The silver shoot had grown taller, but its leaf was curling inward.
"It started a moment ago," Rowan said.
Carlos inspected it.
--
Mutating Silverwood
Mutation Completion: 58%
Current Condition: Unstable
The developing mutation is searching for a compatible source of mana.
Failure to obtain compatible mana may result in mutation failure.
--
"Compatible mana?"
Carlos looked at the Mana Spring.
The shoot had already been irrigated with Mana Water. If that had been enough, its condition would not be unstable.
He opened his inventory and searched through everything connected to mana.
The Spirit Soil was already in use, and Nature’s Dew could accelerate the growth of a Rare crop, but its description said nothing about mutations.
Then his eyes stopped on another item.
--
Water Slime Essence x10
Uncommon Grade
Concentrated Water mana extracted from a Water Slime.
Can be used as a crafting material or absorbed by compatible lifeforms.
--
Carlos took out one essence.
A small blue light immediately floated over his palm.
Before his naked eyes, the silver shoot twitched.
Then, at an unnatural speed for a sapling, it bent toward the essence in his hand.
Carlos was astonished by how strongly the sapling reacted, but he was also relieved.
Judging by its reaction, this might be exactly what it needed.
"There you are."
He moved the essence closer to the plant.
[Compatible mana source detected]
[Would you like to provide Water Slime Essence to the mutation?]
Carlos accepted.
The blue light entered the curled leaf.
For a second, the plant became healthy again.
Then the leaf began curling once more at an unbelievable speed, reminding Carlos again that he was in the world of Lords.
--
Mutation Stability: 12%
--
"Only twelve?"
Carlos used another essence.
[Mutation Stability: 24%]
The shoot continued absorbing everything without showing any sign of stopping.
Ten essences could feed One for fifty days.
They might also become important crafting materials later.
Carlos did not know what the mutation would produce. He could spend all ten and still receive something useless.
Or he could stop and allow the seed to return to being an ordinary Silverwood Tree.
"The leaf is getting worse," Rowan said.
Carlos looked at the blue lines spreading through it.
He remembered spending almost the entire Resource Hunt cutting down the Rare tree when gathering ordinary Wood would have been safer.
Rare opportunities demanded a price.
"I didn’t come this far to stop at twenty-four percent."
He used six more Water Slime Essences.
[Mutation Stability: 96%]
One essence remained in his hand.
The system had taken eight in total.
Carlos hesitated before placing the ninth against the leaf.
[Mutation Stability has reached 100%]
[Excess compatible mana has been stored inside the crop]
The silver shoot straightened.
Its leaf opened again, now carrying a clear blue pattern through its center.
[Mutation stabilized]
[Time Remaining: 00:47:12]
Carlos sat beside the field and waited.
Rowan returned to the wheat after confirming that the leaf was no longer curling. Blue stayed beside the shoot and watched the blue pattern move through it.
One remained inside its barracks, slowly consuming a Slime Core.
The next forty-seven minutes passed without another problem.
When the timer reached zero, silver and blue light exploded from the plot.
The small shoot grew before Carlos’s eyes.
Its thin stem became a young trunk. Three silver branches spread from its top, each covered in blue-veined leaves.
It was still only a sapling, but the mana around it was strong enough to make the water inside the nearby spring move.
[Mutation completed successfully]
[Rare Silverwood has mutated into an Epic crop]
--
Tidal Silverwood Tree
Epic Grade
Growth Stage: Sapling
A mutated Silverwood Tree containing a strong affinity with Water mana.
Effects:
Produces Tidal Silverwood after maturation.
Produces Silverwood Fruit with a chance of developing a Water affinity.
Water-aligned creatures recover mana 10% faster within the tree’s surroundings.
Current Quality: High
Estimated Time Until Maturity: 1 day, 12 hours
--
Blue flew in circles around the tree.
One stopped eating and turned toward it from across the territory.
Even the Mana Spring began bubbling faster.
Carlos reached out and touched one of the silver-blue leaves.
He had expected better wood.
He had not expected the tree to affect every Water-aligned creature in his territory.
A golden notification appeared before he could inspect it further.
[First Epic crop cultivated during the Beginner Period]
[World Achievement Unlocked]
[Preparing World Announcement...]
Carlos’s expression changed.
"Wait."
[Would Lord Carlos Goldwin like to hide his name?]
[Decision must be made within 10 seconds]
[10]
[9]
Carlos did not need the remaining time.
"Use my name."
[Lord Carlos Goldwin has chosen to reveal his name]
The golden panel disappeared.
For one second, everything became quiet.
Then a notification appeared across the entire sky.
[WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT]
[Congratulations to Lord Carlos Goldwin for cultivating the first Epic-grade crop of the Beginner Period]
[Achievement: FIRST EPIC CULTIVATION]
[The name of Lord Carlos Goldwin will be recorded in the Beginner Records]
[Achievement rewards have been issued]
The announcement repeated three times.
Carlos looked up until the final golden letters disappeared.
"Bloo!"
Blue pointed at the sky as if Carlos had somehow missed it.
"I saw it."
One bounced inside the Blue Water Slime Barracks.
Rowan looked between Carlos and the Tidal Silverwood sapling.
"Is having your name displayed a good thing, my lord?"
"I don’t want to hide."
The chat icon started flashing.
Then the mail icon flashed.
Then both flashed so quickly that Carlos could no longer tell the notifications apart.
He opened the Beginner Period world chat, but the messages moved too quickly to read.
--
[StoneKing] - What luck!
[GreenMoon] - Carlos Goldwin, what Domain do you have? I sent you an offer through direct message. Please reply.
[SwordSaint99] - If you are selling the Epic crop, give me a price. I can satisfy anything. : )
[SorcererSupreme] - Donate it to me, sir.
[LordRagnar] - Goldwin, share the method.
[Nameless] - Agriculture Domain or some other kind of Production Domain?
[FireBorn] - This level of partiality can be considered cheating.
[JadeRiver] - I will buy the Epic crop’s produce. Check your DMs.
--
Carlos closed the chat.
His private messages were worse.
Hundreds of Lords had sent questions, offers, and demands. Some congratulated him. Some called him a liar even though the system itself had made the announcement.
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