"My true form... this is my true form..."

The "man" began to dissipate, his magical energy growing increasingly unstable, his voice morphing into an eerie, indistinct tone with no clear gender or age. As his form faded, the vines gradually retracted, returning to the massive tree.

Finally, all that remained before Aino and her companions was the strange, towering tree, and once more, the voice echoed.

"This… this is my true form..."

Aino was intrigued; a tree capable of transforming, simulating voices, and possessing such high intelligence was something she hadn’t encountered in her hundred years of memories.

She looked at Alea and Parker, who both shook their heads in equal bewilderment.

"Oh, so you’re this tree?"

"Yes… I am a tree…"

"You use illusions to lure prey to your main body and then hunt them?"

"Yes…"

Circling the massive tree, Aino studied it with interest. A talking tree was certainly fascinating.

"How long have you been alive? Are there others like you?"

The air around the tree thickened with magic, and the vines, once menacing, now drooped submissively at Aino’s feet like a docile creature.

"I… I think I have been alive for a very long time… but I’ve never seen any other trees that could talk..."

The tree seemed to struggle with its words, pausing between sentences, as if communication was difficult.

"Do you have a name?"

"I… they called me… Demon..."

"They?" Aino raised an eyebrow and turned to Alea and Parker, who were just as clueless.

"Maybe it’s something the creatures it devoured screamed before they died," Parker muttered to Aino.

"Demon is just a title, not a real name," Aino replied, amused at the vines that now seemed restless with nervousness.

"So… I… don’t have a name…?"

The strange voice conveyed hesitation and unease, clearly fearful of angering Aino.

"In that case, why don’t you give yourself a name?"

Aino’s tone softened, sensing that this giant tree acted somewhat like a timid child—a rather endearing quality, considering it was a tree.

"I… I am…"

The vines quivered more than before, perhaps due to the tree’s intense concentration or emotional turmoil.

"I am… Zola."

Aino studied the tree for a moment, somewhat at a loss for words.

"And how far can you move?"

"Just… from here to… where you were standing before…"

"I’ve always wondered, with such a limited range, do you ever feel bored?"

Aino genuinely pondered this. What would it be like to live a lifetime as a plant? Unable to move or interact, would a tree with sentience find existence torturous?

As she contemplated this, a glimmer of pity crossed her gaze. Despite its intelligence and ability to communicate, this tree had spent countless years confined to such a small area. In comparison, Aino, after adapting to this world and mastering her powers, had freely integrated into society—a freedom this tree could hardly imagine.

But then again, perhaps the tree found comfort in its life, as different creatures have different views on existence.

"I… I… do feel bored…"

Oh?

So you really do feel boredom, she thought.

"Unfortunately, I can’t do anything to help you move."

"I… I can create a clone… that can travel… far from here."

"Why don’t you try creating one now?"

Zola hesitated, her vines swaying back and forth before timidly asking, "Um… what… would you like me to look… like?"

Parker chuckled, while Alea thoughtfully rubbed her chin.

"Based on how you talk, I’d say you could take the form of a child. You named yourself Zola, which sounds feminine, so how about turning into a young girl?"

"…"

The vines turned toward Aino, who simply shrugged, choosing not to offer any suggestions.

"Become whatever you think best. I’m curious to see what you believe your true form should be."

With all three expressing their preferences, the vines pulled back toward the tree, curling into a massive sphere near its trunk. Dense magical energy began to gather within, swirling intensely.

Before long, the sphere of vines slowly unraveled, and stepping forth was Zola’s human-shaped clone—a serene-looking woman with long, green hair and a gentle expression.

Contrary to Alea’s suggestion of a “young girl,” Zola’s form appeared as a mature, graceful woman, with an aura of calm intelligence.

Alea shot a slightly annoyed glance at Zola, muttering, "Of course, a creature that lures people to their doom would pick a form that looks as deceptive as it is beautiful."

"Since you’re all human-shaped… I chose… to appear human too… this is… how I see myself..."

So, you see yourself as a “big sister” type? Aino thought with a hint of amusement.

Instead of commenting, she examined Zola’s new form more closely. Sensing Aino’s gaze, Zola folded her hands at her abdomen and lowered her head respectfully.

"Your magical energy has weakened significantly. In this human form, it’s barely a tenth of what it was, and your main body also seems much weaker."

Zola nodded, her lips pursed slightly. "Yes, this method… is irreversible. My main body has sustained significant damage… and this form… is fragile."

Her green eyes shimmered with a quiet longing as she continued, "But I really want to go out and see the world..."

"Then let’s go. We’re just a group of wanderers anyway. If anything comes up, we’ll deal with it together, and if things don’t work out, we can always part ways peacefully."

Aino’s tone was light and casual, as if discussing something trivial. She stepped forward and extended her hand to Zola.

"…What… does this mean?"

Zola was clearly puzzled, unfamiliar with the gesture, given that she had never even possessed hands before.

Before Aino could explain, Alea and Parker joined in, placing their hands on top of Aino’s.

"It means we’re a team," Parker explained on behalf of the others.

"…Okay."

Zola hesitantly reached out, and after holding her hand out for a couple of seconds, they all let go, sharing a mutual understanding.

As they prepared to leave, Parker curiously asked Zola, "If your clone leaves the main body, what would happen if either your main body or the clone were attacked?"

Hearing Parker’s question, Zola turned to him, her hands clasped attentively, carefully listening.

"I control both bodies simultaneously, with my focus on the clone. If the clone dies, it harms the main body. If the main body dies, the clone dies too."

Parker frowned slightly, glancing with concern at the towering tree. "From what I understand, your main body has already been weakened considerably. Isn’t that risky?"

Zola’s human form bore no particular expression, her pale face remaining as calm and gentle as ever, much like a benevolent statue, with her green eyes perpetually downcast, avoiding direct eye contact.

After hearing Parker’s concern, she slowly raised her head, her emerald eyes reflecting an odd glint as she smiled faintly, with a softness that bordered on unnerving.

A shiver ran down Parker’s spine.

There was something distinctly unnatural about her, an unsettling vibe that neither felt entirely human nor fully monstrous. Perhaps it was because she was neither a particular race nor a magical creature, but rather a mysterious, unheard-of "tree."

Even though she had taken on a human form, his master had a natural presence, nothing nearly as disturbing.