Tony leaned back lazily on the tree branch, one leg swinging off the edge. His skull tilted toward Timmy. "What are you even talking about, Timmy? That thing's got more tentacles than my last ex."
Timmy looked up at him, his expression unusually serious. "That monster… it wasn't always like that. It used to be a flower. Just an ordinary plant I found while exploring. But something was wrong. There was this… dark energy—like a shadow leaking from the air itself. It wrapped around the flower like a cloak and then—" he paused, eyes darkening, "—it changed. Twisted into that… thing."
Eleo's eyes widened. "Wait, wait, wait… that thing came from a flower?!"
Timmy nodded. "Not just that… that black aura? It's spreading. I've seen animals, bugs, even people acting strange. Sick. Like something's eating away at them from the inside."
Tony whistled low. "That's heavy, tiny man."
Eleo tilted his head. "But like… why are you even here? Shouldn't you be chillin' on Minari Island, planting mushrooms or something?"
Timmy's expression faltered. "I should be… but some of my people left Minari Island to explore this one. They were supposed to return after three days. They never did."
He hugged his knees to his chest.
"My dad… the chief… went to find them. He said he'd be back by sunrise." His voice dropped. "He didn't come back either."
Everyone went silent. Even Tony stopped making jokes.
Timmy looked out over the sea of corrupted vines stretching across the forest below. "I came here to find them. To bring them home. But instead… I found that flower. I watched it change. I watched it corrupt the forest."
From a distance, Kenji's voice rang out, sharp and commanding.
"Yo! Little guy! How do we kill this thing—fast?!"
Timmy stood up on the branch and cupped his tiny hands to his mouth. "You need fire! It's weak to heat—it can't hold its form when it burns! That's why the fire potion worked!"
Kenji drew his sword again, eyes narrowing. "Then let's burn it."
Timmy shouted back, frustrated, "That was my last fire potion!! I only had one!!"
Kenji cursed under his breath, stepping back from the edge of the tree, calculating fast.
Eleo leaned toward Timmy, blinking. "You don't got, like, a fire rock or flame leaf or something??"
Timmy sighed. "No! That stuff's back on Minari Island! I wasn't exactly planning to fight a demon plant!"
The forest groaned beneath them as the monster's vines continued to pulse, roots stretching farther, draining more of the land's life.
The sky dimmed slightly as if the sun itself was being blotted out.
Tony crossed his arms. "Well… either we find some fire—fast—or we're gonna end up fertilizer."
Eleo's ears twitched. "Wait a sec… Timmy, how do you know so much about this thing's powers?"
Timmy looked away, his tiny fingers tightening around his knees. "Because… I've seen them. Head-on."
The group turned toward him as his voice trembled slightly. "While I was exploring—before I even found you guys—I saw what it could do. I watched it wrap its vines around a deer… and drain it until there was nothing left. It tried to do the same to me. I ran for my life." He looked up at them, eyes filled with both fear and awe. "I only survived because you guys showed up when you did."
Suddenly, a heavy rumble vibrated through the tree trunks. The ground below began to shudder, a deep groan echoing from within the forest itself.
Kenji gripped his sword tightly. "What now…?"
Olorun's usual grin dropped. "This doesn't feel good, man…"
The vines below began converging—slithering together like a thousand snakes in synchronized motion. They twisted around one another, climbing higher, coiling like muscles, bark splitting and fusing. Thick green cords wrapped around a central stalk, forming limbs, a torso, and a spine-like structure. Blossoms bloomed from its joints and shoulders—deep crimson and violet flowers that pulsed with corrupted energy.
Then it opened its eyes.
Two glowing orbs of green fire locked onto them—piercing, intelligent, and cruel.
The final piece formed: a twisted face with sharp cheekbones made from bark, hair of flowering vines, and a chest sculpted like a warrior—complete with vascular, sculpted abs made from hardened wood and thorns.
The creature raised its hands, flexing its fingers for the first time like it was learning how they moved.
Then it spoke—its voice cold, rich, and eerily smooth.
"Ah… so this is what it feels like… to be human."
It cracked its neck.
"Pathetic."
A silence fell over the group like a fog.
Kenji's eyes narrowed, instantly shifting into a guarded stance.
Tony smirked slightly, but his tone was serious. "Oh great. It talks now. That's never a good sign."
Olorun whispered, "I liked it better when it was just throwing vines."
The creature looked down at its new hands, then at the forest around it, now drained and withering.
"Strength… dominance… intelligence… This form is superior in every way. You fragile creatures cling to your lives like weeds in the wind."
It looked back up, smile cruel and composed.
"Let's see which one of you breaks first."
Timmy said, "Incredible… it turned humanoid. The first time it did this, it only grew stronger. But now… it's humanoid."
Olorun yelled, "You think we can beat it?!"
Timmy shouted, "I don't!"
The plant smirked, its leafy jaw curling unnaturally. "Why don't you come down… and find out for yourself?"
Olorun's eyes narrowed. "Alright then."
Kenji snapped, "Wait, Olorun!" But Olorun was already sliding down the tree, dropping to the forest floor with a light stomp. He stood firm, facing the humanoid figure as the vines on its chest writhed like breathing muscles.
Olorun said, "So, Mr. Plant… you got a name, or should I just call you Weed Face?"
The creature looked down at its new form, flexing its vine-wrapped fingers. "Yeah… I've got one. I am Coriaria. And in the last few minutes, I've learned how to talk, calculate variables, and predict movement through microexpressions and biomechanical feedback."
He cracked his vine-knuckles with a sick grin. "Lost a bit of raw strength—but gained intellectual supremacy. Learning speed, numerical calculations, psychological analysis… I can read the bias in your stance before your brain even decides to move."
Olorun scoffed. "Like any of that's useful in a real fight."
Coriaria's eyes glowed green as he stepped forward, vines slithering up his forearms. "Not just useful. Fatal. My speed, durability, and endurance are off the charts now. And compared to me? You're all just fungi on my boot."
Olorun grit his teeth. "We'll see about that!"
He vanished. "Vital Strike!"
Reappearing beneath Coriaria, Olorun went in—jabs to the throat, shots to the ribs, strikes at the solar plexus, temple, side of the neck—every movement precise, his fingers like daggers hitting pressure points and organs.
But Coriaria didn't flinch.
He looked down, completely unbothered. "That tickled. Seriously, that was your assassination move? That was preschool-level acupuncture."
Olorun's face hardened. In an instant, he vanished again.
"Instant Movement!"
He shot behind Coriaria in a blur, fingers glowing, both pinkies extended into sharp points—Finger Knife. A flurry of strikes hit Coriaria's back in rapid bursts, every stab placed with surgical intent.
But nothing. Not even a crack in his bark-skin.
Coriaria turned his head lazily. "You really thought you could Swiss-cheese me from behind? I reinforced my spine with a lattice of carbon-infused vines before you even blinked. You weak, leaf-blower."
Olorun staggered back, breathing heavy. "What… the hell…?"
Suddenly, Kenji leapt down, blade drawn. He spun midair, delivering a wide horizontal slash at Coriaria's midsection.
But Coriaria's arm shot up with blinding speed, grabbing Kenji by the throat mid-swing.
"What was that supposed to do? Scratch me? My grandma's roots hit harder than that, and she's mulch now."
Olorun rushed forward again, fury in his veins. But Coriaria's second arm stretched like a whip, wrapping around Olorun's neck and yanking him toward him like a fish on a hook.
Eleo and Tony both jumped down from the tree, eyes wide, tension flooding their movements.
"Aww," Coriaria said, grinning, "more little chew toys."
With a wicked laugh, he spun—WHAM!—hurling Kenji and Olorun like cannonballs. Tony caught Olorun, stumbling back with a grunt. Eleo managed to catch Kenji mid-fall, sliding across the dirt.
Coriaria smirked.
"All part of the plan."
His hands surged with green energy, grass twisting into a spiraling sphere around each palm.
"Let me show you how real firepower looks."
BOOM. BOOM.
He launched both energy blasts like bombs. The green balls screamed through the air and SLAMMED into all four of them—exploding into a wild burst of vine-laced energy.
Smoke filled the air.
Coriaria stood tall in the haze, arms lowered, vines twitching around his forearms.
"You brought four warriors, and I still feel underwhelmed. You're not heroes… you're fertilizer."