Logan woke before dawn the next morning, his body naturally adjusting to the rhythms of farm life. He dressed quickly and headed downstairs, where Terra was already waiting for him at the kitchen table. The pixie had a serious expression on her face, which immediately put Logan on alert.
"We need to talk about your progression," Terra said without preamble. "You've been doing well, but there's something you should know about how the system works for SSS ranked farmers."
Logan sat down across from her, giving her his full attention. "What is it?"
A translucent window materialized between them, displaying information Logan hadn't seen before.
[Farmer Progression System]
[Current Level: 2]
[Experience: 100/500]
[Active Quests: 1]
[Quest: Establish Your Foundation]
[Objective: Plant and successfully harvest 100 crops]
[Progress: 30/100]
[Reward: 500 Experience Points, Skill Unlock, Expanded Farm Plot]
[Time Limit: None]
Logan studied the quest information carefully. "I need to plant seventy more crops?"
"And harvest them," Terra clarified. "The wheat, carrots, and turnips you planted yesterday count toward the total, but only once they're actually harvested."
"This quest is designed to ensure you understand the full farming cycle from planting to harvest."
"That makes sense," Logan said. "I should head to the general store and buy more seeds then. The sooner I get everything planted, the sooner I can complete the quest."
Terra nodded approvingly. "That's the right attitude. Martha opens her store at sunrise, so you have about an hour."
"Use that time to check on your current crops and plan out where you'll plant the new ones."
Logan grabbed a quick breakfast of bread and water, then headed out to his fields. The morning air was cool and fresh, with mist still clinging to the ground. As he approached the planted areas, he felt that familiar connection to the crops growing beneath the soil.
He activated his Growth Acceleration skill, watching as golden light spread across the fields. The connection grew stronger, and he could sense the seeds responding to his power. They were growing well, healthier than any normal crop could be at this stage.
"At this rate, they'll be ready to harvest by tomorrow evening," Terra observed, flying beside him. "Your SSS rank really does make a difference. A normal farmer would be waiting weeks for these results."
Logan walked through his property, mentally mapping out where he could plant additional crops. He had three fields currently in use, but there was plenty of unused land that his restoration ability had prepared. He could easily fit another five or six fields if he planned it right.
...
...
As the sun began to rise, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, Logan made his way to the village. The walk was becoming familiar now, and he found himself appreciating the simple beauty of the countryside. In his old life, he had barely looked out his apartment window. Now, every morning felt like a gift.
Martha's general store was just opening when he arrived. The older woman smiled warmly when she saw him through the window and hurried to unlock the door.
"Logan, good morning," she greeted him. "You're up early. Let me guess, you need more seeds?"
"That's right," Logan confirmed. "I want to expand my planting. What do you have in stock?"
Martha led him to a section of the store dedicated to farming supplies. Shelves were lined with small cloth bags, each labeled with the type of seed it contained. Logan saw wheat, carrots, turnips, potatoes, tomatoes, corn, and several other varieties he recognized from his gaming days.
"I'll take ten bags of wheat, five of carrots, five of turnips, and three of potatoes," Logan said, doing quick mental calculations about his field space.
Martha raised her eyebrows. "That's quite a lot for someone who just started. Are you sure you can manage that much?"
"I'm sure," Logan said with confidence. "I have the space and the time."
As Martha gathered his order, a profile window appeared.
[Character Profile Unlocked]
[Name: Martha Greenway]
[Age: 58]
[Occupation: General Store Owner]
[Affinity Level: 1/10 - Acquaintance]
[Relationship Status: Married]
[Likes: Ambitious young people, fair trades, gossip, baked goods]
[Dislikes: Cheaters, people who waste food, rudeness]
Logan dismissed the window as Martha returned with his seeds. "That'll be thirty silver pieces."
"But since you're a new farmer and a friend of Clara's, I'll give you the neighbor discount. Twenty five silver."
Logan accessed his inventory, surprised to find he had a small amount of currency already stored there. Apparently the system had given him starting funds. He paid Martha and stored the seed bags in his inventory, watching them vanish with a thought.
"Thank you, Martha. I really appreciate the discount."
"Just make sure you bring me some of your harvest to sell in the store," Martha replied with a wink. "I have a feeling your produce is going to be something special."
Logan returned to his farm with renewed purpose. He spent the rest of the morning preparing additional fields, using his restoration abilities to quickly till and enrich the soil. The work that would take a normal farmer days to complete took him mere hours.
Terra watched from a nearby fence post as Logan methodically prepared field after field. "You're really taking this seriously,"
"I wasted my first life," Logan said, pausing to wipe his forehead. "I'm not going to waste this one. If I have these abilities, I should use them properly."
...
...
By midday, Logan had six new fields ready for planting. He pulled out the seed bags from his inventory and began the careful work of planting each one. Wheat in the largest field, carrots and turnips in medium sized plots, and potatoes in a smaller area near the barn.
As he worked, he fell into a rhythm. Dig a small hole, place the seed, cover it gently, move to the next spot. His hands moved with practiced efficiency, and he found the repetitive work almost meditative.
This was so different from staring at a computer screen, clicking a mouse over and over. Here, every action had real consequence and meaning.
[Quest Progress Updated]
[Establish Your Foundation: 85/100]
The notification appeared as Logan planted the last of his potato seeds. He was getting close to completing the quest. Just fifteen more crops to go, and those would come from harvesting his original plantings tomorrow.
"You've done well today," Terra said, landing on his shoulder. "Most new farmers would spread this work out over weeks. You've accomplished it in a single day."
Logan looked out over his expanded farm. Six new fields joined the three he had planted yesterday, all of them showing the faint golden glow of his Growth Acceleration skill at work.
"It feels good," he admitted. "Really good. Like I'm building something that matters."
"You are," Terra assured him. "Every crop you plant, every harvest you complete, you're not just feeding yourself."
"You'll be feeding the village, contributing to the community. That's what real farming is about."
...
...
As the afternoon sun began its descent toward the horizon, Logan headed back to his cottage. His body was tired in a way it had never been from gaming, but it was a satisfying exhaustion. He had used his muscles for real work, created something tangible with his own hands.
Inside the cottage, he prepared a simple dinner from his supplies and sat at the table to eat. Through the window, he could see his fields stretching out in neat rows, the last light of day making them glow softly. Tomorrow, his first crops would be ready for harvest, and he would complete his first major quest.
Terra materialized beside his plate. "Get some rest tonight. Tomorrow is going to be busy. Harvesting is hard work, even with your abilities."
"I'm looking forward to it," Logan said honestly. He finished his meal, cleaned up, and climbed the stairs to his loft bedroom. As he lay down on the comfortable bed, he thought about how much his life had changed in just a few days.
He had gone from dying alone in front of a computer screen to being a farmer with a purpose, a community, and real connections with people who cared. His SSS rank gave him incredible abilities, but it was the simple satisfaction of honest work that truly made him feel alive.
Tomorrow would bring his first harvest and the completion of his first quest. Logan closed his eyes, already excited for what the morning would bring. For the first time in either of his lives, he was genuinely happy with the person he was becoming.