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King Kael stood over the lifeless vessel of Sentient Garran Voss, his hand glowing as he absorbed the fallen sentient's soul. Violet energy surged through Kael's veins, further augmenting his power. He exhaled deeply, his sword shimmering with renewed intensity, its edges blazing with golden solar energy and rippling with void-purple might.
At that moment, the remaining members of The Vanguard of Dawn arrived inside the shattered castle, their footsteps echoing against the fractured marble. They paused, taking in the sight of the two lifeless sentient vessels sprawled across the debris-strewn floor.
Captain Zarius Blacktide was the first to speak, his voice laced with an eager menace. "You should have called us earlier, King. You know I'm itching for a fight."
King Kael turned calmly, a faint smile touching his lips. "Sorry, Zarius. I figured I'd handle them quickly."
Ryuzen Takeda's sharp eyes scanned the area. "I only see two bodies. Weren't there three of them?"
"Yeah," Kael replied, his tone measured. "The other one was tough, so I just trapped him in my dimension."
Kenshiro Takamura's voice cut through the tension sharply. "Then who is that behind you?"
Kael spun around, his blade arcing through the air in a blur of gold and violet. But the woman standing behind him vanished just before the strike landed, disappearing into a thin vine creeping up a crack in the wall.
"What the...?" Kael muttered, his eyes darting around the room in search of their elusive enemy.
The woman's voice echoed ominously as thick trees and twisting vines rapidly engulfed the castle. "What did you do to them?" she demanded, her tone cold and deadly.
"Who are you?" Kael shouted, his stance defensive.
The woman’s voice whispered through the greenery. "Who am I? Well, my name... is—"
Before she could finish, the castle erupted into chaos. Wooden spikes and massive tree trunks burst from every direction with lethal precision.
Captain Blacktide grinned broadly, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Finally…" he growled, drawing his Tempest Blade. The sword crackled with raw storm energy, unleashing arcs of lightning and violent gusts that shattered the incoming projectiles.
With a laugh, Captain Blacktide pinpointed the woman's location. "Got you!" he roared, launching himself into the air, his fist enveloped in Storm's Fury. Electricity surged around him, transforming him into a living tempest.
In a flash, he appeared before the woman, driving his fist into her chest with devastating force. "How does it feel? The power of the storm..." he growled through gritted teeth.
The woman stood her ground, her eyes burning with defiance. Suddenly, she let out a fierce cry:
"YOU THINK THIS IS ALL I GOT?!?!"
Her limbs erupted into countless vine-like tendrils—razor-sharp, prehensile, and dripping with lethal toxins. They lashed out furiously, striking Blacktide repeatedly until he crashed before his comrades, unconscious and severely wounded.
As the dust settled, the woman stepped forward—towering at eight feet. Her form fused humanoid grace with arboreal menace: bark-plated limbs, clawed roots, a torso dripping sap-armor, and a twisted ironwood crown budding with carnivorous blossoms.
She glared at The Vanguard, her voice dripping venomous authority:
"I am Sylvaine Thorne, The Verdant Tyrant. Bearer of Eclipsing Sylvan Dominion. A Second Generation Sentient."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudriop93AG
Sylvaine Thorne10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJbxtK98lDG
Title: The Verdant Tyrant10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtQd9kBWFD
Magic: Eclipsing Sylvan Dominion(Wood Magic)10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjHrW9wUjF
Generation: Second Generation Sentient10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQ7MLFDIsK
King Kael observed Sylvaine with a calm yet intrigued expression. "Interesting... her power is around the same as that guy I trapped in my dimension." He then directed his gaze back toward Sylvaine, eyes sharp with curiosity. "Where did you come from?"
Sylvaine scowled fiercely, standing her ground. "As if I’d tell you. If anything, you’re the ones who need to start explaining where my three buddies are—or you'll end up like this little one." She glanced down menacingly at the poisoned Captain Blacktide lying on the ground, her wooden spike-arm poised ominously above his head.
King Kael’s body began radiating a dark, shadowy purple aura, the energy crackling with suppressed power. "I think you have this all confused. You're in no place to make threats."
Sylvaine pressed her sharpened wooden spike closer to Blacktide’s head, her voice dripping with malice. "Oh, really? Move an inch without telling me where Dagon, Valae, and Garran are, and your friend is dead."
Suddenly, Sylvaine felt an intense, heavy thump resonate from her heart, echoing painfully in her mind. Her vision blurred as she dropped involuntarily to one knee, gasping in confusion at the sudden incapacitation. Beside her, silently and with deadly precision, stood Ryuzen Takeda. His voice was barely above a whisper, filled with cold finality. "Seijaku no Ansatsu Geki."
Ryuzen's technique, Seijaku no Ansatsu Geki, allowed him to incapacitate his target instantly by striking vital points with perfect precision. It was the Silent Assassin’s Strike, a move reserved only for decisive moments. This strike didn’t kill Sylvaine, but it left her utterly helpless, unable to stand or retaliate.
Ryuzen looked down at her coolly. "Silence kills..."
Yet, Sylvaine’s will refused to yield. Her eyes blazed fiercely as she roared:
"NO... I will... not let you all... GET THE BEST OF MEEEEEEEEE!"
In a desperate, furious outburst, she activated her ultimate ability, Worldbinding Roots – The Forest’s Chains.
Her roots began burrowing violently into the core of Planet X, rapidly spreading and wrapping around the planet's very foundation. Gravity trembled, the atmosphere began to thicken with toxic spores, and the earth beneath them quaked as Sylvaine exerted her immense control. Simultaneously, her body became enveloped in layers of near-impenetrable wood, creating a protective shell around herself.
Panic flashed across Ryuzen’s usually composed face as he turned swiftly toward the rest of The Vanguard. "What should we—?!"
But before he could finish, the ground beside him exploded in a massive, earth-shattering impact. From the cloud of debris emerged the towering figure of Sentient Dagon Mirelock, laughing loudly and arrogantly. "Did you think you could keep me from the party for long?"
