After berating both sides, the burly old man slowly spoke toward the darkness beside them. "Night Tree, come out."
As his words fell, a green plant broke through the earth in the shadowy darkness. In the blink of an eye, it grew into a lush, towering tree.
Within the tree's luxuriant crown hid a shadow that seemed half-human, half-ghost.
"Night Tree No. 9 greets Elder Tree." A faint, ethereal voice emerged from the shadow.
"No. 9? Why are you here? Where are Nos. 3 through 5?" asked the burly old man—Bilen Tree Court's Great Elder—with a frown.
"Nos. 3, 4, and 5 went to Elder Moon's place this morning and have not returned," No. 9 said.
"Elder Moon? She..." The burly old man frowned, seeming to want to say something, but ultimately did not pursue it. "Forget it. Tell us the exact situation here first."
Night Tree No. 9 nodded and swiftly recounted everything he knew and had witnessed.
As he narrated, everyone's expressions grew increasingly grim.
Even Dreys, who had been speaking in a sarcastic, needling tone earlier, began to turn pale.
The arena before them was merely one of the disaster-stricken areas. Over in the guild district, many buildings belonging to major guilds had completely collapsed, and the dead were beyond counting.
Moreover, the Shallow-Sea Strongman had first appeared at Giant Tree Plaza!
Giant Tree Plaza did not belong to any district, yet it was more important than any of them, because it represented Bilen Tree Court's face!
The teleportation hall, the Clan Assembly Tree, and the signal tower for external communications—these three vital structures all stood adjacent to Giant Tree Plaza.
At regular intervals, guests would teleport in from other Wizard Markets and wizard organizations. After emerging from the teleportation hall, the first place they saw was