Chapter 009

Canis is standing at the top of a tall building looking around the area.

Maple returns back into his 'fighting' form, so he can respond if there is an immediate concern.

(Maple said that transforming has pros and cons, the smaller he is the weaker his protection is but somehow he becomes more agile. In addition, the number of mushrooms and flowers he can grow is relative to his size.)

The more flowers he has the more pollens he can release and the larger he is the more mushrooms he can grow.

(Maybe that is the reason why most of the Grandiflorians we encounter have similar size, it was optimal for them…)

Canis remembers the Wisdrangea is much larger than normal Grandiflorian.

(Maybe she is an exception to the rule or…)

He looks at Maple who is standing at his back.

(This guy is the exception.)

While having that thought he also continued to scan the area and he made several points of interest.

In the distance, there is an ongoing fight.

"That might be the Freedom Guild. The only guild here in Philip City and those people might be equipped to handle 2 to 3 Violet Ranks or more. If they have their Indigo Rank Champion then the fighting force is much more powerful."

…

Then he continues to scan the area.

"1, 2, 3, 4… 7… Three major banks and four branch banks… That will be a good target for now. Those places contain not only money but also crystals and other items… if I'm lucky I could get an artifact."

Then he glances at the other place where a fight is still ongoing.

"Association Branch, similar to the Freedom Guild, that will be a tough place to crack… if all of their High-Rank are inside the facilities."

…

"But not impossible."

"However, I have to prioritize things… so…"

He looks at one of the largest buildings in the city.

"Let's attack place first."

He was looking at the United Asia Storage Facility.

*****

Canis put a cover on his face, using a mask he saw in the nearby toy store, even in this kind of situation, there might be a camera or CCTV that is working so he doesn't want to take those chances.

The first thing that he wanted to raid was the United Asia Storage Facility.

This place contains items, crystals, and materials, that will be transported to different countries.

It's one of the heavily guarded facilities that was caught in Pillar.

Canis and Maple are standing in the distance on top of a building seeing the facility.

Boom! Boom!

People are shouting all around the place.

A three-way fight is currently happening all around the facility.

A group of Grandiflorians are attacking both the security and the 'thieves' who are trying to go inside the facilities.

(This is the reason I wanted to raid this place, I wanted to use the 'thieves' to minimize the personnel that would chase us. In addition to that, the thieves are the perfect cover for what I am about to do.)

Magic of all different kinds is flying all over the place.

The security is defending the perimeter of the facility.

The battle is happening all around the facility, there were even 'thieves' who fly around in the hope they can take advantage in aerial combat, however, the UASF Security has Champions who can deal with them.

Not only that they have a customized heavy anti-air artillery that is specifically designed to inflict damage to High-Rank flying monsters in close distance.

However, this type of equipment is very expensive and the resources needed to make it are scarce.

In addition, the ammo of this equipment is crafted from High-Rank monster materials which is not just limited but expensive.

Therefore they are used in emergency situations only.

Right now, the Anti-Air Artillery is moving and following the movement of the Champions who are flying around.

But they have not fired any shot since Canis began observing the fight.

(A basic scare tactic.)

That was Canis's deduction, though that tactic could immediately change if the Champion became a threat.

(If we try to climb the building from the outside then…)

Maple needed to use his 'transform' ability and change form similar to the other Grandiflorians but this will surely attract the UASF Security and change their focus towards them.

So Canis asks Maple.

"Maple… how about underground do you notice anything?"

"Nothing Father, some people are staying underground in that building but there is minimal movement to it."

Canis nodded.

"Our goal is to steal all the loot inside these facilities… compared to the Association, this is a bigger fish so we have to prepare for tighter security."

(Just like these thieves we have to take advantage of the situation…)

Canis looks at Maple.

"We have to prepare thoroughly, and if something comes up I want you to promise me that you will follow my instructions."

(If we encounter several enemies and when I know he can't win I will let him escape.)

"Yes, Father… I will follow your instructions."

Canis nodded and the two began to move.

Using Maple green vines, they safely repel to the ground and run towards the nearby building.

They rush toward the basement of the building.

B1, B2… They didn't stop until they reached the bottom.

B6.

After reaching B6 Canis looks at Maple.

"Let's begin Maple."

"Yes, Father."

Maple agreed to Canis and began the mission.

Maple moves towards a wall and slowly transforms.

He transforms not into a child-looking Maple but a Grandiflorian one.

The size is incredible, and his branches are already bent due to the height restriction of the basement.

The trunk size is similar to his 'mother' it was a 5-meter wide trunk.

But he doesn't have any hollow parts similar to Grandiflorians, instead, there is a Y shape slit in the middle of the tree and his golden eyes glow beneath them.

His ashen brown roots are pretty large, and they begin to wiggle around and…

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

All of the roots smashed the wall and the ground and were implanted into them.

(This is one of his abilities that he gained before reaching the Champions Wall, aside from the transformation ability that he uses, the ability to burrow through grounds is also something that he learned.)

The roots began to grow and continued to penetrate the wall and the ground with ease.

(It's so surprising to know that Maple learned 2 abilities in his level-up journey toward the Champion Walls, for humans that would be a pretty rare thing to see. Usually, you will learn 1 new ability throughout the journey, and learning 2 abilities is already quite rare… although learning 3 abilities is unusual, some Champions receive that kind of blessing.)

Canis smiled.

(In addition to that, he already learned the transformation ability when he was born, quite common to learn 1 ability when you awaken but it is what it is.)

(For Champions, those abilities can change your life, it can increase your survival chance and for others, it became their trump card.)

Canis looks at the continued digging of soil and stone.

(It is the Mc Clan from the UK, the one who was gifted 3 abilities in his awakening and another 3 abilities before he reached the 'wall'.)

Canis remembered the famous Champion who was called the 'Man Loved By The Gods'.

He glances at the roots once again and upon closer look, it seems like the roots are harder than before.

Canis shook his head.

(That just might be my imagination.)

The digging continued but alas the time finally came.

"Father! I believe we already break through it."

"Good job! Maple! Now let's move to the next part."

Maple first 'drained' the nutrients of the roots, that was the only thing Canis could think of when he saw that the root's size was decreasing and drying up. 

The roots fell off and with Canis's touch, it cracked and became powder almost immediately.

"The inside of the root is already hollow."

He glanced at Maple who began reducing his size into human-sized Grandiflorian form.

Maple began to remove the bark from his trunk.

Leaves and branches started to fall off, the trunk height slowly reduced, and the flowers and mushrooms that were removed during the transformation phase started to grow once again.

"Father… I am ready."

Canis nodded and looked at the tunnel that Maple made.

It is a three-meter wide tunnel, the path is going down, and both the wall and the ground are part of the said tunnel.

"Maple be ready for anything…"

Canis looks forward.

"Let's go!" 

*****

Walking to the tunnel isn't really problematic, however, it isn't a straight beeline, and there are a lot of ups and downs and curves during Maple excavation.

Canis doesn't know why isn't it a beeline and doesn't care about it, the most important thing for Canis is that this tunnel was made by Maple, his son.

For some reason, Canis smiled.

(Damn… the tunnel is well made, and there isn't any sign of collapsing, even though there is fighting happening above us, the soil is not moving an inch… Is he… Is he going to be a good Civil Engineer? Just imagine what he is capable of.)

Canis felt so proud, like a father who saw his son's first project.

Canis then looks at the ground.

A group of moss is scattered creating a green dim light in this dark tunnel.

(He even put those things in every corner of the tunnel.)

"Luminous Moss… You have a useful 'plant' Maple."

"It's one of the 'plants', that I inherited Father. I believe it will be good at traversing this tunnel so I left them while digging."

When Canis looks at Maple there is a strip of moss circling in each of his roots.

They are like glowing tattoos in Canis' perspective.

(Amazing… what are the other 'plants' that Maple has again?)

"White flower, black flower, purple flower, green vine, exploding mushroom, storage mushroom, luminous moss, sweet mushroom, rotten mushroom, and tracking lichen, is there anything I forgot?"

Canis opens his fingers one by one as if to count the number of plants on Maple.

"Father, they are called Dream Garden, Gloom Dali, and Hydra's Embrace. They are not just colorful flowers."

(How would I remember those if we only discuss it once… at the same time, the effects are more important than names and it is much easier to remember that way.)

But Canis didn't voice that out.

"Alright, alright but did I forget anything?"

"Exploding mushroom is called Sozzi, Semre is the one that can store pollen or spores, Honey Cap is the one that smells sweet, and Stinker is the one with rotten fumes."

Instead of answering Canis, Maple continues to explain.

"These are Lios, use for tracking."

Using his vines, he pointed at the small patch of plant-like things near his trunk, those things are similar to a four-leaf clover.

Then he pointed at the moss on the ground.

"Those are Lumes…"

Canis didn't talk, from the tone of Maple, he seems so proud of those 'plants' that he has.

"And yes, Father, you forgot something."

Using his vines, Maple pointed up.

The red star-shaped leaves, the star shape is more similar to a shuriken rather than the original maple leaves, are rustling as he shakes those off.

There are 5 points in each leaf and the stem is sitting in the very center of it.

"Crimson star leaves, Father. This is the best part of me."

From the tone of Maple's voice, he felt proud of it compared to the other plants he had.

"Ahhh, Yes… "

(But… they look like normal leaves, even when I touch those… there isn't anything unusual.)

Canis wondered why he felt proud of those leaves.

But alas, they reach their goal after walking for some time.

Light can be seen in the distance and when Canis arrives at the end of the tunnel, he glances at the side.

A thick metal was ripped apart like a tin can.

(Is this his ability? Or is this because he is a son of Violet Rank monster and has amazing attributes to begin with? Maybe it's because of his Grandiflorian race?)

Monsters have different characteristics, some monsters have poisonous claws, and others can rip metal like they were paper even though they are just Red Ranks, and these are all basic knowledge now.

Canis move on, there is no sense in thinking about it too much.

They arrive in what looks like a small changing room.

There are a couple of lockers here and several beds.

"A barracks?"

Canis looks around the room.

There are no cameras and the light is working properly.

"Maple, when we open the door the alarm might come off… there is still power in this facility."

"Yes, Father… I am already prepared for what to do next."

Canis nodded and turned the knob.

"Let's go!"