A month had passed quickly since Erik had first arrived in the community. After initially greeting him with wariness and suspicion, Erik now found himself met with acceptance, which he found to be both humbling and rewarding.
It was a gradual, steady process that required patience and effort on his part and turned him from an outsider into a member of the community. His transition was anything but sudden, but it happened.
People who had previously regarded him with suspicion started to form new opinions about him as time passed.
They were persuaded not only by his extensive knowledge of advanced farming techniques and his unyielding work ethic but also by the fact that, after he arrived, the village began to improve, which was likely due to his presence.
He instructed them in the most efficient methods of crop cultivation, introduced them to innovative approaches to irrigation, and even revealed the key to enhancing the fertility of their soil.
However, he did not cease his efforts there. Erik derived a great deal of fulfillment from toiling in the fields alongside the other villagers and sharing in the harvest they had worked so hard to produce.
However, his knowledge was not the only factor that earned him the villagers' respect. The Thornroot Vortex problem could be regarded as the defining moment for the change.
This plant had been the bane of the village for some time, as it voraciously drew all of the nutrients from the soil, leaving the farms desolate and lifeless. They had reached the end of their rope after seeing their means of subsistence disintegrate in front of their very eyes. At that point, Erik came into the picture.
Erik initially led a team to find this plant; once he did, it was easy for the rest of the village to take care of it. Erik drew upon his flora and fauna expertise to lead this team, which no longer needed his help.
Erik was no longer the mysterious outsider; he had become a community member and an integral part of their village.
That was unexpected, especially in light of the way they had initially dealt with him. On the other hand, the young man quickly realized that these individuals had more to give than they took from him.
Erik's schedule was packed throughout the entirety of that month. He committed his time and energy to training, specifically emphasizing forming neural links.
The village offered a peaceful environment that seemed ideal for his endeavors, and the more time he spent training, the more he sensed that his abilities were expanding and becoming stronger.
Erik managed to create two additional links with Nathaniel's power, bringing him to RHO3, meaning that his power over the force increased significantly.
The mana moved and shaped itself following his mental orders, responding to his thoughts precisely as he wanted.
On the other hand, Hais's power was an entirely different matter. Erik also managed to increase its number of neural links and reached the RHO3 level. However, his intelligence increased due to the passive bonus; he could split his mind more easily and simultaneously operate on multiple thoughts and tasks.
This ability became easier to use over time. Despite Erik having a significantly lower number of neural links than Hais, the former's intelligence level was rapidly approaching that of the latter.
He could improve his strategic thinking during battle and keep a keen awareness of his surroundings even when he was deeply engaged in other tasks.
This ability to adapt one's thinking to new circumstances provided a strategic advantage in a variety of contexts.
Erik also dedicated considerable time to the Strength Enhancer, the power he got from the Xeridon Anteris. Two new neural links further amplified his physical power, making it possible to increase his strength more with less mana. The additional strength would be helpful for various tasks; he only needed to put this to use.
Lastly, he got two more neural links in his Plant Master, which he got by merging his birth brain crystal power and the Shadowthorn Dahlia's.
Because of the new neural links, he could accomplish the same thing with less mana. He also found that the process of growing plants was sped up, and it was simpler to keep them under control.
He was exercising control over the flora and communicating with it, and comprehending the rhythms and patterns they followed.
He could turn a parched land into a fertile one or make a thorny bush shed its thorns. This symbiotic relationship with nature added another layer of complexity to the scope of his powers.
By the end of the month, Erik had experienced a positive shift in his mood and a sense of increased strength. Even though he had made significant headway in his training, he knew this was only the beginning of his journey.
Even though there was more for him to learn and more for him to master, he was ready for future challenges.
***
Erik, Samuel, and the rest of the farmers worked hard under the grey blanket that covered the sky.
Their figures were silhouetted against the few golden rays that the sun cast and went past the cloudy blanket above them—the vast expanse of the verdant field spread around them, contrasting the surrounding wintery vegetation.
The scent of the earth, ripe fruits, and green leaves combined to produce an intoxicating fragrance permeating the atmosphere; it was the essence of nature in all of its vivaciousness.
Samuel and Erik worked side by side, a custom they had developed this past month; their hands were toughened by countless hours of labor as they deftly navigated the stems of the plants and expertly plucked the ripe fruits with practiced ease.
They had put in a lot of effort, as evidenced by their faces being covered in sweat and dust and expressions of intense concentration.
A reassuring soundtrack was created by the rustling of leaves and the rhythmic crunch of their footsteps on the soil. The farmers' animated conversation and hearty laughter were occasional punctuation points in the soundtrack.
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