Chapter 508 – The King of Trees (2)

In the heart of a space where light had sunk into a quiet gloom. Jewels embedded in the wall fractured and scattered light like the gleaming scales of a silver fish. In the vast sky of this endless expanse, a realm befittingly called the dwelling of the gods at twilight, a cerulean sun hung suspended.

No mortal could dare lift their head,
let alone utter the sanctity that had been layered over countless millennia.

Beneath this luminary, a dense forest teemed with the vitality of bounding deer. A deity resided there. A rabbit, nose twitching, scurried amongst the foliage, and the brook from which a roe drank held a prismatic rainbow. At the forest’s heart, an immense tree stood tall, confronting the king.

Its girth was such that tens of thousands of arms could not encircle it,
a god of this world.

– Jerbuck.

Into this magnificently radiant space, the king, grimy and clammy, intruded. Before the king stood a knight.

“Dare you encroach upon this sanctuary!”

The knight bellowed. He was a forest guardian, executing menial tasks under the protection of the beings from the World Tree’s realm. The breach in the shattered dimension was not something that could be mended with mere magic.

“You have the audacity to tamper with the rift in dimensions with your insidious ploys!”

The knight bellowed until his voice was hoarse. The king offered no reply. He simply gazed at the tree across from him and spat out a soliloquy.

“I never thought we’d meet again.”

His parched lips trembled slightly. Thin twigs embedded in his body writhed like the antennae of a cockroach. His eyes were devoid of emotion; even quiet rage was absent. It seemed he had accepted that all of this was inevitable, and his acceptance left the knight overwhelmed by his madness-infused demeanor.

“Hmm.”

The king remained slumped in his seat.

“… You don’t even deign to respond.”

The slighted knight stepped forward, his sword clenched in his hand. A veteran warrior who had served the World Tree of Flame and amassed experiences unparalleled by those from lower dimensions. From the knight’s body sprang flames hot enough to melt the earth.

“Alcadin – !!!”

The ground shattered, and lava erupted.

“I swear on the name of Mother Earth and the Holy Mother, I will not let you go unpunished for disregarding the forest guardian who protects the gods.”

Flames roared. The air itself ignited, scorching the lungs. It was a space where breathing was impossible, yet the king remained unmoved.

“How long can you hold your breath? One minute? Two minutes? Your fate was sealed the moment you chose to flee here, to escape the ordeal that emerged from the tower.”

“……”

The flames clung to the rags, melting away the king’s garments. The scalding lava bubbled at his feet, adhering to his entire skin, dissolving his armor. Despite his skin being exposed, the king remained still. His gaze fixed on the World Tree, his expression unchanging.

– Roar!!

The tree’s bark peeled back, revealing a body devoid of skin. It was riddled with festering yellow wounds, a body thoroughly scarred.

A human form so ravaged, it was barely discernible even by its scars, could no longer be considered human.

The knight, Alcadin, scowled at the peculiar shape.

“…You, you’ve taken the body of a God.”

Its structure bore a striking resemblance to the jade body of the World Tree. While it retained a superficial likeness to a human, it was undeniably different. Its body was hollow. The function of its organs had ceased, leaving only the solitary, darkened heart to throb in solitude.

To a faithful apostle, this body was more sacrilegious than any heretical aberration in the world.

“This – !!!!!!”

A voice that could echo through the forest emanated from him, and the knight swung his sword at the King. The sweeping greatsword slashed diagonally across the King’s neck.

“Even flaying your organs won’t be satisfying!”

The King’s body tilted. A wooden stake, meticulously carved into the shape of a hand, sprouted from the ground, pushing away the knight’s heavy armor.

“Ugh?!”

Forced back by the power, Alcadin’s sword cleaved through the stern emptiness. The meager stroke of the blade stirred a wind that grew into a gust around them. Sparks flew, heat swirled. Even a small intake of the heated air could be lethal.

But that held true only when the lungs were functioning.

-Thump!

The King rose from his place and reached out to him. His coarse hand violently seized the helmet, crushing the armor and propelling the knight into the distance.

“Grk!?”

-Kwaang!

Alcadin, thrown with a sound disproportionate to his weight, flew a great distance, leaving a fissure in the ground before he finally stopped. The unnatural momentum sent the surrounding creatures fleeing, while Alcadin, through the squashed gap in his helmet, witnessed the King’s figure.

“Aah.”

That was a monster.

He felt his energy draining away. His muscles failed him. Cold sweat trickled down, and saliva slipped out of his mouth, unable to swallow it.

Overwhelming life force. A massive wave of trees was gathering behind Lee Si-heon. Well-trimmed, sharp branches, pushing and pulling against each other, seemed to be swallowing the King’s back in pursuit. The countless trees filled the world.

Pine cones were falling. The creatures swallowed by the wave screamed out their death cries.

-Kwagagagagaga!!

Amidst the dark earth-colored tsunami, the quivering trees, as if possessing their own will, devoured the surrounding life and were racing towards him.

The lava, which once blanketed the vast earth, had already lost its momentum.

“…World Tree language.”

-Squelch!

A massive spear, launched like a wedge, pierced Alcadin’s head.

-Kigig?

The King’s branch, seemingly possessing a will, emitted a dubious sound. The pointed branch lodged itself in the armor, failing to progress any further. Because it failed to pierce him, Alcadin’s life still clung on.

“Kuk, Krk?!”

-Kikik!!

At that, a second spear flew in and hit Alcadin’s helmet. Chills ran all over him.

_Squeak!? Squeak! Squeak!_

_Squeal, squeal!!_

Blood seeped from within the helmet. The bars relentlessly stabbed through the knight, piercing his skull.

_Boom, boom, boom, boom._

“Uh, ugh…ugh.”

_Boom. Boom!_

_Splat!!_

At the moment when a tree branch finally pierced his unprotected flesh.

“Aargh, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”

His pitiful scream echoed as the final bar penetrated the shattered helmet. Thick blood streamed out from the crevices of the helmet. The knight, once revered, convulsed, his body belonging to an unrecorded hero.

His corpse was swallowed by the tidal wave, leaving not even a scream behind.

_Squeeeak._

The waves halted, and the king stood upright. In his line of vision, the sacred World Tree stood undisturbed.

“Give me a moment to rest.”
【 ……. 】
“I am not aware of your name or power. You can handle that, right?”

A condescending tone that treated even deities as mere prey. The king caressed his blinded eyes and sealed his parched lips.

_Clink, clink clink clink._

The king’s teeth clashed, producing an unusual noise. Now was the time to restore his incomplete body. Lee Si-heon held the paper-made necklace draped over his shoulder, sat on a rock, and closed his eyes.

Small rabbits gathered around him.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

“Hey, let go! Let go!”
“Shut it, man.”

Byul struck Lee Se-young’s crown with his fist.

“He’s the guy I know! Are you going to deny it again? Am I the only one being sincere? You bastard! Hope you go bald!”
“Don’t speak harshly.”

Hair loss is a sorrowful affair. Lee Se-young’s expression hardened at Byul’s whining.

“He’s not him.”
“…….”

Byul kept her mouth shut at the serious comment. She understood too. That person was merely something resembling Lee Si-heon.

_Plod, plod._

All the retreating hunters were on the brink of death. The towers from the first to the twelfth floor had ceased functioning. Luckily, no monsters appeared, but they all fled the dungeon with faces full of defeat.

“How should I report this?”

Se-young also was at a loss for words to answer Byul’s sigh-laden question.

“Damn, we’re running out of talent… Thinking that he got the better of me. Seriously…”

As the head of the Korea Hunter Association, his records would continue to be noted. After the Sisyphus terror attack, Byul was praised for his cleanup efforts, but this incident would likely send his ratings plummeting.

_Trudge trudge trudge._

Sansuyu ran in silence. As if it truly mattered not, her eyes shone with an unwarranted intelligence.

“Hey, yellow… got something to say?”

Accusations of deceit hung in the air. Sansuyu turned away from the subtle provocation of the star. Her usually dull and endearing expression was nowhere to be seen.

“I’ve finished my task.”

Sansuyu responded to the star in a tone both clear and self-assured.

“There’s no need for a reward. The agreed-upon objective was met.”

“What objective?”

In response to the star’s query, Sansuyu turned her head forward. Her silence implied there was no reason to explain. It likely pertained to Lee Si-heon. Se-young swallowed her words.

For some odd reason, Sansuyu seemed both elated and joyous.

“…Alright.”

Exhausted, the star didn’t continue talking, bowing her head instead. She had been dealt a greater blow by Lee Si-heon than Sansuyu had. Blood flowed from every corner of her body, and her heart ached bitterly.

“Se-young…”

“Yes?”

“Really, how is all of this unfolding?”

Se-young knew that Lee Si-heon was the heir apparent. After laying down the body of the star, she observed her tear-streaked face. From the star’s perspective, nothing made sense. However, Se-young didn’t reveal the truth.

‘There must be a reason.’

The reason they abandoned us and acted alone. It was utterly abhorrent and infuriating, but…

Didn’t they just witness that monstrous entity in the tower? If such a disaster could occur in the future… and if Lee Si-heon was privy to this, their actions weren’t inexplicable.

Back when Lee Si-heon was weak, she had acted for the same reasons.

【And now, you are the weaker party.】
‘I know.’
【What will you do? Revealing the truth and seeking the king’s protection is an option. You may not be able to escape societal criticism, but you can return to his embrace, the society he created.】

Se-young disregarded Baekyang’s words.

‘No.’

Even now, she was on edge. If the monstrosity above were to harm Lee Si-heon… she had just found out the child she thought was dead was alive, and if he were to die again out of her sight…

‘……’

Her hands clenched. Se-young closed her eyes, biting her lips hard. She needed to regain her composure.

‘There’s something I must do.’

She wouldn’t reveal this to Si-heon’s past lovers. And she intended not to tell his daughter, Shiba.

‘There’s someone who needs to know he’s alive.’

Except for one person. Always loving and thinking devotedly, even after leaving his side, she never forgot—Shiba’s mother, who lovingly raised her daughter with a photo of Lee Si-heon by the bedside.

【I see.】

Baekyang conceded, speaking in warm tones.

【Do as you wish. I’m merely here to assist.】

* * * * * * * * * *

“Master?”
“Yes.”
“Are you alright?”

There was no way to chase the one who had slipped from my grasp.
Even if I knew the coordinates, breaching dimensions was a far cry from ordinary spatial magic.

Though I had gained nothing, I needed to return first.

Primarily to Alba,
because this situation demanded urgent reporting.

“Ugh.”

The Ebony I held in my arms bore a slightly discomforted expression.
No surprise there, given how tightly I was clutching her.

Just holding the pliant and warm body of Ebony brought a sense of calm.

‘How should I end her life?’

I ponder this as I stride along.
In front of her shanty, I found myself after having used spatial magic to escape the tower.
I heaved Ebony’s slumped shoulders, set her down, and knocked on the door.

– Knock, knock, knock.

Not long after, the door opened.
Was this called a see-through? Alba, clad in a white, wing-like nightgown, subtly revealing her body, opened the door and poked her head out.

“Welcome. What brings you here?”
“It’s a serious matter.”
“I had a vague idea.”
“If you knew, why didn’t you inform me earlier?”
“… You know how difficult it is.”

There’s no need for sarcasm, but for some reason, my mental age seems to regress slightly in front of her.
Perhaps her aura somewhat resembles my master’s.

If my master is a tad more reliable and endearing.
This person exudes a warmth akin to a mother’s embrace.

“Come in. Let’s talk at leisure.”

– Creak.

The door swings open. Alba looked somewhat excited for inexplicable reasons.
She seemed to be sneakily observing my face, keenly watching for any shifts in my expressions.

“What’s the matter?”
“It’s good news.”

Good news as per the old sage.
I nodded with a tinge of bitterness, and let go of Ebony’s hand.

“Could you wait a moment?”
“Yes, Master.”

Alba’s eyes widened at Ebony’s words.

“Master? Oh, how adorable.”
“Indeed, Ebony is cute. But where are you going?”

Alba flashed me a fox-like smile in response to my question.
She didn’t head to her usual room but deeper inside.
It was the room where my sleeping master was, and at that moment, I was engulfed by a wave of goosebumps.

“…Surely not.”

With my heart pounding, I voiced my denial of the expectations welling up within me.
Expectations. It couldn’t be…
I had thought it might happen someday, but it still lacked a sense of reality.

“Aren’t you coming?”
“……”

At Alba’s prodding, the room loomed ever closer.
I gripped the doorknob, my other hand over my heart.

Praying that this creature hadn’t played me for a fool.
An improvement in her condition would suffice. I wiped the sweat trickling into my eyes and opened the door.

– Creak.

A woman dressed in a plain robe, sitting on the bed, came into view.

“…Ah.”

A brief exclamation escaped my lips, as my throat suddenly tightened.

A shiver shot through the bridge of my nose, and the sight of that face sent goosebumps racing down my skin. The countenance of the person who had been a constant presence, greeting me week after week for three years.

Ah.
It’s true.
Not a false dream, but reality.

Heaven looked at me, her face tinged with a hint of unease.

At first, we were both taken aback,
grasping the reality of each other’s situations.
It was only after several drawn breaths that we found our shared joy.

I was trembling, unable to regain my composure for what seemed an eternity. My breath came in ragged gasps, as though I was being strangled by an unseen rope, and words refused to spring from my lips.
My heart pounded wildly, my body thrumming with the same exhilaration I felt when embracing my lover.
Strength seeped into my shoulders. As I took a step, my body wavered, seemingly of its own volition.

“That outfit.”

Heaven, pointing at my black dragon robe, spoke in a modest tone.
Her voice was sweet, reminiscent of the affectionate tone of a teacher I’d only ever heard in dreams.

“It suits you well.”

I could endure no longer.

Without warning, my body lunged forward, my disobedient hands reaching out to embrace her neck.
There was warmth in my arms. I could feel her breath. The moisture from her long lashes clung to my cheeks.

It was my teacher, my mentor.
An irreplaceable blessing.

“…”

Though I had much to say, I found myself at a loss for where to begin.
Perhaps it was due to the earlier sensation of strangulation.

I’d thought my journey to the tower had yielded no rewards.

-Thump, thump, thump, thump.

My heart pounded, a living testament that this was no dream.

“You’ve waited long, Si-heon.”

“…”

The light I had sought was right here.