Chapter: 810

Jay left the cover of the trees after the outside area was scoured and all threats had been eliminated.

[345 Exp]

Before exploring the ancient stone tower, Jay first noticed the pit.

Well, not noticed - he couldn’t look away.

Roots forced the earth open, forming walls of a dark underground cavity which seemed to beckon passers-by into its mouth.

In the center of the pit which all the roots connected under was a gathering of undulating bulbs, of what seemed to be closed roses - yet each of them were the size of humans.

A few of these roses were still open though, and instead of a beautiful flower was instead fleshy petal-like flaps, covered with serrated spines, dripping with drool.

“So that’s what happened to the cannibals.” Jay thought.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out that they had tossed the corpses into this den of flesh, but what Jay wondered about was the relationship between the parasites in the knights, and this grotesque flesh-eating plant which the roots seemed to be emanating from - or at least partly connected with.

Looking around, a comparatively larger root caught Jay’s eye.

Unlike the other roots it seemed to almost be alive, as it was contracting and squeezing in peristalsis.

This particular root curved up the wall and out of the cavity, then headed into the forest going deeper into the knight’s territory, and if Jay guessed, it was like an artery, sending nutrients back to the main nest.

Or whatever it had in place of a nest.

“I wonder what happens when it’s cut” Jay scratched his chin, a mischievous look appearing on his face.

“But first…” he glanced at the tower.

(Move in. Secure the tower.) he ordered, then went to loot the three dead knights originally guarding this place.

Jay only received another gauntlet, which he saved for Blue.

The skeletons had disappeared into the shadows inside the tower, but he heard no sounds of fighting, and Jay guessed they were ascending some internal staircase as he walked over.

The door of the tower had since disappeared, the only traces of it left were some hinges and the wooden frame which was built into the curved arch entrance.

As Jay stepped closer, two glowing dark eyes were gazing at him. It was Blue.

Oddly enough, Blue stood in the way, blocking Jay from entering.

Jay was curious why it would do such a thing, and wanted to both push past while ordering the skeleton to move, but maybe to even his own surprise, he stopped, and decided to trust the skeleton.

“I’m sure it must have a good reason to stop its own master and creator…” Jay thought, “...well, it better have.”

*Thud! Fwoosh!~*

Suddenly, a heavy earth-shaking crash of metal caused a gust of dust to come from the tower entrance, causing Jay to shield his eyes for a moment.