Dozens of meters beneath the Magic Tower in the Lord's Residence courtyard of White Tree City lay a circular underground chamber over ten meters high and several hundred square meters wide. This was where Ochimaru Wyvern had cultivated Polukaloz.
The once-vast space was now completely packed with vines thicker than a man. The roots and stems of the Magic Vine had already turned jade-like, with only the portions near the ceiling still sprouting a few green leaves.
An eerie Magic Array covered the floor. From afar, it appeared unremarkable, but anyone with even a slight understanding of summoning magic could see that it brimmed with bloodshed, curses, and festering resentment.
In the room, Halcala hovered in the air, inspecting the surviving branches and leaves high among the vines. The more closely she looked, the graver her expression became.
"To connect a Magic Furnace to such vile magic... This Magic Vine could clearly have become a normal High-Rank plant, yet that Ochimaru turned it into a monster."
The Elf's voice was filled with sighs and regret. To her, every severely wounded Magic Plant might still be saved—but a plant that had already fallen into corruption could never be brought back.
"This plant's soul has completely fallen into the abyss. It became entangled with Ochimaru, then fused with the souls of dozens of Mana-Wielders to form Polukaloz," Revendia said to the Elf beside him. "For Landen to wield the power of the Magic Web and eradicate it completely was already no easy task. Saving it was simply impossible."
The demise of a High-Rank plant filled Halcala and Revendia with endless sorrow, so much so that when Landen and the five High-Ranks entered, the two were still voicing their regrets.
"Father?" The Gleia siblings hurried over the moment they saw Revendia.
Revendia, in