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 26
A cold wind hit my face as Mira and I ran out of the ruins, the sound of crumbling rocks rumbling behind us like a giant monster that had just woken up and was on a rampage.
“Come on, faster!” Mira shouted.
“I've been trying that concept for the past five minutes!”
We jumped over debris down cracked stone steps and then weaved our way through black roots that spread wildly from the walls.
Ever since the second fragment merged with me, the entire place seemed to lose its stability. The previously still roots began to move like living creatures, and some even tried to grab my feet. I slashed at one root wrapped around my ankle with the World Thorn Sword.
No, this sword had clearly changed again, slicing through the roots with ease. Its blade was now longer and slimmer, a greenish-black color dominating the surface, with lines like the veins of living wood pulsing gently. The weapon's aura was heavier, more "alive," and a little worrying, to be honest.
“We’re almost there!” Mira said from behind.
The light from the exit appeared a few meters ahead and then the ground beneath me cracked.
“Seriously?”
I jumped to the side just as part of the floor collapsed down in a cloud of dust, I landed rolling and then immediately stood up Mira managed to get out first and turned around.
“Cancer!”
“I'm still alive.”
“For now,” he muttered.
We finally made it out of the rubble just as the main part of the building collapsed completely.
The explosion of dust soared high, the rumbling sound could be heard in the surrounding trees, I bent down while controlling my breath, my chest felt hot, the mana in my body was unstable.
Since the second fragment sync there has been a strange sensation constantly moving under my skin like something is growing.
A notification appears.
Synchronization complete.
The second fragment was successfully integrated.
Class evolution is available.
Please stabilize immediately.
I stared at the writing and sighed.
“Why do all upgrades always come with the threat of death?”
“Because your life doesn't know the word normal,” Mira replied.
I glanced at him.
"That is true."
For a few seconds we just stood still looking at the ruins that had now turned into a mountain of rocks.
Seraphiel didn't come out or maybe he didn't intend to chase, I'm not optimistic enough to believe he died under the rubble, a man like that is too annoying to die easily.
“He will come back,” Mira said quietly.
I nodded.
“Yes.”
And when that happened I had to be much stronger we started walking back towards the city my steps were a little unsteady, Mira noticed.
"You are okay?"
“Define fine.”
“You look like you're going to faint.”
“Good. That means my performance is consistent.”
Mira let out a long sigh, but she moved a little closer to make sure I hadn't completely collapsed. It was strange. Before, I probably would have refused help. Now? I was too exhausted to maintain my pride.
The journey home felt quieter, the sun beginning to set, the evening sky turning a golden orange. The atmosphere was quite peaceful, a stark contrast to the fact that just a few hours earlier I had stolen an ancient fragment and caused a ruin to explode, a balanced lifestyle.
As the gates of Lumeria City came into view, I finally felt a little relieved. Civilization, a place to sleep, food, and perhaps fewer divine assassins, hopefully.
But as we approached, I immediately knew something was wrong. The guards at the gate looked tense and more numerous than usual. People were gathering around, and the atmosphere in the town was unusual. I stopped.
“Why does it feel like every time I come back, there's always a new problem?”
Mira narrowed her eyes.
"Look."
He pointed above the gate to a large notice on a white sheet with the royal seal, I went closer to read it and immediately frowned.
Royal Emergency Decree
Starting today, all gates of Lumeria City are temporarily closed.
The search for the dangerous individual is ongoing.
It is forbidden to leave the city without official permission.
In the name of public safety.
I read the “dangerous individual” part twice.
“Oh.”
Mira looked at me.
“That was fast.”
“Very efficient.”
I hadn't even had time to shower, under the decree was a sketch of a face that wasn't very detailed but was clear enough.
Black hair.
Sharp eyes.
Unfriendly expression.
Very handsome in that slightly criminal way of course, I stared at the poster for a few seconds.
“At least the artist is quite praised.”
Mira massaged her temples.
“Straight, focus.”
I observed the area around Knight being guarded more tightly as several officers checked people entering.
“The main door is definitely not an option,” I said.
Mira nodded.
“I know a side street.”
Of course he knew, we turned away from the main gate towards the quieter east side of town near the old walls which were partly covered in ivy.
Mira stopped in front of a seemingly ordinary stone wall and tapped in a certain pattern. Click. A small gap opened, and I blinked.
“How do you know the city's secret passages?”
Mira looked a little awkward.
“Our team was given access.”
Oh indeed the privilege of being called a warrior must be pleasant, we entered through the narrow alley it was dark and damp the smell of earth and wet stone.
After a few minutes of walking, we emerged into the warehouse area behind the commercial district. Great, I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Okay."
“Now I'm officially a fugitive.”
“It’s not official yet,” Mira said.
I pointed to a poster in the distance.
“They just printed my face.”
“A reasonable point.”
We walked towards the inn but the closer I got the more uneasy I felt, Predator Sense was active, danger was very close, I immediately stopped, Mira also stopped.
"What is it?"
I didn't answer, my gaze was fixed on the inn, the lights were still on, too quiet, too normal, a bad sign, then the inn door opened and someone came out.
An old man in a gray robe, a wooden stick in his hand, long white hair, his mana aura was very deep and very stable.
A notification appears.
Target identified: ???
Threat: High
Oh amazing, the man looked directly at me as if he had been waiting for quite a while and when he spoke his voice was calm but enough to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
“Finally you came.”
I gripped the sword tightly.
“Can you guess?” I said flatly.
“This conversation is probably not going to be pleasant.”
The old man smiled faintly.
"Depends."
He tapped his staff on the ground once, and the mana around us instantly changed. A barrier? We were trapped, it was incredible.
"I don't come as an enemy," he said.
I chuckled.
“Everyone always said that before my life got more complicated.”
The man seemed almost to smile. Almost.
“I am one of the few people who understand your class.”
That sentence made me freeze.
Okay, now that you've successfully caught my attention, Mira stiffened beside me. The old man stared at my sword, his gaze deepening slightly.
“It’s been a long time,” he muttered.
“It's been a long time since I've seen the inheritor of the fragment appear again.”
I squinted.
"Who are you?"
He was silent for a few seconds. Then he answered,
“My name is Arka.”
He bowed slightly.
“Someone who once failed to protect the World Tree.”
…
I was speechless, that sentence had made my night much more interesting and possibly even more dangerous. The new arc was no joke.
[END CHAPTER 26]
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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.