The deep hum of Dominion's generator echoed through the heart of the forest.
WHOOOOOM...
Cold blue synthetic energy drifted between the ancient trees like poisonous mist.
Everywhere it touched—
the grass turned black.
Leaves withered.
Tree roots trembled in distress.
It was as if the entire forest was rejecting something that did not belong.
At the center of the clearing—
Ursa Vitalis let out a thunderous roar.
ROOOOOOOAR!
The sound shook the air.
Flocks of birds exploded from the canopy.
The ground trembled beneath everyone's feet.
Bimo covered his ears.
"Seriously..."
"I officially hate this place."
Farhan stared at the readings on his laptop.
"The Dominion generator is triggering an energy conflict!"
Lila pointed toward the massive machine in the distance.
"If we destroy the main generator, the energy interference will stop!"
Sinta didn't hesitate.
"Team!"
"We're splitting into two groups!"
Her eyes swept across everyone's faces.
"Bimo, Dika, Tono—take down the generator!"
"Rani, Nisa, Andra—protect Farhan and Lila!"
"Kai... stay with Arga."
She paused for only a heartbeat.
"I'll clear the path."
No one questioned the order.
Everyone moved instantly.
Bimo charged ahead first.
"My favorite assignment!"
Dika sprinted beside him.
"Less talking. More running."
Tono vanished into the treetops like a shadow.
Across the battlefield, Dominion soldiers raised their energy rifles.
Blue lights flashed.
ZAAAP!
The first shot streaked through the air.
Bimo threw himself to the ground, rolled across the dirt, and jumped back to his feet.
"Hey!"
"Isn't this a little too aggressive for the morning?!"
Dika kicked a broken tree root toward the enemy.
CRASH!
Several Dominion soldiers stumbled backward to avoid it.
Amid the chaos—
Arga remained standing before Ursa Vitalis.
The MBG lunchbox in his hands glowed brilliantly.
The fifteen luminous rice grains slowly revolved inside.
Warm golden light spread from him into the earth.
The blackened grass slowly turned green again.
Withered leaves gently lifted.
Even the cracked ground began to mend.
Ursa Vitalis stared at him.
The giant guardian's golden eyes still burned with fury.
Yet beneath that fury—
Arga felt something else.
Pain.
Not physical pain.
Something much deeper.
A wound.
Kai stood beside him.
"You can feel it too."
Arga nodded quietly.
"He's not angry at us."
His eyes never left the giant guardian.
"He's suffering."
Kai looked toward Dominion's generator.
"The synthetic energy is stabbing the heart of the forest."
The moment Sinta heard that, she shouted from the distance.
"Then destroy it now!"
Ursa Vitalis slowly raised one enormous foreleg.
The ground rumbled.
Bimo glanced back while running.
"If that thing steps down now..."
"I'm retiring."
But the massive paw never came down.
The guardian continued staring at Arga.
As if waiting for an answer.
Arga drew a deep breath.
Then stepped forward.
Sinta spun around.
"Arga! Don't!"
But he kept walking.
With every step, the lunchbox shone even brighter.
His heart pounded.
He was afraid.
Afraid of making the wrong choice.
Afraid of failing.
Afraid that everyone would be hurt because of him.
But even more—
he couldn't bear watching the guardian suffer any longer.
He slowly opened the lunchbox completely.
Golden light burst outward like the first light of dawn.
The fifteen glowing rice grains sparkled like tiny stars.
Arga spoke softly.
"We are not your enemies."
"We came to protect... not to take."
For one brief moment—
the entire forest fell silent.
Ursa Vitalis slowly lowered its raised foreleg.
The light in its eyes dimmed ever so slightly.
The swirling leaves drifted gently back to the forest floor.
Farhan stared at the monitor in disbelief.
"Its energy level... is dropping."
Lila whispered,
"It's calming down."
From atop the Dominion vehicle, the Dominion Commander watched everything without blinking.
Then a faint smile appeared on his face.
"So it's true..."
The man in the black cap turned toward him.
"Sir?"
His eyes remained fixed on Arga.
"The boy can synchronize with a wild Core."
He raised the small device in his hand.
"In that case..."
"...he's far more valuable than the Core itself."
Click.
The main generator roared to life at twice its previous output.
WHOOOOOOOM!!
A massive wave of blue energy swept across the forest.
The newly restored grass withered again.
The ancient trees trembled violently.
The air itself turned ice cold.
Ursa Vitalis cried out in agony.
ROOOOOOOOOOOAR!!
It wasn't just a roar.
It was the scream of a living being being tortured.
Arga froze.
His chest tightened painfully.
"Stop..."
His trembling eyes locked onto Dominion.
"Stop hurting him!"
BOOOOOOM!!
The earth exploded.
Dozens of colossal roots burst from the ground like a living storm.
But this time—
they weren't attacking the team.
The roots slammed into Dominion's armored vehicle.
CRAAASH!
Steel twisted.
Dominion soldiers were hurled through the air.
The man in the black cap dropped to one knee.
Bimo stared in disbelief, breathing heavily.
"...Okay."
"I officially like this bear."
But the main generator was still running.
Still humming.
Still torturing the forest.
At last, Bimo reached the massive machine.
Blue light swirled inside the giant metal chamber.
Dika stopped beside him.
"Now?"
Bimo looked at the machine.
Then toward Arga, who still stood alone before Ursa Vitalis.
For the first time—
his grin disappeared.
"If we fail..."
"...he'll be the one who carries all of it."
He picked up a heavy steel beam lying on the ground.
Gripping it tightly.
Then his familiar grin slowly returned.
"Which is exactly why..."
"...I hate losing."
He raised the steel beam high above his head—
But suddenly—
a hand caught it in midair.
CRACK.
Bimo froze.
The Dominion Commander stood directly before him.
His expression remained calm.
Far too calm.
"You children are remarkably persistent."
His gaze shifted from Bimo to Dika.
"But this generator..."
"...is far too important to destroy."
Behind him—
the generator howled louder than ever.
Ursa Vitalis lifted its head once more.
The entire forest trembled.
Roots erupted from every direction.
Above the canopy, the sky slowly turned gold.
And at that moment—
Arga finally understood.
The forest's choice was far from over.
It had only just begun.