The mist gradually dispersed, and sunlight reached his thighs.
Sen stretched and slowly climbed out of the wooden bathtub.
He put on a clean linen shirt.
"All right, early morning's the perfect time to pull weeds."
He picked up a bag of peach seeds and gave it a shake.
The mining area was remote, littered with dead branches and fallen leaves.
It also harbored plenty of wild rats.
"Boss, that's the brat! Black Tiger went down last night!"
A hostile shout came from beyond the fence.
A dozen or so bandits stood there with large machetes in their hands.
Their leader was a one-eyed man.
"Brat, did you kill Black Tiger?"
The scar-faced, one-eyed man spat on the ground.
"Don't spread rumors. Black Tiger grew a conscience and became greenery."
Sen kept his hands in his pockets and curled his lip.
"What greenery? Hand over the money and the deed!"
A bandit beside the one-eyed man shouted.
"The deed? I only just got it. Not handing it over."
Sen tilted his head with a roguish air.
"You won't? We'll chop you up and feed you to the dogs!"
The one-eyed bandit roared, swinging his rusty machete through the air.
"It's early. Aren't you guys tired?"
Sen sighed and lightly tapped his toe against the ground.
Green vines as thick as thighs suddenly sprouted from the dirt.
Squelch.
The two bandits charging at the front were pierced straight through.
"Aah!"
Their screams shrilled as the vines began draining them through their flesh.
"Monster! Run!"
The remaining bandits were terrified, dropping their short blades all over the ground.
"You came all this way. Why rush off?"
Sen slammed his palm against the ground.
"Wood Release: Tree Binding Eternal Burial."
Roots surged wildly upward as though alive.
In the blink of an eye,