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After we picked up the mushrooms, we rushed back to the cave…

Well, Benladann did, because I continued to keep digging, wondering what else could I find. My smelling sense detected something else deep below.

Maybe there are ice potatoes deep below?

Though she said they never ate potatoes, but did have bread somehow.

While Benladann cleaned the mushrooms from dirt, cut them down, and added them to the hot pot, I continued digging as if I were a dog.

Until I reached around one meter, and suddenly found some strange thingies.

Can these be called potatoes?

They looked like little balls… but were squishy.

They were all interconnected into roots, and their size was around the fist of Benladann.

I decided to try one and it was… crunchy.

It was also… quite salty?

Uagh, way too salty, in fact!

I checked it with the Analyze System function.

<Analyzing…>

<Mineral Root Colony>

Roots that absorb the minerals within the dirt and the Mana around to grow and expand through the underground, absorb large quantities of minerals within their roots, which form large tumors where the refined minerals from salty juices and even salt crystals. Used by most common people as a cheat replacement for salt.

Can be used as Ice Attribute Cultivation Material, used to create special concoctions to enhance one's body.

…

Wah…

I guess this is not a replacement for potatoes, but it is for salt! Oh, and the whole cultivation thing, I guess? I don't have any recipes to make concoctions, so there's no use for that.

I quickly call Benladann, as she rushes back at me.

"Y-You dig a lot!" she said, glaring at the hole.

"Come down here, look what I found!" I said, as Benladann slowly walked down, and then I gave her a description that was just reading the system window in front of me, which she was unable to see.

"Ohh… This is really the Root Salt!" said Benladann.

"So you knew?" I asked.

"I did know that the salt we used was named Root Salt, but I never imagined it would grow like potatoes from Earth…" said Benladann.

"Alright, let's extract as many as we can!" I said.

"Sure! Leave it to my hands!" said Benladann, as I used my claws to open the dirt and destroy any rocks around, making the hole where we were bigger.

Benladann used her large hands as a three-meter-tall giant and grabbed a ton of roots with these tubers stuck to them.

After a bit of mining, she quickly walked back to our lair, as she began to cut the roots into tiny pieces, and sparkled a few over the hotpot.

Alongside that, she added dried Snow Heart Herb which I had left inside the cave. After drying up, they became aromatic, similar to oregano, it was an interesting find.

Before I was to walk back to eat, I had continued to dig around, I wanted to see if this was like Minecraft, and I could find some ores around or something.

But as much as I dug, I couldn't find much, but maybe I might come here to dig later.

Maybe I am getting addicted to it…

Ding!

<You learned the [Mining: Level 1] Skill!>

I even got this after digging for a while.

The Mining skill seems to enhance my ability to dig through any ore or dirt, and the skill description even says that my chance to encounter precious materials is enhanced by 5% with each level…

WHAT?!

Why would you give me something so overpowered, System?!

Is this because I wish this was like Minecraft?

Are you on something, System?

Is this okay?

First of all, how can you manipulate probabilities like this?

Or does it simply enhances the way I can find them, and not just generate them…?

Well, whatever, why would I have to ask questions to the almighty System?

Let there be plot armor, I guess…

Can I get a plot armor skill next?

…

No? Okay…

However, the mining activities shall wait for another time, as I have decided to go back to the cave with Benladann, who was waiting for me with a pot of rabbit hotpot.

Three big ice rabbits were inside, alongside mushrooms, and seasoned with Root Salt and Dried Ice Heart Herb.

She served me in a large pot I made with ice, the soup was so aromatic it made me go numb.

Oh man, it felt like an eternity since I last felt the scent of something so good.

"Uwah, it has been years…" sighed Benladann. I suppose the smell of the hotpot gave her some nostalgia.

Unlike me, she had been in this place for years, and I only been here for just a bit over a month… I suppose I shouldn't be so nostalgic if only a month ago I was still on Earth enjoying all the commodities there…

"Thanks for cooking this, Benladann," I said.

"D-Drake… No problem! I just made it because I wanted to eat hotpot… But I am glad you like it," she said, I don't know if it was my idea, but I think she blushed a bit.

The warm soup was delicious and the taste of salt on it just made it even better. The meat was tender and juicy, and the mushrooms were even more tender, with a nice chewy texture.

Benladann made sure to cook a lot of soup, so I had a lot to drink even with my giant head and body which can drink a whole pot in seconds.

After everything was over, I wasn't completely stuffed, but I filled up my belly a bit with some fruit.

"Bwah… That was good…" sighed Benladann in relief, as she rested over the bed. Yuki had already woken up and shared the food with us too.

"Alright, rest for a little bit, because today you are not escaping it, young lady!" I said.

"E-Eh?" asked Benladann.

"I am going to teach you how to Cultivate your Mana and also, we'll tame your Mold!"

"O-Oh… that… Okay!" said Benladann.

"What? Did you thought I was going to eat you or something?" I said rather teasingly.

"Haha! No…" said Benladann.

"Hmm… Now that I look at you, you look very tender!" I said, as my eyes began to glow eerily.

"E-Ehhh?"

"I guess if you already guessed it… I will show you my true intentions!" I roared, as I opened my jaws and directed them towards Benladann!

Haha! I am going to eat her!

What did you think I was going to do? To make friends?

Do you really think I am such a fool?

Hah!

"Gyyyyyaaahhh! Hahaha! Hahahaha…! Stop! Stoop! Hahaha!"

"I will devour this little belly! It has grown quite a lot!" I roared, as I rubbed my snout over Benladann's squishy stomach, she began to laugh a lot. She was rather sensitive to tickles.

"Did you really thought I was going to eat you?" I asked curiously.

"Ah? Not really, that's why it surprised me! It was all out of nowhere… But it was just a joke!" said Benladann while pouting.

"Ah, don't get mad. What would I know that you had such a sensitive belly? It was very soft too! Anything could pierce through it," I said.

"I am not that squishy!" said Benladann, as she glanced at her belly, and squeezed it.

"See? That's a squishy belly right there…" I said, touching it with my snout.

Benladann stopped me as she hugged my large dragon face.

"Thanks for being with me…" she said, kissing my nose.

Ah…

Is she a Medusa? That kiss completely left me paralyzed like a stone!

"Drake?"

"Ah! It's nothing… Don't worry about it," I said.

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