The Original Realm

The tree was a marvelous organism. Towering thousands of meters into the sky, it possessed branches that seemed to pierce the heavens themselves. The trunk and bark were unsettling in appearance—fleshy, with strands that resembled living tissue and sinewy muscle. The tree's roots, sprawling hundreds of meters underground, were in constant motion, twisting and burrowing through the earth to consume any nutrients within their reach.

Every part of the tree seemed alive, yet it moved with a speed and purpose that defied nature. It was not just alive—it was growing, pulsing, and thriving as though time itself had been warped around it.

Luke couldn't help but recall Aldric's words as they approached: "It has grown to that height in less than a decade."

How can a tree reach this size, let alone in a single decade? he thought, awe and unease warring in his mind. Even with Advent, this is beyond anything I imagined.

As Eleanor and Luke moved closer, they felt an invisible weight pressing on them, as though the very air was laden with an ancient power. The closer they got, the heavier that weight became, and the more time itself seemed to behave strangely. They turned their eyes away from the tree and realized with shock that the world around it appeared frozen in place. Grass that had swayed in the wind now seemed caught mid-motion. Leaves hung suspended in the air, and the faint chirps of distant birds had all but disappeared.

Is this tree similar to a black hole? Luke wondered. No... it's more like the opposite. Everything away from the tree appears frozen.

Eleanor's brow furrowed as she observed the strange phenomenon. "Why is everything slowing down? Or... are we speeding up?"

Luke's gaze lingered on the tree as he responded, his tone measured. "I have a theory, but I'll explain it another time."

She tilted her head, her sharp elven eyes studying him. "Don't tell me your world has something similar to this."

"Kinda," he admitted, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Ours is more the opposite—everything would be speeding up while we slow down."

As they reached the base of the tree, Luke extended his hand, intent on feeling the strange, fleshy bark. Up close, the tree was no longer moving and the texture was even more disturbing—strands of what looked like muscle twitched faintly, and the surface seemed to ripple, almost like breathing. He hesitated, then moved to touch it.

Before his fingers could make contact, something blurred in his peripheral vision. Instinctively, he leapt back, his movements honed from years of training.

A moment later, claws slashed through the space where he had been standing.

"Luke!" Eleanor's voice rang out, sharp with concern. "Are you alright?"

Luke touched his cheek, his fingers coming away smeared with blood. A thin line marked where the beast's claws had grazed him. "Yeah," he said, his voice steady despite the stinging pain. "It scratched me."

The creature that had attacked him stood just beyond the tree. It was humanoid in form but unmistakably monstrous. Its reddish-brown fur was streaked with grime and clung to its sinewy frame, with strands of exposed muscle glistening wetly beneath the surface. Golden predator eyes burned with rage, and ichor-like veins pulsed beneath its skin. Cracks ran along its jaw, golden fluid leaking from the fissures. Despite its feral appearance, its size and shape suggested youth—perhaps a young adult, or even an older teenager.

"A human dares approach my tree?" the beast snarled, its voice a guttural growl. "I'll kill you all!"

Luke raised his hands, trying to defuse the situation. "Wait, we're not—"

The beast cut him off, and its body began to shift in a grotesque, almost fluid display. Muscles rippled and contracted, drawing inward as the beast's frame tightened. The fur along its body thinned, giving way to smooth, aerodynamic contours. Its claws sharpened into deadly points, and its limbs became lean and elongated, their movements unnervingly precise.

In the blink of an eye, the beast disappeared, reappearing beside Luke with its claws inches from his throat.

I can't react! Luke's mind screamed as he stared into those golden, predatory eyes.

But just as the killing blow was about to land, the beast transformed again. Its body bulged grotesquely, swelling with monstrous proportions. Its veins glowed a molten gold as muscle upon muscle layered over its frame, pushing its size to inhuman extremes. Cracks formed along its chest and arms, emitting golden light, and the very ground beneath its feet sank under its immense weight.

Luke could feel the raw power radiating from the creature, but there was something else—its movements had slowed, each step accompanied by a deep, resonant thud.

It changed forms again, Luke realized, his thoughts snapping into focus. But he's way slower now. That's my opening!

Channeling his essence, Luke muttered a single word: "Code." A green glow surrounded him as binary patterns etched themselves into the earth. Responding to his will, the ground erupted, forming a solid wall between him and the beast's massive fist.

When the creature's strike connected, the impact was deafening. The wall shattered into shards of earth and stone, and both Luke and Eleanor were thrown backward by the force of the explosion.

"That's enough!" Eleanor shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. Her bow was already drawn, and her essence infused the arrow with a deadly glow. Her hunter's instincts locked onto the beast's elbow, and when she released, the arrow struck true.

The creature's arm was severed in an instant, golden ichor spraying from the wound.

Since when are Eleanor's arrows capable of doing that? Luke thought, astonished. It's like the beast has zero durability right now. A realization hit him like lightning. I get it now. The beast specializes in different forms, but by doing so, it ignores everything else. That's why his speed slowed down and his durability was non-existent—because he switched to an attack form.

The beast let out a roar of pain, retreating behind a massive root of the tree. Its body shifted once more, this time taking on a disturbingly liquid appearance. Golden blood flowed freely, strands of sinew knitting themselves together as its severed arm began to regenerate.

Despite its regenerative abilities, the beast didn't attack. Instead, it cowered, golden eyes darting nervously toward Eleanor.

"What the hell is that elf girl?" the beast screamed, its voice tinged with fear. "Get her away, human, so we can fight!"

Eleanor's lips curled into a mischievous grin. "Is he scared of me? Cool!"

Luke's voice was steady as he answered, "It's probably your Hunter essence, combined with that hit just now. It's making him fear you."

Taking advantage of the moment, Luke stepped forward. "Listen, we're not here to fight. We were sent by Sylveria and Aldric to—"

"Aldric?" the beast interrupted, its voice dripping with skepticism. "As if Aldric the Visionweaver himself sent you here! If you're going to lie, at least make it believable!"

Luke, unbothered, tossed a sealed letter at the beast's feet. Its golden eyes scanned the page, pausing at the unmistakable signature of Kael.

"Alright, explain!" the beast growled, though it had clearly been shaken. Its body shifted again, this time sprouting sensory organs—dozens of eyes, ears, and other grotesque appendages, all magnified to their limits. Nothing could escape its scrutiny.

"We were sent by Aldric Visionweaver and Sylveria, the Elf Queen," Luke explained. "Our goal is to check on the abnormal kingdom, secure an alliance against the Hands of Fate, or at the very least, ensure the safety of the abnormal relic so it doesn't fall into their hands."

The beast's golden eyes narrowed. "And why is a human involved in this?"

Luke's voice hardened. "I'm here to kill Solen. That's my goal."

The beast scrutinized him, analyzing every microexpression, heartbeat, and breath. Finally, it nodded. "Alright."

Its form shifted back to its base state—a humanoid figure, lean and muscular. It handed the letter back to Luke. "I'll help you."

"I'm Luke, and this is Eleanor," he said, gesturing to his companion.

"Kuro," the beast replied gruffly. Then, pointing a trembling claw at Eleanor's bow, it whimpered, "And can you please get her to point that thing away?"

Eleanor smirked, her mischievous grin widening as she kept her bow trained on him. "Call it insurance."