Under The Cherry Blossoms

Under The Cherry Blossoms Chapter Ten Point One

(Naki)

While Rain stalked off to go find some game I decided to finally open my level 10 starter pack. The system displayed a gold loading bar that zipped to completion then in my arms were the various items. 

You have Acquired Apprentice Robes Level 10
You have Acquired Apprentice Staff Level 10
You have Acquired Mana Boots Level 10
You have Acquired A Set Of Mana Earrings Level 10
You have Acquired A Mana Belt Level 10 
You have Acquired Nature's Power Skill Book. 
You Have Acquired 10 Health potions (Basic)
You have Acquired 10 Mana Potions (Basic)

I switched out my current armor with the new stuff noticing that I got quite a decent buff in power. Remembering my promise to myself I accessed the Skill Menu looking and hoping for a few attack skills. There were several "Bolt" attacks that caught my attention. 

As I skimmed through them I noticed a Utility skill called "Nature's Blessing" *We Suggest you Grab That One* Came Sukura's voice in my head suddenly. I jumped without meaning too but stopped myself from cursing aloud. Little bit of warning next time please.  I clicked on Nature's Blessing and saw that it enhanced summoned plants and could enrich infertile soil. It also cost 3 SP.  Gritting my teeth I selected the skill and of the variety of Bolts left I chose the Vanilla one. That way I could keep consistent dmg at least I hoped that was the case Then I looked at the unassigned points.

Wisdom 20
Intelligence 18
Constitution 10
Charisma 10
Strength 10
Dexterity 20
Vitality 10

10 AP and 6 SP remaining. 

Hmmmm. Let's drop 5 points into Vitality. 2 Into Dexterity and then 2 into Intelligence and the final one into Constitution. 

My new Stat's read as follows :

Wisdom 20
Intelligence 20
Constitution 11
Charisma 10
Strength 10
Vitality 15
Dexterity 22

Thanks to my new equipment my stats were actually a bit higher reading as: 

Wisdom 25 (20+5)
Intelligence 27 (20+7)
Constitution 11 (11)
Charisma 10  (10)
Strength 10 (10)
Dexterity 25 (22+3)
Vitality 18 (15+3)

HP: 150/150
MP: 300/300  

I now chose to refresh myself on my skill list. 

Current Skills:

Nature's Blessing Level 1
Fox's Eye Level 2

Cooking Level 1
Sub Skill; Seasoning Level 1

Blacksmithing Level 1
Parry Level 1
Swords Level 1
Staffs Level 1

Purification Level 1
Solstice Level 1
Bolt Level 1

Unique Skills:

Blood Transmutation Level 1 Click For Further Information
Host Defense (Passive Always On) Click For Further Information.
Plant Telepathy (Passive Always On) Click For Further Information.
Nutrient Bank Level 1 (250/300) (Decreases Over Time. If Empty Host Must Harvest Nutrients From Environment or Food.)
Plant Integration Level 1 (User automatically has host plant integrate into skills. Either for Attack Or Defense. The Nature of the Integration Varies Depending On The Plant Used. Currently Equipped Plant Cherry Blossoms. If attacked chance for seeding the target returning health to the user 0.5% of the Target's help for as long as the target lives Can be Increased By Developing Your Relationship With The Plant Your Hosting. (Currently there is a 0.5% chance for seeding the attack target) For Defense increased Chance to repel Targets' Attacks. If Healing Grants an additional 0.1% Health.)

Acquired skills (Ones That You Need To Train)

Rudimentary Elemental Rune Crafting Level 0.5 (Practice Rune Designs To Improve)
Mana Core Refinement Level 1 (Refine More Mana To Reach Higher Mana Capacity and Mana Core Levels. Proceeded With Caution)

Okay So I have 6 SP remaining. I Should Spend them on Some Gathering Skills and Possibly Forging? Maybe A Defensive Barrier?

One Must Always Remember Their Defenses. Said Sukura. That prompted me to add Barrier to My skill List for 1SP leaving me with 5SP remaining. 

I grabbed Botany Level 1 and Butcher Level 1 Then after some thought I added Wood Carving Level 1 and Copper Forging Level 1 For my final skill I added Metal Refinement Level 1 . 

Yes these were the gathering skills I had complained of previously but if they allowed me to strengthen my clothes and armor as well as my weapons then it would let me build my foundations making me stronger in the long run. Best to eat that Humble Pie now and wash it down with some water. 

"Hey. You still with us?" shouted Zen briefly which jarred me from my thoughts and made me look around before locating him. "Yeah. I'm still here." "Ya sure?" "Of course" The assassin wolf gave me a brief smile before looking back to the forest where some commotion was occurring. 

"That would be Rain flushing out some Game. Get Ready" Warned Zen unsheathing his daggers. I braced myself feeling nervous about what exactly would happen with my hidden buff to my skills at this point. 

Fox's Eye was still on at this point so the world around me was still greyed out though in the distance through the bushes a small hint of orange was visible. From the sounds of things Rain had scared up two boars. 

I summoned the mana nectary to cast Bolt but I didn't fire it yet. The core of the projectile seemed to hold a single cherry blossom while the outside of it was white nature less Mana. Or at least it seemed to be unaffiliated with any element.  Anyway while I was distracted with such meaningless details Rain had flushed out our Quarry. 

My Bolt shot forwards smashing into the eye of one of the Boars and it let out a squeal. A damage number of 25 appeared over it's head assumedly because I had gotten a critical hit. Though of course the chance for seeding the target being so low I wasn't hopeful of that occurring. 

Having Secured the attention of the Red Boar I began to move as it started to charge towards me I configured another bolt. The skill had a low cool down so I could somewhat spam it.  I began to run and as I did the bolt fired from my staff towards the Boar once more though my aim was off making me frown at my ineptitude as I kept running.  I only managed to score a paltry 12 damage.  

Rain was nice enough to help me by firing his arrow at the Boar that was chasing after me. It squealed and a much more impressive 58 showed above the Boar and the arrow remained in it's hide.

"Nature's Blessing!" Almost instantly as my mana fell the surrounding plant life around me grew voraciously. "Flowers Hear me! I need your aid. Bind that Boar!" I shouted in my mind and as I ran forwards the plants surged forwards almost like snakes to bind the Boar in place. 

It Roared in anger and swung it's tusks at the plants severing a few almost instantly. "Not your best idea." Heckled Sukura as I kept running and firing off Bolts. Rain managed to score two more arrow shots and the third was in the air as I made distance and attacked as I could. Finally it fell to the ground lifeless and instead of dissolving into drops like I expected the game instead had a prompt floating before me. Would you like to butcher the Boar Y/N? (Warning: Since you don't have any butcher's tools the result's of your harvest will be Poor) I clicked yes without thinking and the system guide me through the harvesting motions. I couldn't help but to curl my lips in disgust while the actions were performed though I was unable to stop myself until the process was complete. 

Butchering Proficiency Raised By 1% (Can Be Further Improved By Using Butchering Tools)(At Higher Levels Increases The Quality Of Materials Harvested.) 

I found myself desperately wishing for a way to wash my hands. I had to wipe them clean in the grass though Nature's Blessing had faded the ground seemingly was eager to clean up the blood from me. I raised an eyebrow but didn't comment turning my head to see that Zen had already killed and butchered his animal as well though he seemed to be waiting for me to finish. "You Cooking? Or me?" He asked not unkindly. 

"You. As your likely to have the higher skill. Perhaps though I can learn my watching." I replied to him handing over my portion of the butchered Meat. "This will take about an hour or so if done properly." Warned Zen. 

"We should have the time. If not then I'll be fine getting some more exercise." I remarked to him. He nodded and from storage produced a portable firepit. Once it was set down and the fire started he proceeded to start cooking. 

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Unfortunately or Fortunately depending on your point of view I didn't get my exercise. The area remained as dull as when we arrived and I was beginning to wonder if our dear merchant had bit the dust inside the house. The Quest timer was still ticking away and while I realized that we had agree to protect the merchant it was still beginning to become a rather tedious Task. 

Patience is a virtue. It will serve you well. Just give it time. Said Sukura in my mind. Thankfully this time I didn't jump though I'm sure my annoyance was felt. Though I soon brushed it off. I had to remind myself that despite the tediousness of the quest if we weren't careful our work could be undone in a moment. 

To stop my wandering thoughts I resolved to meditate to calm myself. Taking long slow breaths and slowly easing them out. It wasn't my intention to actually cultivate just to calm myself. However as I closed my eyes and my monochrome gray vision filtered away...the small pulse of the plant life around me began to steadily fill my vision. While I was only sitting on the grass it seemed as if I was surrounded by a vast pulsing oasis of green energy that spread for miles around. Each blade of grass around me that I could sense was represented by it's own slender stand of energy. 

I had to remind myself to stay calm and to just relax as seeing that much energy about was quite a shock. And while yes I could have cultivated to further refine my mana core it seemed disrespectful to attempt to take such energies without asking. Sukura...is this your doing?  I got a feeling of a nod from them. You are floating in an ocean of possibility. Will you take it by force or let it guide you?  they asked softly. 

I pondered that answer as I relaxed not ready to give it so easily. Especially to a force I wasn't entirely convinced I could trust yet. However at this point my musings might just be worthless as I had already given part of my digital body over to a plant. Granted a plant with a consciousness. Still a plant though. 

It seemed that fate had enough of a my musings as when I resumed my thoughts I heard a faint crashing noise from the house. I jumped to my feet ungracefully as I could and began to run that way. Zen was already at the front door and Rain had his bow drawn as he moved to follow his friend.