Minerva Morrigan's eyes fluttered open, her vision was blurry and unfocused. The soft grass beneath her felt weird, nothing like the sterile lab floor where she collapse on. As her sight cleared, she gasped, taking in the towering bamboo forest surrounding her, mist curling around ancient, gnarled trunks. "Where am I?" she thought to herself, as panic started to rise in her chest.
The air was filled with unfamiliar scents, and the sounds of strange creatures echoed around her.
She struggled to her feet, her body feeling strange and unfamiliar. She caught a glimpse of her reflection in a nearby stream—a young girl with delicate, ethereal features stared back at her.
Minerva's hair was longer and had a slight shimmer, and her eyes were a striking shade of green. Panic set in as she realized she was no longer in her lab and that she was occupying a stranger's body. Suddenly, a translucent blue interface appeared before her eyes, startling her.
[Welcome, Host. Mil-Milkie .0 System activated.]
Name: Minerva Morrigan
Age: 16
Previous Life: 23
Occupation: [REDACTED]
Skills:
Knowledge (Advanced): Extensive reading and study
Patience (Intermediate): Practiced through knitting and research
Observation (Advanced): Honed through scientific work
Adaptability (Beginner): New to unfamiliar environments
"What is this?" she muttered, trying to swipe the interface away, but it remained stubbornly in place. The system's mechanical voice echoed in her mind.
[Greetings, Host. This leveling system will aid in your survival and growth in this new world. Complete quests to gain experience and unlock new abilities.]
A notification popped up with a soft 'ding!'
[New Quest: Survive Your First Day]
Objective: Kill 5 basic creatures
Reward: 100 XP, Basic Cultivation Technique
Minerva's eyes widened in shock. "Kill creatures? What is going on?" she whispered, her heart racing as she tried to comprehend her new reality and the need to complete quests to survive and grow stronger.
Suddenly a distant roar echoed through the bamboo forest, making Minerva's jump and her heartbeat started to rise. She realized she was in the middle of nowhere, without any information of the place she was in. So, In order to figure this out she first needed to find shelter and food quickly. Drawing on her knowledge as a botanist, she attempted to identify edible plants, but most of the flora was completely alienated to her.
Her stomach growled, reminding her of the need to eat. She cautiously sampled some berries that seemed safe to consume, hoping they wouldn't be poisonous. Unfortunately, they made her stomach ache, intensifying her hunger. With nowhere to go, she wandered around aimlessly.
Minerva knew that finding shelter was crucial for her survival. Exposure to the elements could be deadly, and the forest was filled with unknown dangers. "I need to find a cave quickly; it looks like it's going to rain," she mumbled to herself, aware that rain could bring cold and further weaken her.
Eventually, she found a small cave that offered some protection and decided to rest there for a moment, her mind racing with questions and fears.
After a moment of rest, she decided to explore the area around the cave, Minerva then encountered a majestic looking creature. It was unlike anything she had ever seen. It had the body of a deer, but its hide was covered in shimmering scales, and its antlers glowed with an otherworldly light.
She was initially awestruck by its beauty, her mind was racing to categorize this impossible fusion of animal traits.
Suddenly, a notification from the Mil-Milkie .0 system appeared:
[Creature Detected: Tier 2 Beast - Drakora. Deer-like creature with scales and glowing antlers. Caution advised.]
When reading the notification, the Drakora's ears seem to twitched, and it turned its head towards Minerva. Their eyes met, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. Then, the beast's nostrils flared, and its muscles tensed. Minerva's wonder quickly turned to terror as she realized what was about to happen.
With a snort, the Drakora lowered its head and charged at her. Minerva's instincts kicked in, and she ran through the forest, her new, younger body struggling to keep pace. She cursed under her breath, realizing that her physical capabilities were far from what she was used to.
As she fled, she stumbled upon a group of smaller, monkey-like creatures with glowing eyes and sharp, crystalline claws.
Another system notification popped up:
[Creature Detected: Tier 1 Beast - Glimmerfangs. Primate-like beings with crystal claws. Exercise caution.]
The Glimmerfangs were initially curious, tilting their heads as they observed her. However, for some reason their demeanor quickly shifted. Perhaps they sensed her fear or recognized her vulnerability. Whatever the reason, their eyes narrowed, and they began to advance menacingly.
Minerva found herself trapped between two threats, her heart pounding as she desperately searched for an escape route.
As she was cornered by both the Drakora and the Glimmerfangs, Minerva felt a strange warmth building in her chest. Her heart raced, and time seemed to slow. In that moment of desperation, something within her awakened—a dormant power she never knew existed.
With a sudden burst of energy that surged through her body, tingling from her core to her fingertips. Without understanding how, Minerva instinctively channeled this energy into the ground beneath her feet.
And to her astonishment, sharp bamboo spikes shot up from the earth, impaling several of the advancing Glimmerfangs. The remaining creatures screeched and retreated, giving Minerva a momentary reprieve.
"What on earth?" Minerva whispered, her scientific mind already racing to understand the phenomenon.
The spikes then twisted and intertwined, forming a protective barrier around her. The Drakora, confused by the sudden display of power, also retreated.
Minerva collapsed inside her bamboo fortress, exhausted and overwhelmed, her heart pounding in her chest. The realization of her dire situation began to set in, along with a mix of fear and exhilaration at her newfound abilities.
Minerva ran her fingers along the smooth bamboo shoots, her eyes wide with wonder. "This is... incredible," she whispered, shaking her head in disbelief. "I've never seen plants grow like this before."
The system chimed in: [Congratulations! You have awakened your innate spiritual energy. Basic Cultivation Technique unlocked: "Verdant Growth"]
"Cultivation? Spiritual energy?" Minerva repeated, her brow furrowed. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. "Okay, let's think this through. System, can you tell me more about this technique?"
As the system explained, Minerva nodded, her quick mind piecing things together. "So it's like... working with the energy of living things? That could be really useful here."
She closed her eyes, focusing on the warm feeling flowing through her body. A slight tingle, almost like a gentle breeze, seemed to connect her to the plants around her. "Wow," she breathed. "It's like I can feel the plants. That's... pretty amazing."
In the distance, a soft light glowed, and the faint sound of chanting could be heard. Minerva's eyes opened, alert. "Hm, that's new," she thought. "Could be people. I'll need to be careful, but maybe they have answers."
As she settled in for the night, Minerva's mind buzzed with questions and ideas. She knew that figuring out this "cultivation" thing would be key to surviving here. And if there was one thing Minerva was good at, it was solving puzzles—even if this one was unlike anything she'd faced before.