Chapter 3: Immemorial Tree
The tree continued recounting its story to the familiar figure.
Since growing larger increased its spiritual energy, it also allowed for further spiritual sensing.
At that time, new Spirit Lords were headed towards the island, their faces filled with glee and satisfaction upon seeing the lone tree full of green leaves at the center of an island.
Instead of rejoicing that new people finally visited, it panicked upon hearing their conversations. These people were here chasing after a rumored legendary tree.
A tree of legends that could make any spirit strong enough to rival any Spirit Lord. It was a rumor that had been spreading wide all over the material plane and the spirit realm.
The tree felt troubled as it watched the three spirits glide forward at the base of its body. The spirits searched, investigated, and roamed the island freely, looking for any treasures that they could find.
Deep in its roots, it could feel an urge, pushing him forward to give these exhausted spirits a bit of hope. Like a vague voice that once told it when it was still a seed.
'I hope you grow into a beautiful tree, filled with fruits on all of your branches. Won't you look beautiful by then? I want to see it.'
After remembering the warm hazy voice from the past and seeing the joyful expressions overflowing with expectations, the tree succumbed to its inner-self and decided to give the wandering spirits some gifts.
From its branches, three red fruits fell to the ground.
The wandering spirits noticed the peculiar event and rushed to the base of the tree to pick the red fruits.
One of the spirits happened to know what the fruit was after venturing on the material plane. It was a juicy fruit called 'apple'.
Knowing that it was food, the spirit vigorously absorbed the fruit.
Right then, a series of unknown memories flooded his body.
From the sole ability to store memory, the fruit gained a new ability after the passage of time. The strongest ability of all.
To think.
It's an ability that everything with a mind uses.
Understanding. Memory. Rational.
All of those were needed for you to call yourself alive.
The fruit ignites and introduces those abilities to anyone who consumes it. It was a trigger that allows for the sleeping consciousness to wake up.
After absorbing all the spiritual energy from the fruit, the apple remained whole but its color turned darker. The spirit started glowing and bulked up as cracks suddenly appeared and blinding light illuminated the area.
The blinding explosion affected no one since they don't have eyes. Things continued and the two remaining spirits only thought that the other spirit exploded due to lack of spiritual energy.
The second spirit picked the apple and absorbed all of its spiritual energy. The apple was so small that it appeared innocent and yet it was overflowing with spiritual energy.
Still, the spirit continued absorbing the apple even after witnessing firsthand the explosive event.
These low-rank spirits were lordless spirits.
After their lord died on the battlefield, they were left on their own by the opposing Spirit Lord. Lowly spirits like them don't enter the eyes of Spirit Lords who require large quantities of the purest spiritual energy.
And like the first one, the second spirit started to swell as spiritual energy flooded its body. Webbing cracks started to appear as bright lights slowly pierced their way out of its astral body.
Crack. Crack.
"Boom!!!"
A sea of light covered the island once again and dimmed out after several seconds.
For the first time, the third spirit finally felt something new inside it. A creeping feeling that coursed all over the body.
Fear.
It didn't know what it was, but it felt it. The spirit was slowly developing its mind.
It realized that if it absorbed the fruit, it would also explode and go back to dormant sleep. It glides a few meters backward as if wanting nothing to do with the fruit.
Living and dying meant nothing to them. However, fear of the unknown was the most terrible blindfold that anyone could get.
The spirits died because they were directly inheriting the memories of the giant tree. There were vast memories inside the red apple and yet they decided to consume it in one mouthful. If they only knew how to take small bites, one at a time, they could have inherited everything.
Knowledge.
The giant tree witnessed it all.
How Spirit Lords were born, how they died, the proper way to wake dormant spirits, and how to get stronger.
Still, it was the third spirit's luck that it woke up and realized what was happening, and was going to happen.
Some time passed and the spirit decided to take the apple and study it. It hovered above ground and placed one arm on the fruit.
It was testing its limits.
How long can it continue absorbing? How much spiritual energy can it take at a time? Every time it felt something piercing its body, it would immediately stop absorbing the essence of the fruit.
Time passed and the tree was able to spend time with someone. It watched as the weak spirit develop itself from a low-ranked spirit into something spirit's call Spirit Lord.
The vast amount of spiritual energy contained inside the apple was just enough to elevate the spirit into a High-grade Spirit Lord.
From low-rank to becoming a High-grade Spirit Lord, it was caused by one small red fruit.
In the end, the Spirit Lord left
"Did that Lord thought of a name?" God asked curiously.
The leaves rattled left and right as if shaking its head, It was a funny action since it was still communicating through spiritual sense while the other party was speaking verbally.
"No? I guess that's normal. No one else could help them improve but themselves. Although their powers can get stronger through other means, the mind can only be developed through repeated use and application. Does that Lord still visit you?"
Rattle, rattle.
"Don't worry. Time will help you meet your friend if it's destined."
Rattle, rattle.
"What it means? It meant that no matter what happens, how long it takes, it will visit you. Why do you miss your friend already?"
The giant tree shook its head and a soft whirlwind wandered the area. The tree huffed and crossed two branches as if wanted to show that it didn't care whether that Spirit Lord came back or not.
Even itself didn't realize that it was making such action after getting immersed in its own memory.
As the two continued to chat casually, the giant tree suddenly trembled. Thousands of leaves fell from the branches due to its wild shaking.
General Satan came forward and informed them of the situation.
"Reporting. The island is currently under attack. Please give us your orders."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone