Wraithwood Botanist

Nature versus nurture.

That was a question that had been around since the times of Plato.

Are intelligence and other attributes determined primarily by one's environment—or their genes?n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

That was a hard question to determine—even in my case.

Staring down six chimeric creatures, the smallest being the size of a hippo, each with the shaggy mane and body of a lion and the face of a gorilla, protecting a massive one lurking in the back, I asked myself that question.

I had only been in Areswood for a year and some change, but despite that, I felt confident fighting third-evolution beasts that had spent their lives hunting and building their strength. These were apex predators of their domain, beasts that even the strongest of "top walkers" with decades of magic and fighting experience struggled to overcome, yet Kline and I were facing them at the first evolution.

It seemed so ridiculous.

Yet.

We both had gods helping us.

I had Brindle and Elana, and Kline had a phantom cat god named Miriselle.

We both had the system and a seemingly endless supply of magic and tailored tutorials.

We feasted exclusively on meat that only elites could afford, often far stronger than they could buy, and we utilized alchemic ingredients that sold for millions.

We also had resources that had never been sold, resources in ancient crypts and illusionary grottos that only the gods could lead us to.

And even if that wasn't enough, even if our advantages only went so far, I had the spirit of Areswood Forest and a soulmancer god that fused with my body to help and teach me to do the impossible.

We were the very essence of nurture.

And yet—

Could just anyone do such a thing?

No.

I was a born prodigy in soul arts, which allowed me to fuse with Yakana.

Kline was a born hunter with incredible hunter instincts and talent.

Those factors allowed us to make the most of these resources, enabling us to compete on the same playing field as third-evolution beasts after just a year.

I suppose I could ask Yakana what he thought—if I wanted to.

The point was moot.

Whether it was nature or nurture, I planned to kill these beasts despite all limitations.

"Kline," I said. "Let's try the poison drill."

His lips curved in a creepy smile as he assumed his panther form and cloned himself three times.

I pulled out three jars, peeled the rawhide coverings off a sticky substance, and stuck one to each of their backs. The chimeric gorilla lions growled as we did it, approaching slowly—hesitantly—as if they knew.

That was good for us. I used Kira's wings to fly into the sky and pulled out Nymbral.

And the fight began.

They flew at me at haunting speed, racing to kill me before I could use the weapon they sensed as a grave threat. They released heavy wind slashes at me in the air.

But I could see them.

Moxle Dilation was an acceleration spell designed for demigods—not fledgling mortals with their first taste of power. And even with my current heavy mental limitations, when I slowed time, the air and beasts flew at me with the speed of running humans. Not great but manageable—

—if you had homing arrows and a teleporting cat.

One of Kline's clones blinked out of existence and appeared beside the leading chimera. He lunged with his acceleration spell, grabbing the beast by the nape of the neck and dragging it into a tackle.

I dodged the wind blasts preemptively and released a hurricane arrow that struck the poison bottle on their fur, and it exploded in a glorious plume of mist that covered three of the beasts. It was heavy necrotic poison, and it burned their eyes, sending them into a thrashing frenzy as they rammed into the torok's ribs and rolled on the ground, clawing at their eyes in vain.

They would probably heal.

Eventually.

These were apex predators.

But they would never get the chance.

Kline's clones flew into portals and came out beside each, using Phantom Claws and Sharp Bites to rip the thrashing creatures to shreds. Each attack was weak against third evolution beasts, especially coming from clones, but even paper cuts killed when stacked up enough—and soon, the creatures were bleeding out.

There were only three left—

—and they were bigger.

The two in front were twice the size of the ones we killed, and the one in the back was twice the size of the larger ones and exuded a dripping aura that felt cold and eerie, like Florida humidity turned cold.

Yet we didn't back off.

I charged another hurricane arrow, and the two in the front split off. Kline's clones gave chase as I cracked a fourth bottle of poison and used Separate to add it to a hurricane arrow for two chances.

I shot it at the creature to the right as it weaved back and forth.

It was faster, dodging the attack—

—but Kline was even faster.

His clone jumped through a portal right in front of the arrow, and the bottle of poison exploded, soaking the bottom half of the beast. It roared in pain but kept charging toward me like the other.

The one on the left was fast. It lunged at Kline's true form, and a vicious battle broke out. The beast was eight times the size of Kline's panther form at least and released wind slashes that rattled the earth and sent rocks blazing across the battleground.

Kline was faster, though, ducking between portals and slashing at its legs in the dust. The chimera didn't take it lying down; it swiped between portals, landing a hit. But Kline got right back up and continued the battle.

I charged an arrow and pointed down, preparing for Kline to teleport so I could release it, but the poisoned beast caught up first.

It released this… freakish roar that rattled my and Kline's brains.

A mental attack like Kline's spectral roar.

My body disconnected, and I hit free fall. But as it lunged at me, my wings disappeared, and Kira shot out of my chest, spinning to the side and slashing a sword at the beast's paw with a sword. The sharpened aura cut right through it with an explosion of blood that poured everywhere in a cyclone. The beast roared and hit the ground between Kline and the other beast as Kira caught me in a princess carry, giving me time to collect my head with Mental Shielding.

The chimera fighting Kline thought I was out for the count when Kira put me down and attacked her. So it didn't see the hurricane arrow I sent at it until it was too late.

It smashed into the beast's side and sent it rolling.

Kline recovered a second later, pouncing on the pawless chimera I injured. He ripped the creature's throat out with his canines, then rushed off at the beast I had just hit, multiplying into five forms that attacked from all sides, ripping apart the creature like wolves tearing apart a baby calf.

Once the other creatures were dead, the alpha released its roar and joined the fight.

The battle cry seized my lungs and made me freeze up.

No.

It was something else.

It was pressure—something akin to Aiden's Dominion.

Whatever it was, it locked me up as the beast approached with thunderous steps, crunching over torok bones as it walked slowly, menacingly, applying dominance.

Yet Kline didn't back down. He walked up equally slow, making it seem as though the two would have an old-fashioned quick draw.

But it didn't work like that at all.

I'm not sure when it happened, but Kline had spent one of his epic skills on Dominion himself, and when he released it, my arms bubbled with goosebumps as I felt the soul fragment of the torok Kline killed pour out of him, along with the powerful third-evolution beasts he fought at the pond while I was evolving, and hundreds of other second evolution creatures. Each had minimal pressure, but the collective feeling was enough to make me lock up and fold my arms against my chest like a child curling up.

It only lasted for a few seconds, but it was also enough for the chimera to back away—

—but Kline didn't let it get far.

I think he felt a little emasculated after only killing injured beasts—even if that was the plan—so he didn't hold back any longer.

He and his clones disappeared in advanced active camouflage that was getting difficult for me to see, even with Soul Sight active, and he jumped into five different portals.

The creature turned and slammed one of Kline's clones as it was jumping out of a portal and tried to escape—but Kline's clones jumped out of four positions at once. They latched onto the beast's Achilles heels, making the beast flail around and stomp its feet.

The attack obliterated two clones, but the real Kline used his full power to rip through the right hind ankle, and the beast hit the ground. Then, two more Klines materialized and shot out from both directions, jumping onto the beast's back as they clawed and bit and slashed up its spine.

A second later, the beast stopped, dropped, and rolled like a fire drill, destroying those clones—

—but the battle was over.

Kline pounced during its roll and slashed the creature's neck, and it never fully recovered after that. My little warrior wore it down and killed it on his own.

His magic—One Beast Army—truly lived up to its name.

What a remarkable sight.

I was proud of him—and a bit terrified.

But that was okay.

I felt safe.

Kira's intense personality expressed absolute jealousy, and she snapped in my body, materializing again as armor. I giggled and rubbed the armor and hugged myself.

"You did amazing, too."

I felt a huff in my soul, and then she calmed down as I watched the rest of the fight.

And just like that, six powerful third-evolution beasts were dead, and I got another level. It read:

—

Congratulations! Scion Mira Hill has met the conditions to be promoted from Level 33 to Level 34. You've leveled up!

You have received two requests:

Information Request

Free Request | Grade: Platinum

Description: In a stunning reminder that the Oracle is a homicidal maniac, she has awarded you an extra level grade as a reward for your first massacre. They grow up so fast. :')

I'm joking, but not really. You've caught the Oracle's attention by directly aiding in the death of a whole pack of high third evolution beasts, and the Oracle gauged that you could kill them all by yourself but exercised remarkable teamwork and strategy. Had you aided Kline in killing the peak third evolution, you would have gotten a diamond, but alas, you care about his feelings and long term benefits of cooperation and thus got stuck with a platinum. So, if you want that diamond, make sure to massacre a bunch of strong harvesters this year. Kay?

—

I felt slightly bitter about the grading system but also proud and excited. I had only been here for a year, so it wouldn't be long before we could push for the Fifth Ring and visit Lake Nyralith—also known as Lake Symmetry—the mythical location that Brindle gave me as a reward for completing his trial. It was further down the Keliam River where Tranea Crypt was located. I just had to continue down the river and enter into the western Fifth Domain, where the two-hundred-foot Egyptian guardian colossus was located—

Easy.

Hah. I'd give it time and practice my plantmancy this year. I had a feeling that the crypt was just the tutorial for what was to come. Besides, I had to do learn soulmancy to enter the Bramble and get my stuff safely, anyway.

All in due time.

With our strength now, another year would make us strong enough to take on the legacies—or at least their children.

It was moving fast.

Soon, I'd have my gear and I'd be a peak second evolution being, the highest I could go without losing the ability to leave the forest. Then, I could explore and collect stronger resources, learn greater alchemy, and purify my mind, body, and soul.

I could almost taste it.

It was just a matter of surviving this year—and with Reasan's intention of patching things up, I could do just that.

Sorry, Aiden, I thought. Looks like you're not exclusive anymore. Maybe… for a little. We'll see. Not that he cares… I sighed as I walked up to the largest beast's corpse. Kline was roaring on its body cutely in triumph, and I was going to snuggle him to my heart's content.

I sprouted wings and flew to him, enjoying the view from the top of the gigantic body.

This forest was ours.

That's what I thought.

And suddenly, I didn't feel so bad about being a "guardian." In fact, that had a nice ring to it.

Now, it was just a matter of waiting for my brother and parents to arrive. And when they did…

I grinned.

How amusing that would be.

How amusing, indeed.