Ascension of the Sylvan Cosmos.

Chapter 21. [Woodcrafter]’s Potential.

After dealing with <Enchanted Growth>, Liu Shu turned her eyes toward <Woodcrafter>. While this skill seemed basic, similar to Enchanted Growth, Liu Shu could feel that it could become something really interesting.

However, Liu Shu first needed to know what materials she could use to create these. The first one that came to mind was herself. 'The System said that I could use myself. Should I try creating something with that?'

Flor appeared by her side, asking. "Liu Shu, what are you doing? I feel a strange aura coming from you." Of course, there would be no answer for Flor. Communication was impossible.

However, Liu Shu had an idea. With her <World Tree Eye>, she quickly spotted a relatively thick branch around 7 meters away. First, she used the nature of [Willow Strike] to send one of her branches and coil around it, tugging at it and throwing it at her body.

Flor curiously followed Liu Shu's movements and suddenly saw the branch stop mid-air.

Now entirely focused on the branch floating before her trunk, Liu Shu began using Anima Energy and Aether Mana to shape it. Since she didn't know about weapons or anything similar, she transformed it into the only weapon she had seen until now: a set of claws.

The wood began changing shapes as if it were dough, following Liu Shu's will. Flor, stunned by this, looked on with fascination.

Liu Shu worked on it slowly, molding the wood to her will, and hours passed.

Her Aether Mana and Anime Energy consumption was quite strong, but eventually, she managed to morph the entire stick into an almost perfect replica of a Thornstride claw. Moreover, it was rose-fairy-sized so that they could wear it.

After that, the claw fell, and a notification popped in Liu Shu's mind.

[You've created a <Wooden Thornstride Claw Level 1 (Unranked)>. You've gained 1 Proficiency.]

Liu Shu looked at the message for a few seconds and asked in her mind, confused. 'Unranked?'

[System Hint: Items that don't qualify to be ranked as F- or Basic Rank are classified as Unranked.]

Our little tree became speechless, feeling dumbfounded for the first time. 'All of that effort for one unranked item?'

Her gaze moved toward the ternary essences, and she saw her Aether Mana and Anima Energy had been reduced to half.

'…'

Flor approached the claws that had fallen to the ground and picked them up with interest.

[Thornstride Wooden Claw Level 1 (Unranked)]

Physique +1

System Note: The first item created by Tianlian Liu Shu is a very weak weapon that can only help F Rank creatures from Level 1 to 3 at most. It is nothing but an accessory for higher levels and not a weapon that should be taken seriously.

Flor's lips twitched as she read the System Note. 'Ruthless.'

Still, Flor didn't linger on the note and thought about why Liu Shu showed her this. After all, the young World Tree probably had something in mind when she showed her this. 'Does she want to create weapons for us? But… Why claws?'

Looking at them, while the size was different, they were undoubtedly Thornstride claws. It is a four-digit claw, with the second from the right being much longer and with a powerful hook.

Other than that, the others were serrated and could grab onto the bark and cut really efficiently, a claw specialized for cutting trees.

Flor looked between the four-meter-tall willow tree and the claw a few times, pondering. 'It would be nice if the system note helped…'

Looking at it again, Flor was stunned to find the note had changed.

System Note: Tianlian Liu Shu's first item. It is a very weak weapon that can only help F-rank creatures from Level 1 to 3 at most. It is nothing but an accessory for higher levels and not a weapon that should be taken seriously. It was created with the intention of helping the creatures that took care of her. Still, because Tianlian Liu Shu lacked knowledge about weapons and materials, this was the best she could come up with.

Flor's eyes widened, and she suddenly remembered something she had heard from the city people while she was exploring. Her lips arched as she laughed. "World Trees… They truly are the little darlings of the World."

Knowing what Liu Shu wanted to tell her, Flor smiled. "Wait a moment, Liu Shu. I'll carry over a few things that you will love."

Then, she turned around and called Clavel. "Clavel! Take with you ten Rose Faries and get the stack of items we saved in that place."

Clavel titled her head. "We'll change its hiding spot? However, Chief- Ah! I mean, Queen, where will we store them?"

Flor pointed at the floor by Liu Shu's side. "Over there. Just give it all to Liu Shu. I'll create a small treasury there and allow Liu Shu to swallow it as she grows. We can create something to drop our findings inside while also leaving an opening for us to enter should we ever need them."

Clavel didn't ask why and nodded. They realized how much importance Flor gave Liu Shu. She was like a protective guardian to her, always thinking about her needs.

In Clavel's memory, while Flor had been quite protective of their previous "home trees," it never reached the current point. Of course, the Rose Fairies weren't stupid enough not to notice that Flor's sudden increase in strength had something to do with Liu Shu. Hence, nobody complained and followed orders enthusiastically.

Even the oldest fairies, who were a bit reluctant about leaving their previous Level 16 Home Tree behind, didn't say anything and worked like the others.

Flor saw Clavel leaving with Amapola and called the rest to work on excavating the ground. The way to do it was using pressurized Wind Aether Mana.

With it, they would be able to blow the dirt away without hurting the roots of any plant creature. Before that, they used their excellent botanic skills to move all the flowers from that spot.

Liu Shu looked from the side as the Rose Fairies expertly used their Mana to dig up flowers and move them while another group used a bit of the extract prepared for her to plant them back in other nearby places.

She couldn't understand, as Liu Shu's instinct as a tree was to take as much space and sunlight as possible to grow tall, strong, and healthy. For Liu Shu, any other flora that wasn't under her indirect or direct control was actually competition.

While it didn't seem like so, plants were brutal in the battle for survival. They grew taller to absorb more sunlight and block others, absorbed the earth's nutrients from other plants and made them wither, forced the surrounding energy into them, and did not take into account other smaller plants… The battle for survival in the plant world was ruthless.

That was one reason tall and powerful trees usually had no other similar-sized vegetation surrounding them. Much smaller plants didn't take much resources so that they could survive, but between two large plants that were close enough, only one of them survived.

As with everything, there were exceptions, but that was the usual rule.

Either way, returning to the Rose Fairies' actions, Liu Shu could see that they had advanced quite a lot. 'Hm? How much time passed?'

She could feel that a few hours had gone by, but she had been quite dazed, thinking about other things, making her not notice. 'Oh? So that's how my roots are!'

There was a hole around 4 meters deep, and from side to side of the hole, Liu Shu's roots could be seen. They were very different from other plants, though.

Even the Rose Fairies couldn't help but pause to look at them.

The World Tree's roots were brown colored but filled with neon-like blue lights and a pulse. The feeling of life coming from them was unlike any other plant. Moreover, there was an almost unnoticeable mist roiling around them.

One Rose Fairy asked Flor. "Queen, what is this mist? It makes me feel quite comfortable."

Flor looked at it for a long while and approached. After touching it, her red eyes flashed with surprise. "This… It is Aether Mana and Anima Energy Mist. Look at your regeneration."

The Rose Fairies opened their system and saw a small increase in energy regeneration when standing near the mist, making a few of them exclaim.

"Liu Shu is so amazing!"

"Not only are her fruits delicious and give so many benefits, but even her presence is mystical."

"Right? I'm glad Clavel found her! Living with her, our next generations might finally find a forever home!"

Rose fairies were nomads, but not by choice. Rose Fairies inherently enjoyed cultivating gardens, immersing themselves in the nurturing process akin to diligent bees. They found fulfillment in pollinating flora and nurturing their growth.

It didn't take too long to create their future vault where they would store their precious belongings.

After one and a half weeks, it was done.

Clavel's group also transported all the treasures from all their hiding spots and stored them in the new vault, which was seven meters deep from the surface, with around 240 cubic meters after the two meters of cover that would go on top of it.

Liu Shu had been fascinated all this time, using her energy to create flowers and help them as much as she could. They came in handy, as each fairy had an extra 50 of each ternary essence after eating them.

Flor could've helped more, but she didn't. It was a good way to practice Aether Mana's control. She wouldn't be silly enough to give up this opportunity in exchange for speeding up the process.

Right now, they were at war, but with her newfound increase in strength, Flor was actually not nervous.

Liu Shu suddenly received a notification.

[Space that can be used as storage detected. Do you wish to envelop it with your <Woodcrafter> skill and make it yours? Yes or no?]

Our girl was suddenly at a loss. 'What should I do? They built it with so much effort… Can I take it just like that?'

Liu Shu was about to say no, but Flor suddenly approached. "Liu Shu, do you like it? We've built this for you so that you can store things in it. Our things are inside as well, but you can use them at will. For more essential items, we'll make ours in another place. Don't worry."

'…'

Liu Shu looked at Floor deeply, making the Rose Fairy Queen actually feel her gaze enveloping her figure. However, even with such pressure, Flor felt comfortable, as if Liu Shu was giving her a hug.

She laughed a bit and flew forward, gently hugging Liu Shu's trunk. "I'm glad you like it, Liu Shu."

Without further ado, the World Tree's aura underwent a change as she answered, her tone more dignified than ever before. 'Make it mine.'