Chapter 11 : the old tree and Green crystal
Meanwhile, I had reached the vicinity of my house and was heading toward the forest that lay nearby.
I began to head toward the jungle. As I progressed, the forest grew denser, so much so that even the sunlight struggled to penetrate the thick canopy.
Occasionally, I could spot creatures flying in the sky and monkeys leaping from tree to tree.
I could not help but be astonished at the sight of such a vast jungle. In my past life, I had never visited a forest. And how could I? By then, forests were dwindling, as the wealthy had established their factories and industries in their place.
Even the government remained silent and said nothing, for their own profit was hidden within those ventures.
It was my first time venturing into a jungle, and I felt a twinge of nervousness. However, I was fully armed with my psychic powers; no one could even touch me.
But possessing power did not mean I could be arrogant. The forest was filled not only with sages and ascetics but also with Rakshasas and Asuras.
Yet, I could breathe a sigh of relief here, with no fear of facing a demon. The ruling Kuru dynasty had long since killed or driven away the demons inhabiting this forest.
I was searching for a specific kind of tree—one that was quite ancient and already nearing its end. I could not bring myself to cut down a young tree that still had a lifetime ahead of it.
There is life in every living thing—excluding inanimate objects, of course—and every life is valuable. I believed this, though I had never taken it too seriously before.
If I cut down an old tree, and if that tree could speak, it would thank me. By falling, it would allow the sunlight it was blocking to reach the saplings below, nourishing them. This would make the forest even more lush.
After searching for a while, I found a tree that met all my conditions.
The tree was completely black. Life still lingered within it, but it was ancient and had reached the very end of its days. It had only a few leaves left, and even those were withered.
This tree seemed perfect. I looked around, calculating the angle to ensure that when it fell, it wouldn't crush any other trees. I also checked to see if there were any bird nests in its branches; the answer was no.
I lowered the axe from my shoulder, ready to fell the tree.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
I struck the same spot three times, creating a notch. Once that was done, I began striking the same spot repeatedly, alternating with cuts on the sides to widen the wedge.
Five hours later, with a loud grunt, I delivered my final strike. I had cut through more than half the trunk, and now, it was ready to fall.
With a thunderous crash, the old tree hit the ground. Dust billowed into the air, the earth trembled, and birds took flight from the surrounding trees in panic.
"Finally, I have cut this tree down."
I wiped the sweat from my brow. The tree wasn't exceptionally massive in girth, but its branches had spread out far and wide.
First, I cut all the branches off the old tree. I didn't need them right now because, for the moment, the main body of the tree—the trunk—was what mattered to me.
I didn't want anyone else to walk away with the fruits of my hard work. That is why I decided to cut and transport the trunk first. If the branches remained when I returned later, I would take them too.
However, just then, I sensed a strange energy emanating from the roots of this old tree. It was infused with immense life force.
Ever since I activated my psychic powers, I had been able to sense other energies around me.
I activated my psychic power; my black eyes transformed into a glowing blue. I raised my hand and pointed it toward the severed stump.
The roots began to glow with a blue light. I started lifting my hand with all my might. This was the first time I was using my full strength because this old tree's roots were spread far and wide underground.
Slowly, the roots began to separate from the ground, and the soil clinging to them fell back to the earth bit by bit.
This made me start to sweat. Do these tree roots extend through the entire jungle? For the first time, I felt a sense of powerlessness.
The upper structure of the tree had been weak, but its grip underneath was incredibly strong. It seemed as though this tree had existed for thousands of years.
The root system didn't come out entirely, but the main central part finally emerged.
Seeing this, I breathed a sigh of relief. I used one of my psychic skills called 'Mental Cut'.
With this skill, I could focus my mental energy into a single point, shape it like a sharp blade, and send it in any direction I willed.
I summoned three Mental Cuts. Controlling them with my mind, I began slashing at the stubborn roots that were still holding on.
It was done in a few minutes. There were no more spreading roots attached, so I pulled the main root ball out completely.
After all this was done, I sat on the ground, breathing heavily. Just then, the sunlight fell upon me, and my fatigue slowly began to fade away.
I stood up again and walked toward the uprooted stump. When I turned it over, I saw a green crystal embedded within the roots underneath.
I pried it out of the roots. As soon as I touched it, all my remaining exhaustion vanished in a single second.
I examined it thoroughly, but I could not figure out any other use for it at the moment.
I wish the System would upgrade quickly. With the System's help, I could find out exactly what uses this crystal has. Anyway, for now, let it just stay in my pocket.
I tucked the crystal into my pocket and turned my gaze back to the trunk of the old tree.
I still have to chop this up.
I shook my head in resignation. I decided it would be best to cut the wood into smaller sections. That way, I could tie them together with a rope and drag them back to my house.
To be continued...