Chapter 240 – Baobab Tree (4)

“Hey.”

Three minutes passed as Aori sat in front of the dungeon gate, waiting for Lee Si-heon. She wondered if she should bring Lee Hyang soon. As this thought crossed her mind, Tae-yang spoke up.

“Come to think of it, cameras can’t enter dungeons.”
“Yeah.”
“Could this have been your brother’s insane plan to take advantage of the national tree?”

Aori’s eyes widened at the plausible suggestion.

“Wow.”

A vivid scene unfolded in her mind.

A wicked king who forcibly subdues and torments a proud beauty.
Using power, money, and influence, he forces her head down and whispers into her ear.

– Lick it.
– You, you despicable scoundrel! You know nothing of shame!
– Lick it.
– Damn it! Curse you!

At first, she would curse him, using every bit of foul language she could muster. But as time passed, she would become a moaning, submissive woman.

After displaying respect to their opponent with a fist, it was a tale reminiscent of one found in a thin book that teaches pleasure, eventually bending them to submission.

Like orcs and elves.
Knights and goblins.

Aori gripped both arms, her body shivering.

“…I like that sort of thing.”
“It’s nice, isn’t it? Now that I think about it, that woman is quite attractive too, right? She would probably look good dressed as a maid.”
“What about a bunny girl?”
“That’s not a bad idea either. Imagine her as a bunny girl wearing fishnet stockings, lying on a gambling table, extending her legs.”

A sudden, open discussion of tastes.

“…And now, what if she’s drenched in a copious amount of seed-filled sap? One shot for every chip thrown?”
“What do you know?”

The two exchanged words and laughed heartily. Lewd fantasies caused saliva to pool in their mouths.

Baobab, this is something.

In their minds, Baobab had already become a splendid condom holder, with condoms spread over fishnet stockings.

[What?]

The camera cocked its head, failing to grasp the meaning of the conversation.
Even though they were being broadcast worldwide, the two didn’t lower the tone of their remarks.

The conversation wouldn’t get through anyway.

“Did you say Bao?”

A woman whose height and stature grow as the fight continues and the damage accumulates. She uses anger as fuel and pain as lubricant.
It is a power that only the baobab tree possesses among many national trees.

However, even an ability that should instill fear was perceived differently by the two, who were steeped in lust.

“What would it feel like to be smothered by her big ass?”
“Ugh.”

Aori retched at Tae-yang’s innocent question.
Macrophilia. A fetish for feeling sexual desire towards those with large bodies.
Fundamentally, Tae-yang and Aori were born with the nature of lascivious demons.

“Hey, think about it. Being crushed by someone of the opposite sex who’s bigger than me?”
“Everyone I meet is taller than me.”
“Well…”

Aori was on the shorter side among women. When she stood next to a man, her petite frame made her resemble a small bird.

Surreptitiously, Aori raised her foot, revealing the dirt-stained shoes.

“Do you enjoy being stepped on?”

“Well, not exactly. But honestly, wouldn’t anyone feel good if a handsome or beautiful person did something to them?”

This wasn’t simply about personal preferences.

Tae-yang’s remark was unexpectedly on point, and upon hearing it, Aori nodded in agreement. Ultimately, the type of play involved didn’t matter. The real issue was whether the individuals involved found their partners’ appearance and sexual allure appealing.

As long as it felt good, anything went.

* * * * * * *

It was the moment when dark energy surged through Lee Si-heon’s body.

– Quaang!

Just as his new form seemed to vanish, he soared into the air and delivered a powerful, vertical kick to Baobab’s head.

The dungeon floor collapsed.

“…!”

Her pupils constricted. Following unseen movements, her body swayed uncontrollably. Black shadows roamed within the dungeon, striking her dozens of times.

-Bang! Bang! Bang!

Shoulders and waist. Abdomen. Her internal organs screamed, and her muscles ached as if they would tear apart. For a moment, Baobab’s eyes rolled upward, and he lost consciousness.

Regaining her senses, she tried to keep up with her opponent’s movements, but her delayed reach only found an even swifter opponent.

Lee Si-heon approached, lowering his center of gravity to evade her hand blades. Wordlessly, he stared at the spot he intended to strike with his thinly opened eyes.

A white magical power flickered in his hand.

-Form of One (一). White Peach (白桃).

‘A direct hit is dangerous.’

Despite harboring such thoughts, her body refused to move.

Contrary to the speed his eyes could follow, Bao’s movements were significantly slower. Ultimately, he had no choice but to release his fist.

In response, a white flower bloomed on her abdomen. A long line of magical energy traced a solid line along the dungeon corridor.

-Perok!

A sound that seemed to pierce the ears. Bao’s body was forcibly pushed back around 4 to 5 meters.

Pushed back, but stopping midway.

Bao withstood the attack, stared at Lee Si-heon with wide-open eyes. The beaten body emitted faint wisps of steam for a few seconds.

“…Kheop, Kahak.”

Unable to resist, a moan escaped his lips. Saliva dripped from the corners of his mouth. Suddenly, he recalled the words spoken by a woman he had encountered earlier.

-Why are you trying so hard to find Lee Si-heon?
-She would have said it was a personal matter.
-Can you even beat him?

The words of that woman, who had disgracefully fled while shooting her bow, resurfaced in his mind.

The mocking eyes that laughed at him, black hair waving, flickered before him.

– It would be difficult to fight him and win.
– He must be a mage.
– A mage? What are you talking about? That’s not his specialty.

Why would he pretend to be a mage while concealing such power?

Bao wiped the saliva from his chin and fixed his trembling eyes.

He was stronger than imagined. It was impossible to face him with his current abilities.

‘Whew…’

He raised his head, clearing his mind. Sweat gripped his clenched fists.
It felt good.

“This is fun.”

A fierce smile spread across her lips. The black magic reflected in her yellow eyes trembled ominously.

Once again, the opponent approached. It was an honest move.
A straightforward technique without any trickery. He liked the attack.

Bao extended his massive fist.
His body had become stronger in that brief moment.

– Kwaang!

The dungeon quivered as fists and hands clashed, two forces colliding.
Dust cascaded from the ceiling, and the fractured walls began to tremble.

“Exciting…!”

A laughter steeped in madness. Lee Si-heon’s eyes contorted.

“…I can’t back down. Whether you’re my brother or not… Let’s have a match and see.”

Her muscles expanded. An intense heat emanated from her excited breaths.

A dialogue of bodies. A battle to determine who was stronger.
Not a tedious prolonging of evasion and pursuit, but a direct confrontation to decide which side was weaker – Arabid.

In Baobab’s tribe, when conflicts arose between individuals, they were each required to fight for their lives.
Defying death, even with broken bodies, their fierce spirits would remain intact. Those who perished in sacred combat would become souls, protecting their kin.

In a desolate, barren land, the only way these warriors could survive was through the reverence of strength.

Baobab – Father of many seeds.

Her body swelled even larger. Now it was difficult to even stand in the hallway.

For this moment, she would relish the fight.

Temporarily halting her pursuit of her brother,
Banishing that accursed man from her thoughts,
She harbored only the intent of tearing apart the adversary before her eyes.

Such a ferocious resolve was evident in her gaze.
Crouched on the floor of the dungeon on all fours, baring her own fangs,
She resembled a lioness charging at her prey.

Her fists were unyielding, as if to crush her opponent, and in this moment, feminine charm held no relevance.

A fierce red magical energy already blazed within her body.
In a word, she had reached a breaking point.

* * * * * * * *

Growing a baobab tree is not a simple task.

When the first buds sprout and throughout the process of germination, a wildfire must first arise.

Beneath the harsh, scorching sun and amidst the roaring flames, the seeds of the baobab tree shed their thick shells and sprout upon a ground filled with ashes.

This backdrop of growth is applicable to the actual wood people as well.

Africa has been devastated by gates, much like a wasteland. Fleeing from monstrous waves time and again, they learn to wield a sword from the tender age of seven.

Thousands of young wood people perish each month. And those who attempt to protect them from the monsters fare no better than the youngsters. At least those with exceptional physical abilities can survive, for there are no longer any humans left on the continent.

However, as a result, their development is outstanding, and their bodies are superior.

All wood people who do not excel in battle are cast out and eliminated. In the end, genetically superior individuals emerge.

There is a valid reason why Baobab, now twenty years old and an adult, is treated on par with an S-class hunter.

Bao cleared his throat without any change in expression.
*Ugh.* The sound was striking.

“What are you waiting for?”

They had just exchanged blows, and it became clear.
From now on, it would be impossible to dominate as before.

‘So that’s why I deliberately pushed myself to use White Peach.’

He gave no opportunity for a counterattack.
Yet, after withstanding it, he converted it into his own sustenance.

The size increased, chilling to the point of goosebumps.

‘It’s not Black Sword.’

It was too powerful, and the backlash was absurd.
The Black Sword, having traveled through time, had grown several times stronger.

Not only was it not a force to be reckoned with against the present opponent, but it was also the final desperate struggle in preparation for life and death.
Originally, he had no intention of using the enhanced Black Sword from the past. It was only upon encountering Jung Ho-Moon that he had no choice but to use it.

‘It must be quite bothersome.’

With that thought, he assumed his stance, and Bao began to advance.

*Hwoong!*

As she moved, the wind stirred. Accelerating, I retaliated against her incoming strike with my fist.

*Thud!*

Upon the impact of our fists, pain surged from the joints of my fingers, through the connected back of my hand, and into my arm bones, as if they were screaming. A second blow followed swiftly.

As I gave up on blocking and retreated, my opponent advanced three steps ahead.

Our faces drew so close that they nearly touched.

Nose to nose, Bao glared at me with fierce eyes, owl-like yellow orbs that appeared to emit light even in the darkness.

“You have good eyes. Are all the people from that place the same?” he asked.

“What, from Dowonhyang?” I replied.

“It makes me wonder why my brother ran away there—”

He raised his knee.

“—like that!”

I barely managed to dodge by twisting my head. The fluctuation of magical power momentarily distorted my vision.

Fists rained down, obscuring my sight. Abandoning the attempt to see what lay ahead, I relied on my instincts to counter the onslaught.

The speed relentlessly accelerates. The power progressively intensifies.

There was no finesse in his posture or movements. Like a wild beast, he focused solely on strength and speed.

– Kwak!

Baobab grasped the outstretched arm, twisting it forcefully.

Strong enough to prevent any escape. Gripping it as if to break the bones.

“Caught you.”

As a triumphant smile graced Baobab’s lips, I twisted my body in the opposite direction of the elbow joint.

– Squeak!

“What…?”

The grotesquely distorted arm with its dislocated joint. Nonchalantly, I spun my body to dodge Baobab’s fist and struck his face.

Baobab, releasing his grip on my arm, clutched his face and stared at me in disbelief.

– Creak, creak!

The arm rotated, and the bones realigned.

“…Are you human?”

“That’s what I want to ask. How long will you keep growing?”

“Heh. Until I win.”

A face that couldn’t conceal its astonishment even amidst the battle. I lightly clenched my hand, feeling the sensation of my fully recovered arm.

“I thought I had no rivals here. I didn’t expect to encounter you like this.”
“Is that so?”
“Did you say your name is Lee Si-heon?”

As he nodded, Baobab murmured.

“I’ll remember that. You know how to throw a punch.”

The meaning, though paraphrased, came across clearly. I let out a bitter laugh at Baobab’s words coming through the translator.

‘There will be no end to this if it continues.’

The longer the excitement of the battle persisted, the stronger she became. Shouldn’t it be her nature, not my own, to grow stronger with time? As that thought crossed my mind, I began to devise a plan.

‘Is there something that could subdue this excitement?’

A method to douse the raging spirit with ice-cold water.

‘…Color ball?’

A fleeting idea struck my mind. I immediately channeled my magic and wrapped it around two of my fingers.

Blue magic, yet tinged with a faint hint of purple.
It might not affect others, but it could be useful for Baobab, who draws strength from anger and the thrill of battle.

I’ve never even considered using this in combat.
If executed well, it might just work.

‘However… I need to find the erogenous zones for this.’

Index and middle finger. I bent all the other fingers.

‘I have no clue.’

Like drawing blood.
If I poke around everywhere, I’ll eventually hit the right spot.

– Mmm!

I held my breath as the rough, vibrating mana enveloped my entire body.