Drewells976
patreon
Chapter 52 - The Great Spirit
🕑 Added 2023-06-13 15:13:35 +0000 UTCThe ground was spongy squelching under his bare feet as Kai followed the group into the jungle. It had rained the day before and it showed. The leaves of the trees and shrubbery reflected the few rays of light that made it through the green canopies on their wet surface.
The smells of greenery and earth were intensified by the recent rain. The occasional droplet trickled down with a quiet tap when it met leaves or their heads. The sound added a new note to the melody of the jungle made up of the rustling breeze and early chirping and calls of the numerous inhabitants of the forest.
The Veeryd jungle certainly had its charm. Looking around, for a moment Kai forgot everything else. The air was filled with the smell of life and new growth.
It wasn’t anything special and yet it was. How many times did he get the chance to visit a completely untouched place back on Earth? Even here on the archipelago, there were few places as immaculate and filled with life.
With a smile on his face, everything felt perfect. Then the whispers of the other kids broke the spell. Turning around a few were giving weird looks, the others were just chatting with each other. Elder Soluli, who was leading the group, seemed resigned this was the best he could achieve. Not even the gaze of the spirits was enough to keep a bunch of seven-year-olds completely quiet.
“Keep up.” The hunter closing the group told him, giving him a light shove. Kai stopped himself from glaring and increased his pace.
A child from old town asked how much farther they needed to go. A hard look from the elder was enough to tell him that was pushing the line. The kid fell back down amidst his chuckling companions with a castigate expression.
No one else raised the question, even if Kai could clearly feel they were all wondering about it. No more than two minutes had passed, but patience was not something kids knew of.
Kai walked beside Telu, who was the last of the line. The chubby kid threw him a look, immediately trying to start a whispered conversation, but a grunt from the hunter behind them was enough to silence him.
Chill out, dude. Even Moui is more affable than this guy.
He threw a sympathetic look at his chatty fellow. Internally glad of being spared from doing small talk.
As the minutes passed and they went deeper, Kai became more aware of the suffocating humidity, the sweat on his skin and insects buzzing annoyingly close to his mouth and ears. What would he not give to possess Moui’s skill that kept away any sort of flying nuisance right now. Alas, the hunter guy he was stuck with appeared to be an inferior copy even in that aspect.
The walk went on longer than was comfortable. Two more kids attempted to ask how much farther they had to walk with the same result before the elder stopped walking. Kai looked ahead curious, he couldn’t see anything that stood out, only more trees and vegetation. There must be something since elder Soluli assumed an even more solemn and pompous tone when he turned to address them.
“We’re almost there. Must I remind you to show respect?” His gaze lingered on every single kid. “You certainly do not want to dishonor your family and ancestors.”
The mayor’s stern gaze lasted for a few more seconds before he softened his tone a little. “If you behave properly and show promise, you might gain the favor of the great spirit, Yatei. There is no honor greater than that.”
After he was sure his words had time to sink in, elder Soluli straightened his posture and led them forward. The kids did their best to imitate the gait to varying degrees of success. Kai fought hard to suppress a chuckle. That would most certainly be considered disrespectful.
As they moved beyond a particularly thick bush, pushing aside a branch, Kai almost bumped into Telu’s back. Raising his gaze he immediately understood why he had stopped.
In front of him stood the most massive tree he had ever seen. A trunk wider than he thought possible, probably bigger than his house. A sea of roots extended for dozens of meters in all directions, forming some kind of open meadow in the thick jungle. Its branches stretched overhead, bigger than most trees were wide and completely covering the sky with a vibrant green ceiling.
The canopy looked closer than he expected, but only because the trunk was so massive he would have expected the tree to be impossibly tall too. Vines hang from its branches to the ground, with a glance Kai saw numerous birds and monkeys moving among the large green leaves.
His skin tingled, even the mana was slightly thicker around here. Activating Mana Sense Kai was astonished by the thick currents of mana moving through the roots. The main trunk was outside the range of his skill, which was probably a blessing in disguise. He needed to tune his ability carefully if he didn’t want to cause himself a head-splitting headache.
Elder Soluli cleared his throat, getting their attention. Kai closed his mouth, trying to recompose himself. He didn’t know if the spirits were truly watching, but this place had an undeniable sacred feel to it.
Soluli performed a deep bow to the tree, before moving his attention back on them. The children from old town immediately imitated the gesture almost in unison. Kai rolled his eyes inwardly and did his most elegant bow. The other kids from new town quickly caught on. Their bows had not been prepared beforehand, they were clumsy and not nearly as synchronized.
Kai heard a chuckle from the opposing group of children, but his eyes instead moved to the elder, who remained quiet.
So much for being silent and respectful. Not sure who is the kid in this situation.
He gave Soluli his most disapproving look for the pathetic power play. He did not want to attract attention to himself, but sometimes it was worth taking the risk.
For better or worse the elder had already turned around. “Follow me in a line and be careful where you step.”
As they moved closer, the roots of the massive tree grew combined into thicker and larger knobby wooden columns. The ground was becoming more wood than dirt, the wetness of the jungle not making it any easier. Being barefooted helped a little, but more than one kid slipped despite all the caution. Kai saved Telu from a fall in the nick of time.
“Thank you.” The bowl haircut kid said gratefully.
“No problem.” Kai smiled. “Let me go first and look where I step.”
He took the lead and kept a close eye to make sure Telu didn’t trip.
The distance to the base of the tree wasn’t too large, but as the roots began to reach his waist, the elder led them through a complicated looping path. Confidently walking through the maze of roots like it was a morning stroll in his backyard. Kai wasn’t impressed.
A bit easy when you’re against seven-year-olds with a fraction of your stats.
Ignoring the elder shenanigans, he focused on helping Telu and observing the growing mana currents flowing through the network of roots that stretched well beyond his range underground.
It felt like trying to judge a human by only looking at their pinky. If the quantity of mana was the metric the tree must have reached three or four grades higher than him. Kai was confident that wasn’t the case.
He added the study of how mana interacted with plants to his list of things he’d ask back at the estate. Its massive size was clearly part of the answer. Kai had been endlessly frustrated by the fact a smaller body meant less mana. Just by growing up into an adult, he could probably triple his reserves.
Such a powerful plant would be invaluable no matter what little use it had. From inside the jungle, it was hard to see it, but with its size and mana signature, it would stand out to the most sloppy search. The Republic had already shown it would not be stopped by the religious or cultural significance of something to make a profit. Despite its boundless mana, there must be other reasons why it had been left alone.
Is it heretical to study a sacred tree?
The roots were now taller than him, forming a veritable maze. Before Kai could come to any conclusion they reached the trunk. The elder led them under a huge arc of roots to a spot that was surprisingly empty.
The mana was about twice as dense here and Kai could finally take a closer look at the trunk. A wall of knobby wood that spoke of ancient times. He wouldn’t be surprised if the tree was thousands of years old. He carefully opened his senses to the colossal entity in front of him. A blinding pillar of light stood in front of him.
He realized how foolish and arrogant it was to think he could understand it. Even using Mana Sense at the minimum level possible his mind was overwhelmed. He could only stare in complete awe. He was confident the tree was Yellow grade or higher.
“I’m sure you can all feel the presence of the spirits.” Elder Soluli started talking, bringing him back to the present. Kai would have loved to bask in the presence of the tree for hours, but it seemed the mayor was about to start another long-winded speech.
“All over the entire Baquaire Archipelago on their seventh birthday children thank Yatei for giving them a home and ask for guidance to lead their steps into adulthood on the right path. Greenside does this too, but our town has a special relationship with the great spirit of the land. Some of you might already know this story.” His gaze moved to the old town children fondly. “Some of you do not, so listen to every word carefully.”
Waiting for all children to be silent and look at him, the elder started narrating. “Hundreds of years ago, many generations before mine, our ancestors were shipwrecked on these shores. With nothing but jungle for miles and miles in every direction. Desperate for a solution, they prayed to the spirits for guidance. After three whole days, there was still no sign. The little food they manage to salvage from their ship had been consumed to the last crumb. However, our ancestors were faithful to the spirits. Even if their conditions worsened they continued to wait for the spirits’ sign, swearing they would spend their life repaying the debt if they were saved.
“Taking pity on their plight, Yatei sent them a vision on the seventh night. A path through the jungle they had to take if they wanted to be saved. Our ancestors were scared at first, the path led them into the Veeryd jungle. A place none of them had dared venture into before. But they had faith in the spirits and did as they were told.
“No beasts dared attack them as they walked into the jungle. Yatei protected them, leading them here.” The elder reverently touched the trunk. “As soon as they saw the great tree, they knew they were saved. From its branches hung large juicy fruits, a single bite enough to satiate them for a week.
“Thanking Yatei for his generosity, our ancestors understood they didn’t need to fear the jungle as long as they remained faithful to the spirits. They spilled their blood on the great tree and swore an oath to make this place would become their new home. In honor of the great spirit that saved them, they founded Greenside.
“It’s tradition for each new generation to come here after their seventh birthday to thank Yatei and ask the great spirit for guidance. Now it is your turn.”
Elder Soluli concluded his story, the children making sounds of awe.
Kai wasn’t so easily convinced. The story left out a lot of details. For one he saw no sign of fruits on the tree. Moreover, Greenside had been a completely unremarkable village before the Republic stuffed it full of people. Some may argue it still was. Not really screaming the chosen town of the great spirit.
Maybe he was just annoyed by the elder’s attitude. Hiding his thought with Acting, Kai listened in silence as the mayor sang the praises of the spirits and of Greenside for a while longer.
After he was finished, the seven-year-olds formed a line before the trunk to say the oath and thank Yatei. Kai was the last of the new town kids, which meant the last of all. Elder Soluli pricked the index finger of each child with a knife to spill a drop of blood on the trunk.
When at last it was his turn, Kai stepped forward and offered his hand. His lips pressed into a thin line as the mayor pierced his finger deeper than felt necessary.
Damn old geezer!
Suppressing a curse, Kai stepped towards the massive trunk. There was a darker spot where generations of children had let their blood spill on the old wood. Kai put his hand in the same spot. Eager to get this over.
“I thank the great spirit of the land, Yatei, for giving us a home and a land to live on. I swear to honor him with my actions. May his wisdom light my path forward into adulthood.” Kai recited with a clear voice the words.
This close to the tree, he could feel its powerful mana tingle on his fingers. He was small and insignificant in front of such an unfathomable entity.
Suddenly a small filament of mana separated from the current and reached out from the tree toward his hand. Before he could realize what was happening, the tendril connected with him. A wave of mana swept through his body, his brain unable to form any coherent thought.
When his mind cleared, he found himself staring at the leafy branches of the great tree above. Then a much less pleasant face appeared in his vision. Elder Soluli looked down at him.
Kai realized he must have blacked out for a few seconds. An uncomfortable root was digging into his back. He slowly climbed back to his feet, checking himself over. Everything felt fine apart from a small bruise on his arm from the fall. The cut on his index finger hurt worst than that.
The mayor was saying something, but Kai’s thoughts were focused on the pinging light of a new notification.
*Ding*
The great spirit, Yatei, has heard your oath and judged you worthy. A blessing had been bestowed upon you!
You have gained: +3 Favor!
Comments
Game Devil
Since it gave an actual blessing it probably implies some form of power, and I'm sure she knows what powers can be defied and which cannot be. A tree which can confer actual favor is probably in the "do not offend" category. To be hones since it seems to be a real thing and Kai wasn't all that serious about it I wonder why he got the favor. Maybe because he was being filial to his mother or honestly respectful towards the tree.
MR.K .
I don't even think about the father anymore. I meant a reality check that he is just a speck in a bigger world (he’s not all that). Ch 53 did some of that
Kevin Choi
I understand in litrpg characters strive to get stronger. However, I am also waiting to see what Kai wants to do with his new life. Dreams. Actions. Etc. Strength without purpose always seems silly. Though right now, I admit I feel that Kai is mostly experiencing understandable wonder with the system and that is very satsifying.
Vamsi Yerraguravagari
He already got a reality check by his master. His thoughts about the tree not having any fruits are more realistic to me. It may have been 2 weeks for you since his father died but for MC it is more than a year
MR.K .
The MC is a bit of a prideful menace tbh lol. I’m hoping he get a little humbled or reality check soon
Meschmee
I'm a little surprised with how pessimistic the MC was towards the Spirit and Tree that when the Elder mentioned the story of the starving inhabitants why he didn't think something along the lines of "Well why didn't the old town villagers come here in the winter when we were starving and my father was murdered"
Vamsi Yerraguravagari
I think this blessing might be something to do with earth spirits considering the god Yatei description. If it is, this will probably help with Alchemy as it has mostly to do with plants. Eagerly waiting for the next chapter.
Eric M
So he got +1 favor for defeating the awakened beast before he had gained a profession, which seemed like a pretty big accomplishment, and this blessing was worth +3 favor. Seems like a pretty important blessing.
Stephen Pearson
I think it's still unclear whether the blessing is separate? Especially considering that usually favor seems to be granted by gaining or achieving something else. Maybe 'Yatei has blessed you with +3 favor'?
Novel Cat
That mayor seems jealous? that he gained such obvious favor with the spirit? 👀🤔🤷🏾 If not then why did he show such an "unpleasant" face?... Here's hoping he's not hating on him for his mixed heritage. *crosses fingers*
Kevin Choi
Wonder if the Elder will know he gained favor or more likely thinks the child falling over disgraced himself or some such. Also. Looking forward to seeing what favor actually does.
Jodrod
damn he got a lot of favour
Andrew Gonzalez
I hate that Governer’s wife
Obran
Somewhat surprised the new govenor’s wife has not tried to cut down the sacred tree to make tourist lodgings.
Andrea Pozzi
The second. Thank you for pointing that out, it was not very clear how I wrote it. I changed it to “You have gained: +3 Favore” so it’s easier to understand
Nathan Sto
So the message says that a blessing was bestowed upon him, and then that he was awarded three favor. Does this mean that he was awarded three favor for receiving the blessing (the blessing is distinct) or that the blessing he received was the three favor?
Nathan Sto
Well the oath is so broad that it could be cripplingly binding (eg, every "action" must be in line with the will of the tree) or have no impact at all.
emitgrave
There ain't no such thing as a free lunch
Doubledoor
hah, called the favour bonus on the previous chapter a few hours ago. TFTC!
Gio
Uh oh, Kai is now bound by an Oath, he'd better not break it xD
Stephen Pearson
Thanks for the chapter! :-)
