Kai felt like he is sleeping on a warm pillow but it is too hard so he moved his head to try and find a comfortable place. Jiang Ye is suddenly rubbed against all the way to his stomach where Kai seemed to barely be comfortable. Jiang Ye chuckled at the high demand of the young man for his pillow.
He had to spend the rest of the night with Kai resting on his body. The others had avoided coming this way after seeing this scene, this is not something they should see ah! The boss is that close to someone it only means the world is about to end....again.
Kai woke up to find himself wrapped in a warm embace. Still drowsy from sleep, he snuggles even deeper into the warm pillow making Jiang Ye's body heat up even more. He couldn't sleep to begin with but now it is even more impossible for him to fall asleep.
Especially with Kai's seductive smell. He smells like a tease, the occasional whiff that drifts into Jiang Ye's nose makes him want to get closer to Kai's skin and explore deeper.
"It is really tempting people!" Jiang Ye is known as a cold prince of their battalion for a reason. He never gets close to anyone but ever since he came a cross Kai that time, he had always wanted to befriend him. He is in deep thoughts when Kai started stirring up.
"No, go away Phil." This shocked Jiang Ye, who is this Phil that Kai is dreaming of in the middle of the night and still in his arms? His eyes became gloomy as if a dark cloud loomed over his head.
A defeated sigh left Kai's mouth as he woke up trying to feel his way around his location. Jiang Ye heard him grumble a torrent of curses.
"Master, wake up!" Phil had said a while ago. His master is the only one who can hear him when he wants so he didn't want to arouse suspicion from the other human.
"There is danger coming this way. You need to get up or it will be too late to save yourself." Phil explained but Kai just ignored him.
"MASTER!" Phil shouted.
"No, go away Phil." That is what the awakened Kai said in response.
Kai woke up and took out his clothes, he still hasn't realized someone else was lying beneath him on the couch. He wears the uniform while talking to Phillip.
"What is it then? It better be good."
"It is a large tree, the energy it exudes is very thick with vitality."
"Trees? Are you serious? We are being hunted by a fucking tree? *chuckles* that is infuriating." Kai turns and walks away to wake up the others.
Jiang Ye feels odd. Is Kai really talking to someone? He woke up and quickly left the couch towards the bedroom he uses. He woke up the people and wore his clothes.
A few minutes later Kai came back to find some people already up and he wondered if they can sense the approaching tree. When they all gathered he took out the hologram from the bracelet and showed the location of the approaching tree.
Phil is able to connect with any smart bracelets and send information. Only a few minutes remains before it reached their location.
"This is our enemy, after Phil scanned the tree, several of its properties are listed. It is a green Benji that is usually distinguished by its yellow leaves and purple small fruits." Kai's alchemist side shone.
The fruits are used in making bone mending medicine while the leaves provide powder for skin whitening products. The leaves can be used in scar removal skin products. Kai is now very interested in this tree as of this moment.
"Since when do trees attack people?" One person seems horrified by this news. The world is covered in trees, if they all suddenly attacked humans it will be awful to be alive.
The news cause a small commotion with in the group. Most are very scared by the idea of fighting such an enemy.
"We need a plan of attack. The tree is probably looking to use us as fertilizer to grow stronger." Kai said to Jiang Ye
"How many of you have high level fire abilities?" Kai asked everyone. Three people raised their hands. Jiang Ye went to stand in front of them and looked at a girl with long red hair.
"Mo Fang. I thought you are a space user?" He asked her.
"Boss, people just assumed I can't fight once I tell them I have space." She shrugged.
"You could have cleared the misunderstanding." Iron Gil who is a metal ability user said in annoyance.
"I could have, but that would rob you of the chance to protect a frail princess." She blinked.
"How high is your level?" Jiang Ye didn't care about their bickering and asked.
"Level seven." The people in the team did a double take. Some are shocked while others are mad at her for hiding this news.
"Mo Mo you bitch! Luke died saving you." A girl who wields a large sword said while walking towards her with aggression all over her body.
"You were not there, he was saving Lu Ming. I am sorry to say this to you Lulu but Luke and him have been together for months." Mo Fang chuckled at the girl's shock. When Lulu turned to face Lu Ming her older brother he couldn't look at her in the eyes which made her believe what Mo Fang had said.
"Drama." Phil said watching the humans.
"What about the two of you?" Jiang Ye asked the remaining two people.
"Level 6." A man said igniting the tip of his fingers. A deep orange flame came out.
The last man also lit up a slightly orange flame "level 5."
"The three of you will be in Lu Feng's team." Lu Feng heard that and acknowledged the order.
Others were teamed up according to their fighting power. Only the fire users were grouped together the rest were balanced.
When the meeting ended, came a loud sound. The tree is bulldozing its way into the inn. Kai is a fighter of the main team with Jiang Ye. He thinks it is because he doesn't trust him. They even made him go out in front of everyone as bate.
This is how he thinks but Jiang Ye thought to make best use of his speed as a reconnaissance force because he is also very strong.
Kai is fine with it as long as he gets to practice his sword technique. Kai goes out first just like he was instructed and circled the large yellow tree. Kai knows the tree must have a way to attack.
It released long flexible branches wrapping Kai into a dumpling. Kai didn't move or struggle waiting for the main attack. He then felt sharp thorns pierce his body while the branches pulled him as if he is an orange and it is drinking his juice.
Then he felt it, his vitality and life force draining at a high rate. Kai knew he can not waste time and scanned the tree. When he found that it's core is buried under a stone thick wood stem, he opted for his body technique.
The lightning body technique but instead of releasing multiple lightning attacks he concentrated it all on one attack and aimed it at the place where the core is located.
A loud boom sound came from below the ground and the tree threw Kai a long distance away and wrapped its core again before burrowing even deeper into the ground.
It is a big tree so even though it went deep into the soil to shelter its core, the tree is still very large. Kai was thrown away and they all saw the tree's fighting style.
Jiang Ye sent a team member to take a look at Kai as they all advance towards the tree now having a good idea of what the tree is likely to do next.
And just as they thought, many tree branches came out headed for them. They look very sharp. The girl named Lulu raised her long sword and hacked towards the up coming branches trying to cut them but only a dull metal collusion sound came from the impact.
Her father is the weapons dealer and made this sword especially for her since she is a powerful strengthened body type power user which made most weapons too light in her hands.
This weapon has been processed to even cut iron but now it is failing? She wanted to try again. The branches are avoided by the others only she is willing to fight with it. The sword came down and several branches recoiled as some of them were cut.
Lulu felt exhilarated at the fact that her blade is stronger than that tree. The others are sending out their powers. In the dark night sky inside an inn, a distance away from the J city a tree stood and took colorful supernatural powers as they attack it at the same time.
It only retaliated by cutting and some where squeezed out of blood and vitality but were saved by their teammates in time. Jiang Ye disappeared from his spot and appeared near the tree, he used all his strength and plunged a titanium blade into the stem before he created a hole large enough to throw a couple of grenades inside.
The action was done so fast the tree was not able to retaliate in time since it is surrounded by attackers. The grenades exploded but it only pissed off the tree. This tree had learned a lesson from Kai's actions and strengthened the wood around the core.
Kai came back from being thrown away and saw this scene. Even he did a double take at this crazy tree. It seems the tree has the ability to not only change the shape of every branch on its tree body, but it can increase the sturdiness of the wood.
It seems not only the leaves and the fruits are of great value but even the wood of every branch is too. A new feeling emerged within Kai, greed. He wants this tree for himself. His part is over so he is not required to fight now, but after watching for a while he walked towards Jiang Ye and saw that even the young commander is sweating profusely.
No one had died yet but they are all very tired. "Mr. Jiang I have a plan, why don't you take everyone back now?" Kai looked at the handsome man thinking about how sexy he looks when he is all wet and sticky like that. Jiang Ye looked at Kai hesitation clear on his face.
"This is no joking matter Kai, if you get hurt it will be on me." The guy said with a frown on his face.
"Go save Stan he is about to be impaled." Kai said making Jiang Ye look towards Stan who ran out of power and it seems his legs are weak he can't dodge the incoming sharp spike of wood headed straight for his chest.
Jiang Ye disappeared from his place and took Stan away from the previous position. Kai had taken a while before coming back so they have been fighting for a long time already and they only seem to be defending. Not making any significant damage to the tree.
They all left towards the gate fleeing from the place in case Kai loses. Seeing this scene he mocks himself. He had just wanted them to retreat and regroup, but to his surprise they decided to run.
What did he expect? That he will be considered a friend and even a part of a team just because he is rich? Or is it because he and Jiang Ye had some business before that he began to delude himself with thought of friendship?
This is his constant ever since he woke up that faithful day with an open throat, people were always shunning him because of his origin, because of his weight and because it simply made things easier for them to do so. Perhaps his most challenging task would be to find a sincere friend in his life.
This sudden realization about his path so far and the place he has occupied in his life made him feel lighter. The tree didn't go after the others and stood silently as Kai had an internal epiphany about his life.
He then walked towards the tree. Feeling it's uneasy state, he started talking to it after he took out a small bowl of water. This is the spring water that has been mixed with normal water for watering his vegetables in the green houses at the base.
"I bet you only want to replenish energy in your body because of those fruits. What if I can give you spiritual energy instead? It is powerful and much more sanitary than human remains." He put the bowl on the ground and waited.
The tree shook slightly, it seems it can taste the energy from the bowl in the air and wants more. It sends out a few branches lifting up the bowl and taking it away. Then it brought it back cracked and empty. But it can still hold liquid inside.
Kai smiled at the tree and sat on a nearby boulder from the smashed stone wall that was surrounding the in that the tree had bulldozed when coming in.
"Not just this, I also have superior soil for you to plant your roots." He sighed and took out a cigarette. He is a genius and is very wealthy but he is abandoned all the time by almost everyone. This is slowly turning him into a hopeless loner at heart.
He coughed badly after only a few whiffs of smoke. The tree shook as if it is laughing at him. He looked at the tree and laughed at himself. The tree took the bowl from the ground and gave it to him as if asking for more water.
"I want you to be my pet. Then you can have any amount of that water you like." He continues smoking with an occasional cough.
The aura around the tree became sinister, this made Kai conclude that it has already devoured a lot of people. But this does not dissuade him, it means the fruits on the tree are near ripening.
Sighing, he stood up and took out his sword "You are fighting for your freedom so I will respect you and not hold back. If you are defeated by me and you still insist on refusing my proposal, I will not force you." He took a stand and released his killing Intent which is mixed with his lightning aura that allows him to travel a large distance in an instant.
"I will fulfill your desire to remain free....and kill you instead." He said. The tree felt a chill and its leaves shook at his words.
It extended many branches with sharp spikes on the long smooth wood. The tree had only used thorns when it was braining him before, which means it was looking down of the fighters before.
Smirking, Kai stood in the midst of many similar swords to his own and the fight began. Knowing the sturdiness of the tree branches he did not hold back on the strength with which he cut down the branches.
A few moves later, Kai stood in a stance, the wind blowing on the leaves and the ground no longer covered in snow but several branches what seem to extricate milky white liquid. Kai scanned it and found out it is teeming with vitality and natural healing properties.
He used the lightning aura to collect all the branches putting them in a bathtub inside the castle. The tree grew new branches as if he didn't cut out many a moment ago. He focused and realized that due to the tree's unique properties, it will likely never tire.
Kai needed to finish the fight because he may have already attracted attention. He imbued his sword with thick lightning power and approached the tree step by step while his sword clones deal with the branches that keep attacking him.
The tree tried to burrow deeper into the earth but Kai used this sword to stab the stem and pushed even more power into the tree almost incinerating it but the tree gave him the previous bowl just as he is about to kill it. The bowl is filled with the milky liquid he had seen on the broken branches.
Amused he asked. "Are you suggesting an exchange?"
The tree made a sound but Kai laughed at it. "Humans are greedy. Our appetites are limitless. I will agree to your proposal if you come with me, you don't have to be my pet you can give me the juice and I will give you a better environment to live. Do we have a deal?" He asked.
The tree seems to agree so he took it to the space but he took care to make a barrier around the small mountain where the tree stays. There is plenty of room and spiritual energy to feast on. The tree seems to love it there as it planted its roots when it found a place where a small stream of spirit spring water is and the body revitalized soon after.
It then sways this side and that side in happiness. Kai finally decided what he needed to do next. Besides studying the magic stones he will ensure the success of his business. Humans may abandon him but his life will always be better with wealth.
The new vitality juice is a perfect ingredient for many skin care products that he will launch on his smart bracelets website as soon as he is done with the research.
....