◈ Episode 160. Blessing (2)
[Collapsing Ancient Tree Hill]
[Recommended Level: Lv.400~Lv.450]
[Collapse Rate: 13.2%]
Time is like afternoon tea and……
No, it is like gold.
To put it coldly, this was a waste of time.
Level 494.
In a rift with this kind of recommended level, I wouldn’t be able to dream of leveling up even if I hunted all day. Of course, there was a reason I had entered the rift despite knowing that.
[The First World Tree blesses you.]
[Health and mana regeneration have greatly increased.]
……
A day had passed, and even after rubbing my eyes and looking again, nothing had changed.
The blessing buff of the World Tree, which had kept me from being intimidated before millions of demons on the Arcana Continent, was still there……!
“A blessing, is it? Excessive consideration.”
If that loose tongue makes the buff disappear, it’ll really be your fault, Grandfell.
It wasn’t excessive consideration; its effects were so good that even bowing in gratitude wouldn’t be enough.
‘The effect is absurdly strong.’
The [Blessing of the First World Tree] buff boasted effects superior not only to elixir herbs, but to most items as well. On top of that, it was on an entirely different level from [Natural Enemy].
I looked around the rift.
Giant larvae squirmed inside rotten ancient trees.
They were hideous to look at, but they weren’t demon-type monsters.
Naturally, [Natural Enemy] had no reason to activate.
But the World Tree’s blessing was different.
It didn’t have any activation conditions!
Its effect was the same before demons and before larvae alike.
I drew up my mana.
Was this real? Was it really allowed to be like this? That was how strongly I felt it.
If Arcana were still nothing more than a game, I might have suspected it was a bug.
That was how unbelievable it was.
If it were a buff activated during a specific quest, I could at least understand it.
But.
‘Setting aside its duration.’
Not only had I died once,
I was now in a completely different world from the Arcana Continent.
In reality, in other words.
Literally, at all times.
Unless it was a permanently sustained buff, there was no way its effects could still remain. With the mana I had drawn up, I summoned Haiel.
Soon, Haiel appeared in midair.
“I have answered your call.”
That greeting is still burdensome no matter how many times I hear it, Haiel.
But what is this……?
Haiel’s uniformly elegant appearance was familiar enough that it no longer surprised me. Even so, that “light” was terribly unfamiliar. What in the world was that halo flowing faintly from behind her?
‘Don’t tell me you’ve reached a realm as well, Haiel?’
They say a guilty conscience needs no accuser.
Why did that light overlap with my sword aura?
Silver light climbing over pitch-black darkness.
Yes, that light, as though my dark history had been given form.
‘……Enough. If it’s good, then it’s good.’
If you’ve grown somehow, then I’m happy, Haiel.
Unlike me, whose appearance alone is seriously fine compared to my actual skill, may you grow steadily from within……! Of course, I couldn’t say such inner thoughts out loud.
I got straight to the point.
“Haiel, are they safe?”
By “they,” I meant the dwarves.
The recovery of the decisive weapon, the remains of the Quirnberg Mechanical Tower.
I had made that request of them.
[Demon King Battle].
Even if this was a time when the demons were supposedly restraining their activities and stockpiling their strength ahead of a great incident, I had personally witnessed the Arcana Continent.
Not only that, whenever the [Telescope of the Evil Eye] became usable, I checked the continent’s situation.
‘That place is far too dangerous.’
So it was only natural to ask about their safety first.
Haiel answered politely.
“Of course. Because Lord Hoyeol watched over them day and night, they suffered no harm whatsoever. They also asked me to convey their gratitude.”
……
No, wait a second. Stop, Haiel.
Who exactly did I watch over?!
That isn’t just an overinterpretation; it’s on a whole other level, isn’t it?
‘I’m starting to get scared.’
Just what kind of image do I have among the dwarves?
I’m seriously worried.
However, lofty pride possessed not even an inch of shame.
So I shamelessly said,
“It seems they are safe.”
The only thing that isn’t safe is your conscience, Grandfell.
“We have also discovered the remains of the Quirnberg Mechanical Tower you spoke of. However, demons are wandering around the area, so they say it will take a little time to recover them.”
As expected, being able to fly really is nice.
To think they’d already found the remains of the Quirnberg Mechanical Tower.
Let’s imagine me looking for them. Just the thought is horrifying.
‘First of all, I have no way to go to the Arcana Continent.’
And second, I don’t even know the location of the Mechanical Tower.
In the skies of Arcana, there are Evil Eyes floating.
Whether it’s short-distance teleportation or portals,
those eyeballs can pinpoint my location in an instant.
Forget finding the Quirnberg Mechanical Tower and cashing in.
Before that, I’d be caught by demons, killed, and chased back to reality.
In that sense, hooray for technology indeed.
Haiel continued to relay the news.
“Lastly, there is news regarding the refining of Gwicheol.”
Gwicheol.
Ego equipment.
I couldn’t help but be just as curious about news regarding it as I was about the Mechanical Tower.
“Walsweil, who is considered one of the finest blacksmiths even among the dwarves, has begun the tempering in earnest. He declared that he would forge equipment that would never bring disgrace upon Lord Hoyeol.”
I’m grateful to hear that……
But at the same time, I’m afraid.
I had made it clear that performance came first, but if the level restriction was too high, that would be sad in its own way. And yet, of course, this damned loose tongue.
“A fine attitude. Will you tell him that I look forward to it?”
“I shall do as you command.”
“You have done well, Haiel.”
To our lofty Lord Grandfell’s pride, something like a level restriction must be nothing but a number.
At this point, I’ve given up too. Whatever result comes out, equipping it right away will probably be impossible.
‘I’d be better off researching ways to use loopholes instead.’
That too was a way to survive……
I ended my rationalization there.
Since I had come to a rift,
even if hunting all day was impossible, there was something I had to check.
That’s right, I meant the effect of the [Blessing of the First World Tree] buff.
[Rotten Sap Monster: Lv.420]
[Giant Rotten Sap Monster: Lv.450]
……
Now that [Natural Enemy] hadn’t activated,
unless I poured magic into them, they weren’t enemies I could take down lightly. Above all, as their names suggested, those things possessed the [Poison] trait.
A deadly poison that could even rot ancient trees.
A sticky toxicity that called a swamp to mind.
More than anything, it felt incredibly unpleasant.
“What an unpleasant place.”
If even I felt that way, there was no need to add what Grandfell, who would die without that precious formality, thought of it.
Since the insects weren’t even demons, it wouldn’t have been strange for him to say there was no justification for moving around while splattering poison on his clothes and shoes.
However.
Tap—
I confidently stepped into the swamp of poison.
Was it because I trusted the effects of the [Warmth] buff?
No.
The Warmth buff did have a versatile effect, but it didn’t increase immunity to poison. Then was it levitation? That wasn’t it either.
As the sound of my shoes proved, I had definitely stepped into the swamp of poison.
That was right.
This too must be the effect of the [Blessing of the First World Tree] buff.
I checked the message that appeared.
[The Blessing of the First World Tree rejects the poison.]
[Poison].
A type of debuff, like stun or bleeding.
By raising affinity or resistance, one could become “immune” to poison, or “cure” it through a skill. But “reject”? This was different in a very different way.
“However, it poses no problem to me.”
Rejection.
Literally, it felt as though my body was pushing the poison, the debuff, away from within.
Setting aside the poor expressive ability of me, Lee Hoyeol, for a moment,
if I were to borrow Grandfell’s expressiveness……
“Do you understand? This is the difference in class.”
……
The difference in class, my ass!
Damn it, I sincerely wanted to deny it, beyond just cringing.
But this wasn’t wrong either.
Like water and oil that would never mix no matter how much you stirred them,
the [Blessing of the First World Tree] was completely rejecting the poison.
At that moment, a massive shadow loomed over me.
It was the squirming [Giant Rotten Sap Monster].
Was it an ambush meant to compensate for its slow speed?
Swift search, interference, manifestation.
I manifested magic toward the creature falling from the ancient tree.
There was no need for grand magic against a mere level 450 monster.
Even if grand words were unavoidable.
“O larva, who has yet to realize its place.”
In any case, let’s forget the self-loathing for a moment.
Because today, I had made an enormous discovery.
‘Rejection. Maybe this……’
Could it ignore not only poison, but most debuffs as well?
Of course, I didn’t seriously get my hopes up.
No matter what, even I have a conscience.
‘Honestly, even the buff right now already makes no sense.’
Just the health and mana regeneration buffs alone had an effect better than wearing a full set of unique items. However, I couldn’t help but flinch.
Likewise, in order to check the effect,
the moment I gripped my sword and emitted sword aura.
“!”
An alien sensation traveled up through my hand.
Not only did I have class quests, but I had even been allocating my level-up points into [Strength] and [Agility]. Even so, it was true that I had invested far too many points into [Mana] until now.
‘In a word, I’m still a bottomless jar.’
Like water leaking endlessly from a bottomless jar,
my body was not optimized for emitting sword energy.
If it was just imitating a stance, that was one thing……
But wielding a sword as gracefully as Harkon or Schreig was impossible for me.
A realm one step above sword energy.
Since I had reached sword aura, the amount of water pouring out would naturally be even greater.
In other words, emitting sword aura caused considerable fatigue to accumulate in my body. As if I were borrowing tomorrow’s stamina.
And yet.
‘It’s light.’
The feeling was clearly different.
Neither the hand gripping my sword nor my legs felt any fatigue.
It wasn’t an illusion.
Because soon, a message appeared before my eyes.
[The Blessing of the First World Tree rejects aging.]
Yeah, I knew it would be like th—
‘W-wait, what did it say?!’
It rejected agiiiiing?!
At this point, it was starting to get scary.
……
Just what kind of blessing did I receive from the World Tree?
*
The players’ time passed quickly.
The Yusra Kingdom.
Frost.
The Holy Land of the Goddess Church, Muon.
And finally, even the Magic Tower.
Regardless of region, it was fair to everyone.
[Quest: The Unfinished Holy War]
From the Arcana Continent to reality.
The holy war against the demons has not yet ended.
At the end of this war, there are neither rewards nor spoils.
Only pride remains.
Prove your own pride.
─Prove your worth in the corresponding region. (In Progress)
Prove your ability to participate in the holy war.
Naturally, the standards of evaluation were strict.
Likewise, regardless of region, the wails never ceased.
“Insane. Even level 300 isn’t enough?”
“They said level isn’t what matters, pride is.”
“Pride? What the hell is that pride supposed to be?!”
What else would it be? Pride is pride.
“If you don’t know pride, that means you have no pride to begin with.”
Just Homen.
Park Hwigang murmured softly and checked his quest window.
Beside the quest objective, two newly updated words appeared: [Success].
“I’m really glad I became an explorer……!”
In the holy war, there was pride, but no distinction of high or low birth.
In other words, whether one passed or failed wasn’t determined by class.
The moment the success message appeared, past days came to mind.
“It’s all thanks to you.”
His level was relatively low.
However, he had a high contribution to the Explorer’s League.
His experience exploring all kinds of rifts without yielding to recommended levels had been given bonus points, allowing him to prove his worth.
Of course, it was simply because he had followed Lord Hoyeol’s footsteps.
“Homen.”
His faith did not waver today either.
Park Hwigang’s eyes gleamed sharply.
Now that he had finally joined the holy war, it was time to display his abilities in earnest.
Of course, he didn’t know how much a single explorer’s abilities would help, but he intended to do his best.
Naturally, that wasn’t Park Hwigang’s thought alone.
The Explorer’s League.
Many explorers had gathered in the main force of the Yusra Kingdom.
The League Master, Fabian Delong, as well as Aaron and Rhombus.
Even the highest-ranking explorers, renowned far and wide.
All of them were explorers who had joined the holy war.
“Ahem.”
When Fabian cleared his throat, all eyes gathered on him.
“I’ve never seen so many explorers crammed into such a narrow place before. From now on, why don’t you all try getting along—warmly, affectionately, asking after each other’s well-being?”
At Fabian’s joke, the explorers shot sidelong glares at one another.
There were some things one simply didn’t say, even in jest.
Especially between Aaron and Rombus, sparks were flying.
“Being affectionate with a rival? Ridiculous.”
“Don’t laugh, Aaron. Your already ugly face twists even further when you do.”
“Shameless as ever, Rombus. As if stealing League contribution points wasn’t enough, now you seek to slander my appearance as well? Instead of staring into magic tools, perhaps you should spend some time looking in a mirror.”
Listening in silence, Bak Hwigang thought……
Why are those two acting like that when they both look exactly like bandits?
But what mattered wasn’t a petty war of words.
There was a reason the explorers had gathered.
Fabian continued.
“Wars never ceased on the Arcana Continent either. But there was no need for us explorers to move. In a battle between humans, what could explorers like us possibly do?”
Nod, nod—everyone listening intently nodded their heads.
After all, an explorer’s abilities were specialized for exploring labyrinths and dungeons.
Fabian gave an awkward smile and went on.
“Of course, even on a battlefield against demons, there may not be much we can do. At most, perhaps we can use magic tools to support our allies. But as you all know, our battlefield is a little different, is it not?”
That was right.
It was different from war.
At least in this holy war, explorers could make their mark.[Rift]
Now that the strange space called such existed.
Fabian raised his fist.
“The rifts where Arcana and this place—two worlds—are mingled are truly unknown spaces. Places where no one can know what dangers may be lurking. But is this not the exploration we have longed for so dearly? And at the end of this exploration, does there not await a trophy that cannot be traded for anything else?”
As if snatching something up.
“Even if it costs us our lives.”
He clenched his fist tight.
“To make our names known as explorers across both worlds—the Arcana Continent and this world of adventurers. Yes, is that not the very pride of us explorers?”
For exploration toward the unknown—
was the very reason explorers existed.
Fabian added.
“In other words, the time has finally come for us explorers to begin our fight.”...
In that sense, today’s regular update was important.
Not a single member of the Explorers’ League main force left their seat.
They were there to exchange information with one another about the update details.
After a brief bout of endless refreshing—
“Wait a moment!”
Bak Hwigang shouted faster than anyone else.
Then he checked the update details.
His face began to turn deathly pale.
“……
D-does anyone happen to know anything about elves?!”