Chapter 2
Adam took a deep breath, looking around at the forest surrounding him. The trees towered high, their leaves casting dappled shadows across the soft, mossy ground. The air smelled rich with earth and growing things—plants, herbs, life. It felt peaceful here, a stark contrast to the stress of his old life.
His main quest flashed in his mind again: mastering herbalism. He didn't know what it meant to be a master of herbs, but he figured it had to start somewhere.
With no map, no idea where to go, and the weight of his decision to leave his old life behind still heavy on his shoulders, Adam picked an east direction and began to walk.
His feet sank lightly into the soil, and he walked deeper into the forest. As the minutes seemed to pass, the quiet became almost deafening. It was eerie. The only sounds were his footsteps and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. He didn't mind it. In fact, it felt nice. The isolation was calming.
Still, there was a sense of unease, a feeling that he was walking into danger, and the unknown scared Adam.
He was drawn to the various plants lining his path as he walked. It was strange, but it seemed natural now. He could see the plants and feel their significance in a way he never had before. Curious, he bent down to examine one.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Plant Identified: Healing Herb (Common)
Effect: Restores 2 HP when applied. Rarity: Common
"That's useful," Adam muttered, reaching into his inventory and pulling out his herbalist tools. He carefully harvested each leaf and placed them in his inventory. The process felt familiar, like something he'd been doing for years, though he knew better than that.
As He continued walking, his focus was on the plants around him. As he moved, he spotted more herbs. His new skills had heightened his awareness of them, allowing him to quickly identify even the most subtle of plants.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Plant Identified: Dullroot (Common)
Effect: It slightly increases stamina recovery for 30 seconds while eating. Rarity: Common
Adam crouched down again, quickly harvesting the roots with precise movements. His herbalist tools made the task easier, the small blades cutting cleanly through the root without damaging the plant. He added the Dullroot to his growing collection. It wasn't much, but everything had a purpose.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Plant Identified: Bitterleaf (Common)
Effect: Increases resistance to nausea for a short time. Rarity: Common
"That's good to know," Adam muttered under his breath, carefully picking up the leaves from the plant. He placed them in his pouch, trying to keep track of what he had harvested. It was easy to forget in the beginning, but each plant had its own unique properties.
As Adam continued his walk, he kept finding more plants to collect. Some he recognized from the system's descriptions, while others were entirely new to him. The plants felt like old friends, familiar and useful. With every new discovery, Adam felt a little more connected to this world, like he was taking part in something ancient, something important.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Plant Identified: Twilight Moss (Common)
Effect: Soothes headaches or light pain when applied to the skin. Rarity: Common
He smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment. It wasn't much, but he was getting the hang of it. A few hours later, he hated life. His arms and legs were sore, his back hurt, and he wasn't used to this kind of work. He felt much better than usual but didn't think much of it.
He decided it was time for a rest. With the sun getting low in the sky as he sat on a rock, he reviewed his quest log for any updates.
Quest Log Update:
Main Quest: Mastering Herbalism
Objective: Harvest your first batch of herbs and create a healing salve.
Completed: Harvested Common Herbs, Dullroot, Bitterleaf, Twilight Moss.
New Objective: Set up a camp for the night.
Suppressed by the change, Be springs up and starts looking for a place to sleep. He finds one nearby—a nook in an old tree he can use to hide and maybe sleep tonight. He decides to check out the tool he has been using and look at the robe he has in his inventory. For some reason, the clothes he has are starting to fall apart. As he was focusing on his tool, a notification appeared.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Congrats! You learned: INSPECT LV 1
Effect: You can now inspect common goods and people or mobs.
First skill Unlocked skill section.
Adam blinked in surprise. "Inspect?" he murmured to himself. He hadn't even realized he was learning a new skill.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Inspecting Item: Herbalist Tool
Type: Tool
Quality: Comm... Error
Inspecting Item: Herbalist Blade
Type: Tool Quality: Legendary Effect: Unmatched Precision: Cuts through anything with supernatural accuracy, doubling the harvest yield of any plant. Durability: 1000/1000 Weight: 0.5 lbs Description: A blade forged for a legendary-class herbalist, this tool allows the user to harvest with unparalleled speed and efficiency. Grants a chance to upgrade a plant; it is used to harvest chance improve with level %0.5. The tool regenerates its durability over time, never needing repair.
Shocked, he quickly pulls out the robes he has in his inventory.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
Inspecting Item: Herbalist Robes
Type: Clothing Quality: Comm...... Error
Inspecting Item: Herbalist Robes
Type: Clothing Quality: Legendary Effect: Earthbound Harmony increases the wearer's connection to nature, dramatically enhancing stamina regeneration (+100% regeneration rate). It grants the ability to communicate with plants, asking for their guidance or insights once per day. Durability: 500/500 Weight: 1 lb Description: These robes, woven from enchanted fibers, are attuned to the user's herbalism abilities. They allow the wearer to harvest and create potions, salves, and remedies 10x faster. Additionally, the wearer gains immunity to natural weather effects (rain, heat, cold); no plant or product of a plant will harm the user. It is enchanted with self-cleaning and regenerates its own durability over time.
"Okay... this is insane," Adam whispered, staring at the screen. Both items weren't just crazy good; they were broken if he understood anything right, which he might not. Adam rested his head against the thick bark of the old tree, his mind racing with the possibilities of what he could do now that he had this incredible power. He hadn't expected any of this, but with his legendary-tier tools and robes, he was ready to face whatever came next.
The last thing he saw before sleep was.
QUEST COMPLETED Set up a camp for the night. 5 XP
And then it lights out.