This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 32

"Moonfire Spell: Direct a beam of moonlight to target, causing a fixed amount of damage upon impact, followed by continued moonlight burn damage for 15 seconds; when you use the Moonfire Spell under moonlight, it deals double damage; Moonfire Spell cannot harm constructs or undead creatures; this spell deals an additional 100% damage to undead creatures..."

...

Matthew created a magical straw man and tested the damage of the Moonfire Spell both indoors and outdoors, which turned out to be somewhat underwhelming.

"The double damage under moonlight is only equivalent to a 5th to 6th level spell at best. Without moonlight, it's rather lackluster. Although the faithful badge grants the ability to cast moonlight in most situations, it's still too weak."

Matthew wasn't particularly satisfied with this spell.

One of the few advantages of the Moonfire Spell was its low mana consumption, the tactical significance of the burn effect, and... it looked decent?

"It does have the advantage of countering undead creatures," Matthew consoled himself.

In truth, he hadn't expected much from the spells granted by the Moon Goddess. After all, the Moon Goddess was a deity, not a mage, and her magical abilities might not be as powerful as those of some 4th or 5th level mages.

The advantage of deities lay in their ability to simulate spells with divine magic. However, after the Ascension in Heaven's Palace, they were no longer able to use divine magic in the mortal world.

Matthew speculated that the Moonfire Spell was originally a simulated divine magic by the Moon Goddess, which later became inconvenient to grant to her few followers, so it was modified before being passed down.

Thinking about it this way, he couldn't help but feel some pity for the Moon Goddess. It's no wonder her attitude was so humble.

"Perhaps the Moon Goddess always had this humble attitude even in the Enlightenment Era. Her divine duties were limited to 'moonlight,' which meant someone else took on the other aspects of the 'moon.' She could only humbly manage her own domain," Matthew thought.

He rubbed his faithful badge and casually pondered, "But Eira mentioned that the Moonlit Forest had a glorious period. Could it be that she once possessed the complete authority over the moon?"

However, all of this was inconsequential.

Matthew quickly returned to his cottage, politely reciting, "Praise be to the Moon Goddess!"

In the following days, Matthew's focus returned to reality, especially on planting trees. He used his spare time to search for potential withering creatures. Unfortunately, his divination skills were quite disappointing. During one attempt to divine "withering creatures," he inexplicably saw an image of a woman bathing.

Judging by the architectural style behind her, it was probably the craftsman's area or the commercial district in Rolling Stone Town.

But the woman was clearly not a withering creature.

Fearing that someone might perceive him as a voyeur, Matthew quickly covered the crystal ball with a cloth.

For the time being, he decided not to do divinations himself.

In the meantime, he still hadn't found any withering creatures, but he was getting better at tracking Eli's movements. By activating the Oak Domain, he could pinpoint Eli's location immediately as they once resonated within his domain.

From what Matthew perceived, Eli's daily activities were quite repetitive, as if he was thoroughly patrolling the forest. Matthew observed for a while, and then decided to leave him be.

After all, his forest was a complicated place with skeletons, necromancers, and corpses. What's wrong with a few legitimate druids?

Regarding the Moonlit Forest, Eira had repeatedly urged Matthew to continue clearing the nests but had been brushed off with the excuse of a lack of manpower. This reason wasn't entirely unreasonable. Matthew had lost so many skeleton soldiers, and re-summoning them one by one was quite troublesome.

Samantha hadn't shown up again since that day, probably off to gather intelligence on the Su Nation.

The task in the nest wasn't that urgent. Even the main mission from the Moon Goddess was to "eliminate a mad Sera guardian," which Matthew had already accomplished.

As for the side quest requiring him to "eliminate all mad Seras," after learning about the connection between the nests and the Anshi Empire, he had given up on rushing through it.

Steady management was the way to go!

During this time, two things happened. Matthew managed to purchase ten Elemental Convergence Runes and a small bottle of ghoul's claw powder from a merchant who frequently visited White Rock City. He bought these items in preparation for summoning zombies.

Another thing was that Rayka's promise to transfer private territory quickly came to fruition. Matthew received a deed from a municipal official with the Lord's personal seal.

Of course, this matter couldn't be made public. With the official's hint, Matthew went to see Mrs. Liz once more. She complained that he should have come earlier to claim the land lease document.

So, in the official records, Matthew became the lessee of that piece of land, following Liz's lead.

Only a few people knew about this.

He now had land!

Liz was quite efficient in handling the matter and fully paid the stipend she had promised.

As Matthew left the town hall, he couldn't help but marvel at the wonders of life. He had only saved Sylva on his way, and they had both expressed their gratitude in such a generous manner.

He felt a bit guilty.

For a brief moment, an evil thought crossed Matthew's mind: "It would be nice to do it again!"

Quickly, he scolded himself for such an evil thought.

"Even if I were to do it again, it wouldn't be with Sylva. The poor girl has suffered enough."

"Although, if it were Rayka, helping once more wouldn't hurt."

...

And so, five days later, in the evening, deep within the Oak Forest, Matthew, carrying a sack and a shovel, leisurely walked back to his cabin.

When he was less than fifty meters from the cabin, his domain was unexpectedly triggered.

"The big guy is coming!" a nearby oak tree discreetly informed him.

Matthew turned to the west, and a figure came sprinting towards him.

Stopping in front of Matthew, the newcomer paused for a moment before addressing him in a particularly irritable tone, "Why is there no wildlife in this forest? I can understand if you don't have animals, but why are there no berries?!"

Eli's eyes were glaring with frustration.

Matthew thought for a moment, "Maybe because this is the Oak Forest?"

Eli's dissatisfaction intensified, "That's not what I meant! I obviously know this is the Oak Forest, but why are there only oak trees here, and no other plants?"

Matthew put down the shovel and explained kindly, "You see, Mr. Eli, this forest is relatively new, and I'm not a forest expert myself. Right now, I only know how to plant oak trees."

Eli looked at him incredulously.

Then, he sneered, "I didn't mean that. I know it's the Oak Forest. But why does it only have oak trees and no other plants?"

Matthew realized what Eli was talking about.

"So, are you hungry after five days?" Matthew asked hurriedly.

"Four days!" Eli replied with an annoyed expression. "On the third day, I couldn't take it anymore, so I stole a chicken from the neighboring farm. But I can't do this too often, and the bill is on you, Matthew. I'm guarding this forest for you!"

Guarding the forest for himself? Matthew suddenly made the connection.

"It seems like he wants to repay me for teaching him about domains," Matthew thought.

He gained a better opinion of Eli.

"So, Mr. Eli, why don't you join me for a meal?" Matthew extended an invitation.

Eli was adamant, "I won't have a meal with a necromancer! I'll stay here, but you have to provide me with some food."

Eli's attitude remained firm.

"In that case, I can only offer you this," Matthew replied.

The magical bag gifted by Sylva produced a substantial amount of biscuits. Matthew handed some over to Eli.

Eli took the biscuits, sniffed them, and then eagerly started chewing on them.

Matthew smiled, turned around, and had his own meal inside his cottage.

After finishing his meal, he noticed that Eli was still in the same spot. So, he approached him and asked, "What's wrong, Mr. Eli? Didn't you eat your fill?"

Eli glanced at him and said, "I'm full, thanks."

He maintained his tough demeanor.

Afterward, Eli cast a glance at Matthew's cabin and asked, "What did you eat just now?"

Matthew wiped his mouth and said, "A simple meal."

"Is that so? I smell the scent of sausages," Eli said, looking at Matthew suspiciously.

Matthew grinned and replied, "Oh, that must have been the simple meal I had."

Eli wore a bemused expression.

"By the way, what did you eat in the past five days?" Matthew inquired.

Eli scoffed and replied, "Four days! On the third day, I couldn't stand it and stole a chicken from a neighboring farm. But this sort of thing I can't do too often, and the bill is on you, Matthew. I'm guarding the forest for you!"

Matthew finally made the connection. Eli was starving because he was guarding Matthew's forest.

"In that case, Mr. Eli, would you like to join me for a meal?" Matthew extended the invitation once more.

Eli remained resolute, "I won't have a meal with a necromancer! I'll stay here, but you have to provide me with some food."

Matthew obliged, handing over a large quantity of biscuits from Sylva's magical bag.

Eli accepted them and hungrily devoured the biscuits.

Matthew then smiled, turned around, and headed back to his cabin to enjoy another meal.

Matthew returned to his cabin to eat, and when he finished, he noticed that Eli was still in the same spot. He approached him and asked, "What's the matter, Mr. Eli? Aren't you full yet?"

Eli glanced at him and replied, "I'm full now, thanks."

He maintained his stern demeanor.

Then, Eli looked at Matthew's cabin and inquired, "What did you eat for your meal just now?"

Matthew wiped his mouth and said, "It was a simple meal."

Eli wore a puzzled expression. "Is that so? I could smell the aroma of sausages," he said, eyeing Matthew suspiciously.

Matthew chuckled and responded, "Well, that simple meal included sausages."

Eli seemed bemused.

"By the way, what have you been eating for the past five days?" Matthew asked.

Eli corrected him, "Four days! On the third day, I couldn't bear it anymore, so I stole a chicken from a neighboring farm. But I can't do that too often, and you'll have to foot the bill, Matthew. I'm here to guard this forest for you!"

Matthew finally understood. Eli had been hungry because he was guarding Matthew's forest.

"In that case, Mr. Eli, would you like to share a meal with me?" Matthew extended the invitation once again.

Eli remained firm, saying, "I won't dine with a necromancer! I'll stay here, but you have to provide me with some food."

Matthew obliged, offering a generous supply of biscuits from Sylva's magical bag.

Eli accepted them and devoured the biscuits with gusto.

Matthew then smiled, turned around, and went back to his cabin to enjoy another meal.

Matthew's reference to Samantha caught Eli's attention, and his irritation flared up. He restrained himself and stated firmly, "I have a measure in my heart, and I won't leave until I've repaid what I owe you."

Eli continued, "Don't underestimate us druids; we are the true masters of the forest. Without me protecting this forest, these oak trees would have been destroyed by evil withering creatures!"

Matthew couldn't help but chuckle. He had initially wanted to tell Eli that he didn't owe him anything, but when he saw Eli's proud face, he kept his words to himself.

He then said, "If you want to stay, you're welcome to do so. You can handle things as you please. I'll have some food prepared for you. What kind of food do you usually like?"

As he spoke, Matthew took out a piece of paper and a pen, seemingly ready to note down Eli's preferences.

Eli's mouth twitched, and he replied, "No need, those biscuits are enough."

Matthew chuckled and asked, "Biscuits or sausages?"

Eli hesitated for a moment and said, "Sausages, then."

"Do you want anything else, like a drink?" Matthew inquired.

Eli shook his head decisively, saying, "No need."

"Would you prefer milk or coffee?" Matthew asked as if he hadn't heard Eli's previous answer.

Eli replied a bit awkwardly, "Milk."

"Alright, starting from tomorrow morning, you can come here to find me before I begin planting trees. I'll have your food ready for you," Matthew stated, writing down a few lines.

As he observed Matthew's earnest demeanor, Eli suddenly had the thought, "Is he this good to all his subordinates?"

"No, damn it! I'm not this necromancer's subordinate!" Eli thought with a fierce expression.

He raised his head, ready to confront Matthew, but he was surprised to find that Matthew had already greeted him and walked away.

...

Night fell, and all was quiet.

After finishing his daily meditation, Matthew stepped out of his cabin. The moonlight outside was bright and clear.

Eli was sitting under an oak tree, gazing at the moon.

Without a word, Matthew walked towards the northwest.

But soon, footsteps followed him.

"Why are you going out in the middle of the night, necromancer?" Eli asked from a distance.

"Just some personal matters," Matthew replied succinctly. "It's best if you don't follow."

Eli became even more intrigued, quickening his pace to catch up. "What kind of secret business are you trying to hide from me?"

Matthew glanced at him and said, "It's not something to hide from you. I just thought it would be disrespectful to summon zombies in the presence of a druid."

Eli's first reaction was, "You already committed a disrespectful act by conjuring Sylva in front of me!" Then he realized what Matthew was about to do.

"You dare to summon zombies in the Oak Forest?" Eli exclaimed. "This is a sacred place, protected by nature!"

Matthew responded with a hint of meaning in his eyes. "This is my domain. It's better not to do anything foolish, Eli."

With that, he arrived at the spot where the skeleton dormitory was located. Opening the hatch, he began moving the bodies out.

Eli's face darkened as he watched the scene. He knew that although Matthew appeared to be only a Second Order mage, with the influence of his Oak Domain, he didn't stand a chance against him. Eli also sensed an ominous aura during his time in the forest.

"I won't intervene in your ritual, but I want to witness the birth of the abominations," Eli said coldly. "Once I've repaid my debt to you, I will destroy every evil creature you summon!"

Matthew paid no attention to him. He arranged the five arsonist corpses neatly in the moonlit clearing.

Although he couldn't explain why, it was commonly believed among necromancers that summoning zombies in ample moonlight made it easier for the ritual to succeed and even had a chance of producing high-quality zombies.

The necromantic ritual could be time-consuming, especially during the initial summoning. The usual time for a necromancer to complete it was around five minutes, but Matthew was chanting for a full twelve minutes.

At first, he had been deliberately procrastinating, just to be cautious. He had learned to be prepared for anything, even though he had some trust in Eli.

Eli, becoming impatient, had squatted down, waiting for Matthew to finish his ritual.

Finally, Matthew began the true necromantic summoning.

In the forest, the necromancer's chanting had a rhythmic cadence.

Dark clouds drifted overhead.

Eli's face alternated between light and shadow.

Suddenly, one of the corpses stiffly rose to its feet. Then, one after another, the bodies on the ground began to stand up.

Eli, who had been silently observing, couldn't contain his surprise.

Next, something extraordinary happened.

A brilliant beam of moonlight descended upon the resurrected corpses.

The corpses seemed to undergo a fascinating transformation, their bodies bathed in the moon's glow.

Eli perceived the surrounding oak trees as if coming to life. A subtle, green light emerged from their forms and merged into the bodies of the five zombies.

This sight astonished Matthew as well. He checked his log:

"Notification: You have successfully completed the Necromantic Summoning (First Time/Zombies).

You have acquired five undead creatures (zombies/average level LV7).

Your zombies have received a blessing from the Oak Domain upon their birth, granting them 'Barkskin Ability'!

Barkskin Ability (Passive): Your zombies' skin forms a tough layer of ancient tree bark (Armor +3) and provides some damage reduction when they take damage."

Zombies with Barkskin Ability? Matthew was utterly shocked. He had just been about to inspect the statistics of his zombie comrades when another unexpected change occurred.

A powerful beam of moonlight bathed the area.

The five zombies stood in the moonlight.

Their bodies seemed to undergo a miraculous transformation.

Chapter 33 >>

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