18_new possibilities

The naked man's back was covered with countless thin, fiber-like white threads bundled together. These white, delicate threads also attached themselves to every type of plant surrounding the man. The area resembled a forest, composed entirely of "Gluttonous Trees" growing in an aberrant manner. Trees growing straight up towards the sky were rare; most were growing diagonally or even rooting themselves on the trunks of other trees. The majority were growing in ways that would normally be considered impossible.

Various species of plants were creeping through the gaps, their number strikingly abnormal. Everywhere you looked, plants filled the view, not just covering the ground, but layering up. Plants crawling under other plants were visible. Various species were also writhing around the trunks of the "Gluttonous Trees."

Walking among them was the man, who stopped at the base of a "Gluttonous Tree." The bundle of thin threads on the man's back slowly lifted him towards the sky. He was then lowered onto a branch and started walking again. Ahead of him was a plant shaped like a human, its branches, leaves, and flowers intertwining with each other to form a human figure.

The man embraced the human-shaped plant. Suddenly, the bundle of thin threads on his back started to tremble slightly. At that moment, a shadow briefly fell over the man, followed by a flash of sharply reflected light.

Crack, crack! The sound of fibrous material being abruptly severed echoed. A woman with long hair descended from the sky, attempting to cut through the bundle of thin threads on the man's back with her sword. However, she couldn't sever all the threads covering the man's back.

The woman, seemingly irritated, twisted her face in annoyance. While tearing the threads with her hands, she bit into a small bottle she had been keeping in her mouth. She then sprayed the "Gluttonous Tree" sapling inside the bottle, along with the shattered bottle pieces, onto the branch.

The sapling, receiving energy, grew explosively. The woman, holding the man's body, clutched the trunk.

Thud! A dull sound came from right below. The place where the two had been moments ago resounded with that dull sound. At the same time, the growing "Gluttonous Tree" shook, causing the woman, who was holding onto the trunk, to nearly lose her grip. As she lowered her gaze, she saw the plants that had been creeping around now seemed to be attacking them, tackling the trunk's base or attempting to climb up.

Looking around, she noticed plants in various places moving, all seeming to be chasing them. But the distance between them and the plants was gradually increasing.

"Phew, it went well," the woman muttered to herself.

The growth of the "Gluttonous Tree" was swift; it already had enough thickness to not sway even when rammed into, and its height had increased so rapidly that no other tree could catch up. Soon, the moving shadows of the trees around them disappeared.

The woman transferred from the rapidly growing "Gluttonous Tree" to the branches of another "Gluttonous Tree" that had been growing there initially. Then she roughly set the man down and asked in a voice devoid of intonation, though the annoyance was evident:

"Are you alive, Dr. Tony?"

No response.

"Did you die?"

"haaaa!"

With a deep inhale, Dr. Tony sprang to life, his eyes wide open, scanning the surroundings.

"Ah, Sheena. Thanks, I guess I owe you a favor now, huh?" he said. Sheena, without hiding her annoyed expression, draped clothes over Dr. Tony. However, ignoring the clothes, Dr. Tony energetically stood up, causing the clothes to fly off. Sheena sighed and looked away.

Dr. Tony then walked to the end of the branch and looked down at the plants below.

"Marvelous! The 'Tree of Life' body is the best! I'm glad I chose this body!" he exclaimed, spreading his arms and displaying a look of ecstasy on his face. Sheena walked up to him and asked:

"I helped you at the time you told me to, but what was that all about?"

The plants below were all connected by thin, white, fiber-like threads.

"It's a collective entity. It's still trying to become one," Dr. Tony replied, his eyes shining with excitement. Sheena looked puzzled, unable to grasp the meaning.

"Many diverse plants are trying to become a single living entity. And the number of plants involved is incredible. There must be close to a thousand," Dr. Tony speculated. He then scratched his back, pulling off a small piece of wood the size of a little finger.

"Fantastic, isn't it? Perhaps a close relative of the 'Tree of Life.' This tree connects bodies of various types without discrimination," he said. Dr. Tony, seemingly excited, kept talking rapidly without waiting for Sheena's response.

"The system is also being established. It's not just about becoming one entity. Changes are occurring aimed at transforming into a single life form. Isn't it amazing? A system is being formed so that energy can be distributed efficiently," he said.

Sheena, realizing that nothing she said would make a difference, just listened.

"Of course, it's still far from perfect. It's a real pity. I wish there was just one more impactful thing," Dr. Tony mused, turning to Sheena.

"Do you remember the 'Tree of Life' I created before? The one that controlled the 'Army Grass'?" he asked. Sheena nodded.

"I can't explain in detail, but to put it simply, that one has a part of the human brain embedded in it," Dr. Tony continued, pacing around.

"Moreover, the 'Tree of Life' that constitutes Luti's body can mutate. That means Luti's 'Tree of Life' can even transform into a part of the brain," he said, his eyes seemingly possessed by madness.

"Imagine integrating human's greatest weapon, intelligence, into that collective entity that is trying to become a single life form. It would have a huge impact, don't you think?" Dr. Tony's eyes were a mix of madness and pure enjoyment, which was also evident in his tone.

"Would that help achieve your goal, doctor?" Sheena asked calmly, contrasting Dr. Tony's excitement.

"It could be one of the possibilities," Dr. Tony answered.

"Understood. So, we need to incorporate Luti into that collective entity, right?" Sheena clarified.

"You got it. I'm counting on you, Sheena."