Not a single person present could challenge Kael!
Though currently at the mid-11th-tier, Kael's strength was unfathomable. Some even speculated privately that he could rival peak 11th-tier experts. After all, even Hawkeye—also at the mid-11th-tier—had been completely outmatched!
With the second Divine Heart Fruit secured, Kael stored it calmly in his spatial ring.
All eyes remained fixed on him. Undoubtedly, Kael had become the center of attention. Competing with him for the fruits was nearly impossible—his speed and combat prowess were both top-tier and terrifying.
Now in possession of two fruits, Kael felt considerably more at ease.
"Two should suffice, but more wouldn't hurt." Kael narrowed his eyes, showing no intention of leaving.
"As long as Kael stays, Einar and Jason won't get a single fruit!"
"Exactly. The gap in strength is too vast. Jason isn't even as strong as Hawkeye, and Hawkeye was obliterated instantly... As for Einar, he's no match either."
"Kael is now indisputably the strongest among the younger generation..."
If there had been any doubt before about who was stronger between Kael and Einar, the answer was now crystal clear. Though formidable, Einar still seemed to fall short compared to Kael.
The murmurs reached Einar and Jason's ears. Einar remained composed, but Jason's face darkened with barely suppressed frustration—the words had clearly struck a nerve.
"The Rootless Tree has developed partial sentience and may relocate at any moment..."Kael gazed up at the tree, silently noting its peculiar nature.
One of the Rootless Tree's most remarkable traits was its ability to move.
Endowed with intelligence and lacking roots, it could shift locations effortlessly, even seeking out areas rich in magical energy to thrive—a truly bizarre phenomenon. This was also why it had earned its name: the Rootless Tree.
The Rootless Tree bore only a dozen or so Divine Heart Fruits in total, with the majority still far from ripening. Only a few were on the verge of maturity.
And among these ripe fruits, two had already fallen into Kael's hands, while the others had yet to secure even a single one.
Einar and Jason remained silent, but their expressions grew increasingly resolute and grim—clearly, they were determined to claim the remaining fruits.
"The third and fourth Divine Heart Fruits seem to be maturing simultaneously!"
Kael's eyes gleamed as he observed the third and fourth fruits on the Rootless Tree, their surfaces shimmering with a faint luster—the telltale sign of imminent ripeness.
"Two Divine Heart Fruits ripening at once!"
Einar and Jason narrowed their eyes slightly, a flicker of anticipation crossing their faces. With two fruits maturing together, their chances of obtaining one naturally increased.
"At least one of these two fruits will be mine!" Einar declared coldly, his tone unwavering. As he spoke, two radiant streams of light surged from his body.
Kael's gaze sharpened, his focus locking onto Einar. Was this bastard finally revealing his trump card?
Most of the onlookers also turned their attention to Einar. It seemed that even he, faced with the temptation of the Divine Heart Fruits, could no longer hold back.
BOOM!
Two opposing forces of mana erupted!
One was vast, righteous, and overwhelming—the Light Element, the first element Einar had mastered. The other, however, was like an abyss—mysterious, unfathomable, and exuding immense power—the Dark Element!
"By the heavens! The two elements Einar fused are actually Light and Dark! How terrifying!" Some spectators immediately paled.
Indeed, the two elements Einar had merged were none other than Light and Dark—the most formidable pair among the six primal elements!
Even Kael was slightly taken aback. So this was Einar's hidden card.
Merging the Light and Dark Elements was no simple feat—especially since Einar primarily cultivated Light Magic, which should have inherently rejected Dark Magic. Yet, against all logic, he had succeeded in fusing them.
However, Kael also discerned that Einar was still in the early stages of assimilating the Dark Element. His control over these two opposing forces was far from seamless. Though his strength was considerable, Kael felt no fear.
"Junior Brother Kael, Einar... Ah, these two are truly monstrous. Every other talent of our generation pales in their shadow..." Somire sighed inwardly. She had once prided herself on her talent, believing she ranked among the best of the younger generation. But after witnessing Kael and Einar, she realized how insignificant she was—especially compared to Kael. Standing beside him felt like a firefly daring to rival the moon.
Whoosh!
With the fusion of Light and Dark, Einar lunged forward explosively, his momentum unstoppable as a tidal wave, leaving the onlookers awestruck.
Many in the crowd involuntarily retreated, overwhelmed by the violent clash between the two opposing elements. The pressure was unbearable.
Yet Kael stood unwavering. With a flicker of his Wind God Wings, he shot toward the Divine Heart Fruits, his aura colliding with Einar's mid-air. Seizing the opportunity, Jason the Paladin also made his move—but then came a brutal realization.
"Damn it!" Jason suddenly found himself gasping for breath under the crushing weight of Kael and Einar's mana fluctuations. His blood churned violently; he couldn't even intervene in their contest!
The gap was too vast.
Even among 11th-tier experts, the disparity was heaven and earth. Jason, the weakest of the 11th-tier present, felt the pressure magnified tenfold.
BOOM!
Amid the struggle between Kael and Einar, Jason coughed up blood and was sent flying, forced to retreat from their overwhelming presence.
Einar's eyes burned crimson with resolve. He pushed forward recklessly, channeling every ounce of his strength, and snatched one of the Divine Heart Fruits in a swift grab.
Simultaneously, Kael's hand shot out—claiming the second fruit.
Each now held one of the two ripe Divine Heart Fruits.
Thus, Kael now possessed three Divine Heart Fruits, while Einar had only one.Moreover, Einar had obtained his single fruit only by exhausting every ounce of his strength—even exposing his trump card in the process. It had been an arduous struggle.
With three fruits secured, the onlookers' gazes toward Kael shifted subtly. Though their expressions remained guarded, a hint of greed flickered in their eyes. Kael had become a walking treasure trove—nearly all the Divine Heart Fruits were in his hands, making him a target of universal envy.
Kael noticed their stares and inwardly tensed. With three fruits claimed, it's time to leave. Lingering further would only paint a target on his back.
Though he feared none of them, flaunting his gains in the Underground Realm—especially near the Blazing Monarch's Palace, where even Legendary powerhousesmight emerge—was unwise.
"Heh, so it's the Rootless Tree… and Divine Heart Fruits!" A raspy voice echoed from the horizon!
Just as Kael prepared to depart, two figures streaked across the sky—one pitch-black and gaunt, the other ghostly pale and bloated, their contrasting silhouettes unmistakable.
The Twin Specters of the Netherspire Tower had arrived!
"It's the Twin Specters—top-tier 11th-tier experts, veterans far beyond Hawkeye's league! Why are they here?!" Somire shuddered, the words tumbling out.
The Twin Specters were peak experts beneath the half-step Legendary realm, infamous for their ruthlessness.
Kael narrowed his eyes. This complicates things.
Despite their grotesque appearances—the Pale Specter's face corpse-white and horrifying, the Dark Specter's form emaciated and shadow-cloaked—their strength was undisputedly top-tier among 11th-tier powerhouses.
They had spoken while still kilometers away, yet in mere breaths, they stood before the crowd.
"Kekeke! The Rootless Tree does exist—and it belongs to us!" The Pale Specter let out a creepy chuckle, his elongated eyes glinting with greed as he scrutinized the tree.
…