Transcending into a World of Magic
Matthew found himself in a game world, but it seemed like his system had a little hiccup.
“Class: Necromancer
Mission: Plant Trees
Objective: 1000 trees
Rewards: Summon ‘Bone Dragon’ & a ton of EXP.”
And just like that, a Necromancer who revered balance more than any Druid was born.
-------------------------------------
The Gold Rush Basin.
Rolling Stone Town.
Spring.
A blue-feathered and golden-chested robin fluttered its wings and took off from the lawn in front of the City Hall's main entrance. It soared over a few chimneys and the roofs painted in shades of brick-red. With finesse, it perched on an oak tree wrapped in walls of red and yellow.
Beneath the branch, bugs were crawling.
The robin prepared to pounce.
But suddenly...
A furious roar echoed from the semi-transparent glass window behind it—
The bugs rapidly shook off the branch.
The bird hastily took flight.
Only the five well-dressed humans behind the second-floor glass window were left, still arguing.
...
"I disagree!" Lively middle-aged woman Lizz slapped the wooden sign engraved with "Outstanding Citizen Nomination" in front of her, then unleashed her full fury at the bald man to her left:
"Howard is a downright rogue and scoundrel! Not only does he like to flirt with married women, he even flirts with men who have wives! He always sneaks around with other women's men when they're out shopping. I've seen it with my own eyes dozens of times! Dozens!!!"
As Lizz spoke, she grew increasingly agitated, spewing saliva across the table.
The four men sitting with her instinctively leaned back.
"Calm down, Lizz..." the bald man spoke to soothe her, "It's just a nomination."
Lizz remained resolute in her stance, "Even a nomination is too much! Howard is just terrible!"
She glanced around with her long, slender eyes as if she had just discovered something, "You guys wouldn't happen to have been involved with him, would you?"
The four men shivered, vehemently denying in unison, "No!"
The bald man even tore his recommendation letter to shreds, "The committee unanimously rejects Howard Ross's nomination!"
Anyone who had worked in City Hall for more than a week knew about Lizz's fearsome gossip-spreading mouth.
She was a walking rumor mill.
If, by some unfortunate chance, she wove you into her gossip, by tomorrow morning, the entire town would be privy to the rumor.
And none of them could afford such slander; they were all upstanding people.
...
"So, the final nominee is Mr. Matthew from the Mage District, well, his last name wasn't mentioned. He has been a resident of Rolling Stone Town for just over two and a half years, meeting the criteria for the 'Outstanding Citizen Nomination.' He works as a history teacher at Sylver Public School during the day, and his students adore him. He also has a part-time role at the Sheriff's Office, and Captain Blade of the Sheriff's Office has given him high praise. According to the recommender's description, Mr. Matthew is kind-hearted and generously warm, although he doesn't have many friends in Rolling Stone Town and often keeps to himself because he's so busy..."
The bald man's words were interrupted. A gentleman to Lizz's left raised an objection, "Mr. Chairman, living in seclusion doesn't meet the criteria for the 'Outstanding Citizen Nomination.'"
The bald man nodded slightly, "Don't worry, Richard. The recommender mentioned that our Mr. Matthew has planted nearly 1000 oak trees in Rolling Stone Town in two and a half years, greatly enhancing the town's environment. You see, that oak tree outside the window and the three in front of City Hall are all thanks to Mr. Matthew's efforts. Add to that Captain Blade's commendation from the Sheriff's Office. The recommender believes that Mr. Matthew has made an indelible contribution to Rolling Stone Town's security and environment, deserving the Outstanding Citizen Award for this year."
Upon hearing this, the people in the room couldn't help but glance out of the window. "Was this tree planted just two years ago? Why does it feel like it's always been there?" remarked Richard, the gentleman.
"It does seem that way; I remember... Matthew is a tall, somewhat handsome, and a bit shy young man," Lizz reminisced. "This is indeed an outstanding contribution."
Another man added, "But the ability to get along with other citizens is the most important criterion for the nomination."
The bald man nodded, "Normally, that's true. However, the owner of this recommendation letter doesn't usually send anonymous letters, but she accidentally attached her name to the end..."
Richard clapped his hands, "Recommendation in violation! Direct rejection! Well, Rolling Stone Town still doesn't have a nominee for Outstanding Citizen this year, just like the past three years!"
The others either shrugged or raised their hands in agreement.
But just then, the bald man continued, "The signature is from Sylve Bloodflag."
Bloodflag.
The surname of the Lord of Rolling Stone Town.
Sylve Bloodflag was the beloved only daughter of the town's lord.
The room fell silent for two or three seconds.
Even Lizz, who was known for her gossip, raised her hands, "Let's skip the nomination process; I support Matthew for Outstanding Citizen."
The others chimed in with their agreement.
However, the bald man wasn't done.
Slowly, he pulled an old piece of parchment from the bottom of a pile of documents, "There's one last issue. This is a registration form Matthew submitted to the city two years ago, clearly stating his origin and profession as an adventurer..."
"I suspect he might have made a mistake back then. Based on my observations, what he's been doing in Rolling Stone Town these years has no connection or is even contradictory to his profession as an adventurer. But if what's registered on this paper is true, he may miss out on our generous Outstanding Citizen award."
"What profession? Isn't he just an ordinary mage?" the people leaned in, curious.
The first thing they saw was a beaming portrait.
In the occupation section below.
The word "Necromancer" was written prominently.
"Wow..." someone exclaimed, "If he's a Necromancer, that won't do. I recall the Lord absolutely despises Necromancers..."
Richard spoke seriously, "But this might be a misunderstanding. How about this? After work, I'll go talk to Matthew."
The bald man nodded, "That's a good idea. While you're at it, you can also take care of the assessment work. Honestly, I don't believe it; does a Necromancer plant trees every day?"
...
...
Evening.
Northern Rolling Stone Town.
In the newly formed oak forest.
A tall figure was busy at work.
Matthew held a shovel, expertly filling a freshly dug hole with a thin layer of rich soil. Several small burlap bags lay nearby, one containing saplings while the others were empty.
In the next moment, he planted the sapling into the hole and covered it with layers of different soils. After transplanting, Matthew poured a green liquid onto the soil around the young tree. A pale green light wave surged, and the sapling noticeably grew larger and appeared more robust.
"Successfully planted one oak tree, and your affinity with nature has slightly improved. Cumulative number of planted and surviving oak trees: 996."
"Only four more to go, and I'll have them by tomorrow!" Matthew said to himself, glancing at the sky.
As usual, he double-checked the contents of his quest log.
"Main Quest: Plant Trees
Description: Choose a type of deciduous tree for large-scale planting in the vicinity of Rolling Stone Town. Perform this task with the prerequisite of ensuring a high survival rate. No time limit."
"Primary Goal: 1000 trees
Primary Reward: Necromantic Summoning (Bone Dragon) & a significant amount of XP."
Ignoring the rewards for a moment, this task would be typical for a Druid. The problem was that Matthew was absolutely certain that he was a bona fide Necromancer!
The character panel clearly stated:
"Name: Matthew
Profession: Level 5 Necromancer
Attributes: Strength 10 / Agility 14 / Constitution 11 / Intelligence 15 / Perception 15 / Charisma 16
Traits: Necromantic Scholar / Harvest of Dread
Abilities: Spellcasting / Scrollcraft / General Knowledge (Necromancy & Magic) / Insight / Medicine / Nature's Bestowal / Summoning Undead Creatures (Contract: 1/3) / Mastery of Corpse Pouch
Spells: N/A"
...
Matthew muttered to himself, "I shouldn't have dual-queued for monster farming in the first place!"
Looking at this bizarre yet seemingly illogical game system, Matthew's emotions were complicated. He remembered it all too well. On the eve of his journey, he had been dual-queuing for the Swamp Sludge monsters in the Corrupted Woods on his computer. The two characters he played as had different professions: a Druid and a Necromancer. But the next moment, he found himself transported into the game world, becoming a Necromancer. And soon after, Matthew noticed something even more puzzling—he had acquired a game system upon his arrival.
However, this system seemed to have a minor glitch. In the game he used to play, the systems for different professions had different names. The Necromancer's system was called the 'Path of Undeath,' the Druid's was the 'Heart of Nature.' But Matthew's system name was a jumbled mess of incomprehensible gibberish, containing overlapping watermarks of "Undeath" and "Nature." One glance at it was enough to make your head spin.
Matthew was baffled at the time, but the system soon stabilized and issued his first main quest—to plant trees in Rolling Stone Town. As a newcomer with no ties to the town, Matthew saw no reason to refuse and diligently took on the task, which he had been doing for nearly three years.
...
In the Mage District.
In front of an elegant, old two-story residential building.
Matthew stopped at his doorstep.
He didn't immediately open the gate but looked across the alley.
Someone was waiting for him.
"Mr. Matthew!"
A young girl full of youthful exuberance ran out from the alley. Her two bodyguards hesitated but didn't move.
The beautiful young girl arrived in front of Matthew with a light jog. Although the sky was already dark, Matthew could still see the blush on her face.
"Beiana."
Matthew greeted her.
"Matthew, I'll be leaving for the 'Emerald Jade Courtyard' next week. My father wants me to learn dance and arts there... Before I go, I wanted to see you."
The young girl's eyes lowered.
Matthew nodded, "The Emerald Jade Courtyard is a good place."
Seeing no reaction from the young girl, he added, "Wood Elves are renowned for their song and dance; their artistic taste is truly beyond that of humans."
The girl still kept her head low, so Matthew continued, "When you're in the Emerald Jade Courtyard, remember to write me a letter, and I'll be sure to write back to you."
There was finally a glint of excitement in the girl's eyes, and she raised her head. Her big eyes were full of anticipation.
"I will, Matthew."
"Matthew... Before you go, can you give me a hug?"
Matthew hesitated, "I'm afraid I can't."
However, the young girl hugged him voluntarily, pressing her soft body against his chest. He could feel her rapid heartbeat.
"I like you, Matthew," Beiana boldly confessed.
Matthew let her hug for a moment and then gently pushed her away. He kindly reminded her, "Beiana, you're still young, and you don't yet understand what true liking means. But even taking a step back, you've only seen the surface of me; you don't know the real me."
Beiana passionately argued:
"I know you! I secretly watch you every day in class! I know everything you do! You're a good person! You love plants and life so much! There's no better man in Rolling Stone Town than you!"
...
"I have reservations about that view... Oh, I'm sorry to disturb you, but official matters are urgent," a man's voice suddenly came from the other side of the house.
Beiana immediately blushed, hiding behind Matthew.
The next moment, a well-dressed man quickly approached them. "Mr. Matthew, I am Richard from the Town Hall's five-person committee. Regarding the selection of Outstanding Citizens, there's an urgent matter that requires your confirmation. This is the information you registered with at the Town Hall two years ago. Is your profession really this? Is there an error?"
Matthew took a quick glance at the document Richard handed him and then firmly replied, "No error. As you can see, I am indeed a Necromancer."
Richard hesitated, "This is inconceivable. You don't seem like a Necromancer."
Beiana joined in, shaking her head, "I don't believe it! You must be making this up!"
Matthew kept a calm composure.
Then, he suddenly snapped his fingers in the direction of his house. After a brief moment, the kitchen door opened from the inside, and a tall figure stepped into the garden. Richard and Beiana widened their eyes in astonishment—it was a two-meter-tall Minotaur skeleton!
As the skeleton walked, it greeted, "Hey, Matthew, it is a rare occasion to have guests tonight?"
Matthew shook his head, saying, "It shouldn't be."
He turned to the bewildered Beiana and Richard and added, "I'm sorry for startling you, but I must say—you both don't understand me or what a Necromancer truly is. Good night and farewell to both of you."
...
It was night.
The strong aroma of mushroom soup filled the dining room and the kitchen.
Matthew and the Minotaur skeleton sat across from each other, enjoying their dinner.
"It's a real shame, Matthew..." the skeleton lamented, "You shouldn't have had me show my face. This time, you lost the Outstanding Citizen selection, and you might have lost the admiration of a pure-hearted girl... No matter how you look at it, it's a loss!"
Matthew took a sip of the mushroom soup, looking content, "I don't care."
The skeleton, with a keen interest, asked, "So, what do you care about?"
"In stages. For now, I just want to focus on planting trees."
With a snap, Matthew gently placed his bowl down.
"Peggy, go to the greenhouse and prepare the saplings I'll need for tomorrow."
"I'm going to meditate in the basement."
The skeleton complained, "Why does it always have to be me? I've been working for 72 hours straight! I even prepared that lovely dinner just now!"
"I'm tired!"
Matthew calmly replied, "You're a skeleton, Peggy, you don't get tired."
"Besides, you're my only summoned creature. I can't trust other skeletons to do the job."
Peggy couldn't refuse, so she grumbled as she headed into the eastern greenhouse. "Damn Necromancer!"
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