Waran was not weak. He was a mid-level 30-elementalist. Even if it was just one hit, since he did his best, it was akin to being hit by a concentrated bomb.

Her body was already in extreme pain from that hit; it was as if she had been rammed by a speeding truck. She could barely breathe, and when she did, the pain exacerbated. She coughed once, and it was blood.

One hit, and she felt like her internal organs were already failing.

Her ears were ringing, like an eerie bell was sounded right next to her ears. Her eyes were getting blurry, the edge of her sight darkening a bit.

While she was in a daze like this, she saw her people run to her with desperate eyes, no longer caring whether they were getting hit by enemies.

She could only watch as they fell, their lives and deaths unknown.

She felt the grip on her neck tightening, and another hand about to lecherously touch her.

At the back of her mind, she could also hear the sounds from behind her, and it seemed like some enemies were bout to open the door to the bunkers!

Snap!

She didn’t know what came over her that moment. It felt like she had achieved an unusual state of mind wherein her soul left her body and combined with the surroundings.

The ringing in her ears intensified, while the pain in her body slowly disappeared to the back of her mind. It was as if she no longer experienced her own body, and therefore, the pain was temporarily forgotten as well.

She became hyperaware of the surrounding elements, but her soul chose the wooden elements, the closest one to her heart.

She felt the element’s presence everywhere in her surroundings. It was a state similar to meditation, except much more...intimate.

In her eyes, the once soft and ambiguous specks of elements became much more solid, easily accessible...easily controllable.

In her dazed state, she called on each of them, connecting with them.

At this moment, she did not notice how her eyes changed. Her emerald pupils were not just green. It was not just a metaphor anymore. Rather, it seemed to glimmer like the actual gem lit up by the sun.

She had no idea what she was doing, but her will was clear: Take all these people down.

...

Baku, Bart, and the rest of the people fighting around the bunkers were being pushed to their limits now.

Each one of them was covered with blood, part their own and part of their enemies. The enemies had become more organized now, and the level average increased. The Alterrans were not weak, but when against those with the same level outnumbering them, it was difficult not to face losses.

They were also taking down enemies. In terms of numbers, the ones they were taking down were actually greater than their own losses, but their own casualties were not low and were growing.

For those who had once hoped not to have casualties in wars at all, it was particularly painful.

They had never experienced this many losses in the previous wars. They were not losing the battle, but the feeling of losing people was still very, very heavy.

At this time, it was getting difficult for many of them to hold on. Soon, more and more would fall, especially since many of them had become distracted with protecting the bunker and heading to Lady Althea.

Just when many were about to fall under the enemy’s blade, however, the atmosphere suddenly changed.

The change was difficult to explain—many low-level people or people lacking in sensitivity might not even notice it—but it felt like there was a shift somewhere, giving goosebumps and...a sense of awe.

"T-The plants! The plants!"

"What!"

"AH! What’s going on!?"

Everyone gaped and gasped as they watched the decimated forest around them regenerate at the speed of the naked eye.

What’s more, they watched as the grass grew, the vines elongated, and branches stretched out and grabbed their enemies.

They all skipped the allies, somehow, taking just the enemies, without error.

"WHAT?"

"GET IT OFF!"

Trees and plants themselves were weak, especially against the powerhouses, but the enemies’ bodies were wrapped around by several plants, over and over, continuously regenerating, which closed the strength gap.

Not to mention, for some reason, the plants had become much more durable. A tree that would’ve fallen with a punch, at this time, would have only a dent and would still be standing if hit with the same force.

They slashed and slashed endlessly, but the vines, grass, and other things continued to grow.

Even elementalist fire had a limited effect. The plants would still burn, but would not spread out fast enough.

"What!"

"ESCAPE! You’re a level 28! What are you doing with trees!?"

One of the men screamed at his subordinate, who seemingly was just standing there and waiting for vines to surround him.

"No! I..."

He had been trying! He had really been trying! 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Soon, people realized...that their attacks on the plants had grown weaker!

It wasn’t that the plants had grown stronger, but their strength was diminishing at a palpable rate, and they had no idea why!

They had no idea that the plants, at every point of contact, were slowly sucking away their strength and making them their own.

When they found out, it was too late; they had grown too weak, and more and more plants surrounded them, covering their faces, soon feeding on their life force.

The remaining enemy survivors, including a dozen or so powerhouses above level 30, were trapped helplessly like this, and the conscious Alterrans had no idea what to make of it.

"What in the..." Bart gasped when he saw people literally getting sucked dry.

Creepy! Super creepy!

He shifted his head to Althea, whose appearance...didn’t seem completely human anymore. Her eyes were practically glowing, her body floating above ground, and her beautiful brown hair floated as if she were underwater.

Althea didn’t know what had happened, nor had she registered anything. All she knew was that she needed everyone to be safe.

And when she did, the mysterious power was sucked out as if it didn’t exist, and her vision blackened, falling into deep sleep.