"The War Treant has several innate abilities, such as 'Rooting,' 'Branching,' 'Heart of the Tree,' and 'Seed.'
In addition to these, there are battle instincts like 'Thorny Spikes,' 'Entangling Roots,' and 'Ironwood.'
There might be more, but my hidden talent is only at level two, so I can't uncover them all yet," Eddie explained, leaving Sophia with her mouth agape in surprise.
In her four years at the academy, she had only learned about 'Rooting' and 'Branching.'
She had heard of 'Entangling Roots,' but it was considered a highly advanced War Treant combat skill, difficult even for the academy's instructors to master.
Students had to pay a hundred gold coins to learn it.
Her mother had been saving up a thousand gold coins to buy a Spirit Awakening Pill for Eddie, which increased the chance of contracting a beast. Sophia had never had the luxury to spend a hundred gold coins on learning a skill. Moreover, the family support funds had already been given to her father to buy the Spirit Awakening Pill.
Thankfully, Eddie had finally come into his own, successfully contracting the beast and becoming the pillar of the family.
Now, having Eddie teach her was even better. Sophia listened attentively to her brother's guidance, like an eager student.
"You use 'Rooting' well, but for 'Branching,' aside from using tree limbs to strike enemies, you can also grow new branches on the Treant to attack.
Most importantly, 'Branching' can regenerate limbs. For instance, if a limb is broken off, it can be regrown through 'Branching.' That's the true power of 'Branching'!" Eddie's explanation astonished even the knowledgeable Inan.
Inan: "In that case, plant-based battle beasts are not only strong but extremely powerful? Beast and bird battle beasts can't regenerate limbs in battle. If a plant-based battle beast can continuously regenerate its limbs, doesn't that make it invincible?"
"Plant-based battle beasts have always been powerful," Eddie smiled slightly. "Their perceived weakness is just a misunderstanding. Just because others can't use them effectively doesn't mean they're not strong."
"Brother, tell me more about the 'Heart of the Tree' and 'Seed'!" Sophia urged eagerly.
Eddie said, gently stroking Sophia's hair:
"'Seed' and 'Heart of the Tree' are even more advanced. When the War Treant evolves into a Millennial Treant Warrior, it acquires the 'Heart of the Tree.'"
"As long as the Heart remains, the Treant cannot die. "
When it becomes the Ancient Tree King of a thousand years, it will produce 'Seeds.' Planting these seeds in suitable places summons more War Treants! I'll teach you these later."
"As for 'Ironwood,' it's an innate ability of the Centennial Treant Guardian, significantly enhancing its defense. I'll focus on teaching you 'Thorny Spikes' and 'Entangling Roots.'"
"Once you master these two techniques, I guarantee that any enemy who battles you will be frustrated to death!"
...
"Really?" Sophia was so excited that she jumped three feet high.
Eddie's revelation about the advanced abilities of the War Treant and its potential for growth and evolution filled Sophia with a sense of pride and excitement.
She realized that her battle beast was not just a mere companion but a formidable force with untapped potential.
Eddie's willingness to share his insights and guide her in harnessing these abilities was a testament to his care and dedication as a brother.
This moment marked a turning point for Sophia, as she now had new tools and strategies to employ in her future battles.
With Eddie's guidance, her confidence in her abilities and her bond with her War Treant were stronger than ever.
This knowledge not only empowered Sophia but also inspired Inan, who saw the depth of Eddie's abilities and the profound impact a caring and knowledgeable mentor could have.
Eddie's teachings about the War Treant were a reminder of the untapped potential and hidden strengths that lie within each battle beast, waiting to be discovered and harnessed.
As Sophia absorbed this valuable knowledge, she looked forward to applying these new techniques in future battles, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead with her newly empowered War Treant by her side.
Eddie continued:
"'Thorny Spikes' is a long-range and close-range attack method for the War Treant. "
"Use spikes for close combat and thorns for long-range. If an enemy is pricked by the spikes, you can use your 'Deadly Poison' talent to make them suffer. "
"As for the thorns, besides tightly binding enemies, when the War Treant evolves into a Millennial Treant Warrior, it can also drain blood."
" You can control the Treant to poison and drain blood with the thorns and set up ambushes with spikes. Even the strongest enemy battle beasts will struggle against such attacks!"
The War Treant's biggest weakness had been its slow speed, but with 'Thorny Spikes,' capable of both long and close-range attacks, that weakness was mitigated.
Inan raised her eyebrows slightly: "Beasts and birds indeed fear poison, but demonic, ghost, and undead types are immune to it, especially the ghost types made of rotting flesh."
Eddie waved his hand, indicating not to worry: "As far as I know, plant-based creatures are very effective against creatures from the Demon Abyss. They might not affect all, but demonic, ghost, and undead types generally suffer against them because plant-based beasts can easily release spiritual energy. This energy has no effect on beasts or birds and might even heal some, but it's disastrous for demonic and ghost types as it purifies their demonic energy. For example, a demon general's weakness is its heart. If you prick the heart with a spike and continually release spiritual energy to purify and shatter the demon heart, then the general is doomed."
"But how can you hit a fast-moving demon general?" Sophia asked.
Eddie:
"With 'Entangling Roots, It's the most frustrating attack for enemies. Once entangled, it's almost impossible to escape unless the Treant dies."
" Use it for surprise attacks. When an enemy gets close or is bound by thorns, send in the Treant to root itself and entangle with its roots, then keep attacking. "
"Even against ghost types, just release spiritual energy to purify them. Any enemy, even a flying dragon, would be in trouble if caught by the roots."
...
Eddie imparted all of the War Treant's abilities to Sophia.
Initially, Eddie had reservations about sharing everything with her, but now, moved by his aunt's family and determined to integrate into this warm family, he no longer hid anything from his sister.
However, he only shared information about the War Treant's innate abilities. He would never reveal the shocking secrets like cultivating thorn flowers using living beings.
The cultivation of the Thorn Flower Queen would remain his secret weapon, a secret he would never share with anyone else.
After hearing all this, Sophia and Inan were stunned, taking a while to process before they both murmured in unison, "This is unbelievable..." The revelation of the War Treant's hidden abilities and potential strategies opened a new realm of possibilities for Sophia's combat tactics, and even Inan couldn't help but be impressed by Eddie's knowledge and insight.
Eddie smiled:
"Actually, plant-based battle beasts do have a drawback. Take the War Treant, for example. Its weakness isn't its slow speed, but rather its effectiveness in group battles."
" In one-on-one fights, the War Treant is incredibly advantageous, especially with 'Entangling Roots,' but in group battles, it must reach its target to root itself and can only entangle one enemy at a time, which makes it less effective."
" The biggest limitation of the War Treant is its numbers; you can only summon two at most right now. So, while it excels in one-on-one combat, it's at a disadvantage in group battles."
Eddie didn't mention that this limitation didn't exist for Thorn Flowers.
As they advanced, Thorn Flowers could produce many offshoots, including main stems, side stems, and clonal colonies.
A high-ranking Thorn Flower Witch could have several side stems and dozens of clonal offshoots; reaching the Thorn Flower Queen level would be even more formidable, with countless thorn flowers under her throne, capable of forming a sea of flowers.
Thus, three thousand years ago, the Thorn Flower Fairy easily drowned an entire army of evil spirits with her sea of flowers.
Another fatal weakness of the War Treant is its vulnerability to lightning. A strike of lightning almost certainly means death for a War Treant. However, this weakness does not apply to Sophia's Centennial Treant Guardian, as it is her life guardian beast and will never
truly perish. Eddie also advised Sophia to be cautious when facing lightning-type battle beasts, as they could severely damage the War Treant.
Inan, too, was eager for Eddie's guidance, but she hesitated to ask directly. Observing Inan's expression, Sophia quickly inquired on her behalf.
Eddie, however, was more reserved with Inan than with Sophia. Since Inan wasn't yet part of his inner circle, he only shared a few innate skills of the little silver pegasus and some of its weaknesses, advising her on training methods.
He excused his limited insights by citing his low level of hidden talent, keeping most secrets to himself.
Despite this, Inan was thrilled with the advice, nodding enthusiastically. She had great trust in Eddie, despite his somewhat selfish nature.
Both girls were excited, practicing techniques with their battle beasts. Sophia, in particular, made rapid progress in controlling her Centennial Treant Guardian under Eddie's guidance.
Given time, she was sure to become a formidable opponent, especially against demonic, undead, and ghost types from the Demon Abyss.
As night fell, Eddie, Sophia, and Inan spent a peaceful and joyful evening under the ancient oak tree, enjoying their "trio world" together.
This bonding experience not only strengthened their skills but also deepened their camaraderie, setting the stage for future adventures and challenges.
With Eddie's knowledge and support, Sophia and Inan were well on their way to becoming powerful warriors, each with their unique strengths and battle beasts to aid them in the battles to come.
Eddie chuckled, "Actually, plant-based battle beasts do have a weakness. For the War Treant, it's not the slow speed but rather its effectiveness in group battles. In one-on-one fights, the War Treant has a huge advantage, especially with 'Entangling Roots.' However, in group battles, it needs to reach its target to root itself and can only entangle one enemy at a time. This makes it less effective against multiple opponents. The War Treant's biggest weakness is its limited numbers; currently, you can only summon two at a time. So, it's great for one-on-one fights but at a disadvantage in group battles."
Eddie refrained from mentioning that this weakness didn't apply to Thorn Flowers. Advanced Thorn Flowers could produce many offshoots, and at higher ranks, they could form a sea of flowers, overwhelming entire armies.
Another major vulnerability of the War Treant is its susceptibility to lightning strikes, which are almost always fatal. However, this didn't apply to Sophia's Centennial Treant Guardian as it was her life guardian beast and would never truly die. Eddie advised Sophia to prioritize attacking lightning-type beasts to prevent serious damage to her Treant.
Inan, though eager for Eddie's guidance, hesitated to ask. Sensing her interest, Sophia quickly inquired on her behalf. Eddie shared some tips about Inan's little silver pegasus and its weaknesses, advising her on training methods. He excused his limited insight by citing his low level of hidden talent, keeping most secrets to himself.
Despite this, Inan was thrilled and nodded enthusiastically, trusting Eddie deeply. Both girls were excited, practicing techniques with their beasts. Sophia, especially, made rapid progress with her Centennial Treant Guardian under Eddie's guidance.
As night fell, Eddie, Sophia, and Inan spent a peaceful and joyful evening under the ancient oak tree. Exhausted, Yehken, Hessian, and the Ly brothers finally arrived. Hessian, initially half-dead, perked up at the sight of the Bloody Queen.
He rushed to her with unbelievable speed, combing his messy hair and adjusting his clothes to appear presentable. He introduced himself as "Hessian the Great," expressing his willingness to do anything for such a beauty, only to be kicked away by the unimpressed Bloody Queen.
Inan chuckled to herself, realizing Hessian couldn't differentiate between a battle beast and a human. She glanced at Eddie with a playful roll of her eyes, which he pretended not to see. Sophia covered her mouth, giggling at the scene.
It seemed Eddie wouldn't recognize Inan's feelings unless she made a bold confession like Hessian did to the Bloody Queen.
Yehken and the Ly brothers were astonished, their jaws dropping at the sight of the Gold-level humanoid battle beast. The revelation of such a powerful ally in their midst left them speechless and in awe.