Nic watched the Weeping Willow Tree guardian, who remained silent and sat on the ground.
"Zeta, is that really just a habit?" Nic asked, confused.
[ Hmm, it seems so. ]
Since it was getting dark, Nic decided not to worry about it for now and chose to return to the inn.
Nic also crossed paths with Hinata, who was just coming back from the garden.
"Ah, you're back already? How was your outing with Marin?" Hinata said with her usual friendly smile.
"She got mad and left me alone there, haha," Nic replied with a small laugh.
"Eh—!?? How could that happen??" Hinata looked very surprised.
Nic then explained to Hinata about meeting and having a casual conversation with the guardians of each Natural Tree of Heaven area.
"Ah, no wonder she got upset. Marin is genuinely scared, not of the tree guardians, but of the flower guards. They are very aggressive and like to test people who talk to the tree guardians. If you fail..." Hinata stopped talking.
"If I fail, what? Do we get beaten up?" Nic said.
"Ah, no, not like that. I mean, if they fail, I don't know what happens, because those who fail look scared and can't explain anything either. But were you tested?" Hinata asked.
Nic told her about stepping on the Orchid flower and that he thought that was the test. Nic also said he had met the Orchid Flower Guard and that she was normal.
"Seriously!? That means you passed? That's cool! You have to tell Marin so she'll join you again!" Hinata said.
Then she was startled because it was already very dark and immediately went home while warning Nic that it would rain at midnight, so he shouldn't go out.
Nic went inside. While waiting for midnight, he looked at the news as usual.
It turned out this strange rain was also in the news, but they said it was like a blessing for a country with beautiful nature, so the gods gave rain every night to refresh the forests and plants in Eastern.
This country also still believed in gods and goddesses because of their ancestral customs, and many regions and residents still followed their ancestral customs. There were also famous clans here.
"Wow, this is really interesting, Zeta. There are so many things I can find here..."
[ It looks like Master Nic is planning to stay up until morning? ]
"Haha, I want to see if it really rains later."
A few hours later.
Nic fell asleep because he was bored waiting.
[ Master Nic, wake up. ]
"Zzz..."
[ MASTER NIC, WAKE UP, MASTER NIC! ]
"Ugh, what is it? Five more minutes..."
[ Master Nic, do you remember my iron fist? ]
Nic reflexively woke up with listless eyes. "Okay, I surrender. Don't hit me with that iron fist again like before."
Nic rubbed his eyes and heard the sound of rain. "Ah, rain! Let's check it out!"
Nic opened the door, and sure enough, heavy rain had appeared.
"Zeta, activate God of Fashion. Change my clothes into a raincoat."
[ Activated. ]
Nic immediately went out, ignoring Hinata's warning not to go out when it rained.
Then Nic saw many people wearing blue raincoats, lined up neatly, as if heading somewhere, carrying what looked like... offerings?
Nic used God of Assassin to secretly follow them. The journey was quite long until they entered the forest, then exited the forest, and a very high mountain became visible. They didn't climb it, probably because they couldn't, so they placed their offerings in a prepared spot while seemingly praying.
"Hmm, maybe that's their way of thanking the rain that comes every day?" Nic said from behind a tree.
[ Yes, it seems like an offering to the gods, Master Nic. ]
After that, Nic waited for all of them to leave, and when it was quiet, Nic immediately approached the mountain.
The mountain was very tall; even its peak seemed to be above the clouds.
Nic was curious about the peak and tried to climb up very quickly. For a normal person, climbing in this rain might be impossible, but Nic, with his already very OP stats, easily climbed the mountain until he finally passed the clouds.
When Nic reached the peak, he saw a small, simple house that nonetheless looked very luxurious, with many accents of water, waves, and lightning.
"Zeta, activate God of Analyst."
[ Activated. ]
Nic analyzed the house, and the data showed it was just an ordinary house occupied by one person, but that person was currently not there.
Because Nic was curious, he sheltered in front of the house and waited for the owner.
"Let's see who lives here... and whether they have anything to do with this rain," Nic said while looking at the clouds above, which turned out not to be raining. Only the clouds below the mountain were raining.
But it was almost morning, and no one came, making Nic frustrated.
"Ugh, it seems like they're not coming..." Nic grumbled.
[ Haha, were you waiting? Just come down, Master Nic. The rain has stopped, too. ]
When Nic was about to descend, he slipped and fell downward, and he was shocked because someone was climbing up a girl who was surprised to see someone falling to crush her.
"WAAAAAA!!!" The girl screamed, and Nic crashed into her from above.
But Nic reflexively used the skill Give me your Pain on the girl so that Nic would bear the pain of the fall. Nic also prepared God of Immunity.
And brukkkhh-!!
They both fell, and Nic had quickly changed his position so that he was underneath.
"Are you okay?" Nic said, looking at the girl's face, which was very panicked.
"I thought... I was going to die..." the girl said, and she immediately fainted from shock.
"Good heavens, this is all your fault, Zeta." Nic said.
[ Hey, why is it my fault again, Master Nic? I was silent! Besides, how could you slip? You're so clumsy! ]
"Hehe... Let's go up again..."
Nic carried the girl and climbed back up the mountain.
Once at the top, Nic laid the girl down and used his new skill, Energy Sharing.
Nic held the girl's hand and immediately channeled his energy.
Her hand twitched, and she immediately woke up, punching Nic in the face.
"AGHH, YOU MURDERER! Huh...? Why am I up here..." the girl said, panicked but confused.
Meanwhile, Nic was lying on the ground, rubbing his cheek. "That was a good punch..."
"Huh? Who are you!? How can you be here!? Explain!!" The girl took out her fan because she was afraid of Nic.
Nic stood up and explained with God of Charisma so that the girl would not be afraid.
The girl used her fan to cover her mouth, she seemed a bit embarrassed, then explained that she was only panicking earlier.
"Okay, I want to ask the main point... are you the one who causes the rain every night?" Nic asked.
"...." The girl was silent while staring at Nic.
To be continued...