Wizard: Starting with Symbiosis with Algae

[Irreversible changes are underway].

Lynn didn't know what "enriched magic" meant.

But this is probably a very good thing. The respiration efficiency of cyanobacteria seems to be increasing.

...

Fifteen minutes later, Lynn and Ruby had cleaned up the damage inside the house.

The attacked worms were picked out and piled next to the iron cage, divided into two groups: one group had intact body walls and their setae were still twitching slightly.

Expert Ruby believes they can still be saved.

Another pile had been drilled through and its bodily fluids had drained out, so dry that it could only be used to grind into powder.

Lynn scooped out the water contaminated with bodily fluids from the basin and replaced it with clean river water.

And those few worms, having survived perfectly, soaked in clean water and were unusually active in mating to ensure their survival.

The good news is that the flying rod caused almost no damage to any equipment. Its destructive power to metal was limited. The scratch on the microscope base was minor, and the impact point on the oxygen cylinder valve tube was dented by less than half a millimeter. The oxygen and hydrogen storage equipment was also completely unaffected.

The bad news is that the number of worms has decreased by 75 percent.

Although their worm powder wasn't eaten, it nearly halved their lifespan.

Ruby leaned against the wall, took out a hydrogen lamp connected to the pipe from the corner of the table, turned on the valve, struck it twice with a flint, and a flame popped out.

She placed the lamp on the ground between them, openly sharing the light and warmth.

Behind him, a simple pulverizer hummed as it ground the shriveled worms into powder.

The two remained silent, circling around the hydrogen lamp.

Lynn shook his hair. Ruby bandaged the wound on his right arm with remarkable skill; it was unclear why Ms. Ruby was so adept at this technique.

The two sat on the ground, staring at each other in the firelight.

Lynn said

"On the bright side, at least it seems to be quite picky about food."

Ruby's hand looped around her white thigh and clasped at the joint. She blinked and buried her head in her thigh.

"Yes. Thanks to its picky eating."

During the autumn season, the salmon breeding season, a passing brown bear, having too much food, only eats the salmon eggs and skin, leaving the whole fish on the shore.

The flying rod didn't swallow any worms whole, nor did it touch the cyanobacteria on the fungal carpet or the potato sprouts. This illustrates two things: first, the organs of adult worms are the flying rod's primary target on its diet; second, there are enough worms on this planet that the flying rod has developed a picky eating habit.

"The situation isn't particularly bad."

Ruby turned down the flame of the hydrogen lamp a little, rubbed her hands together, and casually threw her clothes on the fire to dry.

Lynn and she both changed into new clothes.

"You can catch more worms if they're gone. And the particles that the flying sticks drop to save themselves seem to provide fertilizer, help the plants grow, and promote worm reproduction."

She pointed to the eight glowing particles on the table.

The two agreed to give 4 to Ruby and keep 4 for Lynn.

They did not discuss who deserved more credit and then distribute it according to merit.

The threats come from multiple directions, and those who don't trust their companions won't survive long in such a place.

Lynn looked at the firelight and murmured, "At least we survived. We weren't seriously injured."

Ruby nodded.

She looked around the experimental station, and a metal piece about the size of two hands caught Ruby's attention.

It was scrap material taken from the airship's bulkhead.

She stared at the piece of metal for a few seconds, then stood up, picked it up, and placed it on her lap.

"What are you thinking about, Ruby?"

"Flying clubs are vulnerable to cold magic. I can cast the spell, and I can teach you. But that would take a long time, and don't you think you'd be dead if it attacked you from behind before you learned the spell?"

Lynn waited for her to finish speaking.

"So, Ms. Ruby, what do you mean?"

"You've changed your address again, Lynn?"

"I'll make you a helmet. It should at least last until the first attack."

Lynn did not refuse.

Ruby stared, her lips pursed. Her right hand, fingers slightly spread, aimed at the metal piece. An invisible wizard's hand began to exert its force.

Under Lynn's admiring gaze, the woman shook her chest with the force of a hydraulic crane.

The metal sheet is shaped little by little.

He would occasionally use magic to heat the metal, softening it.

After two hours of handcrafting, Ruby, panting, stared intently at the angles of the bent metal sheet.

Lynn handed Ruby some water.

Before long, a suit of armor that could only be placed on the back of the head was completed.

The inner curve conforms to the skull, while the outer side has a gap of about two millimeters. All the edges are rolled inward so as not to cut the skin.

There are no straps, but the curve itself can hold it securely on the head.

"Put it on."

Lynn took it and promptly fastened it to the back of his head. The metal felt cool against the back of his head, and it was lighter than he had expected.

He turned his head twice, but the helmet didn't come loose.

A hard shell had appeared on the back of his head, and the exposed skin at the very top of his spine was also covered.

If the flying stick were to bounce back from behind and hit metal instead of his occipital bone, it would at least buy him a second to react.

Doesn't that give you a sense of security?

Ruby brushed the metal shards off her knees and stood up. She walked to the basin and glanced at the few half-dead, surviving worms inside.

The survivors are slowly recovering. But their numbers are too few to sustain oxygen and food supplies.

The two of them have had enough rest.

...

She turned around and glanced into the depths of the cave.

The cave is not a dead end. The entrance leads to the experimental station and living area. Further in, there is another passage. During the previous exploration, we only went halfway before turning back due to other issues.

But before she turned back, she had already caught quite a few worms in the cave.

This is also why she remained in good condition after the fall.

With almost no effort, she simultaneously solved the problems of warmth, hydration, food, and energy for communication near her landing site.

"We need to go find new worms. There are some in this cave."

Lynn locked the test station to prevent the tragedy from happening again.

"Are there really worms in the cave?"

Ruby picked up the oxygen cylinder hanging on the wall, turned on the valve, and listened to the airflow. The cylinder was still more than half full.

She tossed the other oxygen cylinder to Lynn.

"At least that was the case before."

"I'm not sure. I grabbed everything I could. If we couldn't grab anything else, we would have to go to a cave about 2km to the west. That would be much more dangerous."

Lynn caught it and fastened it to the buckle at her waist.

The two of them checked their equipment: helmets, oxygen cylinders, tow ropes, and emergency worm powder packets.

As the apprentice leader, Ruby conscientiously picked up the hydrogen lamp and walked ahead. Lynn followed behind, and the two of them entered the depths of the cave one after the other.