abcnovels
Chapter 152: Fertilizer
Chapter 152: Fertilizer
[You have reaped the death of a simple creature: Ballistic Lotus]
[Due to your trait, your experience has multiplied by 10]
[You have gained 1200 experience]
"Once you locate the main root, then you can disable all the replicates," Geminus said.
I didn't know plants could be so dangerous…and since I only reaped one death, that means that all the black lotus in the fields were all part of one entity—that main root.
"Are all plants here dangerous?"
"Yeah, most. But don't worry about that," Geminus waved off his concerns. "Come on! Let's go. I can see the greenhouse from here."
Geminus walked forward while Atlan stayed behind and observed the wilted black lotus. It already lost all its color and became as thin as a stick. Even when he touched it a second time, it didn't explode anymore.
Atlan was intrigued by the different plants in the garden, but perhaps the most interesting one was the Chronobloom.
The fact that it was the only one in existence multiplied its importance.
As they walked over to the greenhouse, Atlan asked Geminus about the nearly extinct plant.
"Hmm…we used to export Chronobloom to other territories because it can only be planted here. Everyone needed SoulTime glasses."
"Do you have one?"
Geminus took out a rectangular transparent glass about the size of a wrist. It was decorated with a golden encasing with symbols of clocks and hourglasses. He handed it over to Atlan.
It looked like an ordinary piece of glass.
"Put it on your wrist and it will show your current SoulTime."
Atlan did as Geminus said and attached the SoulTime glasses to his wrist.
<SoulTime: 50 years : 115 days>
Unlike the one he saw in his Soul System, the glasses only showed the years and days he had left. It wasn't accurate down to the hour.
"That is a relic of the olden times. Back then, the Genesis God wasn't so generous with His allowance of SoulTime, so people used to check their lifespan every day for fear that it would run out.
It's different now. As more people immigrated to the City, the more powerful He became. Because of that, most people are given SoulTime even if they did the bare minimum. People rarely even check their SoulTime nowadays because they know they still have hundreds of years left before they have to worry about it."
Atlan was the same. He didn't have to worry about his SoulTime because he knew that he gained time instead of losing it. The more time passed, the more he became 'alive'.
He returned the SoulTime glasses as they finally reached the greenhouse.
They passed through the strip curtain doors and laid eyes on the majestic Chronobloom.
It looked the same as Atlan left it yesterday, if not for the soil being a little bit wetter than he remembered.
She must have watered it last night.
"Now that you're here, can you tell me how to take care of the Chronobloom?" Atlan asked Geminus.
Geminus scratched his head guiltily. "Sorry about that. You didn't have much trouble yesterday, did you?"
"It would have been if not for the notebook that my co-caretaker left me."
Geminus felt remorseful for forgetting to teach Atlan about how to take care of the Chronobloom. "Well, now that I'm here, I'll tell you how."
Geminus walked over to the locker. "First and foremost, we must—hmm…it's not here."
He looked over at Atlan with a sorry look. "Looks like we've run out of fertilizer. Do you mind if I ask you to go and fetch a sack for me?"
Although Atlan would rather stay in the garden and continue to soak up the deaths inside, he knew that he couldn't deny Geminus' request. He was a club member after all. He shouldn't be selfish and contribute to the garden.
It was also for the health and well-being of the Chronobloom, so it would be worth it.
"What kind of fertilizer?"
Geminus clasped his hands in thankfulness for Atlan's help. "You see, our Chronobloom thrives on extremely hot soil and sustenance. If it doesn't get its monthly supply of magma, it will turn cold and freeze."
"Magma?"
The club leader nodded. "Yes. Magma. That's the preferred fertilizer of the Chronobloom."
"Where am I—" Atlan remembered that time when Lizzie brought him to the Masamune district. He still remembered the expansive cityscape he saw from the only volcano in Genesis City. "Is it in Mount Infernal?"
Geminus nodded. "Yes! Don't worry, we already have an arrangement with the Masamune family. They will give you the magma, you just have to pick it up and bring it back to the garden."
What a coincidence. I was just planning on visiting the Masamune district to ask Custodire if she could make me a scythe!
Atlan planned on taking a detour to Custodire's workshop before he picked up the magma from Mount Infernal.
He looked at the rusting scythe on top of the locker. "Can I bring that with me?"
Geminus looked at the old rusting scythe on top of the locker and wondered why Atlan would want a weapon that was only used to kill weeds.
"I don't know why you would want a farming tool like that, but fine. Just make sure you return with the magma by midnight."
Atlan took the scythe and attached it to the toolbelt on his back. He looked extremely weird with his black battle suit and the protruding curved blade of the scythe behind his back.
He said goodbye to Geminus and went back to the entrance of the garden.
Since he didn't have his own mount, he had to use the public transportation bus that stopped in every district.
Even though he had the scythe on his back, nobody on the bus questioned it. As soon as they saw his battle suit, they already assumed that he was a Vanguard on his way to a mission. They even gave him thankful looks for his service to the City.
It took two hours before the bus finally landed in the Masamune district.
He followed the route he and Lizzie took when he first visited the district.
As usual, there were tons of people looking at the freshly made tools and weapons displayed on numerous stalls. He heard bargains and offers thrown around, and some got heated enough for a screaming match.
As he walked through the streets, he suddenly felt sweat flow from his forehead.
I'm feeling hot…
He didn't think that was possible. After he obtained his Physique LifeSkill, he barely felt cold or hot because of his internal defenses.
But now, sweat flowed out of his skin.
"AARGHHH! IT BURNS!!!"
"HELP! AHHH!"
Screams of helpless citizens filled his ears as he saw their skin melting in the sun.