World Evolution Apocalypse: I Possess The Extraction Ability

The mutated tree was sentient and very intelligent. Before the apocalypse, it had been the oldest tree in the entire Marine Park, and was quite popular since people loved to visit it and admire it.

On the same day the apocalypse started, it became a Level 1 mutated tree unlike the others that were slower. The mutated tree didn’t really need to kill to level up. Its trait allowed it to absorb mana from the surrounding, bolstering itself until it forcefully broke through to the next level.

Like this, it grew slowly and gently until a few weeks ago. A parasitic vine had suddenly decided to coil its main body around the tree, benefiting from the heavy influx of mana in the air.

The mutated tree was displeased, but didn’t complain. The vine was Tier Two, while it was merely Tier One. There was no need to cause trouble.

At least, until another creature was lured by the dense mana in the air. A Tier Two mutated crocodile appeared near the tree, trying to benefit from it too. The mutated tree was incensed, but couldn’t retaliate—it didn’t have to.

The mutated vine was treating it as its property, so it attacked the crocodile as soon as it came close. The two creatures fought for a full day, severely injuring each other and ending the fight in a stalemate.

It was at this moment that the mutated tree learned delight. It immediately launched an attack on the weakened mutated vine, slowly absorbing its life force. By the time the mutated vine realized what was going on, it was too late.

The mutated crocodile also sensed the vine’s death and wanted to escape, but couldn’t. It was at this moment that the mutated tree learned greed. The instant it evolved into Tier Two, it attacked the weakened crocodile, tied it down, and began to sap its life force.

The process would have been complete in about two weeks, and everything seemed perfect until—

["Wretched... HUMAN...!"]

It learned anger. Using the fragmented pieces of knowledge it had gained from absorbing wandering humans, it expressed itself in words, even at the cost of sacrificing a little portion of its vitality.

The human was just too... infuriating. He was fast, slippery, and dangerous. A single blow had cracked a piece of its bark—something the mutated vine had failed to do while it was alive.

The human had also been able to deal an injury to its soul through its shadow. The mutated tree was furious.

It didn’t hesitate to use its greatest ability to attack him, completely abandoning its focus on the crocodile.

["... Human, die... die... die... die..."]

It chanted madly, obsessed with killing him. However, even after several minutes passed, the kill notification still didn’t come.

The human wasn’t dead.

Although rather intelligent, the mutated tree was still like an infant. It couldn’t understand why Leon wasn’t dead yet. Confusion, bewilderment, unease, and several other fleeting emotions crossed its vast mind, but it didn’t do anything.

It simply continued using that ability, believing it would eventually kill him.

Wrong.

Even unconscious, Leon’s Adaptation trait was still working. It was fully focused on his brain, adjusting the brain cells, not to resist the pressure, but to accommodate it and function properly even under the mental pressure.

After fifteen minutes, the effect of the ability had lessened enough for Leon to regain consciousness and think properly. It still hurt, though.

However, it was far more bearable.

His fingers twitched, and he slowly pushed himself off the ground. The mutated tree sensed the change, and its roots shook slightly. The leaves rustled above like a thousand whispers, and Leon heard its broken voice again.

["A... why...?"]

The voice was no longer threatening, but carried a tone of disbelief. Leon didn’t entertain it with answers. He activated Shadow Sense, using it on the mutated tree’s shadow.

Earlier, he had injured it through its shadow, but it hadn’t been enough. At most, he only dealt slightly serious wounds.

This time, he was determined to finish it off by attacking a vital organ—its heart. The tree’s heart wasn’t like the human heart, and he didn’t believe he could truly pierce through its trunk to reach the heart.

So instead, he was going to attack the heart through the shadow. Soon, he found his target and immediately moved. Alarmed, the roots swarmed him again.

Leon dodged most of them using Shadow Teleportation, and arrived at the base of the tree.

Planting one knee on the ground, he raised his spear and activated Shadow Execution. The spear was enveloped by black flames and plunged into the shadow of the mutated tree.

Just a second before his attack landed, two roots pierced Leon’s shoulders, punching clean holes through his flesh.

He grunted but didn’t move. The mutated tree had to die.

For the first time since its awakening, it felt something beyond greed, delight, and anger—fear.

Its enormous consciousness struggled desperately to cling to life. Every instinct screamed for survival, commanding the roots to tighten around Leon, to pierce him, to crush him. Yet the commands arrived too late.

Its heart had already been destroyed.

Another wave of leaves descended from the heavens. Their emerald glow rapidly fading, turning dull and lifeless before they even touched the earth. The roots pinning the crocodile loosened one after another, no longer possessing the strength to maintain their grip.

The colossal trunk groaned.

A sound unlike cracking wood echoed through the forest. It was deep... ancient... almost mournful.

Leon twisted the spear in its shadow, holding back the blood that was pooling in his mouth.

The roots that pierced him gradually lost strength, then turned limp. The suffocating mental pressure vanished, and the forest turned silent.

[You have slain a Level 69 Tier Two Mutated Sapping Tree!]

[You cannot level up!]

[Progress has been stored!]

Leon’s tense muscles relaxed as soon as he got the confirmation of the kill, and he spat out the blood he had been holding back. Enduring the blinding pain in his shoulders, he reached out and pulled the roots out of his shoulders, leaving two gaping holes that continuously leaked blood.

He was in a bad condition, with both of his arms injured. If he were to force it, he could muster half of his strength while enduring the pain. However, that was something he wished he wouldn’t have to do.

Adaptation was already working its way to heal him, but it wasn’t instantaneous. He couldn’t afford to wait and let it fully heal him before he stood.

After all, he wasn’t alone.

Now free from the bindings of the mutated tree, the crocodile could move again. It was injured, yes. But it was definitely in a better condition than he was.

Leon slowly rose to his feet, fingers curling loosely around the shaft of his spear. He turned to face the mutated crocodile, his body tensing as he prepared for the worst.

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