n the horizonless world, on the lake like a mirror stood a withered tree.

There was a crescent moon hanging low in the sky.

Zost sat there beside the tree. He still cuddled the toddler like it was his child.

“Zera don't let your dog out”

A lustrous black wolf bared its fangs at a blue dressing girl.

“Oh, come back here. Sit” The wolf seemed to understand Zost.

It wiggled its tail then sat beside him. It constantly glared at the toddler.

“The bully came. waah. I'm scared. chase this girl away.” The toddler yelled.

“Let us talk first. OK? Who are you? Why are you here? I feel like I met you before”

Zost sent a barrage of questions to the blue dressing girl.

the girl looked away at the moon.

“Zera, who is that toddler? Can I carry him? He looks so cute!!”

She smiled beamingly at Zost.

Zost lost his composure a bit. Then he looked away too.

“Nooo!! Go A-WAY” Toddler screamed loudly then its face buried deep into Zost's chest.

Zost’s face twisted a bit while the toddler started fusing with him.

On his feet, another Zost shouting inaudibly. Pointing and panicking. It was pointless.

“You own me really big big one Zera”

“Remember to find my body and rescue me okey?”

The blue dressing girl touched Zost's left eye.

His left eye shone blue light, it was so bright that lit up the entire world for a sec.

“W-What's your name? Where can I find you?”

“I fiishu..”

“Arghh '' A space. A ghosts. An army. The nature. friends. Fiishu.

A blue rune swimming in Zost’ left eye, the blue light eroded the toddler body bit by bit.

“No, no, noooo I just wanna…p”

The tedious creature has been erased.

Silent return to the mirror lake world.

The wither tree budded a snow white leaf.

The black fur wolf now had blue eyes and white stripes.

The crescent moon was hanging low at the same position.

The world seemed to be turning brighter and brighter.

Zost collapsed to the ground. Collin and Meiji rushed towards him.

before they could reach him the world shattered into fragments.

they were returned to the main world.

Collin stared dumbfounded at the rune gate.

The runes on the gate dimmed down until the luster was gone.

“This is more serious than I thought.”

“Let's go, to the townhall”

Collin started flying at full speed to the townhall. The matters was too urgent.

“The true is those plants planned to destroy my runes”

“But the current situation is not the plant's intention.”

Anna tossed a compressed elder tree to the ground at the center of the hall.

Lord and the guard step back then show respectful expression towards the elder tree.

In the past, Human kind and Forest beings had symbiotic relationships.

Forest beings nurture low level monsters. In return, humans hunt the monster and feed the forest with nutrients from remaining both from humans and monsters.

Both factions had a loose pact to join forces when a high rank monster appeared.

Neither expelled it or killed it.

Human civilization outgrows the plant faction.

They created buildings, roads, factories, and lately barriers from runes.

Their relationship turned into a hateful neighbor.

Humans produced both fertilizers and toxic wastes.

They mix both then send it to the forests.

The plant faction was getting corroded slowly from the toxic mixing in.

“Not the forest faction then who?” Lord asked

“Those self-proclaimed monks?” Buddist monk raised a questionable question.

“We already investigated them. They did preaching and healing. Nothing more than that.”

“If we don’t have any more useful information. I will call an end to this meeting”

“...”

“Send the elder tree to the special cells. this meeting ends here.” Lord concluded.

“Please wait” Brother Collin flew in.

“Report. Confirmed the ghost realm causing the barrier leak.”

“Ghost outside the leak are then same at inside But the one inside are whole level stronger”

“The leak turned into a dungeon. After clearing it, The gate did not disappear.”

“If we can't control it our town will turn into a real ghost town” Collin rapidly informed them.