The One Branch of The Tree
- Raka, an ordinary high school student, dies of exhaustion and is reincarnated with his entire class into a fantasy world. There, everyone receives a class and a blessing from the gods to start a new life. While his friends acquire powerful classes like knight, mage, healer, and assassin, Raka is given the class considered the weakest and most shameful: the One Tree Branch.
- Considered a burden and a threat to the group, Raka was betrayed and hunted by his own friends on their first day of arrival. Cornered in the Forbidden Forest, a place known as a region full of monsters and death, Raka discovered his class' true ability: Devour Root, the power to absorb the attributes, energy, and even skills of anyone he kills.
- Since then, his life changed completely.
- To survive, Raka is forced to kill monsters, bounty hunters, and the people who hunt him. Each victory makes him grow stronger, while his class weapon slowly evolves from a lowly twig into an increasingly terrifying weapon.
- In the midst of his struggle for survival, Raka meets Nara, a mysterious girl wielding two daggers who has her own agenda in the Forbidden Forest. Together with Nara, Raka enters the Core Zone, the mysterious center of the forest filled with ancient ruins, artifacts, and a dangerous organization called the White Council.
- There, Raka discovers that his class resonates with a mysterious entity called the False World Tree, a giant tree that is the source of the anomalies in the Forbidden Forest.
- The deeper he unravels the secrets of the False World Tree, the more it becomes clear that the One Tree Trunk class is not a failed class, but rather a forbidden fragment of the true World Tree-a power that has long been sealed away because it was thought to be capable of destroying the balance of the world.
- Now Raka is at a crossroads: take revenge on his friends who betrayed him, or pursue the truth behind the World Tree fragment that is now directly connected to him.
- But one thing is certain, the more power he absorbs, the closer he gets to something far more dangerous than death: losing himself and becoming the new vessel for the World Tree.
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Chapter 1
I died in a very unheroic way. Not saving someone, not fighting a villain, not getting hit by a truck like most isekai protagonists.
I died of exhaustion after staying up three nights in a row for schoolwork. I drank too much coffee and then passed out on the way home. It was truly embarrassing.
The last thing I remember was the sound of a horn, blurry vision, and then darkness. I thought it was all over, but it wasn't. When I opened my eyes, I was standing in a vast white room, marble floors, golden pillars, and a ceiling that never seemed to end.
Around me were many familiar faces—about thirty of my classmates. They were all wearing the same high school uniform and all looked confused.
"What happened?"
"Where are we?!"
"I had an accident earlier"
The atmosphere was starting to get tense, and I rubbed my temples. So it wasn't just me, it was the whole class? Great, if this was a prank, the cost would be outrageous.
Suddenly, a golden light descended from above, plunging the entire room into silence. A tall figure appeared, clad in a golden-white robe, his features too perfect to be human, his long silver hair, his holy aura, and his presence clearly divine.
He looked at us with a calm expression.
"Welcome." His voice echoed throughout the room.
"You have died in the original world."
Some people immediately panicked. Some cried, some got angry, and some were in denial. The standard human response to bad news, I just sighed.
Okay. Dead. Makes sense. The god continued.
"You are chosen to be reincarnated into a new world."
That sentence made everyone freeze. Then the room exploded.
"SERIOUSLY?!"
"Is it really possible?!"
"GOOD GRIEF!"
Some of the boys actually seemed excited, truly a fast-adapting species. Dewa raised his hand, and everyone fell silent again.
"In the new world, you will receive classes and blessings."
Well, now everyone was really focused. Light screens appeared in front of us one by one, much like a game's status system. Fascinating.
The gods began to call out names.
"Kevin." My friend stepped forward, the light coming down.
A notification appears.
Class: Flame Knight
The room immediately became excited.
"WOOOAH!"
"Crazy!" Kevin laughed out loud.
"Good!"
Next.
"Sinta." Class: Saint Healer
Again the voice of amazement.
"Reno." Class: Thunder Spearman
"Alia." Class: Spirit Mage
More and more cool classes are appearing, like swordmaster, elementalist, paladin, assassin, beast tamer, and necromancer. The gods seem especially generous today. Everyone is getting more and more excited, their faces filled with anticipation of adventure, power, and new worlds. It's like every fantasy lover's dream, and then my name is called.
"Raka." I stepped forward,
All eyes were on me. Okay, time to see my fate. The light descended, warm. The status appeared. I read it and froze.
Class: One Tree Trunk
...
I blinked once, twice and still the same.
One Tree Trunk
The room was silent for a few seconds. Then
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The laughter erupted so loudly, so unempathetic, Kevin even slapped his thigh.
"What is that?!"
"Tree stalk?!"
"Not a Tree Mage or a Druid?"
"Literal stalk?!"
Even some of the usually quiet ones laughed. Amazing, school friendships are so fragile. I stared at the screen in my hand, and something appeared. A small stalk, really just a single stalk, about a foot long and a dull brown color. No aura, no effect, nothing. Just a single tree stalk? I stared at the god.
Seriously?
Is it true?
This?
Dewa just stared at me expressionlessly, not helping at all. Kevin approached with a grin.
"Bro, is your weapon for sweeping?" Laughter again.
I sighed.
"Funny."
"Thank you for your contribution." He laughed even more.
God spoke again.
"Class doesn't always determine the future."
Ah yes, the standard motivational line, usually appearing when someone is clearly having a bad outcome, not very convincing.
Everyone began to be led to the portal one by one. Before I entered, I saw many stares. Some mocking, some pitying, some thinking I was finished.
Interesting, how quickly humans judge others. I gripped the handle in my hand. Okay, if this is my class, I'll figure out how to use it, or at least hit someone creatively.
The portal opened, light enveloped my body, and my vision darkened for a moment, before I emerged into a new place: a forest. Large trees, cool air, the scent of wet earth, birds chirping in the distance—a fantasy world confirmed. Several classmates appeared not far from me. Everyone looked around in awe, but upon seeing me, their expressions changed. Kevin grinned, and trouble quickly arrived.
"Hey, Raka."
His tone was unpleasant. I looked at him.
"What is it?"
Kevin crossed his arms.
"We had a little discussion."
"You're a burden." Direct. Efficient. Brutal.
I chuckled.
"Wow. Your villain adaptation is fast."
One of my friends stepped forward.
"We can't bring people with trash class."
"The monsters here are definitely dangerous."
"If you come along, you'll just be a burden."
Honestly? It makes sense, but the way it's delivered is still annoying.
"I didn't ask to come with you," I replied.
I thought that was enough, but it wasn't. Kevin shook his head.
"That's not enough."
Oh? I squinted.
"Explain."
Kevin's smile widened.
"We don't know if resources will be limited."
"It would be safer if the problem was resolved now."
The room immediately felt colder as I looked at them one by one. There were about six of them, and some seemed to agree, even not hiding their intentions. It was incredible, just an hour into the new world and there was already a murder plot, rapid progress.
“I understand now,” I said softly.
Kevin laughed.
"Good."
He drew his sword, flames blazing on the blade. Flame Knight, of course.
"Any last words?"
I gripped my handlebars, my heart beating fast. The situation was dire, but I was oddly calm. A little angry, a little disappointed, but mostly cold, so this is how my classmates are. People stay the same, even if the world changes, but not the people. I smiled faintly.
"Yes." Everyone waited.
I looked at them carefully, memorizing their faces one by one, and then said.
"I will remember this."
Kevin's expression changed slightly, perhaps he didn't like my tone. Good, he attacked me, turned around, and ran into the forest.
"CHASE HIM!" A shout was heard behind him.
The small stick in my hand felt so light, so weak, so useless or maybe I just didn't know how to use it yet.
As I ran, a tree branch hit me in the face, a root almost making me fall. The sound of footsteps grew closer, they were chasing me seriously, they really wanted to kill me.
Interesting, well, if this is how the world is meant to start, I'll play by the rules. I'll survive, I'll thrive, and one day they'll regret this decision, very much.
In my hand the small stalk suddenly throbbed very slowly as if responding to my emotions, I looked down.
What? Then a notification appears.
Skill unlocked: Devour Root
I smiled for the first time. Oh, so you're not completely trash. Interesting, I continued running deeper into the dark forest, and before I knew it, my first steps towards becoming a real monster had just begun.
[END CHAPTER 1]
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8.3
Betrayed at the altar. Replaced by her own sister.
On what should have been the happiest day of her life, Amara loses everything-her fiancé, her dignity, and her future.
But that same night, a dangerous man steps out of the shadows with an offer she can't refuse.
Marriage. Power. Revenge.
Now bound to a ruthless CEO, Amara is ready to destroy everyone who betrayed her.
There's just one problem...
Her new husband knows more about her past than he should.
And the closer she gets to revenge-
the more she realizes she may have married the man who ruined her in the first place.
8.4
I worked three double shifts at the garage just to buy a velvet-boxed cake for my wealthy girlfriend, Arleen.
But when I pushed open the VIP room door, I saw her lover kissing her bare leg.
She didn't push him away. Instead, she laughed and swirled her martini.
"I only forgot Finn because I knew he would stay. He is a poor boy from Queens who follows me around like a loyal dog."
Later that night, her lover intentionally crashed a Porsche to scare me, sending a piece of jagged metal into my skull.
Lying in a growing pool of my own blood, I watched Arleen crawl out of the wreckage.
She didn't even look at me. She threw herself at her uninjured lover, screaming for a medic.
"He just got scraped by a piece of plastic. He is faking it. Deal with Jaquez first!"
When I woke up, I wasn't free. Arleen had locked me in a private hospital wing with 24-hour security, planning to isolate me and keep me as her broken, captive toy forever.
My blind, pathetic devotion finally froze into absolute disgust.
I looked at the heart monitor next to my bed and grabbed an IV needle.
I severed the sensor wire to trigger a flatline, slipped out the fire stairs while the nurses panicked, and burned my identity to ashes.
This time, I was going to disappear to London, build my own empire, and watch hers burn.
7.2
Clifton, the god of esports, was secretly battling a career-ending wrist injury to protect his team.
A year ago, he kissed his duo partner, Justice, only to be met with violent disgust. Justice shoved him away and dry-heaved in the rain, looking at him like a monster.
Humiliated by the straight man's raw revulsion, Clifton cut him out of his life.
But now, Justice suddenly appeared at Clifton's club as a rookie tryout.
Instead of an ambitious climber, Justice played the perfect, pathetic victim. He cowered, trembled, and acted terrified whenever Clifton was near.
He even signed a bloodsucking contract with a toxic teammate, sparking rumors he was brought in to replace Clifton as captain.
During a scrimmage, Clifton hesitated to shoot because he remembered Justice had just severely burned his hand.
Justice showed no mercy. He ruthlessly gunned Clifton down, humiliating the captain in front of the entire coaching staff.
Clifton was consumed by blinding rage and betrayal.
If Justice was so disgusted by him, why did he fake his devotion for six months just to use him?
Why was he acting like helpless prey now, after trampling all over Clifton's pride?
Determined to rip off the liar's disguise, Clifton dragged Justice into a live stream in front of sixty thousand viewers.
"He's asking if you are in love with me."
Clifton smiled cruelly, waiting for the public execution. But just as the trap snapped shut, a choked, terrified gasp came through the headset.
8.6
Lilac Stone once wanted nothing more than being unnoticed. But everything changed the moment she met Adrian Cole, the new lecturer.
He's distant and completely off-limits. She's quiet, guarded, and unprepared for the way he sees right through her.
What begins as harmless conversations after class quickly turns into something far more dangerous-something neither of them can stop no matter how hard they try.
But then they're living in a world where rules are meant to be followed, and their connection is one line they were never supposed to cross.
Whispers turn to accusations. Secrets are exposed. Their futures are at risk.
They are merely two opposites-a lecturer and a student, a male and a female-but they are bound to destroy each other as long as they are huddled in one space at the same time.
What then can they choose: forfeit their futures and embrace their happiness, or let the latter slip while keeping their careers intact?
8.8
"Fuck...please..."
He risks a nibble, sending shockwaves to my core. My back arches off the wall with a sharp moan.
His hand slides between my legs, cupping my soaking panties.
"Look how wet you are," he whispers, "...shaking, and I haven't even fucked you yet."
He strokes my clit gently first, then harder. My toes curl, hair spilling into my sweaty face.
He's breaking me, ruining me with just his tongue and fingers. I can't speak. I can't think. I just tremble in his arms.
*********
The night I caught my fiancé cheating, something in me broke.
I cried.
I screamed.
I drove - into the rain, into nowhere, into him.
Cassian Cross.
A stranger with gray eyes, a sinful mouth, and hands that made me forget my name.
One night was all it took. One reckless mistake to burn away my heartbreak.
Until he showed up at my mom's wedding...
As my new stepbrother.
Now, Cassian won't stop.
He corners me in hallways, whispers filth at the altar, and looks at me like he still owns my body.
But there's one thing he didn't tell me-
He already belongs to someone else.
A fiancée bound to him by a contract... and a secret that could destroy us both.
He's dangerous.
He's forbidden.
He's promised to another.
And God help me, I still can't stop wanting him.
9.7
Gemma expected the tearing agony of the bullet wound that had just ended her life.
Instead, her trembling fingers met the cool, smooth friction of heavy silk.
She stared into the mirror. Her face was flawless, completely devoid of the jagged scar that had marred her cheek for the last five years.
It was exactly ten years ago. The day of her engagement party to the ruthless billionaire, Brion Hubbard.
In her past life, her "best friend" Katelyn convinced her to run away with a scheming scumbag.
Katelyn claimed Brion was a heartless tyrant who would ruin her. Gemma had foolishly believed those fake tears.
That choice led to her family's bankruptcy, her brutal disfigurement, and ultimately, a fatal bomb explosion.
The only person who tried to save her was Brion, his blood-soaked body shielding hers from the blast.
She even realized too late that the strawberry cream cakes she always made for him were full of dairy.
He wasn't leaving to cheat on her. He was locking himself in a medical bay, fighting fatal allergic shock, just to accept a tiny scrap of her affection.
Gemma had been so incredibly blind. Why did she trust the venomous snakes who destroyed her, while hating the man who died for her?
Hearing Katelyn frantically knocking on the dressing room door, urging her to run away again, a towering hatred surged through Gemma's veins.
This time, she wasn't going to run.
She was going to expose the traitors, take back her family's wealth, and claim the tyrant for herself.