Chapter 408: Garrett: I don't want to uproot the willows!

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Apr 6, 2024

Garrett had a very long dream.

In the dream, he became an acorn, falling from the branch to land on the thick layer of fallen leaves. It was turned over by a wild boar, buried deep in the soil, and after sleeping through the winter, it sprouted roots, grew leaves, and branched out...

It grew into a tender sapling, with a straight trunk and smooth bark, its new leaves brimming with vitality.

Then, a slender hand grasped the trunk, and a young voice rang out:

"Become my companion, and together, let's protect nature!"

The oak tree rose from the ground. Its roots retracted, its leaves condensed, turning into a wooden staff that fell into the young man's hands. From then on, through spring, summer, autumn, and winter, through wind, frost, rain, and snow, it accompanied the young man around the world. Healing, planting, taming, fighting...

The number of leaves on the staff grew from one, to two, to three, until there were 15. Finally, when the oak staff was planted back into the ground, the immense energy stored within was released by its master, growing taller and thicker, branching out into a massive tree.

Its now not-so-young master lay forever closed-eyed under the dense shade of the tree.

Time passed, and as seasons changed and years went by, a young man came to the old oak and received a deep brown seed.

Garrett slowly opened his eyes.

Inside the vast cave, a lush and towering oak spread its branches above him. The cold wind outside rustled the leaves, as if greeting him.

So familiar, so dear.

Even though it was several times thicker and at least twice as tall, with branches stretching out and lush leaves, a sense of familiarity immediately let Garrett know:

It was his oak staff.

The very one he had carried since it was a seed, nurturing it from level one to level four.

Garrett screamed.

"...I don't want to uproot the weeping willows!"

A staff reaching up to his eyebrows, carrying it around was one thing, but such a massive tree, with roots and branches and leaves... Even if I could carry it, am I supposed to dig it up on the spot?

"Puhahaha... hee hee hee hee..."

A series of crisp laughter floated through the cave. Garrett, with a face full of black lines, followed the sound and saw Seraina leaning against the stone wall, laughing so hard she couldn't straighten her waist. Facing Garrett's gaze, she wiped the tears from her eyes and happily ran over:

"Garrett, you've advanced!—By the way, why uproot the willows? This is an oak, not a willow! And why uproot it? Is there something special about uprooting it?"

Garrett: "..."

Advanced? He instinctively touched himself. Then he raised his hand to his face. There was nothing unusual on his hands or body, the hole in the center of his glove, as big as a pinky finger before he fainted, was still the same size, and the broken threads hadn't been mended.

As for new powers...

Each time he advanced, he was conscious and guiding the energy, knowing immediately which part had grown. Especially when advancing as a priest, even if he was confused, there would be hints. But this time?

Garrett looked at the oak tree beside him with a pained expression. From top to bottom, then from bottom to top, as if looking at an adult version of the actor who played Harry Potter:

This must be a flaw!

The sturdy branches spreading in all directions, the shade of green leaves, definitely more than 100 pieces. According to the rule of the oak staff growing a leaf for each level, he now must be over level 100—

It's impossible to advance that fast, so, surely, it's flawed!

"This time, your accumulation was very substantial, so the energy was too abundant during advancement, spilling outward, promoting the growth of the Staff of Nature." A gentle female voice sounded. Another older woman with silver hair walked out of the cave, smiling at Garrett:

"Young caster, you can communicate with it, ask it to condense its power according to your request, and change its form."

"Thank you for your guidance and help, respected lady." Garrett bowed slightly, paying his respects. So, this lady is Seraina's aunt?

It's good to have connections in high places, the right amount of dragon might along the way, and the advancement that naturally followed after lifting the suppression. This Silver Dragon Lady helped him so much...

Garrett was grateful in his heart. After the bow, he immediately asked:

"Respected lady, may I ask, how is my companion?"

"He has also advanced and is adapting to his new power." Ophelia laughed lightly

:

These two are really interesting, the barbarian's sudden advancement breaking through the dragon's aura, and immediately after waking up, asking "how's the boss?" If it weren't for her activating the Arcane Eye screen, that barbarian might have turned around and rushed back right there.

Having a loyal companion is very good... Sadly, during her travels, most of the human companions she had made had already completed their lives... The Silver Dragon reminisced lightly, casually raising her hand:

"Young one, what you should be concerned about now, is yourself—"

Following her advice, Garrett placed his palm on the oak's trunk. Communicate, communicate, communicate... This tree can't talk, how am I supposed to communicate with it?

Should I do it like the Great Sage, calling out "Small small small small" or "Big big big big"?

!!!

Don't actually grow bigger!

Garrett was in a fluster. After a while, he found its presence in the meditation world, following the unspoken connection he had felt upon waking. Then, focusing his mind, he conveyed his thoughts:

Shrink!

Shrink!

Leaves retract, branches retract, roots retract! Return to the original staff form, then continue to shrink, become shorter, become thinner!

A verdant glow, the leaves and branches swaying. When Garrett opened his eyes, the staff, now the size of a ballpoint pen, was in his hand.

Pearl-sized green leaves clung to the top, translucent and full of life. Arranged two by two, with an extra leaf on the left tip, the symbol of a level five priest.

"Perfect!" Garrett exclaimed joyously:

"This thing can finally shrink!"

Honestly, the oak staff's ability to amplify healing spells was quite impressive. But the original long and unwieldy thing, where would he find a sterile bag to carry it into the operating room?

It was inconvenient to sterilize! Now, at last, he could bring it to work!

Garrett grasped the oak staff again, tucked it into his chest pocket next to the 【Endless Ink Pen】. With a thought, two roots extended from the end of the staff, firmly binding the two together.

Though the feather pen's upper half was wider, making it a bit awkward, it had plenty of roots. To ensure it wouldn't get lost, he could simply tie it with more...

Garrett closed his eyes in satisfaction. This time, as his spirit resonated with the staff, he made a new discovery:

The entire world looked different.

At the cave's entrance, tiny grasses stretched out of the cracks, greedily reaching for the sunlight. In the depths of the cave, moss quietly clung to the corners, absorbing the moisture condensed on the stone walls. Birds sang joyously, insects fluttered in the gentle breeze...

After being affiliated with the Church of the Nature God for over two years and advancing to level five, Garrett finally gained the ability to communicate with nature for the first time.

Great, now when conducting animal experiments, I no longer have to guess whether they're sick or not!

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay