Silence blanketed the forest. Leaves drifted through the air, and the scent of fresh blood lingered on the horizon.
In the midst of this savage world stood a small tree—outwardly calm, its roots still buried in damp soil. But within… life was boiling. This was no ordinary tree. This was You Zi You—a human reborn in the form of a plant.
The corpse of the first beast that had dared to attack him lay before him, its blood still oozing slowly. Suddenly, the system pulsed within his consciousness.
> [Congratulations! A Tier-1 creature has been eliminated.]
[Vital Energy gained: 10 points.]
[New trait unlocked: Nutrient Absorption from Corpses.]
As soon as the message appeared, the tree's roots began to stir, slowly creeping into the beast's body, drawing in its fluids, proteins—anything that could be converted into energy. This wasn't just feeding.
It was predation.
You Zi You felt it—growth surging through his trunk. The roots thickened. The trunk hardened. New, lush leaves sprouted from his branches. He was no longer an ordinary tree.
He was evolving.
But there was no time to revel in this transformation.
Heavy footsteps… a low growl…
Something was approaching.
From the shadows emerged a creature larger than the last. Blood-red eyes. Jaws open wide, revealing razor-sharp fangs.
This wasn't just a beast. It was a hunter.
> [Warning! A Tier-2 creature is approaching.]
[Skill unlocked: Root Spears – Level 1.]
In an instant, the ground around the tree cracked open. Long, spear-like roots shot forth, slicing through the air toward the charging monster.
It dodged—partially—and lunged at the tree, sinking its teeth into the bark. The pain wasn't human… but it was real. A primal sense of threat. A desperate will to survive.
Then the system issued another command:
> [Activate: Thorned Vines.]
Vines burst from the branches, lined with sharp thorns, and struck the beast in the eye. It roared in agony. But before it could regain its balance, one root spear pierced its chest. Another tore through its abdomen.
The beast staggered… fell… then lay still.
> [Tier-2 creature eliminated.]
[+15 Vital Energy.]
[Evolution available: Trunk Reinforcement – Enhance Natural Defense.]
As his roots drank in the beast's blood, You Zi You realized something incredible:
> "I'm not just a tree.
Not just a plant.
I'm a predator. And I am growing."
And in the deep stillness of the forest, just before a new day's sun could rise…
his roots began to search for their next prey.