Brand New Life Online: Rise Of The Goddess Of Harvest Chapter 2044: Mark’s New Form

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"What did I miss— Handsome?!" Granny Yaga gasped loudly as she saw the new Mark emerge from the lingering flames. He had gained a pair of sturdy wooden antlers on top of a thick coat of deep red leaves, making him look like some kind of dark nature hero. "W-What is this?!"

"I... don’t know..." Mark said slowly, staring down at his own hands. They were now covered in hard, skin-like wood that felt both foreign and strangely familiar. "I transformed... Elayne, what is this?"

"I am not completely sure myself, but you... I think it has to do with the fruit you suddenly ate! Why did you have to eat it out of nowhere, Mark? I told you not to!" Elayne’s voice carried a mix of worry and mild frustration.

"S-Sorry..." he sighed, looking a little ashamed. "I just wanted to feel more connected with you."

"Aw..." Elayne sighed as well, her expression softening as she nodded. "Well, the thing is, these are Blood Fruits. Whoever eats them either gets eaten from the inside out by a Blood Treant Parasite or manages to absorb its nutrients and becomes something like a Blood Dryad... What’s your status right now? It’s kind of amazing that it worked this way for you..."

"I..." Mark fell silent for a moment while carefully analyzing his new appearance and the changes in his body. "Somehow, the lifeforce flowing through me seems like the real deal. It is mixing smoothly with my undead energies." He opened his palm and revealed the slow growth of a small branch of dark wood, decorated with fresh red leaves. "I can still channel my fire... It’s incredible. Just like that, I’ve regained my original wooden powers that I had before dying as Titan...!"

He quickly discovered that his new wood could meld with his flames without any problems, and both elements could coalesce easily. What was more, by using a method similar to the one he had employed before to create magic armor from his soul flames, Mark found he could harden the wood into a black metallic form that felt incredibly sturdy.

"Yeah, you’ve definitely become a Treant again!" Elayne said with growing excitement. "I’m so happy it worked well! I suppose men turn into Blood Treants while women turn into Blood Dryads... Can’t you see your race listed in your status?"

"Hm..." Mark focused and read the information carefully before nodding. "Yeah, it says I am a Tier 2 Blood Treant! And I am also still a Tier 2 Blazing Skeleton Knight. I’ve hit Max Level as well... I suppose I should evolve soon."

"Hm! You can evolve, honey?" Elayne wondered, clearly interested. "Maybe I can help you choose?"

"A-Ah, I’d rather make that decision myself," he said a little awkwardly. "Sorry, it’s just..."

"Oh no, it’s fine," Elayne nodded understandingly. She wanted to see Mark’s full Status, but he seemed reluctant to show it at all, and she respected that. "Now, I also gained some new Skills, so I should probably test them and—"

"Elayne, let me take one of those fruits as well!" Blank suddenly begged her, stepping closer with eager eyes.

"Uwah?!" Elayne panicked and quickly moved the remaining fruits out of reach. "Wait, Blank, don’t eat them! It’ll hurt you! Do you really want to turn into a plant?"

"If that would make me grow closer to you..." Blank muttered quietly, his voice carrying a mix of hope and quiet determination.

Mark glared at him while rolling his eyes and then shrugged in a way that made it clear he approved of the idea, even if he would never say it out loud.

"F-Fine... Here."

Elayne carefully handed Blank one of the Blood Fruits. Her hands trembled slightly as she did so, a quiet fear rising in her chest that something bad or irreversible might happen to him.

Blank took the fruit with both hands and swallowed hard, almost as if he were about to savor Elayne herself rather than a simple piece of fruit. He brought it to his lips and took a slow, deliberate bite. The taste was surprisingly sweet and rich, filled with a deep, almost intoxicating flavor. He took another bite, then another, until the entire fruit was gone.

With each bite a warm pulse of lifeforce and blood energy spread through his body. He felt something stir strongly in his chest. His heart began beating faster and faster, as if responding to a new and powerful connection.

"I can feel it...! I am becoming more connected with you. As your servant, I shall—"

However, Blank suddenly stopped mid-sentence. He looked up at the ceiling in complete silence, his expression frozen in confusion.

Everyone who had been watching the scene remained still, waiting in silent expectation for something dramatic to occur.

But there was... nothing.

Nothing happened at all.

"W-Why? Nothing’s happening?" he wondered aloud, his voice filled with growing disappointment. "E-Elayne, did you cancel the effect somehow?"

"I don’t think I can do that," Elayne shook her head, frowning as she tried to understand. "Hmm, I think it might not work on Noble Races. Maybe... right! Maybe it only affects Undead!"

"W-What?!" Blank gasped, looking completely shocked beyond belief. "N-No...!" He fell to his knees and slammed both fists against the floor, as if he had been utterly defeated and completely destroyed by the revelation.

"Come on now, let me test that theory," Granny Yaga said with a curious smile, stepping forward.

"Here," Elayne offered her one of the remaining fruits without hesitation.

Yaga took a bite and immediately felt a wave of rejuvenation wash through her body. Some of her deeper wrinkles softened, and the constant ache in her back disappeared almost instantly. The sensation was pleasant and refreshing.

However... that was all that happened.

"It’s true. It doesn’t affect us living beings," she nodded in confirmation. "It might only work on Undead. Anybody here want to try becoming a plant?"

"Me!"

"Me too!"

"I want one, master Elayne!"

A few Undead — several Skeletons and a handful of Zombies — quickly raised their hands with eager excitement.

"Sailor, Norman, don’t you want to try as well?" Elayne asked, turning toward the two of them.

"Nah, I’m good," Sailor shook his head firmly. "I want to remain as myself. I will evolve as a zombie and stay true to that path."

"Me too. I’d rather specialize on my bones," Norman added. "I’ll start learning how to absorb the bones of monsters and grow stronger that way."

"Alright then," Elayne sighed softly. She distributed a few of the Blood Fruits among the brave few who wanted to change what they were. Still, the vast majority of the Undead present did not seem interested in turning into Treants or Dryads. Many remained skeptical of the transformation and chose to stay behind, watching quietly as the others accepted the fruit.

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