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"Merlin." The druids frowned and answered. Arthur nodded as he deflected the attack away.

"Merlin, I'll give you an offer. I can save your tribe, but only if you defeat me."

"What if I lose?" Merlin hesitated, his willpower wavering.

"You can all wither away as you cry about it." Arthur grinned, and Merlin gnashed his teeth in hatred.

"Merlin, step down!" Vena shouted, but the druid didn't listen.

"You asked for it, human." Merlin roared and clapped his hands, making roots explode from the ground and layer around his body.

"Fascinating," Arthur muttered as the small druid turned into a giant in an instant. Merlin couldn't be seen anymore, and all that was left was a giant of green roots.

The giant clapped its hands at Arthur, who blocked the attack using his spiritual arm. Jumping on the arm of the giant, Arthur ran up until he was above its head.

Arthur flexed his arm and punched, striking the giant's faceless head. His fist sank as the roots broke apart. However, the giant kept moving and wrapped its roots around Arthur's arm.

"Oh!" Arthur was surprised as the giant pulled his arm before throwing him toward the sky.

Looking down, Arthur saw the giant bring its hands together and create a peg which it fired toward him. As he began descending rapidly, the roots stretched upward to strike him.

'Teleport-III,'

Arthur used his rune and appeared on the ground beside the giant. The giant seemed shocked by this development, and it detached the roots to block Arthur's strike.

"Too slow," Arthur punched with a flaming hand that burned the roots to ashes. His hand pierced deep into the giant, and the druid screamed in pain.

The roots began to scatter and fall on the ground as Merlin appeared again, with Arthur's hand pierced through its body. Even though Arthur's hand was on flames, Merlin grabbed it.

"I refuse... to die..." Merlin spat with a pained expression as his fingers began turning to ashes. Arthur looked at him with a smile before nodding.

"I like this better than the earlier begging," Arthur said with a grin. "There's no use in saving you if your will to live is this pathetic."

"Please, stop, Seika!" Vena said with a pleading expression.

"Man, do you have a kink to begging or something?" Arthur looked speechlessly at Vena. The flames on his hand disappeared as the mana of creation exploded from it instead.

Merlin's eyes snapped open as they were about to close and all of his wounds healed. Furthermore, the leaves on his head and body began proliferating. Arthur pulled his arm out, and the druid fell to the ground.

"Good job," Arthur smiled.

"I... lost..."

"Oh, I was kidding earlier. I just hate her attitude." Arthur pointed at Vena. "Merlin is the only person I approve of, so everything will be done through him."

"Does that mean..."

"I'll help you, but it won't be for free," Arthur said as he opened his subspace. Then, taking out the seed that Rega gave him, he allowed the powerful life force to wash over the land.

"Is this... Mother Rega's seed?" Vena's arms shook as she reached out to grab the seed.

"I have no idea how you know of Mother Rega, but yeah. Hey! Hands off!" Arthur barked. "I'll plant this seed in the heart of this tree and allow you guys to oversee its growth. It will suck the vitality out of you, and you will suffer at the beginning, but once it grows enough for Rega to transfer into it, you guys will be saved."

"And in return?" Vena asked with hesitation.

"The druids will be a part of my citizens, responsible for cultivating herbs." Arthur grinned. "That is if you managed to stay alive."

"That is..." Vena hesitated and shook her head. "We will look for another method, a less risky one."

"Merlin?" Arthur asked the druid, who was still looking at the changes in his body. "What do you think?"

"I think..." Merlin raised his head and looked at Arthur and then at Vena. "I think we should do it." He said with a determined expression. "The Seika's words are right. We waited here for a miracle. It's time that we take matters into our own hands."

"Merlin!" Vena frowned. "I have given my orders; we will look for another way!"

"Earlier, you said that you would do anything. But you never expected to pay anything but for the kind Seika to save you for free without any risk."

"He's right, Lady Vena." Merlin stood up defyingly. "It's a risk, and we'll be working for humans. But it's better than waiting for a better alternative."

"You're not the Tribe's Leader," Vena said coldly. "Step down, now."

"Alright! Democracy time!" Arthur clapped his hands. "I think Merlin is a better fit to be a leader. Do you want to become one?" He asked Merlin.

"I do," Merlin said without hesitation. "If it meant saving everyone, then I will go against you." He said to Vena.

"If that's the case, I banish you from..."

"I vote for Merlin to be the leader!" Arthur raised his hand with a smile. "If you don't want to die, raise your hand and vote for Merlin!"

"You're not leaving them much choice, are you?" Gala sighed beside him and raised her hand. "Remember, the Seika is the one who saved Mother Rega from dying!" She shouted to the druids.

Then, a division was created among the druids. Hands began to raise one by one. Like a set of dominos, the druids left Vena's side as her face turned black.

"Do you want to die?! We will suffer before Mother Rega is reborn here!" Vena shouted, her voice turning hoarse. "Even then, we might die before that happens!"

"No, you are the only one who might die before that happens." Arthur's mouth turned into a mocking smile. "You are old, so you fear dying. Oh, Vena. You are so selfish that you are willing to sacrifice your people for the hope of living."

"Is that true?" Merlin asked with a frown. The rest of the druids also grew uneasy.

"You want me to die?" Vena spat at Merlin, who didn't know how to answer. "Even if that was true, it doesn't change a thing. This is madness! The amount of life force spirit tree needs to grow isn't something we can provide!"

"Choose, Merlin." Arthur turned toward the druid with interest. "I will respect any choice you make, so don't worry."

Merlin appeared to be in a pinch. If he agreed to Arthur's offer, that means he will sacrifice Vena. However, if he decided to look for another way, he would be risking everyone's lives.

"We will do as you asked for, Seika," Merlin answered as Vena fell to her knees.

"You... monster..." Vena muttered while pointing at Merlin. "You want me to die! I raised you, and this is how you repay me?" Vena shouted at him.

"Well, I think you are the monster here," Arthur interjected. "You wanted to drag everyone to their deaths because you feared for your life."

"Shut up, devil!" Vena screeched. "You are enjoying this! No, you created this! You could have helped us without doing any of this, but why? Why do you have to kill me?"

"Kill you?" Arthur blinked. "I don't give a single damn what happens to you. What I said was the truth until now, you are a selfish leader."

As he said that, Arthur walked toward Merlin with Rega's seed floating above his hand.

"I trust that you will become a better leader," Arthur said to Merlin. "I'll plant the seed now,"

"Alright." Merlin nodded and watched as Arthur walked to The Protector. Arthur placed the seed in front of the tree, and it parted to allow the seed inside.

The forest shook the moment that Rega was inside the tree. From a source of life force, Rega turned into a monster that devoured it. All druids fell to their knees with a pained expression. Vena, however, began screaming.

Arthur looked at the druids and at Merlin struggling to stand as their life force was sucked. However, their determination didn't waver. Well, except for Vena, who was withering visibly. "

"You chose the right choice, Merlin," Arthur said to the druid, who nodded. "I'll return here after three days. That should be enough for Rega to grow."

***

"You're cruel, Seika," Gala said as the two of them walked back to their camp. "You didn't have to throw that old druid to her death."

"I don't know what you mean."

"You are called The Gardener for a reason," Gala squinted her eyes. "The druids might not know this, but your powers are enough to make Rega germinate and grow. Yet, for some reason, you wanted that old druid to die."