The One Branch of The Tree

The sky above the Forbidden Forest was torn apart by wildly moving clouds, the wind swirled into a massive vortex, and a silhouette slowly descended in the air—a winged humanoid wearing silvery-white armor with gold details on its shoulders and chest. The aura emanating from it was so heavy that my breath hitched, every instinct in my body screaming one thing:  run, immediately , now.

A notification appears.

Target identified:

Executioner Seraphiel

Affiliation: White Council

Level: unreadable

Threat: Disaster

I read the last word twice, disaster. Oh good, now the system is even starting to use new vocabulary to scare me, I looked at Nara.

“Do we have diplomatic options?”

Nara looked up at the sky.

“No.” The quickest answer in history.

Seraphiel landed slowly a few meters in front of us his feet touching the ground without a sound, large white wings folded behind his back, his face handsome too handsome. 

The handsome type that usually comes with an overconfidence in one's own greatness and a high casualty count, his eyes are a pale gold, cold and devoid of emotion. 

He looked at Cervaros's dead body, then his gaze shifted to me, a look that sent a chill down my spine. Another confession of tired popularity.

“So this is the container,” he said.

His voice was calm too calm, I raised an eyebrow.

“Can you stop calling me like an object?”

Seraphiel ignored me the rude trend continued, she raised one hand a golden magic circle appeared in the air the mana around immediately vibrated, Nara and I reflexively stepped back.

“Hand over the fragment,” he said.

I held the World Thorn Sword tighter.

"No."

Simple, classic, reliable. Seraphiel stared at me for a few seconds as if giving me a last chance, then let out a thin sigh.

“It's a shame.”

The next second he disappeared, my eyes widened quickly my instincts screamed, I raised my sword reflexively.

CLAY!

The impact hit my entire body as Seraphiel appeared right in front of me. The lightsaber in her hand pressed against my weapon, sending me flying dozens of meters, hitting a tree trunk.

BUK!

“UGHH—!”

My lungs felt empty, sore, and aching. The difference in power was absurd, I barely even saw her move. Seraphiel was gone again. Oh no! I rolled away quickly, the lightsaber hitting my spot.

BOOM.

The ground split open completely senseless, Nara thrust his dagger in from Seraphiel's blind spot blocking casually with just two fingers.

THING.

He blocked the knife attack with his fingers, which should have been illegal. Seraphiel pushed Nara away, sending a small shockwave flying. Nara was thrown backward, landing with difficulty, even he had difficulty. 

Too bad, I stood there panting, thinking quickly. There was no way to win head-on, no way. I needed tricks, not bullshit. 

Requiring protagonist privileges, I activated Root Domain full of roots all over the area moving, dozens of roots attacked Seraphiel from various directions, she stood still only the light sword spinning.

SWISH.

All roots are cut in one motion.

…

It was emotionally devastating, Seraphiel looked at me.

“Interesting toy.”

I was a little offended; it wasn't a toy, it was a skill derived from trauma. He slowly approached, very confident. His aura pressed down on the surrounding area, and I gritted my teeth.

Notifications appear small.

Warning.

Mental pressure detected.

Corruption Resistance active.

Good at least something helps, I raised my mana sword flowing new skill Corrupted Burst never tried before. 

Ideal testing time? No. 

Do I have a choice? Also no. 

I activated a skill, a greenish-black energy enveloping the World Thorn Sword. A corruption aura exploded out. Seraphiel paused for the first time, her expression slightly amused. Good, I dashed forward and slashed. Seraphiel blocked with her lightsaber.

CLANG!

The energy wave exploded Corruption and light clashed for a split second he was pushed back half a step.

HALF A STEP.

I almost cried with emotion, small progress but still progress, Seraphiel looked at my sword.

“The fragment is growing faster than predicted.”

Okay that sounds important in the context of the story, Nara shouted.

“Straight, focus!”

Okay, no celebration, Seraphiel attacked again, I blocked it, the impact was even heavier, my body almost collapsed. Damn, Corrupted Burst increased power but consumed a brutal amount of mana, I couldn't sustain it for long, I needed an exit strategy. 

Now I glance at the quest

Day 5/7

No help, thank you system. Suddenly Nara appeared beside me and whispered quickly.

“There is a way out.”

I looked at him.

“Why only now?”

"Because I just saw an opportunity."

In that case, okay.

“What's the plan?”

Nara pointed at Cervaros's dead body. I followed his finger. The monster's core was cracked, but it wasn't completely destroyed. There was still some corruption energy left. Oh, I'm starting to understand. It's dangerous, but I like it.

“Blow it up?” I whispered.

Nara nodded, a fine piece of destructive improvisation. Seraphiel attacked again, and I held back as best I could as our swords collided.

CLANG.

CLANG.

CLANG.

Every impact made my hands numb, I almost lost my grip. The difference was ridiculous, I needed a few more seconds just a few.

“Nara!” I shouted.

He was already moving towards the core of Cervaros. Seraphiel realized he was about to give chase, so I forced Root Domain out completely, all the remaining roots wrapped around his legs for half a second, enough.

“Go away,” I muttered.

Nara stabbed her dagger into the remaining unstable mana core, and the corruption reacted immediately. Oh, that looks explosive, I shouted:

"Run!"

We both ran away, Seraphiel cut the roots and turned around, too late.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

A giant corruption explosion shook the entire area, a greenish black wave swept through the forest, the ground was lifted, trees were uprooted, an aura of chaos exploded everywhere. 

Nara and I were thrown by the shockwave, my body rolled over several times, my vision was spinning, dust filled the air, my ears were ringing. 

I coughed hard, trying to get up, trying to stay alive. It was impossible. I looked towards the explosion, the area covered in black smoke, but nothing was visible. 

Seraphiel? Unknown. 

Dead? No way. 

Disturbed? Sure. 

Nara pulled my arm.

“Now!” he said firmly.

There was no argument we immediately fled deeper into the forest because it seemed my life now was: fighting cosmic forces and then escaping with a thin timing. 

After several minutes of non-stop running, we finally stopped in a rocky area far from the explosion site. Breathing heavily, my body completely exhausted, I sat down, still trembling.

"That…"

I catch my breath.

“It was a very unpleasant experience.”

Nara leaned against the rock, panting slightly as well, the first time I'd seen her truly tired. It was nice to know she was human too.

"We managed to escape," he said.

I chuckled.

“Our standards for success are very low.”

Nara almost looked like she wanted to smile, almost. The quest appeared again.

Quest progress updated.

Day 6/7

One more day, just one more day, I looked up at the night sky that was starting to descend, my body tired, my mana almost gone. 

The enemy of the elite organization, the executor is probably still alive but somehow I smile because I am still alive, still growing, still moving forward and that is enough for now.

[END CHAPTER 16]