When Ronald opened his eyes again, he was lying in a field. The soil beneath him was rich and dark, the air sweet with the smell of wildflowers and tilled earth. For a moment, he wondered if it was a dream—until he saw his hands.
They weren't the pale, overworked hands of his old life. These hands were strong, calloused, steady—the kind of hands that belonged to someone who had worked the land his whole life, not typed away at a desk until collapse.
He caught sight of his reflection in a puddle nearby and nearly lost his breath.
His skin was bronzed and dark, kissed as though by countless hours under the sun. His hair was a thick greenish-brown, shifting between the shade of fresh leaves and the bark of a maple tree, strands catching the light like woven foliage. His eyes, however, were the most striking—emerald, vibrant and alive, like dew-dappled leaves in the morning sun.
This… is me?
His body was tall, lean, yet full of vigor, like a sapling that had grown swiftly into a sturdy young tree. He looked about fifteen—reborn not as an infant, but as if the goddess had replanted him at the prime age of youth.
As he stood, a warm whisper drifted through his mind.
"Strong roots, emerald leaves, steady trunk… yes, a fine maple you've become, youngster. Fufufufu~"
It was her voice—the farming goddess. Even though she wasn't physically there, her words echoed like sunlight through the branches.
Suddenly, a faint glow shimmered before his eyes, and ghostly text appeared in the air:
---
[System Sprout Online]
🌱 Welcome, Ronald Alexander Roberts Jr.
🌱 Blessings Detected: Healthy Body, Endless Stamina, Fertile Growth
🌱 Additional Functions: Status, Skills, Inventory, Quests (Locked)
---
He gasped. "It's real… she actually gave me a system."
The faint screen pulsed with light before fading back into transparency, hovering just at the edge of his vision whenever he focused.
His heart raced—not from exhaustion, but from excitement. For the first time in either life, he felt… whole.
The goddess's laughter rang faintly again in his head.
"Don't forget, youngster. You're planted in a new field now. Work the soil, spread your branches, and bear good fruit. If you wither, I'll be very cross. But if you flourish…" Her tone softened, almost motherly. "…you'll feed more than just bellies. You'll feed hearts."
Ronald clenched his fists, determination burning in his emerald eyes.
"All right," he said aloud, his voice strong. "This time, I'll live a life worth harvesting."
And with the wind brushing through the fields around him like rustling leaves, Ronald took his first step into his new life.The wind swayed through the tall grass as Ronald steadied himself. His heart pounded with anticipation as the translucent screen in his vision pulsed again. This time, it didn't vanish.
The words shimmered like carved letters on polished wood.
---
[World System: Verdantia Online]
🌱 Initializing Status… 🌱
Name: Ronald Alexander Roberts Jr.
Race: Human (Replanted)
Age: 15 (Recreation)
Attributes
Strength: 15
Endurance: 25
Dexterity: 14
Vitality: 20
Wisdom: 12
Intelligence: 13
Charisma: 11
Luck: 8
Blessings
🌱 Body of Fertile Soil – Immune to disease and fatigue, stamina endlessly replenishes.
🍁 Endless Seasons – Your body ages slowly and adapts to all climates like a maple tree in every season.
🌾 Farmer's Touch – All crops you cultivate grow stronger, faster, and yield more.
Unique Skill: Sprouting System
Track stats, skills, and growth like a living tree.
Inventory: [Seed Storage] unlocked.
Quests: Dormant.
---
Ronald stared at the numbers, his emerald eyes gleaming. "I… I actually have stats. A system with stats."
He flexed his hand, feeling the raw strength in his fingers, the boundless energy pulsing through his veins. The farming goddess hadn't lied—his body felt alive, thriving, like the soil after fresh rain.
But as he examined the screen further, he noticed something odd.
At the bottom, glowing faintly, was a line of text.
---
[Patron Deity Detected]
🍁 Sylvara, Goddess of Harvests – She grants bounty, fertility, and the turning of seasons.
🌾 Terros, God of Soil – He blesses the earth, growth, and endurance.
🌤 Aurelia, Goddess of Sun and Rain – She balances warmth and water, granting life.
---
"New gods…" Ronald whispered. This wasn't Earth's pantheon. It was a fresh world, with its own divine caretakers of growth and life.
The goddess's voice echoed faintly again, teasing but firm:
"See, youngster? A proper farm has many hands. Harvest, soil, sun, and rain—they'll watch over you. And you… well, you'll make sure their field flourishes. Don't let it go to seed."
Ronald chuckled despite himself. "You really don't stop with the farming puns, do you?"
"Of course not! You'll thank me when you're knee-deep in manure one day. Fufufufu~"
Rolling his eyes, Ronald dismissed the system screen with a thought. It faded, leaving only the sound of rustling fields and the scent of tilled earth. His new life was here, waiting to be cultivated.
"All right," he said, determination firming. "Time to grow into the greatest farmer this world has ever seen."The system pulsed again as if responding to his ambition. New panels unfolded before Ronald's eyes, roots spreading out from a trunk.
---
[World System: Verdantia Online]
🌱 Status Updated 🌱
Name: Ronald Alexander Roberts Jr.
Race: Human (Replanted)
Age: 15
Attributes
Strength: 15
Endurance: 25
Dexterity: 14
Vitality: 20
Wisdom: 12
Intelligence: 13
Charisma: 11
Luck: 8
---
Skills (grow with use)
Farming (Novice, 0/100): Basic planting, tending, and harvesting.
Soil Proficiency (Novice, 0/100): Sense fertility, moisture, and quality of soil.
Crop Care (Novice, 0/100): Reduces chance of blight, weeds, and rot.
Beast of Burden (Novice, 0/100): Reduced stamina when plowing, hauling, or carrying heavy loads.
Cooking (Novice, 0/100): Prepare simple meals from harvested crops.
Seed Knowledge (Locked): Learn properties and hidden potential of seeds.
Trade & Barter (Locked): Gain better value when exchanging crops or goods.
---
Proficiencies (gain passive bonuses the more you work the field)
Stamina Reduction (Level 1): 5% less stamina used for physical farm labor.
Crop Yield (Level 1): 5% bonus to harvests.
Soil Enrichment (Level 1): 5% increased growth speed of planted crops.
---
Farming Magic (unique to Verdantia's gods)
Sprout (Tier 1): Instantly germinate seeds.
Water Vein (Tier 1): Draw clean water from soil.
Sunray (Tier 1): Channel sunlight to accelerate photosynthesis.
Weedbane (Tier 1): Suppress harmful weeds and parasites.
Bloom (Tier 2, Locked): Enhance crops beyond natural limits.
Harvest Blessing (Tier 3, Locked): Bless entire fields for maximum yield.
---
Artifact: Verdant Bracelet 🌿
A divine tool granted by the Goddess of Harvests.
Can transform into any farm-related tool (hoe, plow, sickle, shovel, wheelbarrow, watering can, etc.).
Unbreakable, self-repairing, and light to carry.
Using the tool builds Tool Mastery, increasing efficiency and unlocking passive stat bonuses.
Each tool grants unique growth:
Hoe: Improves Soil Proficiency.
Sickle: Increases Dexterity and Harvest Skill.
Shovel: Increases Strength and Endurance.
Watering Can: Increases Magic Control and Crop Growth Bonuses.
Wheelbarrow: Increases Stamina Reduction and Carrying Capacity.
---
Ronald whistled low. "This… this is insane. It's like my whole life's going to be one big farming simulator—but real."
As if hearing him, the goddess's laughter tickled his ears.
"Don't just stand there gawking, youngster. Every seed you plant will water your growth, every harvest will fatten your stats. You'll see—blood, sweat, and soil make the best fertilizer."
Ronald clenched his fist, feeling the Verdant Bracelet pulse with life on his wrist, its green glow shifting faintly like leaves in the wind.
"All right," he said, determination burning bright in his emerald eyes. "Let's see just how far a farmer can grow."