206 End The Battle (1/2)

\”Who shot that earth spike!?\” Zorbek roared in anger, but he had no time to look back. They had a bigger problem ahead of them now.

The palace guards were equally as shocked as they watched the treants nervously. Scott, who stood at the very back, had a dumbfounded expression. Having a clear view of everyone's actions, he should have seen who fired the earth spike, but he didn't.

He wasn't the one who fired it, but he couldn't tell who did either. Everyone was an earth-user, but someone who could skillfully sneak such a sizable earth spike with them unnoticed by the entire group had to be in a league of their own.

If no one couldn't find the culprit, then the blame could easily fall on him. Wait, there was no time to be worrying about that. Scott shook his head of distracting thoughts. In order to worry about it, they must first get out of their present situation alive first.

Leon had a very terrible look. He didn't doubt that that the one who struck just now had been the mole within their group. One would naturally assume the mole came for the secrets of the underground. From that, Leon could guess that removing a few watchful eyes would make it easier for them to maneuver secretly within the group.

However, he had gravely miscalculated by assuming that they wouldn't risk jeopardizing the entire team's safety at the most crucial point! Like, why would they? Not only was it difficult to explore the underground alone and return back to the surface after, but they themselves also weren't free from the danger when they put the entire team in danger.

Unless they didn't care about their own lives because there was something more important than their primary objective and it required killing everyone or more specifically, him? That does to be the case.

Leon didn't know when he had unwittingly become an element that must be eliminated at all cost in the spy's eyes, however, his eyes flashed with a chilling light at the thought. He sent out his divine sense and covered the entire group and scrutinized them for the slightest trace of suspicious behavior. At the same time, his back remained facing them. No one knew that they were all under Leon's concentrated observation.

However, no matter which person he observed, he couldn't find the culprit and had no further time to deliberate. Battle was imminent. Although it seemed like Leon had taken some time for his thoughts and observation, everything had flashed in an instance like time had been slowed.

Afterward, taking advantage of the remaining time before the treants reacted, Leon took the last chance to communicate to them in the ancient language. However, his last hope was dashed as the treants remained unmoved as if his words fell on deaf ears.

\”Everyone, prepare for battle!\”

Being in the perimeter, Lilith was also protected at the center with Leon by the palace guards.

The treants roared with great fury and charged at them from all directions. In a short instance, the two sides clashed, and the palace guards all grunted from the strong impact. Their steel armor was greatly dented in a single clash, while the treants didn't seem to suffer any damage at all as they retreated for a second charge.

The palace guards widened their eyes with grim surprise and drew in cold breaths. If not for the protection of their armor, their bones would have likely shattered! These bodies of trees weren't simple beings to be trifled with!

Despite possessing the body of trees, these treants weren't brittle and weak like ordinary wood. In fact, they were incredibly tough and resilient like they had been born from the elder tree.

Were these treants considered the elder tree's offspring!? Leon quickly glanced the tree spirit hovering in the air. He sighed with relief seeing that the tree spirit didn't express any sort of stance and continue to watch on curiously like the fight had nothing to do with it.

\”Your Highness! These treants are incredibly tough! We won't be able to last long at this rate!\” Zorbek made a hacking slash at one of the treants, but his sword failed to slice apart the treant before him and only left behind a shallow cut.

Dammit, if they were still on the ground level, they could at least borrow the strength of the earth to help them defend rather than using their own bodies.

Leon frowned. Their bodies were incredibly tough, but the first one fell so easily when it was struck on the head. Looking carefully, each treant had a green oval-shaped jewel embedded in its crown. These were most likely the crystallization of the treant's spirit and source of its sentient existence.

\”Aim for green jewel on its head!\” Leon quickly instructed.

The palace guards had already noticed the green jewels at first glance and even suspected it to be the treant's weakness when the first one was killed. The prince's instruction only served to strengthen this belief. Their swords were ready for the kill when the treants charged in for a second clash, but it was only easier said than done.

As the most important part of the treant's beings, it goes without saying that it would be protected. They wouldn't be caught off guard a second time now that they viewed all the humans as enemies.

Similar to the first charge, the treants had covered its crown with both arms in a cross and causing the palace guards to fail and bear the brunt of the second charge. Unlike the first charge, the group didn't just suffer a mere grunt this time as their faces paled and forced back several steps.

The second charge caused them much more substantial damage as their armor became even more dented out of shape and they all felt a tightness on their chests like it was being pressed down by a mountain. Some of the weaker palace guards even coughed up blood as their organs churned.