Chapter 93: The World Tree (2)

Unlike the divine voice of the Sacred Realm, this was a cute, girlish voice that instantly melted Ion’s heightened guard. It spoke through a nearby birch branch.

“The plants are trying so hard not to disappoint you. So interesting. Plants don’t usually care about others’ opinions.”

It sounded like an eleven- or twelve-year-old, with no hostility.

“Are you… the World Tree?” Ion asked.

“Yes, I’m Elidivi, the World Tree.”

At the friendly tone, Ion recalled his vines. They wrapped around his wrist once before sinking into the soil.

“Come inside. I want to meet that child’s master in person.”

The World Tree spoke through branches, petals, grass, and leaves—its many extensions—brimming with amusement.

“Hurry, come in.”

Ion hesitated, unsure where to go, but Sevi darted forward. “Dam Ion, let’s go! It’s inviting us!” Sevi passed through the invisible barrier effortlessly. Ion reached out and, indeed, crossed it unhindered. The barrier remained but had accepted them.

Ion lifted Sanse to follow, and Baba, perched on the pot, whispered, “Dam Ion, be careful. World Tree feels weird.”

“Really? Seems friendly,” Ion replied.

“That’s why you need to be careful,” Baba warned.

No kindness comes without reason? Trusting the presumed S-rank chimera, Ion noted the caution.

“Here, here! Master’s buried here… ugh, so annoying!” Sevi began digging furiously.

Ion didn’t question why Sevi didn’t use magic. Inside the barrier, he’d noticed immediately: despite the abundant plants, there was no natural mana. The vibrant flora produced none, as if dead. Without natural mana, only absorbed, digested mana could fuel spells. Sevi, reliant on natural mana, had to resort to physical effort.

Pop! With mana cut off, Sevi’s form shifted from silver-haired boy to a silver-scaled hatchling. Undeterred, the hatchling dug with chubby paws.

The World Tree ignored Sevi, shaking a camellia leaf to address Ion. “You’re not from Idea. Where are you from?”

“Earth,” Ion replied.

“Earth? Unexpected. I assumed the Celestial Realm.”

“…” Celestial Realm? A common fantasy term on Earth, but a real place? Are there angels?

“Is Earth another name for the Celestial Realm? I’ve been rooted here so long, I’m out of touch with trends.”

“No, Earth’s a different world, not the Celestial or Demon Realm. Why did you think I’m from the Celestial Realm?” Ion asked.

“Your soul has the distinct aura of a Celestial. It’s the first I’ve felt since the time when the Demon Realm, Celestial Realm, and Idea were one world. I know because my closest friend was a Celestial…”

A faint longing tinged the World Tree’s voice.

“And that child you’re holding, too.”

“Sanse? What about Sanse?” Ion asked.

“That’s its name? Oh, I should…”

The voice cut off. A rustling came from the foliage, not from the wind but deliberate. A barefoot girl in a white dress, with curly red hair to her ankles, emerged. She smiled, hopping lightly, floating as if weightless, and landed softly before Ion.

“World Tree…?” Ion asked.

“Yes, that’s me, big brother.”

Her lips moved, but the voice came from the leaves, not her vocal cords. Fascinating yet chilling, especially the “big brother” that sent shivers down Ion’s spine.

“Can I touch that child?” She looked at Sanse.

As Ion knelt to let her, Baba screeched, “No! Don’t touch! You’re bad! You can’t touch Sanse! Bad tree!” Baba flapped aggressively, like a mother bird fending off a snake.

Startled, the World Tree withdrew her hand. “…This bat.”

“Sorry, Baba, stop it,” Ion said.

“Dam Ion, snap out of it! Bad tree! Sanse hates it! Scared!” Baba insisted.

Ion hugged Sanse tightly, stepping back. “Sanse’s feelings come first. Sorry, you can’t touch.”

“You really cherish that child.” The World Tree smiled, as innocently as Sevi, unbothered.

“That child’s becoming a spirit. By pouring endless love into a being without emotion or will, you’ve given it life. Only a Celestial could do that.”

“Maybe it’s because Sanse’s been around spirits since I was young?” Ion suggested.

“Possible, if it’s been with spirits for centuries.”

“…”

“Otherwise, your Celestial soul influenced it.”

Ion came to find Sevi’s Breeder, discovered their mana matched Teacher’s, and now heard he was a Celestial being. A headache surged, as if his eyes might pop out.

“What’s the Celestial Realm like…” Ion began.

“That’s not important!” Sevi’s sharp cry startled Ion, who’d momentarily forgotten the hatchling. Sevi was a mess of mud and tears, having dug a pit deep enough to live in.

“World Tree, give me my Master! I feel him strongly here. He’s sleeping here. Waaah! Give me my Master!” Sevi sobbed.

The World Tree tilted her head. “Why does the little dragon seek its master from me?”

“Three years ago, a man visited—human, male, 40s or 50s. We’re here for him,” Ion said.

“No one’s buried there, but I know who visited three years ago.”

“You know Master? Give him back!” Sevi demanded, rushing forward but crashing into an invisible wall, falling back.

“Sevi, you okay?” Ion asked.

“I’m fine! World Tree, where’s Master?” Sevi shouted.

Ignoring Sevi, the World Tree looked at Ion. “He came here himself. I thought he sought my power, like others. But no. He begged me to stop the ‘next.’ Only I could, he said.”

“The ‘next’? What’s that?” Ion asked.

“I don’t know details. He said he was someone’s servant and, if time passed, he’d return to his master. So he asked me to use my divine power to stop time. A desperate plea.”

“…”

“I granted his wish, though not as he imagined. His time has stopped forever.”

A chilling dread gripped Ion. “How?”

“I absorbed him.”

“…”

“The branch I made from him is right by the pit the little dragon dug. Digging only tickles me. He’s one with me now.”

The World Tree had killed the Breeder, speaking of it with pure innocence.

“What… what do you mean? Master… what happened to him?” Sevi trembled, staring at the tree by the pit.

Ion, clutching Sanse, approached Sevi. The tree’s species was unidentifiable, like an undecided stem cell.

“No way! Give me Master! You’re a bad World Tree! Spit him out!” Sevi cried.

“Bad? I only did what he wanted. Mind your words, little dragon.”

“Bring Master back! Or I’ll burn this mountain!” Sevi’s silver scales glowed with heat, preparing a breath attack. Ion quickly clamped Sevi’s snout.

“Dragons draw power from the World Tree. It won’t work,” Ion said.

“Sevi, hold on. There’s another way.”

“…” Sevi, trembling with fear, sobbed loudly, retracting the breath.

“Want to hold Sanse?” Ion offered.

“Y-Yes… hic… I’ll hold… hic…” Sevi hugged Sanse, crying.

Baba stayed on Ion’s shoulder. The World Tree, unnoticed, crept closer, watching curiously. Ion spoke calmly.

“He’s not fully digested yet, is he?”

“Correct. How’d you know?”

“The tree’s species isn’t set. Can we extract him?” Ion asked.

“He’s over half-digested, so no. But…”

“…”

“Since he’s not fully digested, you could talk to him. You’d need to enter my inner world, though.”

“How do I get out?” Ion asked.

“Hehe…” The World Tree smiled like spring sunlight. “I’m not a bad tree. Trees give everything. You can leave, depending on your ability.”

The inner world was a mental realm, accessible only by soul, leaving the body behind. The issue was:

“Embarrassingly, I’ve… eaten a lot. Undigested souls cling to new, intact ones, desperate to delay their end. Foolish, since they’re already dead.”

These trapped souls sought new ones to corrupt, requiring Ion to withstand mental, not physical, attacks.