Chương 19: Alchemy and Flourishing

Joe sat in a clearing in the southern part of the village, cross-legged on a patch of grass that steadily expanded around him. He had told Samira about his plans; he needed an open space to test his Nature's Flourish and Alchemy skills. Before beginning, they had spoken with the village head, an elderly woman named Amrita. During their conversation, she had permitted him to grow out an area using his skill. But there was one burning question Joe couldn't ignore any longer.

"Not to be rude," he asked carefully.

"But… are there any men in this village?" The women shared a look before responding.

"No, there aren't," Amrita said.

"There are very few men in the whole of India," Amrita explained. The Indian government had conscripted nearly ninety per cent of the male population, forcing them into the tutorial Gates in a desperate attempt to clear them before they broke open, she had explained. It failed. Now, India's remaining male population consists almost entirely of boys under twelve and elders over sixty. Joe sat in stunned silence. Ninety per cent of the men were dead. The sheer scale of the loss was staggering.

He struggled even to comprehend it. He muttered an apology for asking, but Amrita waved it off.

"You were not to know," she said simply. Even now, the truth weighed heavily on him. An entire nation had been torn apart. The system's arrival had ruined Earth, turning it into a battlefield. Joe forced himself to push the thoughts aside. Dwelling on it wouldn't change anything. For now, he had work to do. Seated in the small clearing, he closed his eyes and activated his skill, Nature's Flourish. A surge of mana poured through him, calm yet immense, like a wave washing over his entire being.

It was joined by the separate energy he felt when he used Nature's Touch. Both the mana and energy were woven together as it flowed through him into the ground. They pulsed outward, sinking into the earth, and the effect was instantaneous. Grass sprouted and spread at an astonishing speed, lush and vibrant, covering the once-barren ground. Directly before him, a tree erupted from the soil, its trunk thickening, branches unfurling, leaves forming in the symphony of life. Joe stared in awe.

This was far beyond anything he had imagined. Glancing at his mini-map, he saw a radius of one hundred and fifty metres around him now covered in vivid greenery, a transformation that had taken mere seconds. And it wasn't stopping. The wave of life continued to spread, surging outward with astonishing speed. Gasps and murmurs of awe rose from the villagers as they gathered, watching the miraculous scene unfold. Joe turned his focus inward, sensing the mysterious energy flowing through him.

It blended effortlessly with his mana, harmonious and pure yet elusive in its origins. To his right, another tree sprouted from the ground, its graceful form unfolding in moments as if time itself had sped forward. The egg on his back pulsed with joy, the rhythm perfectly synchronized with the energy flowing through him. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to sink into a meditative trance, embracing the moment's serenity.

He continued channelling the energy, his new skill, Nature's Flourish, unfolding a world of life, beauty, and endless possibilities around him. __ Samira had seen many things in her thirty years of life. She had witnessed her sisters bring life into the world. She had attended more weddings than she could count. She had even survived the chaotic six months after the tutorial gates broke, unleashing violent, merciless Beasts upon their world. She had buried more friends and family than she ever thought possible.

But now. Now, she stood transfixed, watching a man seated on a patch of grass as an entire forest sprang to life around him. She couldn't see the energy radiating from his body, but she could feel it; a torrent of raw power surging into the earth, transforming the barren land with every pulse. In front of her, a tree grew from a tiny bud into a towering twenty-metre colossus in under two minutes, its branches heavy with ripe, vibrant fruit. Another tree began to sprout beside it, its growth just as miraculous.

For months, the village had survived on nothing but rations, dried foods, rice and water. Samira couldn't even remember the last time she had tasted fresh fruit. Then, Joe's gaze met hers, a quiet understanding in his eyes.

"Try one," he said simply before closing his eyes again and returning his focus to the ground. She hesitated, then stepped forward. Plucking one of the green fruits, she took a bite. Sweetness flooded her senses. The flavour was rich and pure, unlike anything she had ever tasted. Tears welled in her eyes, rolling down her cheeks in streams of pure joy. __ Esha hurried into the lush, rapidly transforming clearing, her eyes scanning the scene.

She spotted Samira standing amidst the greenery, an unfamiliar fruit in her hand, tears streaming down her cheeks. Concern flashed through Esha, but as she stepped closer, concern shifted to curiosity. Samira looked up, her face radiant, eyes shimmering with something Esha rarely saw: pure joy. She plucked another fruit and pressed it into Esha's hands.

"Eat it," Samira urged, her voice filled with emotion.

"It's wonderful." Esha looked down at the strange, green, peach-like fruit in her hands. Its surface soft, almost velvety to the touch. She raised it to her nose, inhaling deeply. Her eyes lit up. It smelled like a perfect blend of peach and apple, but more decadent, more enticing. For a moment, instinct urged her to devour it whole, but she forced herself to hold back. With deliberate restraint, she took a small, careful bite. The flavour exploded on her tongue; it was sweet, juicy.

It was pure bliss, a little piece of heaven in her hands. Her hesitation fled as she devoured the rest in seconds, savouring every bite as if it were her last. __ Drishti emerged from her house, pausing in the doorway as a cacophony of excited voices filled the air. She froze, her eyes widening at the sight before her. Everywhere was green. Towering trees had sprouted between the houses, their broad canopies casting a cool shade over most of the village.

Strange green fruits hung heavy on their branches, swaying gently in the breeze. A village child, Papra, ran up to her, holding one of the fruits in her tiny hands, "Drishti, look!" she exclaimed, thrusting the fruit toward her.

"Try one! They taste good!" Drishti took the offered fruit, inspecting it closely. It was soft and inviting.

"I don't think it's safe to just eat these Papra," she said, frowning slightly.

"Does your mother know…?" Her question trailed off as her gaze shifted. Not far away, Papra's mother stood, laughing and chatting with a neighbour while happily eating one of the fruits herself. Drishti blinked. Oh. Papra giggled and dashed off, leaving Drishti holding the fruit.

"My mistake," she murmured, sniffing it tentatively. The sweet, tantalizing scent overwhelmed her caution, and before she could think twice, she took a small bite. The flavour hit her instantly. By the time she realized what she was doing, the fruit was gone, devoured in seconds. Still marvelling at the lingering taste, she wiped her hands and turned to the nearest villager.

"Where did these come from? Do you know what is going on?"

"It's the Progenitor," the woman replied, gesturing toward the southern end of the village.

"He's there, growing all these beautiful trees and fruits." Growing them? Drishti didn't hesitate. She spun on her heel and sprinted south, eager to find Joe and uncover the truth behind this miraculous transformation. __ Joe had removed the egg from its bag and held it in the crook of his arm as he lay on the grass, utterly exhausted. He had used about sixty per cent of his mana before deactivating his Nature's Flourish.

"I can't remember the last time I was so full," Samira said from beside him, stretching contentedly.

"How many fruits did you eat?" Esha asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Only five," Samira replied, "But they were so full of energy. I feel like my whole body's going to burst!" She rubbed her belly with a satisfied grin.

"You pig," Esha teased, laughing.

"Five is too many. I had three, and I can't even move," Drishti added from where she lay, still overwhelmed by the richness of the fruit. Joe looked over at the three women, watching them talk and tease each other. His thoughts floated to his friends back home. How were they doing? A pang of homesickness hit him, but it faded quickly. After all, he was in the company of three attractive Indian women, which wasn't the worst way to spend an afternoon. The egg in his arm vibrated, seemingly annoyed.

"Right, sorry, four," Joe muttered under his breath. The vibration shifted into a soft, almost purring sound. Wait, did the egg just read his mind? He stared at it quizzically. He must be imagining things. At least, he hoped he was. Sitting up, he winced as a sharp pain shot through his arm; it was still sore. His healing had paused while he was channelling his new skill, but he wasn't too worried. He had bigger things to focus on.

His life had been a non-stop steam train lately, and he needed a break to figure things out, like Alchemy. Nature's Alchemy(Magic) - Using your affinity with nature, you can now condense the energy into pills that immediately boost health or mana. You also have a very limited understanding of transmutation. Will you become the next pill king? Pills, not potions? He thought, pursing his lips.

"Apparently, I'm now a Chinese manhua MC," He chuckled.

"What was that?" Samira asked, turning toward him.

"Nothing, just mumbling nonsense to myself," he said, shaking his head.

"I'm going to test out my alchemy skill for a while." All three women stared at him.

"How many skills do you have?" Samira asked, looking at him like he'd just grown a second head Joe shrugged.

"Well, between my Class and my profession. I have about eight." He omitted all his Bloodline skills, passives, and general skills from the number. Damn, he did have a lot of skills.

"You have a profession?" Samira asked, visibly shocked.

"Er… I guess. Don't you?" Joe replied before thinking. He had identified her before and knew she didn't.

"No," Samira said.

"I don't think there is a single person in the whole of India with a profession and Class."

"Oh," Joe didn't know how to respond.

"I just got lucky."

"Lucky, he says," Esha scoffed, rolling her eyes in mock disgust. Joe didn't mention that he was tortured for two months to get the profession. After a short exchange of banter and light curses, Joe could finally focus on his Alchemy skill. So how does this work? He wondered. He turned his attention inward, focusing on the strange feeling of that energy that constantly flowed through him when he was outside. Carefully, he activated his skill while holding his hand before him. It worked.

He felt the nature energy he emitted through his Nature's Touch move and start to concentrate just above the palm of his hand. The air swirled as a sphere of energy formed, pulsing above his palm. Slowly, the sphere condensed, its shape shifting into something small, smooth, and round. A pill. A delicate blue pattern coiled across its surface, resembling flowing water. After about ten minutes, the pill was fully formed, dropping into his hand with a soft boop.

Joe turned it over in his palm, watching the liquid-like swirls dance beneath the surface. Then, he identified it. Item - Basic Mana Pill. Restores a small amount of mana. A simple, straightforward explanation. He popped the mana pill into his mouth. Instantly, about twenty per cent of his mana bar filled. It worked. Satisfied, he created one more blue, swirling mana pill, then focused on crafting a red, crisscrossed healing pill next. Once both were finished, he casually tossed them over to Samira.

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"Check those out," he said. She caught them and examined them closely, eyes widening.

"These are astounding. So they can heal us or restore mana?" she asked, awe in her voice, before passing them to Drishti. Drishti studied them momentarily, her expression shifting into one of deep admiration.

"This is amazing," she murmured.

"So many lives will be saved by these." Joe let out a tired sigh.

"I just wish I could make them faster. It's… exhausting. I don't think I can make more than a few per day." Drishti nodded, then passed the pills to Esha before turning to Joe.

"You should rest soon," she said, genuine concern in her voice.

"How is your arm feeling?" Joe smiled. For a brief moment, she reminded him of his sister.

"You're right," he admitted with a yawn.

"I think I'm going to take a week-long nap." With Drishti's help, he struggled to his feet. His body felt like lead; he had definitely overdone it.

"My arm is sore, but it's healing," he added. Samira joined them, carefully helping Joe secure the egg back into its bag before looping an arm around his shoulder. Together, they slowly made their way back to the house. The following week was a cycle of training and recovery, Flourish practice, Alchemy, and forced breaks to let his arm heal. But finally, the day arrived. Joe removed the makeshift sling for the last time. He was fully healed.

Joe strode through the transformed village, marvelling at the incredible change he had wrought. Everywhere he looked, vibrant grass blanketed the ground, and towering trees stretched over the houses, their sprawling canopies casting cool, soothing shade against the relentless sun. The air was fresh and fragrant, filled with the sweet aroma of ripening fruit and the earthy scent of nature reborn. He reached a small plot, which had been entrusted to him, to allow him to plant rice and potato seeds.

The sight filled him with quiet satisfaction; food scarcity would no longer be a pressing concern for the village. Word of the miraculous transformation had spread quickly to nearby settlements. Under orders from the village leader, Amrita, people began migrating here, drawn by the promise of safety and abundance. The village walls were extended to accommodate the influx of newcomers, significantly expanding its borders. To everyone's astonishment, the village experienced fewer beast attacks during this time.

It was an unexpected period of calm and prosperity, a reprieve they hadn't dared to hope for. Though they knew this peace wouldn't last forever, they seized the opportunity, working tirelessly to strengthen and improve their homes while they could. On Joe's fifth day using Flourish, something unexpected occurred. A pond formed, its waters fresh and drinkable, providing the village with an invaluable source of water. The transformation felt complete, a tangible promise of hope and survival for the people.

Yet, he had one last goal to accomplish before continuing his quest to take down more bosses. That final task was, of course, power levelling. Fifteen women stood before him, a determined mix of archers, warriors, priests, and a single mage. Each watched Joe with anticipation, their expressions ranging from nervous excitement to quiet resolve. Then, without warning, a glowing message materialized before them all. Party invite from Joseph Caldwell, do you accept? They all accepted, and the party was formed.

"As I explained before, this way, we will share experience while we fight, and communication will be much easier using the chat function. You will all be able to loot the beasts we kill as well, simply by touching the body after you get the kill notification and a quick mental yes to accept. Any questions?" Joe asked. The group shook their heads in unison.

"Perfect, form up your three teams, and let's head out." Joe turned heel and led the way out of the village to the designated hunting grounds. Joe was the leader of Squad One, which consisted of himself, Drishti, and three women he had only met a day ago: Laila, Chanda, and Ridhi. Samira and Esha led the other two squads. Joe was still weaponless after accidentally destroying his quarterstaff, but an idea had come to him over the past few days, and he was ready to try a new fighting style.

He thought it was about time he took better advantage of his ridiculously high intelligence and wisdom stats. It was time for him to fight like a mage. A concept had come to him. One that involved him using his Mana-Coating skill on his hands, then trying to focus the mana into his palm to create a blast. He achieved this successfully for the first time after three days of practice. The power behind the blast was quite simply insane; he had made a hole in the wall of the house he stayed in.

It was now time to test this out in actual combat. He set a fast pace as the village faded from sight behind him as he ran. The group moved faster than a person could have sprinted before the system arrived. It was an invigorating experience to be out and on the move again. Joe knew he wanted these people, who had treated him so nicely while he recovered, to have the best chance of survival once he left.

So he set his experience gain to zero and was simply going to funnel as much experience into these fifteen village guardians as he could over the next three days before he set out. He had not told anyone this; he didn't see any reason to. All he cared about was practicing his new move and getting to the point where he could trust himself in a fight with the stronger beasts without using a quarterstaff. He enjoyed gazing upon the Indian scenery for the first time since arriving here.

The gorgeous landscape passed by as they ran towards their destination. There wasn't much wildlife around. It seemed humanity was not the only species to be devastated by the arrival of the Gate Beasts. All wildlife had been cut to the point that it was rare to see anything out and about that wasn't one of the local Beasts. Even the sky above was deathly silent from the lack of birds. They soon came across the first pack of Cocodines of the day.

Joe aimed without slowing down and fired off a mana blast at the nearest Cocodine. He missed. Swearing softly, he slowed down now that they had been seen and signalled his teammates to engage with a flick of his fingers, a gesture he had seen in a random military film. Taking the role of range attacker, he used his incredible speed to launch attacks from afar as the Beasts fought with his teammates. This strategy worked surprisingly well. He was even able to land a couple of mana blasts.

Each one that landed tore a giant hole in the Cocodine, killing it instantly. Talk about overpowered. He killed two more this way, and arrows and sword strikes killed the remaining three. His teammates all looked surprised by how easy the fight had been. [I levelled up!] - Chanda. [Back in formation and engage with squad two.] - Joe said as he headed over to help Esha's team to help fight a pack of six Cocodines.

They got into formation very quickly, and once they engaged, the numerical advantage made the fight last only a few moments before all the Cocodines died. They then set off at a pace to find more. Joe was very impressed by everyone as they travelled. They all showed good skill and discipline, and he understood how they had all survived so long out here. These fifteen were the Elites of their villages and were all over the level of thirty.

After a couple of hours of roaming the area around the village and clearing out packs, Joe noticed a large cluster of Mortorgos on his mini-map. He led the squads in their direction. At this point, all the previous looks of uncertainty directed at him were dispelled and replaced with looks of determination and some awe. Drishti ran up beside him as they headed forward.

"I noticed that everyone so far has levelled up except you. Did you do something?" she asked. Joe had noticed her looking at him increasingly as the battles went on. So this was why. She noticed that the one with the lowest level had not gained a single level since they started, while others had gained two or more levels so far.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Joe said. Drishti gave him a look that screamed You're lying, but she returned to her position in the formation without another word. Joe started thinking she was getting more used to his strange behaviours. Or she had just given up asking certain questions. Maybe it was the latter. A couple more minutes passed before a pack of Mortogo's appeared. Identify: Mortorgo level 34 These were not the same Mortorgos he fought during the surprise quest.

He was relieved and hoped they would not be so hard to take down. He held up a hand, and the three squads stopped just out of sight.

"How do you want to do this?" Joe asked as Samira and Esha came to his side.

"Start with a range salvo. When they charge us, we can use our toughest warriors to keep them running around in a big circle while our fastest attackers engage from the sides," Esha suggested. Joe discovered that Esha was great at planning and always had good ideas when there was time to prepare before a fight.

"Sounds good to me. Samira?" Joe responded.

"Perfect. Let's go" They returned to their squads and explained the plan. Drishti led the three who would be on kiting duty, keeping the herd distracted and chasing them. Joe himself joined the archers. After a signal from Esha, they engaged. Joe had slowly gotten better at shooting his mana blasts. He now missed less than half his shots. To his surprise, his first shot hit a Mortorgo, tearing a massive chunk out of its body and killing it; the kill was followed by an unexpected system message.

System Message Skill Mana Blast(Uncommon) Obtained. He had managed to teach himself a new skill. Now, he aimed for his next shot and activated his skill; the difference was immediate. This shot was far more accurate and hit his target exactly where he aimed, giving him another instant kill. He smiled broadly"Oh, this is going to be fun," He said as he started firing off mana blasts like a madman. Joe swallowed his first mana pill of the day, watching as Squad Three handled looting duty.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Drishti and Samira staring at him, slowly shaking their heads.

"What?" he asked, feigning surprise.

"Is there something on my face?" Samira turned to Drishti with a knowing look.

"A Lesson Drish," she said.

"Whenever a man has that look on his face, you must ignore anything that comes out of his mouth. Otherwise, he'll get a big ego." Drishti nodded solemnly, then turned to Joe, studying him like she was assessing a rare specimen. Joe stood there, mouth open, utterly betrayed. They burst into laughter, and before he could recover, Ridhi walked up and slapped him on the back.

"I think this one's ego is already as big as a mountain," she laughed.

"Hey," Joe huffed, pretending to be offended.

"I don't remember signing up to be bullied."

"No man ever signs up willingly," Chanda chimed in.

"Yet here you are," she added with a smile. Joe was starting to think he was in more danger from his teammates than from any beasts. The first two days of power-levelling passed without incident. Everyone made steady progress, gaining around five levels each. However, the success meant they had to venture farther from the village to find suitable beasts to fight. On the third and final day, tragedy struck.

The three squads encountered an unexpectedly large group, nearly fifty Cocodines, all hovering around level forty. At first, the battle seemed manageable. Joe held back, careful not to fire too many mana blasts with his allies locked in melee. He couldn't risk hitting friendly targets. Instead, he rushed in, using Mana-Coating to reinforce his strikes. Esha was under attack, three Cocodines assaulting her from all sides. Joe moved to support her, disabling the last Cocodine just as… A scream.

A frantic shout from Joe's far-right tore through the air. His head snapped toward the source. A member of Samira's squad had been ambushed by an errant Violent Alpha Cocodine level forty-six. It struck without warning, breaking Squad Two's formation. Amid the chaos, one fighter became isolated, a young woman in her early twenties. Chara. Joe's heart clenched as he saw her standing alone, her weapon raised in desperation. No. He activated Nature's Step, his form blinking across the battlefield in an instant.

But he was too late. In a horrifying instant, the Alpha Cocodine's massive jaws clamped down on her head. A sickening crunch. Her body went limp before she even had a chance to scream. The world fell silent as, in Joe's eyes, the chaos of battle faded into a void of stillness. He didn't scream. He didn't shout. He stepped forward, reaching the beast. Without a word, he thrust his arm into the belly, his mana detonated, ripping the Beast in half in an explosion of flesh and bone.

You have slain Violent Alpha Cocodine level 46. Joe snapped. A roar of anguish tore from his throat, raw and unrelenting, echoing across the battlefield. His eyes fixed on Chara's lifeless body as it crumpled to the ground, her head gone, replaced by nothing but a bloody stump. It was the first time he had seen a dead body. The sight rooted him in place, a cold numbness spreading through his limbs.

"Joe! We need your help. Joe!" Samira's voice cut through the haze as she shook him, urgency clear in her tone. But before he could respond, she had to spin away, her blade flashing as she cut at two more Beasts in quick, practiced strikes. Joe shook his head, trying to dispel the fog clouding his mind. He had to help. He couldn't let anyone else die. His movements felt sluggish, but he forced himself forward, his mind racing. Too slow, I was too slow. The frustration, the desperation, boiled over.

He threw his head back and roared with everything he had. Unintentionally, he activated Aura Shout. The effect was instantaneous and catastrophic. A shockwave erupted from him, sending five Beasts flying, tumbling like ragdolls. But so were Samira and one of her squad. Joe froze as panic gripped him. What had he done? He rushed to the fallen women, dropping to his knees beside them. With frantic urgency, he pulled out two healing pills.

He placed one in each of their mouths, whispering a silent plea as he made sure they swallowed. Only when he saw the pills fade, their bodies beginning to heal, did he allow himself to move on. Guilt weighed heavily in his chest. That was stupid, he berated himself. Forcing his mind back into focus. He scanned the battlefield, eyes sharp despite the chaos. Twenty beasts remained, swarming his squads, their relentless attacks threatening to overwhelm them. With deadly precision, he moved.

Each blast from his hand was swift, final, and merciless. He cut through the chaos like a blade, striking down Beasts one after another, his attacks unwavering. Twenty became ten. Hulking forms collapsed lifelessly, their bodies littering the battlefield. The adrenaline held him together until he saw the last of the Beasts swiftly cut down by his squads. Then, it left him. His legs buckled, and he crashed to his knees, the weight of everything crashing down on him.

Tears streamed down his face, his body gently shaking. For the first time since the battle began. Joe started to grieve. After about five minutes, Joe lifted his head. Drishti sat down beside him, silent and steady. He glanced around and noticed the others quickly looking away, giving him space. His shoulders slumped.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. Drishti said nothing at first. Instead, she wrapped an arm around his shoulder, offering quiet comfort. After a long pause, she spoke.

"Is that the first death you have seen?" Joe nodded. Drishti nodded solemnly.

"No one is judging you. We all handled our firsts similarly. It's not pleasant." She hesitated before adding, "I didn't think this would be your first time seeing someone die." Joe flexed his hands, trying to steady himself.

"Is Samira okay?" he asked.

"She's fine," Drishti assured him.

"She's helping to bury Chara." Relief washed over him, but it did little to ease the weight in his chest. Minutes passed in heavy silence before he spoke again.

"I was trapped inside a Gate for almost two years," he admitted. Drishti's eyes widened in shock, but she didn't interrupt.

"For me, it was only two months," he continued.

"But when we exited the Gate, two years had passed. The world was filled with beasts, and it has been one battle after another, almost nonstop since." He wasn't sure why he was telling her this. He just needed to talk.

"I know that is nothing compared to what everyone else has gone through," he said, voice quieter now.

"Watching friends and family die. I just came back, and everyone I knew was just gone." His hands ran over his face before settling in his hair.

"My point is… I was stupid. I took too many risks, and everyone else paid the price." He let out a slow breath, then stood up.

"I will try to be better." Drishti looked up at him, her expression unreadable.

"I don't know what burdens you carry, Joe," she said.

"But you are not alone. Chara died protecting those around her. She was the first to see the Alpha and distracted it so no one else had to. She did her duty." Her eyes softened.

"Do not regret your decision to help us. We don't regret our decision to follow you." Joe nodded. The journey back to the village was sombre. But as they walked, voices picked up, stories of Chara's bravery spreading among them. They would mourn their friend. But they would also celebrate her life. As they stepped through the village gates, Joe no longer saw grieving warriors. He saw guardians. Stronger than ever. One person short.