CHAPTER 243: SLAVERY?

With the Mother Tree still expanding, its colossal crystalline branches now stretched outward in all directions, glimmering under the sunless dawn. The leaves, shimmering like polished glass, blanketed half of the twin island’s terrain in soft shade. As it grew, a low hum rolled through the earth, and the islands themselves began to respond. A gentle tremor pulsed through their foundation. The endless sea of energy that surrounded them churned with waves of force. Every surge struck the shores like a heartbeat, each collision feeding growth into the land.

It didn’t take long. The transformation ended as suddenly as it began.

Adyr’s energy form hovered in the sky, eyes sweeping across the altered landscape.

Each island now spanned approximately 2,500 square meters—roughly the size of half a football field, or a densely packed forest clearing large enough to fit several small village houses side by side. Two distinct masses of energy-forged land, both alive in their own way.

On the first island, previously named Dawn Land, the Mother Tree stood at its far edge. Its massive trunk gleamed with faint veins of light, and the sheer width of its canopy turned much of the island into a shadowed realm.

The tree’s vast shadow muted the soft, ambient dawnlight filtering from above, creating a stark contrast with the crystalline shimmer of its leaves. Not far from it stood the original tree—a modest relic now—appearing more like a seedling in the presence of the towering colossus.

Golden-feathered Roosters darted through the underbrush, their movements energized. They clucked and crowed with a strange harmony, their calls sharp and melodic, like brass instruments playing a tribal anthem. Their eyes sparkled with curiosity as they surveyed the changes in their home.

Floating nearby, the Echo Screamer circled in slow, wide arcs. Its red, skull-like head glowed dimly, and its massive, leathery ears twitched to the rhythm of the Roosters’ song. It hovered with the indifference of a retired bureaucrat basking in nostalgic music, content but detached.

Under the shade of the smaller tree, the Null Maggo

t’s Rooster host sat motionless. Its feathers were darker than the others’, tinged with an oily sheen of shadow. It was at least twice their size, unmoving and silent, as if the evolving world around it barely registered in its mind.

A short distance away, a circular cremation pit—professionally known as a subterranean bio-incinerator—lay partially buried beneath the soil. From within, Emberdart Minnows stirred, disturbed by the tremors. Their lithe, ember-scaled bodies poked cautiously from their heated shelters, reptilian eyes blinking against the sudden stillness as they peered at the new world above.

But no creature wore delight on its body quite like the Pulse Hopper. The grasshopper-like entity bounded across the expanded land with a child’s unfiltered glee, its long legs barely touching the ground before leaping again. It raced over mossy patches, skimming puddles, darting between sprouting roots like a blur of kinetic joy.

The second island bore fewer changes. It had grown in size but retained its ghostly calm. Compared to the vibrant Dawn Land, this twin isle felt hushed, nocturnal—an untouched preserve for silence.

At one edge, nestled into a sloped hillside, the hand-carved cave stood like a natural fortress. Duskrend had emerged from within, wings spread wide in a territorial display. The bat-like Spark hovered just outside its lair, flapping in place, scanning the surroundings like a sentry watching over its kingdom.

Inside the mineral pool carved into the cave floor, Cragfin Sentinels glided lazily beneath the surface. Their moss-crusted backs shimmered under the cave’s refracted glow as they continued their ponderous swim, unbothered, unchanged, and utterly at peace.

"Now I have sufficient land, but not enough residents to inhabit it," Adyr muttered, his energy body resting a hand under his chin.

Aside from the Mother Tree, the two massive islands still looked barren—acres of untapped land waiting to be put to use.

"Can I start livestock breeding and farming? Roosters, especially... if I can get them to breed, I can sell them as energy crystals worth 5 units each. That alone can bring a steady return."

He quickly began drafting a plan.

From what he’d seen in the market district, specially cultivated crops were valuable resources among practitioners. Many used them to feed their Sparks or to create natural zones of energy-rich terrain for habitation.

Thanks to the Mother Tree’s influence, his Sanctuary was now at least three times larger than that of an average Rank 2 practitioner. If he used this advantage well, he could turn it into significant profit.

Of course, agriculture and livestock raising—especially at a practitioner’s level—require time, care, and consistent labor. Which led to a thought he wasn’t proud of.

"I suppose I’ll need to implement slavery on my private lands," he said calmly, without emotion.

There was no way he could persuade ordinary people—or any other race, for that matter—to willingly live and work in such an enclosed area just for food and shelter. Especially when most would deem it dangerous, knowing how many Sparks were active in the lands.

So, he’d have to find durable laborers... and force them to work.

One particular face came to mind—someone useful—but he shelved the idea for now and turned his attention back to the Mother Tree’s newly unlocked feature.

Just as he anticipated, the upgraded fruits now provided 4 free stat points each, though in exchange, the fertilizer requirement had climbed to 40 per day.

The day hadn’t fully passed yet, so the tree hadn’t produced new fruit. He buried 40 energy crystals at the roots and withdrew his consciousness, returning to his Earth body.

Marielle and the others were still staring at him—curious and shaken—but after hearing his brief explanation, they didn’t ask further. They simply accepted it.

Compared to the dark, heart-stopping ability that had slaughtered thousands, this was a healing, benevolent power. Acceptance came more easily.

BEEP!

Suddenly, a sharp tone echoed from Adyr’s wrist device as he set down his knife and fork to check the caller.

The name flashing on the screen was Henry Bates—the very man Adyr had been waiting to hear from.