For the past two thousand years, Nebida had made every attempt to awaken the King of Humans. And that effort continues to this day. Nebida gazed at the lotus petal where the King of Humans slumbered, hoping this would be the final attempt.
She had endured far too many failures over far too long a time. Her heart had hardened like the bark of an ancient tree; even if sliced by a sharp blade, she felt no pain. She merely, indifferently, repeated the cycle of sending forth new branches, withering, and sprouting again.
However. Just before a new bud emerges. Only when the hope that perhaps this time it might work ticklingly springs up, could Nebida desperately realize why she was alive, what she was living for.
That Nebida was born to serve Im.
The rebels who stabbed Im and fled from the cursed mountain, Yulrim. El, who had the audacity to wait despite having betrayed Im.
And the King's warriors who stepped forward, claiming they would bury Im, who still had life left, in their own territory. Those who attempted assassination, claiming that Im must die completely for the next Im to appear. Those who expanded their territory while Im was absent, and dared to usurp the title of King and deceive the people.
Those who chased Nebida as she fled with Im who had stopped at the threshold of death, pursued her, and tried to assassinate them. Those who sought to secure Im to consolidate their position. Those who spread El's teachings, claiming a savior would someday come to the world.
Though Im was the King of all humans, humans were Im's enemies. No one respected and served Im as Im. Nebida fled, transformed into a tree to hide, and wandered for a long time, sleeping alongside Im. She reached for all kinds of knowledge to revive Im, endured an unfathomable span of time, and ultimately even brought forth the Tree of Defiance.
And now, she was challenging the method with the highest probability of success.
Sweat flowed from her hands due to tension. Though Nebida's body had transcended the realm of humanity by transforming herself into a tree countless times and merging with the Tree of Defiance itself. At the thought of reuniting with Im, she was excited like a tree that had endured winter, like a new bud just before greeting spring.
"…."
But she couldn't just wait for the fruit to ripen.
Because the scent of that flower was drawing in bugs.
"I have come to see the King of Humans! Open the door!"
The Tree of Defiance was enjoying a rare bustling occasion with visitors.
The Anub tribe, composed entirely of dog beastmen. Agartha's hounds, and a prestigious house of the old kingdom that still held high renown in this dense forest.
Unlike beastmen born from fruit, they were the descendants of the Dog King born from the transgression of a certain Martial Lord in the distant past, and the children of Agartha. They were 'true' ones who strongly inherited the King's blood.
"Woof. Looks like the rumors spread. Other dogs smelled it and came swarming."
Blanca Baskerville was below the Tree of Defiance. She barked softly as she gazed at the entrance of the Tree of Defiance, where millions of roots spread out to form a sloped hollow.
"Isn't that because you were running amok?"
Behind her, a small butterfly illusion flickered. Walpurgis. The Witch of the Night. The legendary witch who had steeped this dense forest in cold and silent nights before being recruited by the Grand Witch and Nebida. Unlike the Grand Witch who received the blood of the Progenitor, she had ruled the forest for over 200 years with pure black magic.
She who gave much, took much, killed and saved countless lives—the very concept of a 'witch.' Though she had become relatively kinder after receiving the Grand Witch's blood, she was quite sharp-tempered today.
"Fighting the King of Humans? What kind of rash action is that when you're only staying temporarily?"
"Pfft. How was I supposed to know whether that was the King of Humans or not? You didn't give me any information at all."
"Don't you think the fight itself is the problem?"
"Yeah. Not at all."
Blanca Baskerville answered while stroking her perked-up ears.
"I was born to fight in the first place. I just did my part. Just like them."
At the end of Blanca's gaze stood about a hundred members of the Anub tribe.
"Come to think of it, you and they look quite similar! Do you have some kind of connection?"
The ruffian with the monocle asked while making a creaking, grinding sound. He made a sound that was both harmonious and chilling—a meshing sound that shouldn't come from a living creature.
The Six Ministers of the Military State, an alchemist and mage who nearly became the lord of Yeolguk. The architect of the Military State, Gwabyeong Maximilian. A mage, yet an anomalous being whose combat prowess could be compared to a Qigong master who had reached the level of principle.
At the unpleasant sound, Blanca folded her ears slightly and said:
"They're the loyal hounds of the Martial Lord. Not as a metaphor—they actually have ears and tails. They also possess the loyalty of dogs. Wouldn't even the Emperor of an Empire who holds all wealth and power want to acquire at least one?"
"They share the same ancestor! I see! To have their ears and tails shortened in just a few generations—"
"...Grr? Are you picking a fight?"
Baskerville's ears and tail had been cut by those called 'groomers' when she was young. Short ears and tails symbolize human arrogance.
Blanca slightly lowered her voice and growled. However, Maximilian with his gear-heart asked back without a single disturbance, at a constant rhythm.
"Hm? Was there something in what I said that could be taken as picking a fight?"
"You..."
At that moment. Nebida, having emerged from her reverie, spoke heavily.
"That is not the case. The Tree of Origin does not spread its branches in just a few generations. That was done by human hands."
"To their ears and tails? How curious. How did they do it?"
"They cut off the ears and tails when they were young. They possessed the ears and tails as they were, but sought to erase such characteristics. It's a completely useless endeavor."
Rather than wanting to stop the fight, she probably just wanted to correct an incorrect fact. The Tree of Origin is Nebida's domain, after all.
Nebida said as she rose to her feet.
"Nenyaf is Tangnyeo's spy. They will certainly come to interfere with us. We cannot allow outsiders in at this moment. Walpurgis, relay this."
"...Presumptuously, the Grand Witch has already gone to meet them."
In the illusion Walpurgis created, the Grand Witch could be seen flying down on a large hawk. Nebida stared intently at the illusion Walpurgis had made and muttered.
"Hekxia?"
"Yes. The Grand Witch finds beastmen... cute, and pitiable. What shall we do?"
Nebida shook her head and said.
"Leave Hekxia to do as she wishes. I will not interfere."
Unlike her cold tone, her attitude toward the Grand Witch was exceedingly soft. Maximilian asked with curiosity.
"How strange. I thought you were a similar fruit to me."
"Naturally. You and I are fruits from the same branch."
"No, I wasn't speaking of your tree. I was talking about disposition. I like things that fit together precisely like gears, and I thought you were also as heartless as a tree. But you're surprisingly soft toward the Grand Witch?"
"Trees also have blood and tears. They merely take different forms."
Answering briefly, Nebida continued.
"She is my master."
"Master? Did a supreme being who has lived since primeval times dispensing teachings also have a master?"
"Many. As many as her years."
Nebida recalled her masters in turn.
The first master was an ill-tempered druid. He would drink and cause trouble, making her run errands. She learned nothing from him, but since he was the first one she saw, Nebida became a druid.
The second master was the King of Humans. She taught her everything but gave Nebida no commands or instructions. Nebida resolved to use all her abilities for her.
...Regrettably, the next master was El. El didn't teach Nebida, but the world she showed expanded Nebida's horizons. In particular, the four taboos El revealed... became the soil in which the Tree of Origin was planted.
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Did El really think Nebida would become a Demon God? Probably not. The Holy Court cannot prophesy about Demon Gods. Because Demon Gods are beyond the framework.
But the rising displeasure still remained. Nebida decided to ignore him. Thinking about it would be of no use at all.
"Hekxia's inspiration led me to become a Demon God. Before she existed, I was merely an old druid, but now I am a Demon God who has spread throughout the world."
"Was the Grand Witch that remarkable? What did she do?"
"The idea that meat could grow on trees."
"The Grand Witch did that, but how did you become a Demon God?"
A tree from whose branch ends beasts grow, extending from the origin of species. That idea was truly an insight that pierced the world.
But Nebida could not explain that. Instead, she pointed out why Maximilian was showing such interest.
"If you become a Demon God, you will understand."
"Hahaha. How cowardly! Are you saying if you lack qualification, you can't even understand!"
Laughing as if brushing it off, Maximilian smiled with a hint of self-deprecation and asked.
"In the Military State, the King of Humans told me. That my unique magic was not part of the world, but a way of interpreting the world for my own convenience. That I could never become a Demon God."
"Did Im say so."
"What do you think? I wish to ask a Demon God. Do you hold the same thoughts as the King of Humans?"
About that, she could answer clearly. Nebida said clearly.
"I don't know. I also cannot understand other Demon Gods. The same goes for what a Demon God is."
"Tch! Not helpful at all!"
"No one will be helpful."
That is what makes them Demon Gods.
Had he been intimidated? Maximilian turned his gaze without a word. Through the large knothole that served as a window, a fierce wind was blowing. The tree with the least calm days in the world, the Tree of Origin that brings storms whether meteorologically or idiomatically, was shedding its leaves along that fierce wind.
The sight of the World Tree's falling leaves was truly a magnificent spectacle....
Suddenly, the people present felt a sense of incongruity.
"Grr? Did leaves always fall like that?"
Changes in nature are continuous. They don't suddenly occur at any given moment. Nature has its proper order, follows appropriate principles, and shows such foreshadowing in advance.
But the leaves falling from the Tree of Defiance were alien from all of that.
"Woof. Come to think of it, my lips were slightly chapped. Low humidity."
Blanca muttered as she licked her lips with her tongue. Her slightly chapped lips accepted saliva as if thirsty.
"It shouldn't be that season yet."
Nebida muttered and bloomed a single flower from her fingertips. The petals that should have been fully bloomed holding dew, for some reason, dropped their petals after blooming only halfway, completely dried up.
The weather was drought. Moisture was lacking. To the point where even the leaves of the Tree of Origin were drying.
However, this was strange.
"It's impossible. This land is where dozens of waterways intersect. How can there be a drought when the World Tree absorbs enough water to spew out clouds on its own?"
Walpurgis raised a valid question. Trees draw water from the ground and release it through their leaves, and the World Tree is like the king of such trees. This land should always be full of life, blessed by the World Tree. And life is the same as moisture.
So how could there be a lack of moisture?
It was a question for everyone, but Nebida knew the reason.
"Tangnyeo."
Nebida spread her roots. It was somewhat different from human senses, and far less sensitive. But with the sensation at the ends of her roots, Nebida felt the moisture. And realized.
The waterways.
The atmosphere.
Were waging a scorched earth campaign against the Tree of Origin.
The waterways that should flow were diminishing, and not a single cloud could be seen in the dry sky. It was as if moisture had been stripped from this land, this space where the Tree of Origin stood.
"It's the power of the Celestial Gods. They're stealing 'water' from the Tree of Origin."
"Since when?"
"You can't block waterways overnight. Given the scale, probably..."
Since Nebida sensed the presence of the Offering God, Ankhra, from the other side of the forest.
It was such an unexpected attack that she noticed it too late. Trees are passive. Even when moisture is lacking, they cannot go seek water, so they calmly accept their fate and drop their leaves. That's how trees survive.
She might have noticed under normal circumstances, but of all things, she had no leisure to pay attention as she was busy making the lotus where the King of Humans slumbered bloom.
"From the beginning, then."
"From the beginning?"
"It must have started even before I went to find Im. Slowly, tightening the noose so subtly that we wouldn't notice."
For a tree, water is close to everything that combines food, clothing, and shelter combined. Even if the Tree of Origin had been a true World Tree, it would have taken significant damage. Probably like that time long ago, like when the World Tree was set ablaze.
However.
Maximilian asked in bewilderment:
"What's the problem? This is a Demon God in the form of a tree, isn't it?"
Demon Gods don't wither. Even if all the water dries up, the Tree of Origin is always the same. Knowledge exists exactly in that place regardless of water or seasons.
Those leaves are merely decorative. The true essence of the Tree of Origin is the species that grow from its endlessly branching boughs. The origin of those species is the Tree of Origin itself.
"Even if some leaves fall, isn't there no problem here? At most, the people living down below will be a bit confused. There's no problem at all."
The branch where rice grows, the branch where wheat grows, the branch where beans grow, and so on. The fruits growing on such branches would all fall without ripening. But what does it matter. Other than the residents in the World Tree's shade, neither Nebida who is its main body nor the Lord of All Creation would suffer any damage.
"...That cannot be."
Walpurgis dismissed Maximilian's words.
"In the past, the Martial Lord of Myriad Nations perished while swept up in such chaos. After that, the World Tree burned and night came to the Myriad Nations. What they're seeking must be chaos itself. The spark that will burn this entire tree to the ground!"