Foster remained kneeling, breathless, one hand resting against the vibrating trunk of the miniature World Tree. Around him, the charred forest of Vollua stretched like a silent graveyard, populated by ashen remains and gaunt shadows. The emerald glow of the leaves contrasted sharply with this landscape of death.
But soon, that glow would disappear.
He could feel it. His spell [Renewal of Life] was weakening. The energy that kept the tree alive was crumbling, and with it, the last tangible trace of Lïanna. He had tried to nourish it, to inject power into its roots, but had failed completely. The black stone he had retrieved from the General of Hell had done nothing. Worse still, it had almost corrupted the tree.
Foster closed his eyes, resting his forehead against the bark.
- ...I've failed. I failed again.
Her own whisper seemed far away, as if it didn't belong to her. His body was numb with fatigue, his Ki and magic almost exhausted. Giovanni, who had been standing back until then, approached and laid a hand on his shoulder.
- Foster, take a breath. You can't just...
- You can't breathe,' Foster cut in, his voice hoarse. Not when I've lost someone again. Not when... I'm powerless.
There was silence. Giovanni was at a loss for words. He too was carrying the weight of this loss. But Foster... Foster carried so much more.
And as he sank further into this abyss of failure and regret, a glimmer of hope lit up in his eyes.
- Fucking hell, System isn't abandoning me! he thought.
The system activated.
A translucent screen formed before his eyes, projecting golden letters that danced in the twilight air.
A legendary print. Foster was only vaguely aware of what it meant, but he was too drained to wonder. He accepted without a word.
The screen flickered. A magic circle appeared in his mind, scrolling through countless runes, each symbolising an ancient power, a forgotten heritage, an untapped strength. The symbols spun at breakneck speed, clashing in a dance of light and shadow.
- Go, go, GO!
Giovanni looked at him strangely from the side.
Then one of them stabilised.
And then came the notification.
[New Ability Acquired: Blood Inheritance ]
[Description: Your blood carries a unique essence. By sharing it, you can infuse a chosen entity with a portion of your life force. The effect varies according to the target and its receptivity].
Foster stared blankly at the screen.
His own blood?
He slowly raised his hand and observed the thin cuts on his fingers, the dark traces of his own dried blood. A strange, instinctive power vibrated within him, begging to be used. His gaze drifted to the miniature World Tree. Lïanna.
Before attempting anything, he turned his attention to the massive black stone he had retrieved from the General of Hell. If this energy had been able to nourish his World Tree seed, perhaps it could also strengthen it.
He took a deep breath.
[Energy source detected]
[Absorb]
[Yes / No]
- Yes!
A wave of dark energy seeped into him, seeking to corrupt his being. But the strength of the emerald and blue seed within him neutralised these harmful influences, absorbing the pure, raw essence of the stone.
A dull roar echoed through his body as his muscles tensed and his veins pulsed under the surge of energy. His Ki grew stronger, his aura took on a new density, wilder, more imposing. His blood itself seemed to vibrate with a new power.
[*Ding* The seed of the World Tree has sprouted in the Host's body]
[+10 on all stats]
- Hold off on upgrading my stats until I stabilise Lianna! Foster thought sharply to his system.
[Possible delay: 5 minutes]
- Perfect, let's hurry
Satisfied, he turned his gaze back to the miniature World Tree.
Without thinking, he bit down hard on his thumb.
The pain was brief, replaced by a new warmth, a pulse of life that ran through his entire body. Blood beaded on his skin, but instead of an ordinary hue, it glowed emerald and ocean blue. He placed his bloodied hand against the trunk of the tree, letting his essence seep into the bark.
A shiver ran through the World Tree. Its leaves trembled. The roots trembled underground, absorbing this new life force.
Then something changed.
The tree, hitherto stagnant, seemed to breathe. A faint but distinct pulse emanated from the trunk, like a heart beating for the first time. The green energy intensified slightly, and the tarnished leaves began to glow more brightly.
Foster felt his own Ki fluctuate, some of his vitality being transmitted.
[*DING* Successful creation of a new member of the species]
[Hidden Reward: *Title* Will of a New King]
[Description: You are the king of an entire species, you can now control your every emotion, you are no longer easily swayed by mental attacks and you can impose your will on those weaker than you].
A thin smile, bitter but sincere, stretched Foster's lips.
- Lïanna... You're still here.
[Lïanna: Wood nymph form of the lower world]
Giovanni, a silent witness to this scene, felt a shiver run down his spine. He wasn't sure what he had just seen. But he did understand one thing: Foster had perhaps just created something that surpassed anything they had known before.
The miniature World Tree vibrated softly in the night, like a silent response to its creator's call.
[*Ding* End of hold]
[Reward activated]
A cold shiver ran down Foster's spine as a wave of raw power surged through his body. He fell to his knees, one hand clutching at the scorched ground of Vollua, as his breath became erratic. His whole body vibrated, every fibre of his being humming with new energy.
Then the system interface appeared before her eyes, projecting her new stats:
[Strength]: 72 --> 82
[Stamina]: 70 --> 80
[Constitution]: 70 --> 80
[Perception]: 76 --> 86
[Magic]: 68 --> 78
Foster felt a spasm run through him as his bones restructured, becoming denser and more robust. His muscles, once sculpted by training and war, grew firmer, as if forged by a superior force. His skin, once scarred by battle, seemed to adapt to this new power, gaining in elasticity and resilience. A warmth rose in his chest, his heart beating with a new intensity, each pulse propelling this raw force through his bloodstream.
But that wasn't all.
His perception changed drastically. The sounds around him, once diffuse and indistinct, came to him with unprecedented clarity. The rustling of charred leaves in the night wind, the distant crackling of dying embers, Giovanni's breath rising slowly behind him... Everything was clear and precise, as if an invisible veil had just been lifted.
Then came the magic.
Foster felt the streams of mana dancing in the air, no longer like a force he had to wrest from his environment, but like an extension of his own being. Every particle of energy around him seemed to respond to his call without the slightest effort. As he reached out his hand, an emerald and blue breeze instinctively swirled around his fingers, pulsing to the rhythm of his heart.
He breathed in deeply, trying to calm the hurricane rumbling inside him. It was an uncontrollable power, a rising tide that threatened to explode at any moment. He could feel it: one false step and he could reduce everything around him to ashes.
- Why the fuck are the level changes always so intense? he said through clenched teeth.
He inhaled deeply... then slowly released his breath.
First, he channelled all his power outwards. The ground beneath his feet immediately shook, the earth cracking under the pressure, and the air grew heavier, charged with overwhelming energy. The extinguished embers that littered Vollua reignited in an unstable glow, swirling under the pressure of this force. Giovanni recoiled instinctively, feeling this bestial power threaten to sweep him away with a single breath.
Then Foster called upon [Will of the New King].
He tried to contain this devastating wave, to fold it in on itself, to turn this force into a concentrated core instead of a destructive storm. His Ki and mana collided, trying to escape, to ravage everything in their path. His veins burned with the intensity of the power he was trying to compress.
The first attempt failed. An invisible shockwave exploded around him, throwing Giovanni backwards and raising a cloud of ash.
[The title improves]
- Fucking hell, Foster!' warned Giovanni as he straightened up, his arms raised to protect himself.
Foster didn't reply. He didn't have time for that.
He started again.
This time, he visualised his own body as a container. He didn't just have to hold on to his power, he had to accept it as part of himself. He was the source and the limit, the origin and the control.He tightened his mental grip on himself, pushing [New King's Will] to the limit.
Then he felt the change.
The air around him suddenly calmed.
The wind stopped howling.
The ground, previously unstable beneath his feet, became firmer.
Foster opened his eyes. The Ki and mana were still there, pulsing beneath his skin, but this time they were no longer escaping. They were under his total control.
Giovanni watched him cautiously, for fear of being knocked off his feet.
- Have you finished with your circus? YOU NEARLY DESTROYED LITTLE LÏANNA YOU MORON! he shouted.
Foster shook his head and clenched his fist.
- I'm sorry, I couldn't control it.
- It doesn't matter, she's fine, now what do we do, we can't leave her like this in the middle of all this carnage?
Foster fell silent and thought deeply.