◈ Episode 91. Blooming in the Swamp (8)
“It is to germinate the seed of the World Tree.”
“……!!!”
A confidence that said he had nothing to hide.
At Hoyeol’s words, shock spread across the guild masters’ faces.
The only one who could manage a response was Nam Taemin, who, after spending time with Hoyeol, had developed at least some resistance to his shocking course of action.
“Mr. Hoyeol. Things are moving a little too fast for me here…… By the seed of the World Tree, do you mean this, this giant boulder?”
“That is correct. It is not a boulder, but the seed of the World Tree.”
“The World Tree……”
Hoyeol, lying?
He knew that was impossible.
But for the World Tree to suddenly appear out of nowhere.
Of course it was hard to accept.
However.
“There is no shame in not knowing.”
A voice as lofty as its appearance.
At the spirit’s voice, Nam Taemin nodded.
“If Mr. Hoyeol says so, then it must be true. I believe him.”
Whether Nam Taemin believed it or not.
Leoni’s mind was in chaos.‘……
Is it really okay to just tell us something like this?’Before the Cataclysm and after.
Information about Arcana was power itself.
And yet, for him to suddenly utter the words World Tree.
With his own mouth, no less.
When one thought about it, he had told them, who were outsiders, the truth exactly as it was.
Action came before thought.
Leoni hated assigning meaning to such actions, but……‘Still, does that mean we’re not complete strangers?’She couldn’t help but flinch.
Hisagi’s thoughts were not so different from hers.
No, they could only be more severe than the other two’s.‘Why?’If he wanted to hide it, he could have hidden it as much as he liked.
No, if it had been him, he would have hidden it without question.
The seed of the World Tree.
Just hearing the name was enough for any player to instinctively realize that an enormous reward was bound up in it.
Yet Hoyeol spoke the truth as if it were only natural.‘I can understand Gaon and Berserker. But even to us.’He had felt it in Hokkaido, and in the Kingdom of Yusra as well.
No matter how much he agonized over it, how could he possibly fathom Hoyeol’s intentions?
Hisagi could only make a vow.
“Whatever that cooperation may be, Inazuma will do everything in its power to help.”
Nam Taemin and Leoni.
As if there was no need for either of them to answer,
they simply waited for Hoyeol to speak.
Of course, there was not the slightest hesitation in Hoyeol.
“In order to make the seed of the World Tree sprout.”
In order to……!
“It requires considerable concentration.”
So, where were they supposed to start?
Even as they listened intently to Hoyeol’s words,
the three of them each tried to turn the gears in their heads, drawing on their experience with Arcana.
If things followed the usual flow, they would have to begin with an investigation first.
Just examining that enormous seed would take a considerable amount of time.‘Looks like this fight is going to drag on.’‘So there was a point to preparing thoroughly.’‘If need be, we may have to build an entire encampment……’But then.
“Can you quell the commotion, even if only for a moment?”……
Even if only for a moment?
At Hoyeol’s words, the three of their faces were once again painted with shock.
Because that meant that even sprouting that gigantic seed of the World Tree would only require a brief moment.‘I didn’t even know the World Tree existed……!’‘……
Just how far ahead is he looking?’‘As expected of Mr. Hoyeol.’What did it mean?
Hoyeol’s declaration was beyond even daring to guess.
Their reactions to it were all different.
Yet in that moment, the actions of the three guild masters were the same.
The seed of the World Tree.
Now that it was close to becoming spoils of war,
Hoyeol and the three guilds had effectively become the common enemy.
“They’re coming!”
Yes, they had to fight the predators charging in.
No, in accordance with Hoyeol’s request, they had to cooperate.
They had to quell the commotion.[Venom-Horned Rhinoceros: Lv.530][Ragged Beast: Lv.550][Bone Gravekeeper Golem: Lv.600]……
Considering the levels of the monsters swarming in,
it would have been impossible for a single guild to even dream of it.
Even Bohemian, ranked fourth among the guilds, had suffered tremendous damage while facing a mere two monsters. However, this was not a single guild.
“Good. We just have to do it like when things got messy. That’s our specialty, isn’t it?”
On top of that, Gaon and Inazuma.
They were two guilds that had long competed for superiority, and thus knew each other well.
Not only the guild masters, but the guild members as well.
It meant they were thoroughly aware of one another’s strengths and weaknesses.
Those two guilds joined forces for the first time?
Their coordination was so extraordinary that it was hard to believe this was their first time working together.
Enough to set the madness of the berserkers watching ablaze.
Crack—!
After catching a flying arrow barehanded,
Sssshaaak—!
Thud—!
Nam Taemin exerted monstrous strength and hurled the arrow back with his bare hand.
Slice—!
Leoni literally gave up flesh,
Slice, slice—!
and cut through bone.
The barbarian and the berserker.
If Nam Taemin and Leoni were ferociously stirring up the battlefield,
Hisagi skillfully regulated the tempo of the battle with his spear.
Was this really their first time matching their breathing?
Even those watching could not help but grow excited.
“We cannot know what sort of conversation took place between them. In any case, their coordination is incredible. They are not being pushed back even against nearly a dozen monsters.”
“Gaon and Inazuma are, apart from Shining and Cheonhajongil, guilds that are considered the best, are they not? They are putting on a performance worthy of their reputation!”
“Berserker is no pushover either. Though their guild ranking lags behind the other two, as befits those called berserkers, their momentum on the battlefield is not falling behind the two guilds in the slightest!”
The Predator Zone Rift.
Because battles never ceased within it,
people had thought there would be plenty to see, but still.
-I never thought I’d live to see Gaon and Inazuma team up lol-A joke that would’ve gotten you cursed out even on April Fools’ Day has become reality ㄷㄷ-Rankers really are rankers for a reason, for real-There’s a pretty big level gap with the mobs, but they’re not getting pushed backDevelopments that were impossible to predict even for a moment poured forth.
Naturally, the majority of that share belonged to Hoyeol.
From his unusual appearance atop a lotus leaf,
to the swordsmanship he had revealed like a hidden dagger.
Not only had he formed a contract with a spirit,
he had even caused Gaon, Inazuma, and Berserker to unite.
Because they knew that,
those watching had no choice but to be expectant.
Not only the player community,
-I thought his goal was just a spirit contract
-If that was the goal, he would’ve left the rift right away lol;;-True, exp and drop rate buffs don’t mean anything to Lee Hoyeolbut the VBC studio as well.
“Player Lee Hoyeol must have a greater objective.”
“You mean he is drawing an even bigger picture!”
“That’s right! There must be a reason he gathered the guilds together!”
No, the entire world was beginning to focus on Hoyeol.
Producer Hyeon Yongseok, who had been staring at the monitor with sweaty palms, suddenly opened his mouth.
“This is something I’ve felt while working in broadcasting.”
“Yes?”
“People are truly fickle. When a strong stimulus gives them great fun or thrill, they get used to it. You can see it just by looking at dramas, can’t you? Even if a drama is praised as well-made, it doesn’t actually get higher ratings than a makjang drama.”
“Well, that’s true.”
“But then they get used to the level of that makjang too.”
“Now that you mention it, that’s true too. These days, a secret of birth is just the basics, and then they add affairs, crimes, half-siblings…… Anyway, they come out with all kinds of outrageous setups.”
“Exactly. You understand well. That is why I’m worried.”
“Worried? Are you suddenly worrying about the broadcasting station?”
At the assistant director’s puzzled reaction, Hyeon Yongseok shook his head.
“No, Lee Hoyeol.”
He had shown far too much until now.
From now on, Hoyeol would not be able to satisfy the public with just anything.
Why, even now was like that.‘If it were me, I’d be so burdened I wouldn’t even be able to breathe properly.’He could not know what Hoyeol was thinking.
But Hyeon Yongseok tried to think it through.‘As if magic weren’t enough, he has high-level swordsmanship. As if proving the existence of spirits weren’t enough, he formed a contract with at least a high-ranking spirit.
On top of that, he made Gaon, Inazuma, and Berserker ally with one another.’That alone would be enough to talk about for days.
No, weeks.
But as one could see, humans were fickle creatures.
Were they not already expecting something again?‘They’re saying that if it’s Lee Hoyeol, he’ll show us something even more incredible.’However, Hyeon Yongseok thought coldly.
Directing Today Arcana had given him an eye for these things.‘This time, he has already shown far too much.’A feat that could surpass those feats.
No matter how much it was Lee Hoyeol, it would be difficult to show.
Hyeon Yongseok thought,‘Of course, presenting even that well is the role of a director.’But he was mistaken.
“……
S-Senior! Look at that!”
“H-Huh? What is it?”
“No, look at Lee Hoyeol!”
At the assistant director’s urgent call,
his gaze turned back to the monitor.
Soon, Hyeon Yongseok’s eyes widened.
“Wh-What the hell. That wasn’t a boulder?”
As if Hoyeol would ever need packaging.*It was more reassuring than anything.
Within this [Predator’s Swamp] rift,
there could be no more reliable reinforcements than this.‘Rankers are rankers for a reason.’Nam Taemin, who had begun his class quest during the recapture of Frost.
Even without a class quest, he had already been among the highest ranks of the player rankings.
It must be thanks to the rewards from that class quest.
Every time I saw him, he was becoming noticeably stronger.‘And rivals are rivals for a reason too.’After all, Nam Taemin’s rival was none other than Hisagi.
There was no need to say more.‘As for Leoni, well, from the first time I saw her.’She was an excellent fighter who met Grandfell’s standards.
At one point, I had even tried moving my body alone to make use of Leoni’s swordsmanship.
Therefore,
I was able to approach the seed of the World Tree without any particular interference.
Seeing it up close, it was even bigger.
I had no idea where the World Tree was,
but the scale made me curious about how its seed had rolled all the way here. Truly.
“I will begin, Nymph.”
However, there was no hesitation.
I was worried about the aftermath fitting for its massive size, mana exhaustion, but……
I had certainty.[Pentagram of Pure Knowledge]
contained knowledge about the World Tree.
The World Tree was, in the end, a plant.
“As you wish.”
And Nymph possessed a blessing that accelerated the growth of plants.
Nymph and I placed our hands on the seed of the World Tree at the same time.
It’s hard.
That was all I felt, but Nymph seemed to feel otherwise.
“I sense an extraordinary energy.”
I did not bother to reply.
Was Nymph not a spirit influenced by me?
As expected, once she had resolved to do something, there was no hesitation.
Goooooo—!
Mana began to flow out from Nymph’s body.
At the same time, the power of {Nature} seeped into the seed of the World Tree.
Indeed, what I had anticipated began to occur.……
Damn it, look at my mana draining away.
I had been prepared, but I never imagined it would be at this speed.
It felt as though I were dropping only a few droplets of water
onto a gigantic sponge called the seed of the World Tree.
But I could not show it.
Even if I were to faint from mana exhaustion……!
I had no choice but to desperately suppress
the trembling of my legs,
and the spinning before my eyes.
This was a problem on a different level from enduring the cold.
Indeed, it was an astonishing obsession with formality.
I could feel a sense of depletion as if I would collapse if someone touched me,
yet I maintained my posture, standing ramrod straight.
Damn method acting!
Just as the players were immersed in battle,
I, too, was waging a life-or-death struggle.
Of course, not even Nymph right beside me could realize that fact.
Nymph was converting my mana like water
into the ability of {Nature},
into her blessing.
Not a single person recognizing my efforts.
My life was this pitiful……
However.
“……!”
Even if there was no person, no spirit to recognize it.[The seed of the World Tree is germinating.]
Yes, the system knew of my miserable hardship……!
At the same moment the message appeared, Nymph spoke.
“Lord Hoyeol, because you watched over me……!”
I nodded.
Then I checked the quest window.●World Tree seeds currently sprouted: 1 / UnknownSuccess!
Do not ask what the process was like.
Whether it was wretched, whether we skipped far past the proper intermediate steps, in any case.
What mattered was always the result.
“I never doubted that it would be possible.”
This time, it wasn’t shamelessness.
If we had followed the standard method of gathering information about the World Tree and sprouting the seed of the World Tree, the Arcana Continent would have been destroyed by demons long before that.
Yes, this time, you did splendidly. Lee Hoyeol.
My self-praise lasted only a moment.
I moved my gaze from the message.‘So this is the World Tree.’Srrrr—The seed slowly began to split open.
Shwaaaaa—A radiant light began to pour out from within.
“Mr. Hoyeol?”
“I-Is it already over?”
“As expected of Hoyeol-san……!!”
Those nearby began to witness the sight first.
That included both players and monsters alike.
Even the battles in which life and death hung in the balance stopped,
and all focused on the birth of a new World Tree.
I was no different.
The massive cotyledons became a stem, then a trunk.
The roots that stretched outward firmly grasped the swamp.
As if the moisture of the swamp had been nutrients prepared for it,
the World Tree absorbed the water
to the point that the water level visibly dropped.
Then it began to sprout leaves from its branches.
At the same time, messages appeared.[A new World Tree has taken root in the Arcana Continent.][The Arcana Continent blesses the birth of the World Tree.][The energy of life surges throughout the entire Arcana Continent.]……
An endless feast of messages rising one after another.
It was truly a world-class quest.
So the messages would not have appeared only to me.
“Th-The World Tree?!”
“Don’t tell me that was the seed of the World Tree?”
“Just how much does Lee Hoyeol know……?”
However, I kept my silence.
The reason was because of the messages that appeared only to me,
the one carrying out the world quest.[Your achievement resounds throughout the Arcana Continent.][The lives of the Arcana Continent speak of your existence.][The Title System has been unlocked.][You have acquired the title, ‘The Last Adventurer’.]……
The Title System?
Wait, what effect does it……?