On the sand table.
As the tiny sand figures sacrificed themselves, the tree's roots gradually spread out.
They absorbed the bodies of the fallen little figures, turning them into nutrients to nourish themselves, and eventually, on the branches, more Devil Fruits grew again.
This time, there wasn't just one Devil Fruit, but many.
An astonishing number!
But the Devil Fruits did not immediately fall to the ground like the first one.
After all, from the perspective of "imagination," these little figures now understood how terrifying Devil Fruits were.
They were a powerful force capable of changing the world!
So, after they defeated the one and only Devil Fruit user, they began to fear "Devil Fruits."
They no longer dared to eat such fruits.
As a result, the Devil Fruits remained hanging high on the branches.
And the little sand figures continued to live on the sand table.
After that great battle, the little sand figures began to recover and rebuild. They established villages, cities, and nations…
These little sand figures rapidly built their own civilization on the sand table.
But Judge didn't rush.
Because Rowan's finger, controlling the evolution of the sand table, did not stop, and he knew that humans could never be content with the status quo!
"After a brutal war, people begin to reflect and yearn for a peaceful and stable life."
Rowan said slowly:
"Unfortunately, people often cannot remember history forever, and their desires, fueled by their arrogance and anger, are magnified by Limitless..."
As he spoke, war erupted once more between the nations of the little sand figures.
And this time, the battles between the little figures were no longer fought with stones or spears, but with devastating firearms and cannons!
—Of course, these weapons and firepower were formed from condensed sand.
The wars between these little sand figures lasted only a moment, causing countless casualties.
And these fallen little figures were once again entwined by the tree's roots, becoming nourishment, which then turned into "Devil Fruits" on the branches.
About a few minutes passed, and more and more Devil Fruits grew on the branches, while the war between the little sand figures seemed to be reaching a stalemate.
They were about to stop.
This is a necessary stage for any war; all parties involved are mentally and physically exhausted, unable to fight further.
But suddenly, the large tree, which had been silent, finally stirred.
Countless Devil Fruits, which had been quietly hanging on the branches, now fell one after another!
The rustling sound was like raindrops, and countless Devil Fruits poured into the "world" at the foot of the great tree!
Visibly, the little sand figures were all startled.
But after a brief moment of shock, dozens, even hundreds, of sand figures immediately grabbed a nearby Devil Fruit and swallowed it whole!
In an instant, hundreds of "Devil Fruit users" appeared on the sand table!
These Devil Fruit users led their respective factions, either uniting or fighting...
In short, the war that was on the verge of subsiding erupted once more!
A more intense war broke out on the sand table, and due to the influence of Devil Fruits, its scale and scope far surpassed what came before.
If what was happening on the sand table were to occur in reality, it would undoubtedly be a brutal scene resembling hell on earth!
Countless factions perished, countless nations were destroyed, countless lives were lost…
And those lost lives would turn into nourishment, providing "nutrition" for that great tree.
As time went on, the great tree became more and more prosperous, and the Devil Fruits on it increased, with all sorts of varieties.
The war continued.
Occasionally, Devil Fruit users would be defeated and die.
Their bodies would also be absorbed by the tree's roots.
By this time, the tree's roots had deeply embedded themselves in the sand table—that is, the "earth"—and from the outside, it was impossible to tell how far the tree's roots had spread.
The "nutrients" from Devil Fruit users were clearly far superior to ordinary little sand figures.
After absorbing the bodies of Devil Fruit users, Devil Fruits with the same abilities as the defeated user immediately grew on the branches!
This scene, within reason, revealed an unimaginable strangeness.
It was a depiction that completely fit "nature."
But in reality, humans—or any human-like race—have long since departed from the realm of "nature" since their development from ancient times to the present.
Survival of the fittest? Adapting to the environment?
These words were no longer applicable to "humans."
Medicine could bring vitality back to those gravely ill;
Technology allowed humans to inhabit environments that their bodies were naturally unable to adapt to;
The emergence of martial power allowed humans to contend with wild beasts without falling behind…
All of this was proof of "detachment from nature."
But what was happening on the sand table now was like a reproduction of scenes from the natural world.
Except this time, humans were no longer on the fringes of nature, but had become an integral part of it.
Humans slaughtered each other, creating "nutrients."
Nutrients nourished the "tree," causing the "tree" to bear "Devil Fruits."
"Devil Fruits" provided humans with power, enabling them to continue slaughtering and producing more "nutrients."
All of this seemed to prove one point:
To this "tree," the lives in the world were merely a part of its natural cycle!
And this part was called "nourishment"!
This thought sent a shiver down Judge's spine.
He mumbled, "Humans… are nourishment?"
"No."
Rowan shook his head, then lightly flicked his finger, splitting the sand table in two once more.
This time, Judge's pupils contracted again.
Because he could clearly see that almost all the sand—or the earth—inside the entire sand table was about to be absorbed by the "tree's" roots.
This tree was not only taking life as its nourishment but was also absorbing the entire earth!
"On that wall, there was a saying similar to what you just said, but more accurate."
Rowan smiled and said slowly:
"The world itself—is the nourishment for that tree."
This statement left Judge in silence for a long time.
He didn't know how to respond.
Just half an hour ago, he was still thinking about how to extract benefits from the Aden Kingdom to revive his Germa Kingdom.
Now, Ryan Rowan was telling him something.
Something he could never have imagined hearing today, at this very moment!
After a pause, Judge finally asked:
"What are you going to do?"
Rowan rubbed his chin, his expression still as calm as ever.
He said slowly:
"A tree, no matter how big it grows, is still just a 'tree'."
Rowan's gaze was fixed on the sand table.
"If it takes up too much space, cut it down."
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