The cavern wasn't quiet anymore. It breathed. Every few seconds, the walls pulsed faintly with green light, roots creeping out like veins across the rock, humming with warmth.
Jaehyun sat cross-legged in the middle of it all, arms crossed, glaring at the tiny culprit snoozing peacefully on his lap. The dryad baby had a leaf halo. A literal halo.Her gentle mana pulsed every time she snored, and every pulse made another seed somewhere sprout.
"…You're turning my cave into a salad bar."
The baby's only response was a soft coo — followed by a burst of moss on Jaehyun's boot.
🌍 Aboveground — The World Starts Panicking
Across the continent, sensors overloaded. Mana towers flickered from blue to green. The council's long-range radars screamed with warnings.
"—Mana surge detected again!""It's the same coordinates! South Agricultural Ring!""Impossible, that's a sealed zone! No dungeon, no leyline, no gate!"
In the council chamber, politicians, generals, and guild leaders yelled over each other.A massive hologram of the continent shimmered, dotted with spreading green veins.
One official slammed his fist on the table. "If this continues, that sector will become a full-blown jungle!"
Another adjusted her glasses. "Reports indicate the soil is rejuvenating at an impossible rate. Crops are… returning."
"Returning? Don't play games with me, what does that mean—""It means the world is healing itself."
A heavy silence followed. Then, inevitably:"…We need to secure it."
🏢 Verdant Dawn Guild — Farm Base of Chaos
Meanwhile, Jaehyun's farm was a disaster.Every vegetable was growing too well.
"STOP! Don't water that again!" Jaehyun shouted, yanking a watering can out of Bongyu's hands. The toddler blinked innocently — and the moment Jaehyun turned away, poured water anyway.
The result?A fifteen-meter cucumber shot up like a missile, launching several kids into a pile of spinach.
Jaehyun groaned. "This isn't farming anymore, it's warfare."
One of the kids pointed toward the barn. "Uh… Papa green, the carrots are fighting again."
Sure enough, the carrot patch was writhing — two rows of overgrown vegetables engaged in what could only be described as an epic root battle.
The dryad baby, now awake, watched the chaos and clapped happily, mana pulsing like laughter.
Jaehyun dropped to his knees, eyes hollow. "Even the vegetables have more life purpose than I do…"
⚖️ Council Emergency Broadcast
The screen on Jaehyun's wall flickered suddenly. A council announcement glowed across the base:
"Attention, all guilds. An unknown Green-tier mana entity has appeared.Suspected link to the Choi agricultural division.Containment teams will be dispatched."
Jaehyun froze mid-sigh."...Containment?"
He looked at the dryad baby, who blinked up at him — then promptly sneezed, and a flower bloomed from her head.
"Oh, no."
He rubbed his face, panic finally creeping in."They're gonna dissect you. I just cleaned this farm!"
🚨 Incoming Transmission — Choi Jinwoo
His communicator buzzed.
"Jaehyun, pick up. What did you do this time?"
"Nothing!" Jaehyun hissed, whispering frantically.
"Except maybe accidentally raise the embodiment of Mother Nature, but she's cute, so that shouldn't count."
"…You what?"
"She's a baby!"
"Jaehyun, the council is calling it a 'mana deity-class anomaly'!"
"Well, tell them to relax! She's just sleeping! …Most of the time."
A loud crash echoed behind him as another tree sprouted through the roof.
"Correction," Jaehyun muttered, "sleeping and renovating my house."
🌿 Meanwhile, the Guilds Mobilize
Elsewhere, powerful guilds gathered — armored, armed, and greedy.
"The Green Child could reshape agriculture.""Forget agriculture — it could reshape mana control itself!""Either way, whoever controls that baby controls the world's food supply."
Maps unfurled. Guild sigils glowed.Targets were marked — and all paths led to Jaehyun's humble little farm.
🌱 Back at the Farm — Jaehyun's Breaking Point
As dusk fell, the dryad baby curled up in Jaehyun's arms again, tiny fingers gripping his sleeve. Around them, the farm glowed faintly, every plant breathing in sync with her mana.
The kids huddled close, watching him.
"Papa Green… are we in trouble again?"
He sighed deeply. "When are we not in trouble?"
He looked out toward the horizon, where faint lights flickered — scout drones, guild reconnaissance. The peace was ending.
He whispered, mostly to himself,"I just wanted to grow cabbages… not civilizations."
The baby stirred, a tiny smile forming on her lips.Her leaf halo shimmered once, and a system notification appeared in front of him:
[CHAIN QUEST UPDATED]
Protect the Seed of the Guardian until it blooms.
Time Limit: Unknown.
Threat Level: Global.
Jaehyun leaned his head back and muttered flatly,"Fantastic. I'm a dad again. And the babysitter of the apocalypse."