Kumodesu

Things were starting to get a little awkward...

Uhm, hey... tree buddy, how are you doing?

In response to my greeting, it let out a roar right into my face, accompanied by a flood of slimy substances I couldn't identify.

Uhh... dude, you really should brush your teeth more often.

The tree instantly lashed its tongue at me, while several vines quickly coiled around the sword, trying to drag it away.

Hey! Stealing someone else's stuff is not okay!

"Technically, we are the ones stealing someone else's stuff."

I didn't have time to argue with the Voice of Will. I quickly dodged to the side and pulled with all my strength, trying to reclaim the sword.

Hmph! You think you're the only one who knows how to play tug-of-war!?

My Spider Silk might be weaker than its vines, but I had the advantage in numbers. Plus, it was still busy fighting those two mutated beasts.

"Let go of the sword first."

Huh???

After all the effort I went through to get it, and now you're telling me to just drop it!?

You must be out of your mind!

"Ughhh, you thoughtless idiot! What's the point in dragging this out? Right now, it's still fighting those two mutated beasts, and with us joining in, there's no way it can last. Focus all your strength on taking them all down, and that sword will be ours in the end."

...Alright, you have a point.

I decisively released the sword and quickly repositioned myself.

"Don't fight it head-on. Help the two mutated beasts instead. They've been going at it nonstop, so at this point, it's practically a fight to the death. Just let them keep doing their thing."

Good idea!

I ignored the attacks from the tree and rushed toward the two mutated beasts.

They were still locked in combat, tangled with dozens of vines. Since the tree's focus had shifted away from them, the fight raged on.

I charged in, transformed my forelegs into Drill Legs, and started slashing wildly. These weren't just for tunneling—they were also excellent weapons thanks to their incredible hardness and sharpness.

Any vine trying to block me got sliced clean through with a single blow, giving the two beasts more room to strike back.

Charge forth!

Fight for my sake!

The tree finally shifted its attention toward me, lashing out with its tongue, but that wasn't my concern. From start to finish, I was only acting as support from behind.

The battle intensified between the three mutated beasts. The buffalo spread its wings and charged forward, slamming headfirst into the tree with tremendous force.

The tree's trunk shook, but didn't fall. Instead, razor-sharp branches suddenly shot out from its body, piercing into the buffalo.

So it had that up its sleeve too...

This made close combat extremely difficult. And those beasts all fought by charging directly at their enemies—this would put them at a huge disadvantage.

This won't work!

If I had to choose, I'd rather the tree die than the mutated beasts.

Hey, me! Got any ideas?

"Calm down. Right now, I can't analyze the actions of all of them. This ability can only read one target at a time for now."

Focus on the tree.

"Mmm... If they keep fighting like this, the tree will gain the upper hand."

Didn't you say it was weakened from lack of nourishment? Then why is it fighting so fiercely?

"It's not that it's strong—it's just that the mutated beasts are somewhat countered by its abilities, plus they've been weakened by you earlier. That's the only reason it dares to fight so aggressively now."

So... it's my fault?

"Forget it. Just stick to the plan."

But what now? I can't kill it in one hit.

"That Huond over there!"

I looked around and spotted the Huond lying in a corner, seemingly paralyzed.

"Finish it off. Don't leave anything for the tree."

While no one was looking, I approached and swiftly killed it. Its soul was instantly converted into energy for the Virtual World, while its body was completely consumed by Gluttony.

Even after finishing off a mutated beast, I still didn't level up?

"Even if you did, would you really evolve here?"

Well... at the very least, leveling up would increase my stats.

"Alright, now it's your turn to join the battle directly. I'll focus on reading the tree's actions. I have a feeling it's still hiding something."

Okay!

Just watching was getting on my nerves anyway.

I picked a good spot and jumped into the fray. My role was mostly to support the other two mutated beasts.

Each time the tree attacked with its tongue, I used Heaven's Net to restrain it, creating openings for the two beasts to strike. And they quickly caught on.

The boar rammed its tusks into the tree's trunk, carving two deep holes, making the tree roar in agony. Since I was still holding down its tongue, it fell into a disadvantageous position.

Then came the buffalo's powerful kicks, slamming into the trunk repeatedly, making it sway violently. The vines kept it upright, but barely.

I wasn't free to relax either. While holding its tongue, I had to keep running as most of the vines were now targeting me.

Eventually, perhaps realizing it couldn't break free, the tree made a bold move—it used a vine to sever its own tongue.

Nai wa.

Talk about decisiveness.

It then glared at me and let out a threatening growl before launching several blobs of greenish slime my way.

"That's acid! Dodge, now!"

Ack!

I quickly leapt aside and grabbed a vine to shield myself. The vine instantly vaporized. A few acid droplets hit the ground and made it smoke and sizzle.

That's some potent stuff.

Even with [Corrosion Resistance], this is still way too strong.

Hmph, I'm not the type to take that lying down! You think you can just shoot at me as you please!?

I activated Adamantine Body and dashed at full speed, slamming into the tree with a powerful strike that made it tremble all over—just as much as the buffalo's earlier charge.

But I wasn't done yet. I followed up by thrusting my Drill Legs into the trunk repeatedly, creating countless holes.

The tree didn't sit idle either. It launched sharp branches at me, but with the Voice of Will reading its moves ahead of time, I didn't get hit once.

After dozens of exchanges, the tree was full of holes—looking like a giant piece of swiss cheese.

Then the boar let out a mighty roar.

The two tusks on its head had vanished, replaced by a single, massive horn in the center—shaped like a sword.

It charged, leaped into the air, and brought the horn down in one massive strike, slicing off a third of the tree's body.

Nice one!

It's heavily injured now.

The severed portion revealed something inside. As expected, this wasn't an ordinary tree. There was a strange creature inside it, controlling everything from within.

Exposed, it went into a rage. Suddenly, the sword it had kept by its side was swung toward us.

I didn't know how strong the attack was, but better safe than sorry—I dodged it.

But contrary to me, the buffalo saw it as a chance and charged in.

The result?

It got cleaved in half instantly.

Dead on the spot.

Nai wa.

What the hell!?

Just one swing and a mutated beast was killed!?

"It wasn't the creature's strength—it was the sword!"

What!?

"In that attack, it didn't use any skill enhancements—just its raw strength. That alone isn't enough. It was the blade's sharpness that did it."

That terrifying!?

"That proves it's an extraordinarily powerful weapon! We must get our hands on it."

No problem.

The tree kept swinging the sword wildly, but after witnessing the buffalo's fate, no one dared to try taking a hit.

Still, something that dangerous being swung around like that—combined with those annoying vines—was a death trap waiting to happen.

This time, it slashed at me, but I narrowly dodged.

Heh.

You think I'm that easy to hit?

"Watch out! Get down!"

Huh?

After missing its strike, the sword suddenly extended and curved, sweeping across the entire area in a wide arc.

Luckily, I ducked just in time.

What the hell is that!?

"As expected, the sword can change its shape."

I looked up and around. Deep slash marks had been carved into the walls.

"Here comes another one!"

Before I could even see where it was coming from, I used Flash to retreat far away. But somehow, the sword kept extending and still managed to reach me.

I lost a leg!

Damn it!

You dare slice off my leg!?

I don't care if you're a holy sword or a divine blade—you're paying for that!