Chapter 432
It was through this perspective that Ikem came to understand symbiosis.
He saw that the world thrived on mutualistic, parasitic, and commensalistic relationships. Most living things were not truly independent; they coexisted with countless unseen organisms, bound together in an eternal dance of cooperation and conflict. Just as he was in symbiosis with Bara, his power evolved, reshaping his wooden manipulation into something beyond what had ever existed. The roots and trees under his control no longer bore the ordinary hues of nature; they bled. Their bark deepened into a visceral crimson, their growth fueled by the blood they consumed. They fed on the essence of others, drawing strength from sacrifice.
Even his own body had become a living extension of this principle. His roots could detach, burrowing into foreign trees, latching onto creatures, spreading like a parasitic network of life, an extension of his will.
Through this, Ikem understood the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of symbiosis. It was not merely a static relationship—it was a constant negotiation of power, a delicate balance between dominance and dependency. It was a living consciousness beyond a singular entity.
He could hear it now—the collective whisper of all microorganisms living in harmony with their hosts. It was the silent conversation between the roots of trees and the mycorrhizal fungi that fed them. It was the unseen presence of bacteria shaping the bodies of creatures, influencing health, behavior, even evolution itself. A quiet hum of life in its purest form.
This knowledge reshaped not only his own power but his people’s understanding of life itself. Among all others, they became unparalleled in their comprehension of biological nature. Their healing surpassed that of any other, for they did not simply mend flesh—they guided life’s very process, influencing the unseen forces that dictated growth, decay, and renewal.
Through their wisdom, they even shaped a new life.
It was this mastery that led to the birth of the Hippogriff. A creature that bothers Zephyr a lot at his young age.
The creature was no natural creation—it was a manifestation of Ikem’s understanding of symbiosis and microorganisms. It had not been merely born; it had been guided into existence. The melding of species, the reshaping of genetic destiny, the influence of unseen life—this was the power Ikem had come to wield.
And in this, he had found his answer.
He was not a god of nature. He was the god of the unseen, of interwoven existence, of the endless dance of life feeding upon life.