The clearing trembled with every step of the bear.
Isabelle, still shaking behind Sakurai's trunk, covered her ears while the tree channeled the last of his mana into one final leaf.
"Alright, you hairy beast… one of us isn't walking out of here, probably me, but you're taking a splinter with my name on it."
The bear charged.
Sakurai aimed with the intent of a war veteran and the experience of someone who had been a tree for less than two days.
Sharp Leaf!
The leaf whistled through the air like a projectile loaded with sheer desperation, and… it hit!
Right in the beast's left eye.
The roar was deafening. The bear thrashed in the clearing, clawing at the earth, the air, bark, even its own fur.
But it no longer attacked with the fury of a predator… Now it moved with the panic of a wounded animal.
"I did it! I… wait—"
[DING] Mana depleted, host has entered Partial Spiritual Rest state, defensive mode activated: Physical damage reduced by 20%.
Active abilities disabled.
"What the—?! You're abandoning me now, you cursed system?!"
System: "Recommendation: Manage your resources more efficiently. Complaining does not restore mana."
"I'd kick you with my roots if I had the energy!"
While Sakurai argued with his system mid-existential crisis, the bear staggered, blind, bleeding, and furious.
And just when it looked like it might back off…
A rock flew from the side and hit the bear square on the snout.
Sakurai couldn't believe it.
—"Stay away from him!"— Isabelle shouted, another trembling rock in her hand.
Her legs were buckling, her breathing ragged, but in her eyes burned something stronger than fear: determination.
The bear roared again, turning its focus toward her.
"No! Not her! Me! I'm the aggressive log here!"
Sakurai tried to move roots, sway branches, anything. but with zero mana, he was defenseless.
And then… something changed.
[DING] Intense emotion detected.
Ond compatibility: 47% > 64% Secondary condition fulfilled.
Activating Bond Technique (emergency mode)...
Initiating Semi-Bond...
Sakurai felt something bloom deep in his core.A connection formed, warm, like the morning sun.
A pale pink thread of mana extended from his bark toward the girl's chest.
She gasped at the invisible touch.
"What… what is this? What are you doing to me?"
[DING] Partial spiritual link established,
Candidate name: Isabelle
Bond status: Semi-active
Current effects:
Passive trade point generation: 0.5 points/sec– One-way emotional channel enabled.
Limited mana regeneration (5%-12%) for host.
No change in appearance.
Does not meet conditions for full Clan membership.
"A semi-bond?! That's a thing?! Why didn't anyone tell me?!"
System: "You never asked."
With his mana partially restored, Sakurai channeled one last Sharp Leaf.
But this time, he didn't fire just one.
He launched three smaller leaves, each shaped by precision and bottled-up fury.
One grazed the bear's neck, another pierced its rear leg, and the third struck the same injured side as before.
The bear collapsed to its side, howling.It staggered, took a few clumsy steps, and finally limped away into the forest.
Silence.
For the first time since this all began, the clearing was still, just the sound of the wind through the leaves… And Isabelle's choked sobs.
[DING] Enemy defeated: Forest Bear (Quasi-Rank 1)
Experience gained: +85 XPTotal: 85 / 100
Current Trade Points: +14.5 (semi-bond active)
Condition for next level: next victory or mission completion
Sakurai wished he could collapse in relief.
"We survived!"
System: "Technically, 50% of those present could still die from trauma or blood loss."
"Let me enjoy the win for five seconds, please."
Isabelle dropped to her knees, exhausted, she cried silently.
Through the bond, Sakurai felt her confusion, her fear… and a flicker of something else.
Faith, she didn't fully understand what had happened, but something inside her whispered that this tree… wasn't a threat.
—"Who are you…?"
"An ancient spirit… trapped in this forest and now… you are connected to me."
She lowered her head, too tired to argue.
—"Am I cursed?"
"No, you're bonded, but the link isn't complete yet."
—"Then… what am I now?"
"You are… someone important to me, and together… we'll build something great."
Isabelle didn't respond immediately, the bond still pulsed faintly between them.
—"I have nowhere to go, no family, no future…"
"Then start a new one, with me."
Silence settled over the clearing.
And in that moment—without grand speeches or epic fanfare—a girl and a tree simply existed together.
[DING] Semi-bond stable.Host emotional state: balancedSuggestion: Build trust with Isabelle to achieve full bondFuture reward: Access to clan abilities, full trade point generation, and evolutionary bonuses
Sakurai looked at the girl, now resting against his trunk, not as a refugee… But as an ally.
He had a connection.
not a clan menber.
No cherry blossom mark.
But it was a start.
And for a lonely reincarnated tree with a sarcastic system,that was more than enough.