[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-born-as-a-witch":3,"chapter-born-as-a-witch-born-as-a-witch-chapter-351":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Born as a Witch",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1702565,2172,"Chapter 351: Is it a new enemy?","born-as-a-witch-chapter-351",351,"\u003Cp>The tunnels narrowed, winding deeper and deeper until the air grew warm and thick with the scent of mineral dust and ancient roots. The light from the amber veins pulsed more steadily now, like the beat of a great heart beneath the soil. Every few steps, faint vibrations shivered through the ground—soft, rhythmic, alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira felt them before she saw them. A whisper of movement in the soil, the scrape of tiny claws, and the low murmur of voices, faint but distinct, as if the earth itself were speaking. She held up a hand to halt the group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They’re close,\" she whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Book glowed faintly, pages turning on their own until one settled open. The drawing on the page shifted—tiny, rounded creatures with glimmering eyes emerging from darkness. The ink pulsed in time with the heartbeat of the earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, from the shadows ahead, the ground stirred. Earth crumbled away, and a small head peeked through—a creature of soil and stone, its body covered in patches of moss and crystals that sparkled like starlight. More shapes followed, dozens of them, their amber eyes bright and curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renkai stepped forward slightly, but Lira raised her hand. \"Let me speak first,\" she murmured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The largest of the Diggers—taller than the rest, with roots woven into its back like a natural cloak—emerged from the wall. Its voice was slow and gravelly, resonating through the cavern like the shifting of stones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Surface-walker,\" it said. \"You walk where few dare. Why have you come to our hollow?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira bowed slightly, keeping her movements calm and respectful. \"Great Earthkin,\" she said softly, \"I am Lira, Guardian of the Grove above. The Great Spirit Tree sent me to find you. The soil above grows weary without your hands. We wish to restore balance—to bring life back to both earth and root.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Digger leader tilted its head, small stones rolling off its shoulders. \"The Grove... we remember it. Once, we tended its roots. But when the hunters came, we fled. Many of our kin vanished into the deep, and some never returned.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira’s heart clenched. \"Hunters?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A ripple of unease passed through the smaller Diggers. Their eyes flickered dimly, and soft murmurs filled the air. The leader’s tone grew heavier, like the weight of mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes. Those who seek what they do not understand. They came from beyond the silver rivers—strangers in metal skins. They captured the glowing ones, the singing roots, the creatures of spark and breath. We hid in the hollow earth, but even here, some were taken. The Heartstone dimmed, and many of our tunnels collapsed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth’s wings trembled faintly, light rippling across the walls. \"So that’s why the surface feels so empty,\" she whispered. \"So many magical beings... gone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thalanir lowered his head, voice quiet. \"The balance of nature was broken by greed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira stepped closer, her hand still on the Book. The pages shimmered faintly, responding to her emotions. \"You’ve suffered,\" she said softly, her voice steady but full of sorrow. \"And yet, you still keep the earth alive. The Grove above thrives because of the memory of your work.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Digger leader blinked slowly, the glow of its eyes dimming, thoughtful. \"We have watched the surface change from afar,\" it said. \"Flames, noise, smoke. Few places remain untouched. Why should we return to a world that hunts what it once praised?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira lifted the Book and held it open. The map glowed again, but this time it showed not paths, but the Grove itself—lush, vibrant, teeming with creatures from all her past journeys. \"Because there is still one place left untouched,\" she said. \"A sanctuary beyond the reach of those hunters. The Grove is sealed by a portal only those chosen by the Great Tree can pass. No enemy can enter. No harm can cross.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cavern fell silent. The Diggers exchanged looks, the sound of soft claws scraping rock echoing faintly. The leader stepped forward until it stood before Lira, the glow of its eyes reflecting in hers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A sanctuary,\" it rumbled. \"We have dreamed of such a place since we fled. But dreams fade. Words are easy to speak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira met its gaze steadily. \"Then don’t take my words. Take proof.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She reached into her pouch and drew out a handful of Grove soil. It shimmered faintly, alive with threads of magic. When she poured it into her palm, green sparks rose from it—tiny fragments of life energy, the same essence that filled the Grove above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Smell it,\" she said softly. \"This soil is pure. No corruption. No steel. It’s waiting for you. If you join us, you’ll not just survive—you’ll thrive again. Together, we can restore the earth and protect every creature who seeks safety.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Digger leader leaned closer. It sniffed the soil, and for a long moment, nothing happened. Then, slowly, the amber glow in its eyes brightened, spreading to the others. A low hum began to rise—a vibration of approval, deep and resonant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Grove remembers us,\" it said at last. \"And you... you carry its truth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira smiled softly, lowering her hand. \"Then come with me. The Great Tree will welcome you home. You’ll have your tunnels again—beneath roots that will never be poisoned, under skies that will never burn.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leader turned, speaking in its own earthy tongue. The smaller Diggers chattered excitedly, their voices blending into a rhythmic, musical hum that seemed to shake the cavern. Pebbles danced on the ground, roots quivered, and the amber veins in the walls flared brighter than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the leader faced her again. \"We will come,\" it said. \"But first, we must awaken the Heartstone. It sleeps, and without it, our strength will fade before we reach your Grove.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then show me where it rests,\" Lira said. \"Together, we’ll awaken it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Digger nodded and turned toward a tunnel deeper still, its walls glowing softly with the pulse of amber light. \"Follow me, Grove Guardian. Let the earth test your promise.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they descended, the warmth grew intense, and faint songs echoed through the stones—ancient melodies hummed by those long gone. The tunnel widened into a vast cavern, its center dominated by a massive crystal embedded in the earth. It pulsed faintly, like the slowing heartbeat of a sleeping giant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Heartstone,\" whispered Renkai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Digger leader approached it reverently. \"Once it sang with us. Now it slumbers. But if you are true, Surface-walker, it will know you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira stepped forward, the Book glowing in her arms. She placed her palm on the Heartstone. For an instant, there was silence—then warmth surged through her arm, spreading through her entire body. Images flashed in her mind—forests blooming, roots intertwining, creatures dancing in harmony. The sound of the earth’s laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crystal’s glow flared to life, bright and golden, illuminating the entire cavern. The Diggers gasped, their eyes reflecting the light. The leader bowed deeply. \"The earth accepts you,\" it said. \"We will follow you home.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira smiled, her heart swelling with relief and gratitude. \"Then let’s return,\" she said. \"To the Grove, where safety waits—and where together, we’ll build something beautiful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Diggers began to move, hundreds of them, their soft hums echoing like distant thunder. The tunnels filled with golden light, and the earth itself seemed to breathe again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they made their way back toward the surface, Lira looked down at the Book. On its open page, new drawings appeared—tiny figures digging and planting beneath vast roots, filling the Grove’s soil with new life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Great Tree’s voice reached her faintly through the wind, calm and proud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’ve done well, Lira. The first threads of the deeper harmony are woven. The earth below now beats in rhythm with the life above.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And for the first time since she began her journey, Lira felt the Grove not just beneath her feet, but within her very heartbeat—alive, protected, and growing stronger than ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira’s hand lingered on the soil long after the diggers disappeared into the earth. The soft hum of their tunnels vibrated beneath her fingers, like a secret heartbeat returning to life after ages of silence. She rose slowly, her eyes tracing the faint mist that hung over the hollowed meadow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renkai crouched beside a burrow entrance, running his fingers through the loose dirt. \"They were afraid,\" he said quietly. \"Every mark here speaks of panic. They didn’t just hide—they fled.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thalanir nodded, his silver hair glinting faintly under the filtered light. \"I’ve seen this before,\" he murmured. \"In the northern ranges. Someone—or something—has been hunting magical creatures. Many vanished entirely. The old paths are empty now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cold wind whispered through the grasses, carrying with it a scent of ash and metal, faint but undeniable. Lira felt a tremor run through her chest. \"So it’s true,\" she said softly. \"The disappearances weren’t just stories.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth’s wings fluttered behind her as she descended from a branch above, her expression dark. \"It’s been happening for years,\" she said, voice low. \"Poachers, collectors, corrupted mages—each chasing fragments of power they barely understand. Some creatures turned feral trying to survive. Others... didn’t.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira looked around at her companions, their faces illuminated by the muted glow of the Grove’s distant aura still shimmering faintly behind them through the portal. The thought of those frightened beings, scattered and hunted, struck her deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the weight of every mission the Giant Tree had given her. Every creature she had saved, every seed she had planted, every realm she had crossed—it all came down to this truth. Balance was fragile. The world was unraveling in places unseen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she opened her eyes again, her gaze was steady. \"If there truly is an enemy hunting them,\" she said slowly, \"then it’s not enough that we build the Grove as a sanctuary. We must protect them—all of them. Even the ones who haven’t found their way to safety yet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renkai rose to stand beside her, his jaw firm. \"You mean to go after the hunters.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I mean to stop the fear,\" Lira replied. Her voice was quiet but unwavering. \"The creatures hide because they have no one to defend them. The Grove must be more than a refuge—it must become a shield. A living promise that they are not alone anymore.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth tilted her head, her iridescent eyes narrowing thoughtfully. \"A shield made of life itself,\" she murmured. \"That would take immense energy, and unity among all the races you’ve gathered.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira nodded. \"That’s why we must continue uniting them. The diggers can rebuild the soil beneath the Grove. The Sylphis can renew the winds. The Salamanders guard the forges. The Turtle-Kin stabilize the waters. Every being has a role—and together, they create harmony strong enough to repel any corruption.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thalanir smiled faintly, the weight of admiration in his eyes. \"You sound like the Tree,\" he said. \"Always speaking of balance, never just survival.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira’s lips curved softly. \"Maybe I finally understand what it’s been trying to teach me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A quiet moment followed. The breeze stirred the grass, whispering like faint voices from a forgotten past. Somewhere deep underground, the diggers rumbled, reshaping the soil, sending out signals of cautious trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renkai adjusted his satchel and glanced toward the horizon. \"If hunters are near, we should track their signs before they reach the Grove’s borders.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We will,\" Lira said, turning back toward the portal. \"But not out of vengeance. Out of protection. We guard the balance—not by destroying, but by guiding what still lives.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1919,"2026-06-06T14:30:21.781Z",1,"novelbin.me","e2817e2fa42f58cd7420c5651a8b11954a4318afca51763ca64a516455135994","born-as-a-witch-chapter-116","born-as-a-witch-chapter-115",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fborn-as-a-witch-cover.jpg"]