God-Tier Extraction Talent: Reincarnated in a Game-like World!

Chapter 686: Beneath the World Tree, a Hidden Secret [2]

Gabriel narrowed his eyes on the black object.

“What is that?”

No one answered because they couldn’t tell either.

The three slowly approached along the outer edge of the stone platform.

As the distance between them shortened, the object concealed beneath the roots gradually revealed its true appearance.

It was actually an enormous body!

Judging from the exposed portions, it possessed a humanoid torso covered in dark black scales. One of its arms was even thicker than the waist of an ordinary adult.

Countless World Tree roots were tightly wrapped around its body, binding it to the center of the stone platform.

Near that arm, large patches of extremely ancient, dried blood could still be seen.

“This…” Edgar sucked in a sharp breath. “There’s actually a creature sealed down here?”

Gabriel didn’t answer because his attention was elsewhere. He could sense an extremely faint yet unusually heavy aura emanating from deep within that body.

The feeling was rather strange.

The creature wasn’t releasing any oppressive pressure, nor was there even the slightest fluctuation of mana. Yet simply standing here was enough to make him instinctively feel a trace of caution.

Such a situation was extremely uncommon, especially for someone at his current level.

Gabriel tightened his grip on Crimson Judgement and slowly took two steps forward.

However, just as he was preparing to examine the creature more closely…

“Wait!”

Sophie suddenly reached out and grabbed his arm.

Gabriel stopped.

“What’s wrong?”

The young girl didn’t answer. Her golden green pupils were trembling slightly, and the expression on her face gradually changed from initial surprise to solemnity.

Because just now, the World Tree had finally transmitted an exceptionally clear thought to her.

Unlike the vague emotions she had sensed previously, this time she could clearly understand its meaning.

‘Do not awaken it.’

Sophie raised her head and looked toward the enormous body imprisoned beneath layer upon layer of World Tree roots.

“Gabriel…”

She slowly spoke.

“The World Tree wants me to tell you that you must never awaken it.”

Gabriel frowned slightly.

He glanced at the enormous body before him, then at the ancient roots surrounding it.

“In other words, this thing is still alive?”

Sophie remained silent for a moment. Then she nodded grimly.

“Yes.” Her voice sounded somewhat strained. “And I can feel… The World Tree has been keeping it imprisoned here for a very long time.”

Hearing those words, Gabriel finally understood.

These roots weren’t protecting the thing on the stone platform.

Quite the opposite, they had been preventing this creature from awakening all along.

And the goblins’ actions in reopening the underground passage and destroying the ancient roots had actually threatened a seal that had remained in place for countless years.

Gabriel looked toward the other side of the stone platform.

There, several thick roots had already been deliberately severed. Fresh axe marks remained on their cut surfaces, while tools used by the goblins lay scattered nearby.

Evidently, they had already attempted to break the seal.

They simply hadn’t managed to succeed before the battle on the surface disrupted their plans.

“So that’s how it is.” Gabriel finally withdrew his gaze. “They weren’t here to search for treasure. They came here to release this fellow.”

Edgar’s expression turned ugly. “If they had actually succeeded, the entire Sacred Forest would probably have suffered a catastrophe.”

“Then we simply won’t let them succeed.”

Gabriel’s response was extremely straightforward.

He walked over to the severed roots and examined them carefully for a while before turning toward Sophie.

“Can these roots recover?”

Sophie looked at the damaged sections, then slowly closed her eyes.

She couldn’t repair an ancient seal herself, much less restore roots that had been severed for so long. However, she still hoped the Sacred Forest could recover from the damage.

A moment later, several slender golden green root tendrils slowly emerged from the damaged sections and began growing across the surface of the stone platform.

Sophie opened her eyes in surprise.

The forest was responding to her intention!

She hadn’t cast any spell or deliberately healed the roots. The remaining vitality within them was simply beginning to produce new growth on its own.

Although their growth wasn’t particularly fast, Edgar visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

“They can recover!”

“But it’ll take time.” Sophie examined the tender new growth before continuing. “The damage here is far more severe than at the altar. These new roots are still too weak to replace the ones that were cut, and I can’t restore the ancient seal myself.”

She looked toward the enormous body imprisoned beneath the platform.

“We have to stop the goblins from causing any further destruction first.”

“That’s easy enough.”

Gabriel turned toward the entrance. “Edgar, go check whether there are any other passages nearby. I’ll deal with any goblins that might still be hiding around here. Sophie, keep an eye on the roots. If anything changes, tell us immediately.”

Edgar nodded. “Alright.”

At the very least, they had now figured out the most important thing. What truly needed protecting underground wasn’t some treasure. It was this ancient seal.

As for what exactly was imprisoned inside it, there was absolutely no reason to rush into finding out. After all, the World Tree had already given them an explicit warning.

Were they really supposed to wake the thing up just to ask who it was?

Gabriel had no interest in doing something like that.

However, his gaze once again fell upon the enormous body.

Although he couldn’t awaken the creature, that didn’t stop another thought from occurring to him.

If this thing ever truly died…

He wondered what his God-Tier Extraction could extract from its body.

At that thought, the corners of Gabriel’s mouth curved upward slightly. Then he turned around and headed toward a nearby passage, Crimson Judgement in hand.

For now, the most important thing was to drive those damned goblins out completely.

As for everything else, they could deal with it once this place was secure.

…

Thanks to everyone for their continuous support!