The sudden reversal of the situation struck everyone's nerves like a sledgehammer.
Not only were the wizards who had retreated to the edges left dumbfounded, even Dago himself raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly.
The Mental Force Field surging around him had yet to fully settle, and he had already been prepared to make a scene through brute force.
If that old bark refused to appreciate his generosity, he could simply sever its roots, replace the gatekeeper, and force his way through.
Who would have thought that the ancient tree, arrogant beyond measure just a moment ago, would directly kneel before him on one knee and even offer him the title of "sole passer."
"So that greedy, neglectful attitude you showed just now was all an act?"
A trace of mockery flashed through Dago's eyes. He slowly curled his fingers and asked in an icy voice.
Tataka, the gatekeeping treant, maintained its humble posture. A fawning smile was squeezed onto its huge, rough wooden face as it repeatedly shook its head. "It was not entirely an act, respected sir."
"The little trinkets they offered did indeed please me, but all I could give them was merely an entry slot at the very outermost level."
"Besides... beneath the radiance of the Three Towers, fools like them who seek to exploit loopholes will sooner or later be mercilessly eliminated in the next round."
"The Three Towers?"
Dago sharply caught this unfamiliar term, and his gaze darkened slightly. It was not as though he was indifferent to everything; he instinctively remained wary of the structures of unknown high-ranking wizard factions, gathering pieces of the puzzle for his later exploration of the secret realm.
Yet the gatekeeping treant seemed to have touched upon some taboo and refused to reveal another word.
It merely silently extended