Chapter 297 - Force to be Reckoned With

The whole thing wasn't sensible in the slightest.

Rynold could only watch as the smoldering flames appeared on the wall. They stayed there for a good minute, disappearing right after. While they did, though, Rynold could only lay back in awe. The explosion threw him back. And that wasn't even the worst part.

What upset Rynold the most was the whole kamikaze Soul Dolls situation. It was an ingenious way to break down the wall. And, knowing Skeem, utilizing this method was right in the ogre's wheelhouse. Although Rynold didn't like the idea of using the defiled corpses to blow themselves up, he did respect the stratagem. To which, Rynold would have to deal with the fallout.

'This is nuts.'

Shaking his head in frustration and confusion, Rynold pushed himself off the ground. The runes on the wall didn't hold up to the explosion all that well. Fortunately, the wall still stood, despite the damage it had incurred. However, that fortune fell short. Seeing as how that wasn't the only kamikaze Soul Dolls around, Rynold would have to stop them before they blow the wall to bits.

Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. The perimeter surrounding the castle took a considerable distance. To go from one opposite end to the other, Rynold would take up at least two minutes. And that was even when he ran at full speed. Two minutes was not a lot of time, especially if setting up the explosion took less than twenty seconds. Maybe even less than ten.

Rynold clicked his tongue, knowing full well he didn't have the capacity to do anything substantial. With his extremely limited skill-set, Rynold couldn't deal with a siege. A one-on-one fight was easy. Something like that, Rynold would definitely welcome. A siege, however, was above and beyond his capabilities as a Magic User.

As Rynold's expression darkened at his thoughts, he took [True Caliber] out from his Inventory. He checked the state of the gun, not that it was any different from before. After which, Rynold aimed the firearm at the forest behind him. He didn't even bother looking at where he pointed the gun. Rynold, fully considering the risks, opened fire at a random part of the forest.

Concentrating his Mana onto [True Caliber], Rynold felt his second Mana Core throb. It wasn't unintentional, as Rynold meant to make use of it. Doing so caused a chain reaction to his other Mana Core. Well, specifically, the symbiote living on it.

The two were in contrast with one another. The [Timber Sumbios] were one of Nature. Rynold could understand that whenever he used his second Mana Core, the symbiote would react hostilely. However, Rynold didn't need to intervene. Rynold never used both of their powers at the same time. It would cause problems, much more than Rynold would be willing to bear.

So, why was he doing so now?

Rynold was getting desperate, more so than he would have led to believe. And, frankly put, Rynold didn't really care for the consequences anymore. There was much more to the stakes now. The Nevermore was something beyond Rynold. He would put his life on the line for something much less than the gate to hell.

That said, Rynold didn't take to heart the consequences of his desperation. With a steady breath, Rynold combined the two opposing forces. And, unexpectedly, the throbbing didn't get any worse. Instead, whatever pain alleviated, and a sense of harmony filled his insides. Rynold, after a breath, forged the bullet in [True Caliber] and fired.

As soon as the bullet left the chamber, Rynold could feel his strength dwindle. It wasn't anything substantial, but it was noticeable. To which, Rynold looked to where the bullet had landed and squinted. It had landed a considerable distance away, but Rynold could sense it. It was unlike anything he had made before. Most bullets he made disappeared on impact. But, this?

'What?'

[After numerous attempts, the Timber Sumbios has grown, expanding its influence.]

[A second Mana Core has been registered by the System. Rewards shall appear accordingly.]

[The Timber Sumbios has recognized a change to its environment. To preserve its safety, the Timber Sumbios has expanded its influence. Enveloping the second Mana Core, the Symbiotic Mana Gear increased in power.]

Rynold's expression slightly dropped, and eyebrows furrowed. He didn't expect an update to the symbiotic tree living inside him. A sense of bafflement arose in his heart. He looked to the messages once more, gradually increasing in confusion. He found it a bit odd that the System had only recognized the Mana Core just now. Whatever this meant, Rynold had no idea.

But then, out of nowhere, a loud boom came from where Rynold had fired the bullet. The boom reverberated in Rynold's eardrums, making him look away from the windows that had popped up before him. He could sense some form of power coming from the distance. Instinctively, Rynold thought it was the Soul Dolls who had done it. Unfortunately, Rynold would come to recognize otherwise.

'What am I looking at?'

There Rynold was, standing before a massive smoldering pile of leaves and grass. Of which, at its center, was a tree. And, that particular tree was aflame, certain parts of which had burning fires that were growing more intense by the second. However, even so, the flames didn't burn the tree down.

Thinking the symbiote had something to do with this, Rynold hurriedly opened its window. And from there, Rynold would then realize what the System had meant by 'expanding its influence.'

===

[Timber Sumbios]

Symbiotic Mana Gear Equipment

Equipment Requirements: Legacy: The Forgotten Elf, Mana Bond

A mutation of the Livingwood Tree, this Symbiotic Mana Gear attached itself to your Mana Cores. It now lives and sustains itself with your Mana. Doing so also increases your abilities accordingly.

Additional Passive Skill: Symbiotic Relationship

- The Timber Sumbios rooted itself in your Mana Cores, consistently draining Mana from it. It drains your Mana Core at a rate of 3 Mana per hour. Additionally, all spells' Mana Cost is also increased by 25%.

Additional Passive Skil: Rooted Manasynthesis

- The Timber Sumbios's roots encroached on your Mana lines, increasing your spell casting speed by 18%.

Additional Passive Skill: Harmonial Bloom

- With a second Mana Core, the Timber Sumbios can access a wide variety of new skills. Skills are dependent on the Mana Core attached.

Additional Active Skill: Encompassing Serenity

- Consumes 60 Mana to heal 20% of missing Health on a target. Cooldown: 75 minutes

Additional Active Skill: Nature's Sustenance

- Upon activation, summons a large tree into battle, increasing Healing Effectiveness and Nature and Fire Damage by 15%. (Effect does not stack.) Effects last for 30 minutes or until destroyed.

- Cost: 80 Mana

- Cooldown: 3 hours

Additional Active Skill: Blazing Auraflora

- Activating this skill will imbue the user's next attack with both Fire and Nature Attributes, increasing the initial damage of the blow by 30%. The attack will also explode, dealing Fire damage to a small area around the target.

Additional Active Skill: Penultimate Overgrowth

- Under the direst of circumstances, the Timber Sumbios will act to protect itself and its host. It will forcibly consume its host's Mana and grow outwards, wrapping the host in itself. The Timber Sumbios and the host will then enter hibernation, removing any ailments and restoring the host's Mana, Health, and Stamina.

- The host cannot activate this skill. This skill will solely activate if the Timber Simbiosis senses its peril.

- Cooldown: 60 days

===

The symbiotic tree had effectively taken the second Mana Core as its own. While Rynold appreciated the slight growth it had, he certainly didn't want the tree to take root onto another Mana Core. While Rynold thought the idea was theoretically impossible, it happened. And at that point, Rynold had no idea if it was a good thing that it happened or not.

Either way, Rynold would have to make do with it for now. While he didn't appreciate a larger hourly consumption of his overall Mana, Rynold didn't have the luxury to think about it. For now, Rynold would have to make peace with the fact that his one attempt of setting fire to the entire forest caused the unexpected, near-improbable thing to happen.

Shaking his head, Rynold called out to the man with his communication rune. While doing so, Rynold decided to get a move on and see what other Soul Dolls were encroaching on the territory.

Rynold, though, only got an answer to one question but not the other. It only took a second for Rynold to realize that dozens of Soul Dolls were assembling by the second. Meanwhile, the man didn't seem to be picking up on Rynold's call.

That said, Rynold didn't waste any time and ran up to the group of nearest Soul Dolls, scanned by none other than the four octahedron drones. Rynold didn't stop as he ran up to the group of Soul Dolls, drill at the ready. As a bright flame coated itself onto the spinning drill, Rynold started his onslaught.