In a room lit by a light.
-Swish.
With white hair pushed back, she flipped through the pages of the book she held in both hands.
She was too restless to fall asleep.
Her body, still reeling from the battle, felt like it needed to exchange blows with a worthy opponent right away.
‘Hold on. Just hold on.’
Causing trouble here would gain nothing.
There were still many opponents and battles ahead.
She was a person who could always hold back for the future.
‘But then.’
Maehwa thought as she turned the pages of the book.
‘That time, that guy.’
The man with black hair wearing a mask. He had managed to hold his own using a mix of sword, fist, and magic.
Despite there being three National Trees in that place, she had thought there was a good chance of winning. Had she misjudged something?
“Hmm.”
Overwhelmed by an unknown force, her body suffered the humiliation of being buried into the ground.
The result of alternating between questioning and answering herself was the thought that she should try facing him again.
-Swish.
Maehwa smiled as she turned the page.
In that place, filled with pictures of El Academy students, she captured the face of the masked man.
“Lee Shiheon.”
The name of that man.
Recalling this, Maehwa smiled.
Because there were still many battles left.
“Wow, it really sucks.”
Swearing just comes out on its own.
“Even after returning, to be sitting and fighting.”
It’s not like the crazy white-haired guy I saw then.
I didn’t dislike the excitement of battle and the joy of victory. In fact, I enjoyed it more than most.
If someone came up to me right now to spar, I’d accept without any objections.
But now, I just wanted to rest.
Sleeping on the dirt ground was healing only for a day or two; right now, I desperately craved the softness of a bed.
“No matter how much you call it camping or whatever, a bed at home is the best. Don’t you think?”
As he tightened the arm around her neck, Bao’s body shivered.
“Ha, ha.”
Her body was soaked in sweat.
It was natural, given the hits she had taken. Fortunately, the stuff in the room wasn’t destroyed.
Twister.
A technique from a back position, where the legs were fixed and the neck was turned the other way to manipulate both the cervical and spinal vertebrae.
He modified it a bit.
Given Bao’s body was highly specialized for combat, he had to bend it far more than others.
To an outsider, it might seem like her spine could break due to the force exerted on Bao’s body.
There was a reason Bao didn’t twist her body out of stubbornness.
A little more rough movement, and she would become paraplegic.
-Crack, crack.
Sweat dripped off her arms.
Her skin is soft, unlike muscles, and joint techniques inevitably touch various parts of the body.
There was no time to be concerned about the touch of a chest or stomach.
“You, if you get out here, really—”
“If I get out, then what.”
Bao struggled.
But that didn’t mean she would be released.
“You’ll die, you know.”
“Then keep it this way.”
Bao was also sparing her powers.
If she used her powers, she could easily escape. If he was really about to die, he would use his powers on his own.
In that sense, applying more force, Bao’s body twisted and made a bone-crunching sound.
-Crunch.
“I’ll win.”
Was she being stubborn?
Even as her eyes clouded over, she didn’t use her strength.
Was it because of a character trait of keeping promises at all costs?
Considering the tradition in Africa where breaking a promise during a fight was seen as sacred, Bao seemed to be from that culture.
-Screaming.
Applying more force, Bao’s body shook more violently. She seemed to be struggling to endure the pain without her powers, her breathing rough.
Shake.
Her chest heaved.
“Isn’t it time to give up?”
“Shut up...”
-Crunch.
“Guh, gah.”
There’s more. Bao touched her forehead. She was almost about to swear.
“Do you know what that bastard said when he left? That he won’t return until he fights Hyperion.”
“Hyperion?”
“A legendary tree mentioned in stories... Such a thing couldn’t possibly exist. That idiot really.”
Hyperion.
A familiar name. Now that I thought about it, the name of the jewel embedded in the mask I was wearing was Hyperion’s Gem.
It was originally a ring but changed due to the manipulations of the World Tree of Purity.
So Hyperion was considered a mythical figure around here.
“Told you everything. Satisfied?”
She glared at me as soon as she finished speaking.
I thought deeply and then formulated a hypothesis about Bao’s concerns.
“So, you’re worried about your brother and that’s why you’re going to find him?”
“What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Haven’t you been listening to anything I’ve said?”
Bao frowned fiercely. If only translators were this effective.
“I don’t care if that scumbag dies somewhere. But damn it, he made me a National Tree, he has to pay for that.”
Despite her words, there was more conviction in what followed.
Whether it was the former or latter, there must be some truth in it. Otherwise, why would a crazy woman suddenly come and start punching walls?
‘Still, it doesn’t seem to be related to the Flower.’
The one trying to find her brother.
I understood her situation. Suddenly becoming a National Tree was indeed unjust. But swinging fists suddenly wasn’t right either.
“I get what’s going on.”
“Then will you tell me?”
“Why would I?”
I completely shattered Bao’s hopeful question.
Too resentful to tell.
Even if I did, she wouldn’t be able to follow anyway.
I gave Bao one last look.
“What are you doing? Not leaving?”
“......”
Bao stood up, teetering and almost falling, but she managed to stabilize.
Then she stood by the door and glared at me.
“...I’ll remember this.”
Remember or not.
I fiddled with my phone, which I hadn’t used in a long time.
I planned to contact a few people who had been waiting for my ordeal with Bao to end.
Bao glared at me for a while longer, then loudly closed the door and left the room.
[Hey, why haven’t you brought it yet?]
“I’m sorry.”
The second trial of the Forester Selection Competition.
The Choice of Leaves.
Simple in concept but difficult in execution. That was the point.
Several mature trees with the potential to become World Trees were brought in, and if they permitted, one could proceed to the next trial.
In other words, the trees could arbitrarily decide the disqualification of National Trees and students.
[Ah really, this is why humans don’t work out—my least favorite thing in the world is humans.]
A human officer grimaced slightly.
In a room just over 10 square meters, a mature tree born in an environment perfectly suited for tree survival, ‘Merry,’ nicknamed after the human beside her, spoke in a more relaxed voice.
[Still, I guess Tree People are... tolerable. The water today wasn’t bad. Next time, bring loads of expensive fertilizer too~♪]
“Lady Merry.”
[What’s up?]
“The task you’ll undertake this time...”
At the man’s words, Merry snorted.
[Ah that, that, I know. Just give them a suitable trial... and if I like them, they pass; if not, send them away, right?]
“That’s correct.”
[Don’t worry~ I’ll be a World Tree myself soon enough. I can handle that much. Or are you underestimating me?]
“Not at all.”
[Alright~ off you go. Let’s see who I’ll be dealing with...]
The man handed her two photos.
Merry laughed as she looked at the two faces in the photos.
[Lim Jonghyun, Lee Shiheon...]
A smile for Lim Jonghyun. Then, looking at the photo next to it, Merry suddenly shook her leaves.
[...Humans?]
Inferior species.
Tree supremacy.
Recognizing their identity, Merry spread her branches wide.
[Hey. You two. Why should I be judging such a creature... Wait a moment.]
The way the inferior species tried to score points was amusing.
On second thought, it might be a bit fun.
[Well, let’s proceed like this.]
“Is that okay?”
Merry chuckled, shaking her leaves as if laughing.
[I just had a fun idea.]