The Verdant Merchant

Rowen stood there for a while, simply watching the small sprouts pushing out from the soil where he had planted the tomatoes and potatoes. The tender green shoots swayed faintly in the breeze, proof that the seeds had already begun to take root.

He crouched down and placed his hand lightly over the soil. With a practiced motion, he activated his skill. A faint glow spread across the ground, and the sprouts seemed to respond, straightening and growing just a little taller, their leaves opening wider.

Rowen let the glow fade and pulled his hand back, satisfied.

The use of the skill drained him further, leaving Rowen's body heavy and his mind sluggish. He let out a quiet breath, resting his hand on his knee.

Just then, a faint noise stirred behind him. Shade's eyes blinked open, glowing faintly in the dim light. She let out a soft meow, and upon realizing it was only Rowen, her posture relaxed.

Shade padded closer, brushing against his leg, and gave another insistent meow, a clear demand to be picked up and patted.

Rowen couldn't help but let out a tired chuckle. His mood lightened a little as he scooped her up. The warmth of the small creature in his arms eased some of the fatigue pressing down on him.

Carrying Shade in one arm, Rowen called out Fern. The small spirit appeared, floating lazily.

Rowen headed back inside and set Shade down on the counter. From the space, he took out some of the freshly harvested tomatoes and potatoes. With simple movements born of habit, he began preparing a light soup. The warm smell soon filled the room, and even Shade perked her ears as if waiting for her share.

As Rowen stirred the pot, Fern floated closer.

"The new batch is ready," Fern reported, "but the next ones will need longer. And… because you planted the apple tree, the space is consuming more energy. We'll need to recharge it more often from now on."

Rowen nodded slightly. He had expected as much. "So it won't run as smoothly without more energy, huh?"

"Yes," Fern said, its voice quiet but firm. "The tree will be worth it in time, but for now, the space is demanding more."

Rowen didn't argue. He ladled out the soup, the warmth helping to chase away the exhaustion from earlier.

Rowen reached into his pouch and pulled out twelve low-grade mana stones. The small pile glimmered faintly in his palm before he passed them to Fern.

"Use these," Rowen said.

Fern's leafy body brightened as it absorbed the stones one by one. A faint hum echoed through the room as the energy dispersed, flowing back into the hidden space.

"That will keep things stable for now," Fern said after finishing. "But remember, the more crops and trees you plant, the more energy we'll need in the future."

Rowen exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. He had earned sixty-five stones today, and already twelve were gone. The weight of his growing responsibilities pressed faintly on his mind, but he kept silent, focusing instead on finishing his meal.

After finishing the meal, the three of them Rowen, Shade, and Fern went upstairs to his room. Rowen changed into a clean set of clothes, then sat down on the floor.

For a moment, he hesitated, his mind running through the things that had happened that day. But after taking a deep breath, he crossed his legs, closed his eyes, and began gathering mana.

His goal was clear: this was the start of his path as a mage. He would try to condense his first mana ring.

After what felt like hours of straining, something finally stirred deep within him. The unstable earth mana he had been gathering stopped scattering and instead pressed together, pulled by his will. A faint outline flickered inside his body, right at the base of his core.

It was shaky and incomplete, but there his first mana ring was beginning to appear.

The faint band of energy circled once before breaking apart, leaving him gasping for air. His chest rose and fell rapidly, every breath heavy as though he had been running uphill. But even as it slipped away, he could still feel the lingering imprint inside him, the proof that he had started on the path of a mage.

Rowen sat there breathing heavily, staring at the spot where the flickering outline had vanished. Why can't I keep it steady? He wondered, clenching his fists in frustration. The earth element had answered him, yet the ring slipped away every time he tried to form it.

His stomach growled faintly, reminding him of the drain on his body. With a sigh, he reached into the space and pulled out fresh tomatoes and potatoes. The crisp, natural energy inside them spread through his body as he bit down, easing the exhaustion that weighed on him.

Feeling a little steadier, Rowen wiped his mouth and straightened his posture once more. He closed his eyes, calmed his breathing, and began gathering the earth mana again, determined to make the outline hold this time.

This time, Rowen grit his teeth and forced himself to hold on. The earthy warmth thickened, and for a brief moment, the faint outline of an earthen ring solidified inside him. His chest surged with excitement—he had done it. But within a single minute, cracks spread through it, and the fragile construct shattered once more.

Breathing hard, Rowen frowned. Why does it keep breaking?

Frustrated, he pulled out his phone and opened M-Net, the federal information hub. He quickly typed in his problem, scrolling through forum posts and study notes left by other awakened.

One thread caught his eye: "For dual-element awakenings, your first mana ring won't stabilize unless you draw on both elements together. Trying to force one alone will always collapse."

Rowen's heart skipped a beat. He leaned back, stunned. So that's the reason…

But then, another thought gnawed at him. If that's true for two elements… then what about me? I am compatible with all five elements . Do I… do I have to gather all five elements together and fuse them to make a mana ring at once?