Chương 101: Chapter 87 – Rot in the Heartwood

Violet light spread through the Great Tree. Cade watched glowing veins of corruption pulse deep beneath the colossal bark while fresh growth twisted across the skeletal canopy overhead. Thick branches groaned somewhere high above the battlefield as the corruption crawled deeper into the ancient structure. His stomach tightened. He could not allow this to continue. If the corruption reached the roots it might spread through the entire realm.

The realization settled heavily in Cade's chest as drifting ash swirled around the now still battlefield. The surviving ash tortoises gathered nearby. Cade briefly pulled up his status. He had gained three levels during the cleanup of the battlefield outside the hollow. Between the leeches, ash worms, and lingering corrupted growth, the fight had flooded him with essence and experience. But now wasn't the time to inspect his gains in detail.

Cade motioned for the surviving tortoises to follow him beneath the hollow of the Great Tree. White ash drifted through the cavernous space while the smoldering remains of the ninth root-pillar cast dim white light. Nearby, Pearl moved protectively closer toward Aquelion's unconscious body as the massive gator continued breathing steadily. Cade could hardly blame her. The corruption had reached the Great Tree itself, and she was surrounded by ash tortoises. Of course she would be nervous.

He stopped beneath the burned remains of the ninth root-pillar and looked toward the surviving tortoises.

"We can't let the corruption spread any farther," he said.

"Rowana fled upward into the Great Tree." Vorduun's burning gaze narrowed.

"And how exactly do you plan on reaching her?" The newly ascended Emperor tilted his head upward toward the ceiling of the hollow.

"How will you enter the Great Tree where the First Elder fled?" Cade pointed upward toward the charred remains of the ninth root-pillar hanging on the ceiling.

"Before Pearl grew the ninth root, there was a shaft leading upward through the Great Tree. It's where I reforged my body." His eyes tracked toward the smoldering shaft now partially exposed within the ruined pillar.

"With the ninth root burning, I might be able to access that tunnel again." Brahm shifted beside Vorduun.

"You believe it will reach wherever Rowana fled to?"

"If she wants to spread the corruption through the entire Tree," Cade said, "Then she'll probably start near the center and work outward. The tunnel might lead close to wherever she went."

"And if you are wrong?" Vorduun asked.

"Then I come back down." Cade shrugged.

"But either way, we need to act quickly before the corruption reaches the roots." Several tortoises shifted uneasily beneath the hollow. Even now Cade could tell they itched standing this close to the Tree. The lingering force of life essence within the massive structure pressed against the desolation surrounding the tortoises in an invisible tension. Vorduun spoke again.

"You intend to confront her alone?" The Emperor's burning gaze shifted upward briefly.

"That much desolation inside her Core will kill her eventually," Vorduun rumbled.

"But if the corruption spreads through the Great Tree before she dies…." Before Cade could answer, Brahm snorted loudly.

"It has to be him." The younger tortoise jerked his head toward the partially exposed tunnel Cade had pointed out.

"None of us can fit." Vorduun slowly nodded.

"Hmm. Brahm is right. Even the smallest still among us wouldn't be able to squeeze into that hole." Cade exhaled slowly through his nose. For a brief moment, hesitation tugged at him. Rowana had survived everything they threw at her so far. Now she was infecting one of the largest structures Cade had ever seen. She was wounded, cornered, and trapped deep within the colossal Tree.

"I'll find her," Cade said.

"And if I can stop the corruption before it spreads too far, then maybe we won't need to destroy the Great Tree." The hollow grew quiet before Cade continued.

"But if things go wrong…" His eyes shifted toward the towering root-pillars surrounding the hollow.

"Burn the roots." Several tortoises stiffened. Vorduun's burning eyes narrowed slightly.

"If it fully reaches the roots, it could spread through the entire realm. We don't know what the corruption is capable of, so it's safer to assume the worst. If the worst-case scenario does happen, torch the root-pillars before the corruption can descend any further." A heavy silence followed. Then one of the older tortoises spoke.

"Even with this much liberated essence surrounding us, burning through the Great Tree's bark would take considerable time." Another tortoise nodded grimly.

"The root-pillars are ancient and impossibly dense." Cade slowly smiled.

"That part won't be a problem." The tortoises looked at him questioningly. Cade turned his head toward Pearl. The frog sat close beside Aquelion's unconscious body now. Her hands rested tightly against her knees while her eyes kept drifting upward before snapping nervously back toward the sleeping Viscount. Fear and uncertainty had settled plainly across her face. Cade motioned for the tortoises to remain where they were before walking over toward her. Pearl looked up immediately as he approached.

Their eyes locked for a moment.

"You feel it too," she said quietly.

"The corruption is spreading through the Great Tree. Everything about it feels wrong now." Cade glanced toward the smoldering remains of the ninth root-pillar where the partially exposed tunnel disappeared upward through the burned wood.

"Rowana fled inside the Tree," he said.

"That tunnel leads deeper upward. I'm going to follow it and see if it reaches wherever she went." This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Pearl's gaze shifted toward the hollow shaft.

"I'm going to try and cleanse the corruption from the inside," Cade continued.

"If I can stop it before it spreads too far, then maybe we can still save the Great Tree." Pearl remained silent for several seconds before finally, she nodded once.

"That needs to happen."

"But I'll need your help in case things go wrong." Pearl frowned immediately.

"What do you mean?" Cade glanced toward the surrounding root-pillars.

"I don't know where the tunnel leads exactly," he admitted.

"If I can find Rowana and end her before the corruption spreads too far, then great. We can save the Tree."

"And if you cannot?" Cade's jaw tightened slightly.

"Then the tortoises will burn the root-pillars before the corruption reaches the roots and spreads throughout the realm." Pearl stared at him in shock.

"You want to destroy the Great Tree?" she asked quietly.

"I want to stop the corruption," Cade replied.

"If the Tree becomes fully infected, then this entire realm will probably follow. Who knows how deep these roots run or what the corruption is capable of." Pearl looked away. Her gaze drifted upward and Cade could practically feel the emotions warring inside of her. The Great Tree was sacred to the frogs. Destroying it would probably feel unimaginable to her. But after a few moments, Pearl exhaled slowly.

"You're right," she admitted reluctantly.

"The corruption cannot be allowed to spread." Cade nodded.

"Hopefully it won't come down to that." Pearl glanced back toward him.

"You said you needed my help." Suspicion entered her voice slightly.

"What exactly are you planning? I cannot cleanse the corruption and would only hinder your climb, or do you intend to feed me to the Destroyers to fuel their flames?"

"It's actually the tortoises who will need your help." Pearl blinked.

"What?" Cade pointed toward the nearby root-pillars.

"You can manipulate the wood with Lifebreathing," he said.

"I saw Aquelion do it with the ninth pillar so you should be able to as well." Understanding slowly spread across Pearl's face. Then horror followed immediately afterward.

"You want me…" Her voice faltered slightly.

"You want me to open the roots for the Destroyers?" Genuine horror crossed her face. Not just at the thought of losing the Great Tree— But at the realization that she herself might have to aid its destruction. Cade nodded.

"You split the bark apart and expose the interior. Then you get clear while the tortoises flood the openings with their flames before the corruption can spread farther downward." Pearl looked physically uncomfortable now.

"I do not like this plan."

"Neither do I." The frog looked up into the hollow under the Great Tree. After several moments, she finally spoke again.

"But if the corruption spreads…" She swallowed heavily.

"Then there may not be another choice."

"No, there won't be," Cade said quietly. Pearl closed her eyes briefly before nodding.

"Then I will help." Cade let out a slow breath.

"Hopefully none of this becomes necessary." Pearl opened one eye toward him.

"You better purge the corruption from the Great Tree," she muttered.

"I would hate to watch it burn, let alone play a role in its destruction." Cade snorted softly.

"Yeah, we're on the same page there." He turned back toward the cluster of ash tortoises and raised his voice slightly.

"Vorduun!" The newly ascended Emperor approached, white ash drifting around his enormous shell. Cade gestured toward Pearl.

"If the corruption spreads downward, she'll open the root-pillars for you." Vorduun studied Pearl silently for several seconds before nodding once.

"Understood." His burning gaze shifted briefly toward the unconscious form of Aquelion nearby.

"While you climb, I will ensure both the frog hatchling and the Viscount remain protected." Cade nodded once before turning toward the charred remains of the ninth root-pillar. White flames still smouldered along the fractured wood while ash spiraled upward through the exposed shaft hidden inside the ruined pillar. He inhaled slowly. Then jumped. Cade launched through the hollow center of the ruined root-pillar and caught the edge of the ancient tunnel with one hand.

Charred bark crumbled beneath his fingers as he hauled himself into the vertical shaft. The tunnel had survived. Burn marks and deep fractures scarred the interior walls while sections of the natural ladder had partially collapsed from the destruction of the ninth root. But it still led upward. His enhanced body carried him rapidly through the hollow shaft while pearlescent ash drifted behind him in thin spiraling currents.

Far below, the dim white glow of the embers slowly disappeared as he ascended deeper into the Great Tree. Soon only the groaning wood and distant crackle of violet lightning remained. As Cade climbed, the corruption became easier to see. Thin glowing strands of violet crawled through the wood like infected veins while fresh growth twisted unnaturally through the cracks. Thorned roots occasionally pushed through the tunnel walls before withering away moments later beneath the pressure of competing energies.

The Great Tree was resisting whatever Rowana was doing to it. More thorned vines burst through the tunnel walls ahead of him. Cade inhaled sharply and exhaled the [Flames of Desolation]. White fire washed through the confined shaft in a roaring burst. Corrupted growths recoiled as the flames consumed them, blackening roots and corrupted vines into drifting ash before Cade continued climbing upward. He climbed deeper through the colossal trunk as the corruption thickened around him.

Violet veins spread wider through the wood now while thorned growths pushed directly through the tunnel walls in twisting masses. Whenever the new growth blocked his path, Cade burned it away with controlled bursts of fire while careful not to waste too much essence. He still had no idea what waited for him deeper inside the Great Tree. Cade climbed until the vertical shaft finally opened. He cautiously poked his head up and saw a vast hollow chamber. He had to be near the center of the Great Tree.

His breath caught slightly. The chamber stretched so wide that Cade momentarily forgot he was still inside. Massive roots twisted through the walls and ceiling in spiraling layers while gold and violet light pulsed unevenly through the living wood like conflicting heartbeats. The entire chamber thrummed with pressure dense enough that Cade could feel it vibrating through his bones. And at the center of the chamber stood an enormous archway grown directly from the Tree itself.

Cade pulled himself fully out of the tunnel and onto the chamber floor before slowly approaching the structure. The archway looked cultivated. Pale wood curved upward into an enormous oval doorway etched with luminous sigils and channels of condensed essence. Through it, reality itself rippled in slow shifting waves of pale silver and soft blue light that distorted the chamber around it. A portal. Cade's stomach tightened. Was that a portal out of this corrupted dungeon? After all this time…

All he needed to do to leave this damn dungeon was climb farther up the Great Tree? He almost laughed, then immediately felt irritated with himself. Of course the exit would be somewhere near the center of the dungeon's main structure. Still… Looking back, Cade could not honestly regret staying. Cynthia's Legacy had nearly killed him dozens of times over, but it had also changed him in ways he still barely understood. A faint pulse of violet light caught his eye. Cade turned immediately.

Past the portal, against the far wall, Rowana watched him silently. Or at least what remained of her did. The First Elder had partially merged with the Great Tree itself. Thick masses of violet growth fused directly into the surrounding bark while roots throbbed beneath split flesh. Her one good arm had completely dissolved into twisting wood and corruption that spread deep into the wall behind her. Yet her glowing violet eyes remained fixed on Cade with unnerving clarity.

"You finally arrived," she whispered. Her voice sounded tired and wet. Then she smiled faintly.

"You plan to burn the Great Tree, don't you?" she said softly, "You might end me, but you will also destroy your only path out of this realm." Cade's eyes narrowed immediately. Rowana's faint smile widened despite the ruined state of her body.

"You stand before a choice now," she whispered.

"You may destroy me. Burn the Tree. Purge me from my own realm." Her glowing violet eyes shifted briefly toward the portal behind him.

"But you will lose your only way out." The chamber fell quiet except for the distant groaning of the Great Tree around them.

"Or," Rowana continued softly, "you can listen before you decide whether I truly deserve to die." Cade's gaze flicked back toward the portal. There was no way he was going to trust Rowana's words. A dungeon inside the System's Tutorial had to have some kind of backup plan if the exit became inaccessible. Didn't it? This was the fucking Tutorial. Why would the System create a dungeon with only one possible way out? Then again this dungeon was corrupted.

Maybe whatever exit mechanisms the System used no longer worked. Maybe this portal truly was the only path back to the Tutorial. He pulled up his quest again. Dungeon Quest: Cleanse Cynthia's Legacy Progress: Minor Corruption Cleansed: 57 / 100 Major Corruption Cleansed: 2 / 2 Prime Corruption Cleansed: 0 / 1 Reward: Performance-based; rewards scale with the depth and thoroughness of cleansing. The reward was frustratingly vague.

A line that had remained consistent throughout everything he experienced inside Cynthia's Legacy. Maybe if he completed the quest, the System would reward him with another way home. But relying on that felt like a gamble. He didn't even know if the System could still reach him here. Cade looked past the shimmering portal toward Rowana before his gaze drifted across the corruption spreading through the Great Tree around them. Then his thoughts turned downward toward Aquelion waiting below.

If he stepped through the portal now, the corruption would continue spreading through Cynthia's Legacy. Maybe Vorduun and the surviving tortoises could stop it on their own. Maybe Pearl could help contain it. But none of that was guaranteed. Aquelion could die here. Pearl too. The frogs. The tortoises. This entire realm might collapse into corruption while Cade escaped safely back to the Tutorial. His jaw tightened. Could he actually live with himself if he condemned them all to that fate?

They were supposed to be dungeon monsters. At least that was what the System would probably call them. Would it even matter if they died here? Then Cade thought of Pearl's hesitation and how she still chose to help. Brahm fighting like a lunatic. Vorduun's laughter while teaching. Aquelion learning and changing. None of them felt fake or disposable. And if Cade left now, what happened to them afterward? Would the dungeon simply reset behind him like some giant game instance?

Or were these creatures actually alive and trapped here exactly as they believed? The uncertainty settled around him as another realization surfaced. If he left now, would he abandon the quest unfinished?

"So," Rowana whispered softly, "which choice are you going to make?"