"Is this the so-called Tree of Discernment Between Good and Evil?"
"Honestly, it's pretty disgusting..." In the dead of night, the sea was dim and dark, with only the spotlights from the destroyer visible amidst the darkness where one couldn't see their hand in front of their face.
Master Fuli couldn't see with his naked eye what was happening on the research vessel, but the Triangular Hammer had infiltrated the destroyer and tapped into its systems, allowing it to invade the civilian research vessel's system and broadcast the events there straight into Master Fuli's mind via camera.
Realizing he couldn't defeat Master Fuli.
The leader on the research ship, or rather, Euromon directly activated the form of the [Tree of Discernment Between Good and Evil], ready to deal with the impending threat of Master Fuli at any moment.
To this end, he even sacrificed teammates, treating them like LEGO blocks to assemble himself at full strength.
One by one, vibrant, pulsating brains clustered within the research ship, while the white slime covering the entire ship rose like tentacles, twisting and intertwining to construct the straight trunk of a tree.
The writhing white octopus-like tentacles resembled large tree branches, but the branches of the white tree waved unconsciously, emitting a milky luminescence.
The twisted tree stood starkly upright on the research ship, replacing the cabin, and from any angle, you could vaguely see tree bark resembling the wrinkled cortex of a brain, even squirming.
The form of the [Tree of Discernment Between Good and Evil] was extremely unpleasant; its disgust wasn't from physiological discomfort.
Instead, it was a repulsion and aversion rooted in the genetic code toward the existence of that tree, accompanied by an underlying unease.
Master Fuli merely frowned at the sight of the hopping brain matter, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
But humans, upon seeing that tree, would first react with nausea and unease, followed by a strong sense of hostility once the nausea subsided.
As if they'd encountered something profane or a biological enemy...
Humans, by instinct, approached to kill it.
And around the research ship, the scholars who initially had fled into the sea felt an uncontainable urge to kill arise within them, turning around to swim back, hoping to climb aboard and set fire to the [Tree of Discernment Between Good and Evil] to destroy it.
Yet, just as the scholars felt their genetic code calling them heroically back to sacrifice.
The branches of the white tree swayed, emitting waves of invisible telekinesis.
"Boom boom boom—"
A crisp cracking of bones echoed around the ship like firecrackers.
The scholars, who turned back, had their heads burst, bodies transforming into blood mist that drifted on the sea breeze, their brains the only remaining intact parts.
But even that intactness lasted but a moment.
The brains floated and fused into the [Tree of Discernment Between Good and Evil], quickly becoming its nourishment.
"Thud—"
And just as Master Fuli watched the tree via the camera, a launch device sound suddenly came from it.
Master Fuli was startled, not having time to summarize the observed intelligence, when he saw a blaze of flames illuminate the night sky over the sea.
A cruise missile launched directly from the vertical launch system on the unmanned frigate.
It fired up in mid-air, but instead of flying high as usual, it stalled, making a sharp ninety-degree turn, speeding straight toward the destroyer.
The speed of the missile on release reached Mach three.
One second, one kilometer.
The missile continued to accelerate; Master Fuli's expression changed as he regained his senses in the second second, but the missile's warhead was already close, the near-defense system controlled by the Triangular Hammer didn't even have time to activate automatically.
"Go—"
Master Fuli picked up a cannon barrel from the ground, throwing it straight into the path of the incoming missile.
"Boom boom—"
The two collided directly, exploding with a thunderous roar, the scorching flames sweeping in all directions, a dense smell of gunpowder wafting over the sea.
After the cruise missile launch, the research ship and two frigates simultaneously started, fleeing at full speed from the original sea area toward Japan's direction without stopping.
"Thud—"
"Thud—"
The ship turned, but attacks from the Tree of Discernment Between Good and Evil did not cease; two more cruise missiles launched from the vertical launch system. Invisible hands grasped the missile bodies, aligning them with the destroyer's location.
The invisible hands released the missiles, their speed reaching maximum velocity: Mach 5.
"Rat-tat-tat—"
The destroyer's reactivated near-defense system, already targeting the missiles based on radar display, preemptively intercepting their trajectory before they struck.
"Boom—"
Two concentrated streams of fire swept over the missiles, shooting and detonating them over the sea, casting red flames.
"Are they...stalling me?"
"That direction heads toward Japan; could Euromon intend to collect materials nearby, slaughter millions for brains?"
Standing amidst the scorching wind, Master Fuli wasn't fazed by the cruise missiles but then became slightly concerned seeing the research ship and frigates sailing away.
"You think you're clever, but I advise you not to entertain such thoughts..."
"Although they don't believe me, Japan is one of Spirit Beast Gang's markets!"
With a cold snort, Master Fuli took stride, leaping and twisting mid-air, fiercely flinging his tail, with one of the fluffy nine tails detaching, flying out as a white beam.
Its speed didn't quite reach supersonic, but it still moved at nearly three hundred meters per second.
At the tenth second, the journey was halfway done, entering the interception zone of the frigates.
But the defense system had not activated, allowing Master Fuli's [Fuli Bomb] to break through.
However.
As it was about to destroy the research ship, it seemed to hit an invisible barrier, unable to advance at all.
The color of the Fuli Bomb turned red, its white light bursting explosively like a great sun, sending waves crashing against the ships, shaking the sea.
"Aw—"
The Tree of Discernment Between Good and Evil twisted violently, akin to a human punched in the stomach, the trunk bent, emitting miserable howls.
"Heh..."
With a cold laugh, Master Fuli turned, two Fuli Bombs detached from his body, speeding toward the location of the Tree of Discernment Between Good and Evil, but Master Fuli's actions did not stop there; he continued stepping forward, his form spinning, releasing Fuli Bombs.
One after another, five shots of radar-invisible Fuli Bombs pressed toward the frigates.
The Tree of Discernment Between Good and Evil, having suffered, understood the frigates were uncontrollable.
Its will formed invisible hands, crossing the sea to grab the Fuli Bombs, trying to drop them into the sea or toss them back at the destroyer.
But!
Just as the invisible hand touched the Fuli Bombs.
Red light burst forth, and white light shot out as explosions rang out continuously across the sea, impact waves spread broadly.
While the Fuli Bombs could calmly serve as tails for Master Fuli, once detached they acted like unleashed stray dogs or presented a cat's hypersensitivity.
The Tree of Discernment Between Good and Evil touched them, and they exploded.
"Ow ow ow—"
The agonized howls of the Tree of Discernment Between Good and Evil echoed throughout the night sky.