The forest seemed to breathe, its trees whispering in unheard voices as leaves shifted without wind. The air felt thick, as though charged with an energy that hovered in silent anticipation.
Yun Jin followed the retreating vines deeper into the dungeon, his boots sinking into moss-covered ground. A faint, eerie glow from bioluminescent fungi traced twisted tree bark, casting elongated, dancing shadows. Behind him lay the remains of the Treant, all its former might reduced to lifeless wood.
Then, a presence emerged—she did not so much step into view as simply come into being. Her body rose from the gnarled bark of a massive tree, as if part of it all along, flowing like liquid wood. Lithe and elegant, her form shimmered with bark and green, shifting with an uncanny grace.
Golden eyes slowly blinked open, vines coiling around her like living garments.
[Dryad LV.15]
Yun Jin tightened his grip on his sword, gaze set on the figure who stood as though she had always been there. “So you’re the one pulling the strings,” he said, voice calm but edged with resolve.
She offered no reply. Instead, she inclined her head slightly, those glowing eyes holding neither anger nor fear, only a trace of quiet amusement. Not beast, not warrior—something else entirely. She regarded him the way a cat might watch an insect, intrigued yet indifferent, as if she already knew how this would end.
Then, she hummed—or something like it. It was less a sound than a subtle vibration in the air, a soft push against his senses. A moment later, he felt movement beneath his feet. Thin, near-invisible tendrils threaded through the earth, linking roots and vines into a single, pulsing network. It was no mere forest, but an extension of her will. Every tree, vine, and blade of grass moved at her command.
This wasn’t just a fight. It was a hunt.
Still, Yun Jin stood firm, breath steady, battle-gleam in his eyes. A single intention crystallized in his mind.
Cut her down.
[Activated Mana Eyes.]
The world sharpened. Rather than trees and foliage, he saw lines of mana—the dense web pulsing beneath the surface. At the center of this network flickered a golden glow, beating like a heart.
Found you!
He lunged.
Light Blade Sovereign Style: First Form – Arc Lightning.
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In a blur of motion, his blade cut toward that glow with pinpoint accuracy. Yet his strike met nothing but empty air. The Dryad had not even moved—her core simply vanished and reappeared deeper within another tree.
She can move it?!
His momentary confusion drew a soft laugh echoing through the trees, cool and amused. Then the forest responded. Vines lashed at him from every angle, forming a tightening net.
Instinct took over.
Light Blade Sovereign Style: Fourth Form – Gale Rend.
Yun Jin twisted mid-step, sword carving a clean arc that unleashed a storm of cutting wind. The vines shredded and fell around him in a tangle of withering fragments. For a moment, he stood free, though the exertion weighed on his limbs, breath growing unsteady. The Dryad, unhurried, was already shaping her next move.
A swirl of golden spores bloomed in spirals, drifting toward him with ominous grace. Yun Jin’s senses screamed a warning; he leapt back, evading the thickest part of the cloud. Yet a brush of the mist settled on his skin, seeping in with a dulling heaviness that tugged at his awareness. It wasn’t pain. It was worse—a creeping lethargy that urged him to sleep.
Not good.
He forced Qi through his body, expelling what he could of the invasive toxin. His vision cleared a little, but his limbs still felt sluggish. The Dryad pressed her advantage. Vines slithered from every direction, each attack precise, calculated. With [Aura Blade], he severed one aiming for his leg, but two more came in its place. She was unrelenting.
His boots struck the earth, only for the ground to shift beneath him like a living thing. A trap. There was no stable footing to be found, and the vines were already closing in.
Gale Rend!
He spun once more, sword releasing a whirling burst of Qi. Severed plant matter flew in all directions, and the sudden silence that followed left him staggering, chest heaving, energy draining fast. Still, a smile flickered across his lips, bright despite the fatigue. Even with exhaustion sinking into his bones, he exuded a reckless thrill.
He raised his sword again, the edge alive with razor-thin Qi.
[Aura Blade.]
The Dryad sensed it too. Her vines quivered, weaving a barrier between Yun Jin and the faint glow of her true core. She would never let him get close. But he pushed forward regardless, Qi crackling under his skin.
Light Blade Sovereign Style: First Form – Arc Lightning!
He exploded into motion. Every root and vine whipped out to stop him, but he ducked and cut through, sidestepping by the barest margins. He made it within a sword’s length of that golden light—only to be jerked to a halt. Dozens of vines coiled around his limbs, dragging him down mere inches from his target.
A final snap pinned him. In an instant, the vines began siphoning his Qi, his grip on the sword weakening. He gave a faint, breathless chuckle at the realization of his limits. His lips moved, but the words—silent—were not for the Dryad.
She tilted her head in brief confusion. Something behind her had caught her attention.
The air shifted, hot and dry. A low rumble sounded in the distance, resonating with primal force.
A voice rang out:
“FIREBALL!!”
