The Power of Decay

Boer felt something was off.

This was the first time he had seen his older brother so excited.

It was as if he was about to witness some miracle being born.

"Come on, great new chieftain, try this fresh berry and remember its taste now."

Ned picked a berry from the grass, smiled, and tossed it to his younger brother.

Boer caught the berry.

It was a very common blue berry.

He took a bite.

The taste wasn't particularly good, nor was it especially bad.

Ned had his brother hand back the half-eaten berry.

He then used the sharp tip of the Rot Spirit Staff to lightly touch the berry's skin.

A strange, pale blue light flashed across the Rot Spirit Staff.

"Here."

Ned handed over the blue berry, which now seemed slightly shriveled.

Boer tried taking it again and took another bite.

The taste instantly made him arch his back, nearly vomiting.

The lingering sourness almost brought tears to his eyes.

It was no different from a spoiled berry left sitting for months.

Yet he had just tasted this freshly picked fruit moments ago, and there was nothing wrong with it.

Ned laughed heartily, raised his right hand, and began to explain.

After gaining the power to control Rot Spirit Insects, he soon discovered that the Rot Spirit Staff possessed another power—Decay.

As long as he held the Rot Spirit Staff, whenever its tip touched something, it would release the power to make all things decay.

Moreover, Ned had confirmed that only when he himself wielded it would the Rot Spirit Staff unleash such power.

"Is your big brother impressive or what?"

Ned looked at his brother's astonished expression, as if satisfied, and asked smugly.

"Impressive, really."

Boer sighed with unusual seriousness.

To show his respect and indulge Ned's boasting, he even tucked his walking stick into his belt and clapped.

He was genuinely envious and curious about the incredible ability his brother had obtained.

"Can it decay anything?"

"Naturally. This is the power of the Divine Envoy."

Ned said.

He also concealed some things.

That using such power came at a cost.

Sometimes, the hand that held the Rot Spirit Staff would suffer backlash.

The stronger the force of Decay applied, the more his palm would blacken, lose sensation, and eventually, parts of the muscle would dissolve.

But fortunately, this was not irreversible.

As long as the rot wasn't too severe, applying [Insect Herbal Medicine] and resting for a while would gradually heal it.

Ned didn't stop experimenting because of this cost.

As it turned out, aside from some extremely hard stones, almost nothing could resist this terrifying power.

Once touched, things would quickly become brittle from the force and collapse like scattered sand.

He was thinking, if he could extend the range of the Rot Spirit Staff's effect, he might have a chance to use it against the Sea Monster.

Because the Rot Spirit Staff's effect was actually somewhat similar to another artifact in the Tribe—the Lightning Bow.

Once it left his hand, the Rot Spirit Staff's decay effect didn't vanish instantly.

It faded gradually.

And so.

Ned should actually have been able to launch the Rot Spirit Staff like an arrow, since its sharp tip could easily pierce the surface of any creature, allowing it to linger long within flesh and blood.

He had also tested the Rot Spirit Staff's hardness; ordinary means couldn't damage it at all.

But this power still required him to ponder how to develop it further.

Mona occasionally cast a few glances at this person chosen by the Apostle.

He also saw Ned gleefully proclaiming his newly acquired power.

Of course.

What Ned called the new power of the Rot Spirit Staff he now wielded wasn't anything truly novel.

This Rot Spirit Staff and the Abigail Flower shared a parent-offspring relationship.

What the Abigail Flower had.

It also possessed a part of.

This decay power had always existed within the Abigail Flower's body, namely the power of [Decay Essence].

Mona knew.

Though on the surface it appeared to be decay.

He had long seen through the essence of this color back when he first obtained [Decay Essence].

At its root, this was actually the power of [Life].

This almost bewitching color, when applied to a living being, would instantly break the internal balance of life, forcibly expanding it, thus accelerating its journey to life's end—withering and decay.

This was also why the Abigail Flower had split it off.

If it kept this powerful force within its body for long, it too could easily be decayed by it.

For the Abigail Flower, the risk of this power far outweighed its use, so it had never manifested or used this ability since its birth.

Mona quickly checked Ned's soul color.

Like his mother.

Ned possessed a slightly special "Nature Affinity lv1."

"Nature Affinity lv1": Possesses the talent to understand nature's principles and the language of living beings, making it easier for him to comprehend and master powers or knowledge related to nature.

Generally speaking, an ordinary human, even if they obtained the Rot Spirit Staff, would at most be able to manipulate 1 to 2 insects.

Even with the Rot Spirit Staff's enhancement, it would be extremely difficult for an ordinary person to use it to understand "Insect Manipulation," which completely contradicts human life structure.

Yet Ned could master this power well, clearly tied to this talent.

[Insect Master lv1] Ned

[Age]: 21

[Talents]: "Nature Affinity lv1" "Inspire lv1"

[Knowledge]: "Herbalism lv1" "Insect Manipulation lv1" "Weaving lv1"

[Sequence]: None

[Skills]: "Rot Spirit Manipulation lv1"

[Seeker of Freedom, Favored by All Things, he possesses a strange charisma and affinity for the living beings of nature.]

Now.

After Ned received the power blessing of the Rot Spirit Flower.

Ned gained a new profession called [Insect Master].

At the same time, the light on the Drawing Board began to flicker.

[Your follower has unlocked a new soul color.]

[A new profession category has been unlocked in your Career Tree.]

[You can click Faith to view.]

"A new profession category?"

Mona thought for a moment, his gaze shifting to Faith.

There, the [Career Tree] that had appeared not long ago was glowing with a dim light.