“The blade is translucent, as is mana’s nature. The hue is pure, the quality of mana can be considered adequate.”

“Feels a bit lackluster. I can barely see the blade, will this work?”

“The oscillating mana blade has doubled the width and length of the decorated wooden sword.”

“It’s pretty, ye. But I’m worried about how see through it is. Won’t it shatter after a single strike?”

“The significance of such an item, to a person like Ji. Is the lack of control required.

It takes no effort other than the consumption of mana to maintain this form. This means it does not affect other active spells.”

“Really? Okay that can be good, I guess. Let’s go test this out.”

“Swinging the sword in the way he would use the Oh clan’s martial arts the blade appears to be liquid at times and solid at others.

As if to celebrate their new companion, six blades swivel around Ji. They follow Ji patiently. His step measured, each in tandem with the Oh clan’s foundational movement techniques.”

“This feels right. If it’s like this, I feel safer. If something manges to get in close, I can use this blade.”

“Whether the blade will fulfill its role as a last measure is to be seen. His style of combat has centered around the idea of staying away from his enemies.

The martial art techniques of the Oh clan serves our hero well. While this technique is not ideal for such a rigid body, it is better than none at all.

His two companions rest in Tréjörðs tree while our hero practices his combat abilities. The dark night makes him hard to see, but not impossible.”

“Look at this, how cool is this?”

“With every swing, three blades follow consecutively. The ability appears powerful. But this ability is just appears to be powerful.

The unnecessary actions, the easy to predict movements. There are too many things wrong.”

“I’m not going to argue with that. But it just looks cool.

I can make all the blades attack either way. This blade really doesn’t need anything but mana.”

“Having thoroughly tested his new item he finally decides to sleep.

It’s in these ways that our hero and his companions spend their days. Limited by Tréjörð’s and Wraps of sorrow and despair endurance, they can only move so fast.

Our hero’s new ability allowed them to continue their slaughter with relative ease. But Tréjörð’s ability is too consuming.”

“Two or three more sessions we should be done.”

‘We’d be done, if you didn’t have extra requirements.’

‘We promised to complete these quests together.’

“Thank you, Trjejorth.”

‘Don’t bolster his ego, you know how he is.’

“After several days together the group has gotten to understand our hero’s faults. As many as they are.

| Ji Aleksy. Elementalist. Mana fiend: Level Five-hundred-twenty-four |

|Quest log|

|Optional: The reformed city|

“The ancient city of Heo has been reformed, but by who and how?”

Travel to the free city Heo and find out how the city was rebuilt.

Location: Portal room.

Difficulty: Medium

Reward: Tier appropriate item.

|Optional: Back to the grind|

“The prophet said to the wanderer ‘Swim against the water or be swallowed by the tide.’ The wanderer took this advice and escaped drowning.”

Travel to the appropriate wildlands and cull the malignant fiends scouring the land.

Location: Portal room.

Difficulty: Medium.

Reward: Tier appropriate weapon.

|Optional: Camp Sharpstone needs|

“Help those about to fall, for when you descend, they will catch you”

Gather seven-hundred tons of |Living rock|: 680.2/700

Gather ten |Solidified fire|: 7/10

Gather two thousand tons of |Vitalizing soil|: 2000/2000

Gather sixty thousand gallons of |Stale water|: 0/6000

Location: Mer-erk mer-Erk wildlands, Camp Sharpstone

Difficulty: Medium.

Reward: Temporary buff last four hours after leaving camp.

Reward: Beginner crafting materials of your choosing.

|Special – Optional: Dying Deliverance, stones to sharpstone|

“When the restless rest. The still, from the ground break.”

Set a up a revival shrine at Camp Sharpstone.

Requires the hearts of one hundred different species: 25/100

Two hundred kilograms of |Living stone|: 200/200

Location: Mer-erk mer-Erk wildlands, Camp Sharpstone

Difficulty: Hard.

Reward: In case of fatality, revive at Camp Sharpstone. Two additional |Life offerings|

Reward: Title that provides improved |Camp Sharpstone buff|.

“The further into the rock’s territory the group went, the more valuable the material. Items such as Solidified fire, a rare mineral grown within the bodies of these rock creatures.

The only material lacking is Vitalizing water. This material is the offrun of a river that runs through a very fertile portion of land.

This material is not difficult to find, and it is within our team’s range.”

“So it is in that river after all, Wraps you were right. The Vitalizing water comes from that river.”

‘Your spirit companion finally responded?’

“Eh. Yes, I guess. It has its own will.”

“Having found their bearings the group make their plans. Just as Wraps can lure rock creatures towards them, she can also reduce the group’s presence.”

“If we follow this upstream, we should eventually reach a point where the Vitalizing water can be extracted.”

‘The water is filled with power.’

‘Stop playing in the river Tréjörð.’

“Alongside the river, the concentration of creatures is far denser. There are creatures that do not scatter themselves on vast swathes of land, like the rock creatures.

These creatures are generally living in harmony with the rock creatures, and instead feast on each other.

In the river is a thriving ecology of amphibian animals. They range from the primordial to complex carbon such as our hero.

Unlike what our hero knows to be a normal fish, these are all adapted to the rigours and vitalizing mana they swim in.”

“I need fish some of these out for that heart quest.”

“Vicious as could be, our hero kills his way upstream. Too powerful to meet resistance. The innocent creatures are at his mercy.”

“Seriously Trjejarth! Get out of the water.”

‘Make me!’

‘This is why we haven’t gotten these trees off our lands.’

“God damnit. I’m trying to hunt here!”

“Seeing his quest’s requirements skyrocket our hero has gone into a craze. A killer’s craze. Every creature spotted in the river is slaughtered on sight.”

“I need forty more. And It's difficult to see them as is! At least stay further back.”

‘I can stay back. But you owe me for this one.’

“I owe you? You’re lucky I don’t carve you into a piece of furniture.”

‘You two should get in here with me.’

‘...’

“Stay further downstream!”

‘Okay.’

“Wraps of sorrow and despair and Ai aleksy continue following the river. Ji’s eyes are on the river, while Wraps of sorrow and despair sighs in exasperation.

It is not unfair to say that her will has been tested on this journey. Her dislike for anything tree was already below a threshold.

Having to endure our hero as well, has left her a shell of her former self. Even chiseled exterior, a wall of indifference is seeing some facturing.”

“Got one! Nice.”

‘Why does Sharpstone need a hundred hearts?’

“The quest says its for a revival shrine.”

‘...’

“A revival shrine is not unheard of. Cities built out of the wreckage of the former world, those made from the Beta’s involvement tend to possess such shrines.

Not every city built by a Beta possess one, as it is a magic too difficult for lowborn to replicate.”

“You know what it is, Wraps?”

‘Yes.’

“Oh. Well I need a hundred different creature hearts for it.”

“It would appear, from misses Wraps of sorrow and despairs reaction, that she knows the significance of this shrine.

A revival shrine is considered a new lease on life. But knowing about is just one step, knowing where one is, is another.

Even standing in front of such a shrine does not mean they’ll be able to make use of it. This requires substantial contribution or a special identity, such as our hero.”

“I’m not seeing any new creatures in here. Just different sizes.”

‘There should be more, ones you can’t see.’

“Really? Can you see them?”

‘Of course I can.’

“Show me.”

‘Alright, but you owe me a favour.’

“What? Come on. Why are you acting like that stupid tree.”

‘Do you want me to show you or not?’

“I do. Show me, I’ll owe you one.”

“A futile attempt by miss Wraps of sorrow and despair, her assumption that our hero in any way will honor such an agreement, is mistaken.”

“What do you mean? I’m reliable. I-”

‘There!’’

“I got it. Nice. Any more?”

‘There are more.’

“With close eyes Tréjörð wades in the river some meters away from the other two. His roots shoot into the river’s banks with every step. A disturbing sight.

Ji has given up on hunting in the river, Wraps of sorrow and despair has declared that he has caught every type of creature lurking in the fertile river.

In a few hours they reach the required threshold. All three of them make contact with the river and begin draining it. This is a time consuming event but not difficult.”

“We should be done after this. Right?”

‘I will stay here for a few days.’

‘He will settled down in this river.’

“It is impossible for the two to understand Tréjörð’s experience. The water a soothing drug, while not empowering him, it is dulling his mind, giving him pleasure.”

“Do we have to drag him out of the river?”

‘It looks like we’ll have to cut him out, look.’

“On the river’s bottom, thousands of roots have dug into the ground. A natural response, done unconsciously.”

“Trjejarth.”

‘Yes?’

“Get out of the river.”

‘No.’

“Wraps.”

‘What?’

“If I cut his legs off, will he be okay?”

‘As long as you don’t strike his head or his lifecore, he will be fine.’

“Good. Okay, Trejordth, Get out or I will cut your legs off.”

‘Try it!’

“You think I can’t?”

“After a tiresome threats lasting the better half of an hour, our hero in is devilish rage has brought out his mana blade.”

“I’ve been wanting to test this! See if you can survive!”

‘Earth, bind me!’

“The mana blade oscillates. The lightweight wooden sword is lifted into the air.”

‘Idiots. Both of you.’

“Having spent considerable time practicing his newfound combat abilities, he is eagre to make use of them. Six blade strike out, aiming for Tréjörðs lower legs.

Each is reflected or blocked, this has caused Tréjörð to momentarily lose his defencive stance. Our hero follows up in smooth motion, the water proving next to no resistance.

The blade connects, in normal circumstances it should not pierce through, but our hero has summoned his previously vanquished blades as support.

Each blade, one after the other, cut down the treelike body of Tréjörð. The fifth blow proves enough”

‘You bastard!’

“Wraps!”

‘...’

“Wraps! Grab him!”

“With reluctance, Wraps of sorrow and despair moves her hands, her cloth surrounds the falling Tree and whisked onto the river’s bank.”

‘Stop struggling, you know you can’t break my hold.’

“Great job wraps! Now can go home.”

|Quest log|

|Optional: The reformed city|

“The ancient city of Heo has been reformed, but by who and how?”

Travel to the free city Heo and find out how the city was rebuilt.

Location: Portal room.

Difficulty: Medium

Reward: Tier appropriate item.

|Optional: Back to the grind|

“The prophet said to the wanderer ‘Swim against the water or be swallowed by the tide.’ The wanderer took this advice and escaped drowning.”

Travel to the appropriate wildlands and cull the malignant fiends scouring the land.

Location: Portal room.

Difficulty: Medium.

Reward: Tier appropriate weapon.

|Optional: Camp Sharpstone needs|

“Help those about to fall, for when you descend, they will catch you”

Gather seven-hundred tons of |Living rock|: 700/700

Gather ten |Solidified fire|: 10/10

Gather two thousand tons of |Vitalizing soil|: 2000/2000

Gather sixty thousand gallons of |Stale water|: 6000/6000

Location: Mer-erk mer-Erk wildlands, Camp Sharpstone

Difficulty: Medium.

Reward: Temporary buff last four hours after leaving camp.

Reward: Beginner crafting materials of your choosing.

|Special – Optional: Dying Deliverance, stones to sharpstone|

“When the restless rest. The still, from the ground break.”

Set a up a revival shrine at Camp Sharpstone.

Requires the hearts of one hundred different species:71/100

Two hundred kilograms of |Living stone|: 200/200

Location: Mer-erk mer-Erk wildlands, Camp Sharpstone

Difficulty: Hard.

Reward: In case of fatality, revive at Camp Sharpstone. Two additional |Life offerings|

Reward: Title that provides improved |Camp Sharpstone buff|.

"We'll drag him back and return this quests."