Chapter 407 – The Final Battle (2)

A succession of heartbeats echoed in Zodiac’s ears like lightning.

– Thump, thump. Thump, thump.

A connection barely found. Love.
How could she let it slip away here?

Yellow sunlight seeped into Zodiac’s eyes.
The Black Dragon robe draped over her body sagged in the air, ill-fitting in size. As a result, Zodiac’s hands and feet were concealed from view.

[…….]

White Peach remained silent. Heaven, too, handed over control of her body wordlessly.

Now, with the entire world pointing fingers at just one man.
Zodiac was the only one who could find the missing Lee Si-heon.

‘…Frozen.’

She couldn’t have gone far.
Though their coordinates had twisted and transported them to different locations, there was no one in this world who could surpass Zodiac in spatial magic.

Zodiac’s eyes, filled with heightened magical energy, emitted a sorrowful light.

Why.
Had she been so utterly desperate?

The traces of anguish and torment etched on his face were beyond the comprehension of the ever-optimistic Zodiac.
Recently, after witnessing Lee Si-heon’s spirit shattering, she had steeled her resolve.

“…Why.”

Anger seeped into each quiet word.

“…”

– Kwa-ga-gang!

A thunderclap boomed, rattling the entire city.
Yellow lightning struck, circling Zodiac’s surroundings.

Hailstones pelted down from the sky, accompanied by the sound of rain and a torrential downpour.
Once more, lightning.

– Thud!

The diagonal streak of thunder’s light enveloped Zodiac’s damp face like a spotlight.
The contrast between her pale skin and the shadows alongside her nose intensified. Her vibrant eyes fixed on one point.

– Tuk, tu-dook.

Soldiers from beneath the World Tree approached through the falling rain.
Wrinkles creased Zodiac’s face. Gritting her teeth, blood trickled out. Outside her taut muscles, a yellow aura of magical energy slowly surfaced.

[Dao Yuan Resolution]
[Dowon Resolution?]
[We are now siblings in arms. We must somehow defeat the wicked Dakbokdan. I’m counting on you, sister.]
[Yes, right. No, it is! Understood, younger brother! Hehe.]

– Chijijik.

A communication signal echoing from within the embrace.
It was unmistakably the call from Goroshi or Sompi, members of Dowonhyang.
Annoyed, the Zodiac nullified the signal entirely.

The World Trees, who had been closely observing the battle between Mugung and Lee Si-heon, had now pursued them this far.

Hostility from the World Tree due to heresy protection.
The approaching figures formed a siege too intricate to be considered friendly.

“…”

Zodiac took a deep breath to focus.
A small amount of magical power entered with the inhale, spreading throughout the city with the exhale.
Among the approaching church’s forces… Angelica, known as the representative of the World Tree of Justice, was also among them.

A perilous battle loomed.

Hwangdo closed her eyes and concealed her trembling hands within her embrace.

[I like statues…]
[Stop confessing, calm down.]

He had always embraced her with a stoic expression, and before she knew it, he had settled deep within her heart, becoming an indispensable person in her life. Yet, he was a man who was so selfless that he attempted to shoulder some unknown burden, something even he couldn’t fathom.

In a flash of lightning, a hallucination appeared before Hwangdo’s eyes – Lee Si-heon, leaning against the wall of a one-room apartment, his spirit fractured by countless wounds. And then she saw the near-death state of Lee Si-heon she had witnessed today.

She had to find him, even if it meant her own heart would be torn asunder.

– Flash!

Hwangdo’s body vanished from the priests’ sight.

Despite the disarray of the spatial magic’s coordinates, Hwangdo’s form flickered in and out of existence, as if the world itself were her own personal domain.

Those were the ones – the ones who had tormented the person she loved.

“…You bastards.”

Zodiac, who had never uttered a curse before, lost her composure and waved her hand. Her body vanished once more.

-Activate the artifacts!

Dozens, even hundreds of artifacts were activated, and wooden figures all around drew their weapons. Zodiac’s movements defied the concept of speed; instead of moving in lines, she traveled between points, scattering magical energy throughout the city.

-Boom!

It began with a priest’s head bursting open, followed by fountains of blood erupting from the sky.

-Crunch, slurp!

Icy spears, meteorites, and lightning strikes. Wherever Zodiac’s gaze landed, devoid of even a single speck of light, hundreds of magical circles formed. The priests perished before they could even activate their artifacts.

A battle-hardened priest, brimming with confidence, evaded Zodiac’s magic and approached her.

“…Ugh!”

He felt as though his entire body was being crushed. Zodiac’s power, manifested through atmospheric pressure, epitomized the pinnacle of a mage’s abilities.

The priest attempted to swing the sword, but in a flash, Zodiac’s body vanished with a burst of light.

“How is this possible?! Spatial magic should have been sealed…!”

Zodiac, having approached the battle priest from behind, effortlessly floated into the sky without a word or any movement.

The combative utilization of spatial magic.

【 Celestial Sword Array (孔天劍樹) Eight Directions (八方) 】

– Snip!

…Without a trace of onomatopoeia, a solid line etched itself into the fabric of space, and the battle priest’s head was transported elsewhere. The remaining torso, drained of magic, plummeted to the ground.

Zodiac’s cold face stared at the more than one hundred priests, her hands clenched.

The entire world seemed to be stained by her hands.

【 Fire Wind Descent (火風落人) Linked Rings (連環) Materialize (材漆植) 】

Flames ignited, centered around Gangdong in Seoul.

The barrier of immense fire, observable from the entire Chungcheong Province, and the winds began to whirl throughout the city.

“……”

The atmosphere around them instantly grew cold. Even the battle-hardened priests, who had honed their bodies through relentless training, couldn’t help but have their morale crushed in this moment.

Ah, that’s a monster.

A being that combined three bodies into one, a tree that surpassed even the World Tree and the Flower.

– Swoosh.

Zodiac’s pupils turned a fractured shade of purple. A burnt red pattern etched itself beneath her eyes, and the black dragon robe she wore began to glow a deep crimson.

“This can’t be…”

One person who had been watching muttered in disbelief.

Facing numerous adversaries, her face was as pale as that of the dead.

* * * * * * * * * *

Fortune.

Having done so laboriously, it seems to have found light in its own way.

“…”

The place it had fallen appeared to be a national park situated quite a distance away. Given the circumstances, there were no people around, and it felt rather cozy.

Although my body would not obey me, it was sufficient to execute the plan.

“Hello.”

I gazed up at the world with great effort. What met my eyes was a woman with chestnut-colored hair.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. You are the benevolent successor to the king.”

A statement that doesn’t elevate the king, but instead exalts me. I raised an eyebrow.

“…Representative of the World Tree of Prosperity. Angeline.”

“Oh, do you know me? However… it’s slightly different.”

For a representative of a World Tree, her gentle voice and green, resonating eyes were tinged with an air of mystery.

“Of the Five Great World Trees, the one governing prosperity… the World Tree of Prosperity. I have come to make a proposal to you.”

I assessed the situation lightly. In other words, my opponent was an incarnation.

Even as they faced death, pathetic profanities came to mind, likely because they had accepted their demise too quickly.

“To reform the order and use me as a war steed.”
“…Gasp.”
“Sorry, but it’s already too late.”

Azelin seemed taken aback by my words, blinking her eyes rapidly. The World Tree of Prosperity was well-crafted in appearance, making it quite endearing to gaze upon. What I was truly observing was not Azelin, but the World Tree of Prosperity.

I bowed my head. Transparent bodily fluids that should not have seeped out began to escape.

“Incredible…”

If I thought they wouldn’t know, I would be gravely mistaken.

I had considered countless possibilities up until this point. Though I couldn’t bring myself to say it directly, there was no chance of success against the World Tree of Prosperity.

“Even if my master and I were to intervene, there would be no solution. You all would just be wasting time.”
“…You see right through our entire situation.”
“And…”

I spread both of my hands.

Protruding bones and a hand so blackened it could hardly be considered human anymore.

“Do you still desire help after seeing this body of mine?”
“You still have one more chance.”

The World Tree of Prosperity crossed her arms and snorted, as if she already knew what I was thinking.

“What are you talking about?”
“Enough with the act!”

The World Tree of Prosperity grinned slyly, telling me not to pretend ignorance.

“I’ve been observing your actions all along. You’re more of a peace-loving person than you think… Unlike the previous king.”

A mysterious current of air surrounded us. Merely remaining still gave the illusion of a calming presence.

Sprouts emerged from the earth where we sat, even though no seeds had been planted.
I gazed at the World Tree of Prosperity, my eyes wide with astonishment.

She began her own tale.

“…Would you at least hear my proposal?”
“Speak.”

The plan had gone awry, and Sargenti needed to be contacted immediately, but this was not a matter to be taken lightly. The World Tree of Prosperity had been waiting and waiting, and finally seized the right moment.

“If this continues, too many people will die.”

“It’s the outcome you brought about.”

“…I know. The World Tree of Justice doesn’t usually manifest this powerfully… but the issue at hand is quite severe, causing opinions to be extremely polarized.”

The policy intended to pacify humans and the tree folk had failed, and instead, tree-first ideology began to gain ground. Flower absorbed the growing dissatisfaction that came with the rise of extreme elitism.

On one side, there was the anxiety that King Mokryeong’s successor might emerge. And on the other, the fragmentation of humans who faced internal discrimination.

“You claim to be a god.”

“…I feel that there isn’t much difference between you and me.”

“You have a way with words.”

Although the World Tree of Prosperity holds a high degree of respect among the factions, its power is weaker than any other group.

Perhaps it was due to his kind nature, but in my view, he was simply inept. He should have changed as quickly as possible if he had many things in his grasp.

“It’s too late.”

I smirked bitterly.

“From what I can see, you were already so weak that you couldn’t even pray until I appeared.”

A few months ago, I might have accepted that.

“I’m sorry. I’m just too exhausted.”

Helping someone else is something I can’t bring myself to do anymore. My choice has already been narrowed down to one: I can never stand on the side of good and, instead, it’s fitting that I end up being despised.

The World Tree of Prosperity remained silent for a long while. She kept her mouth shut, but after hesitating as if there was more to say, she cautiously spoke up.

“…One more thing. May I make a suggestion?”

“What is it?”

“If I were to bring you to my side, I have other plans in mind.”

Before long, I received another proposal from the World Tree of Prosperity.

This time, it wasn’t an immediate matter.

A considerably distant future from now. A day that would take many times longer than the time that has passed since I arrived in this otherworldly realm.

“…Is that what you truly believe?”
“Yes.”

I closed my eyes and allowed myself a moment of respite.

“Sigh.”

My limbs felt numb and lifeless. I could barely part my lips.
My gaze pierced through the World Tree of Prosperity.

“It seems like a huge gamble. You.”
“I have been a tree born to aid the less fortunate since the very beginning. Hehe.”
“It must have driven you mad, wanting to die.”

Though my current state wasn’t much different.
For years to come.

Right after my reply, Azelin’s eyes dimmed. The green shifted to a deep brown, and soon after, she lowered her head, her cheeks turning red like a bashful person.

“Ah, well… I entrust this to you.”

Is this her true nature?

Occasionally, the World Tree’s proxy can assimilate the World Tree’s persona when needed.

As soon as Azelin hastily greeted me, my body was abruptly flung away.

*Thud!*

And so, I found myself in a different space. Instead of a national park, I landed on the cold cement floor of an alley. I responded to the voice that resounded sharply in my ears.

[Your Majesty? Please respond… What has happened?]
‘My Master intervened, and the coordinates changed. Give me a moment, let me catch my breath… I feel as if I’m about to die.’

As I heard Sargenti’s voice, I regained my consciousness that had nearly slipped away. Somehow, I felt more invigorated than before, likely because the World Tree of Prosperity had shared its life force with me.

It appeared that the repulsive force achieved by using the Seoncheongigi had improved somewhat.

‘The problem is… if I stay like this for just a few minutes, I’ll die.’

[The situation has become dire. Due to your delay, Your Majesty… the report was sent out early.]

The article confirming my death had likely spread worldwide by now. Even if I managed to correct the rumors, the swift emergence of the articles and the netizens’ reactions would ensure that interest wouldn’t wane for some time.

‘Understood,’

Although I hadn’t managed to complete a substitute body, I would have to improvise from now on.

– Ugh!

A panting voice echoed in my mind, the result of a telepathic spell I had used to account for any unforeseen variables.

“Hey, Si-heon Lee,”

Champi urgently called out.

“…Suyu has run away. She’s headed your way.”

There, too, was someone who couldn’t come to terms with our parting.