Chapter 210: Weeping Willow Tree!
The dense jungle of the Middle Realm evaluation grounds felt alive, each shadow hiding potential threats. Tessa moved swiftly, her movements fluid as she leapt over gnarled roots and ducked beneath swinging vines. The air was thick with humidity, and the earthy scent of moss and decay clung to her senses.
Ahead of her loomed the formidable weeping willow tree—a guardian unlike any she had faced before. Its tendrils moved with an eerie grace, swaying as though anticipating her every move. This was no ordinary tree. Tessa could feel its hostility radiating through the air, a silent warning to any intruder daring to approach.
The tree was the gatekeeper to the underground chamber she needed to access to pass this segment of the evaluation. From her experience in the Lower Realm, Tessa knew this challenge would be as much a test of wit and courage as strength.
This spot had been overlooked by most other candidates. Hidden behind dense foliage, it seemed unremarkable at first glance. But Tessa's sharp instincts had guided her here, like a rabbit catching the faint scent of a carrot or a rat honing in on a tempting fish. She had trusted her intuition, and it hadn't let her down.
Triggering the guardian's ire had been the easy part. Now came the true challenge: surviving its wrath.
As she caught her breath, her focus was abruptly torn away by a desperate sound—a gurgling cry. She turned sharply and froze.
Gastro was sinking into a pool of thick, churning mud. His struggle only hastened his descent, his body nearly consumed. If he failed here, his soul would be returned to his body prematurely, his potential capped forever at either Higher God or Forbidden God level.
Tessa's heart pounded, but she acted without hesitation.
Leaping high, she grasped one of the willow's swinging tendrils, her hands gripping it like steel. The tree reacted instantly, its face-like contusion at the center of its trunk twisting in shock, its jaw gaping wide.
Tessa's momentum carried her forward, her body stretching to its limit as she extended a hand toward Gastro.
"Hold on!" she shouted, her voice strained but resolute.
Gastro's hand flailed weakly, his fingers brushing hers before she finally caught his wrist. With a powerful pull, she began hauling him free, inch by agonizing inch. The willow, enraged, shook violently, trying to dislodge her. Its tendrils whipped through the air like angry serpents, but Tessa's grip was unyielding.
With one final effort, she flung Gastro toward solid ground. He landed with a heavy thud, coughing and gasping as he clawed at the dirt.
Tessa released the tendril and dropped to the ground, putting as much distance as she could between herself and the thrashing tree. She crouched low, assessing her next move. The willow was relentless, its tendrils already seeking her out.
But Tessa wasn't about to give up. Not now. Not ever.
Unbeknownst to her, she wasn't the only one watching the weeping willow tree. Hidden among the dense shadows of the jungle, Liam and Zuri lurked like vultures eyeing a wounded prey.
"This is it," Liam whispered, his voice dripping with malice. "Our chance to strike back."
Zuri smirked, his eyes narrowing with glee. "Let's see how she handles a little help from us."
Their movements were deliberate, predatory. They had waited too long for this moment, their hatred simmering like a storm ready to unleash its fury.
Meanwhile, Tessa steadied herself, her hands trembling slightly—not from fear, but from the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She exhaled sharply, the determination in her eyes sharper than ever.
She sprinted toward the willow, its massive vines writhing in warning. Timing her approach, she leapt into the air, her lithe body twisting as she reached for one of its swinging tendrils. But just as her fingers brushed the vine, a massive stick came hurtling toward her from the side.
Tessa reacted instinctively, twisting her body mid-air like a gymnast defying gravity. The stick narrowly missed, whizzing past her head, but the disruption was enough. Her balance faltered, and with a sickening thud, she crashed into the mud below.
Her vision blurred momentarily as she hit the ground, the swampy muck clinging to her like a second skin. The humiliation stung as much as the pain. For a split second, she saw the end of the evaluation flash before her eyes.
Laughter broke through the tense air like a jagged knife. Turning her head, Tessa saw Liam and Zuri standing at the edge of the clearing, their hands clasped together in gloating delight.
"Did you see that?" Liam jeered, his voice ringing with mockery. "The great Tessa, brought down by a stick."
Zuri chuckled darkly, his arms folded. "Looks like the prodigy isn't so invincible after all."
Tessa's jaw tightened, anger simmering beneath her calm exterior. But before she could retort, the smug duo's triumph was abruptly cut short.
A blur of movement came from behind them, and before they could react, a solid force barreled into them, sending them tumbling forward. Their smug expressions turned to sheer panic as they landed with a wet squelch in the same sinking mud where Tessa had fallen moments earlier.
"What the—?!" Zuri flailed his arms, his voice rising in indignation.
Liam clawed at the mud, his face twisting with rage. "Who dares—"
Their protests were silenced when they looked up and saw Gastro standing over them, his face contorted with fury.
"You want to play dirty? Let's see how you like it!" Gastro snapped, his voice a low growl.
Zuri and Liam cursed him with words vile enough to tarnish his future generations, their hands frantically clawing at the mud as it began to pull them down.
Meanwhile, Tessa had regained her composure, even while stuck in the sinking mud. Her sharp eyes narrowing as she glanced between the floundering pair and Gastro. For a moment, her lips quirked into a wry smile. She considered stepping in, but she decided against it.
"Looks like karma doesn't need my help," she muttered under her breath.
Her attention shifted back to the weeping willow tree, which was now thrashing violently, its tendrils lashing out in all directions. It had fixed its gaze—if such a thing could be said—squarely on her.
The air crackled with tension as the ground trembled beneath the guardian's fury.
But Tessa didn't flinch. Instead, she smiled.
"Just what I needed," she said softly, her tone almost playful. Her eyes gleamed with challenge as she stepped forward, mud dripping from her clothes.
"Oh, my darling willow tree," she continued, her voice carrying a note of mock affection. "Shall we dance?"