198 Attack on the Tree

"My God! What monstrosity is this? Look at the size of that thing! It's even larger than the elder tree in the west! Who would have thought something like this existed underground?"

"How can you even tell if its larger than the western elder tree? We can't see the top even if we crane our necks."

The palace guards exclaimed the moment their eyes laid upon the grand elder tree.

The red glow suffused the overgrown tree in a sinister but awe-inspiring presence. Neither the elder tree's crown nor the top of the massive space could be seen. It was like the elder tree had outgrown the space permitted and got suppressed by the earth.

When the group peered at the space above them, all they could see was a sea of crimson leaves gently swaying in the wind generated by the flow of air escaping through existing passageways and crevices in the surrounding walls.

"No, it's definitely larger than the elder tree in the west," Leon stated confidently.

"How can you be so… oh."

The trunk of the elder tree to the group was already roughly 1500fts and this was just gauging the trunk visible to them. Based on this information, the elder tree could be well over 2500fts, maybe even reaching the limits of 3000fts.

The entire height of the elder tree in the west only amounts to a mere 1500ft. Although this was already very impressive for a tree, it was nothing compared to what was in front of them. This was a tree that is on the verge of breaking through to new heights.

The universe is cold and unforgiving, but it does not cut off all roads to life. All life has an equal chance of obtaining eternity, even trees.

Elder trees were already greater than ordinary trees, but if it exceeds the 3000ft limit, it will no longer be considered great. Instead, it will be considered extraordinary. However, exceeding this threshold is more difficult than awakeners trying to reach the Celestial Realm.

Without the right conditions and blessings of the world, it was almost impossible for an elder tree to grow beyond the threshold in a world like Gaia. But in the unlikelihood that it manages to break through and cross the chasm, it will become a world tree.

World trees were wonders of the world that can grow to a staggering 30,000ft and its tree saps are so potent and magical it can extend the lifespan of other races by hundreds to thousands of years. It isn't farfetched to say that the birth of a world tree was a blessing to the world.

However, each world would only ever have one world tree. This isn't because the world is incapable of giving birth to more world trees. In fact, it was the opposite. Each world can produce multiple world trees when the right conditions are met.

The world had always followed the laws of the jungle. Its form may change, but never its source. It is an eternal truth.

The elder tree lived its entire life underground in eternal darkness, solely dependent on artificial spirit energy, but deprived of water and sunlight. Leon was curious about what would happen if the elder tree received water and sunlight. Would it have a magical effect like rejuvenating a dehydrated man, dying of thirst and bring itself one step closer to becoming a world tree? After all, life never strays too far from its source.

"Um, we are focusing on the wrong thing, no? What is this strange red glow? It looks sinister, but I feel like its beneficial for my body tempering cultivation."

The group continued to admire the elder tree for a while until a palace guard voiced his doubts.

"It should be artificial spirit energy. Absorbing it carelessly is dangerous." Leon stated with a frown. The artificial spirit energy was different to what he had read in Arden's diary. It felt more fiendish like demonic energy.

"Something like that can be created?"

The group was taken by surprise.

"Through the Nova Empire's runic technology, yes," Leon answered.

"Nova Empire? Is that that the name of the ancient civilization? How do you know so much?" Lilith doubted before her eyes widened. "Don't tell me you decrypted the ancient language and learned about it from the books you picked up back then?"

Leon took a moment, before he shamelessly answered, "Yes."

The group became even more surprised, but after a brief moment, they seemed to have accepted this answer. It felt like there was nothing that the prince couldn't do. It sure is different, having an educated person on the team.

Did the prince owe this accomplishment to the royal university? Maybe they should also study at… Nah, forget it. They had muscles for brains.

The palace guards didn't believe Leon was able to learn an entire language on such a short trip. The prince must have already had some preliminary understandings in the ancient language from his studies at the royal university.

Little did they know, they couldn't be further from the truth. The university didn't have anyone that advanced in their research of the ancient language.

"Um, aren't we forgetting something?" A palace guard asked. They were supposed to be searching for their missing comrades.

"Ah…"

Everyone immediately remembered their objective for coming here, thanks to the reminder. They were too distracted by the elder tree. Priorities.

"I found them. They're just ahead." Leon quickly confirmed with his [Spirit Eyes].

The two missing palace guards were found roughly 2000 yards ahead by the foot of the elder tree. They were bounded by roots and still in their shameful defecating positions.

Damir and Lutheran also noticed the group as they entered. When they were noticed by the group, they wanted to find a hole to hide in and cry. They were too ashamed.

"It seems they were kidnapped by the elder tree," Leon added. He didn't know how the elder tree did it seamlessly undetected, but he started to have an idea why the elder tree kidnapped them.

"They weren't killed but kidnapped? Why?" The group was taken aback.

Although they came with the will to rescue, they didn't have any expectations. The chances of survival were negligible, and reality was often cruel. They didn't want to be disappointed. However, Damir and Lutheran were still very much alive and kicking. What luck!

"Trees are like a man's best friend; it wouldn't harm us unless we harm it. We share a very special relationship of dependence. They provide us with the air we breathe and can even give us life. In return, it consumes the air we exhale and also… use our turds as fertilizers." Leon began explaining profoundly but towards the end, he almost laughed.

"The tree is dangerous in its own ways."

The palace guards added and laughed raucously.

"Pft." Lilith didn't like vulgar jokes, but she hates to admit it that she also found it amusing as she burst into small repressed giggled.

However, their laughter didn't last long and died down at a sudden rumbling. They glanced at each other with knowing glances.

Behind them, they suddenly started hearing rumbling noises like the galloping of a thousand hooves coming from the darkness beyond the crevice that they passed through, but on an exponential scale.

In the elder tree space, there were fewer ant holes in the ground, but there were many crevices and passageways in the walls from top to bottom. The noise quickly spread to the root ridden ground beneath them and not long after, it began coming from all directions.

"It must be feeding time…" A palace guard gulped.

The commotion got stronger over time and Leon grew doubtful. It was like the ants weren't going to aim for the tree roots but attack the main trunk directly.

"F*ck." Leon cursed.

"Run towards the elder tree!" Zorbek roared, but the others were already begun running before he even told them.

Ants began to spill out of every corner and commence their attack on the tree, while the group ran like their life depended on it, literally. If they were too slow, they would get caught in between the battle between the tree and ants.

The distance between the edges of the space and the foot of the tree was crossed in under a minute. Leon could've have arrived in a third of the time if he flew, but he did not leave the group behind and matched their pace instead.

They arrived at the two root bound palace guards safely but were unable to free Damir and Lutheran from the binds.

"No good. These roots are too tough." Zorbek shook his head.

"It's fine if you guys can't free us, but can you pull out pants up?" Damir felt like he lost all his dignity as he requested.

"Don't worry, this spot should be safe," Leon concluded as he concentrated on the surrounding.

"That seems to be the case…"

No one paid heed to Damir's request and focused on the battle outside. Lilith stood especially further away from the two.

"You normally don't get to see a spectacle like this often."

No ants were able to get near the trunk before they were viciously slashed in half by the tree roots that came to life and moved like a thousand snakes. The numbers seemed endless, but no matter how many ants came forward, the elder tree lashed them apart all the same with absolute domination.

"This is strange. The elder tree doesn't seem to be the focus of these ants." Leon frowned.

"They don't look like they came here for a snack either," Lilith added.

If the ants didn't come out for food and the tree isn't their target, then what is?

Initially, the ants charge single-mindedly towards the foot of the tree like kamikaze soldiers, tasked with an impossible task. But after seeing no progress, they began to change their tactics and began dividing their forces to focus on the tree roots, while keeping pressure on the center.

Leon narrowed his eyes when he noticed this. The ants are being controlled by something intelligent. It wasn't targeting the tree, but what lied under it.

"They're aiming for the power source."

"They're aiming for the power source."

Leon and Lilith said simultaneously. They glanced at each other, before resume studying the ant's behavior.