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.
Chapters
Share
Chapter 4
Reno attacked first, lightning gathering in both of his hands, much larger than before, and the air around him smelled of ozone. The hairs on my arms stood up slightly, a sign that being electrocuted wasn't a pleasant experience.
“Lightning Burst!”
He thrust both hands forward, and two lightning projectiles shot toward me at breakneck speed, but now the world felt a little slower, or maybe I was just faster. I twisted to avoid the first projectile, and the second one narrowly missed my shoulder.
HANDS!
A small explosion occurred behind me my skin still felt very hot almost to the touch.
“Did he get faster?!” Dimas shouted.
Yes, I was also quite pleased with this development. Kevin charged from the left, his sword blazing brightly, flames encircling the blade, and then slashed diagonally. I raised the pommel.
CLANG!
The sound of impact startled me slightly, and I looked down at my weapon. The hilt had managed to keep the sword from shattering, leaving only a slight scratch. "Oh, so the durability has increased," Kevin looked equally surprised.
“Impossible!”
“Many impossible things happened today,” I replied, pushing him back.
I kicked Kevin in the knee, causing him to lose his balance for a moment. I took advantage of the moment and stabbed him in the shoulder. Kevin quickly retreated, but the tip of the handle only grazed his arm. There was a little blood, but there was still progress.
Reno came in again from the right flank, their coordination was quite good, very annoying. Lightning struck the ground near my feet, I jumped back, but Dimas shot two arrows, one I missed, and the other hit my left arm.
SRAK.
I winced, the arrow was stuck shallow and hurt so much, I pulled it out forcefully.
“Ah, you bastard.” Blood dripped.
Okay, I can't take too long; they still have the numerical advantage; I need to reduce the speed of the players. My eyes immediately locked on Dimas, the long-range archer, whose defense was definitely low. Prioritizing my top target, I ran towards him.
“Protect Dimas!” Kevin shouted.
Too late, Dimas panicked, he shot hastily but his arrow missed. Good, I got into close range and saw Dimas's face pale.
“W-wait”
No, I swung the shaft at his wrist.
CRACK.
His bow fell, Dimas screamed, I kneed him in the stomach, he bent over, then stabbed him in the chest with a swift movement. Dimas's body immediately froze, his eyes widened, his breath faltered, and then he fell silent.
A notification appears.
Human target slain
Devour Root activated.
The roots came out again, piercing Dimas's body, and the second energy flowed in stronger, hotter, and more addictive. I closed my eyes for a split second, feeling like my body was being forcibly upgraded—muscles were denser, reflexes sharper, and mana increased.
The notification appears again.
Agility +3
Dexterity +2
Mana +1
EXP gained.
Level Up!
Level 5 reached.
Weapon evolution available.
I froze. Weapon evolution? Fascinating. The weapon in my hand trembled. Its handle cracked, not broken, but slightly elongated. More thorns grew, and the surface became darker. Its shape was no longer a simple handle, more like a sharp branch, a primitive weapon, but certainly more deadly.
A new notification appears.
One Tree Stalk → Thorny Branch
Evolution complete.
I smile.
“Oh.”
“Finally there is visible progress.”
Kevin looked at me like he was seeing a nightmare, a fair reaction he gripped his sword tighter.
“We have to kill him now!”
Finally understanding Reno seemed to start to hesitate.
“K-Kevin…”
"We have to retreat"
The smartest thing he said all day Kevin turned sharply.
“Shut up!”
Ah, the leadership qualities are so bad it's so good. I spin the Thorny Branch in my hand much more comfortably, more balanced, sharper.
A good improvement, but still ugly, but effective. I took a step forward, and Kevin unconsciously took a half step back. I found it very satisfying.
“Why did you step back?” I asked.
“You guys are the ones who want to kill me, right?”
Kevin gritted his teeth, his face tense and sweat starting to show, the fire on his sword trembling slightly, a breach in trust detected. Good, Reno finally made his decision, he really did retreat.
“I’m not coming anymore!” he said.
Then turned around and ran away very wisely Kevin glared.
“RENO!”
It was too late; all that was left was Kevin and one other person who looked like they were about to faint from fear. Kevin stared around at the bodies, the blood, his two friends dead, one running away, and me still standing, alive and growing. The silence was heavy, but finally, Kevin said softly,
“We can talk.”
I almost laughed, oh the negotiation phase. It's interesting how morals and diplomacy emerge after a change in position.
“I think I'm a monster?” I said.
Kevin swallowed hard.
“That was…”
“Force situation.”
Oh wow amazing I shook my head slowly.
"No."
“You guys just panicked and went for the easiest solution.”
I raised my weapon. The thorny branch reflected a faint light, and Kevin took another step back.
“Raka, listen”
I cut.
“Now it's my turn to choose.”
Our gazes met, he knew I knew there was no turning back. Kevin roared and attacked with his sword in full flame, slashing vertically. I blocked.
CLANG!
The impact was stronger, but my body was also stronger now. We were locked in a moment, Kevin's face very close, filled with anger and fear.
“You should be dead!” he hissed.
I stared at him blankly.
“Maybe.”
Then I shifted my body letting Kevin's momentum get the better of him, he lost his balance a little and then I stabbed him with the Thorny Branch through the side of his stomach.
Time seemed to slow down Kevin froze his eyes widened, his mouth slightly open he looked down at the blood that was starting to flow.
“Ah…”
His body weakened and his sword fell.
CLANG.
He knelt down and collapsed, utterly silent. I stood there, breathing heavily, my body covered in minor injuries, my clothes dirty, and my hands bloody. Before me, the man who had tried to kill me was now dead.
A notification appears.
Flame Knight slain
High-value absorption available.
I stared at the writing, slowly smiling.
“High marks?”
It was so exciting, the roots came out bigger than before, piercing Kevin's body, and this time the energy that entered was much greater, more brutal, the heat burning my entire body. I gritted my teeth, almost screaming.
Notifications appear in succession.
Strength +4
Vitality +3
Fire Resistance acquired.
Skill fragment obtained.
Skill acquired: Ember Slash
EXP gained.
Level 7 reached.
I opened my eyes slowly, breathing heavily, my body felt… different. So different, so much stronger, I noticed my own hands were shaking slightly, not from fear but from adrenaline and strength.
I chuckled softly in disbelief. In a matter of minutes, I'd gone from being a burden to something they were afraid of, something they were attracted to.
I looked at the last remaining person, the child was already sitting weakly, his face pale, tears almost coming out.
“D-don't kill me…”
I looked at him for a few seconds then sighed.
“Go.”
He glared.
“Hah?”
“Go.”
He didn't wait twice and ran away as fast as he could, very clever. I finally sat on the ground, my body feeling tired but my mind was very clear.
I looked at the Thorny Branch in my hand. This weapon was only its first evolution, meaning there were still many stages to go. I smiled faintly. This new journey had begun, and from now on, I would no longer be the prey; I would be the hunter.
[END CHAPTER 4]
You may also like
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.