NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 1031
<1031 – Master of Darkness (9)>
The Howling Mandragora was so pumped up for the outing.
It even met a grass stem with a face just like its own!
“UwU!”
Excited, UwU rummaged through the little roots and held out a grain of Magical Stone Powder it had saved for later.
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[Intermediate Magical Stone Powder]
[Effect: Upon consumption, Mana Experience Points +3 (Mana under 70)]
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Seeing that item effect, Oknodie clutched his neck in disbelief and exclaimed, how could something so precious be given to someone other than UwU?
But UwU couldn’t care less about Oknodie’s reaction.
After all, Oknodie had often ignored UwU’s desire to escape and even played around to provoke it.
Kids know everything.
Especially the memories of being teased and made to feel miserable.
That’s why a single mistake can spoil a relationship even after a hundred good deeds.
“Buuuh.”
Everlasting Grass looked at the Magical Stone Powder.
In stark contrast to UwU’s bright, innocent eyes, the eyes of Everlasting Grass were long and sharp, like a cat’s.
As it carefully examined the stone powder, a feeling of contempt arose in those eyes.
“Buh.”
I don’t need such useless powder!
“UwU?!”
“Buh.”
Even when offered again, Everlasting Grass’s cold response shocked UwU greatly.
This was really precious stuff.
It was delicious, and UwU planned to savor it for a long time.
Of course, Everlasting Grass growing in the Imperial Palace garden wouldn’t be lacking for food.
Feasting on high-stat humans daily, Everlasting Grass had stats that overwhelmingly exceeded most human heroes.
The condition of having Mana Ability below 70 to gain experience points?
It had broken through that long ago.
For Everlasting Grass, able to enjoy food not for quantity but for taste, any food that couldn’t strengthen it was just a trivial offering.
“UwU…”
In contrast, UwU was raised with loads of love and attention.
Though it mainly received teasing and fear from Oknodie, during other times spent with Senior Alice, the fighter Hestia from the next room, or the occasional visiting peers of Oknodie, UwU was sincerely cared for.
Some considered UwU a pet plant of Oknodie.
Some thought UwU was cute after observing it for a while.
Some felt pity for UwU’s pathetic attempts to escape.
Some even firmly believed that UwU was the spirit of Oknodie’s friend bonded to a horse.
For a variety of reasons, many people came to find UwU under the pretext of feeding it. They talked to it and shared stories, enriching UwU’s inner world both mentally and physically.
UwU’s mental world was not a thin, spindly one with pathetic roots but a solid, expansive one with numerous branches spread wide!
That’s why UwU evaluated food based on taste and care, sneaking away the Magical Stone Powder between little roots.
“UwUuwU! UwU! UwU!”
Of course, for Oknodie, who had turned childcare into an auto-hunt, it looked pretty humiliating.
“Why is my little UwU looking elsewhere, enviously glancing at other people’s Everlasting Grass? Not realizing how precious Magical Stone Powder is and just getting ignored? UwU, you have a problem too! You need to develop some insight, you know. What’s with falling for Everlasting Grass?!”
“UwUuwU!”
“So you wanted to be friends, not fall for it? That’s pretty much the same! The moment a crush becomes affection, and affection becomes life’s choice, it all happens in an instant!”
“UwU…?”
“Sigh. But since you’re my little UwU, I don’t like seeing you intimidated. Take this and show off!”
Oknodie, determined, handed UwU one precious Supreme Magical Stone.
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[Supreme Magical Stone]
[Effect: Upon consumption, increases Mana by 1 (Mana under 90)]
[Effect 2: Consuming Magical Stone Powder grants +5 Mana Experience Points (Mana under 90)]
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Acquired from the crown of Senior Lich.
It was a Magical Stone disguised as one of the jewels ripped from the crown.
Not only humans and monsters do peculiar things just by getting strong.
Even a simple Magical Stone can exhibit mystical powers if its effects are strong enough.
It has the characteristic <Disguise> often attached to treasure.
A property that hides its true nature.
When it comes to Supreme Magical Stones, they even use disguises to conceal their identity.
Wanting to appear more noble than themselves.
Desiring to look cooler than the surrounding stones.
If someone nearby bothers them, it can be annoying.
For all sorts of diverse reasons, Magical Stones transform their identities into various types of minerals.
That’s why Professor Bronze de Estrada’s class on <Developing Insight> sees a significant rise in attendance later in the session.
A well-cultivated insight can return as a Supreme Magical Stone.
It provides an absolute advantage in later farming stages.
With such a precious stone in UwU’s hands, it thought it would take a big bite and then share the remaining powder.
‘Wait, is this UwU going nuts?!’
But UwU was about to offer that precious Supreme Magical Stone whole to Everlasting Grass!
Angered, Oknodie swiftly used telekinesis to snatch the stone back into his hands.
“Hey, you little munchkin. You don’t know how precious that Supreme Magical Stone is and just hand it out to others? Are you a sucker? Do you plan to shower Everlasting Grass with your leaves and fruits just because it looks good?”
“Uh, UwU!”
“No, you’re not a sucker!?”
The Howling Mandragora puffed up its roots in anger, but the focus in its body shook.
Because deep down, it recognized it might be a bit of a sucker.
“Never thought I’d see UwU seducing Everlasting Grass with a Magical Stone.”
“True say.”
“Is there nothing like that in the Senior’s research lab?”
“Just remembered the moment Everlasting Grass struggles for dear life after being chomped by Professor Red Mountain.”
“Wow.”
Even though Jiang, with zero sensitivity to Everlasting Grass, and Senior Instructor exchanged words, Oknodie handed the Supreme Magical Stone to UwU once more.
“Alright. This time, handle it more confidently and properly. Don’t just throw it around!”
“UwU.”
Just trust me!
With a spirited reply and wide-eyed determination, UwU readied itself.
“Buuuh?”
Everlasting Grass pulled out its roots and stood up.
With a shape resembling a human so much that it could be called a small person, the roots of Everlasting Grass bore an air of refinement compared to UwU, who had grown up in a cramped nutrient container.
“…Why does that root-looking plant have a better figure than mine?”
Looking on, Jiang felt inferior, and Sadi, who was silently smiling and watching the situation, even absentmindedly touched her chest.
Subtly comparing the shapes made with her fingers, UwU’s cup-like form didn’t even measure up.
From Sadi’s side came a smug huff of confidence.
“Is it that good?”
“Not particularly. Just average.”
You’re just average.
With thoughts brewing inside, Sing seriously weighed the prospect of throwing a threat about Oknodie’s downfall in Sing’s mind.
Anyway, the owner of a figure that unsettles many humans, Everlasting Grass strutted forward, posing like a model right in front of UwU.
“Buuuh?”
“Uh, UwU?!”
Everlasting Grass lifted one of its little roots and dusted off the dirt sticking to UwU’s roots.
UwU froze like a person facing a shark.
Everlasting Grass looked enticing.
Pressing its body against UwU’s stem, it wasn’t shy about matching roots to roots and stems to stems.
While enticing it intensely, its gaze never lost its prideful glimmer, showcasing the superiority of being a precious Everlasting Grass while getting such close observations from a wild root.
“Why is this making me feel self-conscious too?”
Seeing that, Jiang felt uneasy.
It wasn’t just the embarrassment of being outshone by a simple weed; she had secretly gathered various poisons to feed UwU.
Sometimes, even when she could finish her lectures early and take a break, she braved the hassle just to bring snacks for UwU, proving how sincere her efforts were.
Like an aunt adoring her nephew!
Now seeing that cherished nephew being led astray by a beautiful, snobby, and carnivorous Everlasting Grass was quite embarrassing and stomach-churning.
What a humiliating sight to behold!
This wasn’t just Jiang’s feeling.
Sadi felt it, Sing felt it.
Even Senior Instructor was feeling it too!
UwU was from the Gift Academy in our Western World, yet what was this Eastern Everlasting Grass acting all high and mighty?
It was a back-and-forth, East-West plant flirting showdown that rivaled anything!
“UwU!”
The result of the second round exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Instead of offering up the Magical Stone outright, UwU turned its back on Everlasting Grass and defended its Magical Stone.
“Buuuh?!”
“UwUuwU!”
Not content with merely being satisfied with a gift given out of kindness, you dare covet someone else’s Magical Stone?! Am I an easy target?!
Everlasting Grass’s face twisted in outrage at UwU’s resolute attitude.
The immense Mana contained within Everlasting Grass surged like a wave.
Seeing that, Oknodie quickly covered his ears with both hands.
Why was Everlasting Grass, not a Mandragora, acting like this?
Even considering it was strange, everyone instinctively covered their ears.
It was a primal reflex to avoid the risk of following Oknodie’s example.
“Buuuuuh!!!”
“UwUuwUuwU?!”
Their instincts were spot on.
The thought that they were rejected right in front of someone enraged Everlasting Grass to scream like Mandragora’s soul was being stirred—a cry that echoed ominously.
Would what they call a Mandragora in the West be called Everlasting Grass in the East?
Dazed and confused.
The roots of Everlasting Grass reached out fiercely toward UwU, attempting to snatch the Magical Stone away from the helpless Mandragora.
Swish!
Once again, Everlasting Grass’s roots missed.
Thud, thud.
Repeatedly tossing the Magical Stone up in the air while catching it back, Oknodie couldn’t help but smile.
“Can that pompous Everlasting Grass even try to take our UwU’s food? It’s gonna take at least a hundred years!”
“Buuuh.”
A cold murderous intent sparked in Everlasting Grass’s eyes.
The tip of that root was aimed right for UwU’s body.
Sensitive as an assassin, Jiang shouted urgently.
“Block it! It’s planning to suck its vitality just like humans!”
“UwU isn’t human, though?”
Everlasting Grass’s root touched UwU’s root.
Vitality absorption by Everlasting Grass is a human-specific function.
Even reaching UwU’s stem caused no changes.
Knowing that due to that, Oknodie had called UwU along.
Realizing that its vitality absorption doesn’t work shocked Everlasting Grass, making it breathe heavily.
“Buuuh-!”
Whack.
In anger, Everlasting Grass’s stalk slapped UwU’s cheek.
Even if it’s not human, physical force still applies.
UwU, lacking any real stats, cried out as it was slapped repeatedly by Everlasting Grass.
Unable to bear it anymore, Oknodie used telekinesis to separate the two, allowing UwU’s roots to fatten up in the meantime.
“Look at the roots of our UwU! What are you going to do about this! You’re a genuinely nasty Everlasting Grass, huh?”
“Buuuh.”
So what can you do about it?
With a swaggering attitude, Everlasting Grass eyed Oknodie, who brought out scissors.
Huge gardening pruning shears.
Click, click.
At the chilling sound of the scissor blades clashing, Everlasting Grass froze in place.
“You’ve met the wrong person today. You aren’t even good enough to become friends with our UwU!”