Chapter 12
Around my body, something glowing green from the carrots and onions was swirling about. It couldn't be that I'd suddenly awakened some special power. This must be the effect from the onions.
"But why did it activate just now? Does it take a long time to kick in?"
The potatoes took a bit to activate, but the carrots worked instantly. So does that mean onions take effect after a delay?
"That doesn't make sense, nyang. I didn't eat any earlier, nyang."
Nyangnyang had refused the onions at first, saying they were too spicy. But she ate the curry just fine. Maybe she just didn't like the taste. Anyway, thanks to Nyangnyang, the hypothesis that onion effects activate late was scrapped.
So what were the other possibilities...?
"Maybe the effect only triggers when onions are combined with something else."
"That seems the most likely!!"
No effect when eaten alone, but make it into curry and suddenly it works? Highest probability hypothesis.
"Then did the potato and carrot effects get stronger?"
I opened my eyes wide! But I didn't sense any change.
"...Doesn't seem like it?"
"No."
Onions go into all sorts of dishes anyway, so it was a solid theory. Too bad it wasn't the case.
"Then what is it?"
"...Why not test them one by one?"
"How?"
"This swirling around the body looks like a physical enhancement buff. I'll test it directly."
The turtle scurried off quickly, faster than usual. Was the onion giving a movement speed buff?!
"Hm... Actually, I'm slower because I'm full. Doesn't seem like it's boosting speed."
Belch— Suddenly the turtle let out a massive burp.
"Maybe because I moved right after eating, I feel like puking. I'll rest a bit."
"O-okay."
He really collapsed on the floor. What the hell.
"...I've been moving around, but I don't notice anything, nyang."
"Not strength enhancement either. What the heck is it?"
Nyangnyang and I twisted and turned, but no clear answer emerged.
"Maybe like the potatoes, it only works if you get hurt?"
"I'll smack the turtle once, nyang."
The turtle wailed Stop!! but Nyangnyang approached and unleashed a barrage of kicks. But instead of the usual thwack-thwack, there were metallic clang-clang! sounds. And Nyangnyang's paws were blocked before even touching the turtle.
Seeing that, my companions and I instantly knew.
"This... is definitely it?"
"Seems so."
The power of the onion was a protective barrier.
"N-no more... I can't eat anymore."
"Keep stuffing them in!!"
"It's impossible now!!"
The turtle was gorging on onions until his belly might burst. Despite his small size, he ate a surprising amount, so I had to grow a few more midway.
From that, we learned: Onions create a barrier even in small amounts, but it's weak. The more you eat, the thicker it gets—no known limit yet.
"The key is how long it lasts."
As Mae said, if it's permanent, we could just eat a little each day over time. But it probably wasn't that convenient.
"What about carrots?"
"No change even after 2 or 3, nyang."
"I see."
Onions: stackable barrier. Carrots: non-stackable vision buff. Nice and simple. Now just duration and refresh time left to figure out.
"Kinda fun researching this stuff."
"Is it?"
Nothing else to do anyway, so we'd live like this for a while.
"Anyway, let's sleep. We'll know more after waking up."
"Won't you scout with these carrot eyes, nyang?"
"...Huh, good point."
Since the apocalypse, nights belonged to monsters. Unless you were a top awakener, lights like lanterns just screamed We're here! to them.
"...Mae can handle recon. Plus, I'm tired from using mana."
"Conditioning is important! This one recommends rest too."
"But this is the time for unexpected moves! Let's go right now."
I threw on clothes quickly, ignoring the startled turtle. Nights were cold—better bundle up.
◇◇◇
The moon wasn't quite full, a bit shy of it. Riding enlarged Nyangnyang—the White Tiger—I headed out for a stroll. Destination: the outskirts road where I'd first met Seola.
Mae had already scouted, so we strolled relaxed. The night air felt great after so long. The air even seemed clearer. And it probably was—factories worldwide shut down, exhaust gone. No more hazy fine dust skies like before.
Good or bad? Hard to say.
"......"
With that ambiguous feeling, we reached the outskirts road. The same one where I'd met Seola. Now covered in more bloodstains. No bodies, so maybe they escaped alive—or got eaten. Either way, people were still surviving out there right now.
"...Ah?"
Suddenly my vision darkened. The turtle patted my back reassuringly.
"Don't worry! It's just the carrot effect wearing off."
"Oh, right."
Calmly, I munched a carrot stick I'd brought. Sweetness spread softly as I snacked, and vision cleared again. Dark areas lit up as bright as day.
"Effect's solid."
"Gimme one too, nyang."
"Sure."
We shared carrot sticks, giving one to Mae mid-flight.
"No monsters near the house for a while. I'll join you here."
"Thanks."
Riding White Tiger, tiny Mae on my head, turtle in my arms, we advanced down the road. Monster corpses littered the way, all dead already.
"I've cleared the path."
Mae said it casually.
"Nice work."
I reached to pet his head, but he suddenly flew up.
"I-it's fine."
"Huh? You usually let me."
"Might have blood on me now."
He cared about that?
"How do you handle it normally?"
"Rinse lightly in a nearby lake before returning."
"A lake?"
News to me. Though as a newbie farmer here, I didn't know everything.
"...Let's check it out sometime."
"Opposite direction from here, falconer."
"Next time then."
Chatting idly as we went, something appeared at the road's end.
"Orcs...?"
"Seems so."
Orcs emerged with torches. Our eyes met. White Tiger's fur gleamed under moonlight—impossible to miss.
"Go!!"
With my shout, Mae enlarged and dove. Before the orcs reacted, one was gone.
"Krrrk?!!"
Orcs fumbled for weapons, but White Tiger charged, shattering their formation. Boom— Mae took another. Realizing defeat, orcs fled desperately.
"Hya?!"
Not wanting to just watch, I urged plants forward. Weeds sprouted, binding orc ankles. Mae swooped, severing necks.
10 seconds. Six orcs wiped out.
"Thanks for the support, falconer."
"I can fight a bit too, right?"
"Impressive!"
Ignoring the praising companions, I gazed at the distant cityscape. First time here in ages—felt heavy. Even from afar, it differed from months ago. Wrecked cars, shattered windows, bent signs, fallen trees. Ghost city screaming danger. Hard to believe people lived inside.
"Mind popping in briefly?"
"...Sounds risky, nyang."
"Yeah."
Too greedy, even for them. About to head back—
Mae said casually, "No problem. I'll warn if danger approaches."
"Really?"
Mae soared skyward instead of answering. Turtle added,
"Should be fine hopping rooftops. Nights mean no other awakeners out."
"Orcs didn't seem great at night vision either?"
They'd have minimal guards, but no issue for scouting.
"Alright, Nyangnyang—let's go!"
"...Not a great idea, nyang."
She grumbled but safely carried me up the wall, then roof-hopped.
Most buildings were wrecked. Empty streets, no streetlights. Yet people lived here. Faint voices, awakeners fighting monsters—city silence amplified them.
But drowning it all: orc packs sweeping the city. And discovered survivors.
"Run!!!"
A group fled from orcs—10 pursuers. More people, but no visible awakeners. Amazing they'd survived this long without powers. Maybe from a bunker.
"Should we help?"
"No need, falconer."
"What?"
Stunned by Mae's words, I spotted someone leaping from an alley. Familiar silhouette: swordswoman Seola fighting monsters.
Her sword flashed.
"Duck!!!"
Seola cleaved an orc in half mid-shout.
"Keep running, everyone! Haven people ahead—go!!"
"...Yes!!!"
Evacuating survivors, Seola faced the orcs alone. Ten? No problem for her. Sword flashes felled two each time. Soon, orcs fled. Astonishing speed—she shredded them, then followed the survivors.
"Impressive."
Truly. Patrolling night and day to save others in apocalypse.
"She's always like that. Haven folks seem similar."
Mae saw it often on city recon. Explains why people flock to Haven: accepts all, sacrifices first to save others.
"My eye for people is spot on."
If I hadn't saved Seola then, those survivors might've died. Basically, I saved them. Satisfaction swelled.
"Let's watch more."
I pursued on White Tiger. Far off, Sam Mart glowed unlike elsewhere. Crowds patrolled tightly, no orc slipping through even late night. Beyond: five-lane road crammed with barricades, traps, Bomb Flower blast marks.
Better than Ark posts and pics—seeing it live felt great. How many had my aid saved? Made me sleepy with content.
"Head home. Gotta rest up, grow tons of plants."
With my support, reclaiming the city was near. Resolved, I headed back.
◇◇◇
On the way home, casually scanning for anything good. Then Mae, re-scouting the house area, returned—looking off.
"What happened?"
"Falconer, don't panic and listen."
"Tell me quick. I won't."
What news? I listened casually.
"...A large group of humans is heading to our house."