Chapter 147
We were walking toward the place where the Great Death Tree was.
It was better to go to the Great Death Tree first, then to the Story Merchant. Either way, before Sa Jaeheon swept up all the hidden elements, we had to secure at least one more.
‘It’s like a game of chicken, though.’
If we had more time, we could’ve approached this more safely… but we didn’t have that luxury. With time so tight, we had no choice but to take risks.
When we arrived in front of the Great Death Tree’s room, I quietly held my breath and pressed my ear against the door.
Around the Great Death Tree, there was always the sound of cutting wind. Its leaves were like blades, and even the slightest movement made them sway, so it was only natural for that sharp, ringing sound to echo.
If it were alive, it would have leaves, so we’d hear the sound. If it were dead, we wouldn’t.
If it was definitely dead, it was better to turn back instead of wasting time. Even in death, the Great Death Tree was dangerous to approach because of parasitic worms.
We couldn’t rule out the possibility that Sa Jaeheon had already come and killed it.
I quietly listened… and from inside, I heard the loud sound of clashing blades.
The sound of blades striking blades.
‘He hasn’t come yet. We have to deal with it quickly, the moment we go in.’
Killing the Great Death Tree would be difficult, so we had to get as close as possible.
It was the perfect job for Lee Hoin… but unfortunately, he currently had reduced agility due to equipping strength-related items. And there wasn’t anyone else who could use as much force as he could to fend things off.
In that case, rather than having Lee Hoin approach, it was better for him to protect the one approaching, and between Kim Taekjin and me, I was the better choice.
‘More than Kim Taekjin being slow…’
His current condition wasn’t very good. He wasn’t a physical fighter to begin with… he was the analytical type, and even he acknowledged that.
‘Even in good condition, he’d barely manage to run.’
In his current state, asking him to do it would be unreasonable.
In the end, I exhaled and turned to look at the two of them.
“There’s something inside. Lee Hoin, you take the lead, and as much as possible, sir, you stay back.”
At my words, Lee Hoin immediately took position in front of the door. He didn’t seem to have any objections to the role assignment. After all, with Kim Taekjin limping like that, going in recklessly would just get him killed.
Kim Taekjin nodded and sat down, leaning against the corridor wall.
“There’s the sound of blades. Listen… can you hear it?”
At that, Lee Hoin pressed his ear against the door.
“I hear it.”
“There’s more than one, right?”
“Yeah… sounds like more than one. I can hear blades clashing too.”
Lee Hoin listened carefully for a moment, raising a finger as if concentrating.
“There’s something… only one voice, though…”
He focused for a bit.
“It’s mumbling…”
After a long pause, Lee Hoin moved his lips as if trying to imitate what he heard.
“…Hungry?”
Hungry? He rolled the word around in his mouth for a while, then turned to me with a strange expression.
“Hey, it says it’s hungry. And it’s crying.”
From Lee Hoin’s perspective, the idea of a “monster” crying out in hunger was clearly unsettling. He frowned deeply.
The fact that it expressed hunger like a living being made it even stranger. One voice, multiple blades, and that voice crying out in hunger.
Lee Hoin stood there for a moment, unable to predict what was beyond the door.
“It might be able to communicate.”
Kim Taekjin, who had been listening, casually added.
Lee Hoin’s eyebrow twitched.
That was true. Unlike mutated creatures or Hermadion monsters, there had been cases before, like the mansion or the clown, where some could communicate.
“If it can communicate, that means it can think… and if it can think, then satisfying its desires might restore its reason.”
“Oh, right. Back at that mansion with the kid.”
I supported Kim Taekjin’s point, speaking to Lee Hoin. He needed to develop his own thinking more. When he was with Cha Hyeongseo, he came up with various strategies… but when he was with me, he tended to just follow my decisions.
It was easier that way, but that just meant I was carrying everything.
“You talked with the kid, remember? You gave it something it wanted, and it gave something back. We got quite a lot out of it. Same idea.”
That convinced Lee Hoin. After thinking for a moment, he said:
“You… the pill.”
Correct.
—
[What a true teacher. Though the disciple doesn’t know the teacher at all.]
—
Our plan was simple.
Lee Hoin would go in first, defend, and draw aggro. Then I would slip through the opening and feed the pill to the one crying out in hunger.
Through the slightly opened gap, I saw it…
A massive tree.
At the center of its trunk, a distorted face was crying and muttering.
“It’s huge.”
Lee Hoin hesitated.
“You think you can get through that? The roots and branches are filling the entire room.”
Could I get through? I’d have to try. If it came to it, I could dissolve the pill in water and throw it. Or tie it to a dagger and toss it… so long as it reaches its mouth.
It might hurt a bit, but the sane Great Death Tree wouldn’t get that angry. Its default nature was gentle and compassionate.
“We have to try. Who knows, it might grant a wish as that kid did.”
Though still uneasy, Lee Hoin carried out the plan and stepped inside first.
“Ah… ah… I’m so… so hungry… Animal-no… human… yes, human…”
As it muttered, the Great Death Tree hurled leaves at Lee Hoin.
Sharpened blade-like leaves sliced past him. He quickly rolled to the side, widening the distance from the entrance to draw its attention.
He moved further inside on purpose to draw all of its focus.
Lee Hoin deflected whip-like branches with his greatsword, moving farther away. Meanwhile, Kim Taekjin slowly stood up and spoke:
“Do you have any long-range weapons? In case something happens, I’ll provide support fire.”
A weapon Kim Taekjin could handle…
I pulled out a crossbow from Lee Hoin’s bag. It was large and heavy, making rapid fire difficult.
Which actually suited Kim Taekjin perfectly.
From the backline, in this narrow corridor, a few well-placed shots would be ideal.
High power, deliberate shots.
“Can you draw it?”
If he couldn’t pull the string, that would be the end of it.
Kim Taekjin exhaled and pulled it once. He had enough strength.
I handed it to him, checked Lee Hoin’s position, and then slowly entered.
I moved in the opposite direction from Lee Hoin to avoid entering the Great Death Tree’s line of sight.
Lee Hoin noticed my position and stopped moving, focusing entirely on deflecting attacks.
Boom!
A leaf was smashed away by his greatsword, embedding itself far off.
—
[Wow, just how much strength has he stacked to make a sound like that?]
—
He minimized movement, focusing on endurance. Perhaps frustrated that it couldn’t quite reach him, the Great Death Tree grew more aggressive.
Taking that chance, I moved closer.
“Nam Muyeong!!”
Lee Hoin shouted.
At the same time, I rolled to avoid a barrage of leaves. A massive root chased my movement, whipping through the air to ensnare me.
Whoosh!
With a violent sound.
I weaved through roots, sprinting toward my destination, before they could reach me.
Branches lashed out, trying to skewer my abdomen like spears, forcing me to hesitate.
The moment I stopped, leaves rained down, and roots lashed like whips, thicker than my own body.
“I’m… so… so hungry… I feel like I’ll die like this…”
The massive tree before me began crying miserably.
“Forgive me… I… don’t want to die yet…”
As it was said, the attacks intensified.
Perhaps realizing I was an easier target than Lee Hoin, it focused on me relentlessly.
If Lee Hoin rushed over now, we’d both end up being devoured.
So my choice… was to push forward even more.
—
[That’s suicidal.]
—
A branch surged forward, aiming to pierce straight through my abdomen.
“Nam Muyeong!! Hey!! Dodge!!!”
Even if he shouted that, there was nowhere for me to dodge.
Both sides were blocked by roots, and leaves continued flying to eliminate any blind spots.
At that moment…
Boom!
Right before it pierced me, the branch exploded apart.
By a massive bolt.
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