18. Tree of Life

Job – Druid (EX-rank)

Awakener – Hayun Seong

Level: 5

This time, the level-up came pretty quickly. Maybe because I've been steadily using potatoes and Bomb Flowers, and now carrots too, putting them to full use. Anyway, I was thrilled.

"But... Tree of Life, huh?"

The name alone didn't give me much clue. Just as I was about to check the details—

The turtle suddenly poked my side.

"H-how about choosing this one?"

The turtle gazed up at me with sparkling eyes.

Fat chance.

"I've got a new skill now. Shouldn't I prioritize leveling that first?"

"...That does make sense."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

The turtle looked disappointed at being pushed back in priority again. To cheer it up a bit, I stroked its shell vigorously, and it seemed to perk up, stretching out luxuriously and nestling into my arms.

"Check out the new skill!!"

"Right."

A boring, pedantic skill description. Simply put: Summon a tree to buff the surroundings, and if I feed it my french fries, it adds health regen on top, right?

"Yeah, I get it perfectly."

This was a cheat skill. The turtle just had to wait its turn.

"Indeed. This one shall ask again later."

No new skill would pop up at level 6 anyway. I could just level Taming then and pick the turtle. I bumped up the skill level right away. As I headed outside to test it—

"Oh, right. It's still night."

Carrots' one downside: no sense of day or night. I decided to sleep before it got too late.

I woke up refreshed. Everyone except Mae was curled up near my bed. What a bunch of sleepyheads.

I basked in the warm sunlight, spacing out with the turtle in my arms for a bit before getting up properly. That's when the others started stirring. Leaving them be, I stepped outside.

Filling my lungs with the warm spring breeze, I savored a light cup of coffee. Summer must be approaching; it was getting nicely toasty. What an incredible luxury in the apocalypse. I headed to where the generator was set up.

The one from the military. Pour in the fuel from the side, follow the manual, and press the button. It was pretty noisy, though, so they warned against nighttime use—which made mornings perfect.

Rumble rumble rumble.

As I enjoyed the now-familiar generator hum, Mae approached slowly from afar.

"How'd scouting go today?"

"Multiple monsters spotted north. All eliminated. Sprinkled Bomb Flowers on the farm too."

"Reliable as ever."

Monsters had been popping up more lately, but with occasional sorties from Mae and Nyangnyang, it was no issue.

"Uwaa... I woke up, nyang?"

Surprisingly, Nyangnyang was up first among the companions. What sorcery was this? Did the sun rise in the west?

As I gawked, the turtle and Penguin shuffled out from the house. Unlike Nyangnyang, they looked fresh, like they'd been up a while. Yeah, no way Nyangnyang was ever the early riser.

"Now that everyone's up, shall we test the new skill?"

"Speaking of, where will you plant it?"

"I thought it all out last night while sleeping!"

Obviously, the front yard. Sure, there was a vegetable patch, but it was empty now after harvesting all the carrots.

"Might as well rearrange the garden and expand the yard while we're at it."

I had some spare time, and with the crop cycle reset, now was ideal. Cupping my hands, I focused and spoke to the surrounding plants.

'Everyone, mind making some space?'

They kindly obliged, weeds and trees shifting aside. But ancient trees with deep roots stayed put.

"...Well, can't chop them anyway."

A tree or two could stay for aesthetics. I headed to the sunniest spot in the front yard.

"...How do I even activate this?"

Shouting the skill name was classic for new ones.

"Tree of Life!!!!"

Mana gathered thickly in my hands. It sank into the ground, birthing a sprout with tiny cotyledons. The stem shot up, thickening rapidly, sturdy branches forking out. Leaves unfurled, soaking sunlight and casting cool shade.

But...

"Huh? Is it still growing?"

The growth didn't stop. It wasn't draining more mana, though? Was this how Jack felt with his beanstalk? Mouth agape, I watched as it dwarfed my house—a massive village zelkova tree, natural monument worthy.

"...Isn't it a bit too conspicuous?"

My place was remote in the mountains, so it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was somewhat hidden. Any bigger, and it'd be visible from afar. Worse, the shade blanketed the whole front yard.

Great for summer coolness, but no garden here now. I'd planned one beside it for looks, but nope.

"Guess the garden goes in the back."

Plan tweaked, but minor. I sat before the Tree of Life. It should buff friendlies in range, but I felt nothing. Did it not apply to me?

"You guys feel any power boost or anything?"

"Not sure, nyang."

"Like with the onions' shield, huh."

It took ages to notice that. "Wish it gave exact numbers."

The status window was helpful when it wanted, useless otherwise. Rare Seed Creation had gone silent post-Bomb Flower.

"...Hmm."

Not bad, though. Cool breeze. Shady comfort. Perfect picnic spot.

"Grab the mat."

"Right away."

The turtle dashed to the shed, fetched the mat, and we lounged. Humming, I relished the rare leisure—cold cola and yesterday's soggy fries for a light picnic.

Then, a strange warmth filled my core, like something rising. Pondering, I realized:

"Isn't this mana regen?"

"Our companions might not notice. We have mana, but don't consume it separately."

A mana-regen tree. Insane effect. But...

"This trickle... what's the point?"

Ridiculously slow—like a mouse tail. No wonder I hadn't noticed sooner. Who'd use this? Better than nothing for resting, but bland.

Luckily, the EX perk let me feed it plants for effects. One potato could feed hundreds via miracle.

Next: test the range. I walked from the tree. Mana regen cut off before 10 meters.

"Not huge range. Low level?"

Status check:

Level attached, so higher levels probably expand range or buffs.

"Kinda underwhelming."

"True, nyang. No shock like Bomb Flowers or potatoes, nyang."

Should've leveled Taming for the turtle. Too late now—make the best of it.

"Up to two, right."

One here, where for the other? Haven, my first trade partner.

Tree of Life deployment: Operation Sapling Drop.

Plan: Ride Mae covertly, plant, bail.

"Falconer, it seems risky. Must you install it yourself?"

Mae refused to carry me—safety first. Plan B: Grow halfway, have Mae transport.

"Tree of Life."

Whispered softly for control, a sprout emerged. As it grew:

"Stop here, root later and finish growing, okay?"

YES! Sapling acquired. Potted it, added notes, handed to Mae. Mission done.

"I'll be off."

"Come back safe!!!"

◇◇◇ At Haven, the massive Mae's sudden arrival was familiar now. But this time, something new alongside the miracle french fries, guardian Bomb Flowers, and reversal carrots.

A small sapling appeared before the expectant crowd.

Playful tone, but trustworthy. They found a spot: between sidewalk blocks before Sam Mart. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Cleared debris, made soil, planted.

"...Huh?"

As dirt covered the roots, it shot up wildly into a colossal tree. Unmissably huge.

Haven's survivors poured out to gawk.

"Feels all cozy."

"Haven't seen leaves in ages."

Post-cataclysm, live trees ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠were rare—sight alone soothed minds. Workers peeked, touched, inhaled phytoncides.

"Feeling energized."

"Let's work hard today."

Mood softened. As Mae prepared to leave—

Awakener team returned from battle, bloodied. Seola Han and Kanghyuk Choi spotted the tree and Mae, rushing over.

Kanghyuk read the note first, eyeing the tree. Seola followed.

"Try a carrot nearby?"

"Good idea."

Gazing mystically—

"......?!?!?!"

They locked eyes.

"Not just me, right?"

"Seems not."

All eyes on them. Seola drew her sword, mana surging. Blade aura flared intensely.

Normally, mana depleted—but not now.

"Mana's regenerating even mid-fight."

Another absurd miracle.