After enclosing Kyle inside a shield, the tree was going to speak when it saw a small red bird hurriedly flying toward Kyle.
The old tree looked at Bia with narrowed eyes. It was shocked!
‘This kid seemed to have acquired something interesting.’
While the tree thought inwardly, Kyle looked at it seriously.
“What do you want.”
Hearing Kyle’s calm voice even in such an unfavorable situation, the tree smiled.
“Hoho, you are more impatient than me. Alright, let’s not waste time. I will ask you a riddle, if you answer correctly I will give you one of my fruits but if you answer incorrectly I will take your life.”
“Also, if you are thinking about leaving then forgot about it because when someone finds me that person only had two options.”
“First, you answer me correctly and advanced to the next floor with a reward. Second, you answer me incorrectly and die on this floor.”
After hearing the tree words, Kyle started sweating. His heart was already beating wildly inside his chest.
With a deep breath, Kyle looked at the tree and nodded. Its not like he had any other choice.
The tree smile widened and without waiting anymore it ask Kyle a riddle.
“If you have me, you will want to share me. If you share me, you will no longer have me. What am I?”
Hearing the riddle Kyle almost tripped. After seeing the tree’s overbearing power, he was actually waiting to hear a very hard riddle but the riddle was quite easy!
Was the tree joking?
He looked at the tree smug face, somewhat suspicious.
“A secret.”
Hearing Kyle answer the tree smile vanished. Without saying anything it moved its branch and the shield around Kyle disappeared.
After the shield disappeared, Kyle finally sighed with relief.
On the other hand, the tree broke one of its fruit with a reluctant expression and gave it to Kyle.
‘Why do these ant-size individuals always know the answer to my riddles? Is it not hard enough?’
Seeing the fruits in front of him, Kyle hurriedly grabbed it with a small smile.
The tree looked at Kyle and spoke grumpily.
“Now, I will send you to the next floor.”
Hearing the tree’s words, Kyle hurriedly put the red fruit inside his storage ring and looked at the tree with seriousness.
“Wait.”
“What.”
Kyle picked up Bia from his head. His expression dead serious when he pointed his finger toward her.
“She wants to try as well.”
The old tree almost cursed but then it saw the loopholes inside its own rules.
‘This kid sure know how to take advantage of others.’
With a serious expression the tree spoke again while looking directly at Kyle with narrowed eyes.
“But the bird can’t speak.”
Kyle nodded.
“You are right, but she can speak inside my mind, so I will answer on her behalf. Let’s start the next trial.”
Seeing Kyle’s serious expression, the tree was flabbergasted. It didn’t knew what to say anymore.
‘Well, it isn’t against the rules.’
“Alright. I will ask another riddle but remember if you answer wrongly I will take your life.”
Hearing the tree words, Kyle hurriedly corrected the old tree.
“Not mine. She is answering so if she answered wrongly, you will take her life.”
Bia who was inside Kyle’s hands had a blank expression on her face.
-‘Fuck!’
-‘Why do I feel like I am being used.’
-‘I don’t want to take part in the trial at all!’
She flapped her wings frantically, trying to free herself from Kyle’s grip.
Kyle looked at Bia and then looked at the tree.
“She wants you to hurry up and say the riddle.”
The first riddle was very easy, that’s why Kyle was confident in himself.
The tree looked at Kyle with an expression saying;
‘Are you sure?’
With a loud hmm, the tree asked another riddle.
“What has a head and a tail, but no body?”
Hearing the tree question, Bia started sweating.
-‘I don’t know the answer! What should I do, I am going to die. Someone save me from this demon.’
Her loud voice echoed inside Kyle’s head who seemingly looked at Bia with understanding and nodded.
“She is saying the answer is a coin.”
The tree looked at Kyle with wide eyes.
The answer was correct again!
The tree broke another fruit from its branch and hurriedly handed it to Kyle. Now it had only one fruit left on its branch.
“Now, I will send you to the next floor.”
Again, a resolute voice sounded and the tree bearly stopped himself from smacking Kyle to death.
“Wait.”
The tree looked at Kyle with a deadpan expression.
“What is it now.”
“Actually, I have a question.”
“What?”
“Well, when I am on the next floor can you appear there?”
Kyle’s question was very simple while he stare at the only remaining fruit present on the tree branch.
The tree looked at Kyle with confusion.
“Of course, I can’t appear on the next floor. It’s not my territory.”
Kyle nodded.
The tree finally heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly moved its branches. A huge array appeared beneath Kyle’s feet.
Kyle looked at the array underneath his feet. He knew within a few seconds he would be teleported to the next floor.
Suddenly, a sharp glint flashed through his eyes.
On the other hand, the tree looked at Kyle with an expression filled with emotions.
“Goodbye, kid.”
The moment those words left the tree’s mouth, Kyle immediately mumbled under his breath ‘Instant Teleportation’.
He disappeared from his place and appeared beside the last fruit. Within a second he broke the fruit before mumbling ‘Instant Teleportation’ again.
Kyle immediately appeared at the place he was originally standing, his lips curved upward while looking at the tree before he disappeared toward the next floor, under the effect of the array.
The tree looked at Kyle fading image dumbfounded.
Only after a few minutes passed, did the tree snap out from its daze.
“You rascal! Don’t you ever let me see you again or else I will eat you up.”
For the first time in its life, the tree was conned. While the tree was fuming with anger, it heard a small rustle behind some bushes.
The tree looked at the bushes and a young individual with dark blue hair and black eyes came out.
It was Alec!
After following the dot in the system window, he finally appeared at his destination.
The tree looked at the new arrival and its annoyed expression immediately disappeared.
It could sense the power of origin inside this young man!
Before the tree could speak, Alec looked at the tree with a serious expression. He was a little taken aback seeing a face on the tree trunk.
Also, just like the system described it was an old tree but he didn’t see any fruit on top of the tree.
Alec was hesitant but still directly spoke to the tree.
“I am here for the fruits.”
The tree sighed while looking at Alec.
“Just a moment ago a rasc… Ahem I meant someone took the last fruit I had. Now, it will take twenty years before another fruit sprout on my branch.”
Alec widened his eyes.
If there were no fruits then why didn’t the system notify him about the mission failure?
Then suddenly the tree spoke again with a smile.
“How about waiting for twenty years? You can accept my trial at that time and take one of my fruits.”
Hearing the tree’s words, Alec immediately understood why there was no time limit on the mission and why it didn’t fail even when the tree didn’t have any fruits.
It’s because in the future, there will definitely be fruits on the tree and then Alec can take them.
But does he have to stay on this floor for twenty years?
Alec hurriedly shook his head. No way he was staying on this floor for twenty years!
“It’s okay, I think I should leave.”
Alec hurriedly turned around. He wanted to run away when suddenly a tree branch stopped his path.
Alec almost freaked out but then looked at the tree nervously.
“Kid, I can’t give you a fruit but because you found me. I will send you to the next floor.”
Hearing the tree words, Alec sighed with relief. The tree wasn’t kidnapping him for the next twenty years.
Under Alec gaze the tree made another array and send him to the next floor.
After Alec left the tree looked at the sky with a serious expression.
“Did something happen, why is the unknown power getting involved with mortals?”