Chapter 99: Skillfull Alice, Harvesting New Crops
’If we can upgrade the awakening crystals,’ she thought, ’even people with weak talents will be able to level up. Survivability rates would rise, and the quality of human resources would improve across exponentially. Unawakened people would no longer need to live at the mercy of strong.’
It wouldn’t be perfect, but it would be a start.
Right now, humanity needed every edge it could get.
She reached for a pen, intending to write a few notes down, but her hand stopped mid-air.
Her senses tingled again.
The rhythm from the other room had shifted.
Leora slowly turned her head toward the wall separating her from Isaac’s quarters.
There was movement again, a different kind one. It was more intense.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. Her mind, sharp and trained, could interpret the subtle vibrations through the air and ground.
She heard the slight creak of bedsheets, the soft hitched breaths, the controlled yet growing pace of it all.
She froze.
"...Is that position safe?" she muttered.
’Maybe I should intervene.’
Leora stared at the wall, and hesitated.
She moved toward the door but stopped just before placing her hand on the handle.
Her fingers curled.
Then she turned away.
’Haah, what am I even thinking?’
For the first time, Leora regretted having powerful senses. It was one thing to sense other’s having intimate time once by mistake, but sensing that when she was trying to sleep?
Every day?
It was stressful. In more ways than one.
...
Isaac POV
"Alice, we should stop. I need to—" started Isaac.
His words caught as Alice’s lips brushed against his shaft. Her tongue moved with a slow, deliberate skill that sent a jolt of pleasure through his core.
She was cleaning him. Her movements were sensual, teasing, and it was working too well.
Isaac’s body responded, hardening again under her touch. His throat went dry.
How was she a dragon? She was clearly a succubus!
Every flick of her tongue sent waves of pleasure through him.
Moreover, her awakened strength meant he didn’t have to restrain himself, and that freedom was intoxicating.
That was not to say he did not like doing it with Emily. But with her, he had to be careful to not hurt her, since his strength and agility stats were higher than what she could handle.
"Is this okay?" murmured Alice, as she pulled away away and her eyes glanced up at him.
Isaac swallowed, and nodded. "More than okay."
There was a spark of mischief in her gaze, and she continued, her lips and tongue working with a rhythm that made his head spin.
Isaac couldn’t tear his eyes away, captivated by the way she moved.
Alice reached for his hand, guiding it to the top of her head. Her eyes locked with his in a silent invitation.
He knew what she wanted. His pulse raced, and his desire surged as he hardened further.
He patted her head gently, then moved his hand, guiding her pace. She followed, her movements quickening.
"Alice," grunted Isaac.
She understood what that meant.
Her head bobbed faster.
The sensation was overwhelming, and a wave of heat clouded his thoughts.
Isaac’s grip tightened on her hair.
With a low, guttural groan, he let go, the release hitting hard.
Alice took it all, swallowing smoothly, though a small trickle escaped, sliding down her chin.
She didn’t pause, licking him clean with a care that sent another shiver through him. When she finished, she sat back, wiping her mouth with a casual swipe.
"You’re going to harvest your grains, right?" asked Alice. Her tone was light, like they’d been discussing chores.
"Yeah," he replied.
"Go and come back quick. I’m not done yet," she said, her eyes glinting with a playful hunger.
Isaac shook his head with a chuckle.
That status screen hadn’t lied. She was insatiable.
"Again?" he asked. "Your uncle and Selene are home today. If we stay in here too long, what will they think?"
Alice blinked, then her face paled as the thought sank in.
"Oh no," she muttered, standing quickly.
"We need to leave the room fast," she said, hurrying toward the bathroom.
Isaac followed her into the shower. Warm water sluiced over them, washing away the sweat and heat of their earlier moment.
Alice kept glancing at the door, like she expected someone to barge in. Isaac chuckled, finding her nervousness endearing.
"Relax. Even if they know, it’s fine. We aren’t kids," he reassured, passing her the soap.
"That..." said Alice, scrubbing her hair. "It’s still embarrassing. What will they think of us if we stay in your room for hours?"
"They’ll think we’re very happy together," said Isaac, winking.
Alice snorted, and splashed water at him.
Isaac laughed, finding it cute how her flip was switched as soon as he mentioned her family.
They finished rinsing off.
Isaac handed Alice a towel, and they dried off quickly, pulling on clean clothes.
Her naked figure was too tempting, and it took Isaac all his willpower to not indulge in her again.
Alice moved fast, still worried about what her family might think. Isaac grabbed her hand as they headed for the door, slowing her down.
"Hey, we’re fine. Everything’s okay," he said, squeezing her hand.
Alice took a deep breath, nodding.
They stepped outside. The evening air was crisp against their damp skin.
The porch creaked under Isaac’s boots as he turned toward the fields. Alice lingered behind, saying she’d check the kitchen or find something to do.
Isaac could tell she was still a bit embarrassed, but she’d settle once she saw things were normal.
He swung his hoe twice.
2,000 Tier 1 Vitality Grain Crops harvested. Mana +1000. Constitution +1000
You have obtained 10,000 Tier 1 Vitality Grains.
3,520 Tier 0 Vitality Grain Crops harvested. Mana +320. Constitution +320.
You have obtained 17,600 Tier 0 Vitality Grains.
Mana: 1000 [2708] → 1000 [4028]
Constitution: 1000 [2699] → 1000 [4019]
After harvesting the grains, he turned to the last hectare where he had planeted wheat and vegetables.
"They have matured. I should harvest them."
1,000 Tier 1 Potato harvested. Mana +4. Constitution +4.
You have obtained 5,000 Tier 1 Potato.
500 Tier 1 Garlic harvested. Mana +5. Constitution +5.
You have obtained 2,500 Tier 1 Garlic.
833 Tier 1 Tomato harvested. Mana +2. Constitution +2.
You have obtained 4,165 Tier 1 Tomato.
833 Tier 1 Onion harvested. Mana +3. Constitution +3.
You have obtained 4,165 Tier 1 Onion.
417 Tier 1 Cabbage harvested. Mana +5. Constitution +5.
You have obtained 4,085 Tier 1 Cabbage.
750 Tier 1 Pea Pods harvested. Mana +6. Constitution +6.
You have obtained 3,750 Tier 1 Pea Pods.
Mana: 1000 [4028] → 1000 [4053]
Constitution: 1000 [4019] → 1000 [4044]
He picked a tomato and tasted it.
A sweet, juicy taste exploded in his mouth.
"As expected, these crops evolved into Tier 1 crops due to my skills, and their quality increased. I just hope they can be cooked into something tasty for Emily," he muttered.
The low stats gains made sense since all of them were planted in only 0.5 hectare, but they were still more than what Vitality Grains gave for per 0.5 hectare.
Isaac was more surprised by the numbers of the crops.
It was overwhelming.
"We have enough vegetables for over a month now." He smiled wryly.
Finally, he turned to the wheat that was planted in the last 0.5 hectare.
8,000 Tier 1 Wheat Stalk harvested. Mana +11. Constitution +11.
You have obtained 40,000 Tier 1 Wheat Stalk.
Mana: 1000 [4053] → 1000 [4064]
Constitution: 1000 [4044] → 1000 [4055]
After the harvest, he replanted vitality grains in eighteen hectares, and the last hectare was for wheat and vegetables.
He wanted to see how these crops would improve.
Leora walked over, arms full of crates. "Should we start?"
"Yes." He nodded.
They began hauling the harvest back toward the house together.
The crates were heavy, but nothing unmanageable. As they moved, a thought passed through his mind.
"My skill is supposed to give me the natural energy and vitality of crops..."
He frowned slightly.
"But all I gain are Constitution and Mana boosts. That’s it."
That part was nice, sure. Especially early on.
But the more he thought about it, the more something didn’t feel right.
The stat boosts were great now, but there was a clear ceiling.
At some point, his stats would cap out, and the benefits would taper off.
"Then what? Does my Talent stop being useful?"
It didn’t make sense.
His Talent was SSS+ rank. It was supposed to be the best among his peers.
But if it hit a limit based on something as fixed as stat numbers, then what was it’s actual use? Other species could gain max stats too by using stat gain potions.
Sure humanity did not have anything like that, but Isaac doubted the richer and stronger races lacked them, especially since they must have high Tier Cities and could buy a variety of items from World System Shop.
He looked down at the crates again, then back at the field. All of them were Tier-0 or Tier-1 crops.
"Maybe the problem isn’t the skill," he said to himself. "Maybe it’s the crops."
That made more sense. Tier-0 and Tier-1 resources would naturally give only basic benefits.
But if he started planting Tier-2 crops, maybe things would change.
Maybe then, the ’vitality’ and ’natural energy’ his skill promised would manifest in a new, better way.
"I’ll find out the answer when the seed tree of these Vitality grain comes," he muttered. "Or maybe I can try turning a vegetable into Tier 2. It should be possible with my current skillset. I only need to keep replanting the seeds from my field."