The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden hue over the dense canopy of the forest. Jack Stone, a tall man with long black hair cascading down his back, navigated the wild terrain with a sense of purpose. His weed-green eyes sparkled with determination as he adjusted the green shirt with gold trim that hugged his frame, the fabric contrasting sharply with his black pants.
As Jack moved deeper into the woods, he consulted his system map, a magical projection that guided him toward the city of High Point. The map glowed faintly in his hands, illuminating the path ahead. He had chosen the most direct route, unaware that it would lead him through a treacherous part of the forest known for its lurking dangers.
"Just a few more days, and I'll be at High Point,"
he murmured to himself, his voice barely breaking the tranquil silence of the woods. He felt a thrill of excitement at the thought of reaching the bustling city, where opportunities awaited him.
The first day passed peacefully, the forest alive with the sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves. Jack took the time to gather herbs and plants, using identify. Jack carefully tucking them into his satchel. Each specimen was a potential treasure, a means to level up his skills. He smiled, imagining the satisfaction of cultivating a new strain of weed that could enchant the senses.
As dusk fell, he set up a small camp, the crackling fire casting flickering shadows around him. The warmth enveloped him, and he allowed himself a moment of relaxation, listening to the night creatures serenading the moonlit sky.
However, the tranquility of the night was shattered by a series of high-pitched cackles echoing through the trees. Jack's heart raced as he sat up, his instincts kicking in.
"What was that?"
he whispered, gripping the hilt of his dagger tightly. He scanned the darkness, his senses heightened. The laughter grew louder, and before he could react, a group of goblins burst from the underbrush, their green skin glistening in the firelight. Jack's mind raced; he had heard of these creatures, notorious for their cunning and ferocity.
One goblin shrieked, brandishing a rusty dagger. Jack sprang to his feet, adrenaline surging through his veins. He dodged to the side just as the goblin lunged, the blade missing him by inches.
"You picked the wrong weed man to mess with!" he shouted.
his voice steady despite the chaos. He drew his dagger, the blade gleaming ominously in the firelight. Jack pulls out a blunt from his storage, and with a flick of a match against his boot lit it. The goblins encircled him, their eyes glinting with mischief and malice.
The fight was frantic, and Jack quickly ran forward letting out a cloud of smoke with a puff enveloping the goblins in the cloud. He danced around the goblins, using their own momentum against them. He struck with precision, taking down one goblin after another, each victory fueling his confidence.
"Is that all you've got?"
he taunted, but inside, he felt the weight of their numbers pressing down on him. The night was filled with the sounds of clashing metal and guttural growls, the air thick with the smell of sweat and fear.
As dawn broke, Jack found himself exhausted but victorious and with levels.
"Status" Jack says
**DING**
**System message**
**Level Up**
**Level Up**
Name: Jack Stone
Health: 120/120
Stamina: 150/150
Mana: 200/200
- Class: Weed Man
- Level: 8
- Weed Points (WP): 556
- Strength:19 (+4)
- Constitution: 24 (+4)
- Intelligence:29(+4)
- Wisdom: 20(+4)
- Agility: 21(+4)
- Dexterity: 19(+4)
- Luck: 16(+4)
Free points:9(+4)
The ground was littered with the remnants of his battle, and he took a moment to catch his breath.
"I need to get out of here,"
he muttered, glancing at the rising sun.
The peaceful forest he had traversed was now tainted by the chaos of the night before. He packed his belongings quickly, his heart still racing as he moved cautiously, aware that more goblins could be lurking nearby.
The second day was a test of endurance. Goblins seemed to pop up at every turn, relentless in their pursuit. Jack fought bravely, but fatigue began to set in, and he could feel his energy waning. Each skirmish left him more drained than the last, and he found himself longing for the safety of High Point.
"Just a little further,"
he encouraged himself, pushing through the exhaustion.
The trees loomed over him like silent sentinels, their shadows stretching ominously as he pressed on.
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon on the second day, Jack was weary but resolute. He had managed to fend off the goblins, but the struggle had taken its toll. He set up another camp, his body aching as he settled by the fire.
"I'll make it to High Point tomorrow,"
he promised, though doubt crept into his mind. The forest felt alive, the whispers of the wind carrying tales of danger. He closed his eyes, hoping for a peaceful night, but sleep eluded him as the echoes of goblin laughter haunted his thoughts.
On the morning of the third day, Jack awoke to the soft light filtering through the leaves. He stretched, feeling the tension in his muscles, and took a deep breath of the crisp morning air. Today was the day he would escape the treacherous part of the forest. With renewed determination, he packed his gear and set off, each step feeling lighter than the last. The forest, though still dense, seemed less menacing in the daylight.
As he walked, Jack reflected on his journey. The struggles he faced had only strengthened his resolve.
"I can't let a few goblins stop me,"
he said aloud, a smile creeping onto his face. He could almost picture the bustling streets of High Point, the laughter of its inhabitants, and the thrill of new adventures awaiting him. With every stride, he felt the weight of the forest lift.
As the sun reached its zenith, Jack Stone emerged from the thick canopy of the forest, his long black hair swaying gently in the warm breeze. The air was alive with the scent of pine and earthy moss, a stark contrast to the tension that had gripped him during his journey.
He took a deep breath, savoring the moment of tranquility before continuing on the main path toward High Point City. Today felt different; he could sense the change in the atmosphere, as if the forest itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. Jack lit a blunt, the flick of his wrist illuminating his weed-green eyes momentarily, before he inhaled deeply, the smoke curling around him like a protective shroud.
The road to High Point wound through the thicking forest like a dusty ribbon, and Adventure Team Vulcan followed it with care
Kirk walked at the front of the group, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword. The dragon-kin spell blade had been quiet since leaving the guild master's office. His mind kept drifting back to the strange man they had seen in the forest—the one who fought dragon wolves with plants and smoke.
Behind him, Jake the human archer scanned the treeline.
"You're thinking about him again, aren't you?" Jake said.
Kirk didn't turn. "Hard not to."
Sally the elven mage adjusted her pack and sighed. "You watched a man kill a Dracowolf with weeds. I'd be worried if you weren't thinking about him."
Tiny, the half-giant barbarian bringing up the rear, cracked his knuckles loudly.
"I liked him," Tiny said. "He punched wolves good."
"He didn't punch them," Sally said flatly. "He grew murder plants."
Tiny shrugged. "Same thing."
The group continued down the path until the forest grew quieter. Too quiet.
Jake stopped walking.
"Hold up."
The others froze instantly.
"What is it?" Kirk asked.
Jake's nose twitched as he sniffed the air.
"Something big passed through here recently," he muttered. "And it's close."
Tiny grinned.
"Good."
Sally rolled her eyes. "You say that about everything."
Before anyone could respond, the bushes to the left of the road exploded outward.
A massive shape crashed into the clearing.
The creature stood nearly ten feet tall when it reared up, a monstrous hybrid of owl and bear. Its thick fur bristled while hooked talons the size of daggers scraped against the ground. Feathered wings flared from its shoulders, and its round owl face twisted into a furious screech.
"OWL BEAR!" Jake shouted.
The monster roared.
Kirk drew his sword instantly.
"Formation!" he barked.
Tiny stepped forward like a living wall while Sally began weaving a spell behind him. Jake leapt backward, already drawing arrows.
The Owlbear charged.
Tiny met it head-on with a thunderous punch.
BOOM
The creature barely staggered.
Its claws lashed out, raking across Tiny's chest and sending the massive barbarian skidding across the dirt.
"Tiny!" Sally shouted.
Jake fired three arrows in rapid succession.
THUNK—THUNK—THUNK
Two bounced harmlessly off the creature's thick hide. One stuck shallowly in its shoulder.
The Owlbear barely seemed to notice.
Kirk lunged forward, his blade igniting with draconic flame.
"Over here, ugly!"
He slashed across the monster's leg.
The strike landed—but it barely cut through the dense fur.
The Owlbear roared and swung a massive paw.
Kirk barely raised his blade in time.
CRACK
The impact launched him backward.
Jake cursed under his breath.
"We can't bring this thing down!"
Tiny struggled to stand, blood running down his chest.
"I still… punch it…" he wheezed.
Sally's spell finished charging.
"Move!"
A bolt of crackling magic shot from her staff and slammed into the Owlbear's side.
The explosion of lightning made the monster stumble—but only for a second.
Then it turned its glowing yellow eyes toward her.
"Oh no…" Sally whispered.
The Owlbear lunged.
A loud long snarl echoed through the forest.
Not from the monster.
From somewhere in the trees behind them.
The air suddenly filled with a thick, pungent smell—pine, smoke, and something far stronger.
Jake's eyes widened.
"…You smell that?"
Smoke drifted through the forest.
Not normal smoke.
Greenish, swirling smoke.
Then a figure stepped out of the trees.
Long black hair. Muscular frame. Green cloak with a golden leaf symbol and trim.
A blunt burned lazily between his fingers.
Jack Stone exhaled slowly.
A massive cloud of smoke rolled forward like a living fog.
"Man..."Jack said casually, glancing at the scene. " could you not hurt the first people I've seen in months."
The adventurers stared in stunned silence.
Tiny pointed.
"SMOKE MAN!"
The Owlbear roared and charged Jack.
Jack sighed.
"Rude."
He flicked a handful of seeds into the dirt.
"Cannabis Conjure."
The ground erupted.
Massive carnivorous cannabis plants burst from the earth in seconds, their leafy maws snapping toward the Owlbear.
The monster plowed through two of them—but the rest latched onto its fur, biting and dragging at it.
"Alright big guy," Jack muttered, rolling his shoulders.
"Let's dance."
he shouts with an excited grin blowing a cloud of smoke at the owlbears head.
Jack slams his palm to the ground.
"Entangling Vines!"
Thick vines exploded from the soil, wrapping around the Owlbear's legs and wings.
The monster roared in fury as it struggled against the restraints.
Jack pointed forward.
"Nature's Wrath."
Two massive plant turrets sprouted beside him—one shaped like a vine-covered ballista, the other like a bulbous seed launcher.
"Fire."
THUNK
A barbed vine bolt slammed into the Owlbear's chest.
BOOM
An explosive seed pod detonated against its shoulder.
The creature screamed and tore free from the vines, charging again despite the damage.
Jack grinned.
"Stubborn, huh?"
He grabbed another handful of seeds.
"Bullet Seed."
The seeds shot forward like a shotgun blast, peppering the Owlbear with piercing impacts.
Behind him, the stunned adventurers finally snapped out of their shock.
Kirk raised his sword.
"Vulcan!"
Tiny roared.
"PUNCH TIME!"
Jake fired arrows while Sally unleashed another spell.
With Jack's plant army attacking from all sides and the adventurers joining the fight, the Owlbear finally began to falter.
Jack leapt forward and drove his dagger into the monster's exposed neck.
The beast let out one final roar before collapsing with a massive THUD.
Silence fell over the clearing.
Then—
DING
Jack blinked.
**System Message**
**Level Up**
**(+2 all stats)**
He turned around and looked at the four stunned adventurers staring at him.
Jack picked up his blunt from the dirt, relit it with a small flame spell, and took a slow puff.
The Owlbear's massive body lay motionless in the clearing, its feathered head twisted to one side. The forest slowly grew quiet again, broken only by the crackle of damaged brush and the sound of tired breathing.
Jack brushed dirt from his hands and glanced at the four adventurers.
Tiny was bleeding. Kirk looked bruised. Sally's mana was clearly drained, and Jake had a shallow claw cut across his arm.
Jack scratched the back of his head.
"Alright," he said casually. "So… who needs healing?"
The four of them looked at him in confusion.
Before anyone could answer, Jack reached into his dimensional storage and pulled out four neatly rolled blunts.
He handed one to each of them.
Kirk blinked.
"…What?"
Jake held the strange roll between his fingers. "Is this… medicine?"
Sally sniffed it cautiously.
"It smells like the smoke from before."
Tiny didn't hesitate.
"Oh cool."
FWOOSH
He lit it immediately using the small campfire still burning nearby.
Everyone turned toward him.
Tiny took a massive inhale.
For a moment nothing happened.
Then he coughed violently.
"COUGH—COUGH—COUGH!"
Jack winced.
"Whoa, easy big guy. Not that hard."
Tiny wiped his mouth, then blinked slowly.
"…Oh."
The giant's expression softened.
His shoulders relaxed.
"Tiny… feels… good."
Jack grinned.
"Yeah. That's the stuff."
He lit a fresh blunt for himself and took a long slow pull before exhaling a cloud of fragrant smoke.
The others still looked unsure.
Jack shrugged.
"Look, it'll help with pain, calm your nerves, and if you get the right strains it can even boost strength, stamina, focus, Healing , or mana regeneration.Trust me."
Tiny nodded enthusiastically while passing the blunt to Kirk.
"Good smoke!"
Kirk sighed
One by one they tried it.
Jack patiently showed them how.
"Slow inhale… hold it for a second… then let it out."
Jake coughed.
Sally coughed even harder.
Kirk managed it surprisingly well.
Within a few minutes the tension in the group faded.
Tiny was sitting cross-legged next to the Owlbear humming happily.
Sally leaned against a rock looking thoughtful.
Jake flexed his arm where the claw wound had been.
"…Wait."
He pulled up his sleeve.
The wound had partially closed.
"What the hell?"
Jack smiled.
" Minor healing properties."
Kirk stared at the blunt in his hand.
"You're serious about this."
Jack nodded and leaned back against a tree.
"Yeah. I am."
The adventurers waited.
After a moment Jack spoke again.
"My name is Jack Stone."
The four of them immediately stiffened.
Kirk's eyes narrowed.
"…Stone?"
Jack nodded slowly.
"Yeah. That Stone family."
Sally sat up straight.
"The nobles who control the eastern territories?"
"The same," Jack said with a small shrug. "Or… used to."
Jake frowned.
"You're the one who disappeared."
"Cast out," Jack corrected. "They said my magic was useless."
He held up the blunt with a faint smirk.
"Guess they didn't see the potential."
Tiny nodded sagely.
"Plants good."
Jack chuckled.
"My plan is simple. I want a fresh start."
He looked toward the distant road leading to the city.
"I want to open a shop in High Point. Grow special strains. Sell them to adventurers."
Sally tilted her head.
"You think people will buy… weed?"
Jack grinned.
"Imagine something that can calm fear before a dungeon raid."
He held up another finger.
"Or boost stamina."
Another.
"Or speed up healing."
Another.
"Speed up mana regeneration"
Another.
" Double your strength for a limited time"
Jake's eyes widened slightly.
"…Adventurers would absolutely buy that."
Kirk crossed his arms.
"You're asking for a lot of trust."
Jack shrugged.
"I saved your lives."
Tiny raised a hand.
"True."
Kirk sighed.
"…Fair point."
Jake looked toward the road.
"We're heading to High Point anyway."
Sally nodded slowly.
"And the guild master will definitely want to meet you."
Jack smiled.
"Sounds like a plan."
The journey to High Point took the rest of the day.
By the time the forest thinned into farmland, the tall stone walls of the city came into view.
High Point was bustling with activity. Merchants shouted from their stalls, wagons rolled through the gates, and adventurers in armor filled the streets.
Jack stared in awe.
"Man… this place is huge."
Tiny grinned.
"Food here good."
The group led Jack straight to the Adventurer's Guild.
Inside, the familiar scent of ale, steel, and monster hides filled the hall.
Kirk walked directly to the back office and knocked.
"Enter."
Inside sat Guild Master Stormbraker, the grizzled dwarf with a black beard peppered with grey braided down to his knees.
He looked up from his desk.
Then his eyes landed on Jack.
Stormbraker slowly set down his drink.
"…Well."
He leaned back in his chair.
"Speak of the devil."
Kirk nodded toward Jack.
"We found him."
The dwarf studied Jack carefully.
"So you're the strange smoke man killing monsters in my forest."
Jack stepped forward and scratched his neck.
"Technically yes."
Stormbraker snorted.
"And technically you're also Jack Stone."
Jack's shoulders stiffened.
"…Yeah."
The room grew quiet.
After a long moment, the dwarf spoke again.
"What do you want, lad?"
Jack took a breath.
"A fresh start."
He explained everything—his exile, his powers, and his plan to open a shop selling cannabis strains to adventurers.
Stormbraker listened without interrupting.
When Jack finished, the dwarf stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"You realize if your family finds out you're here… they'll cause trouble."
"I know."
Stormbraker leaned forward.
"Tell you what."
Jack raised an eyebrow.
"I'll keep your presence in High Point quiet."
Jack blinked.
"…Really?"
"Aye."
The dwarf pointed a thick finger at him.
"But in exchange, you register as an adventurer under my guild."
Jack nodded slowly.
"That's fair."
"And when you open that shop…"
Stormbraker grinned.
"Guild members get a heavy discount."
Jack laughed.
"Deal."
The dwarf slammed his fist on the desk.
"Then welcome to High Point, lad."
Jack Stone—former noble, new Weed Man—smiled as smoke curled lazily from the blunt in his hand.
His new life had officially begun.