Year 0002, The Imperium
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Children should have fun when they are still young; it is a building block for them too; it is a part of their own character development.
But how could children play with their peers when the world has gone awry?
When they are more worried about surviving every day.
And this is Gel and August's current situation; they couldn't do anything remotely fun and have to adapt to the change in their environment.
Since they had to fend for themselves every waking day.
---
A month has passed; their garden was now ready for harvest, and August postponed his daily mission to help Gel with the harvest.
If you could see his eyes now, it had hearts all over it, just from looking at the lustrous garden fields.
They began working on it, and it took them two hours to harvest 90% of the garden.
After taking care of their garden's first harvest, they were feeling rather jovial; after a month of taking care of the fields, it had borne its first fruits.
It was a plentiful harvest, with almost 90% of the harvested veggies and spices being healthy, and it multiplied beyond what its original seeds could produce.
It meant that the plants were thriving with the soil and whatever else they did with it.
At least that was their line of thinking...
But the reason they could have so much more harvest than the usual was because of his
[Passive Skill].
But it was still a hidden skill effect at the moment that came with his [Farmhand Job]:
° Plant Nourishment + 25%,
° Soil nourishment + 15%,
° Bountiful Harvest + 40%,
° Plant Growth + 20%
He had a 100% buff increase to anything related to plants.
The [SYSTEM] wasn't that cruel to him, since they still gave him the upgraded tier [Expert] skill effect of the [Farmhand Job].
But he didn't know that yet, since the [SYSTEM] didn't bother telling him about it.
---
With this harvest they will have different kinds of greens and spices that they can add to their current limited food options, and this is what made August jump in joy.
Meanwhile a single tear formed in Gels' eye; it was tears of joy; her hard work of taking care of the fields has paid off by at least quadrupling its original worth.
While August was mostly very giddy, his steps were bouncy while he carried the vegies and danced with them.
" HOOORAAAY!!! HOOOORAAAAY!!"
" Its a celebration!"
[ ... ]
---
After August calmed down from his joyous celebration, they slowly brought their harvest inside the expanded house cellar.
He expanded the underground quite a bit; it was now 15 feet deep, 20 feet in length, and 15 feet wide.
It was thrice the size of the original house cellar, with a lot more storage capacity.
The reasoning for the expansion was simple; he was bringing too much Boarat every day, and they couldn't keep up with the consumption rate.
Don't get him wrong; he enjoyed eating the tasty meat; it's just they couldn't be eating it every day, and he only realized this after a few days of hunting.
And now he only took a few with him back and left the rest for the local predators to feast on.
It was also the main reason the intelligent predators didn't bother attacking and killing him when he was hunting, because he would leave some for them.
---
After they finished the bountiful harvest, they had decided that they would let the garden rest for a couple of days while they prepared the soil for its nourishment.
For the time being, August would enact his previous plan on adding an extra field or two.
If their experimental harvest was this successful, what more if they would increase the size of their garden field?
So he added three new fields; it now formed a large square at the back of the house.
He also planted some seeds that they got from the fruit of the fruit-bearing trees they found in the forest.
They decided to add it for some shade in the garden area and have a nearby fruit tree they could access directly without going to the dangerous forest in the future.
He put one of the seeds in the middle, like a roundabout in a four-way intersection; he circled this seed (tree) with rocks while he planted some at the corners.
He gave the trees some distance from the garden beds to prepare for their future growth so their roots won't interfere with other plants.
Inside this garden, they now have 4 8x8 meters of field or garden beds and 5 planters, in which he planted the 5 fruit-bearing trees.
Their original garden field had to rest for at least a week or two so they could prepare its soil and other stuff.
But they will start planting at the other three tomorrow.
---
After doing so, they rested for a while, and they had a delicious breakfast with their new harvest.
He cooked them a wonderful meal with their new spices and veggies added to their Boarat meat.
After they finished, August suggested to Gel if she wanted to come with him inside the forest since they finished everything back home early.
" Hey, Gel, do you want to join me today at the forest?
I could show you around and we could have some snacks there, but what do you think?
I mean, you could stay here if you don't want to, though. "
He smiled…
Gel not expecting this from the workaholic, August just nodded in agreement, visibly excited in their adventure.
It would be the first time that he invited her out and the first time since then.
That she could get out from the confines of the village.
" Yes, yes, I would love to!"
She replied, smiling beautifully at him. :))
---
Since he also needed to finish his daily quest, he decided to bring Gel with him today.
Because he couldn't before since she was busy taking care of the garden.
He felt bad leaving her and letting her stay confined inside the village perimeter for too long.
Since he usually goes out to hunt after his morning exercise, Gel had to stay and take care of the garden.
Now was a perfect opportunity to let her tag along with him on his hunt, and they could have a bit of fun afterward.
So they went to the kitchen and brought some snacks with them that they could probably eat after his hunt.
---
August was now at the peak of Level 8, and after only a few days, he was sure he'd reach Level 9.
His daily mission today consisted of 10 soldier ranks with at least advanced rarity or one commander rank with at least expert rarity Boarat.
---
A couple of days ago, he finally saw from a safe distance a boss rank Boarat it was level. 15 with Legendary Rarity.
It was emanating a very powerful aura around it; combine it with its colossal frame, and it is a force to be reckoned with.
It was a hundred times his current strength.
He thought it could probably take down two or three packs of those feisty wolf packs, all by itself.
It also had a bunch of commander grades around it; they were all female, most probably its wives, and a lot of soldier rank Boarats.
---
Today surprisingly, one of those commander grades was out, away from their usual feeding ground.
Maybe it was banished from the herd, or it could just be wandering off on its own.
And this commander grade was the bottom tier of its group.
It was less scary than the boss itself, at least two to three strengths below the boss.
But still, why would you put yourself in harm's way anyway?
An easy prey would still give him a desired result.
Even Gel, who was with him this time, could feel the powerful aura around it; she thought it would be scary to be the target of its ire.
But you know boys this age; they needed to flex and impress the girls around them.
And that was what he was planning to do, to impress the female who was currently with him.
A very brave and very stupid idea.
[S Y S T E M MANAGER DOROTHY: SIGH BOYS... ]
---
"Hey, I think I'm going to take that one on today; what do you think?"
He told Gel of his plan to take on the beast; the girl flinched upon hearing this.
"Whaaaa. What!? But why???"
Gel was very puzzled by this line of thinking; what she didn't know was that the lad was trying to impress her.
"Well, I think I could take it on with some form of plan ... maybe? Probably?"
He sounded sure and unsure at the same time.
That is why he still bothered asking Gel for her opinion regarding this.
You know, just in case something very bad actually happens to him.
The girl pondered in thought; she knew August was pretty strong for someone their age, maybe even stronger than most adults by now.
She could only sigh and tell him her honest thoughts.
*Sigh
"Gus, I know that you are stronger than most adults right now.
I've seen you bring home Boarats after Boarats every day, like it was a walk in the park for you.
But from what I could tell with that beast right now, it's several times stronger than the ones you recently hunt every day. (Soldier Boarats)
And at least twice as strong as you, so I think this idea of yours is stupid, I'm sorry.
I mean, I couldn't stop you anyways; if you decide to get on with this dubious plan of yours, I could only mourn for your loss.
But don't worry if you don't survive; I'll bury you next to our parents and visit your graves every day. "
She smirked at him, ending her joking and sarcastic remarks.
But inside she really hoped that the boy wouldn't go through with this plan of his.
She would lament the probability of him dying, not after all that he did for her.
She could be lying next to her mother by now if not for him.
But what could she probably do?
It was still his decision on what to do in the end.
Sigh.
---
August, after he heard what she had in mind, could only stare at the Boarat for now.
He really didn't need to hunt it now; she was right, but it was still a wasted opportunity if he didn't.
Since it might probably get back to the herd, he could still hunt [10 soldier rank Boarats] in the end.
So he pondered there for a while; in the meantime, Gel went to a clearing to set up their food and stuff.
So they could eat and enjoy the beautiful weather outside, like a picnic, not that they had that concept over these parts.
He remained unmoving from his position; he knew Gel was around his back doing something productive.
While he was just watching this Commander Ranked Boarat.
---
A few moments passed by; he heard rustling movements a hundred meters away from the Boarat.
He was alerted to this, as the Commander Boarat was now alerted by whatever was beyond it.
---
*Haa! Ha! Ha!
The three orphans were now out of the deep forest; the Centislug that changed them before had long lost its interest in them when the snow began to fall; they were not worth expending its depleting energy anymore.
After a few long days of running away and hiding from it, they were now dead tired.
It was only now that they've noticed that the forest floor and overall atmosphere have changed.
It was no longer winter; it's now spring. How many months have they been wandering around the edge of the 'Shadowfen Forest,' only to end up in another forest?
They were no longer at the outskirts of the gloomy forest; they were now inside the 'Lonelywood Forest.'
It was brighter here and more vibrant, and it had more life in it.
---
They rested there for a while, sprawled and gasping for air, sweating profusely on the ground.
They barely have enough sleep and rest; they were emaciated and extremely exhausted, barely eating and drinking whatever they could find.
Especially when winter came upon them....
They don't even want to think about it anymore.
It was a miracle that no one died from the trio after what they've been through.
They thought they were now out of danger.
Not until they heard a rustling sound did two baby Boarats come out from the bushes.
"Ohhh...baby piggy so cute ><."
Betty was mesmerized by two little piglets, unaware that there was probably a protective mother Boarat lurking around.
And Boarats don't mess around; they are already super aggressive, and now especially mothers become even more extremely aggressive when they have a litter.
A few moments later, a mother Boarat came into view; it was now locked on them and in a full-on protective mode, preparing to charge at the intruders.
It was huffing and puffing its nostrils, its sharp hooves were pawing the ground, a threat display like a bull preparing to charge.
As the ground was disturbed, dust was flying around everywhere.
Erik flinched and screamed....
"R...UUNNNN!"
So they ran in the direction where Gus and Gel were currently hiding/staying.
---
Back to present...
After the trio came into view, the alerted Commander Boarats attention was turned onto them.
August could only curse under his breath after he saw them.
"Oh shitters."
They are going to die if he doesn't do something about it.
By now Gel heard the commotion, so she was running as fast as she could towards the place where she left August previously.
When she arrived, she crawled to the bush where she had last left Gus before.
She was panicking, thinking the boy had probably gone with his suggestion.
Thankfully he was still there, no longer in a prone position, but he had his bow aimed down at the Boarats direction, probably.
She still couldn't see his face, but he was already a bit pale and in shock.
She tugged his clothes to alert him of her presence, but he was focused on something up ahead, probably what made the commotion.
"Gus, Gus ...."
She whisperedly called on him.
He made no effort to look at her; he was focused on the hulking beast that was preoccupied by the trio.
"Oh hey, ummm... a weird thing happened when you left... ahh, just look at that direction where my arrow is pointed at."
And so she did when she finally saw the trio in full view; she could only gasp; her jaw was agape at their current misfortune...