High above the sky, a fifty-square-meter island floated in peaceful solitude. Devor crouched at the edge, carefully inspecting a small patch of plants. Among them, a dozen Yellow-Grade Plants stood alongside a single Earth-Grade Plant, their delicate leaves swaying gently beneath the island’s protective aura.

  Devor expanded his Spiritual Sense, scanning each plant with sharp precision, his concentration absolute. When he finished, he exhaled softly, a quiet sense of relief washing over him.

  “How’s it looking? Everything under control?” Nyuru’s voice broke the silence as she approached, her steps steady. She glanced at the plants, her tone laced with concern.

  “For now, yes,” Devor replied, nodding slowly, his expression pensive. “Just as I thought. The plants here have a basic flaw. The faster they grow, the more likely they are to break down—and eventually die off.”

  Nyuru’s brow furrowed slightly, though she managed a small smile. “At least you got the Fire Lotus Archon right. That one’s notoriously tricky. Its needs are way more demanding than anything else we’ve dealt with.”

  Devor gave her a tired but determined smile in return. His exhaustion was clear, but the resolve in his eyes remained strong.

  In the distance, another team worked tirelessly, spreading spiritual soil across the island’s surface. Torni stood at the edge, focused as he painted formation arrays that shimmered faintly with activation, ensuring the garden’s energy remained balanced and secure.

  Devor and Nyuru soon joined the others, working together to spread the spiritual soil with careful precision. The steady breeze swept across the island, helping the soil settle evenly. In no time, the barren ground transformed into a lush garden, stretching ten meters by five.

  Though Nyuru was still feeling the weight of her fatigue, she moved in sync with Devor, helping to create eight small formation plots within the garden. Their actions were seamless, a quiet testament to their expertise as they worked in perfect harmony.

  By the time the last seed was planted, tiny sprouts had already begun to push through the soil, reaching toward the soft light above—a hopeful sign of growth and renewal.

  A gust of wind swept through, signaling Versti’s arrival. He descended smoothly, his dark robe trailing behind him as he landed in the heart of the garden. “Alright, take five,” he said, his voice calm but commanding. “We’ll regroup once Manty finishes checking the area.”

  The team gathered in the center of the garden, forming a loose circle as they sat down to rest. The tension in the air relaxed just a bit, their faces showing a mix of exhaustion and cautious optimism.

  After a moment, Versti turned to Devor, his gaze sharp yet tinged with genuine concern. “How’s the planting going?”

  “So far, everything’s on track,” Devor replied, his voice steady, though a small note of pride crept in. “We’ve set up eight formation plots, each with about fifteen to seventeen plants. In total, we’ve planted around one hundred and thirty Spiritual Plants.”

  Versti nodded, his expression thoughtful, but his next question carried a serious weight. “What about the Blue Star Elixir? Have you found a way to counter its side effects yet?”

  Nyuru spoke up, her voice calm and confident. “Not yet. What we’ve seen so far is concerning. The accelerated growth caused by the elixir pushes the plants toward premature decay. For example, Yellow-Grade Plants can only grow up to five centimeters before their roots start to deteriorate.”

  Reeva, who had been listening quietly, frowned in confusion. “But why don’t the Golden Core and Core Formation teams have the same issue?” she asked, tilting her head.

  Devor’s face darkened as he explained. “They’re using a highly advanced Spiritual Farming technique to stabilize growth. It works for now, but I’m worried they’ll run into bigger problems down the line.”

  Sugu, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up, his frustration evident. “Why? Haven’t they already gotten past the early challenges and set a solid foundation?”

  Nyuru cut in, her tone firm yet calm. “The problem is in the dependency these techniques create. I’ve tested it myself. When plants are forced to grow too quickly, they become reliant on external energy. If they don’t mature naturally, their roots remain weak and unstable.”

  To illustrate her point, Nyuru reached into her Spatial Ring and pulled out two plants. The first was a twenty-centimeter-tall Yellow-Grade Plant, its leaves vibrant and full of life. “This one looks healthy on the surface, but its roots are inherently fragile—a flaw that's almost impossible to fix.”

  Next, she brought out another plant, a fully mature specimen standing at fifty centimeters tall. Its leaves shimmered faintly with spiritual energy. “This one, however, was grown naturally. It’s much more resilient and doesn’t need external support to thrive.”

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  She placed both plants on the ground and motioned for the team to take a closer look. “Pay attention to the details. The difference is obvious. Look at the roots—the first plant has shallow, brittle roots, while the second has thick, strong ones.”

  The team, including Versti, extended their Spiritual Senses toward the plants. Even without Devor and Nyuru’s level of expertise, they could immediately sense the stark contrast.

  The smaller plant’s roots were riddled with hollow spots, as if it had been rushed into growth. In contrast, the mature plant’s roots were robust and healthy, deeply anchored in the soil. The difference was clear—what looked vibrant on the surface hid a weak, unsustainable foundation underneath.

  Had Nyuru not asked them to inspect the roots carefully, they might have missed the issue entirely.

  If she had known what they were thinking, Nyuru might have bitterly laughed to herself. Truth be told, even she would have overlooked it if Devor hadn’t pointed out the plants' strange absorption patterns—so subtle they were almost nonexistent.

  “So, in the end, will the plant die if we leave it alone?” Dnitz asked, his brow furrowed, his eyes sharp with curiosity.

  “Yes and no,” Devor replied, his tone calm but serious. “These plants lose their ability to grow on their own. If we keep using the Spiritual Farmer Technique, they’ll survive until maturity. But without constant intervention, they’ll wither within a day.”

  Sugu’s frown deepened, and he pressed further. “Are you sure? If the technique keeps them alive, doesn’t that solve the problem?”

  “That’s exactly the problem,” Devor said, his expression grim. “Our garden covers fifty square meters, and it can hold about 200 Spiritual Plants. The Spiritual Farmer Technique could work, but only for a few dozen plants at a time. Think about the workload—Spiritual Farmers would have to work around the clock, day and night.”

  The team exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of the challenge settling in.

  “At the start of the competition,” Devor continued, his voice steady and firm, “we saw the Golden Core and Core Formation teams planting only what they needed—about a hundred plants—even though their gardens are much larger. They’re probably facing the same bottleneck. Relying on the technique or the Blue Star Elixir for accelerated growth isn’t sustainable. If they don’t find a better solution, every team will run into the same problem.”

  A low hum vibrated through the air, followed by a surge of energy. A massive barrier shimmered into existence, stretching across the sky and enveloping the floating island in a protective dome.

  Versti turned sharply at the sound, spotting Torni at the edge of the island. With his hands raised in triumph, Torni’s formation activated with a satisfying hum. He flashed a wide grin, clearly pleased with himself, before dusting off his hands and giving the team a thumbs-up.

  “Nice work, Torni,” Versti called out, spotting Torni at the edge of the floating island. A satisfied smile spread across his face as he surveyed the completed energy formation. His excitement was clear, though he seemed oblivious to the fact that he was still working solo.

  "Captain," Devor said, picking up where they’d left off, the energy formation having briefly interrupted their conversation. "When you mentioned the competition could last up to a year, was that something the organizers told you, or do you know something more?"

  Versti met Devor’s gaze, pausing for a moment before answering. "That’s what the organizers said. But the way this competition is set up... I get the sense there’s more going on than they're letting on."

  The team fell quiet, all of them frowning, clearly unsettled.

  "Aside from the monster threats," Devor added, his voice measured, "the slow growth of resources could explain the long timeline. With limited energy and resources, we’re just not equipped to move fast. This is going to take patience... and flexibility."

  His reasoning was solid, though the team, apart from Devor, Nyuru and Versti, remained skeptical—there was no concrete evidence to back it up.

  The next day, Devor’s words proved to be on point. By the end of the first full day of the competition, it was clear that the plants couldn’t grow on their own without constant attention from cultivators. The grim faces of the Spiritual Farmers across all teams said it all: their workloads were quickly becoming unbearable.

  Without direct intervention to stabilize the plants’ energy flow, the crops began to wilt within hours, causing significant losses for many teams.

  Devor worked through the evening, tirelessly monitoring the garden. Every seed he planted was carefully positioned, and he watched the energy flow of each Spiritual Plant, adjusting their placement and the formations to keep everything in balance. His exhaustion was clear, but he kept going, determined to find the perfect setup to sustain their fragile garden.

  As dusk fell, Liuning’s voice suddenly rang out, amplified by some unseen array. His words were sharp and unmistakable.

  “Congratulations to Team Azure Sky for completing the hidden achievement of being the first to repel a monster attack! The reward will be added at the end of the competition. Keep in mind, many hidden tasks remain undiscovered. Keep pushing, and you might uncover more!”

  Devor froze mid-motion, his hands trembling slightly in surprise. “Hidden achievement?” he murmured, his voice filled with disbelief.

  Below the floating island, his teammates were just as stunned. Their fatigue seemed to melt away, replaced by a mix of shock and excitement over the unexpected announcement.

  Everyone turned toward Versti, who stood at the center of the group. His expression was a mix of confusion and hesitation. “Hidden achievements?” he muttered under his breath, his gaze distant as if replaying every word they had been told before the competition began. Even he hadn’t known such rewards existed.

  Nyuru broke the silence, a faint smirk playing at the corner of her lips. “Looks like we made a bigger impression than we thought.”

  Sugu crossed his arms, his skepticism still clear. “A hidden achievement is nice, but what exactly did we do differently?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Versti cut in, his voice steady and firm. “What matters is we’ve gained an advantage. Now we focus on holding onto that lead and adapting to whatever comes next.”

  The team nodded, rallying behind Versti’s calm leadership. While the road ahead was still unclear, the unexpected reward sparked a glimmer of hope. As the stars glittered above the floating island, their resolve burned stronger than ever.