This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 178

Chapter 178: New Task - Animal Communication

The laughter of the prophet had a hearty and sunny quality, though it left Matthew feeling more unsettled.

"Is this guy also a follower of the sinister queen Babasha?" His mind instantly entertained thoughts of withdrawal.

After the laughter faded, the prophet regarded them seriously, stating, "Fear not, I'm no villain. Just a pitiable old demon, really."

"And as for you two, even for the sake of basic sincerity, wouldn't revealing your true forms be appropriate by now?"

Meanwhile, Patton was still trying to bluff his way through, "What are you saying? I don't see you as old at all!"

Yet, Matthew knew they had been exposed.

The prophet's eyes shimmered with a faint white light, a hallmark of prophecy spells. This guy was high-level, possibly close to legendary status.

His potion-induced disguise would likely fail to deceive those discerning eyes.

So, Matthew gently patted Patton's shoulder and stepped forward to negotiate, "I'm a human mage from the Seven Saints Alliance. You can call me Matthew."

"And this is my friend, Patton. Let me be clear, we harbor no ill will towards the Revivalists' camp."

The prophet nodded, "You do seem human. Seems you haven't lied in that regard; I can tentatively trust you both."

"But what surprises me is, when did the Seven Saints Alliance take an interest in Eskana?"

"Weren't you folks always claiming non-interference beyond the material realm?"

The Seven Saints Alliance had such a declaration? Matthew was astonished internally but maintained a composed facade, replying, "Times change, and we need to reassess certain regions based on changing circumstances. My visit here primarily aims to observe the situation and preserve potential for future actions."

The prophet smiled, "Good. If the Seven Saints Alliance indeed intends to intervene, I promise, I won't willingly hand you over to the sinister queen."

Matthew took a deep breath, "How did you spot me? Was it Babasha's mark?"

The prophet chuckled, "We Bigfoots have a knack for divination. The distinct mark on you was as conspicuous to me as a bonfire in the dark. But believe me, handing you over to Babasha is my last resort. I'd prefer to cooperate with you and the forces behind you. Have you seen the current state of the Revivalists' camp? Bigfoot City is now firmly under the grasp of Stulock Industries. I need your help. Together, we can overthrow Stulock Industries for a mutual benefit."

As he finished, a crow flew out from the darkness behind him, perching on a nearby candlestick, screeching, "I detest the notion of mutual benefit! Stulock Industries said the same when they first invaded Bigfoot City. In the end, they won twice!"

The prophet waved his hand, "Quiet! You're wingless!"

Matthew, still somewhat guarded, looked at the smiling Bigfoot prophet, "Honestly, I find it hard to believe that a follower of Babasha would relinquish pleasing their revered deity."

The prophet didn't blame Matthew. He gestured in the darkness, more shadows enveloping Matthew and Patton. Sensing no malevolence in the darkness, Matthew restrained his impulse to act immediately.

In the data panel...

"Prompt: Bigfoot Prophet has used 'Dark Chamber.'

Dark Chamber: No conversation within can be eavesdropped, even by deities."

"If I were a devout follower of Babasha, by now, you'd probably be trussed up. It's evident I'm not the person you imagine me to be. In fact..."

"The fact is, Babasha has abandoned us for many years. Before Stulock Industries settled in Bigfoot City, all three major demon races here worshipped Babasha. Every battle aimed to please her. The more brutal the killings, the greater the rewards from Babasha. Her influence spread across the city, above and below ground, unstoppable.

However, this situation soon collapsed. Stulock Industries became the new rulers of Bigfoot City. The people of the three races called upon Babasha's power.

But since a certain day, Babasha never answered our pleas again. Her priests swiftly lost their spellcasting abilities. The remaining followers felt the agony of abandonment.

Chaos persisted for a long time. The number of Babasha's followers dwindled rapidly.

To this day, only two people in the whole of Bigfoot City still worship Babasha: me and the monk Rosie, whom you just encountered at the Tower Gate.

Though I maintain my faith in Babasha, it's for different reasons, reasons I cannot disclose. But you can trust me—my trust in Babasha has nearly vanished.

Maintaining this faith is purely out of necessity.

But you must be wary of Rosie."

She's a follower of Babasha from another place, rumored to have direct communication with the Evil Queen herself.

She's a fervent devotee. If she discovers your true identity, the Evil Queen's gaze will soon turn this way.

In the meantime, you should know what will happen.

"Well, with the information I've provided, you can see my sincerity, right?"

The Prophet spoke quickly but with sincere tones.

Matthew nodded lightly, his expression grave.

The amount of information the Prophet conveyed was immense. One hidden piece of information within was—

The demon devotees in Bigfoot City lost Babasha's favor after Stulock Industries entered the city.

Considering Babasha still operates elsewhere in the multiverse, like the Deep Bottom City where Leila once lived, this rules out sudden downfall.

It's easy to infer.

Even the notorious Evil Queen in the outer planes might fear Stulock Industries!

She's unwilling to confront them directly, abandoning Bigfoot City, along with numerous loyal devotees, after centuries of management.

Behind this deduction lies astonishing information.

"How terrifying is Stulock Industries, really?"

"How many cities did the vanguard of the An Tu Empire conquer in the Planes? How much land did they seize?"

Matthew pondered. If what the Prophet said was true, he understood their urgency to collaborate.

However, Matthew's arrival was accidental; he knew he lacked authority to represent the alliance.

Thus, he had to maneuver:

"If both sides collaborate, what does your group expect from the alliance? What can you offer?"

The Prophet exclaimed excitedly:

"We need manpower, spells, resources!"

"As long as it's not just talk, anything's acceptable!"

"Stulock Industries plans another siege against us. Before that, we must fortify the upper defenses."

"As for what the Seven Saints Alliance wants, honestly, if it defeats Stulock Industries, we're willing to offer half of Bigfoot City to you, more spoils too. Our aim is to revive the demon blood. We're willing to do anything to drive away our oppressors."

Matthew found this overwhelming. He didn't want this matter to escalate, yet the sensitivity of the Prophet's identity was concerning. Not following along might lead to a report to Babasha.

Despite the old man's healthy and hearty smile, he was still a demon.

Under the Prophet's expectant gaze,

Matthew skillfully employed vague responses:

"I'll convey your intentions, but the alliance has a lengthy process. Everything takes time."

"And my task is to observe and gather intel. At the current pace, they might not decide to collaborate immediately."

The Prophet urgently said:

"What intel do you want? There's hardly anything in Bigfoot City I don't know."

Matthew took the chance to ask:

"How did Stulock Industries transform the city into its current state?"

"We've seen many bright things on the way."

The crow perched on the candlestick disdainfully remarked:

"That's called electricity! How uncultured!"

"Shut up! Wingless!"

The Prophet scolded. He dispersed the dark chamber, retrieving a staff from the nearby weapon rack.

"Follow me."

The two followed the Prophet to the depths of the tower hall.

The ground here bore a large array of black symbols.

It appeared to be a teleportation array.

They stepped onto the array.

The Prophet sprinkled a lot of black powder on them.

Boom!

A loud explosion rang out.

Their hair instantly stood on end.

Shortly after,

The scenery before their eyes began to change.

From the tower's depths, they arrived in another pitch-black world!

Poof!

Magical flames ignited in Matthew's hands.

The fire illuminated everything.

He noticed their hair was upright, except for the Prophet, who had none.

"Come with me, quietly."

The Prophet calmly proceeded down the narrow path.

Demons usually had dark vision.

Matthew and Little Patton lacked it in their minotaur forms, relying on the fluorescent glow of the mage fire to cautiously advance.

Exiting the tower led to a lengthy mountain path.

After about twenty minutes of climbing,

They finally reached the area's peak.

This underground region seemed part of the vast sewer system of Bigfoot City.

Upon reaching the summit,

A bright light suddenly shone from the underground.

Following the light's direction, they saw an extraordinary sight after their eyes adjusted.

At that moment,

In the dark abyss, Matthew saw a huge, suspended heart!

Each blood vessel on the heart was immensely thick.

Thump!

Thump!

Thump!

Even from this distance,

It felt like their hearts were synchronizing with that colossal heart's beats.

Countless tiny glowing points dotted the heart's surface.

On closer inspection,

They realized these were starry white crystals embedded with glowing runes.

Initially mistaken for decorations,

Upon closer scrutiny,

They were greedily siphoning energy from the heart!

These energies formed white beams, traveling through copper conduits in all directions underground.

The mountainous heart throbbed violently.

A faint roar of anger seemed to echo in the darkness.

But soon,

The roar turned into deep resentment and helplessness.

"This is the thirteenth-generation city lord's heart of Bigfoot City."

"Replaced just last month, it might last two to three years, but if Stulock Industries increases power consumption, it might be drained within a year or so."

"This is Stulock Industries' underground energy base. All of Bigfoot City's electricity and other resources originate from here."

"They claim to have invented the multiverse's cleanest and most efficient energy. When invading Bigfoot City, they convinced the demon leaders at that time. Sadly, those shortsighted demons didn't realize their bodies were the true source of Stulock Industries' power!"

"The heart of a high-ranking demon, once noble and elegant, now serving as Stulock Industries' generator!"

The Prophet's voice carried a murky sadness.

Matthew stayed silent for a while before asking:

"How many high-ranking demons does Bigfoot City have?"

"Do they have enough hearts to sustain Stulock Industries' needs?"

The Prophet shook his head:

"Of course not. That's why they send envoys to other cities. Moreover, Stulock Industries has a formidable mercenary force, an undead army attacking other layers of the Abyss. Occasionally, demon lords' hearts are sent here. That undead army is said to be unbeatable, but I haven't seen it personally, so I don't know much."

"See that giant energy rune down there? The changes indicate Stulock Industries' energy consumption. I come here every three days to observe. Through this, I can tell if they're up to something."

"Look, the red marker has been rising for ten consecutive days, signifying an increasing demand for energy. This isn't good news. Coupled with recent intel, I suspect they plan to incite war between the Bru Tribe and the Blood Flag Kingdom to harvest energy."

"With their fervor for collecting biological energy, they're likely plotting a massive conspiracy!"

"Think carefully. For a swarm like Stulock Industries, is there any land richer than the Prime Material Plane?"

"Eskana is just a stepping stone."

"Stulock Industries is seizing the Abyss, reaching into Hell."

"The Prime Material Plane is undoubtedly next."

"The Seven Saints Alliance should take this seriously!"

"Otherwise, the disaster that strikes demons will hit your kin too!"

Admittedly,

The Prophet's analysis was comprehensive and logical.

The intensity of the facts themselves was persuasive enough, without the addition of particularly emotive words.

Matthew, being cautious, said, "I'll report all this information to the higher-ups."

The prophet urged, "Hurry, ask anything else you want to know before I send you away."

"I hope to receive a swift response from the Seven Saints Alliance," Matthew added casually, asking a few more questions.

The prophet answered them all promptly.

After a brief moment, Matthew expressed a desire to leave. The prophet summoned a crow, warning them not to try retracing their steps or remembering the sewer's route in Bigfoot City. The underground paths constantly shifted, and only those blessed by the "Sewer God" could find the right direction.

"I'll have Wingless guide you out. Be cautious while in the city, and keep away from Stulock Industries!" With that said, the crow flapped twice and flew toward another mountain path.

The two bid farewell to the prophet and followed along for a good forty minutes until they cautiously emerged from another sewer entrance in Bigfoot City. Matthew cast a few detection spells to ensure no one was following them before they swiftly returned home, locking all doors and windows behind them.

The two minotaurs eagerly squeezed under the bed and sighed in relief.

Meanwhile, in the graveyard, the duo, back to their original forms after dispelling their disguises, exhaled deeply. The experience behind the temporal rift felt like a dream.

Initially, Matthew had sought personal gain from the journey but stumbled upon astonishing discoveries regarding Bigfoot City. He intended to draft a detailed report for the Alliance, yet cooperation between himself, the Alliance, and the Revivalists' camp seemed improbable.

The primary reason was Matthew's multitude of enemies across the outer planes. He dared not venture into the Astral, Abyss, Purgatory, or even Heaven. The Evil Queen Babasha might be an extradimensional deity, but Matthew had drawn hostility from actual natives of these planes.

Hence, before becoming a legend, he resisted plane-hopping, especially after this rift experience. At least not in the short term. After contemplating, he concluded that sealing the rift with the Primordial Amber was the best course, leaving the possibility of reopening it if necessary.

Planning to write the report, Matthew was interrupted by young Patton, who asked about Stulock Industries and the Revivalist camp's situation.

Concerned, Matthew firmly stated, "I intend to stay neutral. The situation in Bigfoot City is beyond our capacity to influence. Even with Rhaegar and the others, we lack the strength."

Patton nodded, expressing interest in joining Stulock Industries. He highlighted their possession of advanced technologies besides the massive heart, which intrigued him. However, Matthew warned about the dangers of the outer planes and dissuaded Patton, fearing for his safety.

However, Patton remained undeterred, expressing a sudden strong desire to achieve something significant. He believed he could join Stulock Industries, perhaps even climb their management ladder by taking the form of a minotaur. He fantasized about potentially stealing their entire factory if given the chance.

Desperate, he requested a week's time to prove himself. Matthew reluctantly agreed but cautioned him against reckless actions. Patton's hopeful eyes clashed with Matthew's worry.

After a long silence, Matthew curiously asked, "How did you learn the Minotaur language?"

Patton casually replied, "I read a lot of books. There was an Abyssal Languages compendium in Rhaegar's library, so I learned it in a couple of days. Easy, isn't it? I actually picked up bits of almost every race's language, planning to impress some non-human ladies in Rolling Stone Town. But turns out, I never met any outside of that place."

With a sigh, he continued, explaining how he lived in Rhaegar's library for years, reading every book collected by Rhaegar, who seemed more interested in amassing knowledge than reading it. Patton had devoured every book, spending most of his time there until one day...

Matthew impulsively went to the library and found me reading a book about tax knowledge. He asked me a few seemingly foolish questions, to which I promptly responded. The next day, I was informed that I had become the tax officer of Rolling Stone Town.

When Little Patton relayed this, his eyes sparkled.

It reminded Matthew of Sivak momentarily.

"Do you insist on going to Stulock Industries to prove you're better than Bradley?" he asked softly.

Little Patton paused for a moment and then shook his head, "I have no intention of comparing myself to anyone. I just stumbled upon something interesting and wanted to give it a shot."

Matthew crossed his arms, resting his chin on his hands, his gaze enigmatic. "Three days. I'll give you a maximum of three days, and you must return each day to report that all is well."

Eventually, Matthew relented, "If in three days you haven't achieved anything remarkable, return immediately. I'll seal the time-space rift here promptly; don't cause trouble."

"And don't rush; come back tomorrow morning," he added.

Little Patton was suddenly overjoyed, "Then I'll stay at your graveyard tonight!"

"Um, is there a place for me to sleep there?"

...

The next day, early in the morning, Matthew hurriedly arrived at Cauldron House. He submitted the hastily written report on the happenings of Bigfoot City through the A1 channel to the Silver Council, responsible for daily affairs in the alliance.

Originally, he had wanted to directly contact Isabelle. However, lately, Isabelle seemed to have no desire whatsoever to see him. Several messages sent via the communication crystal seemed to vanish into thin air, leaving Matthew with a sense of being outdated and desolate.

After submitting the report, he made a deliberate trip to the Alliance Market, purchasing two escape scrolls, two random teleportation scrolls, a gravity rope, and a set of potent minotaur transformation potions. This expense was charged to Little Patton.

Once Matthew equipped Little Patton with these items, he sent him back through the time-space rift.

During the rest of that day, Matthew began to work on "Giant Tree Amber," a crucial material for filling the time-space rift. It wasn't until noon when he successfully brewed the base material for the first batch of Giant Tree Amber that he suddenly remembered the oak trees for today hadn't been planted yet.

So, decisively grabbing a shovel and a bag of saplings, he headed toward the northern barren lands. Along the way, he encountered the same grouse again, but this time, it emerged abruptly from behind a tree. Both parties were caught off guard, and the grouse, visibly startled, glared at Matthew. Suddenly, a delicate voice reached Matthew's ears.

"Who's there? Carrying a shovel and walking so fast! Scared the chicken!"

Matthew stared in astonishment at the other side, who boldly puffed up their chest. "What are you looking at? You humans are such dorks!"

"Dorks, dorks, dorks!"

Excitedly, Matthew focused on the quest panel. A long-awaited quest had been updated!

"Hint: You've received a new main quest, 'Animal Conversations.'

Animal Conversations: Have three or more conversations with any animal within the Rolling Stone Town territory, or engage in one in-depth conversation. You'll earn 10 XP. Additionally, when you exceed certain thresholds in the number of animals conversed with, you'll receive extra rewards.

Primary Objective: Conversations with 300 animals.

Primary Reward: Necromancy (Lich) & substantial XP.

Note: During the quest duration, you'll gain the ability 'Animal Conversations,' allowing you to understand any animal's dialogue."

Matthew's gaze refocused on the grouse. He smiled and said, "Greetings, Mr. Grouse, from the silly human."

The next moment, the grouse's eyes widened in surprise.

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