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Arc 1 (Conception): (35) Plant Magic
On the way to the Gazina city, We have with us 10 slaves. Initially, it is easy to level up for 0->1, so the level-up of slaves was frequent, but each subsequent level-up is ten times harder for others. Now that all the slaves were level-1 and few were showing signs of reaching the next level-up. While the harvesting of herbs in farms and forest was good as steady and homogeneous level-up, but hunting provided the chance for fast level up for a few better at hunting. So, working with plants with blessings ensured that each Slave has at least a minimum level criteria even if he is not good with hunting. Hunting produced a few fast-level slaves, But we wanted to avoid the fast level-up; we have no one-leaf to give to these slaves. These fast-level slaves are good at hunting and will be our fighting force in the future. Therefore, our new arrangement was to hunt and harvest herb to meet the daily quota, not level-up.
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This visit to the Ancient forest was very beneficial for me. The Goddess of plants has given me guidelines on how to proceed with my wizard profession. Out of my seven awakened skills, Merchant, Assassin, Born to rule, Life-Phases, Skill master, Soul Plunder, and Wizard, three skils are active (Assassin, Skill Master, and Wizard), three skills are passive (Merchant, Born to rule, and Soul Plunder), last one skill Life-phase is of unknown nature. Therefore, to properly exploit the effect of my awakened skills on my body growth to raise my body potential with level-up, I have to use these skills at least once before level-up. But, I need not worry about passive and could not do anything about Life-Phase due to its unknown nature.
Therefore, my only focus is on active skills, as the 'Skill Master' skill was already in use for hiding all my skills except the 'Merchant' skill. As I now know how to use Wizard skill and assassin skill, I can now implement my long-awaited planned attack on the Chor Gang. This Chor gang will be fodder for my level-up.
Therefore, as soon as I reached the shop, I gave Qunia and Ramu control to take care of everything, moved to a separate room, and concentrated on following the new insights provided by Goddess on Wizard Skill. First, I took out a few seeds in my hand, which I have collected in the forest, and focused my mana on it. Soon, I could see a faint green glean around the seed's outer surface. After some time, I throw it on the ground outside and saw how slowly seeds were growing out a sprout. Within minutes, the seeds have roots in the soil, and a small shoot with two green leaves and one growth upwards was standing.
When I first saw my 'Wizard' skill in action, I could not help but feel proud and happy. But soon realized that it has minimal use in combat and was not something dramatic like the fire magic performed by Blue-Sky Sect's cultivator, at the Party that day. But I did not want to give up so soon; after all, this was my first magic in action. I repeated the skill with a single seed, thinking maybe the growth speed will be more if I apply the 'Wizard' skill on a single target. Again, I meet the failure in the form of no change in the seed's growth speed. Then I wanted to see if there is an upper limit on how many seeds I can affect with this 'Plant Magic,' so I kept increasing the seeds in the hand after the last one is covered in the green glow of mana modified with 'Plant Magic.' After adding something like 20 seeds, I had a severe headache, but I persisted and tried to forcefully complete this attempt. As soon as the last seed was done, I lost consciousness.
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When I woke up, I was in my bed at the shop. Qunia was sitting on the side of my bed and taking a nap. So, I relaxed. Looks like when I was unconscious lying on the ground, Qunia has brought me here. So, I try to conclude what I learned about 'Plant Magic.' I spend about 1 MP per seed to use the skill, and I have not figured out how to use more MP on a single plant seed to increase its growth speed, but this would do for the time being as my goal of using skill at least one time was reached. So, I tried to get out of the bed without waking Qunia, but failed. Resulting in her asking me, "What happened, Dear? How are you feeling?"
Saying, so she hugged me and to show how much she was worried after suddenly finding me unconscious. I could not help but reciprocate her feelings to calm her anxious heart. I have only now realized that nobody else was here, showing me that she has managed to hide this from others to avoided unnecessary panic in slaves.
"I am fine. How long was I unconscious?"
"Not for long now, it is evening outside. let's have some food together." (Qunia)
Looks like she was also waiting for me with food at side to eat. So, we talked while eating in the room. As I was yet to be updated about Gazina city happenings, Qunia gave me updates:
Our Merata Wild Meat shop was doing well as we were now selling our meat products to both the rich and middle class of Gazina city. Due to this, slowly, our products were making a name for itself among citizens and, day-by-day, our daily sell targets were reached earlier than the previous day. Our shop was facing the only limit due to the number of Meats we sell daily. Everyone here has made two suggests that first to raise the prize and another to make two teams for making daily trip between Merata village and Gazina city to increase our meat supply and meet the demands.
After this good news, finally, the topic shifted to our sour-thumb. Looks like the Chor gang was still adamant about trying to hinder our operation and was not affected by new rise in power of Zuya noble house as we wished. This also confirmed that the Chor gang has a backer. But things were not as simple as before when my slaves were weakling to be bullied at level-0. Now, most slaves were level-1 and some even showed hints of reaching level-2. So, our slaves were moving in groups and would resist harassment by these thieves, and sometimes even beat them. But this new change was not taken lightly by the Chor gang, and they were now flaunting new weapons on waist. So, it was now necessary to take care of this Chor gang. As this rouse has gone for long to let this Chor gang enjoy their delusion that they have us in their grasp. Chor gang has stretched this liberty so far that my people think that now either the Chor gang would see the next daylight, or they, but not both. Since I loved my slaves, so, it was necessary to show this Chor gang their place.
Therefore, I called Ramu, Tom, Sam, and Colson and ordered to arm all our fit to fight slaves with the best fighting equipment of their choice and fight Chor Gang tomorrow. Listening to me, all their faces showed visible happiness, indicating for how long they have wanted to retaliate against the Chor gang. They were happy that now their master was ready to retaliate.
And since now, we have some money to spend, I also ordered them to buy more equipment for our hunter teams in Merata village to decrease our dependency on villagers' borrowed equipment.
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Before I reached Gazina city, as soon as possible, I wanted to tell Tuner and Haku about Plant Goddess and Ancient forest. But then I realized that it would be better to let them do their research and learn what the church of God of healing and light, and adventurer guild know about the ancient forest. This would also save me from explaining about my source of information, which would not help me in erasing their doubt about origin of one-leaf. As even Tuner has repeatedly told me that no talk on subject of God-Goddess in this world was best for me. So, I did not disturb them and quietly proceeded with my plan for the Chor gang.
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The next day, we first plan to lure Chor gang thieves and learn about the Chor gang. So, as planned, a slave move through the market behaving like he was here for marketing. While 20 slaves divided in two teams led by Qunia and me were waiting outside the market in different locations at all exits. The Slave sent to lure a Chor gang thieve can come out from either directions and would try to draw him in alley, and rest would be handled by team present there. meanwhile, rest of the teams would circle the area for backup.
As it was a routine for Chor gang members to harass my slaves without any consequences. Therefore, when a thieve of Chor gang saw this slave of mine moving alone in market, he did not hesitate, or found it strange and started to follow him.
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This slave sent was a very nimble one and he was always making sure to avoid this Chor gangsters' pursuit by hairsbreadth and making him believe that this one was desperately trying to run away from him in the city. Believing him to be his pray this thieve followed, while the slave would give thieve enough chance to follow him to the designated alley. Seeing how swiftly the slave was moving and avoiding his attempt to intercept a few times. "Was it a fluke?" the thief mumbled but was still not feeling anxious at all and kept following.
As real world does not work on plans of mortals, something unexpected happened. Four more gangsters arrived from the opposite directions. Seeing them, thieve greeted them and invited to have some fun with the Slave. Since, harassing weak are entertainment of these gangs, they happily joined thieve and quickly gave chase to the Slave. Now, Thieve was assured that with four more people at his side how much longer can a mare slave would survive that didn't even have any combat skill or level to back. Since city terrain was complex for any newcomer to navigate, this slave wouldn't be able to escape.
But as if lost where to run slave stepped into a side alley, when they were greeting. The thieves were now smiling ear to ear now, it was like sheep has entered the wolfs den, and gangsters quickly moved toward that alley behind the slave.
I was waiting with others hiding in the shadows with the building in the street, paying attention to the approaching gangsters, who were casually holding their sword and knife to scare slave. I could not help but inwardly sneered, trying to hunt my Slave while I have the advantage in both numbers and weapons.
Even after seeing these Chor Gang members coming close, the slave did not cower like they expected him to, but was waiting for them. Seeing this Chor gangsters were shocked and doubtful at first but soon thought it as the last-ditch effort to survive by the slave.
While they were still trying to assess the situation, our encirclement was ready, and after getting my signal, four gangsters were cut and stabbed before they could even make any sound, and the slave who was being followed took out his knife and put it on the last shocked gangsters neck and stopped him from daring to make noise.
These pieces of trash were barely good enough to be considered adventurers. Although these thieves' strengths were higher than a slave, before our group of 23, it was nothing, especially when we were using this city terrain for our advantage.
