Desperate Battlefield.
A shrill scream echoed through the woods. It came from a tall black tree.
At first glance, the tree looked no different from the other towering trees nearby—tall, with a pitch-black surface.
But upon closer inspection, one would find that its branches and trunk were twisted, while the patterns on its trunk formed a human face.
The shrill screams came from within this strange tree.
This was Painwood, a unique part of the Desperate Battlefield's ecosystem, which had given birth to this strange tree.
They preyed on living creatures. Even giant beasts were on their menu.
At the same time, the screams they emitted would attract giant beasts.
Just then, a cloud of green smoke rapidly spread from deep within the woods. The thick green smoke rolled forward, submerging countless trees in the blink of an eye.
The screaming Painwood was also shrouded in the green smoke.
Wherever the smoke passed, mushrooms continuously sprouted. They came in all sorts of colors and grew at incredible speed, covering the ground and trees in the blink of an eye.
Mushrooms also grew on the Painwood. Sensing some kind of threat, it stopped screaming. Its trunk trembled violently as it tried to shake the mushrooms off.
At that moment, a clear birdcall rang out from the woods.
Then golden light flashed. From deep within the green smoke, a vast expanse of golden flames suddenly surged, burning through the smoke.
The flames raged fiercely, and the golden blaze rapidly spread out, reaching the Painwood in the blink of an eye.
Painwood feared fire—especially since this was no ordinary flame, but a blaze formed by some kind of Mystic Art.
In an instant, the mushrooms on the trunk crackled as they burned.
The Painwood let out a scream. Its bark continuously burst apart,