Becoming a Monster

Chapter 226: Chapter 226: Should of Made the Choice Faster

Noah’s ability fully showcased the saying of ’the best offense makes the best defense.’

The spider legs either cut through or intercepted any approaching roots, while his spider webs acted as the last defense. Whatever the spider legs weren’t able to neutralize, the webs were there to halt the attack’s momentum, its threads tightening and lashing out with its blade-like tendrils, slicing into them with their numbers.

The battlefield became a chaotic clutter as the sound of Noah’s standoff with countless roots proceeded to relentlessly assault him. They struck from every angle, every take wasn’t made with the same pattern as before as the coordination of the tree’s roots constantly changed in both aggression and tempo periodically.

The tree was growing more fearful with each moment that passed, but it’s resolve was still set on standing its ground. Despite numerous of its roots being cut into pieces, the plethora of roots that were spread out through the forest made the potential loss of her current roots just a drop in a bucket for it. Not to mention that as long as the roots were fully cut off from the base of their source. As long as she was connected to the forest while continuously drawing in the natures energy, the damaged roots would eventually grow back, making the current loss in exchange for potentially killing or driving away Noah a calculated risk the tree was willing to take.

There wasn’t any sign of Noah growing tired, nor had the consistency of his attacks changed in any way. The tree had every reason to feel that it was on the losing end in this exchange. However, there was ’one’ glaring sight that the tree had eventually picked up on, one that gave it the boost it needed to persist in the drawn out interaction. Noah had yet to approach it the moment it began its waves of attacks, from its own perspective, that meant that its attacks were succeeding. Noah may be able to ward off its attacks, but his lack of movement also indicated that the attempt to do so was a feat that he needed to concentrate on in order to achieve. At least, that was the tree’s initial thoughts.

All this time, Noah was in the midst of his thoughts as the roots attacked, his defense lacked any conscious effort from himself, giving him the leeway to be distracted. His thoughts centered on the tree’s capabilities and potential utility. What he wanted was to be able to tame the tree, a feat that may not be possible given the tree’s unique circumstances.

What were the benefits of gaining the tree as an ally? From what Noah could tell, the tree was definitely a core component of this forest, but how, he wasn’t sure. There was even the off chance that the tree didn’t hold any true significance either, its existence being just like the very nature of its fruit, a parasyte. The tree could quite possibly be a leech to the very forest that he planned to make his home.

With such possible scenarios, Noah needed to completely weigh his options. The tree’s current defense mechanism was rather lackluster in his decision making. The attacks could ward off potential annoyances, but beings that could threaten his home and rule would bypass its rather barbaric methods with ease. There were only two rather unique traits that Noah found particularly useful, traits that made him consider risking the possible harm the tree could bring.

The first was the very object that led to this occasion, the fruit. The fruit’s allure wasn’t able to be overlooked despite its dangerous, yet oblivious mechanisms. The parasitic bond it forged with any creature that ate it was an obvious threat, but also an opportunity. Noah couldn’t ignore its potential, if he was able to tame the tree, then despite the fruits enslave meant properties, any creature that the tree ’bonds’ with would essentially be his, and that very creature would also become empowered by the fruits power as a bonus, giving him another powerful creature in his arsenal.

And the fruit could have another possible use, the snake was the one who gave him the thought of its potential. The tree’s fruit could also be used as a forced bond, a way to enforce the loyalty of creatures who either didn’t fully meet Noah’s criteria for becoming one of his tamed creatures, or was unable to tame because his spot for another tamed creature was full. What would happen if he was able to aid in the trees perpetual growth of fruits? He could effectively gain more ”enslavement” fruits. And with the fruits, the powerhouse of the forest like the snake for instance, could be forced under his rule with the addition of being empowered.

The only cost of that condition was possibly to be permanently tied down to the forest, within the trees territory based on the extension of its roots. It was a condition that Noah didn’t care for, he would rather have the creatures never be allowed to leave and protect his home than to travel alongside him. The fruit was a double-edged sword, and one of the very reasons Noah quite entertained the idea of killing the tree off if he wasn’t going to tame it. If the tree gains nefarious intentions, it could threaten even his own creatures. What would happen if one of his bonded creatures were to consume the fruit?

The tradeoff was difficult to process, but that was why Noah also had to consider the other trait to aid in his decision. The second trait was the tree’s deep connection to the forest. He recalled the feeling from earlier while they were traversing through the forest. The trees of the forest felt as if they were made to be this particular tree extension, becoming its eyes. This gave the tree an almost omnipresent reach, allowing it to sense the movement of any creature within its domain.

If Noah were to tame the tree, he would be also gaining a spy network surrounding his home. He wasn’t sure if the dungeon he created would come with that function. However, he could be completely assured of the forest being able to.

As he weighed the decision, Noah felt the waves of attacks beginning to interrupt his thoughts. The attacks were becoming more forceful than previous, he didn’t know that his continuous lack of retaliation was leading the tree to risk abandoning everything to put him down.

He hesitated to communicate with it, if at all possible, he wouldn’t want to have to harm the tree more than he is now if he wasn’t going to tame it. However, communicating was really his strongest quality. He lacked the emotional capacity to empathize with those he didn’t care for, leading to conversations to have more friction than necessary. How could someone, himself, be able to calm the tree down with only words?

”This is stupid,” Noah eventually muttered. His next action lacked words as he raised his true hand. Mana began to circulate within his palm at a slow rate. The buildup of his skill was slower than normal, but that didn’t belittle the threat that it emitted.

The tree’s roots twitched mid strike. Each and every root faltered while the tree tried to process the potent mana building within Noah’s hand. The potency of Noah’s mana left it wanting, however, the threat of it was more menacing than the tree had experienced before. Never have someone truly targeted with an attack before. It could feel the pressure mounting as Noah’s hand continued to gather more and more mana, each moment the aura of the mana swelled, the more pressure the tree began to experience.

”The choice was simple...but, maybe this will help you make your decision.” The air around the ball of mana that was forming began to stir as the pressure in the air grew thick. A wave of oppressive energy spread outward, warping the air and distorting the very ground beneath it. The tree’s roots, instinctively rising to intercept, spread wide in an attempt to shield the trunk from the incoming blast.

The tree inwardly shuddered in dread as it began to understand the ”creature” it was dealing with. The roots were struck with an incredible destructive force, inevitably proven to be futile in its attempt to defend against the powerful attack. The roots were not only being ripped upon contact, but parts of the roots that were hit directly, disintegrated. The sphere continued to push forward, however after blasting its way through almost endless walls of roots, the sphere gradually was exhausted from most of its mana, eventually dissipating as a result.

After Noah’s display, this would’ve been the perfect time for Noah to relay the question. The tree may have been completely against the idea of joining Noah before, but now, the tree’s resolve was heavily wavering. As the remnants of the violet mana sphere faded, and a good portion of its roots in tatters, the tree no longer wanted to persist opposing such a being.

But then it found its body shuddering again. During the time, after the attack, not once did it retaliate towards Noah. So why was Noah preparing to send out another?

The second sphere forming in Noah’s hand was darker, more compact than the first. The ball was smaller than before, but the tree could sense that the energy within was much more dangerous than the attack it had just defended against.