Compared to the huge treant, they were as insignificant as ants.
The sheer difference in size evoked the most primal fear in humans—a psychological response inherent to all living beings.
The massive treant could stir violent hurricanes with mere movements, capable of unleashing cataclysmic destruction with a casual swipe.
After all, this treant was on the same level as the Ant King after devouring the Royal Guards.
However, the treant's abilities were far more bizarre than the Ant King's.
The Ant King's power, though limitless in potential, was straightforward—it grew stronger by consuming others.
But the treant's abilities were far more complex.
"I expected it, but I didn't think it'd be this huge?!"
"Was it hiding underground this whole time?"
"Those branches earlier were extensions of its body."
"To hide something this big… you really went through some trouble."
Beyond muttered with a grim expression, his aura involuntarily flaring up and wrapping around him like a barrier.
Even though the treant hadn't moved yet, its mere presence exerted overwhelming pressure.
Imagine a hill-sized enemy staring down at you—it was naturally unsettling.
Only the solid Aura coating their bodies provided a semblance of security.
Beyond the oppressive size, there was another unsettling factor.
The treant's face!
The human-like face formed by the bark's folds was eerily lifelike, complete with eyes, nose, mouth, and other features.
Especially that mouth—curved into an uncanny, almost human-like grin.
It felt as though it might open its maw at any moment and swallow them whole.
Then there were the wisps of black mist coiling around the treant's body, intermittently shrouding its form.
For a moment, the battlefield fell into an eerie silence.
Neither the humans nor the treant moved—they simply stared at each other in silence.
If one paid close attention, they would notice the treant's head was facing directly towards Akira, its wooden eyes fixed on him.
Those eyes can moved!
The pair of turbid, oversized eyes now completely exposed the greed within, with no attempt to conceal it.
To this creature, these beings becoming its food was already a foregone conclusion.
'Is it watching me?'
Akira remained composed, his gaze steady and unperturbed as he observed the treant.
With just one look, he understood.
This treant was no ordinary foe!
Unlike any creature they'd encountered before, this was their first humanoid opponent.
Perhaps it belonged to the category of demi-human magical beasts.
Magical beasts weren't limited to wolves, tigers, and leopards—there were also plant-type magical beasts.
For instance, Beans (Netero secretary) were rare examples of plant-type magical beasts.
It's said that the Six Continents originally only had ordinary wild animals.
The magical beasts that exist now were likely brought by humans when they migrated to the Six Continents.
So the Dark Continent is the origin of magical beasts.
The magical beasts here are even more bizarre and terrifying, with abilities that are endless and unpredictable.
At the same time, the biggest difference between magical beasts and ordinary beasts is that magical beasts possess greater intelligence, often comparable to that of humans.
Some magical beasts, like Beans have IQs that surpass most humans.
Thus, the two main characteristics of magical beasts are intelligence and special abilities.
....
The black mist swirling around it seems to have the effect of rapidly accelerating the growth of branches.
Perhaps this is the special ability of the treant.
The eerie treant before them might be some kind of bizarre plant-type magical beast.
The next moment, the massive body of the treant trembled slightly.
It was just a slight tremor, but its enormous size was enough to make the ground shake, causing everyone's expressions to tense.
Immediately after, a large amount of black mist erupted from the treant's body, so dense that it obscured most of its form.
The endless black mist didn't rise upwards but instead drifted downward.
Black clouds fell to the ground, accompanied by a continuous, grating sound.
Then, under the heavy gazes of the group, the black mist corroded all the weeds and dust on the ground, leaving nothing behind.
Contrary to their expectations, the black mist didn't rush toward them directly but instead quickly encircled them in an extremely short time.
This sight made their hearts sink.
The black mist drew a large circle, trapping them inside.
This meant that if they wanted to leave, they would have to pass through the black mist.
And the consequences of touching the black mist had already been demonstrated by the treant.
"Beyond..."
Ging glanced at the black mist surrounding them from all directions and spoke grimly to Beyond beside him.
"Hmm, it seems this treant is different from the creatures we've encountered before. It must be some kind of demi-human magical beast."
"It's much smarter!"
Beyond emphasized heavily, especially stressing the word "smarter."
The treant's actions displayed a high level of intelligence.
First, it demonstrated the power of the black mist, then used the mist to encircle them instead of attacking directly.
As for its purpose...
Beyond didn't think the treant was afraid of them.
If it were, it probably wouldn't have appeared in the first place.
Most likely, there was another reason.
Perhaps it didn't want its target to escape or get damaged?
The previous scenes replayed rapidly in Beyond's mind, and the clues began to connect.
Suddenly enlightened, Beyond turned to look at the Shaymin perched on Akira's shoulder!
If he wasn't mistaken, the treant's target was most likely the grass hedgehog Nen beast Akira had just revealed.
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than the ground trembled again.
Everyone knew what this meant.
The treant was making its move!
Seeing the small creatures staying obediently in place, a hint of satisfaction flashed in the treant's eyes.
At the same time, its desire grew even stronger.
Once it obtained that thing, it could play with the other "insects" as it pleased!
This was the treant's inner monologue.
The treant slowly bent down, and at the same time, a massive wooden hand descended from above.
The palm alone was the size of a building, capable of easily scooping up a large patch of land.
Its surface was crisscrossed with deep grooves, a typical bark-like appearance.
Even the grooves themselves were quite wide.
However, this branch was anything but ordinary—it was a massive arm shrouded in wisps of black mist.
The black mist fluttered in the wind, continuously exuding a repulsive aura, indistinguishable from Death aura.
Any living creature would instinctively recoil from these foul, nauseating tendrils of darkness.
Snap!
Akira curled his lips slightly and casually flicked his fingers, instantly altering the battlefield.
A flash of white light streaked across the sky as a majestic figure abruptly materialized overhead!
In an instant, an overwhelming presence erupted from it, rapidly expanding in all directions.
This aura also carried a presence of a god—the oppressive might of Landorus, the god of harvest!
Every creature within the range of this pressure trembled in awe, an involuntary sense of insignificance surging within them.
As a legendary Pokemon, even if Landorus was only a second tier legend, it was still a divine beast!
This—!
Ging's eyes widened instantly.
Under the weight of this aura, he felt as though countless terrifying magical beasts were glaring at him simultaneously.