Chapter 225: Chapter 225: No... it wasn't supposed to be like this
"What are you talking about? The Emerald Empire is invading!"
On this day, all the tribes around the Joy Beast tribe were rushing to their aid!
At this moment.
The Joy Beast tribe, once collaborators with Olivia, had turned into a sea of flames. Under the bright daylight, the scene was a blazing red, the ground's blood coagulated from the heat, mixing with the soil and the ashes of vegetation.
The people of the Joy Beast tribe were fleeing.
Elder Glenn of the Joy Beast knelt on the ground, clutching the tribe's soil, tears streaming down his face.
Today, she was supposed to follow the plan she made with Olivia, leading the Joy Beast tribe's hidden priests to Crestwood Hills to seize the 'Rootless Soul Soil' as part of their trade agreement.
But...
A group of demons had descended upon the Joy Beast tribe. They came without warning, storming right into the tribe's sacred grounds!
"Boom!"
They were like the flames of today, devouring everything, like reapers from hell.
In less than an hour, she could no longer sense the presence of the priests!
"Whoosh~"
"Thud, thud, thud..."
The dull sound of footsteps arose in front of the kneeling Glenn, surrounded by burning and collapsing giant trees and buildings. She saw them, saw the huge figures emerging from the flames!
It was a giant serpent, its dark silhouette visible in the fire, excitedly swaying as it held a soon-to-transform sacred beast of the Joy Beast tribe in its jaws.
Beneath it.
A shadow approached, a man carrying a sword case, walking leisurely, then with a dark, seemingly fragile sword in his hand, he sliced through the sky, and a Developing Skill elder fell from the sky.
"They told you not to set fires, you stinking snake. There are so many ancient trees here, so many treasures of heaven and earth, all burned by your thunder flames."
A woman in a dirty white robe approached, complaining as she walked, scolding the giant serpent, which bowed its head.
Then.
Seven tall and mighty figures appeared, and with them, a slightly shorter handsome man carrying a large sword.
They emerged from the flames, from the fiery pits of the eighteenth layer of hell.
They gradually became clear in Glenn's eyes.
"Clang... Clang..."
Their weapons collided or dragged on the ground, the sound painfully sharp.
Especially...
Olivia, who had been collaborating with the Joy Beast tribe, always speaking softly and warmly, was still smiling amidst the flames.
"Why?!! Why?!!!"
Glenn screamed, her voice hoarse. She used to love Olivia's smile, but now she wanted to tear Olivia's mouth apart and burn her as fertilizer for the Joy Beast tribe!
Olivia calmly said, "This is also part of our cooperation. You helped us obtain the Rootless Soul Soil. Congratulations, you've done it, and we from Blackwood have succeeded, while you've successfully drawn the attention of other druids."
"In the days to come, we Blackwood people will fulfill our part of the agreement and destroy the other Harris tribes."
Glenn's mind went blank.
"No... it wasn't supposed to be like this, the price we agreed to pay wasn't supposed to be like this!"
She seemed mad, crawling over the ground, trying to strangle Olivia.
Olivia still looked calmly at Glenn, her old friend now grotesque, her eyes filled with hatred for her, her gaze holding the most venomous curses and insults.
Olivia didn't even defend herself, just watching Glenn's dying struggles.
"Thud!"
Lucas's sword easily pierced Glenn's chest, the sword energy wreaking havoc inside her, cutting off all her vitality. Then, dragging the Joy Beast tribe elder by her hair, he dragged her across the ground, regardless of her legs kicking.
Lucas scanned the surroundings and said in a low voice, "Let's go, our mission here is done. The druids are on their way."
"Okay."
Olivia nodded slightly, her eyes showing a flash of understanding. She gave Glenn one last look, filled with reluctance, "In your next life, don't engage in schemes and deceit. You have no idea how dangerous it can be, the kind of pressure it puts on you. Because one misstep can destroy everything you cherish."
"..."
As she was dragged away, Glenn's final view was of her tribe, which she had lived with all her life, now reduced to ashes.
"Crackle, crackle..."
Everything was burning, just like her life.
She remembered the mythical beasts of the Joy Beast tribe, and the children happily playing here, their laughter filling the air.
Olivia was right.
Unknowingly, she had set a fire here.
"The high priest... Olivia has fallen into the trap."
"The Lord of Dawn is nothing special..."
"Greed and overconfidence will only lead them to their demise..."
"When Blackwood trusts us, we can use them to eliminate everything and then capture them all..."
"Ha ha ha..."
The conversation with the high priest slowly surfaced in her mind.
Glenn's eyes filled with despair.
"It turns out, we were the ones filled with greed and overconfidence all along."
She entered the eighteen levels of hell, carrying the most vicious curse of her tribe.
...
[Congratulations, your descendant has destroyed the Joy Beast tribe!]
[You have obtained spoils of war, including the body of a giant serpent on the verge of transformation! Your family's temple guardian beast is feasting on the enemy's body, swallowing their Developing Skill and undergoing a wondrous transformation!]
[You have obtained spoils of war, the body of the high priest.]
[You have obtained spoils of war...]
[Your descendant Olivia, in this slaughter, has gained some insights and acquired the trait: Destroyer of Tribes]
[After years of planning the destruction of tribes, she has wiped out numerous forces and races. Under her leadership, the combat strength of the entire tribe has increased by 5%. With each tribe destroyed, her understanding of the laws of nature deepens.]
[Your family's guardian 'Lord of Frenzied Blood', after devouring a large amount of druid blood, seems to have awakened some ancient lineage, unlocking new spells...]
"Big haul!"
Ethan exclaimed joyfully, slamming his hand on the table. This operation was initially just to provide George with an opportunity, but the rewards turned out to be substantial!
The Thunderfire Raging Python had devoured a demon king on the verge of transformation, accelerating its own transformation process.
As for the trait 'Destroyer of Tribes'... upon reflection, Olivia truly had destroyed many races and forces.
The strangest of all was Olivia.
Her information panel still showed her as a mortal, still borrowing life from Azure Cloud, yet she could harness the power of nature, almost on par with a Competent Force.
And then there was the Lord of Frenzied Blood... this being had developed a new consciousness, continuously influenced by the people of Blackwood. Now, he had become Blackwood's most loyal guardian. However, his awakening of a druidic lineage was puzzling to Ethan.
"Awakened a druidic lineage, is that why he unlocked spells?"
Ethan murmured, "Could this guy have a connection with the druids?"
But without any clues, Ethan couldn't figure it out and decided not to dwell on it.
Soon.
The Blackwood party safely escaped through the inferno at the Joy Beast tribe, soaring into the sky, heading towards the place where George and the Masked Man were fighting.
"Ah? George, you're ruthless! Competent Force skills, and you've been hiding it from your old man, how could you?!!" Thomas looked at George inside the magical barrier, jumping with anger. How was he supposed to discipline this kid now?
The other members of the third generation of Blackwood felt the same, gritting their teeth in frustration, as if annoyed by the prospect of being unable to surpass their juniors in the future.
Little did they know, William and Justin had already surpassed them, both bearing wounds and glaring fiercely at George, as if they had only just found out as well.