Chapter 679: Twisted Treant
Yaya looked at Onyxia buried in her studies and smiled happily.
"If you master math, physics, and chemistry, you can travel the world without fear."
"The outside world is too dangerous. You have to study hard."
Onyxia didn't quite agree with what Yaya said.
There was nothing more dangerous in the world than studying under Yaya.
And then, she saw it!
Having solved part of the modification challenge, Matthew sent his avatar back to the Aso Volcano Fortress.
Under Onyxia's somewhat "terrified" gaze, Matthew released a powerful dragon's might like a tangible force, along with various magical images and spells.
He also tested her recent learning progress.
Convinced that Onyxia was indeed a promising seedling, he assigned her "more" study tasks.
Optical knowledge alone wasn't enough; she had to practice combat techniques and arcane knowledge, and study applied magic.
In this world where knowledge manifests physically—
It represents true power!
As for Onyxia's temper and mood swings, Matthew didn't pay them much mind.
He never believed there was any child whose behavior couldn't be corrected by systems and ideology.
Just like the demonspawn easily influenced by power and bloodlines.
Haven't they maintained stability and normalcy under Bay Territory's "guidance," education, and transformation?
Even adult trolls and ogres had become extremely well-behaved now.
Matthew didn't aim to change their thoughts, because everyone's mind is erratic and ever-shifting.
What mattered was controlling their behavior and directing their efforts toward Bay Territory's progress.
Onyxia, born with innate knowledge and bloodline memory, was indeed prone to the violent impulses in her blood.
Precisely because of this, she needed strict discipline!
A jade must be carved to become a gem.
The same goes for true dragons!
Poor Onyxia was now trapped in Bay Territory's educational "experiment."
Matthew and Yaya would accumulate more teaching experience based on her learning, preparing for future dragons.
With great potential and strength, dragons needed even stricter supervision.
Onyxia, unable to bear the burden of studying, often thought of escaping.
First, she needed to avoid Yaya, whom she couldn't resist.
Onyxia had never seen Yaya's true form, but had felt her imposing presence—it chilled her soul.
Yaya was definitely not to be messed with!
So how could she sneak away while avoiding Yaya?
After long observation, Onyxia found that Dragon Turtle Blackshell slept most of the time but sometimes woke up.
She needed to memorize those timings.
After much contemplation, she noticed that Yaya didn't watch her every moment.
That gave her a chance.
Timing it just right while Yaya was occupied and Blackshell was asleep, she slipped out of the cave and hid.
She carefully crawled down the mountain edge, not daring to spread her wings.
Then she got caught.
A patrol squad spotted her.
Onyxia obediently returned. To her surprise, Yaya didn't get angry and instead said bluntly:
"Before executing a plan, you must gather intel, calculate accurately, and rehearse ahead of time..."
"But since your escape plan failed, you'll need to accept punishment..."
Onyxia wondered what kind of punishment. Would she go hungry for days?
Instead, she found that Yaya had actually prepared more food for her—nutritious, too.
Just as she let her guard down, Yaya came over with a stack of advanced training worksheets and said cheerfully:
"Come on, your punishment is an extra meal—and we can't skip the spiritual food either!"
Poor Onyxia had no choice but to accept the punishment, secretly making up her mind—
"I must escape!"
Yaya loved playing this game of hide and seek.
Given Onyxia's current strength, Yaya even "held back" to let her put her learning to use.
But Onyxia clearly underestimated Bay Territory's patrols, policies, and monitoring systems.
After days of careful observation and repeated attempts, she couldn't get past even the second defense layer.
With this newfound motivation, a frustrated Onyxia studied even harder.
Yaya was pleased with this outcome.
Most of her attention lately had gone into researching safe ways to enhance and modify her lungs.
She also had to study whether the modification would affect other body parts and track potential side effects.
With part of her focus tied up, Yaya used this as a diversion.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Massive monsters kept marching forward.
From the bottom of each raised leg, countless vine-like tendrils stretched outward.
They crushed and devoured twisted plants like starving beasts, greedily absorbing both plant matter and flesh.
Their towering bodies, over 30 meters tall, swayed as they moved forward.
Sparse leaves topped the crown, while twisted branches swayed wildly.
With few true branches, they bore a grotesque humanoid shape and a withered, vicious face under their canopies.
The expression on the face was complex—
A mix of agony, reckless greed, and uncontrollable rage.
Three or four massive claws flailed from either side of the trunk, slashing the air.
Only when targeting large twisted plants would those claws actually grab.
If Matthew were here, he would immediately recognize these eerie green behemoths.
They were none other than the terrifying combat units that wiped out players and Catachan warriors in his previous life—Twisted Treants.
Twisted Treant: Challenge Rating 25+ (Legendary Commander)!
Unlike the stealthy, bizarre Catachan demons—
These treants were masterpieces of twisted plant modification and mutation.
They possessed massive and durable bodies.
Able to constantly absorb twisted plants and flesh, they had incredible regeneration.
Most importantly, they had rare long-range attack abilities for a twisted plant.
They were one of the trump cards of the Evil Shadow Spirits, capable of demolishing walls head-on.
Even the tallest, sturdiest walls couldn't withstand their might.
Among siege monsters, Twisted Treants were one of the strongest weapons.
Their massive size also meant massive energy consumption.
They could travel no more than 50 kilometers per day.
Lacking proper mobility.
Still, the Evil Shadow Spirits considered them their most reliable secret weapon.
Ordinary Evil Shadow Spirits didn't have the ability or authority to create such monsters.
These dozen treants were strategic assets borrowed from other Evil Shadow Spirits.
Only developed in the last two years, they'd already proven terrifyingly destructive.
They had helped Evil Shadow Spirits destroy the walls of Catachan strongholds and crush surviving tribes.
The Evil Shadow Spirits believed that if they'd had Twisted Treants earlier—
They could have wiped out both Catachan fortresses and Bay Territory's cities.
Now that Bay Territory was building more and more cities—
With many centered around Aso Volcano Fortress—
The Evil Shadow Spirits planned to maximize the treants' destructive power.
They deliberately allowed Bay Territory to expand around Aso Volcano and establish six mining satellite cities.
Their goal: destroy Aso Volcano Fortress in one decisive strike!
They also wanted to uncover the secrets behind Bay Territory's scorched earth tactics and develop countermeasures.
The Evil Shadow Spirits were ambitious and determined to take Aso Volcano Fortress.
They aimed to reclaim the legendary Catachan demon hatching site!
Naturally, the massive Twisted Treants caught the attention of Bay Territory's wyvern cavalry.
The wyvern knights recorded information about these towering monsters but didn't approach recklessly.
The wyvern knights' combat style was nothing like Yaya's unrestrained recklessness.
News about the Twisted Treants quickly reached Aso Volcano Fortress.
Matthew had encountered Twisted Treants before, even fought them and suffered heavy losses.
Now facing them again, Matthew, just like before, had no intention of retreating.
He took some time to gather basic data and intel on the Twisted Treants.
Twisted Treant
Race: Nature Guardian (Twisted, Mutated)
Challenge Rating: 25+ (Legendary Commander)
Temperament: Irritable, easily enraged, timid, cowardly.
Size: 35 meters tall, super large.
Weight: 225 tons.
Traits:
Legendary Mutation - Flesh Devourer LV2: Can devour flesh to restore 10% of max HP and increase max HP by 50%.
Feats:
Legendary Mutation - Wild Growth LV2: Devour flesh and nutrients to gain 1000% growth and regeneration rate.
Legendary Feat - Giant Lifeform LV2: Gain 50% bonus defense and 50% bonus health.
Legendary Mutation - Bloodvine Conversion LV1: Control and convert bloodvines.
Extraordinary Feat - Thick Hide LV5: +10 defense, +100 HP.
Extraordinary Feat - Resilient Fibers.
Extraordinary Feat - Twisted Activation.
Extraordinary Mutation - Distortion Aura.
Extraordinary Feat - Seed Activation.
Attributes:
Strength: 35
Agility: 13
Constitution: 27
Intelligence: 6
Perception: 15
Charisma: 12
HP: 270 + 270×50% + 270×50% + 100 = 640
Attack Power: 17
Defense: 25
Mobility: Weak.
Luck: -4 (Doomstar Active)
Evaluation: A Nature Guardian twisted from soul to body.
Its massive frame, staggering weight, and maxed-out legendary strength of 35 fully demonstrate the power of this behemoth.
However, Matthew also identified its fatal weakness.
It was too slow!
Its regeneration also depended heavily on nearby twisted monsters and plants.
Under the effects of scorched earth tactics, ordinary twisted plants and monsters couldn't assist it in battle.
Bay Territory only needed to deal with the monsters themselves.
Of course, Matthew didn't waste too much time studying their specifics.
He immediately sent information about the Twisted Treants to Bay Territory and the Catachan demiplane combat command.
The command center, based on Matthew's data, quickly issued urgent orders to Bay Territory's weapon research institute and production plants.
Develop lethal and high-damage weapons specifically targeting Twisted Treants.
These weapons had to meet two main requirements:
First, suppress their terrifying regeneration to prevent battlefield recovery.
Second, inflict enough damage and destruction on super-large targets.
With this special order, Bay Territory's weapon researchers quickly got to work.
They gathered experts to study and discuss the Twisted Treants' traits.
This helped determine the weapon types, materials, and enchantments needed.
Besides weapon research, the command also issued additional orders.
"Expand the battlefield!"
"Destroy all surrounding large twisted plants and monsters."
Following orders, Bay Territory's soldiers sprang into action under the curious eyes of adventurers.
With the help of various weapons and equipment, and led by civil engineers, they launched a devastating assault on the twisted jungle.
They pushed outward continuously, crushing twisted monsters and vegetation.
The unprepared Evil Shadow Spirits—
Could only watch as Bay Territory deployed organized combat forces to harvest vast swathes of twisted enemies.