Chapter 198: Growing
As Adyr’s energy body descended beside the second tree on the empty clearing, his eyes landed on the strange rooster perched silently beneath it, letting out irregular, chaotic sounds.
It was the same rooster that the Null Maggot had claimed as a host, feeding off its senses. Due to the Spark’s secondary trait, its body had undergone visible mutation. Its once-bright yellow feathers had dulled into a sickly, dark hue, and its size was nearly double that of the others.
The rest of the roosters nearby appeared normal. Evidently, the Null Maggot’s influence, restrained by the [Sanctuary] field, remained confined to the single host. That was fortunate.
Finding a suitable spot, Adyr took a shovel and dug into the soil, carving out a small pit wide enough to hold the seed and the energy crystals.
He placed the seed at the very bottom with precision, then carefully poured in 1,000 level-2 energy crystals, layering them to fully encase it. Once done, he sealed the pit with earth and stood still.
"How long does it take to mature?" he muttered, knowing it shouldn’t take long.
Less than a minute passed before the soil began to tremble faintly. Then, without warning, the change began.
A single green shoot burst through the earth, rising steadily. But this was no ordinary sapling.
Thin, translucent veins ran along its length, glowing faintly as if pulsing with inner light. As it grew, leaves unfurled like crystalline petals—sharp-edged, vibrant green, and semi-transparent, shimmering faintly as they caught the dim light. The bark formed in smooth, layered spirals, its surface appearing polished like darkened obsidian threaded with veins of emerald.
In mere seconds, the ethereal tree stood at full height. It gave off no scent, no sound—just an unnatural stillness, as if nature itself had paused to observe its presence.
Adyr didn’t move. He simply watched, eyes narrowed, absorbing every detail in silence.
"Mother Tree, huh," he murmured with meaning. According to the description, this thing was supposed to be as old as the gods who created the world, but aside from its strange and beautiful appearance, Adyr didn’t sense anything particularly supernatural.