Chapter 14: Beast Blood Fruit tree

"Let's battle, my Forebearer cards!"

Ethan was all fired up in front of his screen, ready to throw down for those Beast Blood Fruits.

[Forebearer's Fury]X5!

Ethan was juggling five Forebearer ability cards in the game, and he got it—these cards were like having the peak power of Foundational Energy. Clicking on an ability card let him control its path, hit A to attack, and press R for the big move—

Boom!

Every time a Forebearer ability card dimmed against the Lightning Python, it meant the energy was almost spent, and it was time to hit R.

Though this Lightning Python was tough as nails with shocking electric energy,

it couldn't withstand the relentless assault of the Forebearer cards.

When all five cards were spent, the Lightning Python was riddled with wounds.

"Roar!"

After the last ability card exploded, the python was totally ticked off, hissing at the Blackwoods, vowing to swallow them whole to soothe its rage.

"Still acting tough?!!"

Ethan glared.

Another ability card popped up right in front of the python. The previously furious python stopped dead in its tracks, intimidated by the card that was only as big as an arm.

Then, surprisingly human-like, it bowed down to the Forebearer card, its eyes filled with a desperate will to live.

Meanwhile,

The Blackwoods weren't just standing around.

"Forebearer won, this giant snake's got nothing on our Forebearer!"

"Long live Forebearer!"

As the Blackwoods cheered over the defeated python,

they had also captured the python's two offspring in their giant net from earlier hunts.

[Blackwood descendants felt the might of Forebearer, Spiritual Tribute +30!]

"Hiss~"

The python's eyes were even more defeated.

At the center of its head, a diamond-shaped crystal filled with lightning arcs emerged.

[Lightning Python is terrified, begging you to spare its life and its children's, offering its life core.]

[Would you like to spend 50 Spiritual Tribute points to contract the Lightning Python as a temple guardian beast?]

"Hmm?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow at the message on the screen, this was a first.

The python's life core appeared when it touched the card, and it seemed this game still had many features for him to discover!

"Yes!"

Ethan clicked 'Yes' without hesitation, the Spiritual Tribute offered by his clan just enough for him to contract the Lightning Python.

[You have contracted the Lightning Python as a temple guardian beast; it will guard your temple, protect your ability cards, and convey messages from Forebearer!]

Above the cards,

Purple light shone on the python, and a circular icon appeared in the top left corner of the game screen, depicting a python roaring skyward.

"Check this out, the Lightning Python's deets just popped up!"

Ethan was stoked when he saw one feature in particular—

[Enter the message you wish to convey—]

"Can I actually chat with the Blackwood descendants?!!"

Ethan couldn't wait to give it a whirl.

He immediately sent a message: "bring back those Beast Blood Fruit trees and start planting them."

It seemed like the Lightning Python got the memo too. It paused, then started dragging its wounded body, circling around the Blackwoods at the Forebearer card spot.

Finally, it stopped in front of a totally baffled Nathan and affectionately nuzzled him with its massive head.

Then, it began circling around the Beast Blood Fruit tree!

The Blackwoods exchanged puzzled looks.

"Forebearer tamed this giant snake."

"Dad, it seems like it's trying to tell us something."

"Long live Forebearer!"

Finally, 8-year-old Amelia, pulling at Nathan's sleeve, said, "Dad, is Forebearer telling us to take this tree back home to plant?"

At her words, the python's head instantly lit up with lightning, nodding vigorously.

"It's nodding, it can communicate with Forebearer!"

Nathan was thrilled, "Let's pick the fruits first, and take all the spoils of this trip home. This tree is huge; we'll need a solid plan!"

Nice!

Seeing his descendants catching on to his message, Ethan stood up excitedly.

He had always been limited to expressing himself roughly through 'Forebearer's Love.'

But now, with the Lightning Python,He could do so much more!

...

Next, the Blackwoods returned home with their rich spoils.

The action section on Ethan's screen was a blur of loot.

And in the days that followed,

The Blackwoods began their wild development!

[Blackwood Year 16, Luna has completely tamed all the mystical beasts, bringing them to 'Mystic Boar Forest' for breeding, renaming Mystic Boar Forest to—]

[Mystical Beast Park]

Since marrying Nathan, Luna had been quietly having kids and doing farm work, but now, her contributions to Blackwood were on par with Nathan's!

She quietly developed her skills in beast taming, and even Ethan was amazed.

Now, the [Mystical Beast Park], with Luna and Nathan frequently entering the Silver Iron Woods, housed over thirty species.

But after the chickens, ducks, cows, sheep, and the crops, as well as the herbs in the mystical medicine garden weren't enough for these mystical beasts, Luna was wary of taming any more.

Yet, these beasts had become Blackwood's hidden strength!

They weren't just being raised; they were also a big help in the development of Blackwood.

Iron-hoofed cows plowed the fields, Buzzing birds watered them, Hundred-mile pigeons and Anteater beasts handled pest control, expanding Blackwood's farmlands and saving the people a lot of effort.

Tracking hounds hunted with Nathan, along with a swift leopard for catching prey, and with Silver Iron horses pulling carts, Nathan always came back from the Silver Iron Woods with a bounty!

Now 11, Lucas wasn't just sitting around.

He was more into martial arts, with a dozen strong mystical beasts as his sparring partners, his combat skills improving daily.

Amelia continued her interest in plants.

Inside the Mystical Beast Park, under the protection of mystical beasts, she started a medicinal herb garden.

The most prominent plant there was the Beast Blood Fruit tree!

Amelia built a hut right under the tree, monitoring its growth daily. For some reason, this tree, which had been fruitful in the Silver Iron Woods, hadn't flowered even after a year.

She drew blood from the mystical beasts daily, just managing to keep the tree alive.

Instead, under the tree, various herbs began to sprout and thrive robustly.