Chapter 99 : Chapter 99

Chapter 99 : Beneath the Branch of the World Tree (12)

The Elf King, Aetelt.

A muscular elf with long silver hair flowing down to his waist, barely concealed by his robe.

Bea had told me about him.

‘He’s supposed to be quite authoritative, but in front of the World Tree’s spirit, he’s no different from other elves.’

Aetelt quietly gazed at the World Tree’s spirit perched on my sword.

Soon, he bowed his head lower than the spirit.

The other elves followed, bowing their heads.

While countless elves lowered their heads, the World Tree’s spirit merely fluttered its wings, circling around me.

It didn’t spare a glance for any of the elves.

Finally, as the Elf King raised his head, I spoke to him.

“Nice to meet you, Elf King Aetelt-nim. I am Polarin Adjak.”

“…….”

The Elf King didn’t respond to my greeting.

How should I reform this elf?

I was annoyed, but my task wasn’t to get angry at him.

“Before coming to the elf territory, I met Fairy King Frude-nim.”

I took out the flowerpot Frude had given me.

The Elf King glanced at it, let out a brief hum, but showed no further reaction.

It was different from Frude’s expectations.

“Frude-nim doesn’t want the forest to be destroyed by further war. What do you think, Elf King?”

“…….”

Aetelt stared at me blankly.

His expression suggested he had no idea why he needed to explain himself.

My patience was wearing thin.

Even after seeing the Fairy King’s token to stop the war, the Elf King showed no reaction.

Moreover, I could still sense demonic energy from the World Tree above.

Flutter, flutter.

Only the World Tree’s spirit circling me asserted its presence in the silence.

I had to do the same.

I needed to make my presence known to the fairies, the elves and the empire.

I’d have to take a different approach from these elves who thought themselves noble and refused to respond to a person’s words.

Above all, I sensed a faint stench of demonic energy from Aetelt.

Using Ghost Eye, I confirmed he wasn’t possessed by it.

But I could tell he’d been with a being full of demonic energy on the World Tree.

The elves were no longer victims.

I glanced at the World Tree’s spirit once more, then drew my sword.

The Branch of the World Tree revealed its blade under the towering World Tree.

Clang!

The elves surrounding me drew their weapons, eyeing me warily.

* * *

Gawen, the Godslayer.

Among the members of Adjak’s expedition that united the continent, she was an elf deeply trusted by Adjak.

Bea was proud to be Gawen’s descendant.

Though she couldn’t fit into elf society and cut her own ears to leave, her grandmother Gawen was always a source of pride.

And she was always lonely.

She had Nihel and talked a lot with her, but when the sun set and she lay alone in a small cave, loneliness grew like stalactites.

That time shaped the current Bea.

She left the elves and confined herself to a cave, becoming more aloof and closed-off than any elf.

But after meeting Polarin Adjak by chance, Bea changed.

Polarin was completely different from her.

Their personalities didn’t mesh, but Polarin didn’t care.

He barged into her life and led her forward.

He helped her when she was surrounded and attacked by fairies.

He knew much about Gawen and called himself Adjak’s heir.

He encouraged Bea that she could be Gawen’s heir too.

And he intervened in the racial war between fairies and elves, which had nothing to do with him.

His actions were bold but not reckless.

Polarin questioned whether his actions were just and Bea even supported him.

Exiled elf Bea.

She didn’t even realize why she was helping Polarin.

But at some point, she joined his journey without question.

To her, the journey with Polarin was radical but also immensely enjoyable.

He was the first person—no, the first being—to say he’d be her friend.

When Polarin raised his sword toward the Elf King.

When the surrounding elves aimed their bows, swords and axes at him.

Bea was startled but didn’t hesitate to draw her bowstring.

She aimed not at Polarin but at Elf King Aetelt.

It was an impulsive decision.

Bea, always cautious, knew she’d changed after meeting Polarin.

But that decision changed her world.

The fluttering World Tree’s spirit landed on the tip of Polarin’s sword.

Soon, light poured from the World Tree.

The white light fell like snow and I realized they weren’t mere light but World Tree spirits.

The spirits, which hadn’t shown themselves since the war, were now falling like snowflakes in winter.

“Oh… the spirits…”

“The World Tree’s spirits have returned.”

Flutter, flutter.

The spirits swirled around Polarin and his upright sword, chanting in unison.

- ── ── ──

- Ah───

- ──Ah ──

The spirits, glowing brightly and drifting delicately, were utterly mystical.

Polarin, lost in gazing at the spirits, didn’t notice the other elves kneeling one by one.

Bea also knelt, looking up at Polarin’s radiant expression.

* * *

- Polarin, you brought me this far.

The Branch of the World Tree trembled as a voice came from it.

- It’s been a long journey. Through Hike, his disciple and now you, it’s been nearly 300 years since I traveled the world.

Nearly 300 years?

The spirit within the Branch of the World Tree must have been with Hike since Adjak’s expedition.

As the spirit in my sword spoke to me, the other spirits danced.

I realized—no, it was etched into me—what kind of being the spirit I’d been with was.

It wasn’t just a spirit; it was the World Tree itself.

- After the expedition, Hike came to me. He blamed me, asking why I didn’t help the expedition or Adjak.

‘Why didn’t you help?’

- Because I knew it would fail.

‘…….’

- The demons of Myeolji. How many years do you think they’ve lived? They have been in this world with me since I gained consciousness. How many expeditions do you think there were?

The World Tree’s voice carried deep defeatism.

When Adjak embarked on his expedition, even the elves who fought with the World Tree’s spirit couldn’t borrow its power in Myeolji.

‘Numbers don’t matter.’

Anger surged within me.

Without the World Tree’s help, Adjak succeeded in beheading the Demon King.

But he couldn’t escape Myeolji.

A new Demon King was born.

Would the outcome have been different if the World Tree had helped?

If so, would I never have come to this world?

But venting old anger was less important than what lay ahead.

‘…Do you regret it?’

- Partly. The elves worship me as a god, but I’m not omnipotent. Even now, I’m constantly losing strength.

‘I plan to challenge Myeolji again.’

- I know, having watched you, that your goal is a Myeolji expedition. But why? Your generation hasn’t been harmed by Myeolji.

Adjak’s voice overlapped in my mind.

‘Fulfilling Adjak’s wish is my wish too.’

- You’re quite like Adjak. I even believed you might be his reincarnation.

‘…I’m probably not reincarnated.’

- Few humans carry memories of past lives. I, too, might not have always been the World Tree.

‘Whatever my past life was, what matters now is whether I can have your help, World Tree-nim.’

- Help… Am I not helping you now?

The Branch of the World Tree trembled again.

It moved so fiercely, as if trying to escape my grip, that I had to hold it tightly.

‘Will you help me going forward?’

- I don’t have much strength left. I don’t want to regret it again, so I’ll bet on you.

‘Thank you.’

The trembling of the Branch of the World Tree gradually subsided.

The World Tree said it had little strength left, but I only had one chance anyway.

- Maron.

‘What?’

The name the World Tree suddenly mentioned, Maron, startled me.

It was a name I’d heard countless times in the opening of Tune World Season 1.

The God of Death, Maron.

The god who ruled the Mythic Era and stood against the Demon King.

The God of Death became the World Tree?

- My name when I was young and the branch you hold is me as well.

“Maron.”

I muttered, looking down at my sword.

Maron was the World Tree.

The Branch of the World Tree trembled as if responding to its name like a puppy.

And the Branch of the World Tree—no, Maron—began to transform.

It was slightly different from the transformation in Tune World.

The sword was no longer just pitch-black.

A purple gem emerged at the center of the crossguard.

The gem glowed softly, tinting the sword.

Golden patterns etched around the gem, overlaying the crossguard, blade, and hilt.

It wasn’t just a change in form.

I could feel the sword’s hardness, sharpness, and the [Severance] I’d imbued in it had risen to a new level.

I was overwhelmed with the exhilaration that I could cut through anything.

‘I won’t get to enjoy switching swords in this world.’

But I was glad.

I had transformed the Branch of the World Tree, practically an ultimate weapon, to its third stage.

It was different from the game.

I could feel Maron’s will strongly within it.

With this sword, I could cut down powerful demons and purify Myeolji.

I was so absorbed in my conversation with Maron and the sword’s transformation that I briefly forgot I’d drawn it against the Elf King.

I snapped back to reality to address the situation but soon realized I didn’t need to.

Elf King Aetelt, the elves aiming weapons at me, and even Bea were all kneeling before me.

I looked down at Aetelt and said,“Are you ready to talk now?”

Tip: Tap/click the left or right side of the screen to go to previous/next chapter.