The tree began its assault with a storm of razor-sharp leaves, raining them down on the group.

The leaves weren’t the ordinary kind that fluttered harmlessly in the wind. These were jagged, knife-like, and moved with terrifying speed, cutting through the air with a sinister hiss.

"Watch out!" Anuj yelled as the wave rushed forward like a living storm.

The group had almost no time to respond. They couldn't create a big organized barrier or even plan a coordinated defense. Their survival relied on instinct.

Dev moved swinging his trident in a circular motion. Fire burst from its three points creating a spinning wall of flames around him. The sharp leaves burned up when they touched the fire, but the wave's power made him clench his jaw as he stood firm. "Not happening," he snarled resisting with all his might.

Amrita, on the other hand, cracked her water whip in a rapid, circular motion, creating a shield of swirling liquid around herself. The leaves hissed and sizzled as they collided with the water barrier, falling harmlessly to the jungle floor. "Is it just me, or are these leaves angrier than they should be?"

Indra, standing between Dev and Amrita, couldn’t help but smirk at his luck. "I guess being in the middle has its perks!" he called out, swiping lazily at the stray leaves that managed to breach the fiery and watery defenses on either side of him. His bone sword crackled with lightning, sparking with every swing, as if taunting the jungle’s assault.

Pooja had a much tougher time. With no time to spare, she slammed her shield Astra into the ground, generating a glowing barrier just large enough to cover herself. The sharp leaves pinged off her shield with a metallic clang, but the sheer force of the wave made her dig her heels into the earth. "This is crazy!" she yelled.

Meanwhile, Anuj had launched himself into the sky, his golden wings beating furiously as he soared above the chaos. The sharp leaves sliced through the air below him, and a few stray projectiles clipped his feathers, but he stayed aloft.

His sharp eyes scanned the battlefield for the source of the attack. "Stay alert! This isn’t just random" he called out from above.

Out of nowhere, a heavy wooden whip shot from the jungle slicing the air with frightening speed and accuracy. The whip cracked down at the group making everyone respond.

Dev just managed to duck, the whip brushing his shoulder as he twisted away. "What on earth was that?" he yelled tripping backward.

Amrita twisted her body, narrowly avoiding the whip as it cracked the ground where she had stood moments before. "It’s fast!" she warned, her eyes darting to locate its origin.

Indra leaped to the side with an exaggerated roll, landing on one knee and grinning despite the chaos. "Alright, who pissed off the tree this time?"

Pooja raised her shield just as the whip came for her, the impact sending a shockwave through her arms and forcing her to stagger back. "Whatever it is, it’s strong!"

Anuj, still in the air, banked sharply to avoid the whip as it lashed upward toward him. The sudden movement nearly cost him his balance, but he recovered, shouting, "Spread out! It’s trying to bring us down!"

The group scattered, each of them dodging the whip’s relentless strikes while fending off the lingering storm of razor-sharp leaves. The jungle seemed alive, its attacks growing more coordinated with every passing second.

"This is ridiculous!" Pooja shouted, slamming her shield into the ground to block another strike.

Anuj shouted “Dev do something, Wood burns in the presence of fire”

"On it!" Dev stepped forward, his trident blazing. He slammed the weapon into the ground, creating a wall of fire around the tree.

The leaf barrage stopped as the flames surrounded the tree, but their relief was short-lived. The tree began to move, its massive form walking through the fire. The flames were absorbed into its bark, disappearing without leaving a mark.

"It can absorb elemental attacks!" Indra shouted.

"Great. That’s just perfect," Amrita muttered.

The tree suddenly changed its tactics, snapping it’s whips in erratic patterns to keep the group off balance. It lashed toward Amrita, forcing her to dive to the side, only for a flurry of sharp leaves to follow. She countered with a burst of water, scattering the leaves but leaving herself open to another attack.

"Amrita, on your left!" Anuj shouted, diving from above to intercept the whip before it could strike her. His arrow flew true, grazing the whip and momentarily diverting its path.

"Thanks!" Amrita called, quickly regaining her stance and cracking her water whip in a defensive arc.

Dev spun his trident again, creating another wall of fire to hold back the leaves. But the whip came for him next, moving too fast for him to react.

"I’ve got you!" Indra yelled, his lightning-infused sword slicing through the air. The whip recoiled as electricity coursed through it, momentarily stunning the living weapon.

"Nice one, Indra!" Dev said, stepping back to regroup.

"You know me," Indra said with a wink. "Always shocking."

The tree lunged forward, its massive branches sweeping toward them. Amrita responded with a tidal wave, forcing the tree back, while Anuj flew into the air.

"I’ll grab the herb while it’s distracted!" Anuj shouted.

Anuj darted through the air, his golden wings glinting faintly as he hovered over the clearing. His sharp eyes locked on the glowing herb nestled at the base of the tree. The air around it pulsed with a strange energy, almost daring him to come closer. Taking a deep breath, he swooped down, his flight swift and precise.

The moment his boots touched the ground near the herb, the air seemed to thrum with life. His fingers extended toward the shimmering plant, but before he could grab it, the ground beneath it shuddered violently. Thick roots erupted from the soil, twisting and writhing like living serpents. In seconds, a dome of interlocking wood grew around the herb, encasing it completely.

The dome pulsed, its bark gleaming as though mocking his attempt. The intricate pattern of the wood almost seemed alive, reinforcing itself with overlapping layers to ensure no gap or weak point was left unguarded.

"Great," Anuj muttered under his breath, stepping back quickly. "Because this wasn’t hard enough already."

The tree let out a low, guttural groan, its branches writhing as if in warning. He could feel the air growing heavier, charged with hostility. Realizing the danger of staying within its immediate range, Anuj immediately sprang back into action.

With a powerful beat of his wings, he launched himself skyward, his body moving in a sharp arc away from the tree’s reach. The glowing dome of wood, now firmly encasing the herb, almost seemed to stare at him like a silent guardian.

As he soared upward, he felt the familiar pull on his aura pool, a reminder of the time he had left to stay airborne. His wings strained against the fast flowing battle, each flap drawing from his remaining reserves. "Twenty seconds left," he thought to himself, calculating his aura limit.

Instead of circling above the tree recklessly, Anuj angled his flight to land farther away, beyond the immediate range of its massive, thrashing branches. He touched down with practiced grace, his boots skidding slightly on the damp earth as he crouched low to catch his breath. His golden wings disappeared as his sharp eyes scanned the scene.

The tree’s branches lashed in frustration, sensing its prey had escaped for the moment. The roots around the dome tightened further, as if daring anyone else to approach.

As the fight continues more and more it became apparent that it was not an easy enemy everyone started regrouping to make plans for the next attack but as they were regrouping a very sneaky branch made it’s way towards Amrita.

"Not so fast," Indra growled, charging forward with his bone sword. Electricity crackled and surged along the blade, its energy illuminating his path like a streak of lightning in the dark jungle. With a determined yell, he swung the weapon in a wide arc, the blade slicing cleanly through several of the tree’s massive branches.

Each severed limb fell to the ground with a heavy thud, the lightning leaving scorch marks across the jagged wood.

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The group froze for a brief moment, stunned by his success. Unlike their earlier elemental strikes, which the tree had absorbed with ease, Indra’s physical attack infused with electricity had actually done real damage.

"Did you see that?" Indra shouted, his usual grin replaced with a serious expression as he pointed his blade at the writhing branches. "This thing might shrug off fire and water, but it doesn’t like a good old-fashioned blade!"

From above, Anuj, who had been circling the tree for an opening, saw the same pattern. His sharp eyes locked on the tree’s damaged branches, and realization hit him like a lightning bolt. The key wasn’t pure elemental power—it was combining their specific abilities with their physical attacks to bypass the tree’s absorption abilites.

"Focus on physical strikes coated with your astras power!" Anuj yelled, his voice carrying over the chaos. He banked sharply in the air to avoid a lashing whip of wood. "Elemental attacks alone won’t work! Channel your power into your weapons!"

Indra swung his sword again, electricity crackling like a thunderstorm as he aimed for another thick branch. The lightning-infused blade carved through the wood with ease, and the tree let out a low, guttural groan that reverberated through the jungle.

The others quickly adapted to the strategy.

Amrita tightened her grip on her water whip, which coiled like a living serpent in her hand. She lashed out at one of the tree’s massive roots, channeling water into the whip but coating it like steel.

The whip sliced into the root, severing it with a sharp snap. "This thing doesn’t like blades, huh? Let’s give it more to hate!" she shouted, flicking the whip to send droplets of water glinting in the dim light.

Dev followed suit, gripping his trident tightly. Instead of releasing a burst of fire, he focused his flames into the metal prongs, causing them to glow white-hot. With a fierce roar, he drove the weapon into one of the tree’s writhing roots.

The heat and the sharp edge of the trident burned and pierced through the tough bark, forcing the root to recoil violently. "Take that, you overgrown log!" Dev shouted, yanking his trident free and stepping back to assess his work.

Pooja, ever the stalwart defender, shifted her stance, her shield glowing brighter than ever. Instead of purely defending, she braced herself and slammed the edge of her shield into one of the smaller branches whipping toward her.

The impact cracked the branch, and her shield’s glow briefly flared as it absorbed and reflected some of the tree’s retaliatory force. "It’s working!" she called, her voice steady despite the chaos. "Keep pushing!"

Above them, Anuj darted through the air, his bow drawn and ready. He focused his aura into the arrows, giving them a faint golden glow. Instead of aiming for the tree’s bark, he targeted the base of a thick branch that was reaching for Dev.

With a sharp twang, the arrow flew true, piercing through the curve where the branch met the trunk. The branch splintered and fell, narrowly missing Dev.

"Nice shot!" Dev called out, giving Anuj a appreciation before spinning his trident to deflect another incoming whip.

The tree let out another guttural groan, its movements growing more erratic and violent as the team’s coordinated attacks began to take their toll. They have fought far too long to engage in such a protected battle and the trees branches and roots are regenerating too.

The group regrouped, each member ready to unleash their strongest attacks to either win or lose!

Anuj landed lightly on the ground, his wings folding tightly against his back as he took a deep breath. His sharp golden eyes swept over his exhausted teammates—Dev’s breathing was ragged, his trident’s fire flickering weakly;

Amrita clutched her water whip tightly, her fingers trembling from overuse; Indra’s sword still crackled with faint electricity, but his stance was unsteady, his muscles stiff from the relentless battle. Pooja stood firm, her shield Astra glowing dimly, her arms tense from deflecting countless attacks.

And yet, despite the bruises, the heavy panting, and the fading glow of their auras, they all still stood. They had fought too hard, pushed too far to fall now.

Before them, the towering sentinel tree loomed— Ancient, malevolent, and boiling with rage. Its roots clutched the earth like tortured fingers, thick bark rising and falling as if it breathed, branches writhing like living serpents, and its glittering core pulsing with pure, relentless anger.

The jungle itself seemed to shudder with every tremor of the monstrous tree, the leaves rustling in anticipation of the final clash.

Anuj clenched his fists, feeling the last reserves of his aura burning within him. His body ached, his wings felt like lead, but his mind was crystal clear. This was their last chance. They had to finish this.

His voice rang through the battlefield.

"This is it. We hit it with everything we’ve got!"

He took a step forward as the wind stirred around him as if sensing the storm to come. His wings flexed slightly, the golden feathers catching the dim light of the jungle, a stark contrast to the darkness surrounding them.

Dev and Amrita exchanged a quick nod, stepping forward without hesitation. Dev gripped his trident tightly, the flames licking at its prongs growing brighter and fiercer.

With a deep growl, he summoned a fireball grenade along the tips of trident, the molten orb crackling with energy in his hand. Its heat radiated outward, causing the air around him to shimmer.

Beside him, Amrita raised her water whip, channelling her aura with precision. The whip shifted and hardened, transforming into razor-sharp water blades that gleamed like crystalline daggers in the faint light. She twirled them in her hands, the motion fluid and graceful, but with a deadly edge.

Indra stepped forward next, gripping his lightning-infused sword with both hands. The blade pulsed with raw energy, arcs of electricity crackling and dancing along its surface.

He narrowed his eyes at the massive tree, his usual grin replaced with a focused intensity. "Alright, tree," he muttered under his breath, "let’s see how you handle my thunderstorm."

Anuj took to the air once more, circling high above the battlefield. His bow was drawn, an arrow glowing faintly with aura energy nocked and ready. "Ready?" he called down to his team.

"Let’s do this!" Dev roared, his fire grenade burning like a miniature sun in his hand.

Without waiting for further instruction, Dev hurled his trident with all his might, the trident with its flaming orb streaking through the air toward the tree.

It collided with their trunk in a burst of fire and heat, the explosion echoing through the jungle like a thunderclap. The flames roared, licking up the tree’s bark and leaving charred marks in their wake.

Amrita followed immediately, lunging forward with her water blades. She danced through the battlefield with agility, her movements precise and calculated. With each swing, the razor-sharp blades sliced through the tree’s writhing branches, sending splinters and sap spraying into the air.

Indra didn’t wait for an opening. Charging forward, he let out a fierce battle cry as he raised his sword high. Lightning surged through the blade, making it glow a blinding white as he brought it down in a massive, arcing slash. The electricity struck the tree’s base, sending shockwaves rippling through its roots.

The combined attacks hit the tree with incredible force. They have manged to destroy a large amount of Trunk from their combined attack.

Its massive form shuddered violently, its branches thrashing as it let down a shriek. For a moment, it seemed as though they might have won.

But the sense of victory was short-lived, as if a switch has been pressed that shouldn’t be pressed with.

With a sound like thunder, the tree slammed its massive roots into the ground. The earth trembled beneath their feet, and a split second later, a tidal wave of dirt, rocks, and uprooted vegetation surged toward the group.

"Brace yourselves!" Pooja shouted, stepping forward and planting her shield Astra into the ground. A glowing barrier expanded outward, forming a protective dome around the team.

The earth wave crashed against the shield with immense force, the impact rattling through Pooja’s arms and legs. She gritted her teeth, pouring every ounce of her aura into holding the barrier steady. Cracks began to form along the surface of the shield as the relentless wave pushed harder and harder.

"I can’t hold it much longer!" Pooja yelled, sweat streaming down her face as the strain threatened to overwhelm her.

"Just a few more seconds!" Anuj called from above, firing arrows at the tree to distract it.

But the force was too much. With a deafening shatter, Pooja’s shield broke, and the wave hit the group like a freight train.

The impact sent them flying. Dev was thrown backward, his trident skidding out of reach as he slammed into a nearby tree. Amrita was knocked off her feet, her water blades dissipating as her aura faltered. Indra hit the ground hard, his sword sparking as it slipped from his grasp. Pooja collapsed, her shield dim and flickering as she struggled to push herself up.

From above, Anuj watched in horror as his friends lay sprawled and injured, the tree looming over them like a vengeful titan. Its branches twisted and coiled, preparing to deliver the finishing blow.

"I won’t let this happen!" Anuj shouted, his voice filled with desperation.

He dove toward the ground, his wings straining as he poured what little aura he had left into his flight. The air rushed past him as he swooped low, grabbing Dev and Amrita first. With a powerful beat of his wings, he lifted them off the ground, gritting his teeth against the weight.

"Hang on!" he yelled, his voice strained as he has pushed himself to the limit.

Circling back, he dove again, this time grabbing Indra and Pooja. The effort nearly caused him to crash, his wings faltering under the immense strain. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, his aura pool is empty and overdrawing from his body.

The tree, realizing what was happening, lashed out with its branches, trying to swat Anuj out of the air. One branch came dangerously close, but Anuj twisted sharply, narrowly avoiding the attack.

"Almost there," he muttered through gritted teeth, his vision blurring as exhaustion threatened to overtake him.

With one final burst of strength, he carried the group out of the tree’s range, landing heavily on the ground a safe distance away. He collapsed to his knees, his wings disappeared into lights behind him as he gasped for air.

The tree let out an enraged roar, its branches thrashing wildly as it sensed its prey had escaped.

"Is… everyone okay?" Anuj panted, his voice barely above a whisper. He has overdrawn his aura reserves. Every fibre of his body is tethering on the blinks of collapse.

Dev groaned, clutching his side. "Define ‘okay.’"

Pooja, still catching her breath, nodded weakly. "We’re alive… somehow. That’s what matters."

Anuj glanced back at the raging tree in the distance, its massive form writhing in frustration. He clenched his fists, his exhausted body trembling. "This isn’t over," And then he collapsed into a coma.