From Seed to Blood Sprout

Level 10? Evolvable? I didn't feel anything like that at all.

All the isekai novels I'd read were packed with exaggerated descriptions. Blinding lights enveloping the body with every level up, overwhelming power surging through every ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠limb... Even in Shadow Symphony, characters leveled up with flashy blue glows. But the growth I actually experienced was different. Absorbing the drake's blood just made me... feel alive. Each time my new roots sucked up nutrients, I felt a bit sturdier, my stem stretching a little longer. That was it. No dramatic effects, no sudden power surges. Just quiet, natural growth.

That must've been the level up, huh?

I actually preferred this modest realism. The flashy spectacles in games and novels were probably just illusions to satisfy human fantasies.

Right, this isn't a game-inspired world... if anything, it's the opposite.

Status windows and levels were par for the course in any isekai. They were just visualized differently in each game. Unrealistic mechanics like full HP recovery on level up, or explosive effects on growth—those were definitely game and novel exaggerations.

That's what I believe. I wasn't some data fragment!

Yeah! Forget game data—this is a real isekai reincarnation!

Thanks to leveling up, I'd grasped the truth of this world.

Wait, does that mean sprouting into a seedling counts as evolution?

I could picture the status window popping up with "Evolution complete." Just like the level up, evolution would probably pass quietly, like nature intended.

No! Evolution can be a total spectacle—it's an isekai, after all!

Anyway, I'm right. While anxiously checking my status window, I spotted something odd.

Michael's... cheer...?

Huh, when did this show up!?

I'd prayed off and on and checked my status, but I didn't remember getting this trait.

Oh! When I nearly froze to death? When the status window ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was blaring like crazy!?

That made sense. It explained my freakishly quick frost resistance gain.

Benevolent Goddess of Light Michael! I swear, no more casual talk! Thank you so so much! I'll grow into a good plant, promise!

I vowed never to harbor irreverent thoughts again. Glancing at Michael's cheer description once more.

Wait... a heart...?

It might seem silly, but that heart warmed my lonely, reincarnated seed heart. Like a hug from a goddess herself.

Don't tell me the Frost Drake too!?

Stretching it to say the goddess flung that gory mess my way, but as Michael's devout follower now, even that was divine grace.

Aah... Lady Michael, was the drake you too?

With Michael's cheer, nothing could stop me. Confidence surged.

Time to head topside!

Finally, I broke the surface, my sprout emerging. Sensory overload hit instantly. New sensations flooded in—impossible underground. Cold, dry air brushed my sprout's skin. Faint blue light from the ice cave walls filtered through my leaves. Everything aboveground was vivid, sharp. Vibrations carried through the air with exquisite detail, far beyond my old detection.

Checking myself via detection, dismay hit.

Uh... is that me?

A red-and-pink sprout glimmered faintly on the ice. Like a strawberry carved into sprout shape. Blame the blood diet—I'd never imagined evolving from watermelon-seed-me into this. Two ruby-thin leaves sparkled. My stem glowed transparent pink, crystalline like ice. Roots were thin black threads, but their tips sharpened to red needles.

The roots felt controllable, like limbs. They responded naturally. Scraping ice with a sharp tip screeched eerily.

Whoa! Wooow!!!

Is this evolution!

I thought it'd just end with "Evolved"—no fanfare!

Not cataclysmic, but definitely mid-tier spectacle. Admiring myself, the status window chimed late.

Too slow!

Still, plenty of new info I hadn't known.

Alright, status window again!

I scanned the updated status. Blood Sprout—obvious. No big description. Just a blood seedling, I guess. Same level post-evolution. True isekai style—games would've reset it. Stats unified at 60 except agility. Movable roots gave me attack power from zero, and the huge jumps elsewhere? Evolution's no joke. HP hadn't recovered the lost 26. Real isekai. Skills: Photosynthesis useless in a labyrinth, but Toxicity and Root Protrusion? Perfect attack/defense tools.

Another blessing from Lady Michael...

I prayed gratefully. Any adventurer would scoff—basic plant monster skills—but whatever. Finished praying, I finally surveyed around. Open space expanded detection hugely. Underground unchanged, but aboveground? Sprout eyes everywhere. At vision's edge, smooth blue ice walls stretched like mirrors. Deep cracks everywhere, chilly fog seeping out. I was in this vast, beautiful-yet-eerie ice chamber ringed by those walls.

Whoa...

With the Frost Drake corpse.

I wanted to ignore the gross lump, but spotting the protein ore had triggered a description. Swallowing revulsion, I glared at the corpse, demanding info.

Ugh... disgusting. Status window, do something! When's it gonna show!?

As if responding, it appeared.

I wanted info, but A-rank threat and gear materials? Felt too human-centric, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like for game players. I'd just convinced myself it was real isekai, now back to data?

Hmm... nah, don't overthink.

Even in isekai, status windows are for regular humans. Obvious.

Games said "monster," here it's "beast." No threat rating originally either.

Rationalized quick, analyzed new bits. For immobile me, one thing mattered.

Aaah... am I in the lower levels now...?

Labyrinths got deadlier deeper. If lower levels teemed with drake-like beasts...

No! It's a gift from Michael!

Definitely upper levels—manageable even in a great labyrinth.

…

Pok.

Pok.

Pok.

Thin black roots poked up, stabbing the nasty drake corpse. Remaining blood frozen, unabsorbable, but training for future beast fights.

Yes!

Pok.

Roots protruded faster. No drama, but LV10 might evolve stronger.

Why's no one coming here, though?

Suddenly, detection edge pinged.

Huh? What's that...?

Eek!

My pointless worrying summoned weirdos.