"Fucking beautiful," Cronos muttered under his breath, staring at the newly transformed orchard.
The sight before him was nothing short of miraculous. The barren field had been replaced with rows of tall apple trees, their branches heavy with bright, red apples glistening in the sunlight.
It was a simple solution to a complex problem, but damn if it didn't feel like a victory. His heart swelled with a rare feeling — hope.
As he stood there, taking in the sight, an apple fell from one of the trees above him.
Reflexively, Cronos extended his hand, catching it easily in his palm. He looked at the fruit — round, smooth, and ripe — and without a second thought, took a bite.
The crisp sound of the apple breaking in his teeth was followed by the intense burst of flavor that flooded his mouth. It was perfect — sweet, juicy, and fresh.
The taste was so rich that it almost felt unreal.
"This is what I needed," he said aloud to no one in particular, as he chewed slowly.
There was no denying it; the orchard was a success. It wasn't the grand solution to all of Blackwood's problems, but it was a start. A small step in the right direction.
His eyes drifted over to another field not far away, one that was just as barren as it had been before.
The temptation to use the System again lingered at the back of his mind. He could feel the pull — an easy way to solve another problem. It was too tempting to resist.
With a sigh, he surrendered to the urge.
"Shop," he muttered under his breath, and instantly, the familiar blue screen materialized in front of him, flickering as it loaded.
Cronos quickly scrolled through the available options. As expected, the shop had a vast array of items, from weapons and armor to various tools and food sources.
There were many things that could potentially help him, but for now, he was focused on one thing: food.
His gaze narrowed as he scanned through the list. There were all sorts of plants and crops, but it wasn't long before something caught his eye.
The price was reasonable, and the idea of adding another food source to the farmland was too good to pass up.
The apple orchard was a start, but variety would be essential. Blueberries were rich in nutrients, easy to grow, and they'd provide a quick return. Cronos tapped the screen without hesitation.
"Yes," he said firmly. A soft ching echoed in the air, signaling the successful transaction.
The screen flickered out of existence, and Cronos turned his attention to the barren field once more.
Without wasting any time, he extended his hand toward the empty land. Immediately, the wind picked up, blowing his silver hair back as the magic took hold.
The ground before him began to shimmer and glow with a bright green hue. He watched in awe as bushes began to sprout from the earth, their leaves thick and vibrant, the branches already beginning to form clusters of round, blue berries.
It didn't take long for the bushes to fully mature.
Within moments, the once-barren field had transformed into a thriving patch of blueberry bushes, their fruit hanging heavily from the branches.
Cronos could already tell that the berries were plump and ripe.
It was exactly what the town needed — a quick and reliable food source.
He walked over to the nearest bush, crouching down to pluck one of the berries.
The moment it was in his hand, he couldn't resist. The berry was like a pearl in his palm, its smooth skin gleaming in the sunlight.
He popped it into his mouth and felt an explosion of sweetness hit his taste buds.
The burst of flavor was intense — fresh, tangy, and wonderfully sweet. Cronos closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the taste.
'This is amazing,' he thought. The System had made it easy, but the satisfaction of eating something so fresh, something he had brought into existence with his own hands, was unparalleled.
The weight of his responsibilities still lingered, but in this moment, Cronos felt a sense of accomplishment. There was no denying it — he was building something here.
He could easily have kept eating, but he knew better. Overindulgence wouldn't solve anything.
The people of Blackwood needed these berries, not him. He resisted the urge to pop another one into his mouth and stood up, taking in the sight of the bushes.
The field was now full of life, a stark contrast to the barren land that had been there just moments ago.
His attention shifted as he heard a faint sound in the distance. He turned to see a large hut in the far corner of the field.
It was a modest structure, likely where the farmers took their breaks during the long hours of labor in the fields.
Cronos couldn't help but notice the small clusters of people working around the hut, tending to the other crops. The fields were dotted with various plants, some of them healthy, others struggling, but none of them as impressive as the orchard or the blueberry bushes he had just bought.
The System was his only tool, and if it could help save Blackwood, he would use it without hesitation.
As he approached the hut, he could see a few farmers resting on the steps, taking a break from their work. They looked up as he approached, and Cronos gave them a small, tight-lipped smile.
"Good work," he said simply, his voice carrying the weight of the appreciation he felt.
They had been doing their best with what little they had, and it was more than Cronos could have asked for. The farmers nodded, but there was no real enthusiasm in their expressions.
He could see the exhaustion in their faces, the weariness that came from struggling against forces they couldn't control.
But his face gained a stern expression as he stared at them, he pointed to the Orchard.
"I want all of you to stop what you're doing and pluck all of the apples from that tree," He said, "I want them distributed to everyone in the town, even if it is only one per person,"