Becoming the Dark Lord

Luke was back in the cave. The room he now occupied had been transformed into a makeshift Herbalist’s lab. Nothing sophisticated, just bowls, spoons, cloth filters, and other basic tools. According to Samael, the place had equipment for every profession. But Luke was currently using Kalysto’s. Anything more advanced would probably only confuse him at this stage.

“You really did bring back quite a haul,” Kalysto said, eyeing his overstuffed bag with clinical focus.

The task she’d given him had been simple: reach level five before receiving any deeper instruction. After all, there was no point teaching complex techniques to someone who hadn’t yet learned how to handle a single leaf properly.

Luke opened the bag. He had gathered everything he thought might be useful, no memorized recipes, just vague notions from the book. Many of the plants mentioned in it didn’t even exist in the forest he’d explored. He would have to adapt, trial and error would be his method.

“This book is excellent,” he said, laying it open on the table with care.

Kalysto stepped closer. “What book is it?”

“A Study in Green: Beginner’s Herbology, by Mother Freya.”

Kalysto froze. Her eyes widened. She crossed the room in a quick stride and picked up the book, handling it with utmost care.

“Do you even realize what you’re holding?”

“Yes,” Luke replied. “That’s why I said it was excellent.”

She shook her head, the way a teacher might when a student gives an answer that completely misses the point.

“You don’t understand. This material is incredibly rare. You don’t find this book in shops. It’s practically a relic.” She ran her fingers over the cover with reverence. “Mother Freya was the goddess who went furthest in the study of plants across the entire multiverse. She was the greatest Herbalist who ever lived.”

Kalysto set the book down slowly, as if afraid it might crumble. “This is something most Herbalists only dream of touching once in their lifetime.”

Luke blinked. “But... it’s just a book about plants, right? Shouldn’t this information be common? I mean, I can just use Identify and get the data instantly.”

Kalysto rubbed her forehead like someone fighting off a headache. “You are unbelievably primitive. Your universe is painfully underdeveloped. It makes you an utter novice.”

Luke wasn’t sure how to respond. He just stood there, half insulted, half confused. “Okay... fine. So it’s a super-book. Like the Wikipedia of plants, right?”

“Wikipedia? What’s that?”

He grinned, smug. “See? I’m not the only novice here.”

She ignored the jab. “Listen, guest. For a world like yours, still dependent on technology, this might sound strange. But this book... it’s more than a source of knowledge. It’s one of the few surviving personal records of Mother Freya herself. It’s like she left behind a map… for her legacy.”

Luke paused. Pieces began falling into place. “Like that thing with the coins and investments?”

“Yes,” Kalysto said, nodding. “When a deity creates something, a book, a skill, an item, they’re effectively leaving a loose coin in the universe. If someone worthy finds it... they might begin to walk the same path.”

Luke tightened his grip on the book. “So this book... could give me access to her path?”

“You’re not entirely brainless, after all.”

“Thanks... I guess.”

Kalysto took a breath and gently set the book down, her fingers lingering on the cover with reverence. “But you should know, Mother Freya’s path is... practically closed.”

Luke frowned. “Closed? What do you mean?”

“It’s just that... her path doesn’t have much material left,” Kalysto explained. “There are no known items, no famous skills, no scrolls or runes, nothing like that. No one’s ever truly managed to claim the coin she dropped. And as far as anyone knows, she doesn’t have a Divine Order.”

The author’s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“She died or something?” Luke asked.

Kalysto was silent for a moment, considering her answer. “She vanished. Officially, no one knows what happened. She disappeared ages ago.”

“So... reading the book doesn’t help anyone follow her path?”

“It’s not that it doesn’t help,” Kalysto said. “Think of it this way, a god scatters coins across the universe. The more treasures they leave behind, the greater the odds that someone, through the system, will pick one up. But Mother Freya...”

“Didn’t leave much behind,” Luke finished.

Kalysto nodded and began organizing materials on the table. “Still, this book is incredibly high-quality. The amount of condensed knowledge in it will save you from reading loads of useless junk. You’re basically learning from the best source available.”

She pushed a few sacks of soil toward him. “Time to start practicing. And luckily, you just unlocked an excellent skill at level five.”

Luke opened his interface and read the description:

[Plant Growth (Uncommon)]: The herbalist channels magic to accelerate plant growth within a limited area. In this controlled space, seeds germinate faster, seedlings grow stronger, and herbs bloom outside their natural cycles. The skill requires focus and harmony with the environment, and is only effective in small, carefully managed zones.

“Shouldn’t I get to choose between skills when I level up?” Luke asked. “So far, everything’s been automatic.”

“No, guest,” Kalysto replied. “This is a profession, not a class. The basics follow a set pattern. After that, you’ll start receiving choices as you specialize. For example, an Herbalist might become an exceptional chef for beings that only eat plants.”

She continued without missing a beat:

“Or they might prepare dishes with specific effects. A meal made from fire-infused peppers could keep you warm in freezing climates.”

Luke raised an eyebrow. “Like in Zelda: Breath of the Wild?”

“I have no idea what that is. Stay focused,” she said, already regretting her own example.

“If you’d played it, you’d know it’s exactly what you just described,” Luke muttered, smirking to himself.

He hauled the sack of soil over to an open patch of ground within the cave. Fortunately, the place had a small section of exposed dirt, perfect for his training. Samael and Kalysto, bound by the rules of the system, couldn’t leave the cave. This space was considered a neutral zone, outside the bounds of the tutorial.

With Kalysto’s guidance, Luke began to understand how his new skill truly worked. It didn’t make the plants grow instantly. The magic acted more like a channel, he became a conduit through which mana was redirected into the plants, accelerating their growth. Like a living super-fertilizer. But for the ability to work efficiently, conditions had to be right: water, humidity, rich soil… everything mattered. He wasn’t just a leaf collector anymore. He was part of the ecosystem.

“You’re doing it wrong,” Kalysto said, arms crossed.

“I haven’t even started.”

“I know you’re going to do it wrong. Spread the soil carefully. Don’t just toss it around. Be more… ‘gentle.’”

Luke sighed and began spreading the earth with a lighter touch. His teacher was, at best, demanding. And possibly a little unhinged.

Am I really gaining XP from planting and harvesting? Is this… Stardew Valley?

He kept working, evening the soil with more care.

“This is literally an experience farm…”

“Be quiet. Work in silence,” Kalysto said without even looking at him.

“I get the feeling you don’t like me.”

She approached slowly, her gaze sharp. “I don’t like the way you treat Lady Artemis. Show her respect... and I’ll return the favor.”

Luke had to fight not to laugh. “You want me to be respectful to that lunatic?”

Kalysto’s face flushed red instantly. “Don’t talk about her like that! She’s kind, wise, and delicate!”

“Delicate? She’s a spoiled, snack-hoarding menace.”

“You don’t understand her,” Kalysto shot back. “She’s perfect.”

Luke mumbled as he worked the soil, “Stalkers and fan clubs exist even across universes, huh…”

Ignoring Kalysto’s furious glares, he picked up a few seeds and got to work. Thanks to his new skills, he knew exactly how to extract and replant with care. Some plants, like Green Mint, didn’t even need seeds, just a healthy branch buried in the soil would do.

He activated his skill. A soft green glow flowed from his hand, and in his mind’s eye, he saw it: roots forming beneath the earth, the plant anchoring itself. It was like watching life bloom, accelerated by his own mana. Carefully, he watered the soil and repeated the process again and again.

Hours passed. Planting. Watering. Channeling mana. And then the system responded.

*Your profession [Herbalist] has reached Level 6! (Bonus attribute points acquired)*

Luke paused, breathless, staring at the small garden plot before him.

“When I harvest, I’ll get more experience… I can literally farm XP.”

He smiled, looking at his tiny magical garden with a mix of pride and awe.

“Being a farmer… has some serious perks.”

For a moment, he forgot about battles, dungeons, and level 52 monsters. Here, in the quiet soil, with dirty hands and the system acknowledging his effort... he felt at home.

“Minecraft, Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon… guess I’ve been training for this my whole life without knowing it.”