Things had been going so well, lately.

  Honestly, I felt I’d really gotten stronger.

  And then of course…

  This world just lays on the beatdown.

  I mean, who creates a room with no mana in it??

  That right there is sadistic.

  Rustle.

  Utter lies. My partner in crime isn’t even able to admit she had anything to do with this, silly future Dryad.

  “Mr. Gatewood, I don’t think we can hold out for long. It’s eating the mana we throw at it too now.” Tevril said. She’s the newest addition to Team Tree. It took approximately five years to learn Common Beast Tongue, probably because the language is so twisted.

  It definitely was not because I am an idiot.

  Nope.

  …ha…Ha…HA.

  Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

  Haaaaaaah…thank god Trees don't feel pain like humans due, I'd probably be dead of shock by now otherwise.

  I really didn’t want to try this. It's not really an attack, more of a Final Strike type move...

  Experimenting with things outside my body is fine. Something goes wrong there, we can likely survive.

  That hurt dammit, alright, I’ve been kind.

  I’ve been generous.

  Now I’m just really pissed off.

  Activate, Expiriment #91!

  Please...let this work.

  ...Now would be a good time...

  Yes!

  YES!

  Fire is my Domain.

  Flame my Calling.

  Blood Burn.

  There is no time to hesitate now. No time to watch the health lowering from my desperate gamble.

  I overload the mana to explode Artifact#1 behind me to provide propulsion and launch myself at the enemy.

  Bzzzzzzzt!

  Hissssssssssss!

  BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

  Thank god that worked.

  I don’t feel so hot, now heh. Time to take a short nap. I'm beat. I'm also on fire, but hey, can't have everything.

  “Gah, turn of the flames or I can’t help heal! Old man! Hey! OLD MAN!” Tevril shouted, waving her hands at me.

  Bleh. Such a noisy woman. Why did I think it was good to have a second companion again?

  “Smother” Tevril spoke, her words embodying a Spell of Air. She's grown much stronger the last few years.

  Ooooh, that feels nice, at least I’m not on fire now, good thing I have a second companion for this stuff!

  I don’t think we can recover from this though. Trees don't feel pain like humans, but when 70% of your body is on fire, it still hurts baaaaaaaad.

  …

  …

  …Ruuuuuussssssssttttttlllllllle.

  Yeah, sure, I’ll leave the rest to you, sleeptime now.