I Grow Crops with a System

”Thank you.” Ethan solemnly accepted the Mana Grass and seeds.

”You’re welcome, we should have delivered them to you personally, by the way, what brings you here this time?”

”Ah, about that...”

Ethan explained his purpose, he wanted to try growing southern fruits in the Central Region, Lachipi was somewhat skeptical at first, but after listening to the full explanation, he nodded, half-believing.

”Mhm, there’s no harm in trying, Magic, take our friend to prepare, alright, let’s get down to business, I believe you’ve already guessed what it is.”

”You want me to communicate with the spirits?” Ethan asked.

”Exactly, right around this time last year, someone stole a spirit’s egg,” Lachipi said with a grave expression.

Ethan remembered, this was indeed one of the reasons a spirit would become angry, while he was still recalling what Zharok had mentioned earlier, Lachipi continued:

”Fortunately, we retrieved the spirit egg in time and returned it to its rightful owner, I thought the matter would end there... but the Fire Spirit’s anger remains unappeased.”

’So this heat was caused by the Fire Spirit’s wrath? But if the egg had already been returned, why wouldn’t it calm down?’

”We don’t know the reason either, which is why we want to ask for your help, we cannot communicate with the spirits,” Lachipi said.

”Meow! Only those with the Converse skill can communicate with spirits, meow~” Pearl explained.

People with the Converse skill were rare, Ethan looked at Zharok, but Zharok shook his head.

”I don’t have the Converse skill.”

”Didn’t you communicate very smoothly with the elves?” Ethan asked.

”That’s because I learned Elven, the Converse skill is a very special skill,” Zharok explained.

’Special skill? Why does it feel like this skill should be easy to learn?’

Ethan looked at Pearl, and Pearl nodded, confirming that Zharok was correct.

”Only humans and a small number of chosen individuals can learn the Converse skill, meow~”

”In the past, humans could communicate with the spirits and appease their wrath, but ever since humans disappeared, no one has been able to communicate with the spirits anymore.” Lachipi sighed.

”Do you know why humans disappeared?” Ethan asked.

”About that... no one knows, I only know that humanity disappeared all at once.”

Hearing Lachipi’s words, Zharok sighed, he had always wanted to know why humanity vanished and thought he might find the answer this time, or at least some clues, but once again, he came up empty.

”Anyway, I want to know what the spirit wants, which is why I’m asking for your help,” Lachipi pleaded.

”I understand, since I’ve accepted your seeds, I will definitely do my best.” Ethan inspected the seeds and nodded.

Lachipi seemed very satisfied with his attitude, he chuckled and patted Ethan’s shoulder. ”As long as you help us resolve this matter, you will be a friend to our tribe.”

”Haha, the honor is mine, by the way, where is the spirit?”

”You want to go right now?”

”Isn’t it better to resolve this sooner? Pearl, what do you think?” Ethan looked at Pearl.

”If we can persuade the spirit, this high temperature should subside, right...? Then let’s go quickly, meow.”

Pearl also had the Converse skill, two people persuading the spirit together would be better than one, Ethan picked up the listless Pearl and placed it on his shoulder.

”The Fire Spirit lives on the Hill of Spirits, you can see it if you go there,” Lachipi said.

”Where is the Hill of Spirits?”

”Magic will take you there, Magic!! Take Ethan and his companions to the Hill of Spirits!”

”Understood!” Magic accepted the order.

The Hill of Spirits was located south of the Ape Beastman village, Magic explained their current location and the location of the Hill of Spirits, then spoke seriously to Ethan, who was sitting on the handcart.

”You must be careful.”

”Hmm? What’s wrong?” Ethan asked.

”There are many powerful monsters in the south, although I am here, so there shouldn’t be any problems, you should still try to stay on the cart and not come out.”

The Ape Beastmen tasked with escorting them also looked tense, they were all elites among the tribe, even they were this nervous, meaning the path ahead was truly dangerous.

”Move out!!”

With Magic’s command, the Ape Beastmen began to run, Ethan spoke to the Ape Beastman pulling the cart in front of him.

”It’s so hot, are you alright?”

”I’m fine!! Human, there’s no need for you to waste your stamina, rest well! You are the most important one!”

There wasn’t much Ethan could say to that, he nodded and began checking the contents of the cart, when they left the village, the Ape Beastmen had brought some fruits, now scattered across the handcart, dry rations for the road, it seemed.

Ethan was carefully examining the fruits when Magic shouted from the front.

”Monsters!! Prepare for battle!!”

The spear-wielding Ape Beastmen rushed forward and thrust their weapons into the ground.

In the next second, a giant frog-like monster erupted from the seemingly empty earth, had they passed through unprepared, they would have been ambushed.

Ribbit!! Ribbit!!

The frog-like monster pierced by the spear let out a shrill cry, and its companions revealed themselves, but Magic seemed entirely unfazed, he brandished the long staff in his hands.

”Haaaah!!”

His movements were incredibly fluid, he leapt, and with every swing of his staff, a frog-like monster burst apart, in the blink of an eye, five of them had been eliminated.

Magic let out a furious roar, the other Ape Beastmen launched their attacks and quickly took down over a dozen more, they ignored the mana crystals and returned to the handcart’s side.

”Move forward!!”

With the order, the handcart set off again, Ethan had already prepared for battle, but the Scythe of Gaia was completely unresponsive, he set it aside and said to the listless Pearl beside him, ”Looks like they don’t need us.”

”Meow... that’s wonderful...”

”Don’t worry about these things! You have a more important mission!” Magic’s tone was filled with concern.

They ran for hours, continuing through the night, and only stopped to rest when the sky was about to brighten.

Ethan looked at the exhausted group and held up the fruits in his hand. ”I’ll make some juice for everyone.”

He stopped the Ape Beastmen who wanted to eat the fruits raw and used Shatter to juice the tropical fruits, then he added Elven Yogurt.

[Delicious Cold Tropical Fruit Juice]

[Made with sweet and sour tropical fruits and Elven Yogurt. With the addition of Frost Fruits, the taste is cold and delicious.]

[Delicious Effect: Stamina increases.]

[Delicious Effect: Willpower increases.]

[Status Abnormality: Body temperature drops.]

[Crafting Difficulty: ★★]

”What is this?!”

”This taste is amazing!”

”It’s even cooler than eating Frost Fruits directly!!”

Ethan had specifically chosen tropical fruits that paired well with Elven Yogurt, so the taste was excellent, even Ethan and Pearl found it delicious, let alone the Ape Beastmen, they had been traveling an entire day and were long parched, nothing could quench their thirst better than a cup of ice-cold juice.

They gulped it down and handed over the fruit shells one after another. ”Is there more?!”

”Here, catch.”

Ethan made a generous batch of tropical fruit juice for all of them, he patted Magic, whose belly was round from drinking, and asked, ”How much further to the Hill of Spirits?”

”We’re almost there! Phew! After drinking the juice, I feel my stamina is completely recovered, let’s set off right now!”

”Don’t you need to rest a bit more?”

”No need! Let’s go!”

Perhaps because of the juice, the Ape Beastmen had all recovered their stamina and stood up one after another, they set off again, and after running for about two hours, the handcart stopped.

”The Hill of Spirits is just ahead! Ooh-hoo-hoo!”

”Meow...?”

Ethan looked in the direction they were pointing, an expression that was halfway between laughing and crying appeared on his face.

Atop a small hill, a massive fireball was burning fiercely — like a second sun.

”...That is the Hill of Spirits?”