Chapter 39 - Sacrifice altar?

Void seed.

The NPC, spirit seeker, was explaining details as they both travelled even deeper into forest, covered in mist. " This is not misty forest though," the NPC laughed. There, the most would be so thick that one could not see their own hands and even fire spells would work partly.

This portion had a lot less mist, yeah, Saachi could not see 2m front of him but still....a lot less when compared to mist forest.

This seed is apparently needed for level 10 monsters to upgrade to level 11. To the natives, it is their sacred duty to ensure that not many monsters would get upgraded and cause mayhem everywhere. If possible they wanted to ensure no monster turned strong but their teachings taught them moderation and balance of nature...blah blah blah.... Unless one was interested in lore and background in the game, not many would be interested in listening to monologues, oops, stories from NPCs. Saachi was not so bad but not devoted either. The only reason he was listening now was to get any clues of how to obtain the void seed.

The seed was supposed to be size of a grain of sand, acknowledging the adage of 'mountain within the sand and sand within the mountain '. It was two layers within. So monsters wishing to upgrade had to fill both layers by HP and MP( Saachi's understanding, Spirit seeker had even fancier terms) when both layers were filled, monsters would push all the HP and MP within itself, if this increased the HP and MP bars, it had upgraded, else the monster would die due to backlash.

When the NPC showed that the void seed would be like this, he showed a whole necklace beaded with void seeds. He wanted to swear. Why can't that be used, you ask? Answer is then the quest would be meaningless, so a fictional reason like virgin void seed, that means, a void seed which has not absorbed any HP or MP is needed for quest.

He swore quietly, if he got extra void seed, he too turn it into necklace or other accessory , use be damned. He would not even care if he wasted 1 slot for accessory.

Travelling with a spirit seeker was like walking with all sorts of animals and birds inside park or zoo.

Saachi even wondered if the NPC had multiple personality disorder, he had changed his spirit animal multiple times even before reaching the destination.

The humidity and mist started becoming very thick, even his clothes started feeling wet, yet the NPC happily continued, exuding aura of high level beast to deter other monsters.

" Here we are, Void tree branch."

After multiple tries, Saachi finally saw the 'branch'.

A small green mountain, but it was just a branch. He could vaguely see the structure of the mountain, which was indeed shaped like a branch, but still....if this is just a branch, how big would be the tree?

"So, how do I get the seed?"

" Feed the branch and get the seed. It's give and take policy. Nature is all about balance....blah blah blah..."

"What do I have to feed it with? My blood, my flesh, my brain?"

" Blood or mana, which ever it prefers. It won't feed till it's hungry, so if it had eaten some time back, you have to wait. Look at that pit, when you cut your blood vessels or mana vessels, make sure it drops into that pit. If it falls outside, then the branch won't take it, you would have just wasted that much blood or mana."

Saachi ventured slowly near the pit, the opening was still present, not closed. No need to wait then. The NPC would do the guard duty. So now all he had to do was to satisfy this vampire tree branch.

NPC even showed where to make a cut and how deep. His arms and forearms were full of old and new scars, testament of sacrifice made so many times.

Make a cut, angle it down so that blood and ichor like substance both flew down into the pit. Drink potions. Make sure sacrifice fluid is still flowing into the pit and drink potions.

This place was last stand for so many level 10 monsters. One can imagine how much blood or mana the branch wanted each time. Saachi was not even level 6. His HP and MP were more because he had allotted extra attribute points he got in bonus multiplier to constitution and wisdom, but he was no way near to level 10 monster capacity.

The extra potions he had brought were again all used up. Not even emergency potions bottles were left. And his HP and MP bars were about to turn red.

Finally.... finally, the pit closed by itself. A ping pong ball sized brown object fell from the 'branch'.

"This is no way near the size of the grain," Saachi's voice had complaint though he did not realise it yet.

The NPC laughed aloud. " Not all seekers of void seed have dextrous small fingers. This size is just right for a creature to hold and walk away."

Saachi was ...even author feels bad to write his feelings.

The return journey was very fast, or it felt so for our MC. He chucked the quest items to village chief and went into his room in chief's residence and logged off. It was brutal hours and his body was not used to it yet.