Chapter 128 – World Tree’s Test (2)

After World Tree disappeared, the entire tree began to tremble and shake. Then, he heard the fierce sound of the battle from the outside. But even if Iron wanted to help, he couldn’t move his body at all.

“What the hell is this…”

This was because Iron’s body was wrapped and tied around by roots and branches to the point that he couldn’t move at all. Meanwhile, his holy power gradually spread throughout the tree and purified it along the process. Even if he tried to force his way out of the tree’s hold on him, his holy power was still blocking him. He also couldn’t boost his mana since it would automatically disappear because of the energy of nature and the holy power that were blocking him. It was like he was being told… ‘Stay put until this is purified!’.

“Am I being kept locked in here?”

Iron was left in low spirits as he collapsed back on the ground after realizing that he couldn’t go out of the tree until it was completely purified. Then, the tree formed a chair and took care of Iron as if it wanted him to be as comfortable as possible. It even brought fruits from somewhere and brought them in front of Iron.

The growing energy of nature gradually turned into green balls of light. And before Iron knew it, the center of the tree, where he was located, was already filled with shining balls of light of varying degrees.

“World Tree…”

One of the World Tree’s moniker was Mother Nature. And that was the real identity of the black tree. Although it was just one of its roots, it was still the World Tree in essence. That was why he could appreciate the various lights made of the energy of nature turned into spirits.

The newly born spirits moved and flew around Iron when they felt the familiar power coming from Iron. While Iron was in a daze as he looked at the lights surrounding him which made him feel loved by nature, the situation outside was disastrous.

The Northern Coalition that couldn’t back down.

And the Elven Alliance that was aware of its defeat but was still fighting until the end.

The bloody war between these two camps continued.

Explosions rang loudly as numerous contaminated trees penetrated the defense line built by the human camp. Even though they tried their hardest to prevent them, humans still continued to die one after the other.

Fortunately, time was not on the elves’ side anymore.

“Ah… aaaah…”

Several dark elves collapsed the moment the black tree was purified. Among them, there were those who lost their strength and collapsed as if the energy of nature had bound them. However, the red tentacle stationed around the dimensional gate immediately stretched its limbs and wrapped them around the dark elves to completely corrupt them. After the corruption they could no longer be considered as elves or any other creature on this world for that matter. They had purely become strange and bizarre creatures.

The dark elves who had been completely corrupted and transformed into beings from the void had received a sudden boost in their power. Corrupted spirits came out at their call and attacked their enemies as contaminated energy corroded the surroundings whenever they swung their dirty and horrendous arms.

Every time a dark elf died, a completely corrupted being would come out and be created. And the more this happened, the more the front got pushed back.

“Fight until the end!”

“Don’t back down!”

The commanders vomited blood as they resisted while the soldiers fought with everything that they had. Thanks to their efforts, the front was barely maintained.

Perhaps it was because of the admirable courage and bravery of these humans? Holy power began to emanate from the black tree, the root of the world tree. Bright light suddenly swept the area as spirits, who originally hovered and appeared near the world tree, appeared one after the other.

The spirits used a strong and huge amount of nature’s energy as if they were venting their anger on the dark elves and the elves. The elves were so shocked to see that the beings who had always lent them their strength blocked them and fought against them. Some of the elves thought that everything was over for them so they let themselves rot and be corrupted by the energy of the void. When the elves were also devoured by the void’s energy, the Northern War was turned into a war between beings of the void and humans.

The power of the void, which completely corrupted the elves, opened the dimensional gate wider and summoned a stronger apostle. The root of the world tree immediately released a spirit that would counter this apostle. The forest was overturned as the holy sanctuary and the void energy collided fiercely to expand their own territories.

While all of these were happening, the humans and the beings of the void confronted each other. Surprisingly enough, the ones to perform and fight well in this second war were not the masters nor the senior knights but the other-worlders.

― You have cut down a being of the void. Your contribution has increased for a bit. Your rewards will depend on your contribution so please work harder.

This was the sound of the notification that they had heard whenever they cut down beings from the void. The appearance of these notifications brought a frenzy to the users as they began to fight against the beings of the void crazily. They even united together to target the weaknesses of the beings of the void just so they could cut down one more with their power. And it wasn’t just the users who gathered and united. The chosen ones also felt that they became stronger every time they killed the beings of the void so they gathered together and fought against them more fiercely. Perhaps it was the prospect of becoming stronger the moment they felt the rewards that they all became energized.

“That bastard is mine!”

“What nonsense! That’s mine!”

In just a short while, the united users and chosen ones began to kill their enemies individually. They even started claiming targets as their own.

Thanks to the users and the chosen ones running around wildly as the war progressed further, the coalition was given enough room to reorganize and prepare for a counterattack.

And even though it was not as much as the users and the chosen ones, the soldiers also felt that they were growing stronger the more they killed the beings of the void.

This was all thanks to the holy energy. Thanks to the sanctuary that it created, they were given an opportunity to play an active role in the battlefield, a role that they couldn’t even do in the past. Some felt that this power was only temporary but even if this power disappeared after this battle, the soldiers would still be able to gain valuable experience. After all, after this once in a lifetime opportunity to fight, their experiences would remain in their heads and their body. If they were able to make these experiences their own, these soldiers would be able to take a step closer to being a stage stronger.

The corrupted army began to collapse as the human army gradually got stronger. However, they still resisted until the very end. It seemed like they did not want to step down from the North just like that so they attacked the humans fiercely.

Half of the forest turned dark as the trees and other plants were transformed into terrible and strange figures that were sent to attack the humans. However, Iron’s holy power was already being amplified and strengthened by the World Tree’s root. With the amplification of the holy power, the sanctuary gradually expanded and covered the entire forest, burning down all of the beings contaminated by the void. It was as if the tree wanted to burn down all of the void energy that trespassed its land. Trees and plants even began to grow from the ashes of these burnt beings. Some of them even became the spirit of the Entna Flower, a being that could fight against the beings of the void.

“Is this… the end?”

The head of the dark elves looked blankly at the sky as he slowly turned to dust.

He was able to use an enormous power in return for being corrupted but in the end, he had no choice but to give in to holy power. Because of his power, he had no choice but to face the wrath of the spirits of the world tree. So, he was not able to leave his body and was now about to face his extinction.

Then, a man riding on a divine beast appeared while being accompanied by the bright light of the sanctuary.

“Apostle…”

The being who interfered with all of his plans. It seemed like he appeared to see his dying breath.

“Are you here to mock me?”

The head of the dark elves asked him in a self-deprecating tone. But Iron just shook his head lightly as he spoke.

“I came to convey the words of the World Tree.”

The head of the dark elves couldn’t help but stare blankly at Iron when he heard his words.

At first, he thought that he came here to mock himself but based on his expression, he could tell that he was telling the truth. No matter how corrupt he was, he was still a high elf. That was why he could tell that his words were true.

“…What is it?”

The head of the dark elves forcibly stopped his collapse with his superhuman strength to listen to the words of the world tree. Seeing this, Iron opened his mouth quickly.

“You’ve worked hard.”

These were the words that the root of the World Tree had conveyed to him while he was still trapped inside. The World Tree wanted him to deliver these words to her own children who had suffered. She just wanted to tell them that they had worked hard.

However, the head of the dark elves’ eyes widened as tears suddenly dripped down his cheeks.

“Ah…”

The head of the dark elves wanted to say something for the last time but he couldn’t do so anymore. His body had turned to dust and disappeared. Perhaps it was because he had long reached his limits and was only forcing himself to listen to those words.

Iron looked bitterly at the place where the head of the dark elves disappeared before going to his next destination. The World Tree had two children and there was still one who remained.

“Keuk!”

“A monster.”

“A being close to a grand master?”

He was a being that did not budge despite having three masters working closely together with the spirits.

However, the head of the elves continued to injure them despite all of them fighting together. Since he had already lost, the head of the elves thought that he should just destroy everything. Originally, he could not overpower any of these masters no matter how strong he was. However, despite the fact that they had already lost, the head of the elves was showing a power that no one could overcome.

The fusion of a high elf, the spirits and his determination to risk and bet his all gave him the courage to make a deal with the void. He gained a power that was far stronger than his original power in exchange for being corrupted by the void. And right now, he was given the power that turned him into a grandmaster while losing his intelligence. If things continued at this rate then he could put the Northern coalition in a crisis all by himself.

Just when the masters and the spirits were thrown back after failing to withstand the power of the head of the elves and the void energy, holy flames and holy light suddenly fell down from the sky and illuminated the surroundings.

The being that was so powerful that the masters and the spirits couldn’t handle despite fighting together was gradually being pushed back at the appearance of Phoenix, who spat holy flames, and Two Moons, who emitted bright rays of lights. There was also a small bird that emitted a light that accelerated his collapse and turned his body into dust.

Whenever the light touched his body, his power gradually decreased as his body turned to gray and broke down into ashes that disappeared in the wind.

In the end, the power of the void escaped from his body after seeing that his almost collapsed body couldn’t handle its enormous power anymore.

“Kgghk!”

The head of the elves stared blankly at the sky after being forced to kneel down and vomit black blood. He was looking at the sky with a similar expression to the head of the dark elves earlier.

Fshhhhhh.

Just like the head of the dark elves, his body slowly turned into dust.

Iron approached him.

“The world tree wanted me to ask…”

Iron bowed down and put his face close to the head of the elves.

“Are you satisfied now?”

His eyes that were filled with blankness started to be colored with regret upon hearing Iron’s question.

“Your answer?”

The head of the elves bowed his head and did not speak despite Iron’s urging. Seeing him like this, Iron straightened his back and accepted this as his answer.

“Your young said that they would find peace in the world tree. Stop now and get your rest.”

Iron delivered all of the words that the world tree wanted him to deliver before looking at him quietly. However, unlike the head of the dark elves, the head of the elves just stared at him blankly. Iron sighed.

“Stop it now. Even if you weren’t here, the Empire is already half-destroyed. Isn’t that enough for your revenge?”

“……”

Iron sighed once again when the head of the dark elves did not answer him.

The head of the elves opened his mouth quietly just when he was about to turn around and leave after completing his mission.

“…I want to ask you this one thing.”

“What is it?”

Iron looked at him and asked as he watched the head of the elves slow down his collapse with all his might.

“Are you… loyal to the Emperor?”

“Loyal?”

Iron smirked when he heard the head of the elves’ question.

“Not a chance in hell.”

His eyes widened at Iron’s unexpected answer. Then, Iron smiled as he continued to speak.

“I don’t know about anywhere else but the Northeastern Army does not really like the human called the Emperor. He’s the culprit for all of the troubles that we have and are experiencing in our lives.”

The high elf looked at him blankly.

Then, Iron approached him again before bowing and speaking quietly.

“I, for one, especially hate the Imperial Family. That’s why I’m going to make sure that they fall and collapse. Just so you know, I have already made a contract with the witch before. You can trust my words.”

Iron smiled and stood up.

The absent-minded head of the elves looked at him and finally smiled. Only then did he let go of himself and let the flow of collapse start once again. It seemed like he was satisfied.

“I wish I had met you soo…”

The head of the elves left those words and a sad expression as he turned to ashes and disappeared.

At that moment, light bloomed in the sky as a voice spoke loudly in everyone’s ears.