Chapter 42: Tree of Origin Collapse
Traveling with Isumi, Lonis truly felt the power of the Rainbow Abyss successor.
The underground world was complex, but Isumi never got lost. And although some mechanisms were hidden, they still couldn’t escape Isumi’s gaze.
Having such a person as a companion was undoubtedly very reassuring.
And under Isumi’s guidance, the few of them arrived silently at the core of this underground ruin.
The scene that greeted Lonis’s eyes stunned her.
It was an unusually grand cylindrical cavity, estimated to be a hundred meters high and about tens of meters in diameter.
And at the very top of the cavity, a tree was growing upside down.
Its roots spread out and attached to the ceiling, while its branches and leaves forcefully stretched towards the ground.
However, unlike ordinary trees, all of its leaves were black.
An ominous aura permeated the space, making Lonis feel as if even breathing had become a difficult task.
(Is this the Tree of Origin Collapse? But something feels a little different from what Dr. O’Kali described… And were those people who were bound by the heart also supplying energy here?)
…
Lonis held her breath. There were quite a few animated armors in the cavity, guarding the surroundings.
And Dr. Marin, in his work clothes, stood on a platform high up, seemingly performing some kind of ritual:
“Ancient power, please respond to my call and open the path to the Tree Abyss for me. I will use my own blood as nourishment and my destiny to complete the rejuvenation of the Boundless Land. I will eradicate all the蛀虫 (zhu chong -蛀虫 often refers to pests or vermin but can also imply people who leech off others) in this world and clear the path for your glory.”
…
Dr. Marin, what are you trying to do?
Although Lonis was still bewildered, Eluscia seemed to have seen through something and said:
“As expected… as expected, it’s like this.”
“Master, what’s as expected…”
“Idiot, don’t you feel it? Green Grove Temple.”
“Huh?!”
“Using the power of the Tree of Origin Collapse, Marin is trying to open the path to the Green Grove Temple… We can’t hesitate any longer, we have to stop him.”
“How do we do it…”
“Stupid maid, you stay here with Dr. O’Kali. I and Isumi will act at the same time, and see if we can subdue Dr. Marin while taking care of the guards.”
Eluscia’s attack was very swift.
Before the demon race soldiers standing outside could even react, their bodies were already pierced by a lacquer-black longsword. And before the demon race soldiers in the inner ring could resist, their heads were covered by a black mist.
This was Eluscia’s ultimate technique, five-senses deprivation.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Isumi dashed forward and took out the weapon bestowed upon her by Chengche.
It was a beautifully shaped, arc-shaped long staff.
Although it looked like it was used for casting magic, Isumi used it like a halberd… The weapon, carrying the divine power of Chengche, was exceptionally sharp, easily cutting through the bodies of the animated armors as if slicing vegetables.
Because of this, even though there were many animated armors in the hall, and even a demon race officer who looked like a captain, they were all killed after only a few rounds of combat.
…
(So powerful!)
Watching Eluscia and Isumi fight was like appreciating a performance.
No wonder the power of the Rainbow Abyss was so covetable; it could almost change the landscape of this world.
…
However, although Eluscia and Isumi’s fights were clean and efficient, an unexpected event also occurred.
Eluscia’s five-senses deprivation was supposed to affect Dr. Marin as well… but Dr. Marin’s location was precisely next to the Tree of Origin Collapse.
The ball of dark light was absorbed completely by the Tree of Origin Collapse before it could even attack Dr. Marin.
…
So, Dr. Marin, with his stubble-covered face, saw this scene…
Facing Eluscia, who was like a god of death, his body trembled uncontrollably.
“H-how is this possible?”
“Dr. Marin, I think you should surrender now, shouldn’t you?”
At this moment, the black-haired girl’s temperament was so condensed, as sharp as a fierce demoness… In contrast, the disheveled Dr. Marin appeared thin and weak. If someone unaware were to arrive, they wouldn’t know who the real villain was.
However…
Facing the imminent threat, Dr. Marin laughed as if he had given up on himself:
“Haha, hahaha!!!! You foolish humans are already too late.”
“Marin, what exactly are you trying to do? Why did you take the Tree of Origin Collapse, and why did you hurt the other researchers?”
Dr. O’Kali stepped forward and questioned him sternly.
She clenched her fists tightly, as if a surge of anger had nowhere to vent.
However…
“Oh, Dr. O’Kali, you’ve come too. Don’t you already know why I stole the Tree of Origin Collapse?”
“What?”
“Stop playing dumb. You and I both know that the Boundless Land was once an incredibly dense and prosperous forest. It was human wars and biochemical weapons that completely destroyed it! And now, I will use the power of the Tree of Origin Collapse to erase all humans from here and restore the world to its original state.”
“Marin, how could you think that!!”
…
Dr. O’Kali roared, while Eluscia seized the opportunity and attacked Dr. Marin.
But Dr. Marin, as if he had expected it, retreated.
He was already on the high platform, and at this moment, he leaped off, leaving no one able to stop him.
*Patta!*
With a distance impact, Dr. Marin fell onto the pre-arranged floor, turning into a pool of bright red pulp.
“How is this possible?”
“!”
The horrific scene made even Lonis unable to bear watching.
But at the same time, a strange thing happened.
The previously calm Tree of Origin Collapse began to writhe slowly… It extended its branches and reached towards Dr. Marin’s corpse.
And then…
Both the blood and the flesh pieces were absorbed by the branches.
The crimson blood flowed along the veins of the branches, gradually surging towards the core… and the tips of the branches, which originally only had black leaves, bloomed with blood-red petals one by one.
At the same time, the dead demon race soldiers also seemed to be affected, their blood continuously gathering towards the branches and leaves, making the flowers more vibrant.
“It’s retrograde!”
Staring at this scene, Isumi gasped.
“Retrograde?”
“That’s right. In the normal biological world, plants are producers, and animals are consumers. The flow of energy always goes from nature to plants, and then to organisms. But the Tree of Origin Collapse is the exact opposite. It can devour the energy of humans and various organic matter to grow… And Marin captured those researchers also to make the Tree of Origin Collapse develop the ability to eat people.”
“!”
Plants eat people?
Hearing this, Lonis’s first feeling was absurdity.
But, just like the laws of nature…
Cycles are the true meaning of the material flow in this world, and the foundation of this world’s operation.
And Dr. Marin’s goal was to completely erase the traces of humanity in this world and restore everything to its natural state.
(So, Dr. Marin actually…)
