Brand New Life Online: Rise Of The Goddess Of Harvest Chapter 3 New Quest

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Suddenly, an elderly voice whispered directly into my ears. Who could that be? Could this be the ancient tree I had been searching for? And it could speak? This being a fantasy game, anything was truly possible.

"Guider, was that voice…?" I questioned the hovering orb.

"Indeed, I perceived it as well. That location marks the commencement of your main quest! Recall my earlier statement about accepting only one quest at a time? A main quest serves as your starting point. From there, it will diverge into numerous new quests that you must complete sequentially. These quests auto-generate over time and are influenced by your interactions with NPCs! This is known as the Branching Quest System."

The guide spirit had mentioned this. It implied that only one quest could be undertaken because there was a singular main quest, which then branched out. The concept was somewhat perplexing.

"Very well, let us proceed there. The arrow indicates the way… This is proving simpler than I anticipated, though I still regret dispatching that small rabbit. I wish I could have befriended it as a pet."

"A pet? Hmm, Dryads do possess the capability to befriend forest creatures, and farmers can indeed tame livestock… With sufficient Job advancements, you could even attain roles like Shepherd and manage a flock of sheep… However, such occurrences are exceedingly rare; no one selects such seemingly inconsequential classes due to their limited combat potential," the spirit explained. "You are rather peculiar for selecting a race and job class that lack significant fighting prowess… Do you not grasp that in an RPG, one must engage in combat and vanquish monsters to grow stronger and advance?"

"I do not… And I joined this game for my daughter; I’m not particularly fond of these types of games," I sighed.

"Sigh… W-Well, you can count on my assistance; I will endeavor to help you… But you are certainly a handful," the guide responded.

It seemed I was not a typical player. After all, I had never played games like this before, making everything feel entirely novel. While others might have found the mechanics familiar, to me, they all appeared foreign.

Moreover, from the scant few games I had ever sampled, this felt less like playing a 'game' and more like embarking on a journey elsewhere. It truly resembled living a new existence intertwined with magic and fairy tales.

Perhaps I should adopt this perspective rather than viewing it as merely a game?

We traversed the forest, eventually reaching a location graced by a large, crystalline river. Tiny fish darted about, and I couldn't help but wonder if I could catch them.

"You can catch them using the Fishing Skill, which is integrated into your Farmer Skill Tree and costs 5 Skill Points. You acquire five Skill Points and 5 Stat Points with each level gained," the guide informed me.

"Oh, I was unaware of that… Perhaps the Farmer class is quite useful after all!" I exclaimed.

"Eh… Well… I suppose?"

Suddenly, a potent presence made itself felt in our vicinity. The atmosphere grew notably heavier, imbued with a distinct mystical aura.

Concurrently, the voice from before addressed me once more.

"My child… Here…"

Turning behind me, I discovered a colossal, ancient tree concealed within the forest, encircled by numerous smaller trees.

"T-That’s the place!" the guide exclaimed.

"Tree of the Beginning, is that you, honored sir?" I inquired.

"Yes… Please, approach closer."

The tree communicated directly into my mind, an ability I had never imagined possible.

I chose to heed its instruction, walking towards it until I reached its immense presence.

It resembled a magnificent mustard tree. Such trees begin as mere seeds but grow into giants if allowed to mature. The Tree of Beginning was so vast that it blotted out the entire sky, its hundreds of branches and leaves forming a natural canopy. Curiously, there were no fruits adorning its limbs.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Yes… Hello, my child… What is thy name?"

"My name? Elayn- Ah, Planta!"

Revealing my true name felt unwise; adopting a persona within this new world was a safer approach. I needed to embrace the role with my new name in this game.

"Planta, my child. It has been an age since a forest spirit was born in this domain. We are in desperate need of your assistance; the forest is perishing…"

"EH?!"

Without preamble, the tree got straight to the heart of the matter. The forest was… dying?

"What is the meaning of this? Why?"

The ancient tree began to shudder as its bark shifted, revealing the visage of an aged man. He possessed a long beard, and his weary eyes emanated a soft, golden luminescence.

"Your birth in this era is a portent; the Goddess of Life, Gaia, has dispatched you here to lend aid… Pray, you must help the forest endure this calamity…"

"O-Okay, I shall do my utmost, though I doubt my capabilities are sufficient…"

"You possess capabilities far beyond expectations; Dryads hold unique powers, especially with your specific Job Class. I've never encountered such a wondrous Job Class before; it's perfectly suited for our predicament! Surely, our goddess has sent you to us!"

The ancient tree seemed overjoyed by my presence, speaking quite rapidly for its age.

Ding!

[You have accepted your [Main Quest]]

[The Quest Branching System has been activated]

[A New Quest has automatically commenced…]

Eh?!

Suddenly, holographic windows materialized before me once more, informing me that the quest had already been accepted. When did I accept it? Wait… I did agree to help him. Ah… Well, it turned out to be good.

"Thank you for agreeing to my request…" the old tree stated.

"S-So, what must I do?" I inquired.

The tree then began to emit a radiant glow that illuminated the entire area, enveloping me in its light.

FLASH!

"Eh? What is this?"

[Your Health and Mana are recovering at twice the normal rate!]

"As long as you remain near me, your Health and Mana will regenerate faster. Make sure to rest by my side, my child, whenever your journey leaves you weary."

"Oh! I understand, thank you." I replied.

"Every Race has a special sanctuary known as a 'Home Resting Area,' where they can return to recuperate their HP and MP. You can also teleport here automatically, but there's a five-hour cooldown." the Helper Spirit explained.

"I can? How?" I asked.

"It is integrated into your Spirit of the Forest Skill," the guide spirit responded.

"I see, thank you for informing me. I truly had no idea…" I said.

"Well, that's precisely my purpose!" the spirit declared proudly.

"Now, my child, you have officially designated this location as your home. Whenever your journey becomes taxing, feel free to visit for rest and respite…" the tree conveyed.

"Thank you very much, sir… I am deeply grateful!" I expressed.

"Eh? Ah… It is no trouble at all, dear. You are exceptionally polite, which is commendable, truly commendable…"

The tree seemed taken aback by my manners. Were individuals in this world generally impolite? My mother always instilled in me the importance of treating others with courtesy; after all, to receive politeness, one must first offer it.

However, the tree appeared so ancient that it hadn't yet answered my original question. Could this be due to its NPC status and limited dialogue options? I pondered.

"So? What am I supposed to do?" I asked again.

"Hmmm… The catastrophe that looms over this forest is set to occur in due time, but with your abilities, it might be possible to avert it…" it stated.

"What… catastrophe?" I inquired.

"Cease interrupting the NPC while they are speaking!" the guide spirit commanded.

"Ah! Geez, okay, apologies…" I sighed.

"Do not worry, your concern is appreciated. You see, this is the Ancient Spirit Forest, a place that once belonged to our lady and mother of life, Gaia. It served as her sanctuary. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, she had to depart from this domain, and since then, it has been gradually deteriorating. It was once a vast forest that stretched across nearly the entire Continent of Verdant, but now, its size has dwindled to a mere ten percent of its original expanse…" the Tree lamented. "This decline is not solely due to the lack of spiritual energy resulting from our goddess's departure, but also because of the Dark Miasma that is relentlessly spreading across the world…"

"Dark Miasma? What is that?" I wondered.

"Hmmm… Explaining its exact nature would be quite complex, but… it is essentially corrupted mana that only brings destruction, infecting life and twisting it into the abominations we know as Dark Beasts…" the tree explained. "Your duty is to cleanse the Miasma from this forest, ensuring it does not contaminate the Sanctuaries of Fairies and Spirits scattered throughout, while simultaneously aiding as many small creatures as you can."

"Oh… S-So I need to clean? I'm quite skilled at cleaning!" I exclaimed.

"I see, that is excellent. The Dark Miasma originated from the Dark Demon King of Miasma, Marduk, an evil Demon who awoke from a million-year slumber after being vanquished by the Seven Ancient Heroes and…"

The tree continued to recount tales of lore unfamiliar to me. This entire game seemed imbued with an incredibly rich backstory, making it feel far more alive than I could have ever imagined.

It elaborated that the Dark Miasma had emanated from the Dark Continent, the place where the Dark Demon King of Miasma had awakened. He was initially sealed there by the Seven Ancient Heroes, but after a millennium passed, the seal weakened, and he had returned…

This appeared to be a global event, and this entity was what people referred to as a "World Boss." Numerous players typically attempt to defeat such beings. Upon the defeat of a World Boss, the entire world's narrative would shift, progressing into a new Chapter.

Whispers from the Guide Spirit told of three previous World Bosses, all vanquished by players, each demise heralding a new era. These beginnings were consistently marked by major updates, introducing fresh features, races, and job classes, alongside expanded territories and continents for exploration.

Yet, it was said this particular World Boss surpassed all others in might. Countless attempts had been made, all ending in failure due to his overwhelmingly high level. Despite the setbacks, many players persisted in their efforts to defeat him.

Eventually, they would succeed, I felt certain.

However, venturing out to confront such a formidable being held no interest for me. My plan was to remain within the forest, contributing to the world in a more grounded way, rather than chasing grand ambitions of vanquishing evil.

After all, the game's promotional material emphasized the freedom to play as we desired!

"Do you comprehend?" the spirit inquired.

"Err… Yes, I understand…" I replied.

"Excellent then… For the present, there is a small nearby village inhabited by Squirrel-folk. They have been under assault by Dark Beasts and are suffering from a peculiar disease that slowly saps their strength… Many of their elders have already succumbed… My child, it falls upon you to discover a cure for them. I implore you," he pleaded.

Ding!

[A New Branching Quest Has Been Generated]

[Save the Squirrel-folk!]

[The Squirrel-folk village has been attacked by a malevolent Dark beast, which they somehow managed to defeat. However, many now suffer from a vile disease that is steadily consuming their lives. As the Spirit of the Forest, it is your sacred duty to find a cure for their deadly ailment before the last descendants of Ratatoskr perish!]

[Completion Rewards: Special Items, Gold, Experience Points, NPC Allies]

[Failure Penalty: The final descendants of Ratatoskr will perish, and your standing within the Forest will diminish]

"T-There it is! I've received a new Quest…"

"Good, please go to their aid… I beg of you."

"Rest assured, I will exert my utmost effort!"

And so, my humble journey commenced. I surmised that completing these initial quests would be necessary before I could venture outwards and begin the search for my daughter's Avatar… This promised to be an extensive undertaking.

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