The World Tree

The child left behind gazed blankly at Oh Si-jin’s retreating figure. Then gradually clenched her lips harder and harder.

The child grabbed her dad’s arm and began dragging him with all her strength.

After taking a few steps and falling down, then taking a few more steps and falling again. Even with scraped knees and a torn forehead, the little one didn’t stop. The surrounding magical powers watched the small child intently.

When the little one fell again, she knelt down and stared vacantly at her dad, who was too heavy for her to move.

After hesitating and fidgeting for a moment, she firmly grasped her dad’s collar. Finally, the little one carried her dad on her back. Though her dad’s knees dragged along the ground, the child groaned and walked forward.

One step.

Heavy.

Another step.

Even heavier.

But the child didn’t give up. More and more magical powers began watching the child.

Then at some moment,

Crack!

With a sound of space warping, the little one and her dad’s bodies vanished. In an instant, they had leaped through space, closing dozens of meters of distance.

The magical powers watching the child cheered and followed behind the little one.

It was the moment she awakened her Gift, [Spatial Leap].

* * *

[[[Hahaha. Yes. Struggle more. I’m curious what kind of magnificent wine you’ll become when I ferment you.]]]

The undulation grew more and more severe. The farther Oh Si-jin advanced, the more the sky melted and the ground evaporated, mixing together until it became increasingly difficult to distinguish front from back, left from right. It was as dizzying as being dead drunk, and he kept seeing hallucinations as if caught in the highest-grade mental magic.

He hadn’t even seen the apostle’s true form, yet he felt like he would be devoured while flailing around alone.

‘As expected, apostles are powerful. But… we’ve been steadily building our strength too.’

Even in the face of overwhelming dread, Oh Si-jin’s forsythia-colored eyes blazed as he recited an incantation.

Before he knew it, a hammer was gripped in his hand. A magical device that copied Baek Jun-woo’s ‘divine hammer.’

“You too must have heard the Divine Wizard’s promise. I also remember. Even if curses gnaw at will and flesh and memories scatter into pieces, they cannot erase our beginning carved into the soul… You may call it a dream or call it lingering attachment. I gather clay to shape a vessel, so please, come again to this place under bright skies. I, here, call upon you according to the covenant the Divine Wizard established.”

Oh Si-jin mixed two incantations. An incantation completed through countless trials and errors at the ‘Magic Origin Research Institute.’ At the end of that long process, he finally swung the hammer.

“Combination spell. <Milky Way Eruption-Opening Heaven>!!”

A blue, water-like light spiraled outward from the hammer.

The world that had been mixing and undulating between ground and sky was swept up in the spiraling water-light.

The apostle’s true form, hidden between dimensions, faintly revealed itself.

The apostle’s true form that even Baek Jun-woo and the strike teams had ultimately failed to locate—Oh Si-jin captured it clearly with his own eyes.

“I’ll have to take back what I said about phlegm. You look much more disgusting.”

It looked like mold growing on old food. It could also be described as mist formed by countless small insects clustering together, or like stains. Such things had gathered to form the shape of a giant.

The situation had reversed.

This time, the apostle couldn’t find Oh Si-jin. Just as Oh Si-jin had failed to find the apostle and fallen into confusion within the infected world, now during the brief time the whirlpool was maintained, the apostle couldn’t find Oh Si-jin and looked around bewildered.

[[[Petty tricks…]]]

Targeting that momentary gap,

Oh Si-jin quickly spat out the memorized incantation he had been saving.

[Traaaanspoortation!]

[[[Grraaahhh!]]]

The Outer God’s apostle frantically tried to block the attack.

But like a lie, nothing happened at all. An awkward silence passed between the apostle and Oh Si-jin. The apostle was so dumbfounded it took a moment before finally asking.

[[[…What did you just do?]]]

Oh Si-jin answered dryly.

“What do you mean, what? I was just collecting some resources from the 9th continent that got messed up from fighting you. Thanks to that, I’ve filled today’s quota.”

[[[Resources… collection? You did something else in front of me while fighting?]]]

“Something else? This is the most important thing.”

From the beginning, Oh Si-jin had completely abandoned the idea of defeating the apostle. What he wanted was to carry out his mission to the very end. To survive as long as possible for that purpose.

[[[How arrogant, creature. Did you think you could face me with such a half-hearted attitude?]]]

“…Don’t misunderstand. I’m satisfied as long as I can maintain supplies.”

[[[Hehehe. Fine. You’re quite good at running around. Will you keep running around like that doing your supply work or whatever? Very well. Then let me show you despair.]]]

Those words ‘let me show you despair’ contained the curse that had killed the ancient gods. The very same curse that had incapacitated most of the strike team.

Oh Si-jin felt the magical power of the magical exoskeleton <Absolute> surrounding him scatter. His realm, which had been positioned at the edge of 7th Step, instantly dropped to 6th Circle. As the connection to Ki-blood embedded in <Absolute> was severed, helplessness flooded his entire body. With the disappearance of the divine senses conveyed by the magical power neural network, he felt stifled as if he had gone blind.

As the magical power scattered, the magical exoskeleton became nothing more than a pile of scrap metal.

‘What a mess.’

Even while inwardly smiling bitterly, Oh Si-jin didn’t give up.

His hands busily moved in and out of his subspace pocket. The masterpiece-level magical devices he had created throughout his life, the parts he had made while researching magical exoskeletons—an endless stream of them came into his grasp.

‘If I don’t have teeth, I’ll have to endure with gums.’

If he consumed all the magical devices he had created in his lifetime, he could probably hold out for a while. It wasn’t comparable to a completed magical exoskeleton, but… he could still produce roughly 7th Step level power. As for this nauseating motion sickness and sense of despair that remained…

‘I’ll endure it with grit.’

“No matter what you do, I won’t stop the supplies.”

From Oh Si-jin’s lips, as his forsythia-colored eyes blazed, still flowed words filled with unwavering conviction—a ‘promise.’

* * *

-Wow~ Transportation arrived again today! Wow! Still plenty! Everyone’s working hard.

“Really?”

It was unexpected.

“There really is a lot…”

I was also surprised after checking the supplies directly. Not only had they arrived on time, but the quantity was actually more than usual.

-Yes! After repairing all the magical exoskeletons that malfunctioned in the last battle, there’s still plenty left over.

What’s going on? Didn’t that apostle we missed attack the rear? Why are there no problems with supplies whatsoever? I was very curious, but I shook my head and dismissed the thoughts.

It’s simply good that supplies continue to flow. That’s all.

“Is the path connected?”

-Yes. We just received a report that the World Tree’s roots have safely anchored in the Great Labyrinth. We still don’t know the intention, though.

“Right. Whatever the intention, if they’ve opened a path for us, we should go.”

-That’s right. Even if it’s a trap, it’s fortunate. Just having this path opened is a blessing.

Nadia chattered excitedly, and Tris, who had appeared at some point with reddened cheeks, chimed in agreement.

“Right, right. It’s fortunate. Really fortunate. Phew… we almost missed this precious thing.”

Looking at Tris giving me a sideways glance, I just smiled wryly and headed outside. Tris followed behind me, chattering away.

A few days ago,

After missing the Outer God’s apostle, we thoroughly searched the devastated Plains of Revelation. We combed through the plateau so meticulously we practically dug it up, but in the end, the tablet was nowhere to be found. This caused quite a significant problem. Not only had the time and resources we’d invested in finding the path to the Academy gone to waste… but securing our next target, the World Tree, had become much more difficult.

Due to the continuing upheaval, the paths inside the Tower of Covenant were twisted beyond recognition. The same went for the gates connecting from outside the tower to inside. No matter how much I read the Akashic Records and manipulated spacetime, finding a path to the tree staircase on the 73rd floor wasn’t easy. If we’d had the tablet containing divine wisdom, things might have been different, but for now, there was no good method.

In that situation, when even the rear where the defense team was stationed became unstable… I couldn’t help but feel rushed. I was half-convinced to give up on the World Tree.

But then, Nadia showed an incomprehensible obsession with the World Tree. Though she was in a position where she had to obey my orders, that was fine… but Tris, who suddenly intervened, was different. Perhaps because she was the one who had provided information about the tablet and World Tree in the first place? She was adamant. No matter how dangerous the rear became, the World Tree was absolutely necessary. She insisted it was worth taking sufficient time to retrieve.

That’s when I had quite a heated argument with her.

“Indeed. Seeing it directly, it really is amazing. The World Tree.”

And now I can fully understand Tris’s feelings.

“They say it uses the Great Labyrinth’s special properties, but… to punch through a gate connecting the 59th and 73rd floors with the power of a mere relic…”

Isn’t this almost divine power?

The World Tree’s roots that suddenly appeared in the Great Labyrinth’s meadow.

Massive tree roots the size of three or four-story buildings intertwined to form a gate. It was the moment when a new path was born in the Great Labyrinth, said to have a thousand branching roads due to its particularly weak dimensional boundaries. Through the oval-shaped door created by the World Tree’s roots, a sea of trees stretched endlessly into the distance. That was the 73rd floor.

Through the door, the trees of the 73rd floor swaying in the wind were clearly visible. Looking down, it was just like watching the ocean with its waves. And the massive tree positioned right in the center of view. The magnificent tree that pierced through the verdant atmosphere and dipped its crown into the dark universe stood there. Thinking that the roots of that enormous tree had pierced through dimensions to reach down here to the 59th floor… this incredible phenomenon became easily comprehensible.

“That’s… the World Tree, right?”

Tower of Covenant 73rd floor, the tree staircase. The druids’ main stronghold.

The final legacy left by the ancient gods, the ultimate weapon, the World Tree. It was spread out right before us.

But nobody knew the reason.

Why had this timely path to the 73rd floor opened? Did the druids have some scheme? Was it the World Tree’s own will? Or perhaps it was a trap set by the Outer God?

Without any explanation, the World Tree had simply extended its roots before us one day.

-Ah, how unfortunate. I’d like to go with you too… but the passage opened by the World Tree’s roots is too small for the floating island to pass through. The dimensional coordinates aren’t stable either, so we’d need to gather information for about four more days before attempting dimensional leap… would that be too difficult?

Nadia looked dejected.

The gate opened by the World Tree wasn’t stable, and the number of people who could pass through the gate was limited. This was another factor that made us suspect a trap, but…

Four days.

For safety’s sake, we might have been able to wait that long. However, we had already made our decision.

We’re pushing forward. Those four days could turn into bitter regret. We were in the middle of that kind of battle.

So fifteen people, including myself, had gathered before the World Tree gate with handbags. It was the number that could safely pass through the gate, and also the minimum number needed to break through with force even if there was a trap.

“Hehe… but now that I’m actually standing in front of it, I’m getting a bit nervous. Divine Wizard. Have you given any thought to the 10th Step? Can you protect us if we face the same kind of curse as last time?”

Even though she was the one who had insisted that the World Tree must be secured even if it meant dying, Tris couldn’t hide her nervousness and tugged tightly at my sleeve. I walked forward with my sleeve still caught, answering her.

“Don’t worry. I won’t lose to anyone.”

The magical powers around us cheered at my confident declaration.

That’s right. This isn’t bravado or bluffing.

As long as the enemy isn’t an Outer God, I won’t lose. Even if an Outer God’s apostle uses the same curse as before, I won’t let them slip away helplessly this time. The path to the 10th Step still felt vague, but… I was steadily accumulating experience as a 9th Step practitioner.

Without a moment’s hesitation, I stepped through the gate. Fourteen mages followed me through the gate.

The solid ground disappeared, and an endless sea of trees spread out below my feet.

“…There’s no gate.”

Lytol muttered.

Looking back, there was indeed only the vast sea of trees stretching endlessly. The 59th floor where we had just been standing was no longer visible.

“…A one-way gate?”

Gates are supposed to be bidirectional by nature… was this indeed a trap?

No, not yet.

I looked straight ahead and called out.

“Hiding after extending an invitation doesn’t seem very polite, does it?”

“My apologies. Such remarkable individuals appeared all at once that I inadvertently went into hiding.”

Rustle—

From seemingly empty air, leaves suddenly scattered. Among the leaves stood a woman in her late thirties with an expressionless face. Like a ghost.

“What, what? All of a sudden?”

The mages murmured anxiously and raised their handbags.

Even Yuria, who possessed the Magic Eye, raised her handbag in shock, apparently not having sensed the woman’s presence.

I reached out to restrain them.

The woman hadn’t suddenly appeared—she had been there all along. Perfectly harmonized with her surroundings so that no one could notice.

At this point, her identity was naturally apparent.

“You’re Forest’s Balance.”

Forest’s Balance. The leader of all druids.

The woman neither confirmed nor denied this, simply staring at me quietly.

But that didn’t matter. A different fact had caught my attention more than her being Forest’s Balance.

‘Interesting.’

Gaia had told me to find her, but I had been troubled about how to do so… Who would have thought I’d encounter her like this?

I struggled to suppress the corners of my mouth from rising and asked.

“But… your hair is white?”

Forest’s Balance had white hair that closely resembled mine and Beatrice’s.