Doyle and Ally still aren’t too sure what the specific message was that Jim psionically implanted in the message. Not like when it got to Ace, he took the time to read the message out loud. However, he did get his secretary to reschedule any appointments and head out to the lumber camp right away.
By the time he gets there, the camp is already in the middle of a small celebration. Sure, an hours pay bonus isn’t really that much, but when you then party on the clock? Well, that’s a bit of a hidden bonus added on top of the extra money.
This makes it easy for Ace to find Jim by the tree without drawing too much attention. “So, what’s your read on the tree?”
Jim stands with his hands behind his back and a look of contemplation. “I have an idea, but how about you give it a look and we’ll compare.”
Ace nods, “I can do that.” He walks up to the tree and places a hand on the trunk.
The tree shakes slightly.
Ace, “Hmm, sturdy enough.” Taking his hand away, he steps closer and sniffs the tree, and frowns.
Then Ace pinches a piece of the bark. “More than sturdy enough and it has a more earthy scent.”
He hops up a story and grabs a leaf, examining it closely. First scratching the leaf with a nail and then folding it over. The leaf does bend, but not how a fresh oak leaf should.
Ace frowns, “A little hard to place. This isn’t some simple elemental transformation like we’re seeing in the dungeon. Nor is it the obvious ‘ironwood’ you see so much in fiction and I have to assume exists.
“Hmm. Earthy smell, tough yet flexible, and otherwise looks normal enough. I must admit, while I have some clues, there is nothing specific enough to name.”
Jim snaps his fingers, “Dang. I was hoping you did recognize the tree, because I’m not sure either.”
Ace shrugs, “Eh, I’ll just move the tree and try to grow some cuttings from it. The tower can grab a few leaves and see what they can see. At the very least, it should have some sort of use.”
Jim, “It might not. Or rather, it could just be a tree. Good for tree stuff. There is no reason the tree has to be special. Oh sure, it has a ton of magic, but there will be trees like that.”
Ace, “Then why is there just one? I figure that kind of thing would be widespread. You know, get a dense enough area of world energy and trees would start attuning to Mana, Qi, ect. Whatever is more common. That wouldn’t be a matter of a single tree. It would be entire stands turning.”
Jim shrugs, “It has to start somewhere. The saplings are growing too quick. We’re getting fully grown trees in months! Oh, sure, they’re mostly softwood varieties, but there are exceptions to that.
“This tree, though? It’s the same age as those around it, but it isn’t fully grown. Yes, it is an oak tree, but it isn’t the only one. So while it might have something special? My guess after you didn’t come up with anything either, is that it’s just a high Mana tree. In fact, it isn’t a high enough Mana tree for the area.”
Ace frowns, “Not enough?”
Jim nods, “Magic trees don’t magically grow faster than their normal counterparts. Well, some of them do, but those are the types that end up the same or worse than their non-magic cousins. Ever read a story that crows about some hundred-year-old herb? Because that’s what a magic plant is like.
“The mystical nature of the plant means it takes Longer to grow. Or rather, they take longer to grow in an environment that doesn’t have enough mystical whammy for them. That’s why the ‘miracle’ herbs all take so long to grow. They’re higher-tier plants than what would normally grow in an area.
“One low-mana world's miracle herb might be another’s common weed. I mean, willow bark is a painkiller, but if you live in a place where willows have a hard time growing, the bark is going to be rare.”
Ace, “And this is the reverse case? Our planet’s world energy is so rich, these magical trees are growing like weeds?”
Jim nods, “Exactly. The only reason there aren’t more is likely a simple matter of older trees taking up space and whatever physical aspect causes living things to hold on to Mana isn’t widespread. Whether that is a genetic thing or more on the magical side.”
Ace, “Sooooo, I’m going to force this tree to flower before I take it. Because oak is already a decent wood and I’m all for there being more magic-heavy wood available to us.”
Jim, “You do realize this is basically like a tree from floor 18 of the dungeon? I think there is some strangeness because it grew wild and so interacted with some odd Mana types.”
Ace, “But the world energy isn’t as thick as on the 18th floor?”
Jim shrugs, “The dungeon doesn’t have magical plants. It has regular plants that are forcibly adapted to whatever floor they’re on. So if you think those trees are tough now, wait until the dungeon gets its hands on something like this.”
Back in the dungeon, Doyle turns to Ally, ‘Is that true?’
Ally shrugs, ‘Eh, a little bit. Or rather, any plants you received from the system will be naturally adapted. Which, in this case, does not mean they’re adapted to your specific world energy density. Rather, they’re simply adapted to it in a general sense. You’re attuned trees and such are better off. Their elements can make better use of the energy they’re absorbing.’
Doyle looks back at Ace and Jim. They’re still talking about things. Particularly whether the adaptation is physically or mystical. ‘Trees shouldn’t be doing that, not out there.’
Ally, ‘The world energy density is still rising.’
Doyle, ‘How is that changing my dungeon?’
Ally, ‘Dungeons are basically designed from the ground up to handle things like this. They haven’t noticed in the same way you don’t notice things like your hair growing on a day-to-day basis. But your first floor? I won’t put a number on it since the way things get enhanced aren’t even or even always directly an improvement. So, let’s just say they would have had a harder time if it was always this tough.’
Doyle, ‘Why wouldn’t it always be an improvement? I assume as a dungeon, I’m going to prevent harmful effects and such. No need for a beast that ends up so vulnerable to fire, a warm day causes it to catch fire.’
Ally, ‘Well, for one, that is possible as there are situations where that would be desirable or at least not a detriment in such a way as to actually bother things. A creature that lives in space, for instance, isn’t exactly going to worry about catching fire.
‘But more to the point, the changes can be a balance. So, a turtle might change in a way that makes them even slower. Except, that is because their shell is now magically denser. Yes, more weight and a slower turtle isn’t the best thing for a creature already famous for being slow.
‘But a sturdier shell? That is their primary defense. As long as the slowdown isn’t so great as to make it so they can’t get enough food, the change could be seen as a wash or maybe even positive.
‘Mostly though, the changes are a positive unrelated to combat. Maybe the animal had the genetic markers that would lead to a higher rate of a certain cancer. Well, now it doesn’t. Or there’s an organ that isn’t the most effective. One minor change and it doesn’t have to work as hard.
‘All positive, but when your math only cares about how well they fight? No amount of a kobold’s scales being less likely to let grit underneath them is going to matter.’
Doyle brings the view with the tree forward, ‘So things don’t just keep getting tougher?’
Ally shakes her head, ‘I didn’t say that. The changes within them won’t provide extra toughness, but the extra Mana or whatever will make them “tougher” against those with less.’
Doyle, ‘But isn’t the point that they won’t have more? They’ll simply be adapted to it better?’
Ally, ‘Part of being better adapted is better placement. A double-edged sword for most things. More Mana in a shell will make the shell tougher without a downside. Except that shell is now more valuable.’
Doyle sighs, ‘So it is once again a balance. Stronger shell, weaker flesh. A shattered shell instead becomes a scuff. A glancing flesh blow becomes a deep wound they bleed out from.’
Ally, ‘Well, rarely will a change entirely pull Mana out of one place for another. So while weaker, a low-level punk isn’t going to be leaving a mark. Also, it is possible to have more Mana in the body.
‘Yes, a part of your level is how dense your internal power is. Not entirely, obviously, but a part. And in particular, the core parts. Of everyone, you’ll personally know this.’
Doyle tilts to the side, ‘Me?’
Ally nods, ‘Yep, I mean, look at your level. Your core is the most magically dense object on the planet! Well, as long as you count it as a tie with the other dungeons. So clearly how much Mana is in something can vary.’
Doyle, ‘Isn’t that just the system playing both sides? Clearly a newborn dungeon can’t start at level 1,000 or some such, so it has some separate way of handling us.’
Ally laughs and shakes her head, ‘Nope, because “levels” aren’t entirely a system construct. Though admittedly, a level under a system differs greatly from a level in a dimension without one. But they are noticeable in a way that people make use of. There are spells to detect something’s “level”, though they aren’t accurate across dimensions.
‘Remember, a soul grows like a tree. Each level represents a new ring being completed. In a world without magic, it is harder to “gain a level”, even to the point of being seemingly impossible.’
Doyle, ‘Okay, so some beasts can have more magic without more levels. Fair enough.’
Ally, ‘No, they can’t have more magic. They can have more Mana. Or Qi, Prana, ect. Magic is the active use of the resource, Mana. If a beast can use the resource, it will count against their level because using the power means touching it with the soul and mind. Whereas Mana in the flesh doesn’t have to touch anything except the body.’
Doyle, ‘So it isn’t how much Mana you have. It is how much you have personally manipulated?’
Ally, ‘Eh, you don’t have to manipulate it, just touch it with more than the flesh, but sure, that works.’
Doyle, ‘Wait, if that is the case, couldn’t I “touch” the power in my core and shoot my level up?’
Ally smiles, ‘Give it a try! It won’t hurt you.’
Doyle tilts to the side, ‘Okay, I’ll give it a go.’
Doyle turns inward and attempts to meditate.
That doesn’t work though, so he attempts to just imagine poking it. Which works. Except he doesn’t gain anything from it.
Ally nods, ‘Yep, that is about to be expected. Though I will admit, there was half a chance that you could have gained a level from that. The big thing is that you can’t just jump into a pool of Mana and rocket your levels.
‘Admittedly, most creatures with inherently large quantities of power in their flesh can slowly integrate it. You know how dragons can fall asleep and wake up stronger? Yeah, that’s basically what is happening. Dragon flesh is packed with power and their souls will slowly work through what they have while asleep.
‘Though sleep isn’t the only way for this to work. What you just did is one of the possible methods. The problem you have is that a dungeon core is crystalized power, and poking it is like a human poking a diamond with their finger in hope of rubbing off some diamond dust. Not technically impossible and over time it might work, you’re better off just getting your diamond dust elsewhere.’