The Verdant Merchant

Rowen pulled out another tomato from his space, the fresh scent calming his restless mind. He bit into it, letting the faint surge of focus wash over him.

Alright… Let's try again.

This time, instead of forcing only earth, he reached out for something different—the gentle, vibrant flow of wood element mana. Unlike the heaviness of earth, this one felt alive, almost like sap coursing through unseen roots. When he drew it in, a soothing green warmth mingled with the solid brown strength already within him.

For a moment, they resonated. The two forces didn't clash; instead, they wrapped around each other like tree roots gripping soil. Inside his body, the outline of his mana ring grew brighter and steadier than before.

This is it… It's holding.

For nearly three minutes, the ring glowed faintly. Then the air element slipped loose, the balance shattered, and the structure collapsed with a sharp jolt that knocked the breath out of him.

This is it… It's holding.

For nearly three minutes, the ring glowed faintly. Then the air element slipped loose, the balance shattered, and the structure collapsed with a sharp jolt that knocked the breath out of him.

Rowen clutched his chest, grimacing. "Three minutes… that's all?"

He had made progress, but it was clear the path forward would demand more than stubbornness.

Rowen wiped the sweat from his brow, forcing his breathing to steady. His body still ached from the last collapse, but he wasn't ready to quit yet. After a brief rest, he sat cross-legged again.

Rowen sat quietly, trying to steady the fragile flow of mana. He only meant to focus on air, but the moment the wind's threads twined into his ring, another element stirred on its own.

Fire.

He hadn't reached for it, yet fire answered anyway—a sudden, hungry surge that pressed against him like a beast demanding to be let in.

Rowen's eyes snapped open in alarm, but it was too late. The crimson threads rushed toward him, slipping past his defenses and forcing themselves into the incomplete ring.

The warmth quickly grew into a searing blaze. His veins burned, his chest felt tight, and every breath came with heat like swallowing smoke. He tried to push it back, but the fire element locked into place, claiming its spot beside earth, wood, and air.

For a moment, the ring pulsed brighter than ever, as though this was how it was always meant to be. His body thrummed with power, hot and wild, and he almost believed he could hold it.

But then the balance shattered. The fire mana surged too strongly, drowning the others. The unstable ring cracked apart with a violent backlash.

Rowen gasped, coughing hard, his vision swimming. A thin line of blood traced down from the corner of his mouth. "I… didn't even… call for fire…" he muttered weakly, staring at his trembling hands.

It hadn't been like earth, wood, or air. Those, he had reached for, tested, and fought to hold. Fire was different. It hadn't waited for permission. It had forced its way in, wild and unrelenting.

His stomach growled, breaking the tense silence. With a shaky hand, Rowen pulled a sack from his storage space and took out a few potatoes. Unlike the refreshing tang of tomatoes, potatoes carried a different effect—one he knew could help steady his body for sustained focus.

He boiled them quickly in the small pot he kept for emergencies, the steam filling the room with a simple, earthy scent. Once softened, he ate them slowly, letting the grounding warmth spread through him. Compared to tomatoes' sharp focus, potatoes gave him something sturdier, like a quiet wall holding him upright.

Rowen exhaled deeply. "Alright… no mistakes this time."

He sat cross-legged again, his fingers pressed together, his thoughts narrowing to a single point. This wasn't just about forming a ring anymore. The appearance of fire had convinced him of something, something he had only read in scraps and theories posted on M-NET.

Most believed that mana rings could only stabilize when built around a single or double element, not more than that. But buried in the forums was a wild theory: that balance among all five basic elements could form a foundation stronger than any single path. It had sounded impossible, just a rumor spread by desperate low-talents.

But fire forcing itself into his body… that wasn't coincidence.

Rowen clenched his fists, his pulse quickening. "If the last element shows up… I can prove it's real."

He closed his eyes and began again. This time, his approach was calmer and steadier. He pulled earth first, letting its heaviness settle in his core. Wood followed, its green vitality weaving naturally around the soil. Air slipped in next, lighter than breath, balancing the roots and ground. Then came fire, uninvited but expected now. The blaze flared the moment his focus touched the growing ring, searing but somehow fitting in place beside the others.

The four elements circled within him, their flickering outline unstable but holding. His heart pounded as he steadied them, his mind sharper than ever.

"Come on…" he whispered. "If this is real, then water should appear."

And in the silence of his concentration, as his mana ring trembled on the edge of collapse, he reached for the final piece.

Rowen's focus sharpened.

He steadied his breathing, every inhale drawing in mana, every exhale releasing the noise in his head.

He reached.

At first, there was nothing. The earth, wood, air, and fire wavered dangerously, as if mocking his attempt. His heart thudded in his chest. Failure here would mean losing everything he had built.

But then, like a drop falling into a still pond, something stirred. Cool, steady, patient. A ripple spread through him, not blazing in like fire or pressing down like earth, but flowing in quiet persistence.

Water.

It seeped into the flickering outline of his ring, a gentle yet undeniable presence. Where fire had roared and threatened to tear everything apart, water soothed, balanced, and filled the cracks. The trembling outline steadied, for just an instant, as if the circle had been waiting for this final piece.

Morning sunlight slipped through the window, laying a warm stripe across the floorboards. Rowen stirred where he had collapsed the night before, still lying on the floor instead of the bed. His body felt heavy with fatigue, every muscle stiff from the strain.

Fern was slumped in the chair nearby, dozing with his arms crossed, while Shade was curled up beside Rowen on the floor, tail flicking lightly in her sleep.

Rowen opened his eyes fully, the memory of the five-element ring pulsing faintly inside him. It hadn't been a dream.

Rowen pushed himself up from the floor slowly, joints aching. His clothes were stiff with dried sweat and faint stains of blood. With a tired sigh, he went to the basin, splashing cold water on his face first, then rubbing at the smears on his arms and shirt until the worst of it came off. He scrubbed himself down as best he could, then changed into a cleaner set of clothes.

The room still looked messy from last night blankets on the floor, a chair pushed aside, and bits of dirt scattered near where he had collapsed. Rowen took a few minutes to tidy it all, setting things back in place.

When he turned back, Fern was still asleep in the chair, his head tilted awkwardly, and Shade was curled in a ball on the floor. Rowen nudged them both awake. Shade stretched with a soft mewl, while Fern blinked and rubbed his eyes.

"Come on," Rowen said quietly.

He went to the small stove and set water to boil, tossing in chopped potatoes and a handful of fresh tomatoes. The familiar smell filled the room, simple but comforting. When it was ready, the three of them ate together in silence, the warmth of the soup easing the last of the night's weight.

Afterward, Rowen stood and drew in a slow breath. He focused, opening the portal himself this time. The air shimmered before him, and a portal appeared.

Fern and Shade followed as he stepped through.

The sight made Rowen stop in place.

The apple seed he had planted before was no longer just a sprout. In less than twelve hours, it had grown into a young tree, branches thick and leaves wide. Even more shocking, several round apples already hung from its boughs, their skins glossy under natural sunlight.

Rowen stepped closer, staring at the growth of the apple tree. Before he could reach out, the air flickered, and a familiar blue screen appeared in front of him, hovering just before the tree.

The glowing text shifted across its surface, waiting for him to read.

[Apple Tree] [Fruit Cycle: 6 hours after full harvest]

Rowen stepped closer and reached up, fingers brushing against one of the glossy apples. The skin was smooth, almost warm under his touch. He pulled it free with a soft snap, the branch bouncing lightly.

Holding the fruit in his palm, Rowen focused.