episode_0007
by adminThud!!!
Crashed onto the ground.
It was slightly damp earth.
Drip.
I moved a strand and looked around.
Gray.
No, it’s misty.
The mist enveloped numerous trees, mingled with the scent of blood.
‘A Misty Forest… perhaps.’
A landfill.
A misty forest.
A place where one could easily get lost and feel like they might become monster food.
‘Shaela….’
I searched for Shaela, who fell with me.
Though dense with mist, everything was visible to my plant body. Nearby lay Shaela’s decapitated corpse.
A motionless, cooling body.
It felt uncomfortable.
We had grown somewhat close.
But she died senselessly following a clumsy act.
I sighed inwardly.
Sigh~
Meanwhile, I am gradually regaining vitality.
Because I am digesting the man I just killed in real-time.
First, I examined Alberto’s corpse.
A part of my body.
A form I created.
A doppelganger reconstructed with half plant.
I feel like I can fix it somehow.
I gathered Alberto’s upper and lower body parts together and fit them back into their original positions.
Fortunately, my intuition was correct.
After aligning the upper and lower body parts and wrapping the wounds with stems, the disconnected body began to fuse and connect as if melting into one another.
But this is not enough.
Mere attachment won’t bring about resurrection. I must breathe life into the stagnant existence.
I think I know how to do it.
Like performing CPR, I directly controlled bodily functions through connected parts.
I linked mana circuits to supply mana, provided nutrients to the withering body, and directly controlled muscles and nerves.
Surprisingly, it worked.
Because this body is a part of me.
I can control it directly from the main body.
It just requires more nutrients and mana than I anticipated.
I supplied them boldly.
As I absorbed the red-haired man, nutrients filled up rapidly.
Squelch.
Reconnecting once again.
Life returns to the flesh.
However, when I tried to shift consciousness to the body, it didn’t move properly.
Perhaps it needs time to recover.
Gush!
Doesn’t matter.
I forcibly raised the body with stems.
If I move the body directly with stems like a marionette, that should suffice.
Next target: Shaela’s corpse.
Watching the motionless figure, I borrowed Alberto’s voice.
“…Hey. Are you dead?”
The corpse remained silent.
Shaela did not respond.
I realize it anew.
She is dead.
“How foolish….”
Strange.
I feel like a fool.
I wanted an ordinary, free life, but I cannot achieve that dream.
Even being alive.
Desiring a dream.
The hurdles to grasp the desired goal are too high. The price is too steep.
To want to die.
To not want to live like this.
Not wanting to live like this.
To have a desired life.
To have a desired life.
To live unjustly.
To feel unjust….
To lack strength.
To feel powerless.
To be unable to prevent a pitiful death.
To blame oneself helplessly.
Knowing yet unable to change, succumbing to death due to repeated frustration.
To want to die is that.
At least Shaela must have felt that way.
In her wish to die lies that meaning.
“That seems foolish….”
Drip.
With stems, I picked up Shaela’s head and placed it back on her neck, in its original position.
Naturally, she did not revive.
Mourning?
Prayer?
Funeral?
I don’t know what to do.
No, I felt frustrated by myself, who seemed like sweet nourishment to Shaela.
It’s natural to absorb her, but strangely, I don’t want to do that.
Initially, you were sweet.
Now, I don’t want to consume you.
“Krrr….”
“Keet.”
A sound interrupted my contemplation.
A monstrous creature, appearing strong, was targeting us and approaching.
A beast standing on two legs like a lion’s head.
A giant bug wriggling tentacles from its back.
Roughly ten in number.
Two groups, one on each side.
In the misty forest where nothing can be seen, encountering them would mean certain death without a chance to resist.
“Seems like they’re angry… That’s good.”
It doesn’t matter to me as a plant entity.
The main stem extended greatly.
Shuwaak!!
Chyaap!!
Chiiieeek!!
“Kieee!!!!”
“Kwaaa!!!!
I summoned the white phosphorus and melted those who dared to approach. I am currently absorbing the red-haired man. Energy is abundant and overflowing.
“Kraaah!!!”
Some tried to attack in anger, but in response, I sprouted new stems. It doesn’t matter even if they avoid the stems.
Kwajik!!
Since my true form is not Alberto, whether they attack or retreat doesn’t matter.
Perceive!!
“Kiekiit!?”
I struck them down with a stem whip. However, their tough skin made it seem difficult to kill them with just brute force.
Even with Alberto’s strength, it would be impossible.
It’s fine. I possess an asymmetrical weapon that killed Alberto and the red-haired man.
Chyaap!
Chiiieeek!!!
“Kkkkiiieeek!!!!”
I melted and digested them. I repeated this process.
I wrapped Shaela’s body with stems.
Chiiieeek!!!
“Kiyaaaaah!!!!”
How many have I been digesting? More monsters gathered amidst the chaos, and it seems like I’ve already killed around 20 of them. The cycle continued—fighting, digesting monsters, sprouting more stems to kill, and repeating the process several times.
There are still over ten monsters left.
I’m starting to feel tired—not physically, but mentally.
Pishuuuu!!!-
So I released poison altogether. One swollen stem sprayed purple venom in all directions. My fluids contain various potent toxins flowing together. While not as corrosive as white phosphorus, it’s enough to pose a threat to life.
“Kurrk!!….”
“Kihuuk….”
Trembling.
Thud.
A nearby monster, unable to bear the weight, collapsed while foaming at the mouth. Other monsters realized this and scattered in fear.
Chiiieeek!!-
The finishing touch is white phosphorus. I melted and absorbed the fallen monsters. Ironically, the more I fight, the healthier and stronger I become. It takes time for complete digestion, but at least in the long run, I have a significant advantage in battles. The monsters here suited me well.
However.
“The poison is running out….”
Poison is not infinite. Since becoming a plant, I have consumed and produced numerous toxins, but fighting men and killing monsters depleted my overflowing poison.
It will take time to mix it again.
At this rate, I cannot digest quickly.
So.
Fwoosh!
I planted a stem into the ground.
Fortunately, as expected, the soil here is fertile. The vast land is rich in natural fertilizers like blood, carcasses, excrement, fallen leaves, etc. Extending roots in the wide soil to draw nutrients may be tiring, but this land will provide me with permanent nourishment.
Fupfupfupfup!
I inserted dozens of stems into the ground. Drawing some of the endless nutrients from the soil, slowly mixing white phosphorus again, I absorbed the monsters once more.
After a while, I fully regained my strength.
Yet, regaining it feels insufficient to become stronger.
Swoosh.
Continuing to absorb, I looked at Shaela’s body through Alberto’s eyes.
“Should I make a grave.”
Nutrients are sufficient. There is no need to absorb Shaela. After all, I didn’t come here to absorb her in the first place.
Ssruk~
I placed one stem in front of Shaela for observation.
Her silvery hair losing vitality. Still damp bloodstains.
And.
“…What’s this?”
A stem tightly held in her hand. The severed stem I offered for communication remains clutched even though it’s dead.
She had been holding onto it for over a week.
However, something is strange.
“Is this not part of my body?….”
Communication with the stem is not possible.
It’s not withered.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
That’s what’s odd.
Separated from me, my stem, which could move solely by will, was somehow clenched in Shaela’s hand, resisting.
This indicated something simple.
‘Independence….’
This stem has become independent from me.
It is no longer a part of my body.
Why?
For a long time?
Or is it related to Shaela?
Originally, Shaela was a deity. Something unknown to me confirmed its presence in this stem.
This is also intuition.
Intuition that greatly developed after becoming a plant.
Perhaps another sense gained as a plant.
So it seems.
As if drawn, I realized what needed to be done.
Srrrk~
Taking the main stem from Shaela’s hand, I brought it close and connected it.
Srrk.
Surprisingly, a very small stem branched off from his hand and extended into the main stem.
I feel what he desires.
I complied as intended.
Jurrk~
The separated stem merged with the end of my stem.
Thus, Shaela’s stem began to absorb mana and nutrients from me.
Srrrk.
That stem grew rapidly.
The branches that extended out began to bifurcate into several parts, enveloping Shaela’s entire body.
I do not understand what is happening.
But I did not want to stop.
A glimmer of hope.
I hoped that he would come back to life.
Jurrip……
The stem continued to absorb nutrients.
Just recovered energy, taking more nutrients than when creating Alberto.
The separated stem grew significantly, winding around and merging with Shaela, appearing to confine him.
Is this it?
The independent stem did not absorb more nutrients.
It turned into a massive elliptical entity, preserving Shaela within itself.
Think of it as a giant fruit.
Similar to Alberto’s fruit, except for being a light green color.
“A week… was it.”
When Alberto’s body was completed.
A slight hope arose.
There might be a chance for revival.
Srrk.
Thud!
Moving the main stem, I wrapped Shaela’s fruit around it and attached it behind Alberto’s body.
Thup.
Using the stem’s power, I forcibly moved the body, carrying the fruit through the misty forest.
Let’s find a place to rest first.
*
Built a home.
A rudimentary shelter made by layering stems into a cuboid shape.
The reason for building a home is simple.
The misty forest is vast.
Extending the stem upward, the edge of the forest was still not visible.
So, I built a house and rested.
There is no reason to escape anyway.
This land is abundant for me.
Whether absorbing the land’s energy or hunting monsters, I can observe Shaela’s progress while recovering.
Therefore, I placed Shaela’s fruit in a corner.
Deeply embedding the stem into the ground, absorbing nutrients.
Laying Alberto’s body down to recover.
Will settle here for a while.
*
Second day in the misty forest.
The nutrients in the soil were incredibly rich.
Already replenished over half of the energy used for Alberto and Shaela.
Also reinforced the house.
My stem can take on flat or pointed shapes, even mimicking colors and properties if desired. It can mimic any plant species.
So, I built a wooden house.
Deep brown.
Rough texture.
Exactly like a wooden house.
If a monster approaches, just moving the stems around the house can handle it.
Staying still resolves everything.
Absorbing the nutrients of the land.
Absorbing approaching monsters.
Quietly gaining strength.
A cycle of monsters dying and becoming fertilizer.
This was the best environment for me.
If needed, I can hunt myself.
Since Alberto’s body has recovered.
In terms of mobility, using the body is much more advantageous than the stem.
Moreover, there’s no need to physically attach to the body.
Alberto is a projection and part of me.
In simple terms, I can control him with just my will. With a single command, I can explore the forest, and even the separated stem can move through the projection.
Therefore.
Main stem absorbs nutrients from the ground at home.
Alberto hunts outside.
Another day has passed.
*
Misty Forest, Day 3.
A change occurred in the Shaela fruit.
Several small dark red fruits sprouted on a few stems.
The fruit bore more fruit.
“This is….”
A creature resembling a black bead tomato.
Alberto touched the fruit with his body.
Sensed it.
This is poison.
No, a curse.
A dangerous aura is felt.
It seemed like the poison was separately expelled during Shaela’s recovery process.
“Was she carrying this?”
She said she was a god and lost her power.
Perhaps this poison contributed to some extent.
Tap.
He picked the poisonous fruit and put it in his mouth.
Squirt.
Juice came out in rhythm.
Bitter and sour.
Gulp.
He swallowed it.
Although there were no rapid changes, he slowly felt his body weakening and his mana slipping out of control. If he continued to eat it, the mana circuit flowing through his body seemed likely to break down.
It’s like an evolved version of San Gongdok from a martial arts novel.
“Was she really a god?”
Shaela seems truly remarkable.
Not only was she carrying this poison, but her body was also deteriorating due to various experiments and curses, suppressed by unknown magic.
Yet she managed to control her power and ultimately dealt a fatal blow to Alberto.
It’s hard not to acknowledge.
First.
Swoosh~
He condensed the toxic substance with his fingertips and dropped it.
Even though he had a human body, he could control it as if half of it was a plant body.
Slink~
The poison seeped into the ground.
Since the house itself was the main stem, it easily absorbed the poison.
Poison is the best food for the main stem.
Each component of the poison is understood.
It seems possible to mix San Gongdok in the future. It could be useful somewhere.
He looked ahead again.
Twist and turn.
Slightly ripe, giant fruit.
Such Shaela’s fruit moved ever so slightly.
Although it had separated from me, I realized what it wanted.
“Are you hungry?”
Meow~
Tuck.
He created a fruit in his hand.
Without hesitation, he placed the fruit on top of the giant Shaela fruit.
Swoosh.
Drip!~
A small stem emerged from Shaela’s fruit and brought my fruit inside.
Still not enough.
Swoop~
As he raised his hand, several strands of stems sprang out and merged with me, sucking up nutrients and mana.
Sensed it.
Inside the fruit, Shaela’s body is healing its wounds. Unlike Alberto, it’s the real Shaela, not a plantified body.
Shaela.
Can you wake up with this?
If you wake up, what will you say?
Swish~
He stroked the fruit with the main stem.
Honestly, it’s scary.
I’m afraid it might be in vain.
When such thoughts arose, he stroked the fruit again. He just wanted to do that.
Hurry up.
Wake up.
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