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Chapter 34: The Golden Magic Tree
The trio moved with painstaking precision, their descent into the valley as silent as the stillness of time itself. Their movements were so subtle that even a vigilant observer standing in the heart of the valley would detect nothing amiss.
Brandon had traversed this route countless times before. Though he had been discovered in his early, unpracticed days, such mistakes were now unthinkable. Treants were strong and aggressive, but they were blind by nature—creatures attuned to sound rather than light, which traveled more slowly through the air. This made them poor at reconnaissance.
Yet Brandon’s nerves remained taut. He caught the faint scrape of boot tips against stone and turned to see Freya staring back at him, her face tense. You’re too nervous, Freya, he thought, frowning slightly.
He paused to let Roma pass. Roma was handling herself admirably—low to the ground, breathing evenly, moving neither too fast nor too slow. Her steps were as graceful and precise as a cat’s, careful not to make a sound. Her spirit was alert yet calm, her heightened focus unlocking reserves of potential within her. Roma had always considered herself born for both trade and adventure.
“Roma, you’re doing great. Keep it up,” Brandon mouthed silently, offering encouragement without words.
Roma nodded discreetly, unable to hide the flicker of pride in her eyes.
As Roma slipped past, Brandon’s gaze shifted to Freya. The young Valkyrie-in-waiting seemed aware of her own unease and lowered her head, ashamed. Brandon sighed inwardly. By all measures—intelligence, judgment, mental fortitude, physical prowess—Freya was far from extraordinary. It was as though fate itself had marked her as destined for mediocrity.
And yet, Brandon knew better. There was something latent in her, some spark waiting to ignite into legend. He studied her closely—the way her light brown hair framed her downturned face, its texture soft and well-cared-for, simple yet meticulous.
Freya moved past him then, her long ponytail swaying with quiet defiance. Brandon recognized that stubborn streak—a unique resilience she carried within her.
“Freya,” he whispered.
Her movement faltered.
“You’re too tense. Relax.”
“I’m sorry… I…”
“It’s fine.”
“Do you see that rock ahead? We’ll split up there. You go behind it. When the patrol passes, draw the last two treants’ attention immediately.”
Freya nodded.
“You go first. I’ll stay here and watch over you, Freya. I know you can do this.” Brandon rolled onto his side amidst the rubble and gestured for her to proceed.
For a moment, Freya’s surprise broke through her composure. This wasn’t part of the original plan, but she wasn’t foolish enough to misunderstand Brandon’s intent—to give her confidence. She felt a surge of gratitude but could only press her lips together and nod firmly.
When Freya resumed her advance, her movements steadier now, Brandon allowed himself a breath of relief. Such reactions were normal; few possessed Roma’s innate talent. Glancing back, he saw her watching curiously and waved her forward impatiently. Roma’s mental fortitude was unmatched, but her eccentricities often left much to be desired. Still, Freya, despite her flaws, was reliable in her own way. He looked forward to the day she would grow into the legendary Valkyrie she was meant to become.
Freya reached her position just as the patrol passed halfway through the valley, encountering no complications along the way. Truthfully, none should have arisen—it was her anxiety that had nearly caused trouble. Meanwhile, Brandon faced a challenge of his own. Delaying to encourage Freya had cost him precious seconds, and the treants were already rounding the bend, entering their ambush zone. At this range, detection was imminent.
But Brandon was nothing if not precise. With flawless timing and control, he navigated the path, arriving beside Roma drenched in sweat. Even under immense pressure, he maintained his composure, executing the maneuver as flawlessly as he had in the game.
Seeing his exhaustion, Roma rummaged through her bag and handed him a checkered handkerchief. She said nothing, but her meaning was clear. Brandon recognized the fabric—a handmade piece from the northern Viero region, rare in Buchi. It was one of her prized possessions.
“Thank you,” he mouthed silently.
“It is I who should thank you, Brandon,” Roma replied earnestly, clutching her bag. “It might get dangerous soon, and there may not be another chance to say this. So… thank you.”
Brandon hesitated, then smiled faintly.
By now, the six treants were drawing near. From their hiding spot behind jagged rocks, the trio could hear the rustling of their footsteps. The creatures communicated in low, resonant notes, while their connection to their progenitor—the Golden Magic Tree—was telepathic.
Brandon watched as Freya unsheathed her sword, wrapping the blade in cloth to prevent reflections from giving them away. He nodded approvingly. Freya had come a long way since their first encounter. He signaled: I’ll go first; you strike from behind.
Freya frowned, uneasy about Brandon taking on the most perilous task yet again. Still, she knew it was the best course of action and reluctantly nodded.
The treants paused beneath an outcropping, spreading out to search their surroundings. They emitted a series of strange tones, communicating with one another. Brandon drew the Lustrous Stinger, shielding Roma with one arm, and signaled Freya to attack.
Now was the moment. The treants were spread thin, their backs turned—an ideal opportunity.
Brandon charged first, targeting the adult treant. Freya followed, rushing toward the rear of the group, aiming for the two closest offspring of the Golden Magic Tree. The rearmost treants, tasked with vigilance, reacted swiftly. Upon spotting Freya, they roared and lashed out with four vine-like tendrils, slicing through the air with a shrill whistle.
But Freya deflected the attacks with practiced ease. The feathers of the Half-Body Armor of the Wind Sovereign shimmered protectively around her as she leaped forward, colliding with the first treant. The impact sent the towering creature stumbling backward.
Remembering Brandon’s words—Your armor gives you a significant advantage. Strike boldly!—she gritted her teeth and pressed the attack. Ignoring defense entirely, she pounced on the fallen treant. A torrent of force threatened to hurl her aside, but she gripped her sword tightly and brought it down with all her strength, severing the treant’s right arm.
A sharp snap echoed as the limb flew skyward, but Freya was flung backward in the process. Before she could recover, another treant struck her with a whip-like tendril, sending her tumbling across the ground. Though the Half-Body Armor protected her, the impact left her coughing blood.
One treant lay temporarily incapacitated, leaving Freya with only one opponent. But despite wiping the blood from her lips, she struggled to find an opening.
She inhaled sharply, steadying herself.
Meanwhile, Brandon’s strikes were swift and decisive. The Lustrous Stinger danced like a silver thread in his hands. His first thrust pierced the adult treant’s ribs, and a single sweep severed its arm and several vines. A second slash removed its legs, and as the creature collapsed, the cold edge of the elven blade swept across its neck.
In a flash of light, the adult treant disintegrated into ash.
Though the ambush gave him the upper hand, Brandon knew the fight wasn’t over. As expected, the remaining treants roared in fury and pursued him. He led them through a narrow passage, forcing them to line up single-file. Then, with a gleaming silver ring in hand, he unleashed his next move.
“Oss!”
……….
Freya heard a deafening boom erupt from behind her. It was Brandon’s signal. Relief washed over her as she noticed her remaining foe stagger under the shockwave.
As a young person from the countryside of Buchi, she naturally couldn’t fully grasp the sheer impact that the sonic blast had on the sound-sensitive treants. The overwhelming noise all but robbed them of their ability to perceive the world around them—like being plunged into a blinding sea of white light where nothing else existed.
But she didn’t need to understand the mechanics—knowing it was an opportunity was enough. Gripping her corroded longsword, its blade on the verge of snapping, she swung with all her might, bringing it down fiercely upon the treant’s legs.
The brief battle seemed to conclude with that single decisive strike—
A sharp *clang* rang out as the towering treant’s body split in two, along with her long sword. Freya could hardly believe she had succeeded. Her lips parted in disbelief, and only then did she notice Roma standing across from her, panting heavily and gripping a black steel sword from Madara.
“Roma!”
“Freya, I—I’m sorry. Brandon told me to help…” Roma stammered.
Freya smiled faintly. “It’s okay. Thank you.”
When Brandon emerged from behind the rocks, he found the scene unfolding exactly as he’d hoped. He had braced himself for Freya’s anger, but instead, she seemed to understand.
In truth, Brandon’s decision wasn’t solely to ease Freya’s burden—it was a tactical necessity. The key to this ambush lay with the ponytailed girl. The core of the treant patrol consisted of their commander—the adult treant—and the two rear guards responsible for vigilance.
By drawing the attention of the vigilant treants, Brandon could swiftly eliminate the adult treant and lure the remaining ones into his trap. Allowing the treants to regroup and prepare a counterattack would have spelled disaster. Facing six ranged monsters, even if Brandon were five levels higher, he might not have been able to protect Freya and Roma adequately.
“Why hasn’t the Golden Magic Tree moved?” Freya asked, turning to him. “Can’t it attack?”
Brandon blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. He shook his head. The Golden Magic Tree hadn’t been idle. On the contrary, the moment their ambush began, the monstrous entity had initiated its counterattack—silently and invisibly.
“We have one minute,” Brandon said gravely. “Listen carefully. If you don’t want your souls trapped forever within the Golden Magic Tree, you’ll heed my instructions.”
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