Chapter 159. First Low-Ranked House Built! Arrival Of The Explorer Association.

After working for two days, Liu Shu managed to finish the building. It was not difficult, but it took a lot of concentration, much more than before. To be honest, Liu Shu felt that building the Flower Field around her was much easier in comparison.

The reason for this was simple. Now, with the <Runic Living Wood City>, Liu Shu was processing how the trees she created as houses could have an affinity with runes. The walls of the trees didn't look much different compared to the ones she had grown before, but as Mariane said, they had small traces that could be transformed into myriads of runes. 

Right when she completed it, several messages appeared in front of her, like usual. Yet, there were two new ones. Both were from <Runic Living Wood City>.

[Congratulations on building <Low-Rank House (E- Rank)>! You've received 50,000 Proficiency points!]

[<Wonder Tree Building> activates! <Low-Rank House (E- Rank)> is enhanced to <Low-Rank House (E Rank)>

[<Seedling World Builder> activates! 10% material cost reduction, returning materials, rounded down.]

[<Runic Living Wood City> Tier Up has triggered! <Low-Rank House (E Rank)> is enhanced to <Low-Rank House (E+ Rank)>!]

[<Runic Living Wood City> second effect activates. You are able to choose a predetermined <Runic Field> to have active in your newly built <Low-Rank House (E+ Rank)>.]

The World Tree blinked at those two messages, and then she remembered that her <Runic Living Wood City> skill had a 10.5 percent chance to upgrade the Sub-Tier of something she crafted with it, from weapons to the buildings themselves. 

What she found interesting was the other option. 'I can give the fuzzy runes meaning during the completion rate of the house? Nice! But… Can I then modify those runes easily? Is it easier to not write any type of field?'

[Wisdom: Crafting one of the predetermined <Rune Fields> is recommended because it will be easier to upgrade as the house increases in Level and Tier.] 

Liu Shu pondered and saw another system message pop up in her vision. 

[Do you want to choose one for 50,000 Anima Energy and Aether Mana?]

Liu Shu looked at her energy reserves and saw that they were mostly full, at around 80%. So, she nodded and spoke. 'Okay, but first, show me what type of <Rune Fields> I have to choose from.'

[<Steel Bark Rune Field>: Increases the structure's defensive capabilities and the physical resistance percentage. There is a faint increase in melee offensive capabilities.]

Liu Shu pouted. 'Are there no numbers? That's so vague!'

[System Hint: Skills without numbers are more adaptable and usually have greater potential.]

Liu Shu harrumphed. 'That's lame! I want to see numbers and have BIG potential! Like giaaaaantic potential!'

[...]

[<Thorn Bark Rune Field>...]

'HEY! DON'T IGNORE ME!'

[<Thorn Bark Rune Field>: Increases the structure's offensive capabilities by increasing bark regeneration and giving the bark the ability to chip easily. This will increase the tree's damage per hit. It will also allow the structure to make range attacks by throwing lethal thorns.]

Liu Shu read the message and pondered. 'Hm… It sounds interesting. It gives the structures a powerful melee and range attack…'

Then, the World Tree commented. 'Also, why are you ignoring me?'

[<Ternary Bark Rune Field>...]

'HEY! NOW THAT ONE IS ON PURPOSE! SYSTEEEEMMM!!!!'

[<Ternary Bark Rune Field>: Increases the ternary essence conductivity of the structure. People working in any profession related to the ternary essences in this area will see an increased success rate, and they will have a clearer mind.]

[Which one would you like to choose?]

Liu Shu pouted and didn't answer.

[Which one would you like to choose?]

'I don't know. How about Mister System answering it?'

[Understood, choosing…]

'HEY! DON'T!'

[Understood.]

Liu Shu looked at those words and felt like wanting to smack it down with her branches. 'I want to hit you.'

[...]

Liu Shu sighed internally and looked closer at the three options. 'Hm… Since it is a house, I think that <Ternary Bark Rune Field> is best. Go with that one as the standard for living quarters from now on. Still, ask every time.'

[Understood!]

Outside, the recently built house suddenly started undergoing several changes. The first thing that happened was a mighty torrent of energy going its way and being absorbed by it.

Everyone was surprised as they felt the aura of the house becoming more profound. However, looking at it, the Level didn't change, and this made most of them confused. Amapola, who was around, commented. "Hm… this feeling... It is similar to the Tier Up feeling. The house is probably increasing in Tier."

Everyone around was stupefied. 'Are Tiers now something easily modified?'

However, that was less incredible for Mariane than what happened right after. "Wait, are the runes… changing?"

And, under their bewildered eyes, several runes were interlocked by Aether Mana and Anima Energy, creating a beautiful pattern around the house that lost its glow after a few seconds.

When the rune pattern disappeared, the ternary essences around the house started increasing in density, leaving everyone shocked and speechless yet again.

Clavel asked, taking in a deep breath, confused. "What happened? Why do I feel better? The air feels… fresher?"

Mariane muttered. "That's a <Runic Field> that gathers Ternary Essences. It is something only rich Crafters of all professions make in their houses… And yet, does this house come with one prebuilt in its walls? Hahahaha… What?" 

The mothkin looked skyward and muttered. "Ah… Thank the branches above that little Tempestria brought me here." Then, she looked at Liu Shu with an intense gaze and smiled. "Hehe, I can't wait for that Library thing to open~." 

With a broad smile, she left with skipping steps, looking happier than ever. 

Liu Shu hummed happily. "Done!" 

Everyone looked toward the World Tree and smiled awkwardly. 'And another crazy thing she does without knowing how crazy it really is… Heh.'

They knew that living in this town would probably be bad for the heart. Amapola clapped twice and commented. "Okay, everyone back to work! Queen Flor will probably return soon with Cinderielle and the other two!"

As Amapola expected, Liu Shu noticed a relatively large group approaching her location the next morning. 

She noticed instantly because of the number of people in that group and their strength, which was large enough to feel threatening. Just in case, Liu Shu stopped her berry production and summoned two Arboreal Winged Serpents. 

Her <World Tree Eye>, which expanded as much as her roots, reached beyond two kilometers. Focusing on the caravan of people, she went one by one, looking at them, and eventually, she realized that Cinderielle, Verdantia, Tempestria, and Flor were also there.

With them in the group, Liu Shu was more relaxed. Moreover, she could also use her <World Tree Eye> combined with her roots to hear what everyone was saying. 

Listening to the conversations around, she realized that they were people from the Explorer Association. 'Explorer Association… Wasn't that one of the very big powers that Verena spoke about? Why are they coming here?'

She still didn't have enough control and precision to communicate directly to Flor and the others so she could just look. Just in case, she searched around for Ignatia, and after finding her in her nest, she spoke. "Ignatia, a group of humans, beastkin, and sylvans is coming here together with Flor, Cinderielle, Verdantia, and Tempestria. They are part of the <Explorer Association>."

Ignatia tilted her head and pondered for a while. "I see. Do Flor and the rest look in distress?"

Liu Shu answered calmly. "Nop~. They look quite relaxed and comfortable." 

Ignatia hummed. "Do you feel danger from any particular person there?"

Liu Shu considered it for a few minutes and answered. "Individually? There are two people who feel somewhat threatening. However, the threat is more of a group threat."

Ignatia slowly stood up from her comfortable bed and stretched her voluptuous body. "Okay. I'll send out my army to roam the town as if they usually live there. I'll also set up the false route toward one of my <Ant Princess> so that, if the <Explorer Association>, well, explores, they meet with her as the "mother" of the colony."

Liu Shu realized. "Ohh, it is that ant that you've fed many of my fruits, right? She is high-level as well!"

Ignatia smiled. "Yes, that child is a Level 16 <Ant Princess>. Thanks to my passive skills, she can perfectly pass as an <Ant Queen>. Verena let a few hints out either intentionally or subconsciously, but now I know that they don't know as much about my race as I expected."

The World Tree looked around her and decided to send the town a message. "There is a powerful group approaching with Flor and the others. Prepare yourselves~."

Everyone moved, and even Mariane decided to fly toward one of Liu Shu's branches, sitting there. "Mind if I stay here?"

Liu Shu giggled. "Well, you won't be alone."

Mariane tilted her head and felt a presence approaching from her right. Looking over, she saw Ignatia jumping agilely and climbing Liu Shu's trunk, eventually reaching a hidden part of the canopy. 

Mariane lifted her two right arms. "Hey! How are you doing, Ignatia?"

Ignatia smiled and chuckled. "Well, I am doing fine. How about you, Mariane? Have you got to know our adorable Liu Shu better?"

Liu Shu giggled, feeling happy at Ignatia's praise.

Mariane nodded slowly. "Indeed, an adorable cute tree. Each time she does something it makes me want to pamper and protect her."

Liu Shu hummed. "Praise me more!"

Mariane and Ignatia laughed. "You are also very humble."

Liu Shu said proudly. "The humblest in the world!"

Both of them laughed again, and Ignatia asked. "So, Liu Shu, how far are out they?"

Liu Shu muttered. "They are… 1245 meters away!" 

Mariane was speechless. "So accurate. No wonder attacking World Tree Cities is usually so difficult. The defending side has a constant 'eye in the sky,' so to speak." 

Ignatia agreed and disagreed. "That's true. But I think Liu Shu's <World Tree Eye> skill is much stronger than usual. You know how I have memories of previous True Ant Queens, right?"

Mariane nodded, and Ignatia smiled. "Oho, you don't hide that you've guessed that much."

Mariane shrugged. "What's the point? You are not an enemy."

Ignatia laughed and sat by Mariane's side. "Well, I have memories of previous Ant Queens managing to topple World Trees that, if they had similar capabilities to Liu Shu, would've honestly ended in a one-sided slaughter of the ants."

Liu Shu asked, surprised. "Wow! The other Ant Queens were really strong!"

Ignatia smiled. "Strong enough to be globally marked as a top-tier threat."

Mariane spoke. "In my continent, there is a part of history when an Ant Queen won. She dominated the entire continent for around 30 years until the current leading family appeared. One of them had incredible strength and slowly and methodically cleaned all the ant nests, eventually getting the Ant Queen."

Ignatia was awed. "Ho~, that's impressive. I am still too weak, so I don't have a memory of anything like that."

Liu Shu interrupted. "Oh? They've made contact with one of the Rose Fairy patrols!" 

Ignatia and Mariane looked toward the horizon with interest in their eyes. 'How will they react?'