The last type of Aberration plant used?
This happened three days ago, right?
[ Clear Soup Master ] fell into deep thought. What was the last Aberration plant he used again?
He remembered fighting a tree-man on the road; the opponent's attacks were so fierce that he wanted to Directed Alienation a shield for defense.
However, direct Alienation would only result in being instantly destroyed, so the last plant he used was...
Iron birch!
So I'll turn into a walking ironwood tree?
I wonder if wood is any better than products from directional Directed Alienation or cultivation...
If I could sell it for money, maintaining this state wouldn't be a bad idea.
However, upon thinking about this, he realized another problem—
I still feel like a person.
Physical Aberration are not tied to the soul. For Alienation, even if a player who has been bitten by Blood Corpse logs out immediately, their in-game body will continue the Aberration process.
When he logged back in, all he found was Blood Corpse Transformation- like body.
So according to the information on the player's panel, he should have already completed the Tree Transformation, but why...?
While [ Clear Soup Master ] was deep in thought, he noticed a small notification box that he had previously overlooked:
[The body is currently in a "suppressed" state; the Tree Transformation process is temporarily suspended.]
Oh, I see. It seems that the warden and archbishop was the one who made the move.
So what should I do now?
Perhaps all we can do is wait.
Fortunately, [ Clear Soup Master ] didn't have to wait long. He was positioned at the time difference between the real world and the World of Disorder, and he was certain that in a few minutes these Aberration tree-people would once again start their day's cleaning of Fir City like wild dogs.
Sure enough, a few minutes Antiya Lisi arrived at the underground prison. The roots in the cracks of the rocks connected with his body, and the entire underground prison seemed to have become a part of his body.
The crisscrossing prison bars were retracted one by one, and under the bright moon, the tree people began their hunt once more.
As the voices that were once human gradually transformed into those of a monster, [ Clear Soup Master ] also became aware of the changes occurring in his own body.
The message box that read "Suppressed" flashed briefly before disappearing, and the roots binding him gradually loosened.
He felt as if he had truly become a plant, thriving under the nourishment of nutrients from who-knows-where.
The field of vision in front of me began to rise higher and become less clear. My bones were merging with my flesh and blood, and all the parts that belonged to humans and animals were transforming into wood fibers.
The other treants had already left the prison, while Antiya Lisi was now watching with great interest [ Clear Soup Master ], who was undergoing his first Aberration.
Watching the other person's body convulse uncontrollably, and then emit indescribable screams from the convulsions, even the archbishop, whose face remained calm, couldn't help but feel a slight ripple in his heart.
He had been the archbishop of Aduolin Province for so long that some had forgotten his methods.
This Treant Hunter from the rebels was the first gift he was giving back to the rebels.
He carefully examined several locations, making sure he could distinguish which of the tree-men in front of him had been transformed from the large group of them.
Watching the treant, driven mad, rush towards the dungeon exit, Antiya Lisi looked forward to a pleasant hunt for his new hunter tonight...
[ Clear Soup Master ] felt like he was piloting a mecha.
Even though it was his own body, and he could still sense everything around him, he couldn't control it well for a short period of time.
The changes in his basic and special attributes created a subtle gap between his body and soul, and he needed some time to adjust to this feeling.
Staggering along the deserted street, [ Clear Soup Master ] had no idea what to do.
I experienced the Tree Transformation, and it felt... just so-so.
Am I stronger now than before? Without a doubt, yes.
But who can I defeat with this strength?
The priests of Fir City?
No, Antiya Lisi's rules are binding me; if I were to attack the priest, I would likely die instantly.
As for attacking players, there's absolutely no need for that.
Not to mention that the players belong to the same faction and have no grudges against each other, from a benefit perspective, Fir City's resources are not so small that everyone needs to attack each other to obtain them.
[ Clear Soup Master ], who has watched some documentaries on biology, knows that even for insects and wild animals, cannibalism is generally not a problem as long as there is enough food.
But things have come to this point, and he can't just lie around all night to fight this absurd situation.
After much deliberation, [ Clear Soup Master ] began to wander aimlessly through the city, using the player system to record the streets and alleys of Fir City.
He suddenly realized that this seemed to be a way to accumulate rewards within the activity. As long as he stared at the same spot from several directions for a few seconds, the system would automatically record that area into his map rewards.
Most players would proceed with this task cautiously, but [ Clear Soup Master ] doesn't need to be so.
He's now a night watchman in Fir City; what's wrong with checking if any rebels are hiding in the alleys?
Of course, he hadn't forgotten the code he'd agreed on with other players on the forum. However, as the one chasing the player, twisting his neck or tilting his head was something only someone could spy on. If they were face-to-face and he tried to twist his neck again, the player would probably react and attack...
And so, from that moment on, a strange spectacle unfolded in Fir City on winter nights—
A tall, treant-like creature capable of rapid movement roams the city's streets and alleys every night, its neck twisting as if it were a ghost with a pre-existing neck condition...
The [ Clear Soup Master ], who was moving through the city, was soon attracted by a series of chaotic noises.
He could tell that it was the sound of hard objects colliding, mixed with the roars of humans and monsters.
A fight has broken out over there!
After realizing this, a word popped into [ Clear Soup Master's ] mind:
Trying to mediate a fight.
Fighting is bad; how can you fight?
These people are so wicked!
Fortunately, "the good neighbor of Fir City " [ Clear Soup Master ] passed by.
As the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility, and he felt he had to go and persuade them to maintain the peace and tranquility of Fir City.
After all, he was— the Clear Soup Master!
Thinking this, the tree-man, whose entire body was made of ironwood, stopped twisting its neck and softening its roots. Gathering all its strength, it began to rush towards the battlefield several streets away, its heart filled with prayer:
You absolutely mustn't stop!