Sena quickly formed a magic circle to escape. A pale glow spread beneath his feet, thin runic lines slowly rotating, showing the spell was stabilizing. But before the circle could be completed—
Leaves flew straight toward him.
Sharp leaves shot through the air like knives, spinning wildly. Williams reacted instantly; a small fireball exploded midair, burning away most of the attack. Martin stepped forward, his shield flashing as an invisible barrier formed, blocking the remaining leaves.
Even so, a few managed to slip through the defense, striking the magic circle Sena was about to complete. The runes shook violently, the magical light distorted, then spun out of control.
"—Damn it!"
The magic circle collapsed before it could activate. The backlash forced Sena to stumble half a step back, his breath catching in his throat.
"Failed," he muttered.
There was no time to try again.
"Liana," he said quickly, his voice steady despite the worsening situation. "Check for an escape route."
Without hesitation, Liana nodded and moved.
She ran across the surrounding area, her breathing ragged. The bow in her hands trembled every time her feet hit the ground. As an archer, distance was instinct—create space, find a safe angle, read the terrain.
But after only a few dozen steps—
The ground ahead began to shake.
BRAKK—!
A massive root burst from the earth, curving like an ancient serpent awakened from slumber. It slammed down, sealing off her path. The ground split open, rocks flew, leaves scattered everywhere.
Liana stopped abruptly and veered sharply to the side.
She ran again.
Before she had gone a hundred steps, the vibration returned. This time it was faster. More precise.
Another root emerged directly in her path, sweeping low as if it had already predicted her movement.
She jumped back, barely keeping her balance.
"Not a coincidence…" she thought, her chest heaving. "It's waiting."
She retreated while firing an arrow into the ground, marking the distance. Her eyes narrowed as she calculated.
"Around a hundred meters…"
She turned and ran back to the group.
"It looks like the activation range of the small roots is only about a hundred meters," she reported quickly.
Sena understood immediately. His expression hardened.
"If we die," he said in a restrained but steady voice, "our souls will automatically return to the academy in the east."
Everyone already knew that.
"But," he continued, lifting his gaze toward the massive tree in the distance, "I'm worried this tree can capture our souls."
A brief silence fell over them. Not from hesitation—but because the truth was too clear.
"So what's the plan?" Williams asked, a small flame already pulsing in his palm.
"We get out of the small roots' range," Sena replied. "Then… we kill ourselves. Escape as souls."
No one objected.
They knew—it was the only option.
They moved at once. The formation came naturally. Martin in front with his shield raised. Williams slightly behind, ready to cast. Sena and Liana in the center, covering each other.
The ground shook again.
Large roots burst out from every direction.
Martin stepped forward, slamming his shield into a root sweeping low. A heavy impact echoed, the vibration running up his arm. The root was stopped—not destroyed, but forced back.
But two more roots immediately followed, striking from left and right.
"Williams!"
"On it!"
A fireball shot out, smashing into the base of one root. A small explosion followed, flames flaring briefly before being smothered by damp earth. The root smoked and withdrew, its movement slowed.
Leaves flew again.
This time, there were more.
Sharp leaves spun through the air, filling the space like a rain of blades. Sena stomped his foot and formed a thin magic circle, a protective layer that deflected most of the attack.
But a few still got through.
One sliced Martin's shoulder. Blood seeped out.
Another pierced Williams's arm, making him grunt in pain.
"We can't last much longer like this," Sena muttered.
He focused his mind on the storage ring.
One by one, metal pillars emerged from thin air, slamming into the ground with heavy thuds. Sena moved his hands rapidly, arranging them—not as a wall, but into a narrow passage.
The large roots attacking were forced to strike from awkward angles, their movements slowed, their momentum wasted.
"This way!"
They ran.
Liana stopped briefly, drew her bow, and fired three arrows in rapid succession. The arrows drove deep, pinning roots to the ground and slowing their advance.
But the closer they got to the east, the heavier the pressure became.
Small roots began to appear.
Fast. Numerous. And without warning.
They snapped at ankles, trying to drag them down. Martin held them off with his shield, Williams burned them with low flames, Sena formed thin metal blades to cut them apart.
They moved—slowly, in sync, and increasingly desperate.
Finally—
The east.
The final massive root rose before them. Larger than any before, stretching like a living wall, sealing the entire path.
Sena didn't look surprised.
"Just as I thought," he muttered.
He reached into his storage ring. Large metal pillars appeared, rapidly assembling into a magical barrier around them. The giant root slammed into it—DENTANG!—the metal shook, but held.
"This will buy us time," Sena said quickly. "Once we die, our souls will pass straight through."
"Alright," Martin said with a bitter smile. "See you at the academy."
But before they could act—
KRAKK—!
Something tore through the barrier from the inside.
Small roots.
Dozens. Hundreds.
"That's impossible…" Sena whispered.
A powerful force slammed into him. The world spun. He hit the ground hard, the air knocked from his lungs.
When he looked up—
Liana.
Her body was lifted, bound by small roots coiling around her arms, legs, and chest. Her bow slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground.
Tears streamed down her face.
"I…" her voice trembled. "I'm the one who dragged you all into this. I hope… you can make it out of here alive."
"Liana—!" Martin shouted.
"Don't!" Williams yelled as he tried to move forward, only to be blocked by more roots.
A faint glow began to rise from Liana's body. Her soul—slowly being pulled out.
She broke down crying. No screams. Just pure, helpless fear of death.
Then—
SHRRRKK—!
A blade of wind descended from the sky, slicing through the small roots in a single clean sweep.
Liana fell to the ground.
A relaxed voice came from above.
"Hey, crybaby. You should be grateful I showed up right on time."