257. Tree Blight
Year 257 Part 2
Thirteen years till Impact
Liberated hero? I asked as Colette exited from the soul forge. What in the world-
I have gained control of my class, and no longer will it inject with its whims and desires.
How? What-
She smiled. I actually dont know. But I rember my family, and I rember a lot of love from everyone. I had a great, incredible dream, Aeon. A dream of a lot of suffering, but always a lot of care, and affection. And I rember that I desired to rember all those who cared for , and really desired to return that care to those around . Then when I felt the hero class return- all I did was push that desire towards it.
She walked to Rohana, who looked at her mummy. Mommy, did you find it?
Colette squatted down, pulled her child for a hug, and nodded. Yes. Yes I did.
Can I look at it? I spoke to the hero directly. Again?
Later. I want to spend so ti with my family.
Prabu wasnt sure what to make of it. He looked at her partner, unsure. So all he did was wait. She carried her daughter, and looked at him with a smile. When you are ready, you should ask Aeon for it too. It feels- It feels like I no longer forgot our childhood.
Rohana, the young child, rely tugged her mothers hand. Does it make you stronger, mommy?
Not really. But, I feel like I see things clearer. As if a veil was lifted.
Thats good, mommy. Can we go eat sothing now?
***
Ken stewed at the revelation that it was possible to escape the control of the gods, while still retaining the hero class. He imdiately looked at Sneks hero class.
Do you think theres a way to turn your hero class into that? Whatever that was?
-do I look like I know? Snek answered. Our knowledge of the Soul never got to that point. Hell, the mont we got a hero class, were frankly in uncharted waters!
Ken frowned. I still kick myself for falling for your scam.
It was a mutually beneficial arrangent. As far as I could rember, you wanted to get rid of it, at almost any cost.
-fair.
Honestly, no one knows, and I wasnt even sure whether I could replicate it. That last part, where her soul itself heated her hero class, as if purifying it- I was sure that it ca from her, and had nothing to do with . I rely facilitated the mont, enabled the circumstances where she could then make it happen.
It was sothing within her that gave her the strength to change the hero class, and the heroes themselves wanted it.
But I could try.
Modifying hero classes was certainly not out of the picture.
***
Ti was ticking. The demon cot was thirteen years away from impact on Treeho, and three more years till the next interplanar intersection with Lavaworld.
Ti.
I had all the ti in the world, and none at all. The heroes were not willing to go on a suicide mission on the demons cot.
Not with the torrents of demonic mana flooding my tree. As much as I hated to admit it, the demons were learning and adapting to my thods, and trapping in a heavy dose of demonic mana was way more effective than I liked.
So, I focused on my experints with the demonic mana, demonic trees and demonic beetles. The demons clearly had not adapted to my ability to use demonic mana, and I reckon that once they know I could use demonic mana, they would adapt accordingly.
After countless more experints with my demonic beetles, I was finally comfortable enough to test one out. I still retained control of the demonic beetles, my hold on them through the demonic mana was unaffected by how they moved.
I wondered, briefly, about the nature of demonic mana, and its corruptive abilities, and thought about my choice so many decades ago.
When I chose Tree of Life, instead of Crown of Magic. Could Crown of Magic absorb demonic mana with none of its drawbacks? I wondered briefly whether the Crown of Magic wouldve solved the demon cot issue easily, due to its natural mastery of magic.
Ah. I quickly snapped myself out of my contemplation, and focused back to my demonic beetles. I could control them, but I couldnt see through them. My next problem was I needed the ans to remain in contact with the scouting demon beetle as it explores the demons cot, so I tested more variants of demonic plants and trees, just in case I needed them to explore the demons cot and expand my beetles range of operations.
It was frustrating that the demon cots rivers of mana continued to focus on my Clones location. I had hoped that they would sohow realign themselves back to their original nodes, then I could use that opportunity to expand outwards, in so manner that wouldnt rouse the attention of the core.
Now, with the swirling rivers of mana, it was dangerous even for the heroes, and the constant harassnt from the demonic creatures never quite ended. Despite destroying so many of these demons, I have not gained a single level.
My demonic beetles were now ready, and I sent them to Lavaworld to experint on them.
Amazingly, the demons of the Lavaworld did not imdiately attack my demonic beetles.
No-
Not just that-
The demons on Lavaworld were oblivious to it.
It was an incredible sensation. It was one thing to be invisible, but another to be visible but clearly ignored. With this, I imdiately worked on more demonic beetle variants, and then sent my first one through to the Demons Cot.
Unlike the other demonic controlled worlds, the beetles would need to dig, and I wondered whether I could create a titan filled with demonic mana.
A digging demonic titan. It didnt take long for to discover that I could-
[Conditions fulfilled. Depth Worm Variants unlocked. Demonic Depth Worm Titan is now available. Starts with high endurance, extensive digging abilities and extensive earth sense. Will also share vision and image].
Its been a long ti since I felt like this, but thank you, System, for coming in clutch and supplying with exactly what I need. Still, this was a Titan Fra, and it was a fairly limited resource, even if it could be recycled. So, I decided to first try out digging with my roots.
Anyway, back on the Demons Cot, I sent my beetle, fresh from Lavaworlds success, and right into the rivers of demonic mana.
My beetle stepped through invisible line that separated my domain and the rivers of mana outside-
I thought it was going to explode and splatter into goo like the rest of the beetles, but watching my demonic beetle step into the sea of demonic mana unhard was highly, highly amusing.
My confidence replenished, I began to pump in demonic mana from my small farm of demonic trees and spawned them as demonic trees in the area around . These trees and beetles are almost 99% demonic in its structure, and once more, I watched in incredibly surprise how the demonic mana just moved around of my trees, and leaving them unhard.
The incredibly obvious question thus popped up.
Lumoof, imagine a demonic warrior. Do you think theyll be immune to demons attacks?
Aeon, I would have absolutely no confidence-
No- Imagine a demonic suit of armor. If an outer structure made of demonic matter-
Like a Golem Armor?
Yes!
Lumoof frowned, but then nodded. It could work.
I wasnt sure how long before the Demons Cot would pick up that the presence of other demonic mana is unnatural, so I needed to work fast. I quickly spawned more demonic trees to expand my range, even as all this demonic mana moved about around .
Perhaps the rivers of demonic mana itself have no ability to tell friend from foe, because it was unreal to watch the huge demonic creatures spawned by the demonic mana just ignore my demonic trees as if it was just the background.
It makes think that these demonic creatures are just programd to attack anything that doesnt feel or emit demonic energy.
With demonic roots, I dug deeper into the demons cot.
I was finally making progress again. It was slow, but it was great to escape my cage of demonic mana.
My demonic trees and roots dug deeper into the demons cot. The rivers of mana was not everywhere, and once the roots reached parts of the cot where there wasnt any river of demonic mana, we could act with much more freedom.
***
Stella regained access to the anti-magic sandworld, and one of the alternatives we wanted to consider was to use massive quantities of anti-mana gems to break free. Weve been building up more anti-magic mana crystals, and trying to use them to shatter the daemolite.
Were also trying to find a good, easy, convenient way to destroy daemolite, since the entire Cot was pretty much so kind of daemolite. My labs on Treeho were heavily experinting on their structure, and eventually it was Ednas [Quest] ability that ca to the rescue.
She erged from her quest with a black hamr. Well, this is a [crystal crusher]. It should help the physical warriors destroy the crystals and allow us to dig. Ill keep trying for other type of quest rewards.
Which then led to the next project that I ran with utmost urgency.
My Valthorns assembled a large group of master crafters and golem makers, and sent them over the Lavaworld. We need operational demonic lattice armor able to deceive the demon cots demons.
There were two real approaches. One, where we created a golem fra, and then placed demonic matter around it, and Two, where the crafters and golem-makers created a golem entirely out of demonic structure, growing it bit by bit.
The crafters were already aware of the existence of the Cot, but working on demonic matter was an entirely different league.
But we had no choice.
***
The heroes had one big question. Was there a big difference in the power of the [Liberated Hero]?
Not much- and it seems I am no longer blessed by the gods. Colette said after a short trial. The power didnt increase. -But its worth it.
But, not increasing in power ignored the fact that the heros power experienced decay over ti. The power of the [hero] class was strongest right before they fought their demon king, and after their first demon king, it has been observed that so of their skills and abilities were downgraded to a lower version.
With the [Liberated hero], there was none of that. No decay, no future weakness. Their strength was preserved, and they could act freely.
I hope so of you will join . She said with certainty, and the other heroes rely stared, puzzled. Even her partner, Prabu, rely frowned.
I reviewed the data from the incident, of how Colette broke free, and realized that her own soul must want it. Based on what I know, its likely that if the heros soul wasnt strong enough, the [hero] classs hold on their mind may actually be enhanced. The very act of pushing against the hero class drained the soul of its energy, so if it didnt have enough, it could be a mistake.
I quickly clarified the risks of attempting similar acts, and also explained that there were already trendous cracks in her soul before she broke free.
I would hesitate trying it again, until your souls reveal similar characteristics as Colette. I said. In fact, my gut feeling told that the hero themselves must have conviction, and a desire for it.
I also dont know the consequences of a [liberated hero]. Does it affect how future heroes are summoned?
Do we still receive fragnts?
***
Magical research focusing on the destruction of the Cot was in full swing, and by now, rumors of an impending disaster leaked out to the wider society.
After all, Valthorns would tell their families of the Cot, as ans of convincing them to make the move to Tropicsworld. So of these families would speak of it to their friends. The rumors spread, and as ti ticked, the nobility were first to panic. So of them sent emissaries, demanding details of the rumors.
Knowledge of the other worlds were common, now. Everyone knows we have access to other worlds, and so the fact that there was a Cot coming our way didnt seem farfetched.
Most didnt know the details, of course. So thought it was just a super-demon-king, so thought the planet itself was cracking. So thought it was just all the water on Treeho was evaporating.
It was hilarious and sad to watch how stories mutated as it passed on.
But ultimately, emissaries began to visit Freshka in droves, demanding truth. My own diplomats initially tried their best to delay it, by denying the truth.
I felt conflicted, as my diplomats and leaders denied the truth despite the evidence. Our official stance was this is a military preparation for the coming demon king.
I was a liar. We were all liars.
But it wouldnt help my cause. No. I would expect resources will be needed just to satisfy their demands. In fact, so would demand to be sent over first. Panicking would not help and would lead to misaligned use of resources and ti.
***
The way to the demon world is opening in about two years. Maybe less.
Threeworlds would face the next demon king in another two years. The last ti we fought a demon king in their world was Year 238, and their world faced a demon king every fifteen to twenty years.
Stella and Khefri pointed to a location on Threeworlds. The Centaur lands. Khefri rely cursed. Theyve gotten hit hard, and now theyre getting hit again.
There are tis when I feel rich. When I feel we have enough resources to pursue anything we want to.
Then there are tis like this, where I have not done enough for the Demons Cot, and I still need to dig into my reserves to resolve a demon king on Threeworlds. The heroes would be there.
They have to be.
We would need to properly rig the place for war.
***
Ridiculous. Lumoof cursed as he heard the emissary. Absolutely ridiculous. The dwarves of Mountainworld demanded us to reconstruct their capital, and move the structures back.
The heroes, in their grief, were in no shape to imdiately start work. Matters such as moving the dwarven city buildings back to their original location? Low priority. Colette and Prabu, the two mages, dragged their feet, because that location still reminded them too much about Hafizs death.
Lumoof slamd the table. This is very unreasonable of the dwarven king.
The dwarves had initially blad the heroes for their capitals fall. Now, their discontent towards their new living conditions, despite our attempts to assist, were aid at us. The Dwarven King was not wise. It was sothing I know, but I suppose, it wasnt important before. But now, the dwarven king, unable to do much to improve things, aid that anger at us.
I have sympathy for those who lost their hos.
But if they declare war against us, that would be unreasonable. Reconstruction from a disaster, where reasonable, was already ongoing.
Full restoration was not.
What ensued was gutter politics. The dwarves sent letters to neighboring kingdoms, accusing us of deliberately destroying their capital. My spies intercepted them, and sent letters of our own. Most kingdoms were aware of our neutrality, and the nobility, privy to a wider range of news, were mostly on my side.
But the dwarves were quite good at riling up the masses. Their rapport with the common folk was good.
Politics and public relations sapped resources and manpower. It was tiring, trying to deal with a Cot, while these gnawing things ca my way, both on Treeho and Mountainworld.
But I swallowed my frustrations, for now.
I will deal with them. Later.
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