The scene falls dead silent. The plants stare at Ygg in disbelief, convinced it’s lost its mind.

  "Boss, even if you’re a level 10 deity now, taking down the Níemogr nest is still impossible, right?"

  "Yeah, I heard the strongest Níemogr leader in this nest is level 12—and it’s got tons of minions!"

  "Boss, you snuck in here—run before they catch you!"

  "Why run? I say the boss should just surrender to them. Honestly, the Níemogrs aren’t that bad…" The plants chatter noisily among themselves.

  "You braggart—how could you be the plant king? I’m the best fit for it!" The star tree jumps in again, its soul orb swelling with newfound confidence.

  Ygg’s had enough. Its branches shake, unleashing waves of soul shockwaves that slam into the star tree. With its strength far beyond what it once was, the barrage overwhelms the star tree instantly, leaving it shrieking in pain after just a few hits.

  "Stop, stop! I don’t want to be plant king—it was just a joke, boss, forgive me!" The star tree caves fast, begging for mercy and backtracking completely.

  Are all plant deities this spineless? Oliver can’t help but snicker from the sidelines.

  "Heh, I’ve been dying to see this jerk get what’s coming to it—great job, boss!"

  "Should’ve beat it harder—that clown thinks it can be plant king?"

  "Ygg’s gotten so badass!" The plants pivot to praising Ygg, and man, can they kiss up when they want to.

  But amid the flattery, they’re still worried. "Boss, are you really going to… destroy this giant nest? You’re strong now, but that’s gotta be impossible, right?"

  "Boss, maybe you should just leave. If the Níemogr leader spots you, it’ll be bad news."

  "Those Níemogrs have always wanted to eat you. If they catch you, you might not get to live in the nest like us."

  "Yeah, get out of here quick!" The plants rustle their roots, urging it on.

  They just can’t believe Ygg could take down this massive Níemogr nest. And honestly, their sharp senses tell them Ygg alone isn’t a match for the countless Níemogrs here.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  But Ygg isn’t alone anymore. "Hmph, I knew you wouldn’t believe me. Truth is, I’m not the one destroying this nest—it’s my master, the great Oliver Stark!" Ygg declares with pride.

  "Oliver Stark? What’s that? Weird name—it doesn’t even sound like a primal rune…"

  "Boss, you—you—you’ve got a master now?!"

  "How strong is this Oliver guy to be Ygg’s master?" The plants reel again, stunned into silence before erupting into a frenzy of chatter.

  Having lived with Ygg for eons, they know how arrogant and proud it is as the plant king. This is a being destined to grow into a colossus that could prop up the entire chaotic universe! With potential like that, it outclasses 99% of deities in the chaos—plant or animal alike!

  So how could this Ygg become someone’s servant? It’s unthinkable!

  Right then, as the plants grapple with shock and confusion, a shadowy soul figure slowly materializes before them. It’s a giant serpent, soul-formed—shrunken down, sure, but still radiating an ancient, majestic vibe!

  "Level 11 deity… no, not a normal level 11… such a powerful soul!" The star tree’s the first to blurt it out, floored.

  Oliver’s soul has always been his strongest trait, and in this soul state, its power shines unmasked. He’s level 11, but his soul strength? It’s safe to say it tops many level 12s—maybe even level 13s!

  "Boss, what—what’s going on here?" The sakura tree can’t hold back its question.

  Sure, this giant snake Oliver seems strong, but Ygg’s potential is limitless. It’s the plant king—how could it serve an animal deity? This… this… No matter how they spin it, the plants struggle to swallow it.

  "You guys have no idea how strong my master is," Ygg says, branches swaying as it gazes at them with smug pride. "Primal runes—heard of ‘em? My master knows 144,000 kinds and has mastered over 100 already. He just grasped top-tier ones like life and death—and that’s only the start. His growth potential blows mine out of the water!"

  144,000 primal runes?! Growth potential surpassing Ygg? And he’s recently mastered life and death—top-tier primal runes? Each bombshell leaves the plants reeling!

  This serpent’s way stronger than they ever imagined! Ygg smirks, loving their awestruck looks. It’s back as king, here to make its old crew bow—and showing off its side’s power is the way to do it. Its master’s strength is more than enough to blow their minds.

  But just as Ygg’s basking in the moment, the ground suddenly quakes hard. The plants freeze, then scramble to sense with their roots. Soon, they’re screaming.

  "The Níemogrs are swarming out—they must’ve spotted some powerful enemy!"

  "So many Níemogrs—thousands, tens of thousands—pouring out like a tidal wave!"

  "What’s happening? Did some enemy show up?" The plants are totally lost.

  "They’ve probably noticed our real bodies outside the nest," Oliver says calmly.

  After killing heaps of Níemogrs before, Oliver’s been marked by them. Showing up outside their nest—even with stealth—meant they’d catch on eventually.

  "Master, what do we do?" Ygg asks, urgent.

  "No big deal. We’ll return to our bodies and smash this nest to bits." Oliver tosses it out casually, a hint of excitement in his tone, even a flicker of anticipation for the slaughter ahead.

  Sneaking in soul-form gave him key intel: the Níemogr leader here’s just level 12. That’s all he needs to know. He’s level 11, sure, but a level 12 deity? No match for him.

  Next up, he’s tearing this nest apart and teaching those Níemogrs a lesson they won’t forget!