rule 12

Chapter 28: If You Want to Get Rich, Swing Your Axes!

At the conclusion of the speech, the players were given a comprehensive tour of the academy grounds to help them become familiar with their new environment. Soon, they were divided into two distinct groups: the agricultural group and the lumberjack group. The distribution included five new players and two from the first batch for the agricultural group, which would be sent to the agricultural area to continue plowing the field. Simultaneously, four new players and three experienced ones composed the lumberjack group, tasked with chopping trees to the north of the academy.

Victor carefully monitored the proceedings, ensuring a smooth execution of the division. Prior to the speech, he had met with the first batch of players to emphasize their role in guiding the newcomers. As an added incentive, they would be rewarded for successfully assisting their fellow acolytes in the form of none other than merit points. Five points of them. How generous he was!

Based on their competence, he appointed Zero and Storm as leaders of the two groups. Zero was in charge of overseeing the agricultural activities, while Storm assumed leadership of the lumberjack group. The two players grinned so widely that they almost split their heads upon being appointed leaders amidst the envious gazes of the others. Were these empty positions that valuable in their eyes?

There was just one problem: Due to an insufficient number of tools, the agricultural group had to use shovels to substitute the missing number of hoes. As for the lumberjack group, moving the cut logs and overseeing the area required personnel, so there was no problem there. Given the limited number of tools available in the storage — five hoes, five axes, five pickaxes, and five shovels — Victor acknowledged the need to address this issue to ensure both groups could function optimally.

Hmm, maybe today, once the players have adjusted to their roles, I should take a short venture to the village to procure more tools. Victor figured that before more players joined, he must take the initiative to solve this issue.

Now, there was one player who didn't join any of the two groups, which was of course the caterer that Victor would personally temporarily hire as a butcher. Although it might sound strange for an NPC to know about someone's occupation in real life, he was the headmaster. What was so strange about knowing personal information about his acolytes?

The player in question possessed an average teenage height, average build, and distinctive pink hair. Though considered pretty by Earth's standards, Magi had ways to enhance their appearances through potions and supernatural means, making her appear rather ordinary.

Under the username "Princess_Tomato," she had initially been excited about the headmaster's personal assignment for her. However, her enthusiasm quickly turned into sheer bewilderment as she found herself led into an empty room with nothing but a massive boar-like magical beast's corpse, a set of kitchen knives, and Victor explaining what she was to do.

"Respected Headmaster, you want me to do what?!" The shock on Princess_Tomato's face was undeniable as she struggled hard to process what Victor was asking of her.

It was evident from her reaction and expression that her culinary experience had been confined to smaller tasks, and she had never dealt with anything as massive as the creature before her.

Victor calmly reiterated his instructions, "Your task is simple: cut this boar into manageable pieces and tan its skin if possible. If you are unsure you can do it well, just focus on separating the meat. Don't worry, more acolytes with the necessary skills will join us tomorrow to assist you."

Other than the meat, the bones, skin, tendons, and other parts of the magical beast were valuable as well. Wasting them just to get the meat would be an insult to mother nature… and a heartache for Victor who was a hoarder and knew better than anyone else here their true value once processed.

Hearing that she wouldn't be solely responsible for this task moving forward, her complexion regained some confidence. Nodding resolutely, she replied, "Th-Then, I'll try my best…!"

The room they stood in was an auxiliary chamber on the academy's first floor, designed with ample ventilation and marble floor, making it suitable for a makeshift kitchen if necessary. Unfortunately, it lacked a central hearth — a vital feature for cooking — and other than one iron pan and a set of kitchen knives, there were no other cooking utensils. Another visit to the village was inevitable.

Right, that's another agenda added… I should also have some players set up a fireplace here. Victor took a mental note to inform Lizbeth to take care of this matter. Furthermore, the remaining preserved food would only be enough for one more meal before it truly ran out, which meant an addition to Victor's tab list.

However, the responsibility of preparing food for the academy and its inhabitants couldn't lie solely with the headmaster. Even without Victor's direct involvement, the academy needed to operate as a self-sufficient entity. Thus, it fell upon Princess_Tomato and other players that would join tomorrow to fulfill the role of cook. As for the remuneration, it was set at ten merit points per hour for this job.

Upon the division into two groups, Jacky chose the lumberjack group because his profession as a furniture dealer made him familiar with various types of wood and their uses. Since childhood, he had learned what it was like to be a carpenter and even learned the knack of masonry, granting him a versatile skill set for various construction projects. To a degree, he was a jack of all trades when it came to building.

As he walked alongside his group toward their designated location, he took a moment to access his Shadowlink Mark. His intention was to review the potential rewards associated with the missions ahead, comparing the options available to him.

[Cultivate the land and make an agricultural area two hundred meters east of the Headmaster's Building.]

[Reward: 1 merit point per 10 m2]

[Attached Image: Visual layout of the agricultural area]

————————

[Chop the trees in the forest north of the academy to procure wood. The wood must be able to be used as building materials.]

[Reward: 1 merit point per meter (more if the thickness is greater)]

[Attached Image: Visual layout of the forest]

————————

[Gather clay in the eastern stream and bring it toward a designated location on the academy grounds.]

[Reward: 1 merit point per 5 kilograms]

[Attached Image: Visual layouts of the eastern stream and the designated academy grounds]

…

Other than gathering materials, some missions involved building walls and constructing various structures and facilities. Jacky had learned from the official website and forum that the game aimed for a high level of realism, closely mirroring the principles of the real world. He contrasted this with a simpler crafting system he had encountered in a different sandbox game, where intricate steps were often bypassed. He suspected that this game should not have such convenient features and would demand greater effort from its players, though he couldn't be sure until he tried it himself.

His experience in leadership and construction could potentially earn him recognition from the headmaster NPC. After all, one of the female players was granted a special assignment by him due to her real-world occupation. If Jacky could leverage his skills effectively, he might carve a path toward becoming one of the top players in the game!

This worked well to accomplish his goal, and possibly even…

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, he whispered to himself, "That's it. I should talk to the headmaster once the chance arises. For now, getting used to the game and accumulating merit points would be the top priority."

Finally, the lumberjack group, under the guidance of the hologram fairy, arrived at the northern edge of the clearing. Over here sprawled an untouched temperate forest with eerie dense foliage abounding. Mysterious sounds echoed from the depths of the woods from time to time, giving them goosebumps. Who knows what monsters might be lurking deep inside there.

"Listen up! I will be giving you a piece of advice: If you're not exactly dying to become the main course on a magical beast's dinner menu, then steer clear of trying to venture too deep into the forest. You see, the academy's magic barriers only extend so far, like a few hundred meters in. Remember this well, alright? Farewell for now, then!" With a mischievous wink, the hologram fairy vanished into thin air, leaving behind an air of playful mystery.

Becoming a magical beast's dinner menu?

They had just joined the game, and having to endure a twenty-four-hour cooldown penalty from dying wasn't something they had in mind.

However, despite the unsettling atmosphere and the fairy's ominous advice, the three experienced players remained unperturbed, seeming accustomed to this environment. The time difference between the two batches of players was relatively short — only two days — but the immersion must have already taken hold of them.

As a matter of fact, the group's leader, a player named Storm, hoisted his axe and declared, "Y'all heard what Miss Fairy said! Now, if you want to get rich, swing your axes!"

""Ooh!!""

Enthusiasm rippled through the newcomers as they hefted their axes, eager to join the effort. The once eerie forest now looked conquerable.

Jacky himself was handed an axe, and as he swung it towards the nearest tree, he marveled at the realism of the impact and the flying sawdust. The sunlight filtering through the leaves above added to the immersive experience.

"Damn, the game is so realistic!" one of the players exclaimed from the side.

"Hah," another player chimed in, "like we didn't know that already."

The three seasoned players chuckled at the light-hearted banter among the new arrivals, but it didn't stop them from continuing their tree-chopping endeavors.

With a dull thud, a tree the size of a human thigh that Jacky was chopping fell to the ground after about half an hour of constant chopping. The forest around him seemed to echo with the rhythmic sounds of axes hitting wood. While it was unknown what kind of trees were deeper inside, most of the trees around here had similar characteristics to pine trees — their needles casting a carpet of shade below. Furthermore, the thickness also ranged from the size of an arm to a few times that of a human thigh.

Jacky wiped his brow and glanced at the others. It seemed efficiency wasn't their strong suit, as some of the tree trunks left behind looked as if they had been gnawed on by dogs rather than systematically chopped down. Sooner or later, some accidents might happen because of this and cause an unwanted injury or death.

These players still had much to learn...

Chapter 29: Would You Consider Being My Sponsor?

Inside the village head's house, Victor took a seat at the dining table as the honored guest of the village. Following the previous successful deal, the villagers had come to regard him in a new light — no longer the feared tax collector, but a mysterious Magus who had earned their respect through a mutually beneficial trade agreement.

"Sir, what brings you to our humble village today?" inquired the old village head, showing a mix of surprise and reverence.

It had only been a short span of three days since Victor's last visit. His sudden appearance must have caught the village head off guard, leading to a certain level of tension.

"Worry not. I'm here for another business proposition, of course," Victor responded composedly, taking slow sips of the tea offered by the village head's wife. "Due to certain circumstances, I find myself in need of more tools. Specifically, I require twenty iron axes, twenty shovels, and ten hoes. Additionally, I'm interested in obtaining cooking utensils such as iron kettles, wooden plates, spoons, forks, and other necessary items. Can you accommodate these requests?"

At present, the players were resorting to eating with their hands, lacking even basic plates. What made them different from barbaric people, then?

"Uh…" The village head hesitated, his complexion turning to one of concern.

"What seems to be the issue? If it's about money, rest assured, I will compensate you fairly."

"I humbly apologize, sir. Finance isn't the issue…" he explained with a tone of reluctance. "Our current dilemma lies in the scarcity of iron… We can readily supply ten axes, ten shovels, five hoes, and the cooking utensils you've mentioned, but beyond that, we might face challenges."

Iron, huh… There were no iron mines around the village. So, the only place that came to Victor's mind would be the ravine at the edge of the river. It was more than likely to hide iron and other mineral veins, possibly even rare metals. However, this option would not furnish a speedy resolution to the existing quandary.

Thornwood Village, despite its remote location, harbored a substantial population of approximately five hundred residents and more than a hundred families. It was almost the size of a small town, to say the least. It meant that their requirements for iron tools were also proportionally large.

The reason Victor decided to procure more axes and shovels instead of other tools was because he was thinking of constructing an earthen wall around the academy. First, the forest around the academy had to be cleared out, and the clay had to be gathered, and only then would he be able to start with the project.

"Of course, once peddlers make their way to the village by the start of the next month, which is to say in less than three weeks, we can acquire the required quantity of iron ore or tools," the village head supplemented.

"No need," Victor interjected. "The allocation of ten axes, ten shovels, five hoes, and the cooking utensils should be sufficient for now. Beyond that, do provide grain seeds to accommodate three hectares of land. Supply me with wheat, potato, and earthnug seeds. So, one hectare worth of seed of each, I suppose."

Previous acquisitions of seeds had been rife with variety but scant in quantity, a decision stemming from Victor's lack of a precise goal at the time. The assortment included carrot, turnip, onion, and garlic seeds, among others, yet the yield was sufficient for only a diminutive field of about one hundred square meters in scale. While he intended to cultivate these seeds, his primary focus rested on the cultivation of grains, which would serve as the academy's staple sustenance.

By the way, earthnug was a type of root vegetable that had a remarkable speed of growth of only a month and a substantial yield. What was more, it displayed a remarkable ability to thrive even within the most barren of environments, easily becoming one of the main standard feeds in this world. However, with pros came its own cons: Not only did it look terrible, but it tasted awful too. Victor had once tried it when staying at a random inn and almost puked. It was essentially a good-for-nothing vegetable.

Nevertheless, players wouldn't complain too much about what they ate inside the game. Its huge harvest yield and resilience to harsh conditions rendered it a perfect match for the academy's grounds. Hence, he opted to procure a wholesale quantity.

"Sir, are you intending to cultivate these crops? Forgive me for my impertinence, but considering the current season, which is nearing autumn… With the exception of earthnug, initiating the cultivation of these crops with extended growth periods may be ill-timed," the old village head voiced his concern.

"That's not something for you to be concerned about. As a Magus, I possess methods of my own. Your role lies in the provision of the seeds."

"Understood!"

Although it was well past the planting season, the academy's magic barriers seemed adept at shielding crops from the chill of winter. Consequently, the possibility of cultivating crops throughout the year within the academy's confines remained viable.

The quantity of seeds needed for three hectares was quite substantial, and the combined weight would likely exceed two or four tons. There was no way that Victor's one cubic meter interspatial ring would be able to hold all of it in a single go — at least two to three trips might be required.

Moving on, Victor engaged in discussions about the pricing for the entire list of requested items in this deal. While he had previously been generous with the village, he now aimed for a more balanced trade deal that would benefit both parties without causing any losses for him. After all, he hadn't had any income so far, and until then, he should calculate his expenses in earnest.

In summary, the cost for the twenty-five tools amounted to five gold coins or one platinum coin, while the cooking utensils added up to two gold coins. As for the seeds, their combined worth was six gold coins. It was important to note that the value of one gold coin was what an average commoner earned in almost a month or approximately equivalent to two hundred dollars, though due to factors like inflation, the exact value might differ.

The wooden cart had been borrowed by Victor previously, but he saw its potential use for the players and decided to include it in this exchange as well. The village head initially offered it for free, but Victor insisted on paying for it. Considering all these factors, the total expenditure for this trade amounted to three platinum coins.

"Oh, right. One more thing, are there seasonings in this village aside from salt?" He almost forgot about the most essential element of delicious cuisine — seasonings.

"We do indeed possess a few seasonings. However, the past few years have been challenging for us, so our supply is quite limited…" The village head went on to explain the assortment of seasonings they had on hand.

Surprisingly, the village had an array of seasonings in stock, including vinegar, honey, mustard, garlic, onions, and various herbs sourced from the surrounding forest. Unfortunately, they didn't grow tomato plants, so items like ketchup were absent. To this, Victor made sure to purchase enough condiments to last two weeks for one hundred people.

In the end, Victor settled the payment with the village head, providing him with four platinum coins that covered not only the cost of the items but also any handling fees. Despite their small quantity, seasonings sure were expensive.

Just like in the previous arrangement, the proceeding of the deal took place just outside the village. Given the unexpectedly substantial volume of the items, Victor decided to transport back the earthnug seeds, iron tools, cooking utensils, and seasonings with him, leaving the remainder in the village. The potato seeds — or just potatoes, as they were their own seeds — alone occupied slightly more than two cubic meters, followed by the wheat seeds, which required only one cubic meter of space.

The earthnug seeds truly lived up to their reputation as a creation of a Magus, as they were astonishingly tiny despite belonging to a type of root vegetable. A single seed had the potential to yield a dozen or so ping-pong-sized vegetables. Furthermore, each of these vegetables could be cut into quarters, allowing them to be processed into additional seeds.

Now that it comes to mind, once the academy's level reaches level two, it will open the Magic Botanical Garden… I wonder, will there be magical crops available…? Victor contemplated deeply; such crops would undoubtedly prove invaluable, not only due to their potential worth but also their usefulness.

His train of thought was suddenly interrupted by a loud voice calling him.

"Sir Magus! Can I talk with you for a sec?" The bearer of the voice was a girl about Victor's age with long, dark brown hair that cascaded down her back, brown quartz eyes, and a fair complexion. She sported a unique attire that exuded a sense of rugged elegance: deep brown leather shorts, paired with a reddish-brown suit that dropped into a mantle-like long sleeve. White stockings and thigh-high boots adorned with delicate gold accents completed her ensemble.

Interestingly enough, Victor detected a faint but discernible mana fluctuation emanating from the girl. It was subtle, weaker even than the fluctuation given off by first-stage Initiate Attunement acolytes — but it was unmistakably there.

"I humbly apologize for her rudeness." The old village head followed closely, reaching out to restrain the girl by the arm. He bowed towards Victor, explaining, "She's the sole daughter of our village's only blacksmith, and her head has always been filled with wild delusions."

The blacksmith's daughter, huh? Now, that's interesting… 

"Wait." Victor raised his hand to halt the village head from restraining the girl.

"Yes?" The old village head responded cautiously, looking worried that his actions might have somehow offended him — a Magus.

"Let her speak. I want to hear what she has to say," Victor said with a calm demeanor.

Upon hearing this statement, the girl herself seemed taken aback, standing there in a mixture of surprise and uncertainty before managing to utter, "Sir…"

"Call me Astralium."

"Then, Sir Astralium… Are you, by any chance, interested in hearing my proposal?" Her smile took on a mysterious quality.

"Oh?" Victor raised an intrigued eyebrow.

To stand before an extraordinary like Victor without a hint of fear was a commendable feat. The girl must have possessed either courage beyond the ordinary or a touch of recklessness. Victor, however, was not one to judge hastily, so he let it slide.

Finding that Victor had taken the bait, the girl continued slowly, "Would you consider being my sponsor?"

Chapter 30: An Incomplete Inheritance of an Artificer

Sponsor? Victor's mental calculations anticipated various scenarios that might unfold next. An apprenticeship, perhaps, or a request to become his follower. What he didn't expect was this particular proposition.

"Elaborate," he responded evenly.

"Welp, it ain't no grand affair. I apologize if my way of speaking comes off a bit blunt," the girl began, her tone down-to-earth. "What I mean is, would you mind if I become your personal blacksmith? I've heard you're setting a dwelling deep inside the forest…"

Knowing that Victor procured tons of tools and seeds, it became apparent to the girl that his intended dwelling would require a significant population or workforce. This kind of deduction was hard to conceal even if he wanted to, leading her to come to this conclusion and promote herself for this opportunity. After all, Magi rarely ventured to such remote areas; even acolytes had to have specific reasons for coming here. This neatly aligned with Victor's plan, as he was in need of additional NPCs for his project.

"And what can you offer in return?" Victor's inquiry was measured and direct.

"This may sound absurd… but…" Her expression turned serious, and she whispered to Victor in a hushed voice that even the village head beside her couldn't catch, "I might possess an incomplete inheritance of an Artificer…"

An Artificer! Similar to Alchemist, it was a prestigious subclass unique to Magi. Tales spoke of powerful Artificers wielding countless self-made magic artifacts — higher-grade magic tools — to bolster their combat prowess. They were Magi so coveted that even the esteemed Arcane Radiance College would go to great lengths to secure their employment.

The audacity of this girl to share such a revelation struck Victor. If this confidential information were to reach the ears of a morally compromised Magus — something likely in this world — her swift demise would be a merciful outcome. An Artificer's inheritance, even if incomplete, held tremendous value.

But on second thought, Victor felt that this was a worthy gamble for her. She was daring to reach beyond the confines of her remote village life, approaching him, with his persona as a mysterious Magus, in an attempt to ascend. In essence, she was willing to risk her potential against the odds. Rather than letting her remain confined to this secluded village, this could be her chance to rise above. If not now, then when?

"What's your name?"

"It's Eleanor…" she responded. "I'm not trying to toot my own horn, but I've dabbled a bit in magic." Her tone conveyed a subtle attempt to enhance her value in his eyes.

"Interesting. Okay! I will become your sponsor. However, now is not yet the time for you to follow me." As of now, there was no place for her to fully utilize her potential back at the academy. There was no smithy — not to mention that it was too early to introduce a blacksmith NPC into the "game" with only three days of development.

Ordinary humans were too weak to face magical beasts head-on; this was precisely why Victor never considered the option of arming the players with weapons until they achieved the status of first-stage Initiate Attunement. Cold steel was powerless against the supernatural might of Magi, who could reshape landscapes with a mere thought.

The disparity was stark; even ten skilled hunters armed with crossbows would be defenseless against a single Thornback Boar, a creature Victor himself had dealt with. Ten out of ten, the hunters would be wiped out without inflicting any meaningful damage on the beast. This was the harsh reality of this world.

Of course, it would be a different thing altogether if the players could manufacture modern weaponry such as guns. Yet, for the time being, such advancements felt like distant dreams.

Modern technology… An Artificer… Suddenly, something grazed the edges of Victor's mind, causing a tingling sensation to run through him. Although this world wasn't exactly medieval, modern technology would still have an edge on many things!

With a deft gesture, Victor produced two platinum coins and extended them toward Eleanor's hand. "Take it."

"Sir…" The old village head, who had been watching from the sidelines and not interrupting the exchange in the slightest, seemed not to understand why Victor was doing all this.

"Sir Astralium…?" Eleanor, the recipient of the coins, was also visibly perplexed. Although she was hoping for some kind of investment, she hadn't provided any concrete evidence of her skills or abilities, making the gesture seem rather misplaced. Victor was clearly aware of this.

"It's fine. Consider this an investment." It wasn't that Victor was accepting this at face value. No matter what, he could tell that she was not lying, or at least, she wasn't trying to trick him. Two platinum coins were nothing but a small expenditure that was worth much less than even a novice-grade mana crystal. With this transaction, he still retained forty-eight platinum coins.

Afterward, the village head discreetly excused himself, and Victor continued his conversation with Eleanor. The need for tools would only increase as time went on, so he informed her of his intention to return the following day with materials for her to work on, potentially including weapon crafting.

Victor had initially contemplated designating some players as weapon crafters, but there had been no individuals with blacksmiths or similar occupations who had registered for the closed-alpha stage so far. To begin with, they were all avid gamers — people who had a lot of free time to spare — most of their jobs would be unlikely to be rooted in manual labor.

When Victor returned to the academy, the sun had already risen atop his head. The journey, although relatively swift at around three and a half hours for a round trip, wasn't exactly brief. Despite being an acolyte, Victor was only human. Navigating through uneven terrain and thick vegetation and staying alert to his surroundings consumed most of the time. Otherwise, the trip itself would only have less than half that time.

This time, he didn't come back with a wooden cart laden with supplies, except for a huge sack filled with tools that hadn't fit into his interspatial ring. However, such trips weren't the most efficient, given that he could only make them once a day. Moreover, appearing too frequently around the village risked diminishing the enigmatic aura he had cultivated.

"Sigh… I wonder how long it will take for Lumen to grow large enough to be a mount," Victor mused, making his way forward.

Looking at it again, Lumen was a special magical beast, and magical beasts were known to grow many times faster than normal creatures. But no matter how fast, it would likely be several months or even years before she would be large enough to bear his weight. Unless…

"Well, there's no use pondering that now." Victor shook his head. "Right… There's still one more class that I have to teach before I can be free from lecturing… Ah, but the affinity and aptitude tests have to be personally managed, though."

There was no avoiding that — though later, the two tests could be done earlier before the players were divided into groups. Maybe once there were other mentors, he could entrust this to them. This would minimize his workload and give him free time to pursue his path as a Magus. Victor might have taken the mantle of the academy's headmaster, and he ensured the smooth functioning of the academy with his continued attention, but he couldn't neglect the reason he did all this: to pursue the truth.

This was the holy grail for all Magi.

Amidst a momentary respite, Jacky found himself engrossed in an unexpected endeavor — crafting a stone spear. With a sharp stone he found lying around, a plant fiber, and a sturdy branch he had liberated from a felled tree, he set out to test the game's crafting system. His fingers worked deftly, guided by curiosity and a desire to comprehend the mechanics of this new reality.

Between each meticulous movement, his taste buds were subjected to a trial of their own. "Shit! This food tastes like shit!" The dried meat that was distributed earlier on resembled rubber more than anything edible. Even the bland food given by the hospital tasted much better than the crap he was eating.

Eventually, the stone spear took shape in his hands. Though the quality might not be the best, it was his first creation in this game — a small achievement that filled him with a sense of accomplishment similar to the one he had as a kid when in an art class.

"Hey, what are you up to over there?" Locktekei, a fellow player, approached from behind.

"Just crafting a little something for myself — a spear. And yeah, isn't that an hour until we're supposed to gather back at the academy's main building?" Jacky responded.

"Yup. That's a nice spear by the way. I didn't know that the game could replicate crafting and physics down to such fine details. Still, you sure are one talented player, bro! Not only is your chopping efficiency higher than the rest of us, but your knowledge is also so deep. What's your job in real life?" Locktekei couldn't help but ask.

"Not much, really. I mainly deal in furniture and building materials, but that's all in the past. As for knowledge, well, it naturally comes with age, though our virtual bodies all look like teenagers, so it's not very convincing coming from me."

"I see, I see… Bro, you must be very old then!" Despite knowing that, Locktekei playfully slung an arm over Jacky's shoulder and exclaimed, "But you know what? Age is just a number. Now, let's continue chopping wood, shall we?"

"Uh-huh." Jacky himself didn't mind this interaction. For some reason, he was now deeply influenced by youngsters' spirits.

Considering the spare time available before reconvening, they decided to maximize their merit point gains. Axes in hand, they resumed their task of felling trees. By now, a portion of the forest had been cleared of trees, leaving behind wild thickets and groves that were harder to eradicate. Jacky himself had cut down ten trees so far, ranging from arm to foot thick and ten to fifteen meters high. Even if the points had to be divided with the players who helped him move the logs, he would be getting at least one hundred points. He was basically the fastest player at chopping down trees!

Yet, an inexplicable pull tugged at Jacky's instincts, urging him to delve deeper into the woods. The feeling was subtle and strange, unlike anything he had ever felt before. Cautiously, he ignored the beckoning sensation, uncertain of what it might lead to.

Slouched in his chair, Victor had his eyes closed to the world around him. His schedule had continued on as planned: from lunch to the handling of procured materials and then onto imparting magic knowledge to the newly arrived players. Luckily, the dinner had been satisfactory, thanks to the seasonings he brought back, and professionally prepared meat graced his plate.

Princess_Tomato had carved a portion of the Thornback Boar, but progress had been at a snail's pace due to the creature's toughness. She had shared her struggles with him, and he acknowledged the required laborious process of breaking down the beast. Besides that, she proposed drying the meat with salt so the unused meat wouldn't spoil, to which he agreed by giving her the rest of the salt.

There was also something that had become a main issue in cooking and the players' survivability. Drinkable water. Previously, five players didn't require a lot of water to sustain themselves, and the supplies that Victor had prepared were enough to support them these past three days. Victor himself could manipulate the Hydro elemental particles in the air to produce small amounts of water, so this became the temporary solution until he led the players toward the nearby stream tomorrow.

Victor was also in the mind of charging for the players' meals with merit points starting tomorrow — twenty points for each serving — so the players had to work hard to satisfy their fill. After all, there was no free lunch in this world, and the magical beast meat was no cheap commodity. As for how the transaction could be carried out, the Shadowlink Marks worked as an intermediary; it was a truly convenient tool.

Besides that, the five players from the first batch had made a makeshift fireplace. Using stones and branches gathered from their tree-chopping activities, they had managed to create a serviceable cooking area while Victor was preoccupied with instructing the new arrivals. Of course, they were rewarded with fifty merit points each for their initiative. Ideally, bricks would have been the materials used. Perhaps he had to figure out a way to make cement, as well, and a candidate for the task among the new players had formed inside his mind.

Regarding the affinities and aptitudes of the new players, Victor noted a striking similarity to those of the initial batch. While some displayed a talent for rare elements, none exhibited an affinity for the elusive Cosmo and Chrono elements. In terms of mana aptitudes, the highest ranking was a player with an inferior bright grade, mirroring the aptitude of Prominence. Overall, their profiles fell within the expected range — nothing too out of the ordinary.

Chapter 31: The Limitless Possibilities

Eager to gauge the new players' reactions, Victor swiftly accessed the Discord app and navigated to the dedicated channel for Magus Academy Online within Gamer's Empire server. The channel was already teeming with a flood of messages, an overwhelming stream that required him to scroll back for a minute to stay updated without missing any crucial information.

Squadzell: "Whoa, what's with all these new faces popping up out of nowhere? (Confused.gif)"

Stickman_Just_Passing: "Hey boss! How do I get in on this test? I've signed up on the official website to join."

Gigglebelly Grumblefart: "I'm interested too! Is there a fee to play this game?"

Squadzell: "Haha! Hold on, are you all here for Magus Academy Online? :PaimonShock:"

Captain Derp: "Seems like the server is getting a lot of newcomers. Let's give it some time until the folks who've qualified for the closed alpha share their experiences."

Squadzell: "True, true. And to answer your questions, you don't have to pay during the testing phase, though no one knows if that'll stay the same in the future. And as for getting in, it hinges a lot on your qualifications. I haven't even scored a qualification myself... #Wishingforone."

In the gaming community, whispers of an urban legend had begun to circulate — talk of a fully immersive virtual reality game that was taking the online world by storm. While most dismissed it as mere fantasy, there were always a couple of enthusiasts who took the idea seriously, searching high and low for the official website's URL and an invitation to the Gamer's Empire Discord server.

The proof of this growing curiosity exploded when the fresh wave of players logged out of the game and eagerly shared their initial impressions.

Locktekei: "@everyone! Okay, I have to eat my words now for saying that the server owner was overdramatic before. This game… it just blew my mind. I take back all my earlier skepticism. I'm completely floored by it!

Stickman_Just_Passing: "Really?!"

ThunderLord999: "Yep, absolutely true. I'm backing up Locktekei here. I tested out the crafting system, and it's indistinguishable from the real deal. And then there's this intricate magic system that's still a mystery to us… It's making me wonder about the game's full potential."

Prominence (Administrator): "Whoa, you guys are outpacing us, the old players!"

The new members couldn't contain their excitement and jumped into the conversation, engaging with the qualified players to get more insights and even exchanging their thoughts and questions about the game. Furthermore, it appeared that his online friend "PleaseBugMeNot" had changed his Discord username to be the same as his in-game name, Prominence.

Victor skipped the initial flurry of messages until he reached a more interesting conversation among the players from the first batch:

Storm Bringer (Administrator): "To be honest, the realism of this game went beyond my expectations! Unlike most sandbox-building games, Magus Academy Online takes it to the next level. We closed-alpha players started chopping down trees around the academy today, and the sensation of chopping wood feels the same as in reality. I mean, I haven't tried chopping trees with an iron axe in the local conservation area myself, but the experience is incredibly immersive. The thing is, it's not just plowing the field that feels real; everything feels so damn real! And I'm still not talking about the crafting system."

Storm Bringer (Administrator): "In this game, logs will not magically turn into planks just by putting them on a crafting table. Cooking isn't just placing random ingredients on a lit stove and playing a minigame to match temperature and doneness. Instead, you gotta approach it like you're actually in a kitchen, with all the steps and techniques. Say goodbye to one-click crafting and instant results."

ViperMoon: "No way, it's that realistic?"

ZeroXScyth (Server Owner): "Yes! Looking at that plant logo on your name, it seems that you're a new member, so you may not have read the review that Storm made previously. But you see, while I was not part of the lumberjack group in the game, the five of us made a makeshift fireplace near the end of this session. It's nothing grand, but we have to gather the materials ourselves and place the stones and branches in the correct position to make a working cooking area."

Storm Bringer (Administrator): "Exactly! On top of that, all the materials in the game behave according to their real-world properties. And the changes we make to the environment are permanent! No respawning! Meaning that we have to use what's available around us while minimizing the impact it may cause. That's what has impressed me the most!"

MikeIsHandsome1000x: "A good observation there, Storm. So, I will be adding my own take as an RPG enthusiast. As far as the gameplay is concerned, we haven't even found the game's limit yet! I can't help but wonder how magic fits into all of this — just like what @ThunderLord999 said. My gaming instinct told me that there's limitless possibilities, and we must explore every corner of it all!"

Victor was pleased to see the players engaging in meaningful discussions about the game's mechanics and potential. It was a testament to the success of his design in creating a façade of a game that was actually a reality. He intended to maintain this illusion for as long as possible.

Furthermore, the nature of being an acolyte, destined to tread the path of a Magus, inherently involved curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. Pursuing knowledge and truth was the essence of a Magus's journey, and he aimed to nurture and cultivate this fundamental trait within his players. As the headmaster, it was his duty to encourage them to always be curious and never cease to test the boundaries of possibility.

Storm Bringer (Administrator): "It's a shame, but we haven't yet delved into the combat system yet. I can't wait to shoot magic spells or even wield my own magic weapons in the future. Although with the total freedom that the game's giving, it seems plausible that we can create guns in this magical world. Perhaps even creating 'magitech' or merging technology and magic to craft something truly unique. Who knows."

Stickman_Just_Passing: "Count me in! If all you're saying is true, even if I have to sell my kidneys and mortgage my house, I'm more than willing to pay to get a shot at playing!"

Gigglebelly Grumblefart: "@Stickman_Just_Passing Might as well mortgage your wife and daughters to make it more attractive."

Squadzell: "Cyber, if you're listening, please! I'm begging for a chance to play after hearing all these incredible stories! Give me that opportunity! 🙏 🥺 🙏"

"…"

All the gamers who were silently watching burst out at the same time, expressing their desire to obtain the qualifications and join the adventure. Obviously, not everyone was convinced about this.

Noobzilla: "Oh come on, are you all seriously falling for this? I dare to bet one hundred bucks that these people are paid actors! What proof have you seen apart from just words? Vanishing for a night and then coming back the next morning with tall tales — even my dog could pull off that trick."

Noobzilla: "And what's all this talk about the game being so realistic (which is highly unlikely, considering the dubious existence of it)? If it's truly that lifelike, why isn't it being utilized to improve the lives of people worldwide? Using such technology for a game rather than in fields like healthcare, science, and education sounds ludicrous to me. It's like a bunch of clowns setting up a circus in the middle of nowhere. It's absolutely ridiculous! Are you people lacking brains or something?"

(Noobzilla has been timed out by the server owner for 1 hour.)

ZeroXScyth (Server Owner): "This guy has been getting on my nerves for some time."

SuperNovaX (Moderator): "Oof! Boss Zero's not holding back!"

Storm Bringer (Administrator): "Critiques are welcome, but insults are not, especially towards the team behind the game. The truth will become evident once you step into the game (though, given your behavior, that seems unlikely). By the way, it's frustrating that I can't stream and upload videos on my channel! I'm losing millions here!"

Following this exchange, the server channel ignited with discussion as beliefs, doubts, and hopes intermingled among the players. A diversity of reactions formed the tantalizing concept of this revolutionary game — something only time could truly verify.

Victor himself cared not about the criticisms of a single individual, as it wouldn't impact his plan in the slightest. Nevertheless, he marked the individual ineligible for a qualification. To his surprise, this individual had already registered for a qualification on the official website, though his profile was far from extraordinary, which confirmed his distance from ever getting a qualification.

Just as Victor was preparing to close the app and begin his daily meditation practice, a DM pop-up appeared on the side of the holographic screen. The sender was none other than Storm Bringer himself.

Storm Bringer: "Cyber, are you online?"

Curious about what he wanted to say, Victor typed back: "Just woke up after a short work break. What's the matter?"

Storm Bringer: "Well, it's not anything urgent… I feel bad bothering you with this."

Victor creased his eyebrows; they had been online friends for years. What was there to hide from him, unless he had some ulterior motives?

CyberWarlock: "Just tell me."

Storm Bringer: "Have you seen the messages on the server? There's this sourpuss who's been spouting bad things about the game company. Saying things like the game is a fraud and all. I, as one of the closed-alpha players, feel frustrated about not being able to offer concrete proof of the game's existence and shut up similar people for good… I even tried posting a review video for the game on my channel, but no one would believe me. Say, when will the features concerning in-game streaming and screenshotting be implemented?"

Huh? This person actually uses this as an excuse to have him implement a system that will benefit him.Still, his point was valid. Giving players the tools to share their experiences was crucial to further promote the game without relying on advertisements. However, Victor knew there were technical challenges he had to address before implementing such features.

In response to Storm's message, he pondered the situation and considered his response carefully. But before he was able to reply, the guy must have thought that his message was too to the point, so another message from him quickly followed.

Storm Bringer: "I'm not saying that you have to take this to your higher-ups, but you know…"

CyberWarlock: "It's fine. This topic has been under discussion in our meetings several times. Rest assured, by the time the next update comes, I'll try my best to ensure the features are ready. To that end, we're planning to extend our official website to include a platform where players can share their in-game experiences."

This would be like a platform similar to the "Community Hub" on popular gaming platforms like Steam. Players could post videos, images, and even artwork related to the game there.

Storm Bringer: "Sweet! That's sure to be a hit! I remember reading a manhwa years ago about a VRMMORPG with a similar concept. You could also consider adding a leaderboard or a hall of fame based on total viewership to incentivize players. Your company could even monetize this by incorporating ads."

Reading Storm's enthusiastic comment confused Victor. Are you the developer here, or is it me? Why do the roles feel reversed? Oh well, it's good to have enthusiastic players like him…

CyberWarlock: "Point taken. Your feedback will be presented during our next meeting."

Although the currency from Earth held little value for Victor, he understood the importance of maintaining the façade of a game company. What kind of game company didn't exist to make money? Plus, who knew when such Earthly currency could come in handy in the future? After all, money was often equated to power.

Storm Bringer: "Oh yeah, I have one more request."

Eh? Since when has this become a session to request anything from the developer? Victor thought, but he decided to listen since Storm's input had been quite valuable so far.

CyberWarlock: "Go ahead."

Storm Bringer: "Is there any way I can stay in the game for longer? Waiting twelve hours in real life is killing me! I've been holding my urge to play for the past few days. I can't even go to the bathroom to shit in peace without thinking about the game. Even playing other games doesn't satisfy me anymore."

Did this guy not have work in real life? Then again, Storm Bringer was known to be a streamer and well-versed in stock trading, so he likely had enough financial stability to avoid traditional employment.

CyberWarlock: "As players progress further in the game, we will consider extending the allowed playtime. Right now, twelve hours of continuous play should be more than sufficient to fulfill most players' recreational needs. Remember, we prioritize the safety and well-being of our players above all else. If you don't have any more feedback to share, I will take this chance to send my report to the higher-ups and then go get some rest."

Storm Bringer: "Wait!!"

Victor swiftly turned off his Shadowlink Mark, deciding that he had spent enough time on this discussion. He leaned back in his chair, allowing his thoughts to settle on the potential benefits of the feedback he had received from the players, both for their enjoyment and for the "company" image.

Chapter 32: Establishing Leadership Positions

All of a sudden, Victor remembered about the side mission "Farming Simulator 1.0" and reactivated his Master Shadowlink Mark.

—— [Headmaster's Journal] ——

Mission: What's Around the Academy?

To develop the academy, you must make sure that the surrounding area supports further growth. One such criterion is to discover exploitable natural resources.

Type: Main mission

Total Natural Resources Found: 2/3

Reward: 150 academy points

————————

Mission: Farming Simulator 1.0

Self-sustaining is not achieved through external factors but internal factors. You can do this yourself, or you can instruct the players to create a one-hectare field and seed it with life. 

Type: Side mission

Reward: 10 progression value points

…

Today, after the collective efforts of the players, a one-hectare field had finally been successfully plowed, but the mission hadn't yet been accomplished. It appeared that the condition for completing the field, as stated in the mission, required Victor to sow the seeds across the cultivated land.

As he scrolled through the list of missions, his attention was caught by the appearance of several new side missions related to the construction of various facilities within the academy.

"Hm? These missions must have been added recently," he murmured, looking at one of the said missions in interest.

Mission: What Kind of Smith Doesn't Own a Smithy?

A productive work environment requires a suitable place. Build a functional blacksmith workshop within the academy grounds.

Type: Side mission

Reward: 10 progression value points

It occurred to Victor that certain conditions might need to be fulfilled for these missions to appear. This one, for example, could have become available after his interaction with Eleanor — the capricious girl with the Artificer inheritance.

"Whatever."

In addition to the progress of the field, the lumberjack group had cut down approximately fifty logs, each measuring ten to fifteen meters in length. With more players joining the game, the academy's development was expected to snowball from this point onward. However, the influx of players also demanded tighter management to maintain order.

Victor turned his gaze to the fairy perched atop a wolf pup, snoozing peacefully. It seemed she had seized the opportunity to indulge in a bit of relaxation while he was engrossed in reviewing the day's reports.

Creeping closer to her slumbering form, Victor playfully pinched her cheeks to rouse her from her nap while remarking, "Liz, wake up! If you snooze any longer, you might miss out on today's breakfast."

"Bwuh?!" It was unknown whether it was thanks to Victor's action or words, but her response was instantaneous and quite dramatic; her golden eyes snapped open as she exclaimed, "Where? Where's my breakfast?!"

"What is where?" As usual, Victor played along, feigning innocence.

"Geez!" Lizbeth's eyes narrowed, her cheeks puffing in annoyance. She even managed to kick at the air while floating, totally pissed. "Can you not do that?"

"Not do what?" Victor grinned inwardly, enjoying her reaction. But he soon turned more serious. "Actually, I have an important question for you."

"What is it?" Just the same, her pout also transformed into a look of intrigue.

"How many hologram fairies can you control, Lizbeth?"

With a hint of exasperation, she corrected him, "I've been letting it slide this whole time, but technically speaking, it's not a hologram… It's a magic projection."

Victor was not too keen about the difference between the two. Holograms, in a sense, had more to do with technology, where magic projection was magic, as the name suggested.

He shrugged. "Hologram, magic projection — potato, potahto. What matters is that you are able to project those to assist me."

"Well, I suppose there should be no problem projecting myself without using the Shadowlink Marks as long as I remain within the confines of this building. This is because the Nexus Beacon in the basement can accomplish the same as well," the fairy explained.

"Oh, is that so…" Victor nodded and went deep into contemplation.

In the foreseeable future, Victor had plans to establish shops for the players. He had two main avenues to consider: setting up virtual shops within the Shadowlink Mark and having physical stores within the "game world." Virtual shops selling spell books, magic knowledge, and other bodies of knowledge in e-book form would be neat — he could even have a virtual shop dedicated to microtransactions or something similar here. Though shops offering services like blacksmithing, tailoring, and material sales would require supervision.

The problem was, Victor lacked NPCs to operate the physical stores. While Lizbeth could temporarily oversee some aspects, she was already busy guiding the players. The other option was to involve the local inhabitants, but this approach came with its share of risks that Victor didn't want to go through. And there was a chance of them not being obedient to him and jeopardizing his progress.

As an alternative, he contemplated the idea of purchasing slaves to fill these roles. Yes, slavery existed in this world. Magi were prohibited from conducting experiments on ordinary people since, after all, the root of their existence came from the common people. Without them, Magi wouldn't have existed. Still, slaves had become a common choice for experimentation, as Magi required subjects to further their knowledge.

While slaves were a potential solution, Victor understood the ethical dilemmas and complexities that came with such a decision. But with enough nonsense about the game's setting, he should be able to smooth things out with the players. Only that procuring slaves would be next to impossible in this place, so Victor put this plan on the back burner.

With that, Victor finished reviewing today's progress and setting up plans for the future. Finding that it had been so long since he played any game, he started a round of Crusader Kings III on the holographic screen. The experience was awkward because he had to use a holographic keyboard and touchpad instead of the usual physical ones.

The players started logging in the instant they were able to — which was at six sharp in the morning.

Prior to accepting the new batch of players for the day, Victor summoned the participants from the first batch to his office. Since yesterday, he had already designated two of them "leader" positions, and now he intended to further expand and institutionalize this structure by introducing more groups and setting up a more permanent system under a merit points-based salary system. Two new groups would be added today, namely the foraging and clay collector groups. Later, when these groups grew larger in numbers, he planned to establish smaller teams within these groups.

His first order of business was to appoint MikeIsHandsome1000x as the leader of the clay collector group. For the foraging group, Prominence was chosen to take on the leadership role. He was the player with the most progress in terms of practicing the meditation technique and was expected to be the first one to be promoted to the first-stage Initiate Attunement.

In contrast to the simpler and safer task of the clay collector group, the foraging group's responsibilities revolved around collecting wild vegetables, fruits, and other food ingredients in the vicinity of the academy. While the academy's protective barriers extended some distance into the forest, there was an inherent risk involved in venturing at the edge of these safeguards. However, it was a calculated risk that needed to be taken, lest their diet consisted solely of meat.

As for how these players could differentiate which plants were poisonous or not, Victor had made a virtual guide that was attached to the mission; there was a list of edible plants he had taken from a book in this academy. If they were to find anything that wasn't listed, they could always ask him or Lizbeth any time or whenever available.

"For the personnel of the two new groups," Victor began, addressing the appointed leaders, "you have the option to either recruit new members from today's batch or select individuals from the existing groups. In total, you can add up to five members each, aside from yourselves. Naturally, you can expand the scope of the group on each subsequent day appropriately." He ensured that the leaders had some authority in deciding about this; micromanagement was an annoying thing for Victor.

"Esteemed Headmaster, why not consider appointing me as the leader of a hunting group instead? SuperNova could perhaps take charge of the foraging group," Prominence suggested with a touch of dissatisfaction in his voice, though he dared not show it upfront.

Victor raised an eyebrow at the proposal. "No, it's too soon for you to engage in any sort of combat. Are you even aware of the true might of magical beasts — an extraordinary life form? While you might encounter common creatures, the dangers of this forest exceed your expectations."

Victor understood well that players (gamers) did not like doing chores and manual labor. They played games as a form of relaxation and escapism to run away from the drudgery of reality. However, he couldn't do much at this stage, and it wasn't like they would be in this position for long, either. At most, it'd be until they attained first-stage Initiate Attunement acolyte status and could unleash spells to defend themselves out there — a milestone achievable in two to three weeks, depending on their aptitudes.

Also, the academy lacked an adequate arsenal of weaponry, and Victor wasn't about to send players into perilous situations armed only with iron axes meant for chopping wood. That would be tantamount to sending them to their death.

In any case, all the necessary explanations, complete with an attached map, were already in the mission description, so there wasn't much for him to explain. In fact, in regard to the clay collector group, he didn't need to show the stream; they would be able to find it themselves easily — this meant they would also be tasked with fetching water. On the other hand, the foraging group didn't have a specific location since foraging could be done almost anywhere.

"Sir Astralium… May I inquire about my role?" SuperNova's voice held a hint of curiosity. With the rest getting a high position, it was only natural for him to get one as well.

Unfortunately, there was indeed one shortage of leadership positions. Victor had considered forming a construction group to initiate the building of facilities around the academy, but he already had one person in mind to take this role tomorrow once he completed the two-day compulsory class. And the only vacant position he could think of was…

"Well, there is a need for someone to take on the role of the warehouse clerk," Victor slowly stated. "Would you be interested in assuming that responsibility?"

"Pfft. That fits your promotion from a college student— A-Agh! M-My lungs… It's burning!" Storm clutched his chest, writhing on the ground in discomfort.

It had been a few days since he last disciplined these players of his, so Victor had cast some simple elemental manipulation spell to punish him.

But in consideration of SuperNova's opinion, Victor added, "Of course, you can decline—"

"No! I'll gladly take on the role, Headmaster!" SuperNova was instead eager for this job; it felt like he wasn't well suited for exploration.

"Very well. In terms of compensation, the wage will be ten merit points per hour. However, you're welcome to use your free time to participate in missions with the other groups. As for the rest of you, you'll receive an additional twenty merit points per day."

"Headmaster, we don't need any remuneration for this responsibility."

"Yeah! Having the opportunity to lead our own groups is the best kind of reward in itself."

"Seconded."

"…"

It seemed they were trying their hardest to curry favor and increase the favorability or amity or whichever bullshit that Victor had made up. Even Storm, who was still grappling with the remnants of the magic spell, managed to squeeze out a bootlicking remark. It somehow made Victor feel ashamed of tricking these players. Nevertheless, Victor wasn't concerned with formalities and insisted on providing them with compensation, much to the players' fake reluctance.

Once the magic spell's torment had finally released Storm from its grip, he ventured to ask, "Esteemed Headmaster, can I ask you something?"

"Speak," Victor replied.

"Can I stay longer in the game? I feel like there's so much to do within the academy… Like, planning things out and such."

Victor creased his eyebrows. Asking the game's developer was not enough, so now he sought direct answers from an NPC within the game itself!

"In the future, when you have enough strength, I might consider letting you stay awake for the night. All right, if there's nothing else, off you go." Without allowing Storm the opportunity to continue, Victor snapped his fingers. A powerful gust of wind surged forth, forcefully flinging open the double doors and propelling the players out of the room. With another elegant flick of his hand, the heavy doors swiftly swung shut behind them, leaving them standing bewildered in the corridor.

This little trick to kick players never got old.

Chapter 33: Thornwood Flowers

It had become an unwritten schedule for the players: The first six hours of their gaming session were devoted to completing the academy's tasks and missions. After that, they took a one-hour lunch break and indulged in some free time. Following the break, they dedicated yet another two hours to continue their assigned tasks and missions. Only at the end of this three-hour cycle did they return to the Headmaster's Building for their two-day compulsory class — a schedule that lasted only two days, naturally.

Victor wasn't one to impose stringent work hours on the players; even if they worked for only half the designated time, he would gladly let them. After all, whatever the players were doing would never be useless, as they were people who didn't like to slack off in their games. Usually, at least.

With the new batch of players given the usual speech and their elemental affinities and mana aptitudes tested, Victor wasted no time and set forth to the village. His first stop was the blacksmith's workshop, where he had agreed to meet Eleanor and provide her with the promised materials. The materials consisted of components salvaged from the Thornback Boar, including its thorns and bones.

Meeting the girl dressed in unique attire at the rendezvous location, Victor declared, "Here are the materials I promised," and conjured the items near him with a simple gesture.

Almost instantaneously, Eleanor's eyes widened in awe. "Wow! This is awesome! Are these… from a Thornback Boar?! Hehehe!" She made an eerie laugh while pressing her cheek against one of the thorns the size of a pineapple. "I've never been this close to one before. Even the mighty knights and skilled hunters with extraordinary power steer clear of facing this creature."

Magi weren't the only extraordinary beings that people strived for. Among the myriad mysteries and potentials that adorned the tapestry of existence, Magi were but one facet. Another prevalent class of exceptional individuals was known as "Ki-Warriors" — martial artists who practiced breathing techniques in lieu of meditation techniques.

It was common for villages as large as Thornwood Village to have one or two Ki-Warriors, although their combat potential was lower than even acolytes of the same rank. Even so, they consumed fewer resources, and the requirements weren't as stringent as walking the Magus path.

"Ahem. I'm entrusting you to craft weapons and tools according to our agreement. As for the quantity… I will leave it in your capable hands. Just make the most of these materials."

"Of course, Sir Astralium! I guarantee you won't be disappointed with the final products," Eleanor declared with an impish grin.

"That better be the case," Victor asserted with a firm tone. "Don't disappoint me."

With everything settled, Victor returned to the academy, his interspatial ring now holding another cubic meter of seeds, this time consisting of potatoes. While on his way, a sudden illumination of the Master Shadowlink Mark on his left wrist caught his attention, projecting a holographic screen in front of him. The visage of Lizbeth appeared within the frame.

"What's the matter, Liz? You called?" Victor questioned.

"Master! The foraging group discovered some peculiar magical plants to the academy's north." 

"Really?!" Excited, Victor inched closer toward the screen, attempting to grasp it with his hands but unable to do so, obviously. "What kind of magical plants?"

"Yup-yup! As for the type… I'm not sure, but it has a striking resemblance to 'Thornwood Flowers.' They're just slightly beyond the academy's barriers, though, so I can't show you an image. Anywho, just get here as quickly as you can. Adieu!" She then terminated the call.

Huh? It hasn't even been more than a few hours, and the foraging group has managed to find the last natural resource that I, a third-stage Initiate Attunement acolyte, have been seeking for several days? While he hadn't focused solely on this search, the timing was almost too good to be true.

Either way, no notification had come in confirming the completion of the mission, which meant he had to verify it personally. After all, it was also possible that this wasn't the exact resource the mission made him look for. Nonetheless, with a surge of determination, it was enough to make Victor cast {Zephyr Dash} to hasten his journey.

[Mission Accomplished!]

[Congratulations on passing the mission. You have discovered three exploitable natural resources around the academy.]

[The reward (150 academy points) has been issued.]

Accompanied by the notification was the sight of a thorny flower field stretching almost endlessly. Amidst the dense and creeping stems adorned with delicate, straight thorns, small pink flowers blossomed. These pale blossoms emitted a faint, soothing glow and exuded a subtle, enchanting fragrance that resonated with the forest's mystical aura.

"Thornwood Flowers… and a lot of them!" Victor almost broke out into a hysterical laugh, but he managed to hold himself back; he still had an image he had to maintain.

Still, these flowers were highly sought magical plants native to the Thornwood Forest. Their petals possessed unique magic properties essential for various magic rituals and potion concoctions — even elixirs that could enhance one's mana aptitude!

Not only those, but when crushed and mixed with other ingredients, they could also enhance the efficacy of spells or imbue potions with enhanced magic properties. Due to their affinity with the forest's energy, Thornwood Flowers were particularly useful in nature-based enchantments and spells.

However, collecting these flowers was a challenging endeavor, as they thrived deep within the heart of the Thornwood Forest, which was teeming with magical creatures and mystic phenomena. Harvesting them also required specialized techniques and care. Nevertheless, The oversight of missing such an extensive Thornwood Flower field close to the academy was a miscalculation on Victor's part.

"The discovery itself is what truly matters," Victor mused to himself. He had avoided this part of the forest due to its inherent dangers, but the potential benefits were now undeniable.

Victor turned his attention to the player standing behind him — Prominence — and said, "Provide me a detailed account of how you came across these magical plants."

"Yes, Headmaster!" He began recounting the entire sequence of events. "Yesterday, when I was in the lumberjack group, I spotted some wild mushrooms…"

It turned out that upon his appointment as the leader of the foraging group, Prominence set out to recruit members mainly from the former lumberjack group. As most of his group members were familiar with the area around the previously cleared forest, they ventured northward from the academy. While foraging for wild mushrooms, berries, and vegetables, an intriguing sensation suddenly gripped them, guiding their path toward the newly discovered magical flower field.

"After about an hour or two of foraging, a strange sensation began to tingle at the back of our mind, as if something was beckoning us deeper into the woods…" This statement was what caught Victor's attention the most, as when Prominence said this, his expression was a tad absentminded.

"I see…"

A beckoning sensation, huh? That sounds familiar. Whatever the cause, a dangerous enchanted forest like the Thornwood Forest was known for harboring mysterious phenomena beyond explanation. Victor himself had encountered such occurrences before, and even an acolyte like him had not the slightest idea what caused these things.

"Hmm? Where did you acquire that stone spear?" Prominence wasn't holding the iron tools from the village but instead an unfamiliar stone spear, and he also carried a sack in his hand.

"Oh, this?" His face lit up as he held up the stone spear. "One of the former members of the lumberjack group — ThunderLord999 — crafted it," said Prominence amidst the difficulty of saying the player's username. "He was the first to sense the strange feeling and advised us to not venture too deeply, suggesting that we retreat if any danger arose."

"Sir." ThunderLord999, or Thunder for short, stood proudly and offered a respectful salute to Victor. Obviously, Victor was rather familiar with him, but as an NPC, he had to play his part.

"Excellent work — both for your caution and commendable craftsmanship." Victor gave him a nod. This player's capabilities had evidently exceeded his expectations, and now he had a reason to promote him as the leader of the construction group.

As much as it was good news to discover the Thornwood Flowers, several issues must be addressed: The difficulty of harvesting these magical plants aside, Victor had no way to sell them, and there was the absence of a suitable market to sell these precious magical plants. Transporting them to large cities could attract unwanted attention and might not yield the best profits.

Using them for alchemical products would also be impossible. Victor was no Alchemist; his knowledge pertaining to concocting potions and elixirs and their formulas thereof was absolutely nil. Even if the System sold alchemical recipes and knowledge to become one, the path to becoming a capable Alchemist required a huge amount of resources and ingredients, as it was extremely complex and complicated, and the slightest mistake would result in failure.

But…

There was a silver lining if he thought out of the box. The stems of these plants, notably, were good materials because they were not only sturdy but also durable and could be fashioned into tool grips. Meanwhile, the thorns were sharp and tough, not easily shattered, making them possible to serve as natural nails or even needles.

"Regardless, for you to find this place, be that through luck or chance, you shall be rewarded. For each member of the foraging group, I will reward you with fifty merit points," Victor announced with a resolute tone. "But I want to make it clear that I discourage exploration beyond the academy's barriers. If such a situation arises again, notify me immediately instead of venturing out on your own. Failure to comply with this will result in punishment."

He would have rewarded them more merit points since discovering this was no small matter, but he didn't want the players to start going out deep into the forest for a treasure hunt only to get themselves killed.

""Understood!"" Despite the warning, they were more captivated by the word "reward" than anything else.

Victor then sent the promised merit points to the foraging group members via his Master Shadowlink Mark. Through this exchange, he tested the interface's potential for concealment, discovering that it could indeed remain hidden from the players' eyes. Additionally, he experimented with manipulating the interface through mental commands using infused mana and achieved some level of success.

With the merit points delivered, Victor proceeded to guide them on how to harvest these magical plants. He emphasized the importance of gathering only the sturdy stems and thorns while leaving the delicate blossoms untouched — that would require him to do so personally. Furthermore, the merit points gained from foraging came from the total amount of vegetables they collected, and he observed that the group's attention had been significantly drawn to the recent discovery, resulting in limited progress in gathering other resources.

Chapter 34: The Overall Progression

With the Thornwood Flowers issue settled, Victor made his way back toward the academy. On the way, he stumbled across a group of lumberjacks working hard at chopping trees. Choosing not to disturb them, he continued on his path without interruption.

There was one place that he wanted to visit: the kitchen. With the recent addition of a player with real-life chef experience, Princess_Tomato was no longer the sole cook responsible for preparing meals at the academy. Now, she had the assistance of a culinary professional, and their combined efforts would significantly improve the quality of the food being served.

Upon entering the kitchen, he was greeted by the sight of two players, a pair of male and female, working in tandem as they were in the process of breaking down a magical beast — the Thornback Boar. This included bleeding, skinning, deboning, cutting, and, most importantly, drying. The boar's substantial amount of meat weighed almost a ton and couldn't all be consumed at once. Preservation was essential.

Ideally, smoking the meat would have been the preferred method, but due to space and equipment constraints at the academy, the new chef player, going by the username "CookieMons," had chosen to air dry the meat. This involved coating the meat with salt and hanging it on a wooden frame outside the building. Although not the most sophisticated method, it was effective given the circumstances.

"How's the progress of dismantling?" Victor asked as he observed the activity in the kitchen.

Currently, the beast had been turned into meat, bones, and skin, with its original frame gone for good. This was also the reason why Victor managed to get the boar's bones and thorns to give to Eleanor this morning.

Princess_Tomato responded in enthusiasm, "It's been going well, Headmaster! We should be able to complete the disassembly by the end of today. CookieMons has been a tremendous help in this task — I'm no longer overwhelmed with my workload."

Unfortunately, Victor was too focused on getting back that he didn't hunt on his way back from the village. As such, he couldn't give them another creature to be dismantled next.

"Uh-huh. Separating the meat and the bones is relatively straightforward…" CookieMons agreed and stated, his brows furrowed in thought, "However, there's only a problem with tanning the hides. I've managed some basic treatments, such as sprinkling salt and drying them alongside the meat. Afterward, I plan to soak them in water. But I'm uncertain about the final quality, and I'm clueless about how to transform them into usable clothing."

Tanning hides was a complex and labor-intensive process, far more intricate than making jerky from the meat. The clothes available inside the Nexus Tower had a limited quantity, and Victor was not completely sure if they would be replenished when it leveled up. Consequently, he believed that having alternative clothing options was crucial, especially as a contingency for players who might lose their clothes due to unfortunate events; they didn't need enchanted clothes like the acolyte robes, but warm clothes that could keep out the cold.

"That will suffice for now. There's no need to concern yourself with the making of clothes. Fresh acolytes are enrolling in our academy with each passing day, and those possessing the necessary talents will soon emerge." Talents from all walks of life were registering for qualifications even as of this moment, and a constant stream of ten individuals were entering the game daily. While not all were industry experts, their abilities could still be used to some extent. Besides, there was still the internet.

Victor wouldn't go on his way to set up a tailor shop, though. He would perhaps instead opt to open up a market in the academy and let players decide this on their own. Besides, if he urgently needed clothes, the village was also an option.

"Mmm, then I'm glad," CookieMons said.

Princess_Tomato clenched her fists as she expressed her understanding, "I'll do my best to work with what we have!"

Victor nodded, appreciating their efforts.

CookieMons chimed in, still seemingly amazed, "Still, I can't believe that dismantling a magical beast feels so real in this game…"

The game's intricate mechanics and lifelike realism had left an indelible mark on the players. This experience was more than just a game, after all — it was a genuine reality.

"Um… I find myself rather famished. Could you prepare some delectable dishes?"

Having attained the status of a third-stage Initiate Attunement acolyte, Victor possessed the ability to endure for days without sustenance. He often skipped breakfast or settled for modest refreshments. Similarly, players often skipped meals, considering the game merely a virtual realm and eating only when strictly necessary. This would become more prevalent as Victor started charging players a fee for their meals.

"Gladly, Headmaster!"

"Of course! I'm at your service."

After checking the kitchen, Victor proceeded to oversee the clay collector group. As he journeyed eastward, he caught sight of the agricultural field where the agricultural group was hard at work. They were currently in the process of planting earthnug seeds, a task that seemed to be progressing well despite the players having no prior experience as farmers. Nevertheless, sowing seeds across a one-hectare expanse was no small feat.

"Huh, what's that?"

Victor's attention was drawn to a modest structure constructed from logs on four corners with its roof fashioned from leaves. Situated not far from the field's edge and adjacent to the forest, if he remembered correctly, it was the designated spot for clay collection. Indeed, a neatly arranged mound of reddish soil had been carefully piled there.

Coincidentally, a player stood nearby, so Victor approached the guy. "Esteemed Headmaster! How may I be of assistance?"

"Who is responsible for crafting this structure?" Victor went ahead and asked.

The player replied respectfully, "It was our doing, Headmaster. We feared that rain might mingle with the clay, causing it to merge with the soil and transform into mud. As a precaution, we've made a provisional storage area here…"

"I see. Good thinking."

While this part of the forest typically experienced only light rainfall, there was no guarantee that a storm would never occur at all. These past few days had unfolded serenely without a drop of rain, yet this tranquility might very well act as a prelude to an impending rainstorm. It was as if the adage "calm before the storm" lingered as an unspoken warning.

Finding that the player was preparing to return to the stream, Victor asked him to lead the way. He spotted Mike, the leader of the clay collector group, in the middle of the group.

The rest of the group was stunned to see him, their headmaster, come to this place and stand still in place. For some reason, Victor felt that all the players were becoming accustomed to role-playing as acolytes of the academy. Although it was convenient, he found it rather odd and embarrassing.

"Sir Astralium! What brings you to this corner of the woods?" Mike inquired, his task of shoveling a patch of clay momentarily halted.

"Just conducting a routine inspection," Victor replied with a charismatic tone. "How's the progress of collecting clay so far?"

"All is progressing smoothly, sir… Though I must admit, we don't have buckets to store the clay. As a workaround, we've been relying on the wooden cart to transport between the designated area and our workspace."

Indeed. There were no buckets that could be used in the academy; Victor had forgotten to purchase any from the village. In fact, fetching water from the stream had to do with using waterskins. Perhaps with the currently available materials, the players could make wooden buckets by themselves. They just needed some supervision.

"Mm, that will be taken care of soon. Is there anything else worth noting?"

To make an earthen wall that surrounded the academy, clay was not absolutely necessary as a material. However, it was an excellent cohesive material that could provide strength and water resistance to the wall when properly compacted.

Mike hesitated for a moment before answering, "Well, we noticed a significant fish population in the stream, and we're thinking about the possibility of fishing. We've been discussing the feasibility of crafting rudimentary traps designed to ensnare fish in the gaps between rocks. But due to time constraints, little progress has happened so far."

"Oh?" An expanded menu of culinary options would undoubtedly be well received. "Carry on with your diligent efforts, then."

"Yes! Ah, right. Sir, I have a proposal for advancing the academy's development."

Victor raised an eyebrow. "What is your proposal? I'm all ears."

Mike cleared his throat, his enthusiasm palpable. "I believe we should consider constructing a water well…"

"A well, you say?"

"Yes. Please allow me to elaborate…" According to him, there were logistical benefits to placing a well between the stream and the academy's main building. The distance between the two locations had proven to be more than a mere stroll, and having a well positioned at this midpoint would not only cater to the water needs of the academy but also facilitate the crucial task of irrigating the crops.

"But this comes back with the problem of not having large enough containers to store the water other than the waterskins," he added.

"Your proposal is indeed interesting. Tomorrow, I shall initiate the creation of a dedicated group tasked with the construction of various facilities across the academy."

"Understood. Your support is greatly appreciated, Headmaster."

Victor waved off the gratitude. "Think nothing of it. Ideas such as yours are what will continue to shape this academy's future."

As Mike resumed his task with a renewed sense of purpose, a distinct "ding" resonated within Victor's mind, accompanied by the sudden materialization of a holographic display before him.

[Mission Accomplished!]

[Congratulations on passing the mission. You and your players have sown a one-hectare field and filled it with life.]

[The reward (10 progression value points) has been issued.]

Victor took a quick look at the list of missions and found a follow-up to Farming Simulator 1.0 with the unoriginal title "Farming Simulator 2.0." This time, the requirement for completion was two one-hectare fields with different crops. Likewise, the reward was fifteen progression value points as opposed to ten. Another welcome piece of news.