Diary of the Improper Monster Girl Transformation.

Chapter 475 The Demigod Squirrel and the Sacred Tree (6K thanks to sfqk for the Alliance Leader title!)
The squirrel bends its leg.

The squirrel leaps.

The squirrel takes flight!

The squirrel, with its snow-white fur and rather adorable appearance, suddenly leaped up from the ground, shooting towards Herbert in mid-air like a spring shooter.

whoosh-

???

As the target of the attack, Herbert is now somewhat bewildered.

Eh?
It wasn't a reactive reaction to the other party attacking immediately, but rather because of this guy's race.

Herbert considered many possibilities regarding the dangers he might encounter during his expedition.

Everything carries risks, and he never lets his guard down.

Some people have unrealistic fantasies, thinking that if they just take a look from afar, there won't be any problems.

If you really think that way, then you're being incredibly naive!

Fate is the most fickle bitch.

Just when you think a bright future awaits you, it cruelly races headlong into the worst possible direction.

If you think something might not happen—it will most likely happen.

Especially in the Misty Mountains, danger is all too common.

It's like a giant tree suddenly rising from the ground and transforming into a raging tree-man; or it's like the giant tree attacking him with its branches; or perhaps this moving giant tree is actually a trap...

Herbert did consider that there might be guardian monsters living on the giant tree, but he envisioned dangerous monsters such as snakes, birds, and insects.

He really didn't expect things to turn out this way.

It wasn't shock, but confusion.

Hey, what's that cute squirrel here?

Come on, tell me, what does it mean when a "flying squirrel that can box" comes from the other side?
Beyond this stark contrast, there was another discovery that truly shook Herbert to his core.

This squirrel... seems quite strong?

As Herbert approached the giant tree, he sensed a faint but powerful pressure.

Herbert initially thought the oppressive aura came from the giant tree, but he quickly realized he was wrong.

The source of the oppressive aura was not the giant tree.

It was this seemingly adorable squirrel that gave him a strong sense of pressure!

No!

How could it be stronger than the thorn tree spirit transformed from the withered one?!?
An epic powerhouse!!?
The instant the squirrel swooped toward him, Herbert's instincts screamed at him—get out of the way!

If you don't dodge, you'll die!

Herbert wasn't stubborn; he reacted the instant he sensed the life-or-death crisis.

With a flap of its wings, it charged upwards, reaching a safe zone before the squirrel fist could even get close, without any intention of testing the waters.

And the results proved that Herbert's caution was correct.

After Herbert dodged past, the squirrel didn't continue flying. Instead, it flicked its large tail, adjusted its angle, and swooped down towards the ground.

It adjusted its posture and finally landed on one knee in a "superhero landing" pose.

boom! ! !
The impact created a huge crater in the hard ground of the Misty Mountains, sending up clouds of dust and debris. Many trees in the surrounding area were also damaged, tilting and falling over.

Click, click, click!
"hiss!"

Not to mention others, even Herbert's eyes widened when he saw this scene, and he couldn't help but suck on his upper palate.

What the hell!

This punch!
Can I handle it?
Herbert thought for a moment, then his lips twitched incessantly.

catch?
What a load of rubbish!
From this scene alone, Herbert, empowered by the Eyes of the Blazing Sun, was able to analyze many details that were previously impossible to determine.

Then, he became even more confused.

This power is truly astounding.

In Herbert's analysis, that punch was very simple—it was pure power, without any fancy laws or techniques involved!
It's simply powerful!
And a punch thrown entirely with physical strength actually reached an epic level?
This tiny white squirrel is a special being whose strength alone is comparable to that of a colossal dragon like Valentina... Is that right?

What One-Punch Man?!

Uh, no, I mean One-Punch Squirrel?
And judging from its posture adjustments in the air, it... seems like it really can't fly?
Herbert was somewhat puzzled.

Unless they are the kind of warriors whose brains are all muscles, most legendary powerhouses have the ability to stay airborne, or at least have some means to help them float and glide.

Epic-level powerhouses who can't fly at all are extremely rare.

Also, just now...

Thinking of the white squirrel's exaggerated shout before it made its move, and the two giant pythons that had been knocked unconscious but were still barely alive, Herbert's heart stirred.

"Tsk! You really managed to dodge!"

As the smoke and dust cleared, the white squirrel in the pit looked up, glaring angrily at the birdman who had escaped with his life, and snorted, "I really hate you flying creatures!"

"You bunch of guys, always so high and mighty! So what if you can fly? You... oh?"

The white squirrel was still grumbling and complaining when it saw the winged creature land directly on the ground.

He stood on the edge of the pit, smiled at himself, and said, "Alright, now I'm standing on the ground just like you."

This action made the white squirrel blink in confusion. Although it didn't know what the birdman meant, seeing the birdman land, it subconsciously felt its displeasure lessen.

Wow, this guy seems pretty sensible!

With a light tap of its feet, it leaped out of the crater and landed gracefully beside the other party, sizing up the outsider.

Huh?
The great [Guardian of the Sacred Tree] was somewhat puzzled; this guy hadn't actually run away.

Haha, after I warned you, instead of running away, you're walking towards me?
"Aren't you afraid of me?"

The giant squirrel, barely half a person's height, blinked, flicked its large tail, and hopped around Herbert, looking him over. It asked directly, "Aren't you afraid I'll just smash you flat?"

As it spoke, it even stretched out its little paws and gestured.

Herbert's eyes, quite uncooperatively, followed the white squirrel's tail twice before he looked back at the squirrel and asked with a smile:
"I haven't done anything wrong, why should I be afraid of you?"

Herbert let the other man look him up and down from all angles, shrugged, and smiled, "Sir, I think there might be some misunderstanding between us."

Herbert generously showed his goodwill by raising his hand to indicate that he was not carrying any weapons.

"We are not enemies."

Because... even the enemy can't defeat them.

Just now, when Herbert asked Miss Nenasa, the "strength tester," how strong the opponent was, he received an answer that made his eyebrows twitch.

He said:

"It? Well, it's not that strong. If I had to say, it could be considered a 'demigod' with special talents."

???

"Wait, tell me first what a 'demigod' is? Is it the one I know?"

"Of course, it's the god who was cut in half!"

"what?"

Urged by Herbert, Nenasha stopped arguing and instead gave Herbert a thorough introduction.

The "demigod" that Nenasha speaks of is actually a special existence that exists between gods and mortals.

It can be said that demigods are an extension and manifestation of divine power in the mortal realm, while being bound by the rules of the mortal realm, thus occupying an awkward yet unique state of existence.

The birth of demigods is often directly or indirectly related to gods.

The most common offspring are those born from the union of gods and mortal beings. These demigods carry some divine bloodline from birth.

Some are mortals who, by chance, inherit part of the divine power of the gods. For example, believers chosen by the gods are granted some divinity after completing important missions, and then transform into demigods when they have enough strength.

In rare cases, ancient artifacts or natural spirits absorb enough divine power to gradually develop self-awareness and evolve into demigods.

In the Church of God, certain particularly powerful epics are often referred to as "demigods," but this is more of a compliment, implying that they are as powerful as demigods.

In fact, only those who reach the pinnacle of epic power and go even further are qualified to be called "demigods".

They are neither pure gods nor ordinary beings; they possess powerful divinity and divine status, yet they are different from false gods.

False gods possess a certain degree of divinity and divine nature, and may even have their own followers and cults, but they do not hold a divine office. Their power levels vary, ranging from legendary to epic.

For demigods, divinity and divine office are unimportant, and believers are even more of a hindrance.

For them, as long as they possess enough divinity and are powerful enough, that's enough.

From this perspective alone, although they are not as powerful as the gods, they are less constrained and perhaps more free than the gods.

If it's really hard to distinguish between a "demigod" and a "false god," there's an even simpler and more direct way to put it.

The "false god" is the preceding form of the "belief in gods".

The "demigod" is a degraded version of the "ancient god".

Of all the big shots Herbert knows, only the Ash Bishop might be qualified to be called a "demigod," but that's not necessarily accurate.

As for that certain lonely old man, he's different... The title of "demigod" is simply insufficient to describe a saint.

Saints are essentially equivalent to gods in terms of strength.

Moreover, Herbert felt that the archbishop was a special figure even among the saints.

The archbishop may well be no less powerful than some of the ancient gods in terms of raw strength.

What an invincible boss that makes my head spin just thinking about him!
After figuring out that the squirrel in front of him was a special "demigod", Herbert knew what strategy he should take - he could not fight with force, he could only outsmart it!

I just want to establish a good relationship with you and become friends.

It's definitely not because this squirrel is too good at fighting!
Absolutely not!
I am a kind-hearted person by nature, and I have always been kind to others.

If someone is of average appearance, be kind and friendly to them, and leave a good impression.

Those who are good-looking are for the sake of the eel, and in the end, they will starve until they get abalone.

As for those who aren't so good-looking... of course, we should treat them all equally and not show favoritism.

As for anything else, I can only apologize; we're just friends!
—You know, I've always considered you a friend.JPG
However, to Herbert's slight regret, his strategy of showing goodwill, while not entirely useless, was better than nothing, and the effect was only so-so.

"Hmph, you're not stupid. You didn't act like one of those guilty guys who tried to resist or run away."

Seeing that Herbert was being cooperative, the white squirrel's attitude softened somewhat, but it didn't completely let its guard down. It stared at him and asked, "Hey, if you're not an enemy, what are you doing here? Why are you approaching the sacred tree?"

This demigod squirrel seemed to have some peculiar verbal tic, constantly humming "hoohoohoo" in a deliberately dignified manner, which looked rather...adorable. Herbert, watching the white squirrel's serious demeanor, silently became wary and raised his guard—afraid of revealing a kind, doting smile.

You absolutely mustn't laugh now!

Otherwise you'll get beaten up.

No, I can't laugh yet, I have to hold it in!

But I have to say, it's really cute!

How to do?
I really want to keep one at home...

The great guardian of the sacred tree had no idea that when it interrogated the other party with "majesty," the fellow was not trembling with fear, but instead was thinking about how to trick it into taking it home and raising it.

The white squirrel displayed its superior strength in front of Herbert, and seeing his tense and "intimidated" appearance, it nodded with satisfaction and hummed softly:

"Don't even think about deceiving the great [Guardian of the Sacred Tree]! Otherwise, I'll make you regret it!"

"Hmph, tell me, what exactly are you here for?"

I've always been good-looking.

Herbert mentally scoffed, then picked up on the key information in the white squirrel's words.

So, this constantly moving tree is what it calls the "Sacred Tree"?

Herbert thought for a moment, neither hiding nor needing to hide his purpose, and pointed to the big tree.

"Because of it."

"My territory lies on its path."

Before the squirrel could ask any more questions, Herbert briefly explained the current situation to it, then stared into its eyes and said in a deep voice:

"Your Excellency, Guardian of the Sacred Tree, although I do not know the specifics of your duties, they must include protecting the safety of the Sacred Tree, right?"

"Uh...yes, yes?" The white squirrel hesitated at the question, unsure whether it should admit it.

Although it has always called itself the "Guardian," it actually gave itself that title when it was bored.

Whether the sacred tree needs its protection is still an unknown.

Over the years, no one has truly harmed the sacred tree. I wonder how it will react if it is injured.

“You are the guardian of the sacred tree, and I am the guardian of the people.”

Herbert said solemnly, “As a lord, my duty is to protect the safety of my people and eliminate any factors that threaten their safety.”

"Since the sacred tree is approaching my territory, I definitely need to come and check on the situation."

"For their sake, I came here even though I knew there might be danger."

Herbert spoke with heartfelt sincerity and deep emotion.

This both expressed his concerns and cleared himself of suspicion.

Then, without giving the white squirrel a chance to react, Herbert made a request, asking if it could help stop the tree.

"Since Your Excellency's mission is to protect the Sacred Tree, could you please keep it in a safer location?"

"If it continues on its way, our territory will likely suffer devastating destruction, and then my people will probably..."

Herbert's final words, seemingly humble, were actually a strategic retreat, subtly conveying his dissatisfaction.

Friend, can't you handle the mess you've made yourself? Can you please not cause me any more trouble?

The white squirrel was clearly not good at such complicated talk, and was completely bewildered by Herbert, nodding its little head repeatedly.

Although it possesses an impressive strength that could make "an immortal touch my head and open my soul with a single inch of force," it is still a reasonable creature.

After hearing Herbert's story, it felt a little embarrassed, as if it had been being a bit unreasonable.

"Oh dear, well, there's nothing I can do about this."

It scratched its head awkwardly, blinked repeatedly, and said embarrassedly, "It can't stop it from going wherever it wants... cough cough."

Although he was a resident of the sacred tree and its nominal guardian, he was actually dispensable to the sacred tree.

I can't even communicate with the sacred tree, let alone make it change course or stop.

The sacred tree has a will, but it is very weak and its thinking is very slow; it has not spoken on its own initiative for many years.

The only response the white squirrel received from the sacred tree over the years was that the tree agreed to let it live on it—three hundred years after it had lived there.

This is awkward, hoo.

But can this be said?
Definitely not!
If I were to say such a thing, what would become of my dignity as the Guardian of the Sacred Tree?!?

The white squirrel scratched its head awkwardly, wishing it could jump back into the tree canopy and hide.

How embarrassing!

"This, ah, that, uh, um..."

Whoosh!
It hesitated for a moment, then suddenly pushed off with both feet and leaped up the big tree, letting its fluffy tail sway in the wind.

After jumping back up the tree, it didn't actually bury its head and pretend to be dead. Instead, it kicked the two half-dead giant pythons down from the tree.

At the top of the tree, a white squirrel poked its little head out and shouted, "Take them with you! Consider it an apology for what I did to you earlier!"

"As for the rest, give me some time, I'll think of something!"

It had already made up its mind that after Herbert left, it would make sure to talk to the sacred tree, even if it had to throw a tantrum.

It looked at Herbert, wishing he would disappear immediately.

You should leave now!

With you here, I can't talk to it!

"Uh……"

Herbert, unaware of the intricacies of the situation, looked down at the two unconscious legendary pythons, his lips twitching slightly.

This guy is pretty generous.

You're quite a nice person.

These two legendary giant pythons would be quite profitable even if they were killed and sold for materials, let alone the fact that they are still alive.

Being on the verge of death is a minor issue; a little help can bring them back to life.

"Very well, Guardian. Since you've said so, I'll take my leave now and await your good news."

"I'll be back in a few days, hopefully by then you'll have found a solution."

Just as Herbert was about to call it a day and leave with the gift, a rustling sound caught their attention.

"Ok?"

"Huhao?"

They finally noticed that the sacred tree, which had been steadily moving forward, had suddenly stopped.

The giant tree trembled slightly, shedding many leaves, and slowly extended a branch toward Herbert.

The thick branch grew longer and thinner as it approached, until it was only as thick as an arm when it reached Herbert.

The branch swayed in front of Herbert, as if greeting him.

"Eh?"

"Huhu???"

The white squirrel stared in shock, wondering why the sacred tree would react this way to Herbert.

It actually greeted him on its own initiative?
I've never even received such treatment!

Why?!

Ok?
Herbert hesitated, unsure of what the other person meant, and didn't dare to respond for a moment.

Just as he was pondering this, he suddenly saw a huge leaf slowly drift down to the side.

He looked at the shape of the leaf and suddenly felt that it looked familiar. After thinking for a moment, he then took out the magical leaf that had become dull and lifeless after being used before.

"Is this what it's looking for?"

The moment the leaf was removed, the branch that had been swaying rhythmically from side to side suddenly froze.

then……

Blah blah blah!

The entire giant tree suddenly trembled!
……

……

Natural Sanctuary.

"How can we awaken my father?"

Fulingya frowned, pondering this unsolvable problem as usual.

"Father fell into a deep sleep after his consciousness was severed, so we really have to collect all the 'saplings' that he scattered outside?"

"Only in that way can His consciousness be reassembled, right?"

The Goddess of the Forest pondered for a moment, shook her head, and sighed helplessly: "But... alas, that's just too difficult."

This conclusion is actually easy to deduce; the natural pantheon has already reached this conclusion, but there has been no progress over the years because it is essentially impossible to implement.

Putting aside the responsibilities these saplings themselves bear, the sheer difficulty of finding them is enough to deter everyone.

Some saplings are scattered in every corner of the world, and some even take root in hidden spatial rifts, making them impossible to find.

Moreover, even if it is found and a solution to the pollution is found, there will still be obstacles on the way back.

Some people, however, do not wish for the Lord of Nature to return smoothly.

Not to mention outsiders, even within the natural pantheon, there are dissenting voices.

"The Earth Gods, these idiots with brains full of mud and stone, are truly the most foolish of all, alas!"

Although Fulingya had already vaguely guessed the other party's identity, she still felt a sense of exhaustion after confirming it.

Some people are trying their best to keep the family together, while others are secretly making a fuss about splitting up the family.

Just as He was preparing to consider how to deal with the "mastermind"... something unexpected happened.

The remnant body of the Lord of Nature behind Him, which had been silent for countless years, suddenly trembled slightly.

Fulingya: ! ! ?

(End of this chapter)