Chapter 17: The Iron-Root Weeds and the Beast Tractor
[Day 15: Morning]
The sun was hitting the Silent Death Forest hard. Steam was rising off the wet ground, making the whole world smell like pine needles and damp earth.
Kael stood on his porch, holding a mug of water (because he didn't have coffee yet, sadly), and looked at his "farm."
If you could call it that.
It was a mess. The 1.5-acre clearing he had claimed was basically a battlefield. It was choked with tall, spiky grass, massive rocks half-buried in the mud, and tangled vines that looked more like snakes than plants.
"Alright, Alfred," Kael took a sip of water. "Give it to me straight. How bad is it?"
[Analysing... Analysis Complete, Sir,] Alfred's refined voice echoed in his head. [The soil quality is rated 'C-Rank Feral'. It is rich in Mana, but it is wild. It hasp not been tilled in many years. The nutrients are locked deep in ground.]
Kael nodded. "And the grass?"
[That is not grass, Sir. That is 'Iron-Root Ivy'. It is a parasitic plant common in high-mana zones. Its roots are as strong as low-grade steel cables. A normal human with a shovel would break their spine trying to pull one out.]
"Steel cables, huh?" Kael walked down the steps, his bare feet sinking into the cool mud.
He walked up to a particularly nasty-looking weed. It was waist-high, purple, and had thorns the size of his thumb.
"Let's see just how tough you are," Kael muttered.
He didn't use a tool. He didn't put on gloves. He just reached down with his new, perfect hand and grabbed the base of the stem.
He didn't even brace his legs. He just gave a casual tug.
RIIIIIIIP.
The sound was gross. It sounded like wet canvas tearing.
The ground exploded. A root system the size of a motorcycle engine ripped out of the earth, spraying dirt everywhere. The "steel" roots snapped like dry spaghetti.
Kael held the massive weed in the air, looking at the dangling roots.
"Huh," Kael said. "Didn't feel like steel."
[Correction, Sir. It is steel to a normal human. To an Origin Human with Strength 350, it is... well, cooked pasta.]
Kael tossed the weed onto a pile. "Okay. So I can clear this. But pulling them one by one is gonna take forever."
He looked at the 1.5 acres. There were thousands of these things. Even with his speed, bending down and pulling every single one would be annoying. He needed to turn the soil over. He needed to rip everything up at once.
He needed a plow.
"Alfred, do I have a blueprint for a plow?"
[Negative, Sir. Your database is empty except for the Cedar Wood you scanned earlier.]
"Right. [Matter Authority] needs a sample," Kael rubbed his chin. "But I don't have a plow to scan. Can I build one from parts?"
[Affirmative. You can scan different materials and combine them using your imagination as the blueprint. However, you need raw materials.]
Kael looked around.
He had plenty of wood from the forest. That could be the frame. But a wooden blade would snap against these rocks. He needed something harder for the blade.
His golden eyes scanned the perimeter of the clearing. He saw a massive grey boulder sitting near the tree line. It was smooth, heavy, and looked like granite.
"That'll work."
Kael walked over to the boulder. He placed his hand on it.
"System, scan."
[Scanning target... Analysis Complete.]
[Material Stored: 'River-Bed Granite'. Durability: High.]
"Nice," Kael grinned. "Now, let's play LEGOs."
He walked back to the center of the clearing. He held out his hands, visualizing the shape in his mind. He didn't want a fancy modern tractor plow. He wanted an old-school, heavy-duty walking plow.
He imagined a thick beam of cedar wood for the main shaft. Then, he imagined a curved, sharp blade made of that solid granite, fused perfectly to the wood.
"[Matter Authority]: Construct."
WHOOSH.
Golden Essence poured out of his palms. It was thick, like liquid light.
First, the wood materialized. It swirled and hardened into a thick, polished beam, about six feet long.
Then, the stone materialized. The grey granite formed a sharp, curved blade at the bottom, looking like a shark's fin.
Finally, the Essence fused them together. There were no nails, no screws. The wood literally flowed into the stone. It was one solid piece.
THUD.
The heavy plow dropped onto the grass.
[Essence Consumed: 150 Points.]
[Item Created: Stone-Blade Plow (Rank D). Durability: 500/500.]
"Not bad for a first try," Kael kicked the plow. It was solid. "But I can't push this and steer it at the same time. I need an engine."
He turned around slowly.
Noir was lying in a patch of sun, licking his paw. The massive black panther looked peaceful, majestic, the King of the Forest.
Kael smiled.
Noir stopped licking. He looked up. He saw the smile. His ears went flat.
"Mrrow?" Noir made a questioning noise.
...
[Ten Minutes Later]
Noir was not happy.
The SS-Rank Shadow Panther was standing at the front of the plow. Kael had used [Matter Authority] to create a custom-fitted leather harness (scanning his own leather belt for the material). The harness wrapped comfortably around Noir's massive shoulders and chest.
"Oh, come on, don't look at me like that," Kael laughed, adjusting the straps. "You're the very strong beast I know. This is light work for you."
Noir huffed, blowing air out of his nose. He looked at the plow, then looked at the trees as if asking, 'Is this my life now? I used to eat bears.'
"Think of it as training," Kael patted Noir's flank. "If you do this, I'll use the Salt to make you a steak dinner. A big one."
Noir's ears perked up. He looked at Kael. Steak?
"Huge steak. Medium rare."
Noir let out a low growl of agreement and dug his claws into the dirt. He was ready.
"Alright," Kael grabbed the handles of the heavy stone plow. "Alfred, monitor the soil depth. We need to go at least twelve inches deep to rip up these roots."
[Monitoring active. Proceed, Sir.]
"Noir... Mush!"
Noir surged forward.
The power of an SS-Rank monster was ridiculous.
Normally, plowing a field is slow, grinding work. The ox struggles, the farmer sweats.
Not today.
Noir didn't walk; he power-walked. The stone blade bit into the earth with a crunch.
CRACK. SNAP. RIIIIIIP.
It was satisfying to watch. The granite blade sliced through the "Iron-Root" weeds like they were nothing. The soil was ripped open, turning over in thick, dark clods.
Kael held the handles, using his own 350 Strength to keep the plow straight. If he was a normal human, the plow would have bucked and broken his arms. But for him, it felt like steering a shopping cart.
"Left turn, Noir! Good boy!"
They tore through the field.
The noise was incredible. It sounded like a zipper opening up the earth. Rocks were pushed aside, vines were snapped, and the smell of fresh, raw soil filled the air.
[Notice: Soil Aeration increasing. Mana trapped in the deep earth is being released.]
Kael could feel it. As the dirt turned over, faint wisps of blue light drifted up. The soil had been suffocating under the weeds for centuries. Now, it was breathing.
They did row after row.
Up and down. Turn. Up and down.
Noir got into a rhythm. The panther started enjoying the destruction. Every time a big rock got in the way, Noir would just growl and pull harder, and the rock would go flying.
"That's it! Show that rock who's boss!" Kael cheered.
It took them one hour.
Just one hour to till 1.5 acres.
When they finished the last row, Kael let go of the handles. He was sweating, but he wasn't tired. His "Infinite Stamina" was real.
"Whoa, Noir. Stop."
Noir stopped instantly. He sat down, panting slightly, his tongue lolling out.
Kael unbuckled the harness. "Good job, buddy."
He looked back at the field.
It was transformed.
Gone was the chaotic mess of vines and spiky grass. Now, it was a field of dark, rich, overturned brown earth. It looked rough—there were still big clods of dirt and loose rocks everywhere—but it was farm land.
"Alfred," Kael wiped his forehead. "Status?"
[Field Preparation: Phase 1 Complete.]
[Soil Status: Aerated but rough. The Iron-Roots have been severed, but the soil is clumpy.]
[Next Step Recommendation: You need to break the clods and remove the debris. Then... you need water.]
Kael walked into the field. He picked up a handful of the dirt.
It was dark, almost black. It crumbled in his hand. But it was dry. The "Feral Earth" was thirsty.
"I can smooth it out easily enough," Kael said, dropping the dirt. "But water is gonna be the issue. I can't just carry buckets from the river. I need irrigation."
He looked at the small river that ran about 200 meters away from his clearing.
"Alfred, do I have pipes?"
[Negative, Sir.]
"Can I make pipes?"
[You can, Sir. If you scan a hollow tube, you can replicate it. Or... you could dig a canal.]
Kael looked at the river, then back at his field.
"Digging a canal sounds like a lot of work," Kael grinned. "But I have a [Matter Authority]. Why dig when I can just... move the earth?"
He stretched his arms.
"But first," he looked down at Noir, who was staring at him intensely. "First, I promised the King a steak."
Kael walked back toward the cabin.
"Come on, Noir. Lunch break. Then we figure out how to bend a river."
-_-_-_-_-_-_-