Core (2)
Exploring the Gallery, you often come across all sorts of amusing things. From pointless nonsense posts with zero meaning to surprisingly deep ones that hit you right in the feels. What I'm saying is, you can easily find the info you're after—or end up with something totally weird popping up instead. Plus, the Gallery isn't split into specific categories; it's all one big chaotic mess, so the sheer volume is overwhelming.
Same word, different meanings—such a headache.
I was scouring for info on cores. Just in case, I tried searching "Guardian core," but nothing useful came up. The most helpful tidbit was that cores are one of the rarest materials out there, with exceptional magical value. Especially since the core itself is basically a massive lump of mana, making it useful in all sorts of ways.
Guess I'll have to hand this off to Olfather or StarlightPrincess?
Either way, from my perspective, it was a total pain to deal with. And it was huge, too. Average Guardian cores were fist-sized, but the one I nabbed was basketball territory. Bigger cores meant stronger Guardians, so I got lucky on that front.
If it hadn't been an Oriharukon Guardian, would I even be alive?
Oriharukon Guardians have a key weakness: hypersensitivity to mana. That worked both for and against them, letting me barely scrape out a win. I stared blankly at the now-dull core, scratching my head.
Guess I should just ask around.
One thing was clear: I had almost no use for it myself. If only I could absorb it like an elixir or carry it around like a mana orb. Hell, I couldn't even play ball with the damn thing. It was so hard that kicking it felt like it'd shatter my bones. It was round enough that Wonmo might roll it around okay, but screw that—I'd just buy a soccer ball instead.
Disposing of a core.
YasaengGrill (Photo of the core with a stab mark in the center)
This thing seems pretty useless to me. Anyone need it?
└Cheonma What could one even do with that?
└YasaengGrill No clue. PassingDwarf said something about it being like firewood?
└Cheonma This lady has no need for it.
└YasaengGrill Got it.
└SwordTasteStar Think of a core as a top-tier battery. Makes it easier.
└YasaengGrill Any use for me?
└SwordTasteStar Pretty trash?
└YasaengGrill ;;;
└Olfather I have no need for it either. I've already mastered core-related research, so it's meaningless.
└YasaengGrill Any use for me?
└Olfather None that I can think of. You don't have machinery, and you can't use magic, so it's just dead weight.
└YasaengGrill What about carrying it to absorb mana when I'm low? Seems decent.
└Olfather If it were smaller, maybe. But it's too big. Not a bad option, though. You'd need to repair it first.
└YasaengGrill If repairs are involved, might as well give it away.
└StarlightPrincess I just upgraded my lab's power source, so no need. If I'd known, I could've held out a few more days. Shame.
└YasaengGrill Bummer. Cores must be sneakily useful, huh?
└StarlightPrincess Portable mana lumps, yeah. Considering how much mana stuff like refrigerators guzzles, they're pretty great.
The consensus? Great item, but super niche uses. Better to skip buying one just for battery duty, etc. A real chicken rib—too good to toss, too useless to keep. Made disposal even trickier.
Auction house it is, then...
That's when it hit.
└GrowTrees Excuse me! If you don't need the core, care to trade with me?
└Why are you here?
└Pops up now and then.
└What nonsense now;;
GrowTrees chimed in with a bubbly yet polite tone. But why the sudden interest? Honestly, it was out of left field.
They comment occasionally, but still.
GrowTrees was a pretty infamous high-nick. Infamous in a bad way. Gallery rumors pegged them as an elf with rampant imperialist vibes—justifyin' territorial grabs in earnest or as a joke, who knows.
Opposite of Judaek, I guess?
Both were energetic, but their vibes and mindsets were polar opposites. Maybe that's why I caught myself prejudging—but I shoved it down. Bottom line, they wanted my pain-in-the-ass core.
└YasaengGrill Trade's fine. What're you offering? No trees or seeds, please.
└GrowTrees How about an Alvenheim sapling?
└YasaengGrill Trees are already everywhere around me;;
└Wanna punch 'em in the solar plexus lol
└No conscience? Straight-up none existin'?
└Elf rep lol Hope it's not serious. Prayin' it's a bit.
Galleries overflow with concept players. If this wasn't one, that'd be a whole other problem.
└GrowTrees Fair enough. How about a bow?
└YasaengGrill Got a crossbow already. Don't really need one.
└GrowTrees Didn't you say your people are great archers?
└YasaengGrill Not all elves are, right?
└GrowTrees Ah. Got it! Understood! Then how about tobacco made from World Tree leaves?
└YasaengGrill Tobacco? Like cigarettes?
└GrowTrees Yes!
Swapping a core for smokes so boldly? I was floored. Smoke smell wasn't an issue post-barbecue, but the sheer audacity piqued my curiosity beyond the absurdity.
└YasaengGrill You say it so confidently—must be good stuff?
└Pretty good. One of Alvenheim's signature products.
└Believe "healthy smokes"? Better than most herbs.
└YasaengGrill Healthy cigarettes? Where they at?
└GrowTrees Right here!
Couldn't buy it. This world's tech lagged behind Earth in spots—though some fields matched or beat it. Even on Earth, tobacco's harms took ages to uncover. World Tree leaves or not, sketchy.
Just fancy cigs, probably.
Gallery search confirmed: luxury smokes. Claims of aiding mana circulation or internal power methods, usable as incense—total BS, ignored 'em all. For survival-focused me, luxury smokes were just more junk. If I smoked, I'd snag some at auction anyway.
└YasaengGrill Prefer stuff that helps me survive over that.
└GrowTrees How about gloves?
└YasaengGrill What kind?
└GrowTrees World Tree gloves! Made from silk of silkworms fed World Tree leaves.
└YasaengGrill Good ones?
└Obviously;; World Tree, duh??
└This fool's stuck in the woods, clueless about the world lol
└Their spot's even better lol
Apparently rare beyond "good." Specs: lighter than any glove, feels like nothin' on, tough yet tear-proof. Wildest? Regeneration—feed it mana, and it self-repairs damage.
Nice.
Perfect for my hand-heavy life. Hands were wrecked from logging, fires, gutting fish, charcoal, sword practice, etc. Never unscathed. PassingDwarf's gloves were basic work ones—too clunky for precision.
Hands matter more than feet, even.
Sounded solid, so I accepted GrowTrees' offer. Core was junk anyway—might as well offload it.
GrowTrees registered the trade item.
GrowTrees Thanks for the great trade! Need anything else?
YasaengGrill Nothin' right now. This legit good?
GrowTrees I stake an elf's pride and honor on it! Thanks.
YasaengGrill BTW, what're you doin' with the core?
GrowTrees Can't say details, but it'll let me plant trees way more efficiently!
Imperialist eco-activist combo. Weirder than dog-meat tanghulu. Still, they helped me big-time, so I'd play along.
Love plantin' trees?
GrowTrees Yes! Planting beautiful Alvenheim trees across the world—that's my goal!
Rumors said backlash was fierce... You good?
GrowTrees No worries needed!
Makes me worry more.
What was up with this world's elves? Usually noble icons, but this one? Public menace. Gallery info only, so no prejudging—but first elf trade bein' this nutty? Suspicious.
GrowTrees Thanks so much for tradin'! May the World Tree's blessing be upon you!]
Thanks. Seemed decent enough, so whatever. I wrapped up with GrowTrees and checked the goods.
"Huh?"
They tossed in extras—not one or two. Fancy bow? Fine. Mystery smokes? Okay. But that sparkling blue-leaf sapling? No way.
Potted sapling.
Damn.
Forcin' a tree on me, huh. Bow and smokes were bribes for it. Gloves were legit, though—no complaints.
Fine. I'll plant it; nature can raise it.
Checked the gloves. Shape was...
...Aren't these work gloves?
Like rubberless garden ones. Whiter, softer texture. Felt familiar—I slipped 'em on wordlessly.
Not bad.
Insanely comfy. Breezy too—felt faint air flows. No sweaty palms ahead. Wanted to test regen, but later.
Three pairs, even. Generous for pricey rares.
Next: World Tree leaf smokes. Cigar-like, chunkier than standard cigs.
Lots, too.
Five in a small wooden box—open/close lid, ashtray compartment.
Last: Noble-glowin' bow. Tested draw strength.
Twang!
"Huh?"
Way stronger than expected—no budge. Flashback to first crossbow from PassingDwarf.
"Raaagh!"
Yelled and strained to full draw. Stronger than back then, yet this brutal? What kinda elf—especially GrowTrees—wields this? Archer = agile rogue, right? Or user was a monster. Dizzying.
Took ages to master, probably. Wonder how adapted I'd be by then. Hoped never to find out—turned away.
There sat the potted sapling.
"......"
Fine. Whatever. Plant the damn thing. Proof shot ain't hard.
*****
Got another pet.
YasaengGrill (Photo of the kinda cute sapling)
GrowTrees gifted me this adorable sapling. Thanks.
└Cheonma What plant is that?
└YasaengGrill No idea. Just took what they gave.
└Cheonma Suspicious, but pretty is pretty.
└YasaengGrill Takes forever to grow, probs.
└SwordTasteStar Elf gift, so nothin' weird, right.
└YasaengGrill Weird plants exist?
└SwordTasteStar Duh. Man-eaters and such.
└YasaengGrill Whoa
└PassingDwarf You got scammed by that pointy-ear lol
└YasaengGrill Sapling weird? They helped, so return the favor.
└PassingDwarf True. Four Seasons Forest's neutral—no touchin' it.
└That Kkanbu's persistent af lol Finally planted.
└Rooted deep or spiteful;;
└Kkanbus stubborn as hell lol
└Someone broke those elder Kkanbus' iron wills?
└Elf queen's nuts too lol
"Heh. Perfect."
Golden hair shimmering like gold-thread weave. Classic elf beauty, pointed ears. Eyes green as forest canopy. Elegant dress couldn't hide her curves.
"Now Alvenheim's trees take root in the Four Seasons Forest too."
One elf beamed openly. Mature looks with girlish freshness—dizzying charm.
Knock knock.
[Your Majesty. You summoned me.]
Someone knocked. The elf queen closed the Gallery window, voice soft.
"Come in."
Warm, crystal-clear tone. Door creaked open—another elf.
"You're here."
"Yes, Your Majesty. But... what is it?"
"Time to lay the cornerstone for our great cause... something like that?"
"Pardon?"
Elf blinked wide-eyed at the cryptic words. Queen eyed the round orb on her lap.
The core just traded from Grills—stab mark center.
She smiled deeply at it, then spoke again.
"Prep the experiment immediately. Got our power source."
"B-but the elders..."
"......"
"N-no! Right away!"
Elf bolted mid-sentence—near flight. Queen smirked satisfied, murmuring low.
"Make Alvenheim great again!"