Awakening The Only SSS-Rank Class! Now Even Dragons Obey Me Chapter 777: Players Meet Another Player

Daylight silently dawned.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, illuminating the scene. The tree’s roots had burrowed further out of the soil than before, resembling protruding veins pulsing with a faint, rhythmic beat discernible only to Daniel.

The bud on the highest branch had matured, its light now steady and deep. Each subtle pulse seemed to echo a lifebeat within, indicating that the fruit’s rapid growth overnight was a direct result of absorbing the mercenaries’ life force.

While still far from reaching full maturity, the fruit required the life force of tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands, comparable to the mercenaries from the previous night. This meant a significant amount of time would pass if it relied solely on natural processes. The most efficient method for maturation would be the appearance of stronger individuals, as their greater life force would accelerate the process.

Daniel remained seated, his back against the massive trunk, one leg extended, hand resting on his knee, and his sword by his side. Though his posture was relaxed, his mind was intensely focused on dissecting this intricate problem.

He estimated that the absorption and completion of the fruit would necessitate the demise and subsequent life force absorption of at least ten, possibly even a hundred, individuals of his own caliber.

The crucial question remained: could anyone of his strength even exist on this particular floor? He harbored doubts, questioning whether the tower’s difficulty calibration could truly simulate an opponent as formidable as himself on the fourth floor, regardless of its intentions.

Such an anomaly had only occurred once before, on the third floor. Unless his luck proved exceptionally poor, he doubted a repeat performance was likely.

"So, the only viable path is through sheer numbers," he murmured, his eyes narrowing slightly as his divine sense activated.

Threads of mana weaved through the forest like glowing filaments. Unlike their former orderly arrangement, these lines now converged towards a single point: the tree.

Daniel’s gaze settled upon the tree.

"…So it doesn’t merely absorb."

Understanding dawned within him. The tree was not simply a passive recipient of energy; it actively processed and transformed it. More significantly, it possessed a form of life—not a conventional one, but a burgeoning consciousness, a central core that grew more distinct, potent, and aware with each influx of energy.

His initial assumption was that the tree only consumed life force, but his current observation revealed that all ambient mana flows were also being drawn to it. Curiously, it didn’t absorb raw mana directly. Instead, it processed, converted, and then consumed this transformed energy.

"Could it also convert life force into something else?" A new thought struck him, though he noted the conversion rate appeared exceedingly low.

He glanced at the fruit.

"The more it takes… the quicker it matures."

This applied not only to the fruit but to the entire entity.

After a moment of contemplation, he lowered his gaze.

"They intend to destroy it before its completion…"

"Do they comprehend the consequences of its completion?"

"Or are they simply driven by fear?"

A premonition, a half-formed notion of prophecy, flickered in his mind. He hadn't given much thought to the Divine Prophet and her directives until now.

But why would she seek to destroy the tree?

"Perhaps their objective… is to prevent this outcome."

Or perhaps, it was to contain something spiraling out of control.

Before this line of thought could fully materialize, his divine sense detected something new.

Daniel tilted his head slightly. These presences felt… different. Unlike the corrupted beasts, the knights, or even the Iron Grave mercenaries.

Their auras were entirely distinct from any creature he had encountered within this world.

His gaze shifted subtly, and at that precise moment, he sensed an additional presence.

Concealed behind those five distinct beings, a small, deliberately hidden group of presences was approaching.

Daniel focused on them briefly. They exhibited no hostility and showed no signs of imminent attack. If his assessment was accurate, their purpose was observation.

He then dismissed them from his immediate concern, his state unchanged, betraying no reaction or visible preparation. It was as if their presence held no consequence.

The very air shimmered.

Five figures materialized from the surrounding trees.

Their arrival was deliberate, not abrupt, imbued with a controlled presence that spoke of their awareness of their surroundings and the situation at hand.

The first to appear was the man with the glasses.

Kaylen.

His eyes immediately swept the area, a swift, precise, and flawless scan, before locking onto Daniel.

With that same rakish grin, the insolent boy flicked a glance towards the tree before fixing his gaze on Daniel, as if he had instantly decided to turn the current situation into a personal game.

The female assassin remained silent, yet her presence hung in the air like a concealed blade, poised to strike at any given moment.

The burly man positioned himself a step behind, unhurried, resembling an unyielding wall.

And the fifth individual exuded an indistinct aura, not weak, but impossible to decipher. Nevertheless, with just a single look, Daniel discerned he was a supporter.

For several seconds, a profound silence prevailed. They harbored no fear of Daniel, but neither did they dare to underestimate him.

In that precise instant, a shared realization dawned upon them: Daniel's aura felt distinctly unlike that of the world's indigenous inhabitants.

"...So, someone is indeed here." Kaylen finally broke the silence, his tone remarkably composed.

His gaze shifted away from Daniel, scanning the surroundings as if searching for the remnants of the previous night's mercenaries. To his surprise, he found nothing—not even a wisp of ash.

"Iron Grave... was that your doing?"

"Indeed. They intended to harm the tree." Daniel replied, maintaining his unmoving posture.

The impudent young man let out a low chuckle, remaining wordless. It was as if he had encountered someone even more audacious and defiant than himself.

"Is he... one of us?" one of the group members inquired softly.

Yet, no one possessed a definitive answer to that question.

"Where do you hail from?" Kaylen asked point-blank.

"If your purpose is to harm the tree... turn back." Daniel fixed his gaze upon Kaylen, and without offering a direct reply, added, "And depart."

His voice was measured and detached, yet a chilling intensity resonated from its depths.

"So my suspicion was correct..." Kaylen's lips curved into a faint smile for the first time.

"You are also a player." His eyes sharpened with this realization.

This revelation elicited no surprise from his companions. He had already broached this possibility to his teammates, which accounted for their current lack of astonishment.

"We came with the intent to destroy the tree." Kaylen stated plainly, his declaration now direct and unequivocal.

"That course of action would prove perilous... for you." Daniel's gaze remained unwavering as he responded with a hint of mockery.

There was no audible laughter, nor any trace of genuine derision.

"Do you comprehend the potential consequences should it reach full maturity?" Kaylen tilted his head slightly, his gaze fixed on the tree.

Daniel offered no response, merely observing. He genuinely lacked knowledge on the matter, nor could he form an accurate conjecture.

"In any case, we ourselves are not entirely certain." Kaylen continued, his voice diminishing in volume, yet escalating in gravity.

"However, it must signify something dire when the entire world seeks its eradication." His eyes shifted back to Daniel.

"You are also aware that this world has already met its demise, and this… is merely a simulation." He took a step forward.

"Perhaps, in that original world... no one possessed the capability to destroy the tree."

"And it was this very tree that precipitated its ultimate end."

A heavy silence descended upon the space between them, and Daniel remained speechless for several moments.

Then, a subtle smile graced his lips.

"Or perhaps the world was destroyed… precisely because they made the mistake of destroying this tree."