Chapter no.8 Food

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In the heart of Devil's Forest, where trees whispered ancient secrets, Zhu sat on a log. Around him, a cluster of felled trees lay stacked, awaiting transformation. He meticulously carved a magic circle into a wooden plank, his hands steady and precise.

"Jarvis, are you ready?" Zhu asked, his voice echoing slightly in the stillness of the forest.

After a moment's pause, Jarvis's voice crackled to life, "I'm always ready... unlike your social life."

Zhu smirked at the jab. "Harsh, Jarvis. Remind me again why I programmed you with a sense of humor?"

"Because without me, your life would be as dull as a blunt axe," Jarvis quipped.

Zhu chuckled and clapped his fingers together. Instantly, a complex magic array, composed of countless smaller circles, formed within his mind. The air around them stirred, charged with an invisible energy.

As Zhu focused, the soul force in the surrounding atmosphere began to swirl and twist, converging on the pile of wood. With a flourish of Transmutation magic, the wood began to reshape and reform.

Bit by bit, the pile of logs transformed into a structure of exquisite beauty. The architecture was a blend of elegance and whimsy, reminiscent of a fairytale. The house, carved entirely from the forest's wood, bore intricate designs - leaves and vines elegantly interwoven with geometric patterns. Its roof, peaked and tiled with wooden shingles, seemed to dance under the dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy. A charming balcony protruded from the upper level, complete with a railing that looked like interlaced branches.

"Voilà," Zhu announced, stepping back to admire his creation. "What do you think, Jarvis? A worthy addition to the forest?"

"It's certainly something," Jarvis replied. "But does it have Wi-Fi?"

"In a forest? Really, Jarvis?" Zhu laughed. "You're more high-maintenance than I thought."

"Can't help being superior," Jarvis retorted.

Zhu shook his head, still amused, and walked towards the magical house. As he opened the door, which creaked slightly despite its magical origin, he couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment.

"Well, Jarvis, time to see what other surprises this world has for us," Zhu said, stepping inside.

"Surprises? I'm still waiting for the one where you have a girlfriend," Jarvis quipped.

"Keep waiting," Zhu shot back, his voice echoing through the now-homely interior of their new magical abode.

....

Zhu stepped out of his newly created house, the fresh forest air filling his lungs. "Jarvis, what's next on the schedule?" he asked, stretching his arms.

"Food and water," Jarvis replied, his tone matter-of-fact.

"Right, then. Use Divination magic to scan for food sources nearby. And check for any unfriendly company," Zhu instructed, his mind already planning the next steps.

"Scanning complete," Jarvis announced a moment later. "There are edible mushrooms ten steps to your south, right under the bushes. Blueberries near the creek, about fifteen minutes east. Oh, and a frog-like creature to the northwest. Looks tasty."

Zhu smirked. "Frog legs on the menu, huh? Fancy. Alright, let's get to it."

He picked up his dagger and, with a touch of Transmutation magic, morphed it into a sleek gun. Zhu bit his finger, drawing blood to inscribe runes onto the gun. These weren't ordinary runes; they were the culmination of decades of research, the backbone of his School of Creation.

The gun was designed to absorb mana—or soul force—from the air, converting it into the force of bullets in the chamber. Moreover, he added a feature that converted the sound of the gunshots into additional heat, a clever application of energy conservation principles.

"Jarvis, remind me to give you a science lesson later," Zhu said, loading the gun.

"Can't wait," Jarvis replied dryly. "But I'm more of a 'literature' guy."

Zhu chuckled and then took a deep breath, channeling his Conjuration magic. In an instant, clones of himself appeared, each darting towards the identified food sources.

Meanwhile, Zhu set his sights on the frog-like creature. "Time to see what this world has to offer," he muttered, stepping cautiously through the underbrush.

Zhu blended seamlessly into the environment, his illusionary magic rendering him nearly invisible. He conjured a telescope, peering through it to observe the frog-like creature closely.

The creature was striking, resembling a poison dart frog but with distinctive features. Its skin was a vibrant mosaic of blues and greens, dotted with black. Unique to this creature were the holes scattered across its body, almost like vents or pores.

"Jarvis, analysis," Zhu commanded, focusing on the creature.

Jarvis's Divination magic kicked in. "The creature is a variant of the poison dart frog, with an evolved defense mechanism. The holes in its body are not just for show; they release a potent poison cloud when the frog is threatened. Scientifically speaking, these glands probably evolved to synthesize and store toxic compounds, which are then expelled forcefully when the frog contracts its muscles."

Zhu nodded, processing the information. He raised his gun, his eyes narrowing as he took aim. The gun hummed with mana energy, condensing into a bullet in the chamber. He fired.

The frog, sensing the incoming threat, leaped into the air with astonishing agility. Zhu's bullet grazed its leg, tearing through the flesh. Mid-air, the frog released a cloud of poison gas, its defense mechanism in full swing.

"20° to your right," Jarvis instructed.

Without hesitation, Zhu pivoted and fired again. The second bullet hit its mark, blowing a hole through the frog's head. The creature plummeted to the ground, lifeless.

"Mission complete," Zhu declared, approaching the corpse.

The frog's body was a testament to the harsh realities of survival in this world. The vibrant colors of its skin were now dulled, the intricate pattern a stark reminder of its lethal nature. The holes, now inert, were rimmed with traces of the toxic substance it once expelled.

"Jarvis, give me a full anatomical analysis," Zhu said, crouching beside the corpse.

"Analyzing," Jarvis responded. "The frog's skin glands are highly specialized, capable of producing a neurotoxin. This toxin, when aerosolized, affects the nervous system of its target, leading to paralysis and, in sufficient quantities, death. The frog's muscular structure is adapted for rapid, powerful jumps, allowing it to escape predators or attack prey. Its diet likely consists of small insects, which it ambushes using its vibrant coloration as camouflage among the forest foliage."

Zhu listened intently, storing away every detail. "Any potential use for its toxins?"

"Possibly as a component in creating paralytic agents or as a defensive mechanism for traps," Jarvis suggested. "But handle with care; this toxin doesn't discriminate between friend and foe."

"Understood," Zhu replied, collecting a sample of the toxin using a conjured vial. "This world... it's full of surprises."

"Indeed," Jarvis agreed. "And we've barely scratched the surface."

....

In the quiet of his home, Zhu laid the frog's corpse on a table, preparing to dissect it. With precise movements, he began the task, separating the body into usable parts. The legs, he noted, would make a decent meal once properly prepared.

The legs, muscular and meaty, were set aside for eating.

"Dinner, check," Zhu remarked, eyeing them critically. "Frog legs à la Zhu, coming right up."

The skin, imbued with toxins, he carefully removed for potential use in weapon crafting.

The glands, containing the potent neurotoxin, were meticulously extracted for creating traps or paralytic agents. The rest of the body, Zhu decided, could serve as bait for future hunting endeavors.

With the frog dissected and its parts categorized, Zhu sat down at the table, holding a crystal he had found within the frog. It shimmered with an inner light, intriguing and mysterious.

"Jarvis, what is this?" Zhu asked, holding the crystal up to the light.

"It appears to be a condensed mana crystal," Jarvis replied, its voice crackling slightly in the background.

"Analysis suggests there's a soul shard inside, along with a significant amount of mana."

Zhu's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Pull up my diary, Jarvis. I think I can use this to create an artifact."

"Right away, Sir," Jarvis responded. A holographic display materialized in front of Zhu, pages from his diary flipping until they settled on a page filled with intricate designs and notes.

Zhu leaned forward, his mind racing with possibilities.

"Let's create!"