The 31st Piece Overturns the Game Board

Seol’s group found themselves caught again on the second day.

'Why is it?'

Their pursuers were unnaturally fast.

Since Seol’s crows had to avoid drawing attention while serving as his eyes, they stayed at a distance that only allowed him to look at the pursuers' path and speed.

'They're much faster, although I don't know why.'

He could tell how fast they were but not why.

Due to its terrain, the tropical forest naturally limits your movements. That's why moving in a straight line was practically impossible. Twisted and chaotic were the best words to describe it.

'Did they bypass all the traps meant to slow them down?'

It seemed the pursuers had effortlessly passed through all the measures Seol had prepared to hinder them.

BOOM…

Seol guessed the reason from the vibrations traveling through the ground.

'Now I understand how they could quickly cover such a distance.'

KWAAAAK—!

A deafening roar echoed through the forest.

Monsters looking like ogres or cyclopes were leading the way, clearing the paths for the orcs.

They were the predators of the forest.

The ogres and cyclopes possessed some of the toughest hides, and their sheer strength allowed them to crush the thickest trees without any tools.

With such creatures at the forefront clearing the path, they had been steadily pursuing Seol without much obstruction.

In fact, according to the information provided by the crows, many similar groups were closing in.

'It isn't just one group… This time, there are quite a lot of them.'

They had yet to pinpoint Seol's exact location and had scattered chaotically. Still, the situation was undeniably unsettling.

Tantuinu said.

"They have chased us this far. We must face them here if we want to shake them off. If we make a mistake…'

Jamad dismissed her concern.

"There's no need to worry."

"…"

"Young dragon, you can believe in Seol. He is trustworthy."

Tantuinu sighed.

"Then, I'll believe… Mother believed in you, and you believe in him… If that's the case, I'll also believe in him."

While walking through the swamp, Seol checked the surrounding terrain.

"What are you doing…?"

"I was just confirming something."

"Confirming?"

"It will only take a moment."

After briefly knocking on various trees, Seol returned.

"They're all living trees. The opinion of taking a stand here was correct. We'll have to shake them off here."

"A fight?"

"We're going to save up our strength."

"We can shake them off while conserving our strength?"

" It will be a bit risky."

"How will you…"

BOOM… BOOM…

Seol's expression rapidly changed.

"They're coming. Prepare to run."

Crack…

Crack…

The giants that emerged, crushing trees in their path, each had a single eye.

'So it is cyclopes.'

KGRAAAAR—!

"There they are! Over here!"

BOOM… BOOM… BOOM…

Seol's group turned around and began running.

"Chase them!"

"Get them!"

Seol smirked and picked up speed.

Moving at full speed was already difficult in a terrain where your feet sank deeply into the ground, but the large pursuers struggled with even greater hindrances.

The more Seol's group fled, the deeper the orcs and cyclopes sank into the swamp.

Although the water level was manageable and there was solid ground to step on, it was clear that as soon as they exited the swamp, the distance between the two groups would quickly shrink again.

However…

'I won't let that happen…'

Seol kept running while looking at the trees around them. This was a colony of a certain kind of tree.

Usually, this place would be no different from any other swamp. However, today would be far from normal.

Whish…

As Seol glanced back, he saw a horde of monsters chasing them through the flat, central part of the swamp.

'Just bit more… Just a bit more…'

Unable to hold back any longer, a cyclops swung the club it was carrying.

Whoosh—!

Paaaf—!

The club buried itself into the swamp, obstructing the orcs' path even further.

'It's done!'

Seol snapped his fingers.

Snap—!

Whoosh—!

Koko and Kukuru appeared.

"This…"

"Get on!"

Koko and Kukuru were excellent means of transportation, but they weren't suited for swampy terrain, which was why Seol hadn’t summoned them until now.

However, now, with the straight path clear, there was no longer a reason to hold back.

"Ugh…"

"Koko! Kukuru! We must get to the other side as fast as possible!"

Krrr…

Paf—!

While Koko and Kukuru charged forward, the situation hadn’t changed dramatically. The group was still being pursued, and their location remained exposed.

Tantuinu sensed that the situation wasn't favorable.

After making up her mind, she said.

"I'm going to clear the…"

"Let's just focus on running."

"…"

* * *

Seol took out the sack he had obtained two days prior and tore it open.

As he tore it open, a few choices popped up before him.

[[Many forces are pursuing you through the swamp. How will you respond?]

…]

There was no need to look even at the options.

After all, how to deal with them had already been decided.

Pss…

Since they were running at high speed, the sack naturally began spilling its contents.

Upon seeing that they were the remnants of the Ankle Crushers, Tantuinu recalled what Seol had told her two days earlier.

- Revolting as it might be, there are those who go crazy for stuff like this. That’s why.

Bubble…

Bubble…

As the remnants touched the water, bubbles began rising.

'It's reacting…'

Two types of trees naturally grew in this swamp. This had been confirmed during a prior reconnaissance, so he had no doubt about it.

One of them was the Tear Tree.

Bubble… Bubble…

The Tear Tree began absorbing the remnants of the Ankle Crushers.

Fwoosh—!

"What…"

"Water! Water is rising!"

Only then did the Orcs begin looking around in confusion. They hadn’t noticed it when the water level was low, but they realized that the surrounding terrain was all sloped as it rose. In other words, they were trapped in a massive basin.

"Why! Why is water rising?!"

"I don't know! Run! For now, just run!"

The Tear Tree was a species that, after consuming nutrients, expelled a massive amount of water.

Nature's cycle dictates that what is consumed must also be expelled.

Normally, even Tear Trees would regulate their consumption, preventing any significant rise in water levels. However, when it was their favorite food—the remnants of the Ankle Crushers—the trees devoured them voraciously.

This caused the water level to surge rapidly.

Swoosh…

"Cough…"

"I-I can't swim!"

"Water… The water keeps rising!"

"Those who can swim, support those who cannot! Grab onto the trees! Don't get swept away!"

The once muddy ground had vanished and had been replaced by what looked like a deep, rushing river.

Such was the amount of water being released from the roots of the Tear Trees. It was as if someone had left a tap open.

While the pursuers struggled at the rising water, Seol’s group had already reached safety.

Having Koko and Kukuru increase their speed had paid off.

"Oof… Oof… That was a clever move, Seol. However… they aren't going down that easily."

Tantunuinu let out a comment mixed with disappointment. And it was true that the results had been less than what they had hoped.

About half of the enemy's forces had drowned. But the rest had clung to the trees and survived.

Moreover, the cyclopes were still stomping through the swamp, steadily advancing toward them.

"We should…"

"Not yet."

"…"

"It isn't over yet."

"What…?"

As Tantuinu looked at Seol with a bewildered expression, she turned her gaze back to the swamp.

Even as the cyclopes charged at them, Seol calmly looked at the water's edge.

Kwaaak!

The approaching cyclopes' sent shivers through her body. Although they were bigger than the ogres, their intelligence was inferior.

'The reaction should be starting at any moment now.'

The Tear Tree was undoubtedly a tree one had to be wary of. But, the Tear Trees alone wouldn't be fatal. Although they might cause trouble, death wasn't guaranteed.

Anyone capable of swimming could escape safely out of the water.

However, there was another tree living in this area.

Seol murmured.

"Don't you need to breathe, tree?"

Seol waited for the terror that the other tree would bring.

Typically, trees submerged in water would die as their roots drowned. However, the Deep Breath Tree, one of the trees that lived here, survived well in the swamps due to breathing through its trachea.

The trachea of these trees possessed an almost absurd hardness, rivaling that of minerals. However, under normal conditions, they were harmless. When the water level was low, they only needed to extend their tracheas slightly to breathe.

But when the water levels rose, the situation changed.

The Deep Breath Tree's trachea aimed to rise above the water. So in cases like this, where the water surged rapidly due to the water the Tear Tree released…

'It will extend the trachea with force.'

Their long roots would be extended above the surface.

THUD—!

Their tracheas shot up en masse from beneath the water.

"Cough…"

"What the…"

Any living being left in the water would be impaled by the trachea, leading to instant death.

It was as if flowers of death had blossomed in the swamp.

KRAAAAHHHH—!

Even cyclopes that had been pierced ended up stumbling and fell.

THUD—!

Even as their massive bodies collapsed, instead of snapping, the tracheas pierced through their hearts.

"Unbelievable…"

Now filled with tracheas, the swamp was stained red. Except for the orcs clinging to the tops of trees in terror, every other creature in the water had perished.

No one could deny how brutal the sight before them was.

"How horrific…"

Tantuinu cautiously looked at Seol. The hellish scene before them was hard to look at, even for a dragon like her.

Surely, he would regret what he had done or tremble in fear. The humans she knew were like that.

They were creatures who caused disasters beyond their control and then went into hiding.

Tantuinu worried about Seol. That's why she observed.

Humans were fragile beings who needed protection. If this event shattered his spirit, as a helper, it was her duty to help him recover it.

Her gaze eventually reached Seol's eyes.

However…

The eyes staring at the swamp were far from what she imagined.

Grin…

Seol was smiling, making a satisfied expression.

Even the troll, who her mother had sought out for help, had a similar look on his face.

"That was quite an effective method."

"Right?"

Tantuinu asked Seol with a bewildered look.

"Are you unaffected by this…?"

"Hmm?"

[You used environmental damage to get rid of a large force.]

[You have earned the special achievement 'Natural Death.']

[You have earned the special title「Environmental Protectionist」.]

After checking out the messages before him, Seol replied with a satisfied look.

"Let's move. We'll see a way forward once we reach the Underground Garden."

"…"

At that moment, Tantuinu was starting to understand why her mother, Tancreed, had guided her to these people.