexpected ways. After all, even the most powerful armies need to eat. Out of habit, Jim summoned two clones for Adam and Jake to pursue what they wanted to do.
In shock, Jim opened up his status window to check why he could still make clones as his new class was farmer. When a new season started, players who chose a class would immediately lose all class skills from the prior class. Jim didn’t know what was going on but was delighted that he kept all of his ninja skills. This meant that Jim could cycle through new classes every season. The possibilities started formulating in his brain of what type of classes he would want to learn and combine in his arsenal of skills.
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Jim joined the farmers in the church of Damien to learn farming techniques. Jim nodded, feeling a genuine warmth towards the old man. He spent the next few hours immersed in the wisdom of the elder farmers. They shared their secrets: the best times to plant, the most effective fertilizers, the ancient lore of the land. He learned about the delicate balance of nature, the importance of patience, and the satisfaction of nurturing life from seed to harvest.
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the fields, Jim felt a sense of peace he hadn't experienced in a long time. This wasn't just a game anymore; it was a way of life. He was becoming a part of something bigger, something that connected him to the very essence of the game world.
But the shadow of the government program still lingered. He knew his peaceful existence would be disrupted, his newfound serenity shattered by the demands of his clandestine duties. He sighed, a wistful longing for a simpler time, a time before the government had entered his life.
Yet, as he gazed out at the sprawling fields, a mischievous glint returned to his eyes. He would excel at this. He would become the most renowned farmer in the Garden of Damien, a symbol of prosperity and resilience. And when the time came, when the government demanded his assistance, he would be ready. He would be the "Farmer Ninja," a force of nature, a protector of the land, and a thorn in the side of any who dared to threaten the peace
The following day, Jim started practicing farming techniques. Starting with a simple hoe, Jim struck the ground working the ground with his back muscles. Surprisingly, this is similar to sword training but the added resistance plowing through a field made this more challenging. He started training muscles that would not normally be used adding rotation through his hips.
The other farmers watched him with awe as he plowed through the whole field in what would have taken the farmers a couple of days with specialized equipment. After plowing the fields, Jim started meditating. He never forgot what he learned from the angel’s encounter at the lessor demon Ajax raid. In order to reach divine mana he needs a technique to contain the mana in his body and a way to release the mana contained in an effective way.
While his body might be stronger than an average body, he hasn’t officially created a mana body which is not available until tier 5 standards. Currently he is tier 1 as he restarted the character in season 2 but strangely enough, he can bring his power to tier 2, no maybe even tier 2.5 from the Christmas bowl but it would take time to recreate that level of power in this season. As Jim was deep in thought, he thought about what the farmers told him. The soil environment plays a big influence in the development of the seeds. Without proper nutrients, the seed will never grow to its full potential.
How does a seed grow? Jim kept pondering this exact question as he was close to a break through. Suddenly, Jim was struck with inspiration. “Why didn’t I think of this earlier”. He took his hands and placed them on the dirt ground. Jim focused on the ground and sensed an enormous amount of mana exuding from the ground.
“Why didn’t I think of this earlier. Mana is abundant in the air but where is the mana from the air coming from” As he asked himself he pondered the mana from earth. Jim was unable to take in a large amount of mana within his body he could use the earth to release a tremendous amount of mana at once compared to what he could do in the air.
As if lightning could strike the same location twice, Jim had another brilliant idea.
“Cant we use the earth to release Divine Mana?”.