Wasteland: I Awakened A Plant System - Chapter 253: I Will Handle It (GT Bonus)

A huge thank you to Aldiir_Di_Oz, reeper_19, haifuri, and David_Lewis_4670 for the Golden Tickets! Your support truly means a lot and keeps me motivated to continue writing and improving the story.

After accepting the mission, Team 11 left the Hunter Office Building together. The atmosphere was noticeably lighter than before, especially after seeing Vikram personally choose a mission for the first time in years.

Rohit walked downstairs with an amused expression. “This feels really strange. I still can’t believe Vikram was the one rushing us to leave early.”

James laughed loudly beside him. “At this rate, tomorrow he might even volunteer for overtime missions.”

“Impossible,” Ayesha replied dramatically. “The world would collapse before that happens.”

The entire group burst into laughter again. Even Vikram shook his head helplessly. However, unlike before, the teasing no longer carried any mockery. It was filled with obvious relief. Everyone in Team 11 could feel it, Vikram was truly changing.

Soon, they arrived at the underground vehicle garage beneath the Hunter Headquarters. Rows of heavily modified combat vehicles filled the enormous space. Some resembled armored jeeps, others military transport trucks, and a few were specialized Vampire-hunting vehicles reinforced with silver alloy plating and ultraviolet weapon systems.

Team 11 had their own dedicated squad vehicles. Raghav casually tossed a key into the air and caught it.

“Same setup as usual?” he asked.

Isha nodded. “Males in the front vehicle, females in the rear one.”

Everyone moved to their familiar positions naturally.

In the first armored jeep sat Rohit, Vikrant, James, Raghav, Deepak, Imran, and Arjun.

In the second armored vehicle rode Sana, Kavya, Neha, Pooja, Ayesha, Bushra, Isha, and Vikram. Vikram always sat with Isha. Since he used to sleep through most missions in the past, no one ever objected.

The engines roared to life with a deep “Vrooom—”

The heavy vehicles exited the underground garage and sped toward the outer highways beyond Cameron City.

Along the way, the team chatted casually. At one point, Neha glanced toward Vikram while driving.

“You know… this might actually be the first mission you personally initiated.”

Pooja nodded seriously. “Not only initiated—you even want to finish it the same day. That’s honestly terrifying.”

Isha quietly glanced at Vikram as well. They were right. The old Vikram would have avoided missions, delayed preparations, or tried to sleep during the journey.

Yet today, he was the one setting the pace.

Vikram simply leaned against the window and replied calmly, “People change.”

The others exchanged glances and laughed again.

Soon, the massive walls of Cameron City disappeared behind them. The surroundings transformed into abandoned highways, ruined villages, and dark forests reclaimed by nature. Destroyed buildings along the road still bore dried bloodstains and claw marks from past Vampire attacks. Occasionally, they passed frightened civilian caravans trying to relocate to safer districts.

After nearly two hours of travel, the vehicles slowed down.

Greyford Village lay ahead.

The village was deathly quiet. Too quiet. The wooden houses were old and damaged, and most windows remained tightly shut even though it was still daytime. The heavy atmosphere of fear was palpable.

Even before entering, Team 11 could sense how deeply oppressed the villagers had become under the Vampire’s rule.

The vehicles stopped near the village entrance. Isha stepped out first, her expression turning serious once more.

“Alright. Everyone prepares properly.”

She then began calmly assigning positions and responsibilities for the operation.

Isha quickly began assigning responsibilities as usual.

“Rohit, scout the outer perimeter first. Check for any hidden Vampire servants nearby.”

Rohit nodded seriously and prepared to move out.

However, before he could take a step, Vikram spoke up.

“No need.”

The team members paused, turning toward him in surprise.

“I’ll handle this mission,” Vikram said calmly.

Several team members looked shocked. Even Isha frowned slightly, clear worry evident in her voice.

“You?”

After all, despite the changes Vikram had shown today, his actual combat experience remained almost nonexistent in everyone’s memory.

Vikram slowly closed his eyes. This was also his first time properly using the Summoning Ability of this world.

The moment he activated it, his consciousness sank into darkness. Then, a completely different realm appeared before him, an enormous space overflowing with a vibrant life aura.

Massive ancient trees stretched endlessly toward the sky. Countless glowing vines spread throughout the area like living rivers. Within this mystical realm stood his Plant Entities.

The Guardian Druid sat quietly beneath a giant tree, sharpening its shield. Warry practiced blade swings nearby. Stormy floated restlessly, sparks of lightning dancing around him. The Ice Mage Sprout meditated atop a frozen crystal platform. Archy and Ranzy perched high among enormous branches like silent snipers. And deeper within the shadows, a pair of glowing eyes slowly opened, the Assassin Druid.

The moment Vikram’s consciousness appeared, every Plant Entity turned toward him and lowered their heads respectfully.

At that moment, Vikram understood. This space was their home, their resting place, and the core world connected to his summoning ability.

Without hesitation, he looked toward the Assassin Druid.

“You’re coming with me.”

The Assassin Druid stood up silently. Dark green light suddenly erupted throughout the space. In the next moment, the real world distorted slightly beside Vikram as countless vine particles gathered and condensed into a humanoid figure.

The surrounding team members widened their eyes. This was the first time they had ever properly witnessed Vikram summon one of his contracted beings.

The Assassin Druid emerged fully from the summoning light. Its dark vine armor reflected faint moonlight, with twin leaf blades strapped behind its waist. Its movements were unnaturally silent. Even while standing nearby, many felt they could lose sight of it if they blinked.

Kavya muttered quietly, “So this is one of Vikram’s summons…”

Even James looked slightly serious. The aura emitted by the Assassin Druid was clearly not weak.

Isha gazed at Vikram with concern. “You really want to do this?”

Vikram nodded calmly. He then turned to the Assassin Druid and commanded, “Shade. Go clear the mission and bring back Oswald’s head. We’ll finish this operation tonight.”

Hearing the order, the Assassin Druid placed one fist against its chest and saluted respectfully.

“Vik. I will complete it.”

The next moment, its body blurred and vanished completely into the darkness.

Several team members immediately grew worried.

“Wait… you’re sending it alone?” Rohit frowned.

“What if the Vampire has hidden servants nearby?” Sana asked anxiously.

However, Vikram remained strangely calm. At that moment, he realized something incredible.

Through his connection with Shade, he could directly see everything the Assassin Druid saw. It felt almost exactly like watching a movie through another person’s eyes.

The village streets blurred through Shade’s vision as the Assassin Druid advanced silently across the rooftops.

Vikram found the sensation strangely fascinating. A new idea suddenly sparked in his mind. He turned toward Isha.

“Wifey, can you create something that lets everyone else see what Shade is seeing?”

Isha blinked once before nodding casually. “For me, that’s simple.”

Silver light gathered in her palm. In the next moment, a small floating drone-like device materialized before the team. It featured multiple tiny lenses, silent flight capability, and advanced stealth camouflage.

As soon as it appeared, the drone gradually turned invisible and shot off toward Shade’s location. At the same time, a holographic screen materialized in front of Team 11, allowing the entire group to clearly watch the Assassin Druid’s infiltration of Greyford Village.

The holographic screen floated silently before them. Everyone’s eyes were locked onto the live feed.

The dark streets of Greyford Village appeared one by one. The village was deathly silent. Every house had its doors and windows tightly shut. Not even a dog barked. The entire place was wrapped in a suffocating blanket of fear.

Meanwhile, Shade moved like a ghost across the rooftops, no footsteps, no breathing, no detectable presence. He blended perfectly into the night.

Even James, with his enhanced vision, narrowed his eyes. “If I saw that thing at night, I’d probably think I’d encountered a monster.”

Rohit nodded silently in agreement. Even while watching through the drone, they occasionally lost sight of Shade whenever he slipped into deeper shadows.

Suddenly, the Assassin Druid stopped atop a weathered church tower. Its head tilted downward.

Through his connection, Vikram instantly sensed it.

Blood.

Several concentrated blood signatures lingered beneath the village.

“Underground?” Vikram murmured.

The moment he spoke, Shade moved again. Activating Silent Step, the Assassin Druid’s body merged with the darkness as it descended from the rooftop. Without making the slightest sound, it slipped into a narrow alleyway beside the church.

The drone followed closely behind.

Soon, an old hidden cellar entrance appeared beneath broken wooden planks, its edges stained with dried blood.

Sana’s expression darkened instantly. “Those bastards…”

Shade quietly touched down. He activated Predator Instinct.

In an instant, the Assassin Druid analyzed everything around him, movement traces, lingering scents, recent footsteps, and potential hidden threats.

Suddenly, two human figures emerged from the darkness below. They were armed villagers, or more accurately, human servants controlled by vampire.

One whispered nervously, “Tonight the lord wants fresh blood again…”

The second man looked pale. “We already sent two girls yesterday… What if the village runs out?”

“Then your family can replace them,” a cold voice echoed from deeper underground.

The two men trembled instantly. The Vampire was close.

At that moment, Shade moved.

Shadow Dash.

The holographic screen blurred for a split second.

“Swish!”

Before either servant could react, green leaf blades flashed through the darkness. Both men collapsed silently, unconscious, not dead. Vikram had not ordered unnecessary killing.

The Team 11 members watched with serious expressions. Shade’s movements were flawless, efficient, ruthless, and precise. Every strike was calculated, with zero wasted motion.

Shade continued advancing deeper underground. The narrow cellar gradually opened into a hidden chamber, and there they finally saw him.

Oswald Cobblepot.

The low-level Vampire sat arrogantly on a grotesque throne made of piled furniture and bones. A nude woman lay lifeless across his lap, two puncture wounds visible on her neck. Several other terrified young women remained chained nearby, waiting for their turn. Fresh blood stained Oswald’s mouth and clothes. In one hand, he casually held a wine glass filled with blood.

The moment Team 11 saw the horrific scene, the atmosphere around them turned ice-cold. Pooja’s eyes burned with fury as flames unconsciously flickered around her fingers.

Oswald remained oblivious that death had already entered the room. He lazily ordered a nearby servant, “Bring tonight’s girls soon. My patience is limited.”

Before the servant could respond, a cold shadow appeared behind him.

“Swish!”

The servant’s throat was sliced open. Blood sprayed across the walls.

Oswald’s pupils contracted. “What—?!”

He shot to his feet, but it was already too late.

Vine Execution Bind.

Dark, razor-edged vines erupted from the floor, wrapping around his limbs and violently slamming him against the wall.

“ARGH—!”

Oswald roared in fury and struggled wildly, but Shade gave him no chance.

Leaf Blade Strike.

Multiple green flashes filled the underground chamber.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Oswald’s body was sliced repeatedly before he could transform. One arm flew off. His shoulder split open. Then his chest.

The chained girls watched in stunned silence as the monster who had tormented them for months was completely overpowered.

Desperately, Oswald tried to escape using his Vampire speed.

Too slow.

Shade had already appeared behind him.

Fatal Bloom Strike.

For a brief moment, everything fell silent.

Then, a clean green slash passed across the Vampire’s neck.

“Splat.”

Oswald Cobblepot’s head flew into the air. His headless body collapsed heavily onto the blood-soaked ground.

The underground chamber gradually fell silent. Only the heavy, metallic scent of blood lingered in the air.

Shade stood calmly amidst the carnage, showing no emotion. Its vine blades retracted smoothly into its arms as it held Oswald Cobblepot’s severed head tightly in one hand.

The terrified girls chained nearby remained frozen at first, their minds struggling to process what had just happened. For months, the Vampire had ruled their lives like a living nightmare.

Yet now, that same monster had died so quickly that their minds could barely process it.