This dungeon has mushrooms growing on it.

Chapter 376, 375. Greedy Trick

The entrance to the Shenmu Underground City.

This camp, originally used to temporarily treat the wounded and deal with epilepsy infections, has now become another frontline position.

The ranger squad leader who had previously hosted Iros and his party decisively ordered his men to hold the position and block any living giant trees that attempted to break out of the dungeon.

However, the camp already had limited manpower, and even if the wounded who were still able to move were included in the combat sequence, the strength was still stretched thin.

At first, they could barely hold on, but as arrows and magic potions were quickly depleted, the defense line began to crumble.

The squad leader also sent his men to ask for help, but there has been no news since.

Another batch of giant trees appeared from a distance. The squad leader personally led several rangers to meet them head-on. With skillful teamwork, they cut them down, but one of the team members was still struck in the chest by the violent roots and fell to the ground seriously injured.

Lacking long-range firepower suppression, relying solely on close-quarters melee combat against these behemoths is a huge disadvantage!
Manpower! Logistics!
He anxiously longed for any one of these forms of support to arrive.

When he led his troops back to camp, he was surprised to find that his prayers had been answered, even more so than he had expected.

"Your Majesty?! Your Excellency!" The squad leader stepped forward excitedly and bowed.

Iros raised his hand and unleashed a healing spell, healing the injured ranger who had been carried back by his companions and was coughing up blood.

The Elf King glanced at his surroundings and sighed softly.

Originally, there was still a sliver of hope regarding the revitalization of the giant trees in the city, but now it seems that the divine artifact must be used.

Without delay, he continued forward, but instead of venturing deeper into the underground city, he arrived at the edge of the giant spiral.

Looking down, Auril saw the Divine Tree Dungeon in such a dim light for the first time in his life: "Even the light-gathering barrier has been destroyed?"

Auril raised the artifact and said without turning his head, "Iros, I'll have to leave the follow-up troubles to you. Just handle them according to the established procedures."

"As ordered."

Auril raised the Living Wood Core, and a surge of life energy flowed from his body, pouring into the artifact.

The staff was instantly activated, and countless tender buds sprouted from the branches, quickly covering the entire staff.

This vibrant energy reached its peak half a minute later, and a pure green beam of light shot into the sky, then turned and pierced straight into the depths of the underground city's spiral structure.

The beam of light finally landed on the sapling of the sacred tree, which was now covered with scarlet veins.

A surge of vibrant energy washed over everything in its path, and wherever it passed, the madness vanished as quickly as if it were being purified.

Not only the seedlings, but even on the massive trunk of the divine tree in the abyss space, the eerie red patterns are being rapidly replaced by lush greenery.

Whether it was a misperception or not, Lin Jun, who was searching for permissions in Shenmu's consciousness, vaguely heard a short, soft hum.

Startled, Lin Jun stopped all movement, ready to self-destruct and make a quick getaway at any moment.

Is it emitted by the sacred tree?
Is she about to wake up?
Lin Jun suddenly couldn't hold back anymore.

This amazing gadget works like a powerful alarm clock.
This caused Lin Jun's original thoughts to fade away considerably.

However, after opening the Shenmu panel, it was found that the other party was still in hibernation, but the madness had indeed disappeared, and there was an additional "full of vitality" that no one knew what the purpose was.

After waiting for a while without any further changes, Lin Jun finally felt relieved.

……

The madness in the sacred tree disappeared, but the revitalized giant trees did not immediately return to their original state.

Outside the dungeon, the Elf King Auriel planted his staff, now stripped of all its buds, into the ground, barely supporting his nearly exhausted body. However, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and he finally succumbed and fell backward.

"His Majesty!"

Amidst the guards' panicked shouts, Iros rushed forward and caught the collapsing figure.

At this moment, Auriel's hair was completely white, his body was emaciated, and his face was covered with deep wrinkles, resembling the appearance of an elf in his twilight years.

But a hint of relief flashed in his eyes. He had been prepared to be completely drained, but now it seemed that he was still given some time.

"I will heal you." A gentle light of healing magic emanated from Iros's hand. Although it could not make up for the lost lifespan, it slightly soothed the body that was on the verge of collapse.

“Ilos, it seems…” Auril began with difficulty, but before he could finish speaking, he suddenly froze.

Iros's hand, resting on his back, was subtly casting another natural spell—Life Drain!
Double cast!

Under the cover of the healing spell, no one except Auriel herself knew the true situation.

“Aurel, you can hate me,” Iros’s voice was barely audible, “but I have to do this, the elves must go out…”

Auril looked at Iros, and after a brief moment of surprise, a look of understanding finally appeared in his eyes.

With his last ounce of strength, he gripped Iros's wrist, his voice barely a whisper: "Don't... lead them... to destruction..."

“I’m searching for that glimmer of hope,” Iros replied softly.

Aurel's hand slowly fell to his sides, and he remained silent.

The surrounding elves stared in disbelief at the scene. They only knew that the Elf King had come to resolve the crisis, but they never expected it to end like this!

The squad leader of the rangers collapsed to his knees, utterly dejected.

At this moment of grief, several giant tree figures appeared again at the entrance to the dungeon!
However, before anyone could react, the giant trees suddenly snapped and collapsed in the distance.

Instead of the giant tree, a dust-covered elf emerged, his eyes bloodshot, utterly devoid of any elegance.

“Lord Eko!” The ranger squad leader recognized his superior, but Eko completely ignored him at the moment.

Witnessing the scene before him, his eyes widened in fury, and blood even seeped from his clenched teeth!
"Iros—!"

"I want you to die!"

Two curved blades cleaved through the suddenly sprouting vines; these obstacles couldn't stop him for even a moment, but more thorns kept emerging from the ground.

The sudden appearance of Eko made Iros's eyelids twitch wildly; he had no idea how the other had escaped from the abyss.

Not to mention that an abyssal ritual is needed as a portal, the information cube that controls access was isolated in a separate area, making it impossible for it to be found.

However, it is obviously pointless to think about these things now.

While urging the plants to grow and hinder Eco, he tried to calm the situation with words: "Eco, have you misunderstood something? Calm down, we can talk this over!"

Eko ignored Iros's explanations and brandished his twin swords in a flash of silver light: "Today, it's either you die or I perish!"

Seeing that words could not quell Eco's anger, Iros suddenly shouted, "Get out of the way! Eco has been infected by madness! He is out of his mind now, I'll control him!"

Another wall of fire blocked Eko's way. Taking advantage of the opening, Iros reached out and grabbed the artifact on the ground, which was a necessary tool for fully controlling the divine tree later!
However, he found nothing.

In the burrow that appeared out of nowhere, a small section of the wooden staff was still sticking out...

(End of this chapter)