Spores.
Leo had read about plants that use airborne toxins to weaken their prey, but experiencing it firsthand was another matter entirely—especially from an Evolved Rank plant.
His movements became sluggish, his thoughts slower. His grip on Nightshade faltered for just a second.
And that second nearly cost him.
A massive root, thicker than his own torso, surged toward him. In his dazed state, he barely managed to twist his body, but it still clipped his side, sending him flying through the air.
Leo crashed into the ground hard, the impact forcing the breath from his lungs. He rolled, gritting his teeth as pain radiated from his ribs.
He forced himself up, shaking his head, trying to clear the fogginess from his mind. His vision was still blurry, but he couldn’t afford to stay down. He had to move.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small cloth he had prepared earlier. He tied it around his nose and mouth, hoping it would filter out some of the spores.
"Alright. Change of approach."
He was aware that rushing in blindly won’t work. The tree’s defenses, its roots, were too fast, too adaptive. He needed to find a weakness.
His eyes darted toward the massive trunk, noting the thicker, darker knots in the bark. That had to be its core, its weak point.
If he could land a solid hit there, he might be able to deal serious damage.
Leo was thinking of how to proceed with his plan when he felt a deep rumble vibrate through the ground as the tree shifted, its very presence becoming more oppressive.
Then, without warning, the entire area beneath him sank.
Leo’s eyes widened as the ground turned into a swirling pit of loose dirt—quicksand.
The tree was actively manipulating its terrain, trying to drag him down and immobilize him.
He kicked off the ground, launching himself forward just as the earth below him collapsed into a pit.
That was too close.
He had no choice but to go on the offensive.
Leo’s instincts screamed at him as he barely escaped the sinking ground beneath his feet.
The earth had turned to a roiling pit of loose dirt, threatening to drag him under. He had fought countless monsters by now, but none of them had ever been able to control the terrain.
He landed hard, his boots skidding against the cracked, lifeless earth just beyond the pit.
Sweat dripped down his brow, his lungs burning from the residual spores still clinging to the air.
Then, the tree shifted again.
A deep, guttural creaking sound echoed through the dead zone, reverberating in his bones.
The golden mist thickened, as it began to swirl in hypnotic patterns as new roots burst from the ground, faster than before.
Leo barely had time to react before one of the thickest roots yet shot toward him like a battering ram.
He twisted, throwing himself to the side, but it still clipped his shoulder, sending him tumbling across the cracked soil.
Pain flared through his body as he hit the ground, rolling to a stop near the edge of another pitfall.
He groaned, pushing himself to his feet. His vision swam for a second, the neurotoxin still lingering in his system. His limbs felt sluggish and his breaths came in shallow.
He was running out of time.
"This thing… isn’t just strong. It’s intelligent," he muttered, tightening his grip on Nightshade.
He knew that this wasn’t going to be a battle of brute force as he initially thought. He could see that the tree was adapting, reacting to his every move. He knew that he couldn’t rely on sheer strength alone. He had to think. And fast.
Unfortunately for him, another wave of twisting vines lashed out from all directions, towards him.
Leo dodged left, cutting through one tendril midair. The severed limb exploded into a spray of acidic sap, sizzling as it hit the ground.
His heart pounded. If that had landed on him…
Another root came from below, trying to wrap around his leg. He stomped down, breaking free just before it could fully tighten.
A dozen more vines shot toward him, and Leo knew he couldn’t avoid them all.
So he didn’t try.
Instead, he activated [Seismic Stomp].
With a sharp exhale, he slammed his foot into the ground, sending a shockwave rippling outward.
The sheer force shattered the encroaching roots, breaking them apart before they could fully reach him.
The ground trembled, cracks spreading outward. Dust and debris flew into the air as several of the tree’s limbs recoiled.
But the attack didn’t stop the monster.
If anything, it seems to have made it even angrier.
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A deep, groaning sound resonated from the tree’s core, and suddenly, a massive trunk-like limb shot toward him from above.
Leo’s eyes widened.
It was too big to dodge.
With no other option, he raised Nightshade and swung with all his might.
The moment his blade connected with the massive root, a deafening crack split the air.
The force of the impact sent a powerful shockwave through Leo’s arms, nearly rattling the sword from his grip.
The root split… but didn’t sever completely.
Instead, it pulsed, the gash leaking a thick, golden sap that reeked of rot.
Then, to his horror, the wounded limb regenerated almost instantly.
Leo’s stomach dropped.
"Of course it has regeneration," he muttered under his breath.
The tree let out another groan, and before he could react, the root he had just cut slammed into him with full force.
The world blurred as he was sent flying backward.
He crashed hard into the ground, rolling several times before coming to a stop. His ribs ached. His arms felt like they were on fire.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
He had barely gotten back to his feet when the ground beneath him caved in again.
This time, he couldn’t escape.
The earth swallowed his legs up to his knees, locking him in place.
His heart pounded as he struggled, but the more he moved, the deeper he sank. The soil hardened around him, trapping him completely.