The sun rose, casting its golden light across the trees and buildings of Cedar Island, transforming the misty morning into a vibrant canvas. The shimring rays, however, failed to elicit the usual awe from Tyler White.
Standing in the balcony, Tyler’s lips twitched as he observed the sunrise. Ever since he learned that this sun was a re projection of the real one from the distant North, the allure of watching it felt hollow. It was beautiful, yes, but artificial, like admiring a masterpiece painting and knowing it wasn’t the original.
His gaze lingered a mont longer, the soft golden hues reflecting in his deep-set eyes, and then he turned away. The growing desire to venture further North burned within him, a fla that no imitation could extinguish.
Today, however, held other plans. Tyler and Mana were heading to the Cedar Garden, a sprawling forest cultivated specifically for its unique, mystical Cedar Trees.
According to Mana, this garden was their property where they cut matured Cedar Tree for production
As they approached the dense, verdant expanse, Tyler turned to Mana, curiosity piqued. "So, what makes these trees so different?" he asked.
Mana, walking gracefully beside him in her adult form, offered a cryptic smile. "You’ll see soon enough. But let’s just say they’re not your average Cedar Trees."
The pair was accompanied by three bodyguards—adventurers whom Mana had recruited to ensure their safety. They kept a vigilant watch on their surroundings, their postures tense yet disciplined.
The first was Hart, a towering giant of a man standing over seven feet tall and weighing nearly 500 pounds. His broad shoulders and tree trunk-like limbs gave him an imposing presence.
The second was Reva, a petite elf with a mischievous glint in her erald eyes. Though small in stature, she carried herself with a confidence that suggested her size was far from a limitation. A small, circular shield rested on her back, its surface etched with intricate runes.
Finally, there was Gru, a strikingly handso man with perfectly sculpted muscles that seed to belong more to a legendary hero than a humble adventurer. A massive sword was strapped to his back, its hilt gleaming ominously in the morning light.
Tyler had only recently t these three. Mana had recruited them while he was away at the Academy. Though they treated him with deference, they were clearly curious about him. After all, their boss Mana had introduced him as "the Big Boss" and hinted that he was absurdly wealthy—a fact that elicited both respect and skepticism from the trio.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, the Cedar Trees ca into view. Towering and majestic, they appeared at first glance to be no different from ordinary trees. Their thick trunks were covered in rough, dark bark, and their branches spread wide, creating a dense canopy above.
Tyler stopped, his gaze fixed on one of the trees. A small bird fluttered down from the sky, landing delicately on a branch. The mont its tiny claws made contact, the branch moved.
"Wait—what’s happening?" Tyler muttered, narrowing his eyes.
The branch twisted unnaturally, its bark-like surface splitting to reveal vine-like tendrils that lashed out, ensnaring the bird. The tendrils constricted with frightening speed, crushing the helpless creature into a mist of blood and feathers.
Tyler slightly suprised . "That... was unexpected," he said, his voice carefully neutral.
He understood that these trees are forming as demon.
Mana chuckled softly, her tone far too casual for Tyler’s liking. "They will be harvested in few days. These trees are a bit temperantal. Don’t worry, though—they’re not dangerous to people."
Reva, the elf, stepped forward with a confident grin. "Exactly. They only react to small animals and birds. It’s perfectly safe as long as you’re—"
Before she could finish her sentence, one of the trees behind her sprang to life. Its branches extended like serpents, snaking toward her with startling speed.
"Ahhh!" Reva let out a startled scream as the branches wrapped around her, lifting her off the ground.
"...."
"...."
Both Tyler and Mana were speechless.
The branches extended like Tentacles and tore her dress. Her legs were opened forcefully and one of the branches entered her pants.
"aaan...." She moaned.
"...."
"...."
Suddenly a fireball flew and blasted the branches.
"Ouch... I forgot that these trees likes to suck blood when they are hungry." Reva murmured.
Tyler blinked slowly, his expression shifting from confusion to incredulity as he stared at Hart. The giant man, built like a fortress, grinned sheepishly.
"I’m the mage of this group," Hart said, as though it was the most natural thing in the world.
Before Tyler could process that, Gru, the swordsman, stepped forward. With a fluid motion, he unsheathed his massive blade, holding it aloft. A faint white glow surrounded the weapon, and in an instant, a wave of soothing energy washed over Reva.
The petite elf, still sitting on the ground with her tattered clothes and pale complexion, gasped as the spell took effect. Her injuries disappeared, and the color returned to her cheeks. More impressively, the drained sensation caused by the tree’s blood-sucking branches vanished, leaving her feeling revitalized.
Gru gave a confident smirk, resting the sword on his shoulder. "I’m the healer," he said simply, as though that explained everything.
"... You’re the healer?" Tyler repeated.
Gru nodded. "That’s right. My sword channels healing magic. Pretty cool, right?"
Before Tyler could respond, Reva jumped to her feet, brushing herself off. Despite her clothes being shredded in several places from the tree’s attack, she stood tall, her chest puffed out in a gesture of defiance.
"And I’m the close-combat warrior!" she declared, patting the small shield strapped to her back. "My shield can block almost anything, and I’m excellent at protecting others. So don’t worry, Big Boss, I’ve got you covered."
Tyler’s eyes darted between the three of them—Hart, the oversized mage; Gru, the healer who wielded a blade large enough to cleave mountains; and Reva, the pint-sized elf who served as the group’s tank.
"So let get this straight," Tyler said slowly, his voice laced with bemusent. "The guy who looks like he should be a tank is a mage. The guy with a sword is a healer. And the petite elf is the tank."
Reva gave an enthusiastic nod. "Exactly!"
Adventures have different roles in their team. But this is the first ti Tyler adventures like this. You really can’t judge a book by it’s cover.
anwhile inside the Cedar Garden,
"The targets are here..." So people wearing black clothes said.
Behind them the woodcutter Association head Qiao Fu and his wife is also among them.
"Today we will definetly kill that Bi-tch." He sneered.
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