The branches grew out to both sides, without piercing the sails or obstructing the areas where the sails moved.
Green leaves began to grow around the mast, encircling it.
A natural tree canopy formed at the center of the deck. Then, under Julia's guidance, the great tree stopped growing upward, instead spreading its roots down along the entire ship.
The roots wrapped all the way around the keel, firmly binding and protecting it, safeguarding the core framework of the ship, even merging into it.
Some branches even pushed through to the bottom of the ship, but immediately closed over the holes they made, growing outward as they sealed them.
The tendril-like roots began spreading from the center to the periphery, resembling blood vessels.
On these branches small, tender buds sprouted, which would become carnivorous plants under the ship.
In addition to clearing grime and parasites from the hull, these plants would also catch small fish swimming beneath the ship.
