CHAPTER 21. TREE MONSTER

Diego felt uncertainty wash over him, adrift in the mysterious vortex that had kidnapped him. Amidst the merciless darkness, he felt helpless, but his situation changed when a bright ray of light pierced the darkness. At that moment, his body touched something hard, shattering his uncertainty.

As his eyes adjusted to the light, Diego realized that he was in a place that was completely foreign to him. The arid, dry land stretched out without any sign of life. The silent and soundless nature made him feel like he was lost outside of time and space.

In the hollow silence, Diego tried to understand how he had gotten to this place. Was this a new dimension or just an illusion created by the mysterious vortex? These questions haunted his mind, making him even more curious about the secrets of this mysterious place.

Cautiously, Diego began to explore this unknown land, trying to look for clues or signs of life. The unforgiving sunlight shone down on his steps, creating eerie shadows on the barren land. His mission of exploration had begun, and the adventure in this strange place presented challenges he had never experienced before.

"What is this place?" muttered Diego, his eyes roaming over the landscape. The eerie silence made him feel a growing sense of uncertainty. However, his gaze suddenly focused on a mysterious movement not far away.

Meanwhile, Jarwo, who also seemed to be trapped in this place, was struggling to get up. Diego, with a surge of courage, decided to approach Jarwo who seemed calmer than before. "Hey! Where are you taking me? Can't we have a fair fight?" Diego asked in an irritated tone but tried to remain calm in this mysterious situation.

Instead of raging, Jarwo just gave a puzzled look. "Don't make accusations, I don't know what this place is either. I think we're both stuck here because of that black hole," Jarwo said, his expression reflecting the same sense of wonder and confusion that Diego was feeling. Still, Diego couldn't believe what the man was saying.

"You think I'm going to believe what a thieving demon like you says?" Diego turned around, away from Jarwo, his expression full of doubt and disbelief.

"Don't talk nonsense! I'm only borrowing this man's body temporarily, just to finish off that woman's family." Diego, who was already walking far ahead, returned to Jarwo at lightning speed, lunging at the red-eyed man.

"Who told you to do such a heinous deed? Tell me!" Diego's temper peaked with a ready-to-fight attitude.

"No one. It was all a personal vendetta."

"Impossible. You must be hiding your employer's identity," Diego said irritably, choosing to contain his anger as he walked away from the man.

Jarwo, unfazed, replied, "I don't care if you don't believe what I say. However, I am on a mission to destroy you! Just not this time." He walked after Diego, carrying a mysterious aura that further muddied the waters.

As the two traveled on, they continued to observe their surroundings. The atmosphere of the place was made even more confusing by the sound of the wind passing by endlessly and the mysterious rumbling of unexplained origin. The sharp sunlight only exposed the barren ground, creating an unfathomable sense of emptiness.

Diego, haunted by uncertainty and curiosity, began shouting repeatedly, "Is there anyone here?" He hoped to meet the inhabitants of this place, but only silence answered him. Hunger began to torment his stomach, and his hopes were momentarily dashed when he saw a large dead tree.

"What the hell is this? I'm back to where I was. Damn it!" Diego cursed, venting his frustration by kicking the large tree in front of him repeatedly.

However, the scene changed abruptly when the ground shook like an earthquake, and the huge dead tree began to move like a living monster. Diego immediately stopped his actions, his eyes rounding as he realized the tree was ready to deliver an aggressive attack.

"Sorry, I didn't know you were alive!" Diego exclaimed as he ran away, facing an unexpected threat in this mysterious place.

Even Jarwo, who didn't know any better, was targeted by the tree monster. His body was thrown backward by an unexpectedly powerful blow. Diego whimpered as he saw his rival slammed deep into the ground, sorry for his unavoidable misfortune. "That must have been painful," Diego muttered, cursing the ferocity of the monster before him.

Quickly, Diego realized that he had to run to avoid the same fate as Jarwo. Carefully choosing his route, he ran through the arid land that reflected the sun's heat. His every step was full of tension, realizing that danger could come his way at any moment.

However, after a while of running, Diego realized that there was nowhere to hide. With burning determination, he decided to face the tree monster's ferocity. "Never mind, I'm getting tired of running. It's better to fight," he said bravely. The man pulled out his sharp claws, deciding to dismember every part of the tree monster that confronted him.

The fight was inevitable. Diego and the tree monster both engaged in a fierce battle. However, as time passed, the imbalance became more and more apparent. Diego was frustrated at not being able to hurt the tree monster, its skin too strong for his sharp claws to penetrate. He had to devise a new strategy to overcome this growing threat.

Suddenly, Diego heard the sound of something bumping into each other, producing a loud clank. He was surprised to see the reaction of the ferocious monster before him, which was suddenly frozen, motionless as before. The sound grew closer, and Diego quickly realized its origin. It was Jarwo banging on two rocks, creating a disconcerting sound.

Diego smiled sarcastically, figuring the man must know the place well. "What are you doing, Jarwo?" he asked in mock surprise.

"Go back to your place right now!" ordered Jarwo seriously, ignoring Diego's question. The living tree obeyed Jarwo's command and walked back to where it had been. Diego was even more dumbfounded and he shook his head while clapping his hands very loudly.

"You managed to make that monster into an obedient child. You must know this place." Diego looked suspiciously at Jarwo. "Are you planning to live with me in this place? Or have you fallen in love with me?" Diego continued to pester the man for information. Only Jarwo seemed even more unfazed, eroding Diego's patience. He grabbed the man by the collar as he cursed.

"Hey, asshole! Tell me how to get out of this place before I don't care about the safety of the body you're wearing." The argument was interrupted by the arrival of a bigger threat, causing the sound of stomping feet that could shake the ground.