Seratus’s steps sank into the soil as he fell into a silent reverie. The land he had inspected yesterday still lingered in his thoughts, especially the ten unsown potato seeds.
They lay quietly in his system backpack, a silent reminder of his unfinished task. Though these seeds were not cheap, he knew that if he didn’t plant them soon, he would lose a significant opportunity by letting them sit idle. Yet, before him was the flower field, where the Radiant Flowers were gradually blooming under the sunlight, destined to burst into dazzling blossoms.
“If I plant the potatoes here, it might not only intensify the competition for nutrients but also disrupt the balance of the entire field,” he murmured to himself. Seratus’s heart was filled with conflict—a mix of cherishing resources and unwillingness to abandon the potential of this land.
He pondered how to plant them without hindering the growth of the Radiant Flowers and eventually decided to bury the potatoes at the edge of the field, far from the main planting area. Planting was no simple task; behind each seed lay countless possibilities. He took out the elemental watering can, and crystal-clear droplets fell, nourishing the life in the soil. Yet, Seratus had already made another decision in his heart—to cultivate new farmland.
Standing on this land, Seratus looked up and gazed at the mysterious card floating in the air. Its faint green glow enveloped the surrounding ten meters of land, as if infusing it with the breath of life.
Excitement rose in his heart: “This land is perfectly covered by the energy, ensuring it remains vibrant.” He looked at the lush plants and trees, but a thought flashed through his mind—if he didn’t clear the old trees, the new farmland could not be properly developed.
This thought surged like a tide, and his gaze turned to the ancient trees. A wave of conflicting emotions rose within him: these trees had shielded him from the scorching sun, but they also obstructed the cultivation of the land. He hesitated for a moment, then sighed, “Perhaps, this is something I must do.”
Seratus took a deep breath, and a glint of determination flashed in his eyes. He raised his massive dragon claw without hesitation. The claw tore through the air with a howl, striking the tree trunk like lightning.
“Crack—” Not the crisp sound of a clean break, but a grating, bone-chilling noise that shattered the forest’s silence. It was the sound of wood fibers being brutally torn apart, followed by a deep, thunderous “Boom!” as if a mountain had collapsed. The towering old tree, under his immense force, let out a groan of agony and toppled over.
The canopy, like a collapsing sky, fell heavily to the ground with countless leaves that had no time to bid farewell, sending a shockwave through the earth. Soil and dead branches flew into the air.
When the trunk hit the ground, the vibrations could be felt beneath his feet, and the echoes lingered in the forest, as if nature itself was mourning. “These old trees, though they once shielded me from the sun, should no longer hinder my farming,” he whispered, his tone carrying an unshakable resolve.
He opened his mouth again, releasing a burst of flame. The fire instantly engulfed the fallen trees, turning them into charred charcoal. The flames danced in the air, the heat wave rushing toward him, but Seratus carefully controlled the fire, avoiding excessive scorching of the soil.
“This way, I can clear the obstacles while preserving the land’s nutrients,” he thought to himself.
As the flames gradually weakened and dissipated into wisps of smoke, the air was filled with the acrid scent of burnt wood.
Seratus bent down and picked up a piece of still-warm charcoal, his fingers rubbing its rough surface. He felt no guilt, firmly believing that these ashes would eventually become fertile soil, nurturing new life.
However, when his gaze fell on the tangled roots that had broken free from the soil, his heart sank slightly. The thick, powerful roots were deeply embedded in the earth, like the veins of the land. If he were to remove them completely, would it harm the land’s foundation? A hint of hesitation crept into his heart.
After a moment’s pause, he chose to carefully pull out the exposed roots. Each pull was accompanied by a decisive “crack” as the roots were uprooted.
But then, “Seratus’s heart sank as he realized that if the elves discovered his destruction of the forest, it would surely ignite their fury. The wrath of nature’s guardians, like an all-consuming flame, would be difficult for him to handle in his current weakened state.”
Seratus felt a wave of unease: if the elves found out he was ravaging the forest, it would spell disaster. Though recent inspections had revealed no trace of the druids, he still felt a lingering sense of foreboding. “It’s better not to provoke the elves,” he decided.
Seratus put aside the thought of recruiting elves for now. At this moment, he only wanted to focus on his farming, to become a true farmer.
His hands did not stop working as he continued to remove roots and till the soil. The intricate roots repeatedly posed challenges, especially when he realized they made the soil structure more compact. The internal conflict grew more pronounced.
He knew the consequences of destroying everything, but he also understood that only by breaking the old balance could he create more possibilities for the future.
Finally, he took out the “Elemental Hoe” from his system space. With the tool in hand, the soil turned easily. The transformation of the land brought an indescribable power. Seratus quickly infused it with his flame, igniting the weeds. The fire, like a cunning snake, rapidly devoured every blade of grass.
The crisp sound echoed in the air as the vegetation withered and turned to ash. Seratus felt a sense of relief: “If these weeds aren’t cleared, the crops will surely be affected.”
As the last wisp of smoke dissipated, the scorched earth was left barren. Seratus straightened up, silently reminding himself, “Every inch of this land will be shaped by my own hands.”
He bent down again, tilling the soil with even greater care, his fingertips feeling the subtle pulse of the earth. Just then, a sudden electronic chime broke the tranquility of the field—“Ding! Host has successfully burned a worm +1, Karma Value +0.05.”
Seratus’s brow furrowed imperceptibly as the cold system panel appeared in his mind. “…Again, just because I burned a few worms?” A flicker of anger rose in his heart but quickly faded. “It can’t be helped. For the sake of the farmland, this is a necessary sacrifice,” he murmured to himself, his tone tinged with resignation. “Every renewal of the land comes with its own pain.”
“Karma Value is nothing, after all, I have Good Karma to balance it out,” he whispered, continuing to sow the crops. The field was now smooth, with carrot and potato seeds planted as planned. Seratus stood in the center of the farmland, taking a deep breath as he admired the fruits of his labor.
Seratus stood by the lake, feeling the weight of dirt and sweat clinging to his body. His scales were caked with mud, and the crevices between his claws and scales were packed with soil, making movement nearly impossible.
The scene before him was familiar—the exhausting labor had left him drained, but now he thought of how Agnas and Catilia would surely laugh if they saw him like this. He sighed, his gaze turning to the lake as he decided to wash away the grime.
Seratus shuddered as the cold water pierced his skin like a blade. As a red dragon, he was deeply connected to fire—heat and flames were his source of power. But now, the icy water caused his scales to tighten instinctively, every nerve in his body rebelling against this cold that contradicted his nature. Yet, he did not retreat. The water gradually enveloped him, and he took a deep breath, feeling the calm it brought. Though the cold spread through him, the fire in his heart began to settle.
Submerged in the water, he gradually adjusted to the dim light, swimming slowly. The water was like a thin veil, gently wrapping around him, but as he went deeper, the chill grew more pronounced.
Seratus began to reflect on how he had once craved the warmth of fire, yet now he was surrounded by this icy lake. He could clearly feel the conflict between the two, but he knew this quiet underwater world might hold unexpected discoveries.
“He continued to swim deeper, passing through the dense water grass as the lakebed gradually came into view. Seratus’s heart sank—the silence of the lakebed filled him with a deep sense of loss.
This lake, which he had hoped would hold ancient treasures, now seemed desolate, with only time-worn stones and decaying remains, as if silently recounting a forgotten history.”
Moving forward, he swam into a more open area. Stones protruded from the water, their surfaces covered in moss, and the surrounding water grass grew sparse. The scene became eerily quiet.
Seratus suddenly felt a sense of oppression—the atmosphere here was both tranquil and dangerous. The silence seemed to conceal an undercurrent, a hidden threat lurking in the shadows.
Every subtle change in the water stimulated Seratus’s senses. He slowed his swimming and began to carefully observe his surroundings. Occasionally, dark red spots appeared beneath the water grass, like traces of blood left by some creature, yet they didn’t seem to be from a battle—more like the silent remnants of life that had ended here.
Seratus felt a pang of unease, as if every blade of water grass hid a secret!
Seratus swam slowly, the faint light in the water making the lakebed appear both mysterious and eerie. The water grass grew sparse, revealing patchy stones and sediment patterns. In the dim light, the moss covering the stones formed deep, shadowy marks.
This place was not peaceful; instead, it exuded a latent chill, as if a slumbering monster from ages past was quietly watching the intruder.
As he advanced, Seratus noticed occasional dark spots beneath the water grass, like imprints of dead life, yet without any trace of struggle—just silent passing.
The decaying animal carcasses seemed to have suffered from illness or starvation before finally finding rest in this deep, dark lake. The water had silently carried them to this forgotten abyss, where the lakebed was filled with the scent of mold and decay, yet it remained eerily calm, as if nature’s laws were quietly at work.
Seratus felt a wave of discomfort. As a red dragon, he was accustomed to the intensity of fire and heat, but this cold, dark water caused his scales to tighten instinctively, a chill spreading through his body. He had once been the master of fire and lava, yet now he was entwined with the depth of water, a contradiction that made him uneasy. However, his human curiosity compelled him to not ignore the strange scene before him.
He continued deeper, observing every stone entangled in water grass and the out-of-place remains. Suddenly, his gaze froze on one area. The water grass there was pressed down by some force, forming strange folds, as if concealing an unknown threat.
As he observed, Seratus suddenly felt a piercing cold, a gaze so icy it carried an overwhelming pressure he had never felt before. It seemed to lurk in the depths of darkness, craving to devour everything.
Cautiously swimming closer, his heartbeat quickened, and his unease made him almost lose control of his movements. As he neared the source of the vibrations, he suddenly heard faint tremors from the lakebed, as if some hidden creature was stirring in the depths. The water grass began to sway gently, whispering in silence, as if the lakebed was quietly awakening at this very moment.
Continuing deeper, he noticed more anomalies. The water grass was entwined with strange vines, their surfaces shimmering with an eerie green light.
Scattered in the sediment nearby were tiny stones, like traces of some creature’s activity. The entire lakebed was permeated with an inexplicable sense of oppression, as if something powerful and dangerous lurked here, patiently waiting for its prey to approach.
The faint underwater light barely penetrated the surface, casting mottled patterns on Seratus’s path as the lakebed gradually took shape in the gloom. The water grass grew even sparser, leaving only a few scattered plants, revealing vast, jagged rocks and sediment etched with the marks of time.
Thick moss covered every stone like a green carpet, densely packed as if sealing ancient, dormant secrets. In the air, aside from the dampness of the lakebed, there was a faint, indescribable scent of decay, making it hard to breathe. An invisible pressure, like heavy chains, tightly bound this dark abyss, as if an ancient beast lay dormant, ready to devour.
Just then, Seratus’s dragon eyes caught a faint glimmer of light flickering in the dark waters ahead. He focused his gaze and saw that the water grass in that area was twisted unnaturally, as if pressed down by some invisible force.
Swimming closer, several smooth stones came into view, lying quietly on the lakebed, weathered by time yet still emitting a faint blue-green glow. Seratus’s heart trembled slightly—these stones should not be in this ordinary lake. The energy they contained seemed like a call from the abyss, silently drawing him in, tempting him to approach.
He reached out a claw and gently touched one of the stones. The cold sensation quickly spread through his body. These were stones imbued with extraordinary magic.
A sudden urge rose in Seratus’s heart—to collect all these stones. The atmosphere of the lakebed seemed to grow more unsettled. Reason told him that the closer he got to these stones, the greater the danger, but the alluring power was hard to resist.
He began gathering the magical stones, each one exuding an aura of power. As more stones piled up in his claws—at least a dozen—their magic seemed connected to the depths of the lake. Seratus felt an increasing sense of unease.
“These things…” he muttered under his breath, a wave of caution rising within him. These stones shouldn’t be here. They belonged deep in mineral veins, not at the bottom of this lake!
Despite his growing doubts, he didn’t stop his actions! Just as he was about to pick up another stone, the currents in the lakebed began to churn violently. At first, it was just a slight tremor, but soon the water grass around him shook violently, as if something was awakening from the depths.
Seratus quickly retracted his claw and turned his body, scanning his surroundings with alert eyes. The stones and the changes in this area seemed to have triggered a hidden force lurking in the shadows.
He felt an overwhelming pressure closing in from all directions. The darkness of the lakebed was no longer still but filled with unknown threats. His heart raced, and a low, rumbling whisper seemed to echo in his ears as the currents grew more turbulent.
Seratus knew he could not stay here any longer. The hidden force in the darkness was like a giant beast, lying in wait, ready to strike at any moment.
Yet, the path of retreat was not simple. The undercurrents grew stronger, and the water pressure increased, suppressing Seratus’s strength. The power of fire was nearly useless in this cold water, and everything around him seemed to press down on him.
His scales trembled slightly, and each movement required more effort. The pressure made it hard to breathe, and the oppressive atmosphere of the lakebed suffocated him. Anxiety and thoughts of survival intertwined in his mind.
His gaze swept over the stones again, the conflict between impulse and reason intensifying. Finally, he realized the danger of the lakebed could no longer be ignored. Even as a red dragon, facing such immense water pressure and lurking threats, he had to be cautious.
“This is bad, danger! Get out now,” Seratus gritted his teeth, flapping his wings and clawing his way upward.
His breathing grew rapid, and fear began to spread within him. The pressure in the water intensified, and the once-mighty power of fire felt fragile in this icy realm.
He had once been the master of flames, but in this cold, deep water, his strength was almost useless. His small wings struggled to propel him through the water, and the weight of his body made it hard to glide. His scales felt unusually heavy in the cold, and his strength seemed drained.
The water grass twisted more violently, and the silence of the lakebed felt like an unseen beast, waiting in the shadows.
Seratus’s heart pounded as the sunlight above grew distant, and everything around him was swallowed by shadows. The strange force was like a net, gradually closing in around him. Each movement was more urgent, and the thing hidden in the darkness silently drew closer.
He tried to summon his flames again, but at that moment, the tremors in the lakebed grew even more intense. The water grass seemed to be yanked by some force, and the entire lakebed began to churn.
Seratus’s heart raced uncontrollably, and a deep roar seemed to rise from the darkness, as if some massive creature was awakening. His mind told him he could not stay here any longer.
With all his strength, he spread his wings, trying to break free from the water’s grip. Yet, the weight and pressure of the water made each flap of his wings feel unbearably heavy, as if the entire lake was resisting him.
The environment around him grew more unstable, the currents surging violently. Seratus felt an indescribable fear, his instincts telling him this was no ordinary threat.
“What is this?” he growled, anxiety and fear intertwining in his heart. He flapped his wings once more, the surface of the water within reach, but the pressure around him made it impossible to break through.
Just then, a massive shadow emerged from the depths, like a beast unleashed.
Seratus’s eyes widened in shock as the pressure reached its peak. He struggled desperately, swimming upward with all his might. The currents grew more turbulent, trying to drag him back into the darkness.
With a gasp, Seratus finally broke through the surface, leaping out and collapsing on the ground, panting heavily! He looked at the surging waters of the lake—this was no peaceful body of water but a dragon-devouring beast!
