Chương 77: Grove’s Embrace

"I can drive you wherever you need. I did keep your fridge stocked in case you returned, but we can buy more food, considering your… uhm, friends." Christina shivered at the thought of Silex.

"I will need to buy a lot of meat, the bigger the better. I can keep it within my inventory. Then I need a few of these devices that you have lying around to look into. I will also need some proper tools for potion brewing, and if possible, some mana crystals. Then, if you have stores that sell 'Defender' equipment, I'd like to check on those as well!" he explained.

"Meat and devices are not a problem, though I am not quite sure what you need them for… Potion brewing equipment we can get at an Apothecary store. Many people these days are trying to become rich by figuring out potion formulas." She thought he wanted to do the same, though she wasn't sure why, since he was already extremely wealthy from the contracts with the Association and from the inheritance his mother had left him.

"But mana crystals, I have no idea what those are. Monster cores maybe? And those, along with Defender Battle Gear, are only sold for Mithril Coins or rarer cores. That kind of currency is very hard to come by," she added.

"Oh, don't worry. I have plenty of coins. Shame about the mana crystals, though…" This world is just waking up from its sleep. The mana deficiency will persist for a while. No wonder they do not have any crystals. Though that is a problem for me if I want to condense a proper Circle, though not like I can do it any time soon, regardless. Always cursed to chase after my former glory... He sighed.

"Are you upset?" Christina asked.

"Hah, no, no. I was just thinking. This is all a lot, you know. Learning that your father is the enemy of humanity is not pleasant information to digest," he explained.

"I know, Max. But he is far away from here, and don't worry, we will launch an investigation to find out who attacked you. There has to be something that we missed before." She spoke decisively.

"I am thankful. Now then, let us go. You need to meet my friends if you are going to keep working with me." He chuckled. Christina shuddered before standing up, Sprout still sitting on her shoulder in his humanoid form, which she barely noticed. Suddenly, as she turned, she burst into laughter.

"Why did the little guy change to look like you?"

"He likes that form. I don't know why." Maximus smiled softly and shrugged.

They exited into the large, neatly maintained backyard. Outside, Silex stood above the lake arguing with the fish, while Jade buzzed around and Vesper lay on the grass sunbathing. Bambi and Mochi entered their catio excitedly to observe Christina's reaction.

"Everyone gather around! Embi, you wake up too!" Maximus called out, summoning them all.

"Christina, this is Vesper, Silex, Jade, Embi, and you already met Sprout!" Maximus introduced his little family.

"H-Hello everyone," Christina said shakily as she locked eyes with Silex.

"Haha, what is she shaking for? Is it from the shock of how absolutely majestic I am?" Silex gasped, clearly enthused by the possibility. Christina saw him open his maw, and a soft scream escaped her lips.

"He is asking if you think that he is good-looking," Maximus translated with a chuckle. Christina gave him a shocked look before forcing a smile.

"Silex, you look great! Truly majestic! Like a ruler of all crocodiles!" She showered him with compliments.

"Haha! I knew it. See, Max? I told you. It is official. I truly am the greatest!" Silex wagged his tail, randomly slamming it into the ground and making it tremble.

"Look what you have done now… He really thinks he is that beautiful." Maximus shook his head, amused. Seeing the scene play out, Christina visibly relaxed, starting to understand that maybe they were not as monstrous as they looked. They do not seem aggressive at all. Maybe I overreacted before. She sighed and noticed Vesper observing her with intrigue.

"You are cute as well." She smiled and petted Vesper on the head, who looked like life had left his body the moment he heard it.

"Cute? Boss, did you hear this? How am I cute? Never in my life had anyone called me that." Vesper complained.

"Haha, she finds you cute, so what? It is not the end of the world. Tereza thought that as well." Maximus shook his head at the crazy duo.

"Haha, cute! Cute little corpse!" Silex laughed even louder.

"Shut it, gecko. Though if she keeps up the scratches, she can call me whatever she pleases." His tail started wagging.

"He disliked that you called him cute, but your scratches have redeemed you," Maximus explained through chuckles.

"Oh. I'm sorry. You are also majestic. But I have always been more of a dog person. Seeing such a cute large wolf is a dream come true." She spoke as she started to hug Vesper, seeing that he was well-behaved, her guard dropping. Then Jade buzzed over and suddenly nudged her.

"She also wants attention, I think. She cannot speak yet," Maximus said.

"Oh. A dangerous-looking wasp? Jade, was it? Nice to meet you too. I will buy you some honey and fruit, just for you." Christina spoke as she tapped her sleek head. Holy shit, this is so fucking weird! I am petting a huge wasp! This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Then finally Embi floated towards her, an arm-sized flaming serpent.

"It's a burning snake?" she asked. Of course, another monster appears…

"Embi and Sprout are spirits. They are not truly beings of this realm, but of the one above us. Through linking with their summoner, they can move between the two worlds. They are representations of elements and aspects of the world," he explained.

"I swear, Max, you truly learned a lot in the planes. And it has only been two months. I think it would be a good idea to go to the Association and have you tested. If your potential is similar to your father's, we might be able to spend more resources on securing your home and even keep a place for you within the Association."

"I learned through my connection to all these beings. And no, I am not interested in keeping other participants in check. I have other goals." He shook his head simply.

"Alright, but we still need to have you register. You might want to clear out some F-rank dungeons while you are here. I can arrange that," she explained.

"That is possible?" he asked.

"Well, you are our person of interest, even before all this." She smiled, blushing slightly.

"She wants you, Max!" Silex shouted.

"Boss, is she in heat?" Vesper asked. Maximus ignored their ridiculous statements and nodded.

"Alright, but not right now." Just what I wanted!

"No problem. I need to set up an appointment for you. Now then, shall we go? But they will have to stay behind," she warned.

"I expected as much. You heard her. Humans of this world will think that you are going to eat them. You need to wait for me here," Maximus explained.

"I expected as much seeing her reaction…" Vesper sighed. Jade buzzed unhappily and lowered her head, nudging his shoulder.

"I don't like this, Max. Who will keep your ass safe from getting killed?" Silex shouted.

"I will be fine, and I can call for you if something happens once I set up our base," he explained.

"What do you mean?" Christina asked.

"I recently acquired an interesting skill, and now I can finally use it." He spoke, focusing on the wreath around his left wrist. As he did, knowledge of how to activate Grove's Embrace seeped into his mind. This was not a simple skill, or even a spell. There were no calculations or formulas. This was pure connection with nature, a claim over the land as one who walked the path of the Druid. Maximus knelt and placed his left hand on the ground.

Through the wreath, he poured his spirit energy until he was empty, and then with but a simple whisper, "Grove's Embrace." The ground shook, and spirit energy rippled in waves. Maximus used his Spirit Sense to guide the ripples around the land, marking everything as his. The large garden in front of the house, all the way to the main street. The house itself. Then everything enclosed by the fence behind it. Once he claimed the land, the blessing fully activated, granting him authority over it.

Thorny vines intertwined, merging into the fence and growing to four meters in height, spreading all around the perimeter until it was fully closed off from the outside. The grass within grew greener and thicker, the trees grew larger and full of energy, and some cherry trees even blossomed as if it were spring. The vegetables that the gardener planted for him burst in size: tomatoes the size of fists, cucumbers the length of an arm, and paprikas as large as a hand.

Then a verdant barrier shimmered through the thorny fence and closed off the skies, with only those Maximus allowed able to enter. As he removed his hand from the ground, where he had poured his spirit energy, a crystalline daisy bloomed before turning invisible to everyone but Maximus. So, this is the anchor. If someone destroyed it, the Grove would collapse. Hopefully, with levels this can be mitigated somehow. But I am quite pleased. This land is now under my protection! He nodded.

As he turned, everyone, from the cats to his beasts to Christina and even Embi, stared in amazement.

"Boss, this is our land now? Our home?" Vesper asked, his voice hopeful.

"Yes, you can release your friends." Maximus nodded. Vesper howled, and from his shadow dozens of smaller crimson wolves emerged, howling in return before they started to run around the large yard, which was more of an open field than a simple backyard.

"Now if only you could make me a proper lake," Silex complained.

"You could do it yourself, you know. We just need to dig a large pond-sized hole just for you. If we had an earth elemental, for example, we could do it quickly," Maximus said.

"Summon one then!" Silex urged.

"Alright, I was waiting for an opportunity to make a new friend." Maximus smiled. I would like something more interesting, like a lightning spirit, if possible. He knew that in nature there were the four main spirit elements: earth, water, fire, and air. Each contained multiple subclasses, with each spirit representing an aspect or concept of nature. Just as Sprout was a spirit of nature under the earth element, a lightning spirit would fall under air.

Though spirits of light and darkness fell under their own classification, separate from the four main forces, just as animal spirits did, like his Spectral Wolves. He activated the evolved spell and focused inward this time, using his numina leaves alongside his Spiritborn body to attract new spirits, and thanks to the skill's increased scope, he could now summon spirits on the same level as Embi.

Just like the last time, a flash of colors enveloped Maximus until everything around him was covered in shifting rainbow light, and before him a new world emerged, a world of pure numina and countless elemental wisps and other more distinct spirits. Sensing his presence, the spirits lunged at him. Moments later, his form was covered in a storm of spirits, all cheering and buzzing, trying to be the ones chosen by the Spiritborn.

Then, with a loud whirr, everything turned bright white and a large, almost humanoid being emerged. Maximus couldn't quite see what it looked like, or even hear what it said, but a deep peace enveloped him suddenly, and then, just as quickly as it had arrived, it all disappeared, leaving Maximus confused and empty-handed. What just happened? Did the spell fail? He was about to move when he sensed it. Deep within him, something stirred, filling him with profound calm. Come on out. Introduce yourself properly.

Maximus smiled. ‎