In the
Wood Field
, two chosen participants from major factions were present:
Fedrick
from the
Cult of Calamity
and
Deguro
from the
Dark Empire
.
Fedrick had transformed into a massive tree, enhancing his ability to attune himself to the
Wood Field’s
rule.
By this point, he had already gained a basic understanding of the rule and reached the heart of the
Wood Field
, where the treasure lay.
At the center of a cursed tree, a grotesque face with distorted features—bearing faint traces of Fedrick’s appearance—emerged.
The tree’s expansive roots moved across the forest floor with ease, blending so seamlessly with the surroundings that the guardian dryads didn’t recognize him as a threat.
Unchallenged, Fedrick approached the treasure: a seed-like object radiating an aura of life. This life force starkly contrasted the cursed energy emanating from Fedrick.
Using a branch-like tendril, Fedrick reached toward the seed.
…
Suddenly, a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, severing the tendril with a dagger. The blade didn’t stop there—it continued toward the trunk of the cursed tree, piercing the grotesque face.
The assailant was none other than
Deguro
, who had also entered the
Wood Field
.
…
Deguro had hidden himself in the shadows after grasping the
Wood Field’s
rule.
He had waited for someone to locate the treasure, knowing their focus would waver once they found it.
That moment of distraction would be his opportunity to strike.
Though he had anticipated an invader, it was Fedrick who stumbled upon the treasure.
Seeing Fedrick in his tree form, Deguro remained concealed, waiting for the perfect chance to launch a lethal strike.
When Deguro’s dagger stabbed into Fedrick’s tree form, the twisted face contorted in agony. From the wound, green liquid resembling blood began to ooze out.
Deguro, however, sensed something off. The liquid exuded an intense, cursed aura and seemed to inch toward him, as if alive.
Reacting swiftly, Deguro retreated, even abandoning his dagger. Within moments, the cursed liquid corroded the weapon completely, leaving no trace behind.
The liquid itself then vanished, as if it had never been there.
…
Deguro’s expression grew serious.
This confirmed his suspicion: none of the chosen participants in the
5 Fields
were easy opponents.
“Is this some kind of sacrificial curse from the
Cult of Calamity
?” he wondered.
Before he could dwell on it further, Fedrick reappeared—this time in his human form.
The two locked eyes. No words were exchanged, but their identities were immediately clear to each other.
Having witnessed Deguro’s stealthy attack, Fedrick realized that only someone from the
Dark Empire
, with its expertise in shadows, could manage such a feat.
…
From the spectator stands, the crowd buzzed with excitement and speculation.
“Are they going to fight?”
“I thought the
Dark Empire
specialized in necromancy. How is he so skilled with shadows too?”
“Darkness encompasses shadows as well—it makes sense.”
“This is going to be thrilling. Curses versus shadows—I can’t wait to see how it plays out!”
“This fight will be different from the others. Imora could choose to leave when she faced Yesar, but these two have no way out. One must fall for the other to succeed.”
…
The audience anticipated an epic showdown between the two combatants.
After all, Deguro had already attacked Fedrick, aiming to kill him. It seemed inevitable that they would fight to the bitter end.
…
But then, something completely unexpected happened.
Deguro spoke:
“Let’s form an alliance.”
…
What?!
The crowd was stunned.
What kind of strategy was this? First, Deguro launched a sneak attack, and now he wanted to work together? Why would Fedrick agree to such a proposal?
…
To everyone’s shock, Fedrick didn’t hesitate to accept.
The two approached the treasure together, each extending a hand toward the seed.
…
The crowd erupted with disbelief.
On closer thought, their decision made sense. If the two fought, it would only weaken both of them, leaving the treasure vulnerable to an opportunistic invader. By cooperating, they maximized their chances of survival and success.
Even so, the scene left many spectators scratching their heads.
…
Earlier, when Yesar had proposed cooperation to Imora, he had been met with nothing but hostility. Imora’s determination to kill him had been unshakable.
Now, however, Deguro and Fedrick—who had exchanged no pleasantries and even fought briefly—managed to strike an agreement without issue.
The contrast was baffling.
If Yesar were alive to witness this, one could only imagine his reaction.
…
At this stage, only three factions remained in the
5 Fields
:
Nora from
Karea Academy
Imora from
Dragonscale Bank
The newly allied Deguro and Fedrick.
…
Nora had already reached the central node of the
5 Fields
, ready to choose her next destination.
The
Metal Field
, left unattended after Garr’s withdrawal, still held its treasure.
Imora had taken the
Fire Field’s
treasure and returned to the
Earth Field
.
…
Where would Nora go next?
The crowd eagerly watched as she made her choice.
Nora selected the
Wood Field
.
…
Her decision caused an uproar among the spectators.
To them, the
Wood Field
was the worst possible choice.
Not only did it house two opponents—Deguro, who could blend into the shadows, and Fedrick, who could transform into a cursed tree—but Nora was also unaware of their alliance.
If the two chose to play dirty, one could distract Nora while the other ambushed her. In such a scenario, Nora’s defeat seemed inevitable.
“It seems Karea Academy’s journey ends here,” one spectator remarked.
Many shared the sentiment.
Nora’s earlier feats, such as her decisive victory against the
Ice Giants
, had been impressive. However, the
Wood Field
posed an entirely different challenge.
Here, she would need to first attune herself to the
Wood Field’s
rule while constantly guarding against two potential ambushers.
Worse still, Nora didn’t even know there were two enemies waiting for her.
The odds seemed overwhelmingly stacked against her.
In the
secret realm
, there was no room for regret.
Nora had entered the
Wood Field
, a stark contrast to the icy expanse of the
Water Field
she had just left.
Here, the atmosphere was much more pleasant, with towering trees stretching endlessly across an ancient forest, their canopy blocking out the sun.