Link frowned. "This can't go on."
He looked up at the crack overhead. A sliver of light shone through.
With a tap of his toes, he shot upward.
Vines chased after him, shooting up one after another as if they intended to fill the entire cave.
Link twisted around in midair and struck downward with his palm.
Boom—
The force of his palm crashed down, shattering the vines. Fragments rained into the pool below.
Seizing the chance, Link burst through the crack.
Sunlight fell over him once more.
He landed and looked back.
The great tree was shaking violently. Its leaves rustled wildly, and black smoke began to rise from its branches.
The smoke gathered in the air, forming a face.
The face had no features, only a mouth.
The mouth opened, releasing a low voice. It was impossible to tell whether it belonged to a man or a woman, but it was filled with fury and killing intent. "You... destroyed my... food..."
Link tilted his head. "Food? You mean that flesh and blood from earlier?"
The face did not answer, only letting out a more furious howl.
The entire tree began to crack apart. Fissures spread across its trunk, spewing dark red fluid like blood.
Link took two steps back, keeping his distance. "Is this tree about to blow up?"
The moment the words left his mouth, the trunk split apart completely.
A figure stepped out from within.
The figure was wrapped from head to toe in black bark, with only a pair of scarlet eyes exposed.
The pupils were vertical, like those of a beast.
Link stared at the figure for two seconds, then suddenly smiled. "You're not a tree."
The figure spoke, its voice hoarse. "My name is Otsutsuki... the guardian of this Divine Tree."
"Divine Tree?"