Almost at the very moment his puppet was restrained, an immense wave of consciousness swept through the area where it stood.
Then the ground began to rise.
More fleshy vines burst from the earth with a rustling roar, like bamboo shoots after spring rain.
The fleshy vines rapidly twisted together, forming a roughly humanoid outline made entirely of branches and flesh, with only eyes and a huge, pitch-black mouth.
A hand abruptly ripped the black cloak off "Lynn."
Then she saw through the puppet's true nature at a glance.
Splat-
The tree figure instantly crushed the puppet Lynn had created, spraying blood and sending flesh and bone flying.
"You really are full of tricks! But let's see how long you can hide!"
An icy voice that made hearts tremble emerged from that enormous black mouth.
Her blood-red gaze swept across Wandering Soul Alley, shrouded in black mist. Then she abruptly spiraled upward and unleashed a chilling, terrifying shriek over the entire alley.
Bzz-
In an instant.
Countless tentacle-like vines surged from every part of her body, spreading toward buildings large and small like a sweeping tsunami.
But the moment Lynn had seen the puppet restrained, he had already turned around and plunged back into Wandering Soul Alley's network of winding lanes.
"That bitch of a tree!"
Cursing, Lynn raced through the lanes, turning left and right as he swiftly dodged the debris from collapsing buildings.
It was just as he had suspected.
While the projection had been interfering with him, the Mother Tree of Desire had silently woven a trap around this illusion, preparing to catch him like a turtle in a jar.
If he hadn't taken that extra precaution.
She would probably have him back in her grasp by now!
"Lynn, I have no patience left for you!"
The