Chapter 334: The Sleeping Beasts

The ancient city gradually disappeared behind them as Arthur’s group continued deeper into the World Tree, following a wide root that curved upward through the interior.

The buildings became less frequent, and eventually even the old roads disappeared beneath layers of moss and vegetation.

Leaving only the enormous root beneath their feet and the glowing mana flowing through channels beside it.

Arthur continued looking around as they walked, occasionally stopping whenever something caught his attention.

Athena had already stopped trying to tell him to keep moving.

She simply waited.

Sun, however, had no such patience.

"How many times are you going to stop?" he asked after Arthur crouched beside another strange plant.

Arthur carefully examined the glowing leaves. "Until I stop finding interesting things."

Sun sighed. "So we’re never getting to the top."

Mithra smiled as she walked beside them. "You knew what you were getting into when you joined Arthur."

"I was hoping he’d eventually grow out of it."

Arthur stood and looked at him. "Why would I do that?"

"Exactly."

Luna laughed quietly, and even Athena smiled as they continued.

Vedas followed beside Arthur, his large frame making the narrow sections of the root feel even smaller. Star bounced along near Arthur’s shoulder, occasionally changing shape as she moved, while Eden floated quietly beside him, watching the surrounding environment with growing curiosity.

The further they traveled, the quieter the World Tree became.

There were fewer small Beasts moving through the vegetation now.

The mana rivers were also becoming slower, their glowing currents flowing through deep channels beneath the roots rather than rushing through open valleys.

Arthur noticed the change.

"This area is different."

Athena looked around. "How?"

"The Beasts."

Luna glanced toward the surrounding forest. "There aren’t as many."

"And the plants are smaller."

Athena studied the environment for a moment before nodding. "You’re right. The mana density is also lower."

Arthur looked ahead.

"But not empty."

A faint sound reached them.

It was almost like breathing.

Slow.

Deep.

And impossibly loud.

Sun stopped walking.

"Did you hear that?"

Everyone became quiet.

The sound came again.

A deep rumble rolled through the roots beneath their feet.

Arthur’s eyes widened.

"That isn’t the Tree."

They followed the sound.

The root beneath them eventually widened into an enormous chamber, and Arthur stopped at the entrance.

His expression immediately changed.

The chamber was filled with sleeping Beasts.

Some were small enough to fit inside a house, while others were so enormous that their bodies stretched across entire sections of the chamber. Several were curled around the roots, their bodies partially covered by moss and glowing plants, while others rested beside the mana channels flowing through the ground.

None of them moved.

They were sleeping.

Arthur slowly stepped forward.

"How long have they been here?"

Athena looked around in amazement. "I don’t know."

She approached one of the smaller creatures and carefully studied its body.

"This species..."

Her voice became quieter.

"I’ve never seen one alive."

Arthur immediately turned toward her.

"What is it?"

Athena pointed toward the Beast.

"It’s related to a species recorded in the oldest Beast Tamer texts. They’re believed to have gone extinct centuries ago."

Arthur’s eyes immediately lit up.

"Extinct?"

Athena nodded. "The last confirmed sighting was several hundred years ago."

Arthur crouched beside the sleeping Beast.

Its body was covered in dark blue scales, with several crystalline growths extending along its spine. Despite its size, it looked strangely peaceful as it slept, its breathing causing small waves to move through the moss around it.

Arthur slowly extended his hand.

Vedas immediately grabbed his wrist.

Arthur looked up.

"What?"

Vedas stared at him.

"You were reaching for it."

Arthur glanced at his hand.

"I was only going to look."

"You were reaching for it."

Arthur considered that for a moment before pointing toward the Beast.

"Looking closely."

Vedas didn’t release him.

Luna covered her mouth as she laughed.

Mithra smiled. "You really haven’t learned anything."

"I’ve learned plenty."

Athena looked at him. "Including that touching unknown ancient Beasts is dangerous?"

Arthur hesitated.

"...Sometimes."

Sun shook his head. "That’s not reassuring."

Arthur finally gave up and stood, though his eyes remained fixed on the sleeping Beast.

"Still fascinating."

Athena moved toward another creature.

"This one is even stranger."

Everyone followed her.

A massive Beast was lying against one of the roots, its body resembling a mixture of a large feline and a reptile. Six curved horns extended from its head, while its enormous tail was wrapped around several roots.

Athena studied it carefully.

"This species isn’t even in the records."

Arthur’s eyes widened.

"Then it’s completely unknown?"

"Possibly."

Arthur looked at the sleeping creature with even greater interest.

Luna noticed his expression.

"Don’t."

Arthur looked at her.

"I didn’t say anything."

"You were thinking about touching it."

Arthur smiled.

Vedas immediately tightened his grip on his arm.

Arthur laughed.

The lighthearted moment continued as they explored the chamber, discovering more ancient species hidden among the roots. Some were species Athena recognized from old records, while others had no known classification at all.

Arthur was fascinated by all of them.

He noticed that many were connected to the surrounding ecosystem in ways they had never seen before. Small plants grew from the bodies of some sleeping Beasts without harming them, while thin streams of mana flowed through the roots beneath their bodies.

"They aren’t just sleeping," Arthur said eventually.

Athena looked at him.

"They’re connected to the Tree."

She examined the roots beneath one of the Beasts and nodded slowly.

"You’re right. The roots are supplying them with mana."

Arthur looked around the chamber.

"Then this might be why they’re still alive."

Athena’s expression became thoughtful. "If the World Tree has been sustaining them for centuries..."

"Some of them might have been asleep the entire time," Luna finished.

Arthur looked at the ancient creatures again.

For a moment, the chamber felt peaceful.

Then Eden suddenly stopped.

Her eyes turned toward the far side of the chamber.

"Arthur."

He immediately looked at her.

"What?"

She pointed toward one of the enormous Beasts.

"That one is wrong."

Arthur followed her gaze.

At first, he saw nothing unusual.

Then the Beast moved.

A faint purple glow appeared beneath its scales.

Arthur’s expression changed.

"Miasma."

The Beast’s eyes suddenly opened.

Purple light flooded its pupils.

The enormous creature rose.

The movement alone shook the entire chamber, sending debris falling from the roots above them.

Sun immediately raised Long. "So much for the peaceful part."

The ancient Beast released a roar that shook the entire chamber.

Several of the other sleeping Beasts stirred.

Arthur’s expression hardened.

"Don’t attack the others."

Mithra looked at him. "Why?"

"Because they’re connected to the Tree."

The corrupted Beast charged.

Vedas stepped forward and blocked the first attack, his body sliding backward as the Beast’s enormous claws slammed into him.

Arthur immediately moved to the side.

"Don’t kill it!"

Sun looked at him incredulously. "That’s a giant corrupted Beast trying to eat us!"

"I know!"

The Beast attacked again.

Mithra rushed in and cut across its side, forcing it away from Vedas. Luna followed with an attack that struck one of its legs, while Sun used Long to send a shockwave into its chest.

The Beast staggered.

But the purple veins across its body immediately brightened.

Its wounds began closing.

Arthur’s eyes narrowed.

"Same as before."

Athena understood.

"The roots."

Arthur nodded.

The Beast wasn’t regenerating by itself.

The World Tree was feeding it.

Purple-black roots were wrapped around the creature’s body, buried beneath its scales and connected directly to the surrounding roots.

Arthur looked at the chamber.

"If we destroy it here, we could damage the Tree."

Athena’s expression became serious.

"And the other Beasts."

Arthur nodded.

He remembered the Chief Beast.

The solution wasn’t killing the corrupted creature.

It was breaking the connection.

"We separate them."

Vedas stepped beside Arthur. "Then find the roots."

Arthur smiled.

"Exactly."

The Beast charged again, and this time Arthur didn’t attack its body.

He ran beneath its claws.

Mithra immediately understood what he was doing and moved to distract it from the opposite side. She struck its shoulder and pulled its attention away while Sun hammered its legs with shockwaves.

Luna moved with Arthur.

"Where?"

Arthur looked across the Beast’s body.

"There!"

Several purple roots were visible beneath its scales.

He pointed toward them.

"Those are the main connections!"

Athena immediately began directing the others. "Mithra, keep its attention to the left! Sun, hit the rear legs but don’t damage the roots! Luna, cover Arthur!"

Everyone moved.

Mithra danced around the Beast’s claws, using Dawn Sovereign to redirect its attacks while Melo’s dream mist spread across the chamber and distorted its perception. Sun struck the ground beneath it, forcing the creature to stumble, and Luna intercepted another claw before it could reach Arthur.

Arthur reached the exposed root.

Dusk flashed.

He struck once.

The root cracked.

The Beast screamed.

Purple energy exploded from the wound, but Arthur held his position and struck again.

The connection shattered.

The Beast’s regeneration stopped.

Arthur looked toward the remaining roots.

"There are more!"

Athena pointed. "Three on its back!"

Vedas charged forward and grabbed one of the roots with both hands, tearing it away from the Beast’s body while Sun destroyed another with Long.

Arthur moved toward the final connection.

The Beast suddenly turned toward him.

Its massive jaws opened.

Arthur froze for half a second.

Then Star launched herself forward.

Her body expanded and slammed into the Beast’s face, knocking its head sideways.

Arthur smiled.

"Thanks, Star."

Star bounced happily before returning to his shoulder.

Arthur struck the final root.

The connection broke.

The purple light covering the Beast’s body immediately began fading.

The creature collapsed.

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Then its eyes slowly opened again.

The purple glow was gone.

Its gaze was calm.

It looked at the humans surrounding it before slowly lowering its head back to the ground.

Arthur lowered Dusk.

"We did it."

Athena approached carefully and examined the Beast.

"It’s alive."

Luna smiled.

Mithra lowered her sword. "And so are the others."

The surrounding sleeping Beasts had never fully awakened.

The corrupted creature slowly closed its eyes again, returning to its ancient sleep.

Arthur looked at the roots beneath it.

The lesson was becoming clearer.

The World Tree wasn’t the enemy.

The corruption was using the Tree’s connections to turn everything living inside it against itself.

Arthur looked toward the darkness above. "And the deeper we go..." His expression became serious. "...the more corruption we’re probably going to find."