Chapter 238 Arboreus Nihil—The Root of Despair (2)
The silence enveloping the Forest Labyrinth felt too profound, too serene to be considered a victory. Fitran and Rinoa walked only a few meters from the body of Arboreus Nihil, which now appeared as an ordinary tree—dead and lifeless. Yet, in an instant, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble, as if the heart of the forest was awakened again, beating in a dark and threatening rhythm.
Fitran suddenly stopped. Slowly, he turned around, his eyes wide with a sharp fear piercing into his chest.
"What is this—" Rinoa began to ask, but the booming roar quickly drowned out her question before she could finish.
From the seemingly dying body of Arboreus, a sinister dark green energy surged from all corners of the Forest Labyrinth. The roots that had previously been immobile now crawled rapidly, rushing towards the center of the forest, filling Arboreus with despairing energy borrowed from every corner, as if siphoning the life from the fertile ground, majestic trees, and even the bright sky.
In the blink of an eye, the previously lifeless tree rose again, growing larger and more terrifying than before. Now it towered over twenty-five meters high; its dark trunk became more pronounced, while its branches, resembling human hands, swayed wildly, forming a sharp and cruel crown at the top.
Arboreus Nihil was reborn—stronger, more desperate, and far more invincible than ever before.
Fitran stood frozen, his sword trembling in his grip, as if sensing the fear that dominated him. "It can't be... how is it possible—"
The voice of Arboreus echoed through the air, like a thunderclap piercing directly into their minds, shattering the tense silence of the night.
"You think it's that simple, Fitran? You were never truly victorious here."