This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 78

The Black Banyan Dream is under attack?

Matthew and Peggy exchanged a serious look, their expressions becoming grave.

"Are you sure it's the Earthfire Dragons and Dragonblood Warriors?" Matthew asked.

Afei nodded, "Absolutely sure, though those Earthfire Dragons don't have pure bloodlines. They're chubby and short-handed, clearly not into exercising like me. I'm always flying around, that's why I have this great physique!"

He confidently showcased his somewhat adorable, fluffy chest hair.

"So, it's the Dragon Witch Cult!" Lysanna blurted out.

Matthew nodded. He didn't know much about the Dragon Witch Cult, only that they were also known as the "Dragon Worshipers" and were active in remote areas of the Aindor continent.

The spiritual totem of the Dragon Witch Cult was "Aryna, the Dragon of the Dead." Supposedly, Aryna was the only god who had escaped the Ascension of Heaven's Palace, primarily because Aryna had never been liked by the gods of Heaven's Palace and had never set foot in it.

When the Catastrophe Mage appeared, Aryna happened to be performing its once-in-nine-centuries feigned death ceremony, which somehow managed to escape the all-seeing Catastrophe Mage.

In the end, this powerful being, anointed by the Dragon Witch Cult, became the sole god beneath Heaven's Palace.

But Aryna was extremely clever. After its feigned death, it didn't act openly and immediately took refuge in its own semi-plane, continuously using feigned deaths to evade the rules set by the Catastrophe Mage.

During this time, it reached a silent understanding with the Seven Saints Alliance, and both parties refrained from interfering with each other.

Although Aryna was low-key, its worshippers were fanatical.

The Dragon Worshipers regarded Aryna as the one true god, praying day and night, even though Aryna theoretically never responded to their pleas.

If that was all there was to it, the Dragon Witch Cult wouldn't be considered a cult, at most having some fanatical members.

However, this cult's true purpose was to create more Dragon Witch Beasts, inherently malevolent creatures that would often wreak destructive havoc in the realm of the living.

So the Dragon Witch Cult made it onto the Seven Saints Alliance's list of cults, and every member of the Dragon Witch Cult was wanted.

Back when he was joking with Matthew, Ronan had said, "When I was young and broke, and before I became powerful enough to plunder dragonkind and demons at will, I used to visit Dragon Worshiper believers for financial help. Offering a reward was just a small business, but these people were really rich!"

It was a common phenomenon for Dragon Worshiper believers to be wealthy. After all, they were fearless, frequently entering dragon dens or places suspected of being dragon burial sites. If they didn't die, they'd earn a huge fortune.

There were, of course, a significant number of deceased Dragon Worshiper believers. But those who survived were incredibly rich!

"But the question is, how did they manage it? Suya wouldn't be foolish enough to grant Dragon Worshipers access to the Black Banyan Dream, would she?" Matthew asked, puzzled.

Afei replied, "That's because the Black-Robed Man had a semi-divine artifact in his possession, it sounded quite powerful, called the 'Profane Book' - at least, that's what Lady Suya said."

Matthew realized, "So, Suya sent you here?"

Afei stood with his hands on his hips, puffing out his fluffy chest hair proudly. "Yes, she sent me to fetch reinforcements, but she didn't count on the fact that, because of her cruel rule, we are no longer her loyal subjects!"

"When Lady Suya passes away, the position of Rainforest Spirit will become vacant. Who wouldn't want that position? What do you think, Matthew? Will you support me? And you, Lumière?"

At this point, he seemed to have just realized Lumière's presence.

So he cleared his throat heavily and then mimicked Suya's tone, "I believe you won't make the wrong choice, Lumière."

However, it was clearly too late.

Lumière stared at Matthew in shock, "It, it, do you know each other? It has always been like this in front of you?"

Matthew waved his hand dismissively, "All of that doesn't matter. What's important now is that we need to enter the Black Banyan Dream as soon as possible!"

Upon hearing this, Lumière stopped asking further questions.

Matthew looked at Afei, "Is there any way for us to enter the Black Banyan Dream?"

Afei shrugged, "No way! Absolutely no way! Unless you guys have some divine artifact or semi-divine artifact that can bypass Lady Suya and open the gates to the Black Banyan Dream."

Suya sent you to fetch reinforcements but didn't tell you how to enter the Black Banyan Dream?

Matthew felt his intelligence insulted. He gave Afei a threatening look, "You better not be lying."

With that, Afei's figure suddenly appeared from the shadows, and he approached Little Flying Mouse with two short knives, creating a grating sound as they rubbed against each other, steadily advancing.

But someone was faster.

A wisp of white smoke flew out of Matthew's bag, and an incredibly ugly face abruptly appeared in front of Little Flying Mouse, bearing its fangs and claws at him!

"Oh my goodness! There is a way, there is a way!" Afei was terrified.

Matthew couldn't help but kick him in the butt and impatiently urged, "Lead the way."

Five minutes later, deep in the rainforest, beneath a large, black, and thick old banyan tree.

"Do you see that tree wall inside the banyan tree?" Afei said loudly, "Walk up to it, press your hands against the tree wall, and say, 'Respect of Nature.' You'll be able to enter the Black Banyan Dream. This is one of the few material world nodes that can connect to the Black Banyan Dream. You mustn't tell anyone else!"

Matthew glanced at the birds flying overhead, the snakes coiling on branches, and the toads squatting under the trees. He didn't say much but turned to look at Peggy.

"Are you sure you want to come along? You don't owe me anything."

Peggy let out a soft snort. "Of course, we've had no debts between us for a while now. This rainforest is hot and stuffy, and I was almost done staying here. But since the enemies are from the Dragon Witch Cult, I must go with you."

"The Dragon Witch Cult has been causing trouble in the Golden Coast and desert areas. The Housh Sisters' Society once tried to stop them, but they suffered heavy casualties. This time, I've had the rare opportunity to encounter them, and I'll make sure to give them a good beating!"

Matthew reminded her, "But here, you absolutely can't use explosives or create any level of explosion, understood?"

He wasn't trying to make things difficult for Peggy. The Black Banyan Dream, being a semi-plane, was much more fragile than the material world. Any fluctuations in energy fields could take hundreds of years to repair.

The Dragon Witch Cult attacking the Black Banyan Dream would already cause some damage, and he didn't want to exacerbate the situation.

Peggy widened her eyes upon hearing this. "So I can't do this, and I can't do that? Am I back in the Cyber Dragon?"

"But rest assured, other than explosives, I have a thousand ways to deal with the Dragon Witch Cult's cultists!" She continued, lightly waving her fist.

With a crackling display of electricity, Matthew's worries subsided.

The group proceeded to pass through the tree wall in the ancient black banyan.

After a brief period of acclimation, the Black Banyan Dream's jungle appeared in front of Matthew.

However, in the next moment, he saw a raging inferno attempting to set the banyan trees ablaze.

"It's the Earthfire Dragons!" Afei warned.

At that very moment, words appeared before Matthew.

...

"Prompt: You have encountered a group of Earthfire Dragons (LV11/Vigorous Life).

Optional mission updated!

Mission Name: A Forest in the Rain, A Tree in the Black Banyan!

Mission Description: Protect the Black Banyan Dream and its forests, kill or drive away the members of the Dragon Witch Cult!

Mission Rewards: Depending on the results of elimination or expulsion, receive a random number of Druid spells or abilities of varying levels."

Matthew was pleased to see this. Even without rewards, he would have helped Suya. As a true necromancer, there was no way he'd allow the Dragon Witch Cult to disrupt the sacred natural sanctuary.

Now that there were rewards, his motivation was even higher.

Looking around, he spotted a group of Earthfire Dragons in the forest ahead, spewing flames in various directions. Their flames weren't particularly powerful, but their numbers were a concern. The banyan trees inherited the rainforest's humidity, making them resistant to fire in the short term. But over time, they could still ignite.

Matthew decided to deal with these Earthfire Dragons first.

Just then, Lumière suddenly said to Matthew, "I'm afraid I must go ahead. I'm very worried about Lady Suya's safety!"

Without waiting for a response, he sprinted in the direction of the throne.

Matthew didn't stop him, understanding Lumière's actions. Lumière's power came from Suya, from the rainforest. Part of his legendary path was rooted here. This was the tragedy of a jungle native. His limited origins meant he had no other path to walk but to start by serving the Rainforest Spirit and gradually forge his own legendary journey.

It was best to let him go first. In fact, Matthew was also concerned about Suya. Although the Rainforest Spirit might appear threatening before him, once she lost the protection of the Black Banyan Dream, she was just a small nature spirit, at best a step higher than Aela.

Before Matthew could watch Lumière go too far, he took action.

He took a step forward, drumming his hands, and his body instantly swelled. His wings spread out, reaching over ten meters, and a terrifying airflow rose from under him.

He lightly applied force, and the scenery before him quickly retreated. With a swoosh, he soared into the sky!

Wild Form: Wind God Winged Dragon!

The air currents in the sky were disturbed.

Matthew flew happily above the banyan forest, and the scene below was all in his view.

In the next moment, he suddenly lowered his altitude, initiated a dive, and then stopped abruptly. The instinct in his blood had already been activated.

The Wind God Winged Dragon's claws extended down, and when he soared high again, there was an angry Earthfire Dragon in his claws!

Rushing wind and soaring air currents.

Matthew grabbed the Earthfire Dragon and kept ascending. A few seconds later, he had reached several hundred meters in the air.

He loosened his grip.

The Earthfire Dragon, smoking, fell to the ground.

In no time, it left a bright red streak on the vast ground.

Earthfire Dragons were tough creatures. If Matthew had fought them in a normal manner, it would have taken him quite some time.

More than dragons, they resembled fat spiders with a bull's head that could breathe fire.

Their bodies were unusually large, bloated like spiders, short limbs, and crawling close to the ground.

Their only advantage was their continuous fire-breathing ability and formidable defense.

"It's a good thing I found a quick method," Matthew thought. "I wonder where the Dragon Witch Cult got these monsters from."

Just from an aesthetic perspective, Matthew really disliked the group of monsters in front of him. Even his loathed older brother looked cuter than them!

He attempted a few more aerial strikes.

But the remaining monsters had become cautious, using the thick branches of the nearest banyan trees as cover.

In the limited visibility, Matthew decided not to be reckless. He circled above the treetops, quietly waiting for his companions to arrive.

Soon.

A small figure rapidly sprinted through the woods.

Matthew took a moment to observe and noticed that Peggy's movements seemed somewhat rigid. Her every step had an unusually large stride, more like bunny hops than running. He suspected it was due to her boots emitting a blue glow, which boosted her speed significantly. She couldn't fine-tune her body's every detail while running and had to rely on larger strides and lower frequency to minimize errors.

Honestly, Matthew worried she might trip and fall any second with her constant hopping.

Nevertheless, she managed to dash into the midst of the Earthfire Dragon group.

The next moment, Peggy raised her blue gauntlets and shouted, "Matthew, watch my uppercut!"

Boom!

A brilliant flash of blue flames.

One of the Earthfire Dragons, who was watching from behind a tree, suddenly felt a sharp pain in its belly. Its round body was sent flying into the air!

Involuntarily, it ascended several meters before gravity pulled it back to the ground. Just then, a black shadow quickly passed over its head!

"Great boxing!" Matthew praised loudly from mid-air.

A few seconds later, he took the Earthfire Dragon he had grabbed up to the sky.

At this moment, he heard the shout of the machinist from below, "Matthew, can you hurry up!?"

Matthew lowered his gaze.

Well, what did he see?

Peggy was going in and out of the Earthfire Dragon group.

One Earthfire Dragon after another was sent flying by her powerful punches. Although these monsters attempted to fight back, their fire had no effect on Peggy's armor. Her face was now concealed behind a thick glass visor, providing complete protection.

"What an impressive suit of armor! I wonder if I could commission her to make one for me?"

This thought briefly crossed Matthew's mind. He hurriedly dived down, grabbed a floating Earthfire Dragon, and took off into the sky.

And so, while Peggy was relentlessly delivering punches on the ground, Matthew was soaring in the air.

In a matter of minutes, they had systematically beaten all the Earthfire Dragons to death. Two were trying to escape on the outskirts, but Afei intercepted them.

Matthew also noticed that Afei's efficiency in killing the Earthfire Dragons wasn't very high, perhaps due to the thickness of their fat and Afei's short blade.

After dealing with the group of Earthfire Dragons, Matthew received new information.

...

"Hint: You have killed 16 Earthfire Dragons, alleviating the threat of fire to the Black Banyan Dream.

You have earned the reward 'Spell: Divine Guidance'!

Divine Guidance (Cantrip): With a willing creature, you can touch their forehead with a hand gesture and grant them 'Divine Guidance' during the following 3 minutes. The creature's chances of passing the first attribute check are greatly increased."

Matthew was delighted at receiving 'Divine Guidance.' Despite being the lowest-level cantrip, it was still a druid's divine skill!

Attribute checks were essential in everyday life and battles. For example, if Matthew encountered a fat tiger who was once a tree-climbing expert but gradually lost that ability due to a lack of discipline, the tiger's tree-climbing would usually be a clumsy attempt.

This was because the fat tiger could not pass the "Climbing" attribute check.

But with 'Divine Guidance,' Matthew could help the fat tiger for the next three minutes, and the fat tiger would be able to climb the tree happily.

'Divine Guidance' had similar effects in other areas, such as negotiations. When bargaining with someone, a touch of 'Divine Guidance' might satisfy their 'Charm Check,' making them more willing to compromise on prices, which could lead to a deal according to your desired price.

In any case, because 'Divine Guidance' performed well in the determination of the six major attributes, it was a useful skill regardless of when it was obtained.

Next, on the road to the throne, Matthew and Peggy used the same strategy, working together seamlessly, and effortlessly eliminated two more groups of Earthfire Dragons.

The loot this time was two more cantrips.

...

"Wand Art: You can infuse natural power into a short stick or staff you hold in your hand. During the spell, when you use this weapon for close combat, you can use your spellcasting primary attribute instead of your strength value for attack checks.

Aqua Manipulation: You can change or control up to 5 cubic feet of water to some extent."

'Wand Art' couldn't compare to 'Divine Guidance,' but it was better than nothing.

After defeating the third group of Earthfire Dragons, they were very close to the throne. Matthew, flying in the air, took a look to assess the situation. To his surprise, the sea of Dragon Cultists surrounding the throne had begun to retreat.

At first, he didn't see Suya, only Lumière, who was chasing and killing the enemies near the throne.

Lumière's hands seemed like the sharpest claws in the world. Whether facing enemies with formidable defenses, he always managed to find the softest spot and tear them apart effortlessly.

In Matthew's eyes, Lumière's combat style was brutally efficient, but also captivating.

The Wind God Winged Dragon circled above the throne for a while.

Suddenly, he spotted Suya's traces on a massive banyan branch near the throne.

She appeared to be frantically chasing after a figure in a black robe, who was holding a piece of emerald green twig and darting around.

...

"Warning: You have encountered the third priest of the Dragon Witch Cult, 'Brinken' (Level 20 Advanced Necromancer).

Brinken's Domain: Dragons / Dragon Witchcraft / Undead."

...

Almost legendary? Matthew blinked.

"It's not like we can't fight, we just need to seize the opportunity," Matthew adjusted the airflow beneath his wings and prepared to patiently look for the right moment.

Suddenly, Lumière burst out from the crowd near the throne and pounced on the figure in the black robe.

Swoosh!

But all he caught was an illusion.

The next moment, Matthew once again spotted the black-robed person's whereabouts from the sky.

He had teleported to the center of the sea of Dragon Cultists.

"Retreat!" the black-robed person ordered.

A massive teleportation gate appeared behind him. Nearby Dragon Cultists, Dragon Blood Warriors, and a few clumsy Earthfire Dragons quickly rushed into the dark gate. The enemies retreated like the tide, and even the black-robed person stepped into the gate.

"Stop him! He stole the 'Emerald Twig'!" Suya exclaimed.

But it was Suya's voice that made the black-robed person withdraw the foot he had extended toward the portal. He turned around angrily, waving his staff at Suya.

"You foolish woman! I took it by force, not by stealing it! 'Robbed,' do you understand? People like you, I won't allow you to live in this world! Like your kind, you make me sick!"

As he finished speaking, the black-robed person began chanting a spell that was clearly accelerated.

"Get out of the way!" Matthew felt a tremendous sense of danger at that moment.

A gray sphere suddenly shot out from the tip of the staff.

With the spell completed, the black-robed person smirked and no longer lingered. He turned and stepped into the gate.

The gray sphere moved at an astonishing speed, almost reaching Suya's chest in the blink of an eye.

Lumière, who was close to her, leaped over in an attempt to block it, but the sphere narrowly grazed him.

Suya's face turned pale in an instant.

The next moment, the gray sphere silently disappeared into a palm-sized body.

Suya widened her eyes, and a voice sounded slowly in her ear:

"Now, Lady Suya, you will remember me, won't you?"

"Three years ago, I was pursued by a nasty bat. You saved me, Lady Suya. For three years, I have been trying hard, doing all sorts of eccentric things, just hoping that you would remember me, the unique me. Now, it seems like I finally have a chance."

"Please remember my name. It was given to me by Matthew, and I quite like it. Lady Suya, my name is..."

...

"Hint: Your partner Afei has been hit by 'Lawful Death' (Fifth-level spell) and is subject to an instant death check.

Afei has died."

At the throne, Matthew quickly descended, transforming into a human form. He bent down and cradled the small flying squirrel's lifeless body. Under the heavy influence of negative energy, its brown-and-white fur had turned completely ashen-black.

"He's called Afei, a name I gave him," Matthew said. He remained silent for a while and then held Afei's body in front of Suya.

He had already suspected that Afei deeply admired Suya. Whenever he mentioned Suya, he never forgot to use an honorific term, no matter how absurd the things he said were. Matthew even suspected Afei might be a double agent sent by Suya.

His heart was somewhat heavy. Matthew glanced at Suya with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

However, the next moment, Suya surprisingly chuckled, "You're not really moved by him, are you? That annoying little flying squirrel! It even learned to be sentimental like humans?"

Matthew was puzzled. Suya explained, "To make the animals more fearless against the Dragon Cult's invasion, I promised them that if they fell in battle within the Black Banyan Dream, no matter how much time and effort it took, I would resurrect them one by one, at least in the form of low-level nature spirits."

"This fellow surely came for a chance to become a nature spirit."

She waved her hand. A flash of white light rose from Afei's lifeless body and slowly entered the throne behind her.

As the white light passed by Matthew, he could faintly see Afei's spirit glancing at him with a playful expression.

...

"Hint: Suya, the Soul of the Rainforest, has held an ascension ceremony for your partner Afei (Spirit Form/Intermediate) within 30 days. He will return to the Black Banyan Dream in spirit form, receiving a certain level of natural blessing and the favor of the Soul of the Rainforest."

"This guy..." Matthew sighed.

But he quickly suppressed those emotions because there were still many Dragon Cultists evacuating near the dark gate.

"I have something to..." Suya's words were cut off by Matthew.

"Wait! Let me go."

With that, he transformed back into the Wind God Winged Dragon and flew towards the dark gate.

Chapter 79 >>

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