“We can start in a bit. Just let me deal with the field first,” Isaac said.
“That’s fine. It’ll take us a while to set this gear up anyway. Calibrating it for a Treant isn’t quick. You can handle your crops in the meantime,” Professor Catherine replied.
She returned to help the others set up equipment.
Isaac grabbed ten mana potions from his spatial ring.
He walked to the original 0.5-hectare plot that he hadn’t boosted yet. He uncorked the vials, and poured the shimmering liquid slowly across the soil.
A faint glow spread across the ground. He could feel the mana seeping into the land unevenly.
He activated Sovereign of Land and Demonic Eyes, and felt the familiar tug of control.
The mana threads beneath the surface were chaotic at first, jumbled like yesterday, but Mana Resonance kicked in, making them his to wield.
He smoothed them out before distributing the energy evenly across the plot.
Then he widened his focus, reaching for both fields.
He could sense the nutrients and mana in each. As expected, the old plot was richer due to its earlier boost.
He willed them to balance, pulling mana, vitality and nutrients from one to the other until the two plots felt like a single, unified stretch of land.
“There,” he said, opening his eyes. “Now they’ll grow together. No more hour gap.”
Catherine glanced over from where she was untangling a cable.
“Good job. You’re getting the hang of that,” she praised him.
Isaac nodded. He grabbed a pouch of Vitality Grain seeds and started planting.
He worked methodically across both fields.
By the time he finished, dusting dirt off his hands, the staff had the equipment ready.
He saw a cluster of metal poles linked by wires, screens blinking with data, all aimed at Tyr.
The treant remained rooted on the spot, waiting for Isaac’s instruction.
Despite being larger than the staff and the equipment, he seemed nervous like a child.
“Ready when you are,” Catherine called, beckoning Isaac over.
Isaac joined them, standing beside Leora, who watched with her usual sharp focus.
Tyr looked at him.
“Go on.” Isaac encouraged.
Tyr lumbered forward.
He reminded Isaac of a character from the Guardian of a Galaxy movies, but Tyr was broader, tougher, with a wilder edge.
The staff began the tests.
“Strength first,” one said, adjusting a pole with a heavy weight attached.
Tyr gripped it with a branch, lifting it effortlessly. The machine beeped as it recorded the force.
“30 Strength.”
“Agility next,” another chimed in, setting up a grid of lights that blinked in patterns.
Tyr had to touch the lights before they disappeared.
He moved quickly.
The screen flashed numbers, and the staff nodded.
“21 Speed.”
“Constitution,” the first staff said, stepping up with a small hammer-like device.
He tapped it against Tyr’s trunk, and a sensor pulsed, measuring resistance.
“38 Constitution.”
“Mana and Spirit Power,” the lead tester added.
She waved a handheld scanner over Tyr.
The device hummed, then beeped loudly.
“27 Mana, and 21 Spirit Power.”
“It has Adept rank awakeners stats for humans. If we compare his stats to a normal Treant, they are two times that of a Level 10 Treant. That isn’t saying much though, since we don’t know Tyr’s level.
“Tyr could be Level 9 or 10, or even Level 5.
“And since he can’t talk yet, we can’t just ask. From what I can see, he understands us a little, up to basic commands, but that’s it,” Professor Catherine said.
“I see,” Isaac nodded. “I have a question, Professor. If you have devices to measure stats, why did Vice Principal ask about mine and Emily’s stat?”
“Tests are only for Beast Bond monsters. While humans can use them on human, we don’t. It’s a privacy concern.”
The staff packed up, bowed slightly to Catherine and headed back.
Isaac watched them go, then turned to Tyr.
The Treant’s glowing eyes were fixed on him, expectant, almost eager.
“You did good,” Isaac said, offering a grin.
Tyr’s wooden face shifted, and a wide, jagged smile split its bark.
He looked downright terrifying, but Isaac could tell that Tyr was trying to smile genuinely. It made the Treant all the more endearing.
Isaac chuckled. Tyr was big, bulky, and loyal. He liked that.
Catherine approached, holding out a small pouch.
“Here,” she said, handing it over. “More seeds for you.”
Isaac took it, peering inside at the small, orange-flecked seeds.
“What are these?”
“They are for your Seed of Providence skill. It’s got a 12-hour cooldown, so it’s precious. If you are going to train it, it’s better to use it on crops better than Vitality Crop Grains.”
“I’ll try one now.”
He walked to the side of the house, away from the main fields, and knelt by a patch of bare soil.
He pressed one seed into the ground, then activated Seed of Providence.
Mana surged through him, warm and sharp, and the ground trembled.
In seconds, a tangerine tree sprouted, stretching upward until it stood ten feet tall.
Its branches were heavy with bright, juicy fruit.
The oranges gleamed, plump and inviting, but they hung high, just out of reach.
“Nice,” Isaac said, eyeing the tree.
A screen appeared before him.
Seed of Providence: Level 1 → Level 2
Passive effects strengthened by 120%.
Cooldown: 12 hours → 11 hours
Sovereign of Land: Level 1 → Level 2
Active and passive effects strengthened by 120%
Isaac raised an eyebrow. An increase of 120% was huge. It would increase his crop quality, and their growth speed.
The reduction in cooldown was good too.
Isaac shifted his gaze to the fruits after closing his status screen. Before he could jump to grab one, Tyr lumbered over.
The Treant tilted its head, and Isaac could feel the question in his gaze—
Want help?
Isaac smiled. “Go for it.”
Tyr stretched out a thick branch.
Its wooden fingers curled gently around a cluster of tangerines.
With a soft snap, it plucked them free and lowered them to Isaac, dropping them into his hands.
The fruit felt cool and firm, and the scent was sharp and citrusy.
“Thanks, buddy,” Isaac said, peeling one open.
The flesh was sweet, and bursting with flavor. It was better than any store-bought orange he’d ever had.
He shared them with Leora, Professor Catherine, and Tyr.
The big buy looked especially happy, not just because of the fruit but because it was something Isaac gave him.
“This fruit can improve your blood circulation, skin, hair, even helps you sleep better, and it speeds up recovery. It’s perfect for your condition right now, Isaac, with how hard you’ve been pushing,” Professor Catherine spoke, chewing the tangerine slice.
Isaac raised an eyebrow, peeling another segment. “That good, huh? Guess I’ll keep this tree around then.”
“You should.” She glanced at the field, then back at him. “Come on, let’s head inside for snacks.”
Snacks again?
Isaac, of course, did not speak his thoughts aloud. He had learned in his childhood that it was rude.
Isaac looked out at the Treant, who had already resumed patrolling the fields.
As he moved, a low, rumbling hum vibrated from his wooden form, almost like a cheerful tune.
The three of them walked back to the house, leaving Tyr to its rounds.
Inside, Leora set out a plate of bread and cheese while Catherine rummaged in her bag, pulling out a folder of documents.
She slid it across the table to Isaac.
“Before we get too comfortable, here’s something for you. The land signing papers.”
Isaac opened the folder, scanning the pages.
“One hectare, completely free,” he read aloud, glancing up at her. “No payment to Sanctum of Masters, and all crops from it are mine?”
“Signed by the Principal himself,” Catherine confirmed, tapping the signature at the bottom. “Once you sign it, one copy goes to you, and the other will return to Sanctum of Masters.”
Isaac took the pen she offered.
He signed his name with a steady hand.
He slid one copy back to her, keeping the other.
“Thanks. That’s a big deal.”
“It is,” she said, tucking her copy away. “Now, about your stock. How many Vitality Grains are you sitting on?”
“Exactly 3,400 as of now.”
Catherine nodded, pulling out a small notebook to jot it down.
“Market rate’s usually 3,000 to 5,000 Obols for one Vitality Grain. The exact price depends on demand, but they’re famous among the Explorers. They earn big, but they need reliable food like Vitality Grains to survive out there.”