"Running from what?" He had seen several kinds of beasts. Most of them were similar to those on Earth, but some plants were also hostile and tried to capture them as food.

"Is a plant, but the plant is following him." She had only felt this once. It was the night when they took the base.

"The giant plant creature?" If that was the case, going out to help the person was too risky.

"No, this one is much smaller, but still pretty big, around the size of a Rock Elephant."

"Umm, is the person focused on running away?"

"Yeah, but the plant creature is keeping up with him."

He had to consider the best approach. There were a lot of creatures in the forest. They all had different levels of power. Thanks to the weapons that Nadine made, it was easier to fight. Their teamwork also improved, and they had gotten better at using their powers, but still, there were a lot of powerful beasts.

If it is strong like those Rock Elephants, then it is too risky. He remembered the day he saw it. It was just a bit bigger than a regular elephant, but its skin was so tough that four six-legged bears couldn’t scratch it. The elephant killed them on his own and then rejoined the herd.

The worst part is that he couldn’t use his power to check the skills or abilities of the enemy. After some practice, he learned that as soon as he used his power on an animal or plant, it turned hostile. Not all the creatures acted the same. Plants couldn’t move too much, and some animals only looked at him with caution, but others went on a rampage to try to kill him.

It’s been fifteen days since we arrived. The fact he has survived this long must mean he knows something or he has a good power.

"We need to check it out. I’ll go with Franco, Emily, and Rebecca. The rest stay here and defend the base."

"Hey, I'm not going? You always say that a healer and a tank are a must for unknown situations."

"That is correct, Nathan, but this could be a trap."

"Trap?"

"Sending a person to act as bait, so we leave our base unguarded. This could be a trap from another guild to attack us. That is why I need to leave you here."

"That sounds a bit paranoid, but sure, I’ll stay."

"I don’t want something to happen, but we need to act on that assumption. Now let’s go."

No one had any objections. Silas wasn’t the leader, but his advice had been proven to be very useful in the last couple of weeks. He wasn’t charismatic and he went on ramblings about gear and gaining experience as if he was in a game, but they had gotten used to it. When things were serious, they could count on him to try his best to save them.

***

"Right ahead, they’re running in this direction." Emily could sense that they were about to arrive.

"Separate and hide behind a tree. Stay far away, Rebecca. Franco and I are going to be the first ones. If I judge the monster is too strong, we retreat immediately."

"So, we’re just going to let him die? The only person we have found alive in two weeks?"

"If I judge we have a good chance, we’ll fight with him, but we can’t risk another wolf raid." That was enough to bring the severity of the reality.

Franco felt pity for the guy, but he wasn’t going to jump into the fire for him. He was still getting used to risking his life for this group. Doing that for a stranger was asking too much.

After they took positions, they only had to wait for the human and his hunter. The silence turned into a frenzy as they saw the trees collapsing in the distance. A small shadow, jumping all over the place for his dear life.

The monster behind them was nothing like they had seen before. In the last two weeks in this world, Silas had determined that the monsters here were classified into two types: beasts and plants. This was a plant, but unlike the ones that stayed still, only moving leaves trying to catch prey, this one was running.

His legs were made of roots and vines. They were connected to a giant tree trunk by some roots that emulated the form of an arm. Instead of a hand in each arm, there were dozens of roots extending, trying to catch the human. The place where the head would be was an accumulation of trees twisting together with a giant hole in the center.

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It looked strong. He wasn’t sure if they could defeat it. The stranger was bleeding. He was older, around Franco's age. He slipped from a branch and the roots almost caught him, but he used his power.

A blue aura came from his hand, and with a punch, the man sent a wave that repelled all the roots from his body. The shockwave was powerful enough to shake the trees. Then he did the same thing with his feet, creating another shockwave. He jumped high again to dodge the feet of the monster trying to crush him.

What is that power? He has mobility and attack power, and he’s using his body to generate that aura. Maybe a monk or something like that? We’re missing more power and a defensive class. He had to decide fast, and with a signal from his hand, he gave permission to help the stranger.

He and Franco jumped forward as the guy repelled more roots. When Silas tested it against plants, he learned that he could copy their abilities just like with animals. His skin turned green and bark-like, and his arms changed into roots. These were only the physical attributes. The next part was the real power, the skills of the enemy.

Silas's most powerful ability wasn’t copying powers, but the ability to understand them. It was like playing with a guide open on the side, which told you some of the abilities of the monster you were facing. Show me your skills!

[Spikes]

[Regeneration]

[Blessing of Azasie]

The information passed through his mind like a computer downloading a document. "Jump Franco, he can shoot spikes from the ground!" As he said it, the monster reacted and, without looking back, sent a barrage of spikes from the earth.

"That explains why he was staying in the trees. Agh!" He summoned his boxing gloves and jumped back into a tree. The spikes came from below and almost reached him, but a couple of hits were enough to break them.

"I’m good, it doesn’t reach high."

Silas wasn’t fast enough, but thanks to the change in his body, he slipped past the spikes and climbed a branch. "It can also regenerate health and gain power by being connected to the ground."

"You mean like touching the ground?"

"Yes, but there is nothing we can do to take him into the air."

"So, the plan is?"

"Inflict a ton of damage before he can regenerate."

"OK!"

Back to the fray, Franco jumped from the trees as the monster was still focused on the stranger and almost hit him in the side, but a wall of roots stopped the attack. It was hard. He could smash regular roots in pieces, but these were harder than rocks.

"What, people?" The man was surprised by the sudden reinforcements. The moment of distraction was short as more roots and vines tried to trap him.

From another side, Silas blocked roots with roots to give Franco an opening to retreat. I’ll have to play the part of tank here. I've regeneration in case I take a heavy hit. "Focus on damaging him fast!"

He jumped in above the monster and made a whip of vines. It crashed with force, but it barely moved the head. Immediately, some roots slapped him away and he hit a tree.

I’m not too hurt. This thing's power is in its defense. It wants to make us waste our best attacks and then regenerate. Too bad for you, I have an ace in my sleeve. He was talking about the green sword. It was at his waist, waiting for a chance to strike.

The three of them started to fight in tandem, dodging the attacks and moving between the trees, hitting the plant monster. Franco slammed his glove right on the back of the creature and made a crack.

"That should be enough to break a stone. You're tough as hell." They were making slow progress thanks to the shockwaves and the power of Franco’s attacks.

It was time to deal a decisive blow. Silas was pushed back by the vines and landed on the top of a tree. He jumped back, making sure the monster was distracted before talking to Emily. "Can you see any weak points?"

"I feel something in his chest. All the roots are connected there."

"You know what it is?"

"No, it's covered in roots like an armor."

It was enough information. He leaped in front to block another wave of vines coming for Franco. "Now come for me!" he yelled to get his attention and give the others a chance.

A punch of roots came from the left, but he blocked it. At the same time, the stranger sent another shockwave, but it was stopped by the monster’s arm. Franco moved between the opening and a punch straight into the body.

The wood shattered, sending pieces everywhere, but the body was still standing. The monster summoned more spikes and impaled Franco. His legs and arms were pierced, but he deflected the ones aimed at his body and face.

"Is that all you got!" It raised his feet to crush him, but another shockwave made him lose balance.

It was time to attack. The monster was not paying attention to Silas. He grabbed the sword and slashed the vines, stabbing right in the center of the body. The monster recoiled, like he was feeling pain. The sap came out like blood as the green sword slashed the roots like flesh. Even our best weapon is having trouble dealing damage.

He couldn’t cut all the way from side to side. The resistance of the plant had stopped his attack in the middle. The monster was about to crush him with his roots, but a shockwave and a punch protected him. They had bought him another chance.

He pushed with all his power and the sword pieced all the way to the back and then came from the side. The torso of the monster was split in two, and his body collapsed. He tasted victory for a moment before hearing the panicked voice of the man he had saved.

"Not yet, we need to destroy the core!" In that instant, a root came from the upper half of the body and stabbed him in the gut. Silas was cut in half just like he did to the monster, but instead of sap, a torrent of blood came out of him.

[Regeneration]

He managed to use the skill before dying. He went flying to the other side of the battlefield and crashed into a tree, and his body was slowly growing back his lower half, including the missing organs. "K-Kill it..." he couldn’t speak. His voice was too faint to be heard. He wanted to tell them to focus on killing before he could recover, but he saw the wound he made mending itself at great speed.

New roots and vines sprout from the body. Of course, he gains power by being in the ground, and that affects skills like regeneration. That miscalculation would prove to be a fatal mistake.