The giant tree's onslaught was relentless, striking every corner of the country within seconds. People struggled to survive amidst the deadly barrage.
Souta and Kessa advanced toward the colossal tree. It had once again altered its form, sprouting numerous branches in all directions.
Kessa tirelessly demolished the branches, but their sheer number made her a sizable target. While they hindered her movements, they couldn't fully impede her progress. She pressed forward, her body undergoing a transformation.
[Monster Orb Release]!
Expanding to an even larger size than before, Kessa's scales emitted black flames and smoke that slowly ate away at the encroaching branches.
Meanwhile, Souta leapt into the air, aiming for the tree's apex. It was too risky to approach Kessa in her current state; the corrosive effects of her transformation could harm him. Better to engage from a safer distance.
With a glance at Souta, Kessa continued her assault, slamming into the giant tree with tremendous force, causing it to shudder. Shockwaves rippled outwards, dislodging countless leaves from the branches.
Bang!
The tree swayed as Kessa relentlessly pounded against it.
Meanwhile, Souta neared the top of the trunk, his gaze fixed on a greenish object resembling a teardrop perched there. Carved with a face at its center, it struck a chord of recognition within him.
"Gilaine Botano..."
Souta's grip tightened around his weapon as realization dawned.
Though the face bore resemblance to Gilaine, it wasn't her. Paente still lurked within the tree, his presence palpable.
Approaching cautiously, Souta was met with a barrage of beams aimed at him.
Swiftly evading and deflecting the beams with his weapon, Souta refrained from drawing closer to the object. Instead, he extended a finger towards it, conjuring [Black Hole].
The black hole materialized, accompanied by a potent gravitational pull, but its effect was short-lived. Before it could inflict significant damage, a cluster of branches swiftly moved to envelop and suppress it.
"So, it repels anything that approaches and possesses considerable power... But I believe I can manage," Souta muttered, his voice low. Crouching slightly, he surged forward. In response, the tree reacted, mobilizing hundreds of branches simultaneously.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
With deft movements, Souta evaded the onslaught, employing his abilities to alter the gravitational flow and project strands of webbing. Simultaneously, his seven doppelgangers emerged from the shadows, aiding in the offensive.
Opening his palm, blood coalesced to form a massive blade, crackling with energy. His form blurred as he sliced through the obstructing branches, leaving a trail of lightning in his wake.
In mere moments, he stood before the object, both swords poised to strike.
Boom!!
However, his blades halted inches away from the object, repelled by an invisible force field emanating potent energy fluctuations.
Souta took a deep breath, infusing his attack with even more force. Dark and light intertwined around his swords as lightning crackled uncontrollably.
Boom!!
An immense explosion erupted, sending Souta hurtling back hundreds of meters. As he glanced up, he beheld the teardrop-shaped object slowly unfurling, revealing a figure within.
It was Paente, but his form had undergone a transformation. Standing two and a half meters tall, his skin now resembled that of a tree, and his aura surged severalfold higher than before. His greenish eyes bore into Souta without a hint of emotion.
"Gilaine... If you're here, then Gilaine must be..." Souta began, his gaze fixed on Paente.
"Her?" Paente's head tilted slightly, as if recalling something. "Oh, she's gone. Do you know her? Hmm... That's a little unexpected. She's gone now. She was simply a product of experimentation, and her purpose has been fulfilled."
"I see... I sensed something was amiss with her from the moment she claimed a connection to the fruit," Souta remarked.
"In essence, she is the consciousness of the tree that bore the mythical-grade fruit. I bestowed upon her flesh and intelligence, so essentially, I am her creator. She's more akin to a golem than a human," Paente explained. He slowly extended his arms, casting his gaze skyward. "I am... the will of my god, the Isolated Formation God. He is undoubtedly a genius for orchestrating all of this. What lies beyond? Only the end holds the answer! It is coming! It will bring destruction to everything! It watches over me!"
His expression twisted into one of vicious madness, his aura surging ever stronger. The fruit was not his true target; it was to fuse with the tree that birthed the mythical-grade fruit and transform it. All of this had been left behind by the Isolated Formation God, part of a plan meant to be executed at this time, as the rules had been broken.
"Gilaine is gone, so I suppose I'll just have to kill you. Don't expect any mercy from me," Souta said coldly.
Paente glanced at Souta, his tone dripping with madness as he responded, "Kill me? You think you can kill me? Nothing will stop me! All of you will become the fertilizer for my growth! Everything will end! I will be the pioneer to the end! Our god foresaw it!"
"It's useless to reason with you. You will die today, and that's all that matters to me!" Souta declared before charging forward.
Gilaine's absence had caught him off guard, a detail he should have anticipated. He couldn't piece the puzzles together, feeling a twinge of regret for her—though not because she was gone, but perhaps because he had been enjoying the calm. It was a rare moment of serenity in his heart.
Boom! Boom!!
Souta and Paente exchanged lightning-fast blows in the air, each strike sending shockwaves rippling through the surroundings.
Perhaps because Souta had known her for only a few days, he lacked any emotional investment in her. It was akin to watching a stranger die—a different experience from witnessing Aina's sacrifice, which had stirred the hearts of a hundred warriors with its display of great will.
Souta leaped to the side, propelling himself with a kick through the air. His swords swung in a swift arc, but Paente easily blocked the attack. Undeterred, Souta spun around, weaving hundreds of webs with his movements. However, Paente countered by summoning hundreds of branches from his back, effortlessly dismantling the webs.
Observing Paente, Souta realized the gap in strength between them was vast. Despite this, Paente's movements were rife with openings, predictable in their frenzy. His madness seemed to consume him, driving him to spam his attacks relentlessly.
Swoosh!
Souta deftly evaded each of Paente's strikes. His mind and body now moved in perfect harmony, his energy flowing smoothly, enhancing his ability to unleash more powerful and accurate attacks. With each passing moment, he grew stronger and faster.
Bang!
Souta swung his weapon, unleashing a massive red energy blade that collided with Paente's body, triggering a colossal explosion that sent him hurtling backward.
Ugh!
Paente paused, his gaze fixed on Souta hurtling toward him.
"You bastard! There's nothing that could stop me!" he roared, his teeth clenched in madness as he began to shake. His power surged rapidly, enveloping the entire giant tree in a pulsating greenish light.
Boom!
A shockwave of energy rippled across the entire country, followed by the emergence of countless strange entities from the tree. These humanoid figures, composed of tree-like material, exuded a dense and ominous aura.
Witnessing this scene, most survivors understood the imminent threat posed by these humanoid creatures. It signaled the beginning of a battle to extinguish all life trapped within the All-Filter Barrier Formation.
"Damn it!" Adel cursed upon seeing the multitude of humanoid figures. Despite his efforts to shield ordinary people from the energy fluctuations of the battle, the sudden appearance of these beings added to the chaos.
Resembling golems driven by a single purpose—Paente Botano's will—the sheer number of these humanoid figures was overwhelming. It instilled a sense of despair in the hearts of some survivors, who felt there was no escape from the impending onslaught.
All the humanoid figures descended from the sky, poised to exterminate all in their path and convert them into fertilizer to fuel Paente's growth.
Their objectives extended beyond mere destruction, however; they also targeted the manors of the other Master Clans.
In relentless waves, they launched a ceaseless assault.
Franklin, Eztein, and Vashno fought valiantly to defend the Master Clans, aided by Li Guan and other warriors. Despite their efforts, they found themselves vastly outnumbered and overwhelmed by the relentless onslaught.
Meanwhile, in the Flaem Clan, Erkigal worked tirelessly to complete her ritual. Hono Flaem, the current Clan Leader, had regained consciousness and joined the fray, her flames wreaking havoc upon their attackers.
"What's happening, master?!" Hono demanded amidst the chaos, her flames engulfing their assailants.
"It's Paente. He's attempting to annihilate us all. Something has changed within him, altering his motives," Erkigal's voice rang out amidst the chaos. "I'm preparing something that may give those on the front lines a chance to defeat him."
"Hmm..." Hono surveyed the battlefield, her gaze lingering on the other Master Clans emitting an enigmatic light. She marveled at Erkigal's seemingly extensive knowledge of the other clans. "So, all I need to do is eliminate these unknown entities, and then you'll be able to finish your work?"
"Essentially," Erkigal affirmed.
