Chapter 195
“Is everyone ready?” Sallion asked.
Gnoass smiled, his face wrinkling even more, and answered, “Of course. What about you, Ellaim?”
Ellaim looked to the side and expressed coldly, “I’m ready. Sylphid?”
“Me too. With this... it’s goodbye,” Sylphid remarked as she bit her lip.
The four spirit monarchs locked eyes with one another, their eyes filled with worry, love, and determination. They knew that it was time to separate from those they had spent a long time with.
“I don’t know who will remain, but... I leave the spirits to you.”
“Haha, I’m already old, Sallion. You’re not thinking of leaving that burden with me, are you?”
“What the hell are you talking about, Gnoass? We were all born on the same day.”
“Must you be so harsh, even during our farewell, Ellaim?”
Sallion, Gnoass, Ellaim, and Sylphid chatted affectionately as their farewell approached. They were gathered at the center of the Spirit Land, standing before the spherical Spirit Stone, which had four pieces missing.
After some time, Sallion placed his hand over the Spirit Stone and said, “Let’s begin. We’re counting on you, Cheon Seong-Hwi.”
He looked behind him at Seong-Hwi, sprouting thirteen Wings of Evolution, and over a hundred fairies around him.
“Don’t worry. I will do my best. I have to cash in on that promise you all made me, after all,” Seong-Hwi answered.
Sallion smiled and responded, “We will do whatever the Underground Confederation asks. However, let me ask one favor.”
“What is it?”
“Elementum... will be lonely. Try to fill the void of their loneliness.”
Seong-Hwi froze from the unexpected favor, but nodded with determination.
“Alright! Ahaha! I loved you guys so much!” Sallion shouted as he touched the Spirit Stone. He turned into flames and was sucked into the stone.
“Well, well. Impatient to the end, that fellow. I suppose it’s my turn next, as the oldest. This is farewell, Ellaim, Sylphid. Always be happy, my princesses,” Gnoass said as he placed his hand on the Spirit Stone. His smile turned to stone, and he was sucked into the Spirit Stone.
Only Ellaim and Sylphid remained.
Sylphid removed her helmet and smiled at Ellaim refreshingly, saying, “Ellaim. I don’t know what you think of me, but... I always thought of you as my sister.”
Ellaim remained silent.
Sylphid continued, “I’m sure you were against the plan to give rise to Elementum because you’re too kind. It’s okay to be selfish sometimes... my lovely little sister.”
She placed her hand on the Spirit Stone, turning into the wind and being sucked into the stone. Ellaim was the last one remaining.
Her lips quivered as she mumbled, “We were all... born on the same day... You morons.”
Unable to handle the loneliness, she immediately placed her hand on the Spirit Stone as well. She turned into water and was sucked into the stone. The bet was placed, and the spirits’ continuation was on the line.
***
Once the four spirit monarchs were absorbed, the Spirit Stone became perfectly spherical. Although it was physically complete, the power within was unstable; it exuded mana as if it were about to explode at any moment.
Seeing that, Seong-Hwi shouted, “Now! Bring out your Harmony Force!”
[Converting Destiny Force to Harmony Force.]
The veins on the Wings of Evolution disappeared, leaving only a fluttering iridescent light.
“Haaah!”
“Support the Second Knight!”
“Heave, ho! Heave, ho!”
Over a hundred fairies drew out their Harmony Force to assist Seong-Hwi. The warm and harmonious light reached the Spirit Stone. The unstable mana and the irregular Spirit Force from the stone wriggled as if it were about to burst, and the Harmony Force enveloped the stone to stop the explosion. The battle of strength commenced.
“Hurgh!” Seong-Hwi grunted, having converted every drop of his S(1) Destiny Force to Harmony Force.
His Harmony Force, containing the power of the Harmony Stone, fought hard, but it was against the monster that was the Spirit Stone. The stone began to crack, but Seong-Hwi held on for dear life as he bit his lip.
He shouted inwardly, Kurgh! I didn’t know... Elementum was born against such insane odds!
In his past life, Elementum appeared during the World Tree War. Since the war was brought forward by four years, so was Elementum’s birth.
So, this is the cost of being four years early. If the stone is more unstable compared to back then... This could be dangerous!
“Kyaaah! Sir Second Knight!”
“What should we do... about this?”
“We’re almost at our limit!”
Seong-Hwi stared at the Spirit Stone, on the verge of exploding, as he listened to the fairies’ screams. His mind spun to the extreme.
[00:00:14]
[00:00:13]
...
To make matters worse, the conversion time to Harmony Force was almost up. He realized there was only one way out of this crisis. I must use... a fairy race skill!
Lina’s words flashed past his mind.
“The single master copy that every race has, which holds all their genetic information. You might have backtracked the countless copies and reached the master copy.”
I must reach the master copy!
He didn’t know how, but he had to do it. No, he had already done it. He wasn’t talking about using pure guts or believing in himself. It was a form of deja vu, the sensation of having done something once before. He wondered if it was because of his Destiny Force.
Backtrack the copies and reach the master copy. Backtrack the copies and reach the master copy. Backtrack the copies...
The Destiny Force, which he had drawn out to the last drop, brought him a strange sense of certainty. At that moment, all noise disappeared. His consciousness, polished and condensed to the absolute limit, deepened, and he felt calm.
Seong-Hwi began to look into the Wings of Evolution. Harmony Force was pulsing like waves. The fairies’ gene had no established form, which was why it could accept the genes of other races. His consciousness sank deeper and deeper into the gene, passing through the rainbow tunnel and reaching the sea of genes. It felt like he had been discharged from a narrow drain into a vast river.
I’ve arrived! his consciousness shouted. He had consciously reached the sea of genes for the first time. Over there! I have to grab that thing!
He sensed a powerful premonition from a rainbow floating in the sea of genes. Once he grabbed it, a skill was automatically activated.
[Activating Race Skill: Harmony Rainbow.]
It was a skill that Fairy Queen Dryas had used in the past.
“HAAAAAH!” Seong-Hwi shouted as he stretched out his arms, and a beautiful rainbow appeared from his hands.
“Wow!”
“So that’s the Harmony Rainbow I’ve only heard about!”
“The Fairy Queen’s...”
“That’s the Second Knight for you!”
The amazed fairies did their best to support Seong-Hwi. The Harmony Rainbow in Seong-Hwi’s hands embraced the cracks forming on the Spirit Stone, mending it like applying silicone between tiles.
[00:00:04]
[00:00:03]
...
Just... a little more... Alright! Seong-Hwi shouted inwardly.
All the cracks on the Spirit Stone were mended. A powerful vibration shook the surroundings, and the Spirit Stone radially exuded an immense aura.
“Kyaaah!”
“Ouchie!”
The fairies were blown away like pins struck by a bowling ball.
“Huuup!” Seong-Hwi grunted, also being pushed back, his feet leaving furrows in the ground.
“Seong-Hwi!” Leo shouted.
Seong-Hwi felt something on his back, and he stopped being pushed back. Leo had supported him from behind.
[00:00:00]
[Terminating conversion]
The conversion time was up, and the Wings of Evolution’s hexagonal veins returned. Seong-Hwi panted heavily as he looked forward with Leo supporting him. The Spirit Stone was shining mystically in midair. Various elements flowed inside the stone: fire, water, wind, earth, desert, forest, light, darkness, lightning, and more.
“What... happened?” Leo asked.
The exhausted Seong-Hwi smiled and answered, “It’s stable now. We did it. All that’s left is to wait for the birth of Elementum.”
Greed momentarily flashed in his eyes as he wondered, What would happen if I took that for myself?
However, it was but for a moment, and he shook his head. The Spirit Stone was indeed tempting, but he was certain the spirit monarchs had set up some sort of security measure on it. Even if he could overcome whatever they had set up, he wasn’t certain he could even use it.
I still don’t know how the Destiny Stone activated. I doubt that just obtaining it is everything. If that’s the case... It’s smarter to let Elementum, who can use it, be in my debt and maintain an amicable relationship with them. Don’t be swayed by greed. It will only narrow my field of view. Elementum is needed for humanity.
Seong-Hwi’s judgment was ultimately correct. He did not know this, but a powerful curse known as the void curse, an imitation of the Void of Animismus, dwelt within the Spirit Stone.
He looked around and saw the fairies, collapsed from exhaustion, and the Spirit Land slowly showing signs of change.
“Stay here, Leo,” he said.
“What?”
“Protect the fairies and Elementum.”
One was most vulnerable during the process of their birth. If Elementum were attacked now, their efforts would have all been for nothing.
“What about you?” Leo asked.
“I have to go to Elvenheim,” Seong-Hwi replied.
“You could wait until we can go togeth—”
“No,” Seong-Hwi interjected as he shook his head. “We’ve gotten here as fast as possible, but it took over three days. I can’t wait any longer. I can only go because I can trust things here with you.”
Leo looked into Seong-Hwi’s eyes in silence; they were filled with trust.
He thought, Sometimes... I can’t understand the degree of trust you have in me, but... It’s human nature to want to live up to that trust.
Leo pounded Rhodes in shield form and nodded. “Go. Leave things here to me.”
“I’m counting on you.”
As Seong-Hwi was about to disappear into the thicket, a malnourished Asian man shouted, “Wait... a second!”
It was Wang Chen who had regained consciousness. He staggered as he ran to Seong-Hwi as if worried he would disappear, and grabbed his shoulder.
“What?” Seong-Hwi asked.
“What... am I... supposed to do now?” Wang Chen asked, staring at Seong-Hwi with a confused gaze.
Seong-Hwi answered as if it were obvious, “Since you’re alive, live.”
“Live?” Wang Chen asked dumbfoundedly. The man before him was telling him to live after taking away his chance to die. A rage welled up from inside, and he shouted, “Why did you... Let me live?! You should have just left me to die!”
“Hey, you’re out of line,” Leo said in anger as he approached Wang Chen, but Seong-Hwi raised his hand, gesturing him to stop.
Seong-Hwi slapped Wang Chen’s hand away from his shoulder and asked, “Who is your rage targeted at?”
“What?” Wang Chen asked.
“You said that your weakness frustrates you, and that you wish to become strong if there is a next life. I’ve given you the next life you wanted so much, but all you’re doing is squealing like a little girl.”
Wang Chen noticed contempt in Seong-Hwi’s eyes. He retorted, “You can only say that... because you’re strong!”
“Wrong. Even with my stats and skills, you would still be weak.” Seong-Hwi smiled nastily, clearly mocking Wang Chen. “To be powerful is to have the will to act. You’re only complaining that you want to be strong; you’ve done nothing to act on it.”
Wang Chen remained silent.
Seong-Hwi continued, “What will you do after becoming strong? Establish a goal. How will you become strong? Formulate a plan, and head toward it. Rage that’s all talk isn’t worth shit.”
A goal? Wang Chen thought.
He wanted to mourn for his eleven brothers. He wanted forgiveness from them, who had died because they had followed such a stupid leader. He wanted to become stronger and form the Twelve Brothers clan, like they had always wanted.
Will I be able to beg for their forgiveness once I make the clan renowned throughout the Mirror World?
Once he thought about such things, he was entranced by the certainty that he must live only for that purpose. He had established his goal, but he needed a way to get there.
“A plan! How can I become... as strong as you?” Wang Chen asked.
His lifeless and hazy eyes were now clear and focused. He stared at Seong-Hwi with eyes filled with passion.
It’s done, Seong-Hwi thought as he smiled inwardly.
Wang Chen had hardened his resolve. The first cog of the plan he had formulated from the moment he met Wang Chen had been placed.
“Are you prepared to die?” Seong-Hwi asked.
“I am... already dead.”
“Good.” Seong-Hwi grabbed something from his pocket. He showed it to Wang Chen and whispered, “Once Elementum is awake...”
Seong-Hwi leaned away from Wang Chen once he finished whispering. Wang Chen stared at him with shaking eyes.
“I’m not scared of death, but... You scare me. Have you been thinking about that... from the moment you met me?”
“Are you up for it?” Seong-Hwi asked.
“You’ve made it so that... I have no other choice.”
Wang Chen bit his lip. Seeing that, Seong-Hwi nodded and remarked, “So, you’ve accepted despite knowing I’m using you. Yes, the best plan is to be open to every possible means. Congratulations. Today, you have become powerful.”
***
The block of granite which was an obstacle in the pathway of the weak became a stepping stone in the pathway of the strong.
Thomas Carlyle
***
“Chwik. Damn this barrier! Open up, long-ears!” shouted a large grey orc with tusks from his mandible reaching his cheekbones.
“It appears the elves are fully prepared, Bodonchar. It will be difficult to force our way in,” said a centaur with red hair, eyes, and beard as he approached with his arms crossed.
“Shut up, Chiron! Chwik! We have to reach the World Tree if we want to clear the Lumber the World Tree quest!”
Chiron sighed as he stared at Bodonchar, about to explode from fury, and explained calmly, “No matter what the two of us do, we can’t penetrate this barrier. We might have to work together with the Rankers who are aiming to clear the Kill Insectum quest.”
Bodonchar gritted his teeth. “Chwik, why the hell are they aiming for the Kill Insectum quest instead, with all the people that the World Tree killed?!”
“I’m sure they think they have a better chance against Insectum than Keter. We were also aiming for Insectum in the beginning before that sudden surprise attack from the World Tree,” Chiron said as he shook his head.
A third of the allied army of orcs and centaurs had died after entering Forestis, all of which had been from the World Tree’s rampage. The countless roots that had sprouted from the ground had attacked their fellow people, who then became nutrients for the World Tree.
Because of that, Bodonchar and Chiron had changed their objective and charged toward Elvenheim to avenge their kin. However, the elves had closed off Elvenheim using a powerful barrier enveloping the entire city.
“Chwik! Dammit!”
Bodonchar wrapped his fist with Battle Force and punched the green, translucent dome barrier before him, but it did not even budge.
[The Barrier of Yesod, Bet, Heth, and Samekh is closing off this space.]
The giant barrier enveloping Elvenheim was a joint effort of the Sefirah Yesod, one of the ten ultimate bloodlines, and three of the superior bloodlines Bet, Heth, and Samekh. These four bloodlines were known for their barrier skills. Hence, even World Rankers like Bodonchar and Chiron could penetrate it.
“Chwik! Considering the long ears can enter willy-nilly, there has to be a way to get in!” Bodonchar shouted, seething in rage.
“I’d bet it opens from the inside, meaning it’s pointless even if we capture the elves out here alive. This will take some time,” Chiron said analytically, shaking his head.
***
Orcs and centaurs, huh? They seem to be in a bad mood. I suppose the World Tree fucked them over real good, thought Seong-Hwi, concealed by the Hermit’s Robe and Shadowless Plum Blossom Branch, as he observed the orcs and centaurs from afar.
He then moved to find an appropriate spot as he recalled the confession of the high elf he had tortured at the Capitral, Yavre.
“Elvenheim is... currently on lockdown... To enter... someone must... open the barrier... from the inside... To let them know... you must...”
“I didn’t expect this to come in handy at this moment,” Seong-Hwi said as he arrived at a spot where he couldn’t feel anyone’s presence.
He stared at the translucent green barrier as he pulled something from his pocket. It was a small tree branch the size of a finger joint with a leaf at its end. He recalled what someone had said long ago.
“Thank you, Cheon Seong-Hwi. In the name of Chlor, a Quarter of House Chesed, I swear to never forget this favor. If you wish to meet me, plant this branch in front of Elvenheim, and I will come to meet you and show you around the true elven city. Well, I say that, but I only have access up to the branch floor.”
Seong-Hwi thought, I could slash open the barrier using the Knot-severing Sword, but I’m certain it will alert those inside. This is the best way.
Seong-Hwi planted the tree branch that Chlor, a fellow escapee of the Tin Can, had given him as a token before separating.
“Right, an elf always keeps their word, don’t they? Come on out, Chlor.”