Awakening The Only SSS-Rank Class! Now Even Dragons Obey Me Chapter 786: The Cursed Tree’s Vision

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Previously on Awakening The Only SSS-Rank Class! Now Even Dragons Obey Me...
Daniel easily defeats Goram, who is then consumed by the tree, leaving Serius stunned. Serius retreats, realizing Daniel is a dangerous anomaly. At the Holy Empire's capital, Serius reports Goram's death to the Emperor and his advisors, admitting the monster's power is unknown and potentially surpasses Eternal Warriors. Serius suggests spreading news of Goram's death to lure more powerful individuals to test the monster's strength, hoping to gauge its capabilities.
The news spread like wildfire across the last continent, consuming it in a matter of days. Goram's name transformed from that of a savage warrior into an unspoken symbol of dread. It represented the death of a boy, a descendant of one of the ten most powerful Eternal Warriors. Such an event was exceedingly rare, almost unheard of within a century. The demise of a son belonging to one of the continent's mightiest figures was a deed few would dare to commit. Even other Eternal Warriors shied away from the immense risk of making a peer like Goram's father an eternal adversary. Yet, a nobody had achieved this, defying even divine commands! In the dimly lit taverns of frontier towns, conversations hushed, mugs stilled, and gazes grew somber. "They claim he couldn't even land a single strike," one whispered. "No... my source said the boy's head simply exploded upon approach." "Nonsense," scoffed another. "Then why the utter silence from his family?" This unnerving quiet was more terrifying than any outcry. Within the training grounds of prominent families, seasoned sword masters uttered a stranger's name with newfound caution. In the privacy of aristocratic chambers, discussions shifted from fallen border cities or encroaching corruption beasts to a single individual. A foreigner. The protector of the accursed tree. And most crucially... the one who annihilated the son of an immensely powerful Eternal Warrior in an instant. For many, the event remained difficult to comprehend, fueling endless speculation. What repercussions would follow? Would the world witness the vengeful fury of an Eternal Warrior? Would they face the unleashed wrath, rumored to collapse cities and warp space and time? Even adventurers and hunters, drawn by bounties towards the forest, now spoke of their destination with a newfound apprehension. While greed persisted, fear now shadowed it; they dared not cross an Eternal Warrior. The reward for slaying the monstrous occupant of the forest could never outweigh the value of their own lives. Meanwhile, in a desolate, rocky domain dominated by cloud-piercing mountains, a silent figure occupied a throne of black stone. His presence exuded a massive, savage, and authoritative aura, as if intent on rending the world asunder. Scars crisscrossed his formidable physique, his arms bore the strength to shatter mountains, and long gray hair cascaped over his broad shoulders. This was Walterk Bloodfang, the Mountain Breaker, one of the continent's ten supreme Eternal Warriors, a man reputed to have crushed a castle-sized beast with his bare hands in his youth. A servant, trembling with fear, knelt before him, eyes fixed on the ground. "My Lord... the news is confirmed." He hesitated, "Lord Goram... has been slain." The profound silence that followed sent cold shivers down the spines of all present. The fear they experienced was indescribable, as if death itself stood before them, a single misstep away from claiming their lives. "They say... he couldn't even get close," the subordinate added hesitantly. A few seconds ticked by before Walterk slowly lifted his head. His eyes were dark and heavy, not with grief, but with a far more perilous intent. "Where is he?" he inquired, a simple question devoid of details about the killer's identity or power. Yet, that single sentence momentarily choked the hall with an oppressive atmosphere. "The northern holy forest... beside the cursed tree," the subordinate responded swiftly. Walterk rose deliberately from his seat, the stone floor groaning and cracking under the immense pressure of his footsteps. Kilometers away, the forest lay bathed in the shadow of the colossal tree. A few days had elapsed, yet the expected chaos had not materialized. Instead, an eerie calm prevailed, far more tranquil than Daniel had anticipated. During these days, numerous individuals had attempted to slay him and destroy the tree – warriors, assassins, mercenaries, deranged adventurers, and even mere opportunists. All met their demise. Some perished before arrival, others during their assault, and a few without ever comprehending their end. Their bodies and life essence were successively absorbed by the tree's sprawling roots.

The fruit's luminescence had intensified, appearing more vibrant than ever before.

However, the number of arrivals fell considerably short of Daniel's expectations; he had anticipated at least hundreds within the preceding days.

Instead, a meager few appeared, and they were largely deemed insignificant rabble.

This divergence from his forecast pointed to a singular conclusion: an event had transpired, deterring others from pursuing him and felling the tree.

He had intended to inquire with Elisira about this matter, should their paths cross.

Daniel remained seated beneath the same ancient tree, his eyes shut.

Yet, within him, tranquility was absent. A tempest of immense power raged through his internal landscape.

His very bloodline and an enigmatic, barely understood lineage were locked in conflict.

He was in the process of constructing that which transcended mere technique.

It was the bedrock for a profound transformation. Success meant his physical form would evolve beyond its current formidable state.

His proficiencies would transcend basic abilities, embarking on a path akin to forging a new identity, perhaps even an entirely new race, unburdened by his present limitations – the most crucial impediment to his ascent.

To realize this ambition, the construction of a central core had commenced.

A nexus within his inner world.

A conduit capable of containing and unifying these clashing forces.

Initially, the process unfolded smoothly, with the core taking its intended form.

Subsequently, Daniel initiated the integration of his bloodline and lineage through this newly formed center.

For a fleeting instant, his inner world convulsed.

Then, an eruption.

A thunderous detonation reverberated through his spiritual space, causing the core to fracture from within.

Shockwaves of devastation propagated across his internal realm, even stirring the ambient mana surrounding his form.

Daniel's eyelids slowly lifted. Neither apprehension nor disappointment clouded his expression; he merely exhaled softly.

"It proved insufficient to contain the strain," he surmised the cause with swift understanding.

The magnitude of the forces he sought to command was simply too great. A standard core lacked the capacity to hold such power.

"Therefore, a more potent source of energy is required..."

At that precise juncture, the colossal roots encircling him stirred with sudden animation.

The tree's radiance flared, and for a brief span, Daniel's consciousness was assailed by fleeting visions.

Shattered wisps of memory: a sky rent asunder, an unending expanse of corrupting darkness.

Agonized cries.

Cities succumbing to shadow.

And then... him. A being with a human physique, yet crowned with a bull's head, bearing immense, branching, gnarled horns reminiscent of ancient arboreal limbs.

Its gaze was not feral but held a profound sentience, a sharp intellect mirroring that of humanity. In that spectral image... the creature regarded the tree, not with animosity, but with an emotion Daniel instantly recognized.

Dread.

The vision fractured and vanished. Daniel regarded the tree with quiet contemplation.

"Why did you suddenly reveal this to me?" His brow furrowed slightly as the tree's sudden intent remained elusive.

Could the tree be signaling its non-hostile nature? Or was it offering a glimpse into a potential future?

"Perhaps, then, you are not the adversary."

If that creature harbored fear towards the tree... it implied a desire for the tree's incomplete state.

This entire conflict might be founded upon a colossal deceit. This revelation precisely validated his own deductions.

Could this, then, be the message the tree intended to convey?

As this very contemplation took root, his divine sense detected an approaching presence.

Daniel gradually tilted his head upward.

An entity had entered his perceptive field. A familiar signature. Upon closer inspection, Daniel's vigilance eased.

Moments later, emerging from the arboreal shadows, a cloaked young woman appeared, her respiration slightly unsteady.

She swiftly drew aside her cowl, and as it fell away, her presence became distinct, her fair hair luminous beneath the fruit's ambient glow.

Elisira.

The instant her gaze met Daniel's, a smile, weary yet sincere, graced her features.

She then produced a substantial, aged tome from beneath her cloak, holding it aloft.

"Here you are..." she exhaled deeply.

"I have finally procured what you sought."