Chapter 48. Eliminating River Beavers, and New Arrival.

While Liu Shu was engrossed in eliminating the Level 10 threat, the Rose Fairies executed a cunning strategy. They managed to eliminate a Level 8 adversary and inflict severe damage on a Level 9. Their attacks, though not as potent individually, when used in succession, created lacerations that could cause a creature to bleed out rapidly. The depth of these wounds posed a challenge for healing, adding to the effectiveness of their strategy.

That's why Rose Fairies were so dominant; their attacks might not have been over the top in power, but the wounds they created were enough to make other creatures fear fighting them. Even if you won, the wounds they created could easily result in being lethal.

Because of this and their lack of raw power, their attacks weren't strong enough to stop the avalanche of creatures from reaching Liu.

The twenty-plus creatures that were alive after Liu Shu's and the fairies' attacks lunged at Liu Shu like ravenous beasts, wanting to topple the tree before it killed them.

The Rose Fairies saw how the beasts opened their mouths and attacked Liu Shu, and an uncontrollable rage boiled inside them. "FILTH OF THE FOREST, DIE!"

The Rose Fairies, driven by their burning anger, unleashed a barrage of spells. Their Aether Mana plummeted without control as wind blades rained down on the creatures, aiming for their necks. The attacks were primarily successful, slicing important veins and causing devastating hemorrhage.

Meanwhile, Liu Shu was swarmed by more than twenty creatures, many teeth, claws, and other attacks, landing on her one after another. Notifications of damage appeared one after another, filling Liu Shu's mind with their sound.

However, she wasn't rushed at any moment. While there were plenty of notifications, none of the attacks overcame 30 Phoer Body Shards. With her almost 4,000 Phoer Body Shards, despite the onslaught she was receiving, they were quite literally tickling her. In this small instant, when Liu Shu was finishing off Level 10, she received a total of 400 damage.

Her thick bark, reinforced by her 72 points of Physique stat, was sturdy enough to completely block all attacks from Level 5 and below River Beavers.

Not only was Liu Shu not affected by their initial attacks, but after scratching the surface of her body and not managing to do any more actual damage, some notifications of creatures dealing zero points of damage appeared quickly.

Once done with the main threat, Liu Shu's <World Tree Eye> focused on her immediate surroundings.

Unlike those times when she cried in pain when she was hurt, this time, her mind was crystal clear, and she completely ignored the painful sensations in order to focus even more.

Cold, brutal, ruthless.

A World Tree that had been provoked would rarely give mercy to her enemies.

Once her overpowering gaze landed on the creatures that the Rose Fairies were desperately trying to keep off her body, they couldn't help but freeze for a moment as the dreadful feeling of death enveloped their beings.

Liu Shu sentenced them with an indifferent tone. 'Now that you've done your part scratching my bark die and become my sustenance.'

<Willow Strike Barrage> and <Willow Strike> were unleashed once more, consuming a decent part of her Anther Mana and Anima Energy reserves.

At the same time, <Root Manipulation> also appeared, her enchanting roots bursting from the ground around her while coiling like snakes around the beasts.

The three skills were devastating and did quick work of the River Beavers. More than one of them fell each second, making it a hellish-like moment for the River Beavers. While their intelligence was not that high, seeing their fellow creatures smashed by the whip-like branches was terrifying.

The Rose Fairies shot their skills enough that one of the weakest ones hit almost zero and suddenly lost strength as her eyes rolled and her brain shut down from lack of Aether Mana, causing her to fall from the air.

The World Tree had cleaned house by then, leaving only seven alive who were about to meet their doom. But, unlike what she expected, one of the beasts saw the Rose Fairy fall and didn't lose its chance.

Liu Shu was focusing on the remaining seven River Beavers when she saw one of them jump upward and use her trunk as a springboard to attack the falling Fairy.

The movement was swift and took the other Rose Fairies by surprise. Clavel realized what was happening and wanted to rush forward to catch her, but she quickly realized that she was too late. 'Oh no!'

Her face twisted as she saw the River Beaver's last struggle about to reach that falling fairy, but before she could despair more at the tragic outcome, a thin shadow appeared on top of the River Beaver's head. 'Wha-'

BOOOM!

Clavel saw how the <Sylvanium Branch> of the World Tree descended with such strength that the creature shot down like a meteor and cratered into the ground in a burst of gore. The loud, explosive sound was like a cannonball being shot.

Following that, Clavel and the other fairies felt the powerful Aether Mana pulse climb up the bark and gather on the leaves. Zinia condemned with a mocking grin. "Die for provoking a being you shouldn't!"

Several other branches lashed out toward the remaining River Beavers and slaughtered them all in cold-blooded murder. Each branch sank deeply into the beast, slicing through their defenses as if they were nothing and bursting their internal organs.

The last one was killed right as the falling Rose Fairy was coughed by Clavel. Clave quickly maneuvered to avoid falling onto the ground and flew up, laying her on one of Liu Shu's inactive branches.

One Rose Fairy shouted, her breath ragged. "We won!"

Another one smiled tiredly. "We did. I honestly didn't expect Liu Shu to be so powerful."

All the other Rose Fairies similarly sprawled themselves all over Liu Shu's canopy, feeling extremely tired.

Zinia approached Clavel and asked. "How is she doing? Why did she suddenly fall?"

Clavel shook her head. "She has Aether Mana deficiency. Her Aether Mana hit zero, and she fainted. It will take a few days for her to wake up. Let's hope that the backlash from reaching zero Aether Mana doesn't hit her."

Zinia commented. "Well, with Liu Shu's fruits, she will wake up much earlier, and chances for that are also very slim. Also, we should respect family members who risk their lives for the mission. She fought bravely."

Clavel nodded and sighed frustratedly. "What were these River Beaver's doing here? If it weren't for Liu Shu having Leveled Up recently, we would've been in real trouble."

Zinia looked down at the massacre and sighed. "I don't know. However, knowing that the Thornstrides also attacked or at least pretended to, right at the same time, it can't be a coincidence, right?"

Clavel nodded in agreement. "I think that you are right- Hm?"

Zinia also noticed and asked quickly. "Hm? What's that sound?"

Clavel's face fell as she received another signal from Liu Shu, this time about danger. "How is your Aether Mana doing?"

Zinia smiled wryly. "Does it matter? We have to fight even if we just throw stones at whatever is coming."

Still, once they saw the people appearing, their determined faces faltered. 'What are humans and Sylvans doing here!?'

Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, Flor arrived at the place where the reporting fairy had told her to go and saw a large group of creatures advancing. There were at least 400 beasts of many different species, making Flor falter about her original plans. 'I wanted to challenge and kill Froorar quickly to make the beasts he has untied disappear, but…"

Flor was hidden in the trees' canopies, using her tiny body to her advantage to observe from a safe distance. 'There is more than one Level 10+ speaking over there. If I were to go and challenge him, I would probably be hunted down until I become their trophies and experience points.'

 Honestly, Flor felt helpless this time. 'Even if Ignatia and I join forces with Liu Shu, it probably is not enough; I've spotted around 6 Level 10+ creatures. There might be more hidden in the crowd, but it is too difficult to spot them.'

Analyzing a creature with the system required, first of all, knowing that creature somewhat or understanding the "presence" it gave off, and second of all, being close enough for your senses to pick it up. 

Flor didn't fulfill these requirements for all the Level 10 creatures there. Hence, she couldn't tell the precise number of Level 10s and above.

Flor returned toward the small army of 80 she had gathered and looked at them with wry expressions. 'Not enough. Even if Ignatia's army had joined, we would probably not have been enough.'

Flor sighed and passed her hand through her red hair. "This is really, ugh. So frustrating. Should I call the River beavers and try to do a pact with them?..." Flor laughed in ridicule. "Nah, I can't do this. How could I collaborate with those tree eaters?"

With another rueful sigh, she asked no one in particular. "What should I do? Where and how do I find people strong enough to help?"

After speaking like that, she paused. Her face became strange. 'Do I really have to call that woman? But…' Flor was struggling. 'I really don't trust her. What kind of Level 4 Sylvan does not flinch and is proactive when a Level 12 monster is right in front of them?'

However, she really didn't have better options. Flor knew that she was strong but strong enough to beat so many? She was far from it. 'I'll have to return quickly and made a plan to buy time to go to the city for Verdantia's help.'

"Let's return; we can't do anything for now." Flor had never felt this cornered in her life, so she didn't really know what to do. The problem was that, unlike the typical attacks where they could flee, the being they were protecting was a stationary tree.

The Rose Fairies followed her command and flew back toward their base, arriving a few minutes later. Flor's face changed completely when she saw the situation and rushed forward at her fastest speed. "Who dares!?"

The bloodstained floor and the situation around Liu Shu were worrying to the point that the only reason she had not started throwing spells was that the Humans and Sylvans that were facing off against the group of Rose Fairies were seemingly in a defenseless position. Some of them had their arms up in the air, while one of them was eagerly speaking something to Clavel.

Clavel saw Flor arrive, and her face brightened. "Finally! Queen, quickly tell these people to scram! They are crazy and want to analyze Liu Shu, her branches, and her fruits! This Sylvan, in particular, is… umm… strange!"

Flor looked at the Sylvan and Human group, and between them, she spotted a peculiar one that reminded her of Verdantia, it was the Sylvan pointed at by Clavel as well.

'A Fire Aether Sylvan?'