## Chapter 237 – Roots, Stems, Branches, Leaves, Fruits, Flowers
Blood and metal scattered like a carpet, along with concrete debris and the corpses of humans dressed in black.
They were the guards who had rushed at me to fulfill their roles, to protect this organization called the Research Society.
“You all worked hard. It’s commendable to train the human body to protect something.
I understand, you simply couldn’t accept and denied the new change that is me.”
I kneel down and pat the shoulder of a soldier who died with lifeless eyes, leaning against the wall.
It’s not like I have no blood, tears, or emotions. The corpses scattered in this hallway were once my hands and feet.
Although they didn’t move for my sake but for their own desires and purposes as humans,
the result is that everything they built has made me the king of a new root today.
Humans are all foolish and mistaken, thinking they stand at the pinnacle of this world’s ecosystem.
But those who worked in this Research Society were quite useful for humans.
Consoling them for their hard work for me is also a virtue a new king should have.
“…As you heard, these people couldn’t follow the new change. Then…”
“H-Hik?!”
I close the eyes of the soldier who died without closing them and turn around.
The only man left alive, terrified, among the dozens of soldiers who rushed at me.
It’s not that his arm is cut off or his fingers are broken, but he can’t hold a weapon.
His will, which was the last remaining, was broken by the miserable deaths of his comrades, and I approach him.
“Then what about you? Those who died here, those who died by my hand, were not wise.
They unknowingly had pride in being ‘human’ and couldn’t bend.
But I don’t blame your comrades. They were also inevitable humans.
I know well your shortcomings, that your judgment is always clouded in urgent moments.
So I want to give you, to the humans here, a chance. What do you think?”
As I said earlier, the humans here are useful beings, unlike the dull ones outside.
They have useful skills, strength, and loyalty for humans, so it’s a waste to kill them.
“C-Chance…?”
“Whether you serve me or end your life as a human. I don’t think either is bad…
But if you want to serve me, lick the blood of your kin on the floor to show your resolve.”
What conclusion will he come to? I already know vaguely, but…
“I-I will serve you!! I-I will serve you…! P-Please…! Ugh…!”
As expected, he didn’t deviate from my expectations. As soon as I finished speaking, he immediately swore allegiance,
plunging his head into the puddle mixed with the blood and entrails of his comrades, vomiting and licking it with his tongue.
“…You made a wiser decision than other humans.”
I pat the head of the man who is trembling with his head bowed and get up from my seat.
“Follow me, you have things to do.”
“Yes, yes…!”
There are still many humans left here. Guards and researchers who are still trying to stop me,
and the chairman who created this huge organization and his close aides will remain.
“I wonder if those who remain have adapted well to the changes in the world.”
I mutter to myself and walk down the blood-covered hallway with the man who is following me, watching my every move.
Walking along the circular hallway in a spiral structure, I look out the window at the huge tree in the center of the headquarters.
Iria is down there…
“Don’t move!”
“…..”
An unnecessarily loud voice that disturbs my short moment of sentiment stabs my ears.
At the end of the hallway, men in black protective suits are standing in front of me, pointing guns.
“…I’ve saved myself the trouble of having to go find you. Now, what do you think of me?
An enemy of humans? Or a change that must be accepted? Tell me as you please.”
I stretch out my only arm and approach the guns pointed at me.
I can see them backing away as they keep shouting at me to stop.
I chase after them with a faster pace as they retreat.
Before long, bullets were fired from the black holes aimed at me, along with flames,
and the noisy gunshots, acrid gunpowder smell, and the stench of blood and screams echoed in the hallway.
…………………….
…………………….
…………………….
There was no place inside and outside the building, from the first floor to the roof, that was not splattered with blood,
and the lights, which seemed to have been broken by the ricocheting bullets, were flickering with sparks.
This building, which can be said to be the culmination of human wisdom and power accumulated over decades, was destroyed.
In a short time of an hour, it was mercilessly destroyed and collapsed by the existence of me.
“…How fleeting, everything you have built over a lifetime has been destroyed by me.
It has become a meaningless effort. Because you followed an incompetent leader, because you had the wrong ideology,
because you were born as humans. But you are different. You have seized the opportunity that came.”
“……….”
The tree that remains intact even in the ruined laboratory where the inner walls have been destroyed and the glass has been broken.
Humans kneeling in the meadow under the Tree of Hir, which sealed me and my kind.
These humans, numbering about thirty, have sworn allegiance to me.
They are cowards who licked the blood of their kin and swore to betray humans.
But I like them. The purpose of all creatures born into this world is survival.
Humans, who were barbarians in the distant past, were the same. To survive, they bent their pride,
to survive, they parasitized our wisdom and power and tried to prolong their short lives.
“I feel good because everything seems to be going back to the distant past.”
I kick the toolbox that my subordinates have gathered, spitting out a leaking laugh.
Several shovels, axes, and pickaxes fall to the floor as they fall.
“Dig up the roots of the tree, dig up the woman who will be my mate under the roots.”
“Yes, sir!”
An unreasonable order to dig up the roots of this huge tree with only shovels and pickaxes without heavy equipment.
I can’t use heavy equipment because I don’t know what state Iria’s body is in under the roots.
But none of the humans here complained and picked up shovels one by one,
silently began to dig the ground. To be so servile. It’s not even funny anymore.
I sit on the box that contained the tools, using it as a chair, and touch the throbbing wound,
and the scouts who went to catch the chairman who founded this Research Society and the remaining executives returned.
As soon as they returned, three men put down their weapons and knelt before me.
“W-We’re back. Your Majesty…! We searched the entire island to find the chairman and executives as you ordered, but…
They seemed to have noticed something strange and have already left the island. One airship has disappeared from the hangar…”
“They ran away. Those old geezers knew about our existence in the fruit.
I was going to hold them accountable for hiding Iria’s body and daring to make me take a fruitless step.”
…Well, it doesn’t matter. In any case, the world will be in my hands soon.
If that happens, it will be in the palm of my hand no matter where those old men run away to.
“…You’ve worked hard. Now you dig the ground with them.”
“…Yes, I understand.”
The three men bow their heads to me once again, then get up from their seats and pick up shovels.
They take off their heavy protective gear and run to their subordinates who are already digging the ground, and-
‘Warning, warning! All personnel on alert, one unidentified aircraft is approaching at high speed!’
“What…? What is this sound!”
The loud siren starts ringing and the humans are panicking.
‘One unidentified life response in the unidentified aircraft, respond immediately.’
The sound of artillery fire begins to be heard, and the Research Society building begins to shake.
I approach a researcher who is just turning his head in confusion and grab his collar.
“I asked what’s going on.”
“H-Hik!! I-It’s nothing! Y-Your Majesty doesn’t need to worry about anything!
There are occasional cases of civilian aircraft drifting into this island while drifting!
The automatic turrets will take care of any aircraft not registered with the Research Society, so please rest assured…!”
‘Cannot shoot down, cannot shoot down! The aircraft is about to collide. All personnel prepare for impact…’
With those words, the broadcast was cut off with noise and the humans were buzzing.
And a large shadow quickly passed over the glass ceiling and covered the sun for a moment,
and everyone had no choice but to raise their eyes to the suddenly darkened sky.
When they raised their eyes to the sky, the large shadow had already passed, but
soon after, as warned, the building and the ground began to shake violently with the sound of an explosion.
The humans were just screaming, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the sky.
“…..”
A small shadow that was getting bigger and bigger broke the glass ceiling that was cracked by the impact…
Sparkling glass shards falling like rain in a beautiful flower garden, a huge tree rising in the middle of it.
Passing the leaves, breaking the branches, passing the stem, it came down to this sparkling land where the roots were planted.
Petals and mist made of soil scattering around the shadow.
A disgusting voice was heard behind the smoke made of flowers and soil.
“…Cough, cough! No, why did you plant a tree in the middle of the building?
I got scratched by the branches while falling. What a sense of design…”
“…You… You…!”
“Oh, yeah, nice to see you too. We meet again.”
A man waving his hand to clear the acrid dust and walking out of the flower garden. It was Im Chanwoo.
