Having a body of her own was an odd concept to Sera. For so long, she had been just another part of the Spirit Tree. She could feel and perceive but never think, at least not for herself. She was the tree, and the tree was her.
Until suddenly, she awoke to fools who had the audacity to try and harm the only thing in the world she cared for. Naturally, she disposed of them.
Human screams were not foreign to Sera. The Spirit Tree had imbued her with the cumulative knowledge of countless dungeons past and suffering was never a rare commodity in such places.
Still, she appreciated the quiet atmosphere now that most of all the humans were gone. All except for one.
Sera couldn't help but chuckle as she observed the regal-looking man she had chosen to spare. His eyes were wary, darting back and forth as if expecting another attack to come. "Shouldn't you be introducing yourself, human?"
The man was caught off guard. He hesitated at first, clearly wrestling with his pride. Yet, after drawing in a deep breath, he fixed a defiant glare in her direction. "I'm Prince Leo, heir to the throne of Lizeria and firstborn son of King Regulus IV."
In response, Sera executed a graceful, albeit mocking bow. She then straightened up and offered a polite smile. "Pleasure to meet you, Prince."
"Why did you spare me?"
"Because you looked like you might know things I need."
"That's all?"
"I'll be blunt, Prince. There are questions I wish to ask you about the current state of the world. If you answer them truthfully, then I will set you free."
Prince Leo managed to stagger to his feet, assuming a posture of regal defiance. Surprisingly, a confident smirk crept across his face. "You're in no position to bargain here. I'm the crown prince of a kingdom that can field tens of thousands of soldiers and thousands more mages, I-"
His words were cut short by a sigh from Sera. With a flick of her finger, the roots wedged in the Prince's back burrowed deeper into his spine. The sudden pain sent him crashing to his knees.
The sight of Prince Leo's pain brought little pleasure to Sera. In truth, part of her wished she had spared at least one or two more humans so she'd have other options. But for now, she was stuck with the Prince, and it would be wasteful not to make full use of him.
Walking closer, Sera towered over the now pitiful figure of the Prince. "If there's one thing I do know, human, it's fear."
Sera took a step back and tapped on one of her antlers with a finger, breaking off a small chunk of it. While she held the piece in her left hand, Prince Leo, struggling through ragged gasps, managed to speak again. "Is... that... all?"
She chuckled softly, feeling the antler regrow almost immediately. If only you knew better, human, you wouldn't be struggling as much.
Sera closed her left hand into a fist and channeled her magic into the small piece. A soft glow soon emanated from her closed palm, and when she opened her hand again, three large black needles lay in her hand.
As she stepped behind the Prince, he made a desperate attempt to headbutt her. But his body was paralyzed before he could even swing his head.
Once behind him, Sera picked up one of the needles with her right hand and leaned in. "Your persistence is admirable."
The Prince's lips trembled as he mustered every ounce of his will to speak. But no words came out.
Sera positioned the needle right at the nape of the Prince's neck. She maneuvered it delicately, searching for the perfect spot to insert it. "If you're not going to be useful, then you leave me with no choice."
She plunged the needle deep into the back of the Prince's neck in one swift motion. Nearly the entire length of the black needle disappeared into his flesh. For a second, Prince Leo remained still, as if his body refused to acknowledge the intrusion.
Then, Sera took a few steps back and snapped her fingers. Immediately, the Prince let out a gut-wrenching screech, his hands frantically clawing at the spot where the needle had vanished into his skin until he collapsed to his knees.
The skin around the puncture site quickly hardened into a texture resembling tree bark. With tears carving trails down the Prince's cheeks, Sera approached him again. She watched for a moment before pulling the needle out; the entire back of the Prince's neck now turned to wood.
She stepped in front of the Prince and dangled the remaining needles before his eyes. "I have two more of these, are you going to make me use them?"
The Prince could only shake his head meekly. "I-I'll do... anything."
"Good," Sera said. She extended her hand and placed it gently on the Prince's neck where the bark-like skin had formed. She focused her energy, causing a greenish light to spread out from her palm. The light bathed the afflicted area, and before long, the bark-like texture receded and revealed the Prince's normal skin.
With the Prince's immediate suffering alleviated, Sera tossed her needles to the ground. She then stretched out her hands, invoking the roots of the Spirit Tree.
Before the Prince's eyes, the roots weaved and intertwined to form an ornate throne. It then spiraled upwards, its dark tendrils curling around one another to create a seat that was ready to embrace its mistress.
Once the throne was complete, Sera pointed to the ground directly opposite her. The roots surged from the earth in smooth lines and coalesced into a simple stool.
Sera glanced at the Prince with a cold gaze. The roots still fused to his back tugged forcefully, shoving him onto the stool.
"Here's the rule, I ask questions, you answer, understood?"
"I… understand."
"Let's start with the basics, I already know that my dungeon here is the last one that I'd still consider to be alive. But I also find it hard to believe that the mortal races would completely extinguish all dungeons due to the resources they provide."
"M-mortal races?"
"Your kind, human. Along with the beastkin, elves, dark elves, and dwarves."
Prince Leo shifted around on his stool. His legs twitched slightly while his fingers fumbled awkwardly with one another, as if trying to find solace in the repetitive motion. It was clear that he was weighing his words carefully, keen on choosing ones that would not provoke her anger.
Sera let out a soft sigh upon seeing the Prince's demeanor. "I promise you that I won't hurt you no matter what answer you give me, provided that you are honest."
"I-I don't recall exactly when. But a long time ago, an archmage shared his method of creating artificial dungeon cores to the rest of the world."
"So, it would be fair to assume that many kingdoms eventually learned how to make these so-called 'artificial cores' and replaced the original cores."
"That's correct."
"Typical."
Sera rose from her seat. With a flick of her hand, the chair fashioned from intertwining roots beneath her unraveled and slithered back into the soil. Then, she fixed her gaze on Prince Leo. "How capable are these artificial cores?"
The Prince fidgeted with his fingers. "The best ones I know can manage up to A-tier monsters, equivalent to A-rank adventurers."
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"Interesting, and I assume that cores that can produce such powerful monsters must be rare."
"Rare would be a major understatement."
"Elaborate."
"W-what I mean is that the cost of manufacturing a core that is capable of creating A-tier monsters is so expensive that it's difficult for a kingdom to have more than two or three dungeons with such cores in their territory."
"How adorable."
"Pardon?"
"It's nothing. Just a slip of the tongue."
Sera strode over to stand beside the Prince. She clasped her hands together and summoned a giant hand made out of roots that rose from the ground, cradling the limp body of a man wearing an ornate red hooded cloak.
She leaned closer to the Prince. "This adventurer I killed, who is he and how strong is he compared to others?"
Initially, the Prince stiffened at the sight "He's… Georg of the Green Dragoons, A-rank adventurer and among the best in the kingdom."
Her grip on the Prince's shoulder tightened momentarily as she let out a brief, mocking laugh. "Well then, I've heard all that I need to know for now."
The suddenness of her laughter caused the Prince to jolt slightly. "A-are you going to let me go?"
Sera placed her left hand near Prince Leo's back. "Of course, but I suggest you close your eyes, this will be painful."
The Prince looked a bit apprehensive at first. But he eventually nodded and closed his eyes. With that, Sera counted down. "In three, two—"
As she reached "one," Prince Leo winced, a sharp intake of breath hissed through his clenched teeth as the roots embedded in his back retracted, unwinding from his flesh and sinking back into the ground. While this was happening, a soft, green light emanated from Sera's left hand, working in tandem with the retraction of the roots to heal the wounds they left behind.
In a few seconds, the roots released the Prince completely and withdrew into the soil below. The wounds on his back were nonexistent as Sera's healing made quick work of them. "You can open your eyes, Prince."
Prince Leo cautiously opened his eyes. He looked surprised as he examined his body and twisted to glance behind his back that was without any wounds. Gradually, he managed to stand and turned to face Sera, "I... honestly can't believe you didn't just kill me."
"Then you can consider yourself fortunate."
The Prince cast a lingering look at the Spirit Tree before returning his gaze to Sera. "You do understand that my father will bring more forces to burn down that tree again, right?"
Sera stepped closer to the Prince. "Let him, the Spirit Tree could always use more mortal souls to feed on."
“Y-you’re a monster!”
“And you are wasting my time. Leave now, human, before I change my mind."
As the Prince sprinted as fast as he could, Sera remained where she stood and let out a slight hum. She estimated that the Prince would collapse within eight to nine seconds at most.
Yet, after approximately eleven seconds, she heard a pained scream followed by a heavy thud. Shame, I slightly miscalculated the dosage. Perhaps I should try to find more humans to practice on in the future.
Sera turned and walked towards the source of the commotion. There, she found the Prince face-planted on the ground.
The Prince's body, from his legs to his waist, had turned into wood. Even his hands had hardened, their fingers stiffening as they took on the appearance of tree branches.
Struggling against the pain, the Prince barely managed to push his upper body off the ground. "You... you lied to me!"
Sera knelt down and brought her face close to his. "I did let you go, didn't I?"
She stood and turned her back on him before beginning her walk back to the Spirit Tree. "Just be glad that the poison worked slow enough for you to experience a few seconds of freedom."
By the time she arrived back at the base of the Spirit Tree, the Prince's screams had gone quiet. Now that all the nuisances were gone, it was time to get to work.
Sera approached the Spirit Tree and pressed her antlers gently against its rough bark. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to become attuned to the pulse of the tree. It was her duty to connect with the tree, and if she couldn't even do that, there would be no reason for her to exist.
Yet, suddenly, she was forced to take a step back and breathe. A torrent of emotions rushed through the connection. Fear, anger, sadness, and so much more, each demanding her immediate attention. The onslaught of feelings made her stagger as her mind struggled to cope with the intensity.
Disjointed images rapidly flickered before Sera's eyes. She saw visions of countless other silver-leafed trees and saplings, the Spirit Tree's offspring, flourishing in hidden groves. But each one was eventually destroyed as adventurers descended upon them, removing them with axes, fire, and magic.
The emotions that came with these scenes were sharp and visceral. It was as though each dying tree was crying out to her, each one a soul lost to the relentless advance of the mortal races.
Turning to lean her back against the trunk of the Spirit Tree, Sera took a moment to collect herself and drew in deep, steadying breaths. What she was going to have to do next was almost certainly going to be painful. But no amount of pain was unbearable to her if it was for the sake of the Spirit Tree. She clasped her hands together as she steeled her resolve.
The first touch of the roots against her skin was deceptively gentle, a stark contrast to the brutal invasion that followed. They pierced her flesh and burrowed deep until they had integrated with her spine. Sera's breath hitched in her throat as she let out a strangled gasp. Her lips now tinged with dark, viscous sap.
Through blurred vision and gritted teeth, Sera focused on the space before her as the world dissolved into an interface only she could see. Please, answer me, please.
[Accessing dungeon system]
[Analyzing user]
Name: Sera
Species: Elder Dryad
Level: 300
Overall Challenge Rating: S
Access Privilege: Administrator
By now, the pain Sera felt earlier had disappeared completely as her integration with the Spirit Tree was successful. Yet, when she tried to navigate further through the system, Sera nearly lurched as pain struck her again.
System corrupted, function unavailable.
Things were much worse than she could have ever anticipated. When she tried to access another function, the same words appeared.
System corrupted, function unavailable.
As Sera delved deeper into the corrupted system, a sharp pain seized her once more. Black ichor trickled from her nose while her body trembled uncontrollably from the effort to navigate through the damaged interfaces. Each attempt to access the system's functions was met with the same pain. But eventually, she found one function that was still accessible.
System reset available.
Upon seeing this remaining function, Sera's heart sank. She exhaled a deep, resigned sigh before tentatively selecting the option, bracing herself for what was to come.
Warning: this function can only be launched by an Administrator.
Non-Administrators that attempt to use the 'System Reset' function will be terminated
Do you wish to proceed?
Sera whispered, "Yes."
Final warning: The System will reset to Rank 1 as a result of this function.
The System will delete all prior progress including experience and any other records it has prior to executing the reset.
The System will then respawn in the nearest suitable location.
Lastly, the current Administrator will be bound to the new Rank 1 System.
Are you sure that you still wish to proceed?
Hesitation briefly took hold of Sera as she considered her choices. The option to leave the Spirit Tree as it was and search for another solution flickered through her mind. But she knew that more humans would come for her soon if she didn't act. And there was no guarantee that she could find an alternative way to save the Spirit Tree in a reasonable amount of time. Hence, despite her reservations, Sera made her choice.
The ground beneath her feet trembled as her gaze swept across the collapsing interior. The walls nearby crumbled before her, unleashing clouds of dust and debris that veiled the air in a thick fog. The roots in the chamber rapidly decayed until they turned to shriveled up husks of what they once were.
A sudden weakness overtook Sera. Her limbs became limp. Her head lolled forward, unsupported by her neck, as a wave of vertigo overwhelmed her senses. Her vision blurred, the edges darkening until she could see nothing but blackness. She felt an irresistible force pulling her towards the Spirit Tree, a sensation akin to being drawn into something she couldn't escape.
Countless emotions engulfed Sera. Though pain was constant company, a strange peace touched her heart as countless visions flashed through her mind.
She saw a time when the Spirit Tree's roots and saplings had spread throughout every corner of the land. The dungeons thrived in this golden age, their entrances revered and feared by all who approached them.
It was an era when some dungeons were even transformed into places of worship, filled to the brim with offerings from those who sought the Spirit Tree's favor. A place where priests and priestesses chanted hymns calling upon blessings.
Yet, these visions soon faded away like mist evaporating in the morning sun. A sense of heaviness weighed on Sera's mind, each passing second pulling her deeper into a thick fog of unconsciousness.
Her thoughts gradually grew sluggish as her eyelids drooped. But, before she succumbed to the darkness completely, the elder dryad made a promise to herself. No matter the cost, I will bring back the fear and respect that dungeons once commanded, and with it, the rightful reverence that the Spirit Tree deserves.