Chapter 143. World Tree's Defensive Prowess.
A few moments earlier, Liu Shu looked around her domain while humming happily. She had recently reached Level 13 thanks to the daily accumulation of experience points and the killing of a few hundred low-level trees that didn't want to submit to her.
Liu Shu needed 14,940 Experience Points to Level Up from 12 to 13. After the Level Up, she was left with a meager 1,316 Experience Points. Considering that she needed 17,360 for the next Level Up and earned 62 points daily, including Flor's skill, this would take a while.
Of course, Liu Shu was not fazed. Waiting was her strong point. Still, the recent events have given her a sense of haste. While Liu Shu didn't mind waiting years to do things, knowing that there were people who were trying to mess with her was certainly motivating.
After reaching Level 13, Liu Shu expanded her roots to her new limits and slowly modified the root net to become more efficient and cover as much land as she could without bothering those trees that had submitted to her.
Her <Enchanted Growth> skill had also increased in potency, reaching the fifth level and covering everything with a more profound and vital aura of growth.
However, while she was looking at everything, her sensing <World Tree Eye> caught something. Now that she was Level 13 and her height had reached around 75 meters, she could look up into the sky for nearly 750 meters everywhere her roots reached.
Therefore, when a giant leafy bird entered her vision range at 500 meters of altitude, she was curious and looked over. However, she was surprised when her vision was slightly blurred in that area as if it had a natural protection against spying.
This made the World Tree feel antsy. She didn't like not knowing what was going on with that bird, less so when Liu Shu realized it was flying right at her. 'Hmph… What level are you…?'
Looking closely, she finally managed to decipher the Level, but nothing more. 'Level 20? Hm… I don't like it.'
With that in mind, her energy flowed around her, and she activated the defensive flower field. She also stopped her berry production and began activating her <World Tree Calling> skill.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The <Mother Of Thousand Flower Field> shot a barrage skyward, startling everyone in the area. Flor and Ignatia looked at Liu Shu and the Rose Fairy Queen asked. "What's wrong, Liu Shu?"
While the <Mother Of Thousand Flower Field> would sometimes attack flying creatures that tried their luck with the inhabitants, a full on barrage by the entire thing was unprecedented. It only happened during large wars or when Liu Shu was serious.
The World Tree answered. "A big bird is coming our way. It is Level 20."
Ignatia's antennae twitched, and she looked in the direction Liu Shu shot at. Focusing, she could discern the giant bird. 'Isn't that…? Hoh~.' She smiled secretly and didn't bother stopping Liu Shu. "Flor, don't worry. If that person is who I think she is, Liu Shu attacking her is not a big deal. If she isn't, Liu Shu attacking is good, so there are no downsides to attacking someone who comes unannounced."
Liu Shu humphed. "You dodged that? Then, how about this?"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Another barrage of hundreds of seeds shot skyward, tracking the moving bird with incredible accuracy. Then, they all saw explosions occurring in the sky, startling them.
Kenneth, the leader of the human fighters, asked. "Those seeds are explosive?"
Flor smiled wryly. "They didn't do that in the past. That's new. Probably something they gained after Level 10?"
Liu Shu's aura skyrocketed for a second, and a pillar of green light fell from the sky.
"HISSSS!"
A piercing hissing sound was heard when the enormous <Arboreal Winged Serpent> descended. Its aura, larger than before, made all the humans gulp. 'T-That's a summon!?'
The World Tree then ordered. "Attack that giant bird!"
The <Arboreal Winged Serpent> locked on the creature coming toward Liu Shu and its verdant green eyes revealed cold and murderous intent. With a single flap of its wings, the 40-meter-long serpent shot skyward, using <Sky Slip> to accelerate instantly.
Its speed was enough to cover the remaining 300 meters between the bird and Liu Shu in the blink of an eye.
Then, both creatures clashed.
Boom!
The Level 20 bird and the Level 16 Serpent clashed in an equal-strength match, showing how powerful that serpent really was. Even when he was one sub-cycle below, the stat difference was negligible.
As soon as the Winged Serpent stopped the swift bird with the clash, the Flower Field fired a barrage. The World Tree's voice boomed around. "FALL!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The bird looked at the barrage of explosive seeds coming its way and knew that it couldn't dodge, so it placed its wings before its body.
BOOM!
An enormous explosion occurred in the sky, with Liu Shu seeing several -300 and -400 numbers flashing around the bird.
The bird started falling, but it extended its broken wings and covered them with Aether Mana, trying to use the fall to gain speed again.
Sadly for it, the Winged Serpent was waiting for it. <Leafguard >, a skill to harden the wings, was not only used as a protection measure.
Diving from high up in the sky, the serpent took on tremendous speed and covered itself with its hardened wings, falling like an actual meteor on top of the leafy bird.
Everyone who saw the massive serpent knew that if that attack landed, that bird was done for.
A calm and profound voice was heard just before the Winged Serpent could kill the bird. "Enough."
In an instant, an enormous vine shield appeared above the bird, and the serpent impacted.
BOOM!
A shockwave followed the impact, but other than a big dent, the shield remained intact. The serpent's pupils thinned, feeling a powerful threat from the person who summoned the skill, and it instantly reacted with an attack.
<Winged Serpent's Venomous Vortex> was unleashed from its mouth like a dragon's breath, covering the sky in a greenish substance.
"Hm, are you sure you want to continue fighting?"
Liu Shu snorted. "You come here and now ask that? <Weeping Willow's Aether Barrage>."
Several dozen thorns appeared around Liu Shu and shot straight at them. After the serpent impacted, the bird lost even more height, and being around 250 meters away from Liu Shu, it was well within her attack range. After all, Aether Barrage had a range of 5 times her height.
"Oh? You can attack even at this distance? That's quite a long range for a World Tree."
The vine shield transformed into a cocoon, covering the entire bird to avoid both the toxic breath and thorns.
"Hm?"
The woman who had been speaking calmly made a surprised sound when the toxic breath started corrupting her vine shield. Moreover, the impacts from the Aether Barrage thorns were creating severe dents.
"Impressive. What more can you do, World Tree?"
Liu Shu didn't answer, but the trees right below the bird did. Liu Shu's defensive wall was 230 meters away. This meant that the defensive trees on the walls were right below the ball of vines.
Several branches shot skyward, latching around the ball of vines, and then the ball of vines was slammed toward the outside of the wall.
BOOM!
After cratering, the Arboreal Winged Serpent looked concerned and hissed at Liu Shu. 'Summon another one!'
Thanks to their connection, Liu Shu understood, and her energy began gathering once more.
"Oh? What are you going to do now?"
Liu Shu's voice reverberated once more. "<World Tree Calling>."
Her energy burst skyward and slammed against the sky. Then, a red pillar fell from the sky, materializing a much smaller winged serpent.
However, the aura around it was different.
Unlike the bigger and thicker physique-based winged serpent, this one had a slick reddish bark as a cover. Around it, reddish lightning flickered as its brown leafy wings and verdant green eyes looked around.
An Aether-Mana-based <Arboreal Winged Serpent> who controlled a unique lightning element had been summoned!
The <Arboreal Winged Serpent> in the sky hissed. 'Sister! Protect our summoner!'
The lightning Winged Serpent answered not with words but with actions.
RUMBLE!
Her entire body surged with Aether Mana, and a moment later, a massive red lightning bolt fell from the sky.
"Oho~. That's strong."
BOOM!
A crater was created in the place where she attacked. Using this time, the recently summoned winged serpent flew into the sky to join her brother. 'That creature is strong. What do we do? My lightning bolt couldn't damage her.'
'Our summoner has enough energy reserves to summon more of us, but I feel that we are not a match for that being. I can feel <Second Cycle> energy coming from there. I can even feel… Yeah, that woman has gone through a second sub-cycle. She is above Level 30.'
The female Winged Serpent frowned as she looked at the untangling vine shield. 'Summoner! If you want to win this battle, we need at least seven more sisters and brothers. That woman is a Level 30 or above. She might even be approaching Level 40. Moreover, her energy is not common, so she must've created Cores from her ternary essence shards.'
Liu Shu agreed with them. 'Okay, I'll focus all my Anima energy to summon more of you. Protect me in the meantime; the entire city will also be attacking together with you.'
When Liu Shu's energy started going berserk, making even the wind pick up in the surroundings, Ignatia shouted. "I know you are not an enemy. Liu Shu is going to hurt herself if you don't stop now!"
Liu Shu, who was accumulating tens of thousands of Anima Energy to summon several Winged Serpents at once, stopped as soon as the ball of vines faded. 'Huh?'
On top of the heavily injured Level 20 summon, she could see four women, three of whom were very familiar. "Huh? Verdantia? Cinderielle? Temepstria?"
Seeing that their summoner knew them, the winged serpents didn't attack and observed the situation instead.
The three Sylvans looked at the powerful-looking flying snakes, the imposing walls, and the defensive trees. Then they remembered the impressive anti-air defense evolved from the once mediocre <Mother Of Thousand Flower Field>, and they couldn't help but gulp. 'H- Hasn't Liu Shu become too strong!?'
Verena looked at the creature that had called them and raised her eyebrows. "A humanoid Ant Queen that has reached the first sub-cycle. That's… Quite a discovery."
Ignatia smiled. "I am a friend~ don't look at me like that. I will get scared~."
Verena chuckled and looked around. "Impressive. To think that your life as a World Tree has yet to cross the 3-year mark."
Liu Shu, still confused, asked, her voice reaching everywhere like a soothing wave of life energy. "You look like Verdantia! Who are you? Why did you attack me?"
Verena felt a ticklish sensation in her motherly heart. While the voice was mature, there was a childish tone in it that couldn't be missed. Her tone subconsciously softened as she said. "Don't worry, Liu Shu. I am Verdantia's mother. Also, if you've noticed, I haven't counterattacked once, right? I was making a small test."
The World Tree asked, puzzled. "A… test?"
Verena jumped down from the bird's back and caressed its head. "Great job, now go rest." Then, she walked toward the city with the three Sylvans behind her. "That's right, Liu Shu. Anyway, let's go inside to talk. I have a few things I want to speak with you about."
The World Tree looked at the three Sylvans and asked. "Is it the truth? Can I let her in?"
All three of them smiled and nodded. "She is indeed my Mom, Liu Shu. Don't worry, she won't hurt you."
Cinderielle smiled. "She was the one who saved us during that invasion as well."
Tempestria chuckled. "We've also been training with her. We are now stronger, Liu Shu."
The World Tree hummed. She felt a profound sensation that previously wasn't there when looking at the three Sylvans, but since she didn't understand it, she placed it in the back of her mind for now. Still, there was a strange bond of trust between them that pushed her to agree. "Okay, I'll trust you."
Verena's eyes flashed with surprise, and Branthis whispered. "It seems that things are a bit different than we expected."
Verena giggled, her eyes dancing with interest and amusement. "Indeed."
Following Liu Shu's words, everyone went inside, and the two serpents flew and coiled around Liu Shu protectively, just in case.