Already back in the [Living Quarters], I sat myself down on the sofa chair as I looked at the sleeping Esdeath. Ayano was off in the kitchen, checking in on the soup I made for all three of us to eat.
As we waited for her to wake up, I thought back to the window that showed up.
WARNING!
[Work Space] has now developed an [Unstable] Ecosystem!
Outside of the [Dungeons] and [Mines] in this area, there are no natural animals and beasts in it!
Because of this, the current Ecosystem is unstable, due to the [Owner] and [Employees] being the only ones that 'consume' oxygen.
Unless you 'stabilized' this Ecosystem, the plants in [Work Space] will be dealt with a massive penalty on their growth rate, production, and overall abilities!
To make it simple, I need a way to make [Work Space] a self-sufficient ecosystem. That pretty much boils down to two main animals: herbivores and carnivores.
With the fact that I need to make a food chain, that means that I'll need a way to keep everything in check. Herbivores eat plants, like cows or insects. Carnivores, however, eat 'meat'. What I need is something to keep both in check, where the Carnivores don't over-hunt the Herbivores into extinction. I mean, I could go with an omnivore to substitute for both, but then I still need a predator for that creature.
That means that, inevitably, I need a predator and prey.
Sighing, I muttered under my breath, "And I barely even began touching with the [Mechanic] skill..." But... I'll have plenty of time in the [Breath of the Wild] world, the increase depending on how 'plot involved' I am in the game. After all, those Guardians count as machines, right? Same with those Divine Beast, physically speaking. The only thing that bothers me about the Guardian enemies is their drops. With their size, wouldn't bigger machines mean more drops upon defeat? It always confused me, in regards to enemy size and their drops. Sure, I can chalk it all up to 'magic', but... how does it happen?
And the [682 Familiar], I think I will not make it my second one. I mean... what else can I do, because its 'perfect' in terms of eventually defeating an opponent.
One step at a time...
Maybe I should go with insects as one of the new creatures in the ecosystem. And... maybe slimes? I mean, both are omnivores, and both can be susceptible to massive amounts of changes. Not only that... but the [Slimes] can take care of the [Mana Weeds], while the [Insects] can not only spread the [Mana Weeds], but also eat the [Slimes]. And at the same time, upon the [Insects] reaching natural death, the [Slimes] can eat the bodies and maybe even hunt live bugs. Oh, and if I add [Fish] to the ecosystem, then I have something that lives in the water!
It's all coming together! Although... I'm not going to do it right off the bat. Not until I find out the general living conditions of [Slimes]. I mean, if you water-down jello, it runs and dissolves. That means that the [Slimes] need to become the 'common' or 'frequent' monster to encounter.
So... What should I do, then?
"Mhn..."
Blinking as I looked towards the noise, I watched as Esdeath woke up. With a sigh, I greeted her with a smile, "Hey, welcome back to the living world."
Esdeath's POV:
DOKI-DOKI!
This male... he's ... handsome.
He introduce himself, "My name... well... just call me Shopkeeper."
...
Eh...?
EH?!
He's that [Shopkeeper] that was communicating with me?
He gestured to the side, "And this is Ayano, someone that works for me."
Slowly turning my head, I saw a girl with black hair and eyes staring at me... with a slightly glare of envy.
What is she envious of?
MC's POV:
... It was inevitable: Flat vs. Huge.
Let the envy and jealously commence.
With a sigh, I turned to Ayano, "Ayano? Please bring in the food. And you... Sorry, but what's your name?"
Esdeath shook herself out of it, managing to sit up, "I'm... Esdeath."
Soon, we quickly got her fed and gave her a general tour.
Returning to the living room, I asked her, "So, what did System assign as your job?"
Esdeath hesitantly spoke, "[Hunter]. I... didn't have a choice."
But... Ayano had multiple choices.
What's going on?
An explaination and quick 'command' tutorial later...
Ayano took it upon herself to give Esdeath a lesson on growing plants.
Good.
Opening up the [Shop Point Catalog], I muttered two words, "Search: Monster Creator."
Where was it, where was it?
Ah, here we are!
Monster Maker: This is a device that, when supplied with an egg, allows you to create a [Monster Spawn Egg]. However, any eggs created this way cannot become [Familiars], and will take some time to rewrite and make, depending on the intended creature being made.
Cost: 1.5 Quadrillion
Purchasing that.
Instantly, a weird device that was a cross between a microwave and computer appeared. It's hard to describe, but there was a keyboard attached to a bulky casing, with a small chamber to put the egg in and a small screen jetting out from the side.
Well, I already have a few cartons of chicken eggs from the kitchen, time to experiment with this.
Placing the device on a desk in my room, I sat myself down in front of it and instantly noticed that it required [Mana] to function.
Seems easy enough, especially with the [Mana Runes] I have.
Installing the required amount of runes, it booted up and I instantly saw the 'monster creator' screen.
It apparently had a few presets, and also allowed me to set what the resulting monster created will eat.
Thinking for a moment, I quickly began manipulating the screen and made a simple monster.
Slime: A small, simple creature that scientist would be baffled in terms of biology. Can 'mutate' and change, depending on it's local diet and what it mainly feeds on.
Special Characteristic: Upon consuming a certain amount of [Mana] and reaching a certain size, Slimes can split into multiple smaller copies of themselves. Can thrive almost anywhere.
Diet: Omnivorous
Favorite Food: [Mana Weed]
Time to Create [Spawn Egg]: 1 hour; consumes 6 [Mana Runes]
While it may grow out of control, the main purpose of this monster is to eliminate and consume [Mana Weeds]. The [Mana Rune] consumption was something that surprised me, though. After all, I 'installed' 10 of them into the Monster Maker. Not only that, but also the fact that it doesn't have an option to show what the drops for this monster will be.
Well, not like I have any other options.
Now, to break down my reasoning on why I made it that way.
First, I have no clue as to if, after spawning the monster, if it's asexual or has a gender, so I made it so that the [Slimes] can multiply quickly.
Second, I gave it the ability to 'mutate' so that, in the event of a second 'invasive' species, it can quickly eat those as well.
And Third, it's so that I can get loot much easier, when it gets to that point. Think about it. If the [Slimes] end up eating ores and mutating, then there's a chance that it'll count as item duplication, in a round-a-bout way.
Lazy? Yes.
Crazy? Yes.
But frustratingly difficult? HELL NO!
Sometimes, the simplest of solutions is the easiest.
Now, time to make a sealed chamber, just to test what it's 'mana-splitting' capacity is... Oh, and to gather more [Mana Weeds], just as a control group.
Once quick build and a new building disguised as a hill later...
Now in, what I dubbed the [Monster Lab], I grabbed the [Slime Spawn Egg] that was created before cracking it open to summon the monster in the pen I created.
It was vaguely blue and shiny, yet transparent. It had no noticeable features other than the fact that it was smooth.
Nodding to myself, I began to feed it [Mana Weeds], watching it grow in size.
As its 'baseline' size, it was roughly the size of a soccer ball. After feeding it about 20 [Mana Weeds], it became the size of half a garbage bin before splitting in two.
Nodding to myself, I gave 20 more to one of the resulting [Slimes] and got the same results.
That means that, at least for 'wild' [Slimes], the 'minimal size-split' for a baseline size is equal to 20 [Mana Weeds].
Releasing the now 3 [Slimes] into the wild, I stretched before heading back to my new setup for my [Monster Maker].
Now, time for the predator of the [Slimes].
Inputting a few more [Mana Runes], I paused before recalling something about my Earth's history... that during the dinosaur age, the bugs were huge due to a surplus of oxygen, allowing them to have bigger bodies.
That caused me to shudder, and think up of new plans for the predators.
Hm... Maybe 'bees'...? Nah. Assuming that each bee (at minimal) has 1 HP, they are hard to hit. As their numbers reduce, so should the chances of them being hit.
How about...?
Magic Spider: A arachnid infused in magic. Depending on where it ends up, maybe it'll develop other abilities?
Special Characteristics: Web creation, builds nests wherever possible, high maturation rate
Diet: Carnivorous
Favorite Food: Slimes
Time to Create [Spawn Egg]: 30 minutes; consumes 50 [Mana Runes]
Yeah... this could work. Especially considering that spiders mainly, after trapping their prey, turn them into slush and 'drink' them. But I'm also playing 'Darwinist'.
[Slimes] are pretty much 'liquid', meaning they can escape through the tiniest of gaps. But if the [Spiders] 'evolve' their threads towards capturing [Slimes], then maybe I can get a chance towards making some one-hit swords for [Slimes].
After all... if the [Slimes] adapt to the point of being immune to freezing, then I need something effective against them.
...
I'm obsessing over [Slimes] a bit much...
But I'm not regretting it, at the moment, because they're an exploit I refuse to wave off!
Back to the [Magic Spider], though. The 'time' and 'rune cost' are something completely different than what I expected.
My current theory for how the [Monster Maker] works is this:
The more complex the physical biology of the monster being created is, the higher the [Mana Rune] cost will be.
However, the more 'realistic' of a base that the creature has, the less time is used to create the [Spawn Egg].
At least, that's what the evidence suggest. The [Slime] is pretty much a consistent material that makes up its entire being, but also has no real-life counterpart. Sure, jellyfish have no brain or hearts, but at least they have electrical impulses and drift slightly. [Slimes] are active and can move around a lot.
Yep... The description is right one one thing: Scientists will be baffled about the biology. Especially if we consider possible mutations.
...
Esdeath will definitely have fun with hunting them. But she needs to get back up to stuff.
But... If Esdeath truly lost her memories...
...
...
... Do I have the right to restore them?
...
Shopkeeper: Hey, Esdeath?
Esdeath: Yes, Shop-kun?
Shopkeeper: You too... Never mind. You said you lost most of your memories, right?
Esdeath: Yes. Do you know something about them?
Shopkeeper: ... Tell Ayano I need both of you back in the [Living Room], so finish up whatever you two are doing before heading back.
Esdeath: Okay~!
Chucking a bit, I looked out of the window before cracking the [Magic Spider Egg] open as I locked up the [Monster Lab], heading back.
A 'boss' should pursue their goals...
But a good 'boss' looks after his 'workers'.
Later...
Esdeath looked silent as she stared down, lost in though. To make it brief, I told the two about the 'Omniverse' and how I vaguely know Esdeath's world... while also forcing myself to reveal Ayano's baseline world. Luckily, Ayano was understanding, but... Esdeath looked disturbed.
I sighed, "Look, Esdeath. Whether or not you have your memories, I'll still work with you. I'll try to see if I can hook up some internet in here, but it's shoddy when it comes to official episodes, for some reason. Just know that... if you want to bring up your old memories, I'll do my best to help you out with it, but it's a big omniverse out there. That while I may be your 'boss'... I like to have my [Employees] exercise as much freedom as possible when it comes to their choices."
After a moment of silence, Esdeath spoke up, "Shop-kun?"
I took a deep breath and braced myself, "Yes, Esdeath?"
"I'll have to decline having my memories restored."
Blinking in surprise, my gaze snapped to her as she explained, "You... have given me a chance to start fresh. A new life. I'll be forever grateful for that, and I want to repay you by helping you achieve your goals, whatever they might be."
Sharing a look with Ayano, I hesitated, "Are you sure? While you may be hired, this 'job'... it has no concept of 'good' or 'bad'. We're the ones that deal the weapons, not the ones that use them. If you work for us, you might have to kill people along the way."
Esdeath smiled at me, "I'm sure. After all... if I was 'evil'... even if you had no choice but to accept me, even if I had my memories erased... I... feel like you have lived a lonely life."
...
Chuckling, I smiled, "Well... You're not wrong. Okay, Esdeath... Welcome to the [Shop]. I hope you can drag your own weight around and help all of us out."
She bowed, giggling, "I hope we can get along."
...
One, she has a cute giggle.
Two, I'm going to do my damn best to reawaken her sadistic nature.
...
What?
It's a free interrogator for information that I might need, in future worlds.
Back in the [Work Space], the three of us headed to the [Barrack] for the next step of training Esdeath.
Holding out the [Stone Sword] I made to Esdeath, I gestured to the [Scarecrow] I set up earlier, explaining, "For your first exercise, you'll have to attack this [Scarecrow] about 100 times. Don't push yourself too hard, and take breaks if needed. Both this sword and that [Scarecrow] goes down in 1000 uses and hits respectively, both being broken upon reaching zero. However-"
Esdeath finished, "The [Scarecrow] drops a sword after its destroyed." She realized what she just did, and became embarrassed, "I... have just unlocked a Skill called [Observe]."
That... is the most broken [Skill] you can level up. But, I'm going to let Esdeath figure that out on her own.
Shaking it off, I nodded, "Got it. Anyway, yeah... Just attack it at least 100 times for today, just to pace yourself. I gave it a passive buff where, each time you take away 100 points of its durability, you gain 1 STG, or Strength. It's not a lot, but I guess it's for the hard work you put into it. When you get around to finally destroying the [Scarecrow], I'll give you your next task in getting stronger. In the meantime, I'll be doing my own thing."
Remembering something, I spoke up, "Oh, before I forget...!" I handed her the [Sword Crafting] Skill Book, explaining, "This is a [Skill Book] that will allow you to craft [Swords], just in case you break the one you have right now. Ask Ayano if you need help with anything."
Slowly nodding, Esdeath seemingly tapped thin air before the book got absorbed into her... for the lack of a better term.
She quickly gripped the sword before beginning to attack the [Scarecrow].
Turning to Ayano, I asked curious, "So, how's the ingredients coming along?"
She looked thoughtful, "Well, the [Wheat] seems to have an HP restoration effect when as 'grains', but when ground up as 'flour' with the [Pestle and Mortar] they take on a MP Replenishing effect. Both only occur when mixed with Water and mixed in a [Stone Cauldron]. With the common theme of 'carrots being good for eyesight', I'm hoping to get some carrot seeds and see if anything comes out of it."
Slowly nodding, I mused, "I see..." Blinking as I noticed some [Mana Weeds] sprouting near by, I frowned before picking them out as Ayano looked curious. I told her, "These... are [Mana Weeds]. They apparently hinder plant growth by absorbing most of the [Mana]. I... want you to see if its possible to mutate them."
Ayano blinked in surprise, "Mutate... weeds?"
I explained, "I've just recently introduce two mobs into the [Work Space], them being [Slimes] and [Magic Spiders]. The [Slimes] like to eat these, but I'm not sure if they also like eating the ones that 'mutate' after them."
Slowly nodding as she understood my thought process, she muttered, "And you want these future mutations able to spread a bit more frequently?"
I confirmed, "Yeah. But while you do that, I'm going to see what the [Slimes] drop." Handing her some empty glass soda bottles, I added, "You can use these for those 'potions' you just found."
Blinking as she took them, I summoned the [Rain Bow] to my hand as I left the area, taking a backpack with me.
Rain Bow: A special type of bow that, while fires one arrow at a time, multiplies the shot depending on the number of kills executed by user with this weapon.
Arrow Multiplier: +1 arrow for every 10 kills
Total Kills: 0
Perks: 1 Kill - Mobile: Turns into a silver bracelet with a thought, and returns to 'bow' form in an instant.
25 Kills - Homing: The arrows home in on the nearest enemy within 8 feet. Homing range increases by 1 foot for every 5 kills.
50 Kills - Straight Shot: The arrows fired will fly a bit more straighter and farther.
100 Kills - Snipe: The arrows fly faster.
1,000,000 Kills - Treasure: By resetting the 'total kills' to zero, gain 1 random loot to use. The higher the total kills were, the more valuable the resulting loot will be.
Time to explore a bit more.
Three hours of [Slime] hunting later...
Hm... Not quite what I expected, but at least the 'multiplication function' works.
Rain Bow: A special type of bow that, while fires one arrow at a time, multiplies the shot depending on the number of kills executed by user with this weapon.
Arrow Multiplier: +1 arrow for every 10 kills
Total Kills: 36
Perks: 1 Kill - Mobile: Turns into a silver bracelet with a thought, and returns to 'bow' form in an instant.
25 Kills - Homing: The arrows home in on the nearest enemy within 8 feet. Increases an additional 8 feet for every 25 kills.
50 Kills - Straight Shot: The arrows fired will fly a bit more straighter and farther.
100 Kills - Snipe: The arrows fly faster.
1,000,000 Kills - Treasure: By resetting the 'total kills' to zero, gain 1 random loot to use. The higher the total kills were, the more valuable the resulting loot will be.
Say what you want... but again, I made the right choice. The [Slimes] spread out quickly, despite the [Mana Weeds] being common.
I was also careful as to not over-hunt them, making sure that at least 3 [Slimes] were left per group, just to ensure survival and future 'generations' of [Slimes].
I also came across a few [Magic Spiders], but only killed one of them to test things out.
But back to the results.
Turns out, I merely had to draw the bow-string back to load an arrow, and release. Normal physics seem to take over, though, in terms of energy, speed, and force. I'll have to see if damage is affected by the amount of force drawn.
For the 'drops', the spider didn't give me anything so far. As for the [Slimes], however...
Slime Crystal: A condensed form of a Slime's essence. Try feeding one to a [Slime] and see what happens, or use it in a [Crafting] recipe.
Slime Gel: Some of the Slime's... slime... that manages to stick around. Can be used in a variety of ways to [Craft] things.
Effects: Restores +5 HP and 25% of MP when consumed
Slimy Sapling: A sapling for a new type of tree. When planted, it will spawn multiple [Slimes], with a rare chance of spawning something different...
The first two are common when a [Slime] was defeated, but the [Slimy Sapling] was rare.
The [Slime Crystal] resembles a rhombus-prism made up of green Jell-O. Not only that, but it had the texture of chewy candy, like Fruit Roll-up, or Fruit by the Foot. However... it was also insanely durable, like a stone, just from gripping it in my hand.
[Slime Gel] are just a 'fancy' way of saying 'slime ball', with their shape being like those cheap small water balloons. They're surprising edible, though, tasting like 'grape jam'. It also had a 'fizzy' aftertaste, like a soda or soft drink.
As for the [Slimy Sapling], well, it apparently has a condition where it must be planted on a hill in a grassy plain. Not even near the base, it must be planted directly on the top.
Well, time to experiment with crafting.
Making the [Rain Bow] into a bracelet, I began my trek back to base and towards my room.
Arriving there, I plopped the sack of drops near the [Workbench] I had installed and pulled out some [Slime Crystals] to work with. Looking at their shapes, I've noticed how the crystals are identical in shape and color... before thinking about how to go about this. I mean... what makes the two different? They should be made up of the same physical material, right? So why is one solid while the other one is 'oobleck'? It makes no sense.
But... Wait... same 'material'... I wonder...?
Taking some [Slime Gel], and mentally noting that I should use gloves next time, I carefully applied a bit of the gel to one of the ends of the crystal. Grabbing another crystal, I pressed one end of the crystal to the new one. There was a brief flash of light, before the crystals fused into a prism that was twice as long, with no signs of breaks or cracks.
Neat, I found a way to make bigger [Slime Crystals]. But... What else can I use it for?
What else can I do with it?
Thinking for a moment, I tried something else.
Taking some [Slime Gel] and some small pieces of wood, I first fashioned a square mold to pour the gel into. Then after pouring it in, I began to notice how it began to sort of become more opaque, to the point of resembling a dried up and used gel; like those 'silly hands' that stick to anything you throw them at.
Frowning, I grabbed a toothpick from the kitchen before poking it into the 'gel', the prick going in. Carefully pushing the toothpick with a 'peeling' motion, I found myself surprised at what was developed.
Slime Gel Cushion: Made by molding and drying [Slime Gel] in its rawest form. Can be cut and/or manipulated into different shapes. It's a good 'shock absorber', so it may be able to cushion falls from great heights, or even just make it easier on your feet.
Hm... it's no longer 'edible'... strange.
However, I'm going to test it on my feet for a day, to see if it makes any difference.
What else can I make...?
Frowning, I grabbed some [Slime Gel] and placed them in a tub. Crafting some [Runes] together for the [Golem Cluster] set-up, I grabbed some nearby wood and made a simple [Wood Golem].
Wood Golem: A simple [Golem] made for manual and field labor. Specializes in crafting objects that involve a process.
Hm...?
So this [Golem] actually focuses on making objects, huh?
About time I found one.
But back to what I had in mind.
Grabbing a 'default' sized [Slime Crystal], I began inputting commands for the test.
To make it simple, I made this [Golem] have the command of dunking an end of a [Slime Crystal] into the tub of [Slime Gel] over and over, with the added command of rising slightly when a material with similar consistency of [Slime Gel Cushion] develops.
The idea is that, after a long process, I'll make a 'whip' from the [Slime] products to better help me explore the [Work Space].
While it's working on that experiment, I'll try to make a pickaxe!
Let's see...
"Place the plank here... Make wedge... add smaller pegs to later tie it all together... Place the modified [Slime Crystal] in the wedge, add a bit of [Slime Gel] at the junction to better stick it in place, then tie together with strips of cloth."
It quickly glowed, before the strips of cloth became a bundle of ropes wrapped at the junction point.
Slime Crystal Pickaxe: Time to mine materials! While not as hard as diamonds, this makeshift tool can last a good while.
Special Effect: By spreading [Slime Gel] on this tool, each one recovers 50 durability
Durability: 1500/1500
"Oh God, yes..."
Wait... if a [Pickaxe] is possible, then maybe...?
No, I won't risk it. I still have a limited about of resources, and I rather not waste them.
For now, focus on exploration, not adventure.
That means that, aside from Mining, I also need to Sail, Swim, Dive, Climb, and should it come to it, Soar.
Hm... I wonder if I can do anything with [Wood Golems]?
PING!
By thinking deeply and finding materials, you have unlocked the [Golem Core] recipe!
Blinking as my head adjusted to the information, I slowly grinned at the new applications that came to me.
Golem Core: Why bother with making more [Golems] that would gather dust? [Golem Cores] will allow you to not only remove them from the current [Golem] body, but allows you to put them into new ones. However, [Golem Cores] break down after 5 'body' switches. Not only that, but they only are capable of transporting from place to place, despite having more advance understanding in instructions and tasks, and can only be made from one [Material].
Recipe: 1 [Golem Rune], 6 [Mana Runes], 8 [Animation Runes]
This changes everything. Sure, it may not seem like much, but this automation of 'transportation' would allow me to get around more quickly.
But for right now, I need to do some tests.
Making 3 [Golem Cores], I quickly headed back into [Work Space] to get testing.
Pausing, however, I decided to make a slight detour to see how the girls are doing.
When I came towards the [Barracks], however... I saw Esdeath quickly swinging away at the [Scarecrow], the durability of it already at 250.
Already impressed, I was about to speak up, only to notice how Esdeath was sweating and breathing heavily. Ayano, was nearby, already having potions with her and... filling empty bottles up with potions?
Deciding to stay silent, I saw Esdeath stop swinging, wiping the sweat off her head before telling Ayano, "Potion, please." Ayano nodded, giving her a [Stamina Potion]. Esdeath downed it, recovering before handing the now empty bottle back before Esdeath began to quickly swing at the [Scarecrow]. Counting the hits, it was roughly 2 hits per second.
Not to mention, the sword was different.
She must have defeated at least one [Scarecrow], and learned how to [Craft] one.
I can wait a minute or two.
Merely watching Esdeath have at it, I merely chuckled in amusement as I saw the [Scarecrow] shatter, with the shards glowing brightly before forming a sword as I finally asked, "So, what's with this setup?"
Jumping a bit, they quickly calmed down as they explained what happened.
Apparently, Esdeath defeated the first one without any help. However, the [Sword] that dropped from it was still a bit low in durability, being a mere 1100 uses. After learning the [Low Tier Training Scarecrow] recipe, she asked Ayano for help with her training, along with seeing if she had anything to recover energy. When Ayano handed over a [Stamina Potion], Esdeath unlocked a skill called [Rapid Strike], which drains MP in exchange for more hits. Meanwhile, Ayano unlocked a Passive Skill called [Potion Quality], which ups the effectiveness of the Potions she makes when a user drinks one of the [Potions] she brewed.
They soon set up a system where, while Esdeath hacked away at the [Scarecrows], Ayano would brew [Potions]. When Esdeath ran low on Stamina and/or MP, Ayano would hand her a [Stamina Potion]. Esdeath got to level up [Rapid Strike], Ayano got to level up [Potion Quality].
They worked together... to grind the heck out of their Skills...
I don't know whether or not to be proud, scared, or stunned.
And I said just as much as I leaned against the fence I set up, "I'm scared, stunned, and proud at how the two of you worked together."
Esdeath laughed awkwardly, "Well... some of the time was dedicated to emptying my 'reservoir', so..."
...
Whelp...
This is awkward.
Ayano coughed to break the awkward tension, handing me some multicolored seeds, "I got these as a reward. Apparently, they are called [Mysterious Seeds]. System wanted me to give them to you to see if you can do anything about it."
Frowning as I looked at them, nothing came up as I muttered, "I'll see what I can do. Regardless, I swung on by to show my latest creation." Showing them the [Golem Cores], [Slime Crystal Pickaxe], [Slime Crystal], and [Slime Gel], they were surprised yet eager about the possibilities it opened up.
Gesturing them to follow me, I added, "In truth, I came here to experiment with the [Golem Cores]." Looking around, I asked them, "Say, do you see a tree with a hole to place one of these in it?"
Later...
Climbing up the tree, Ayano shouted, "Be careful, Shop-kun!"
I yelled back, keeping my foot and grip steady, "I am, Ayano! Just a few more branches til the opening!" Now... two more branches...
The tree I was climbing was tall, yet had good-sized branches to use as footholds. Esdeath tried to 'timber' the tree, but it was simply too dense, with her attack bouncing off of the surface. At least she used one with low durability, along with the fact that no durability was lost. Does that mean that durability goes down when the tool is used for its intended purpose? Or does it mean that there's something that's hidden Skill inside Esdeath that she hasn't discovered yet? Does the material of the [Sword] factor into damaging the tree?
So many questions, not the time to ponder.
Slowly reaching the top (wow, it's high up), I carefully tucked the [Golem Core] into the hole.
Instantly, the tree began to gradually glow as I muttered, "Need more stable footing... why can't this just be a tree house?"
The tree instantly shook, warping and causing me to fall and land... on the floor? That... was quick.
Opening my eyes, I looked in awe as it quickly became the interior of a tree house made purely of wood.
Frowning, I muttered, "How can I change this- GAH!" A 3D display of how the [Advance Wood Golem] looked... which was pretty much a tree with two legs. I muttered, slowly poking at the designs and figuring out how to change it, "Too unsafe. Four legs... a gate/hatch for an entrance... roof... seats... windows, definitely... ladder..." Thinking for a moment, I remembered that it's not only to transport people. "Definitely adding baskets and tubs... Latches for easy access, and to double as seats. Oh, and tons of arms, with five-digit hands... that have opposable thumbs."
What? I have to be certain, due to the fact that the tubs are in the 'tree house', and that it'll sometimes be up high.
Maybe I should add some arms on the inside, as well. Or... place a normal [Wood Golem] inside to sort the items it obtains?
...
Adding a normal [Wood Golem], for the sake of splitting the workload.
Anyway, after finalizing the changes, Ayano and Esdeath hopped on in before we took a grand tour of [Work Space]...
... and for the first time in a long while, I already knew that I have to constantly remind myself something:
Make sure to take breaks and enjoy what you have, because it's the little things in life that you have to appreciate.
I spoke up as the now (mentally) dubbed [Tree House Golem] walked a slow and steady pace in a round path, "Hey, Ayano? I just realized it, but you found a key factor in helping us solve that 'Gluttony' task." She blinked as I watched the scenery, asking, "That 'flour' you made from [Wheat], when brewed, becomes a [Potion] that restores Stamina and MP, right?"
She slowly nodded, but Esdeath grinned in excitement as Ayano asked, "Why is that important?"
Smiling at the rising sun, I watched the landscape as I mentioned, "Well, food gives us energy when consumed, but also has a mass. Not only that, but spells manipulate mass. And that 'mass' is a source of energy. So, what we need is something that helps with containing that mass, while also being capable of being 'drained' of what is stored up."
Ayano soon saw where I was going as Esdeath asked to confirm, "So that [Wheat Flour] is the key, right? The key to 'energy' is in bread?"
I grinned, before concluding and correcting,
"The key lies in a good source of energy that's within food: Starch. It's possible that the 'key' factor for this lies in the [Wheat Farm Dungeon]."
A/N: Merry Christmas, everyone, and a have a Happy New Year! Hopefully we can get through these times and survive. Posted two chapters, so if you're here... make sure it's the right one.
As for what plans I currently have... Let's say a certain shopkeeper will be meeting SK (Shopkeeper).
Date Posted: 12/23/2020