Chapter 247 The Guardian Tree

Liberty approached the tree very carefully. However, just in case, Hiro had included the girl and Nicholaesz into his party first.

“Do it,” Hiro said while nodding his head as the girl looked at him with her hands raised upward.

The others had gathered very closely in one place, as Hiro ordered. Ace was very displeased with the idea, but Liberty insisted on doing it.

Ding!

A transparent rectangular screen suddenly appeared in front of the tree trunk as Liberty lightly touched it.

[The Guardian Tree]

[Location: Former Underworld City]

“The guardian tree, huh?” Hiro muttered, commenting on the name of the tree.

There was an inscription under the brief information.

[Do you want to wake up The Guardian Tree?]

[Yes] [No]

Liberty pressed [Yes] without hesitation.

Then, a dazzling light appeared from within the tree’s body. Hiro and the others had to cover their faces with the back of their hands to peek at what was going on until a notification popped up in their HUD system simultaneously.

[To awaken The Guardian Tree, a contract with a sentinent being of the great sage is required. Without it, The Guardian Tree would not be able to be resurrected. Currently, the owner of the contract is counted as 0 in the world. Are you interested in volunteering and getting the contract?]

Hiro blinked. He got the notification, and the others were the same. Liberty had told him without being asked.

“Being a volunteer, but it looks like there’s going to be a test to do, huh? They even use the pronoun ‘you’, a singular. It seems it can’t be done with a party. I can’t let you do that, Libe,” Hiro said, explaining what had formed inside his head.

“Meta, I’m sorry, but I have no choice.”

Meta didn’t say anything because she already knew Hiro’s character and what the man was going to do. She also had an AI brain that was different from ordinary NPCs.

“I will do it. You don’t have to do anything. If they move me, you just have to wait for me here and don’t go anywhere,” Hiro told the others who were clearly throwing disapproving looks at him.

“I’ll go with you,” said Ace. He had already stood beside Hiro on all fours. However, Hiro shook his head.

“You are Libe’s pet. There is a certain radius that must be obeyed. Besides, I don’t want to leave Libe unprotected,” Hiro explained, then patted the cat’s back. This time, Ace didn’t say anything and just nodded his head. It looked like he was in a bit of a dilemma.

“Don’t worry, I’ll go with him!” said Alice, who had flown by Hiro’s side and patted her chest proudly. Hiro nodded in understanding.

“Well, I don’t know what awaits me but… see you later.”

Ding!

[You have agreed to volunteer to sign a contract with The Great Sage. To get the contract, you must successfully complete a test. Do you want to do it now?]

“I thought so.”

Liberty hugged Hiro before he answered the question in his HUD system. “You have to come back no matter what. I will continue to wait for you. You know that, right? I will not forgive you if you do not come back, Hiro,” said the girl softly.

“Of course. I will come back.” Hiro stroked Liberty’s back, then pushed the girl’s body away gently. He couldn’t waste any more time.

[Yes]

Ding!

[You will be teleported to the dungeon]

Hiro could feel the sensation of his body being pulled backwards very suddenly and quickly, then crammed into a long, narrow pipe. His head was spinning and the contents of his stomach seemed to go up to his neck. It all went on in a matter of seconds until he could feel his feet again on something solid and wet.

[The Great Sage – A Dreamcatcher Dungeon]

Hiro was standing on a wet and cold swamp. The high water in the swamp managed to sink his knees, and it was quite difficult for him to move. From that place, he could see into the distance. The sky was cloudy, but he could still get some light from there.

The place resembled an empty plain without trees. It was wide enough. When Hiro realized it, there was a giant plant sticking to the ground ten meters away in front of him. The shape of the plant spread in its very long stems. The color of the stems was green and looked juicy.

“Let’s check that one.”

Hiro trudged through the swamp with great difficulty. Luckily, the ground near the giant tree trunk was no longer watery, and he could walk normally even though his feet were still wet and dripping with water.

There was nothing that was suspicious other than the trunk of the giant plant. As Hiro approached it, he realized that he had to climb the trunk. Because it was impossible for him to get past the bottom, which was so short that it looked like it was sticking to the ground from a distance.

“Dreamcatcher, huh? What should I do with this thing?”

Hiro walked on the stem of the plant with ease because of its flat surface. It seemed it was indeed used as a pathway. He continued to walk straight after the stem of the plant until his eyes found something red that looked like it was moving very slowly, opening and closing.

A giant flower petal. The shape made Hiro remember the Rafflesia flower. After knowing his destination, Hiro ran to reach the place quickly.

“Be careful Hiro. This could be a trap,” Alice warned him. After all, she knew about the well-known insectivorous corpse flower.

However, Hiro didn’t care. His eyes remained on that place. He knew what was strange about the flower.

One, when he got closer to the flower… he could smell a very alluring fragrance, but it didn’t make his nose feel weird. Contrary to the real world, the flower should smell bad. Its scent seemed to be calling him to get closer. Two… there was only one flower in that place, and its position, if he reckoned with it, was in the middle.

“What are you going to do with that flower, Hiro?” Alice asked curiously. Hiro was already standing in front of the flower and staring at it, opening and closing the red flower crown with giant white spots.

“Dreamcatcher,” Hiro muttered to himself. “I’ll get into it,” he added confidently.

“Hah? Have you gone mad? This is clearly a trap, you will be eaten by that flower, Hiro. Don’t you know that it also uses its smell to attract its food?” Alice protested. She was already flying in front of Hiro’s face, trying to block his already desperate attempt.

“No. I know what I’m doing, Alice. You just have to wait for me here.”

Hiro pushed Spyro from in front of him, then jumped into the center of the flower, as it was almost completely closed.