Chapter 54
Within the realm of light, time seemed to stand still.
Seed 237 struggled alone against the whispers of the shadows within him. The remnants of the mother tree caressed his core like a warm current, bringing a moment of clarity, but the corrosive influence of the shadows, like a persistent ailment, had not truly left. The echo of "Guard yourself" gradually faded, and the emptiness that remained was immediately filled with a more cunning temptation.
“Look, he abandoned you when you needed him most.” The Shadow Parasite hissed, its voice no longer just an external whisper, but rather seemed to spring from the cracks in 237’s own thoughts. “Where did he go? Was he really there to scout out the enemy? Or… to find a way to suppress or even destroy you? After all, in his eyes, you are already a monster.”
"No... Sprout can't..." 237's light flickered violently, like a candle in the wind. His roots unconsciously tightened, drawing energy from the light roots, trying to stabilize his mind, but as the energy flowed into his body, he felt an unprecedented stagnation and... a sense of unfamiliarity. Shadows, like tiny drops of ink, were quietly polluting his light energy channels.
"Trust? What's the value of trust? In the face of absolute power, trust is the most useless shackle." The shadow continued to erode his will. "Look outside, an army is pressing in. Without me, what makes you think you can protect this realm of light? Your wavering light? Or that so-called 'comrade' who has already grown afraid of you and abandoned you?"
Seed 237 felt a tearing pain, not from [the source of the pain], but from the wavering of his faith. The worried yet resolute look in Sprout's eyes as she left overlapped with the image of him retreating in terror the night before, deeply piercing him. The shadows precisely captured and amplified this pain.
Just then—
A subtle yet sharp fluctuation emanated from the edge of the radiance, like a taut string being suddenly plucked.
It wasn't the aura of Sprout 12's return, but rather several concealed yet malicious probing energies, like the forked tongues of venomous snakes, cautiously touching and probing the strength of the light domain's defenses. It was the roots of the Shadow Vine! They were measuring, searching for a weak point.
Seed 237 suddenly "raised its head," its inner turmoil instantly overwhelmed by the provocation of the external enemy, transforming into icy rage. The light was no longer gentle, but sharp, like a drawn sword.
"They...they really dare to come?"
The Shadow Parasite seized the opportunity to fan the flames: "See? Hesitation and weakness only invite destruction. They didn't even wait for the messenger's report before they began their actions. Accept me, and crush them now! Let their blood dredge this plain!"
This time, Seed 237 did not immediately refute. The light shimmering on its leaves deepened, and the crimson seemed to settle down, merging into its original pure radiance, revealing an almost eerie purple hue.
He slowly mobilized his power. The veins of the Light Root responded to him, but the energy it transmitted contained a trace of barely perceptible shadow power. He did not completely reject it.
“…Power.” He murmured to himself, his voice tinged with an unfamiliar hoarseness, “I need power.”
Beyond the realm of light, shadows writhe.
Sprout 12 was traversing the wasteland at top speed, his heart burning with anxiety. He witnessed a scene far more terrifying than he had anticipated: the Armored Vine Beasts of Shattered Shell Ridge were not simply gathering; they were merging together, constructing an even larger and more terrifying siege formation; the Dark Veins of the Tide Lotus Alliance were not merely used for infiltration; their depths surged with chilling energy, as if brewing an acidic swamp that would engulf the Light Domain; and the Shadow Vine's root network had almost completely surrounded the Light Domain underground.
This is not a test; this is the final preparation before the all-out offensive!
He even caught a faint fragment of telepathic communication: "...wait for the signal...when chaos erupts within the light domain...that will be the moment of the surprise attack..."
Internal strife? What kind of internal strife are they hoping for? Is it 237 going out of control? Or... my falling out with 237?
Sprout 12 dared not think any further. He pushed his speed to the limit, ignoring the risk of exposure, and frantically rushed towards the light field. He had to get back immediately! He had to warn 237! He had to… protect him!
Within the light domain, the aura of Seed 237 is changing.
He still stood within the light roots, but the light emanating from him was no longer warm and peaceful; instead, it was a powerful, surging energy, a mixture of light and shadow, utterly intimidating. He temporarily suppressed the whispers of the shadows, not through purification, but through a dangerous balance—transforming that dark temptation into a controllable weapon.
He sensed the malicious probing from the edges, and also the suffocating encirclement from further away.
His gaze fell on the direction where Sprout 12 had left, on that silent darkness.
“You’re right, Sprout,” he murmured, his voice cold and firm, as if he had made a decision. “I really am becoming less and less like the person I used to be.”
He slowly stretched out his branches and leaves, and light and shadow intertwined and flowed over him.
"But if this is the only way to protect what must be protected... then so be it."
He no longer tried to dispel the shadows within him, but instead began to try to control them. The energy of the light domain converged on him in an unprecedented way, bright and scorching, yet carrying a chilling, destructive aura.
The shadow parasite within him remained silent for a moment, then emitted a low, satisfied hum, as if it had succeeded.
It no longer needs incessant enticement.
Seed 237 is actively moving towards the path it desires.
Just then, a violent tremor suddenly came from the barrier at the edge of the light domain!
A powerful impact came from the direction of Shattered Shell Ridge; it was no longer a test, but a real, forceful collision!
The battle seems to have started ahead of schedule.
Seed 237's eyes shone brightly, and deep within that light, a dark purple aura suddenly ignited.
He transformed into an arrow woven with streaks of light and shadow, shooting towards the direction from which the tremor originated.
At the same time, Sprout 12's figure finally appeared on the other side of the light field. He happened to see 237's unfamiliar and powerful figure rushing towards the battlefield, and also felt the strange aura that mixed light and shadow.
"No—!" A silent cry rang out in Sprout 12's heart.
His worst fears seemed to be coming true.
At this moment, the three-way alliance's siege officially began its bloody prelude.
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