Chapter 156
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 156
Chapter Title: Unexpected Omens - 2
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"Well, hmm—have you ever heard of Dark Elves? I suppose you wouldn't have."
The Dark Elf legion's conquest of Europe… that was one of the major events that would unfold in the future.
But for now, the Dark Elves were weak. It was a time when they were living quietly in the encroached zone of Berlin, maintaining a secret, amicable relationship with Germany's powerful figures.
In exchange for a supply of precious magical ingredients from the Dark Elves, the German authorities concealed their existence—it was a scheme to control a massive monster population without bloodshed. Having witnessed the Red Drake swarm and the Black Oak Kingdom shake entire nations, they were trying not to repeat the same mistakes.
In the future, it would become painfully clear that such thinking was nothing but arrogance. After years of developing without incident, the Dark Elf army would swallow Europe whole in a single bite.
But all of that was still several years away.
‘But then… why on earth is the Dark Elf legion on the move already?’
Donald Harris had previously informed him that his European intelligence network had detected stirrings from the Dark Elf legion. Further investigation had revealed their target to be the Republic of Chad, and that a large-scale intercontinental portal magic was being prepared.
It was as clear as day who was behind such a grand conspiracy.
‘…The Villains must be pulling the strings, controlling the Dark Elves.’
But the question remained. The Dark Elf legion wasn't yet fully prepared for war, so what could be their motive for starting one now, of all times?
Revealing their threatening presence to the world in an imperfect state would more likely result in their own downfall—after all, the current Dark Elf kingdom was weaker than the Black Oak Kingdom.
After Donald Harris's messenger—Vedrfolnir—had departed, Lee Hyun-wook was lost in thought.
‘They must be making a bold move for a very specific reason. What is it?’
The answer, surprisingly, came to him rather quickly.
- …Ah, this is the scene of a Gate outbreak in Vienna, Austria!
A news bulletin flashed across the TV in the Order Tower, reporting on a raid happening somewhere in the world. Lost in thought, Lee Hyun-wook was only half-listening.
- Th-there, do you see it? A colossal monster has appeared right from the first wave!
Such news was an everyday occurrence, happening constantly all over the world.
For Koreans watching the news, it was something that would typically pass without much notice.
It would feel like just another incident happening in a distant foreign country.
*Thud— Thud—*
But as he saw the giant filling the screen, Lee Hyun-wook frowned.
‘Don't tell me that's….’
It was a giant about five stories tall—roughly 12 meters—with one peculiar feature: its attire resembled that of a Greek soldier. It wore a Corinthian-style bronze helmet with a red crest, a red cape, and wielded a spear and shield.
Just then, the giant hurled its iron spear toward something—
*CRASH—! CRASH—! CRASH—!*
It pierced through three Gothic-style buildings in a row, causing them to collapse.
For a mere common monster, not even a boss, its destructive power was overwhelming.
As far as Lee Hyun-wook knew, there was only one type of monster with that appearance.
‘That’s… a Titan Scout, isn’t it?’
Titan Scouts were not ordinary monsters that appeared at any time.
They were a precursor to the great catastrophe that would later be known as the <Titanomachy>.
After these beings appeared across the globe, the named Titans would emerge in Europe.
In other words, this creature was another being that shouldn't have appeared at this time.
‘If that’s the case… the <Titanomachy> has been moved up as well.’
Perhaps due to Lee Hyun-wook's actions, the Angra Mainyu Legion—Azi Dahaka—had also appeared several years ahead of schedule. And he had dealt with that cleanly as well….
‘…The next scenario is about to begin.’
And the Villains, having noticed this, were likely trying to exploit it.
Once the Titanomachy began, the world's entire military strength would be focused on that event. They were planning to send the Dark Elf legion into the Republic of Chad to coincide with that timing.
‘So… this is their golden opportunity to conquer the Republic of Chad, is it?’
From the Villains' perspective, there were two major obstacles.
The first was undoubtedly Lee Hyun-wook, who had foiled their plans time and time again.
The second was the two titans from the Republic of Chad, who had traditionally been the Villains' top-priority targets: ‘Guardian of the World Tree’ Donald Harris and ‘Saintess’ Emilia Müller.
Their attempts to eliminate Lee Hyun-wook had repeatedly failed, serving only to fuel his growth. So this time, they were targeting the Republic of Chad.
They needed to take care of at least one of the two to complete their future plans.
‘But I can't let that happen….’
Lee Hyun-wook quickly saw through their scheme and planned to respond preemptively.
‘Bold strategies are always a gamble. And I'll make sure this gamble of theirs ends in ruin….’
***
Lee Hyun-wook told Donald Harris he would help with the war, and he was welcomed with open arms.
The very next day, Lee Hyun-wook decided to head to the Republic of Chad and immediately began preparations to depart.
He planned to discuss future countermeasures with Donald Harris and Emilia Müller there.
‘Actually… it’ll be more persuasion than discussion.’
Lee Hyun-wook already had a plan formulated in his mind to handle this situation.
To execute it, he desperately needed Donald Harris's help.
Perhaps persuading that stubborn hermit would be the most difficult part.
‘Still, after everything I’ve shown him, he should trust me.’
「Master, Prydwen is ready for launch!」
At Talos's report, Lee Hyun-wook left the Order Tower and headed to the airship port.
"Boss, we're all ready too."
As always, Park Jun-mo and Kim Se-hee were scheduled to accompany him on this trip.
"By the way, why are we bringing something so dangerous?"
Kim Se-hee pointed toward Prydwen's ramp door. A box with a <DANGER> sticker was being loaded onto it. It was none other than the spirit bomb, the ‘City Sweeper.’
"But you said even you can't control it if that thing goes off."
The moment it opened, it would attract and disintegrate all stone, earth, and metal in the vicinity. A single misstep could cause an unprecedented disaster, making it the most dangerous of dangerous goods.
"That's true, but I have an urgent use for it once we arrive at Yggdrasil."
The previous night, while formulating his plans, a way to use that terrifying object had come to him.
A moment later—
「Master, a portal is beginning to form in the nearby sky!」
"Right, Donald Harris is coming to pick us up himself."
About twenty meters above the Order Tower's rooftop, a massive two-way portal opened.
From within, Donald Harris's familiar, the white falcon ‘Vedrfolnir,’ appeared.
*Screeeech---!*
The creature circled once in the sky, then began to cry out loudly.
It seemed to be signaling for Lee Hyun-wook to hurry up and enter.
"Alright, let's get moving."
Lee Hyun-wook was the first to board Prydwen, followed by Park Jun-mo and Kim Se-hee. And in the cockpit, as always, sat a clone of Yeo Sang-min.
"Departing now!"
*Whoooosh—*
Prydwen took off vertically, slowly gaining altitude. Above them, through the portal in the sky, the shimmering form of the white Divine Tree, ‘Yggdrasil,’ became visible. It felt surreal, like observing a distant tree through the aperture of a telescope.
"Wow— just looking at it through the portal, that tree is unbelievably huge!"
Park Jun-mo stared at the sight with a dazed expression, as if he were on an amusement park ride.
"I never thought I'd get to go to ‘Yggdrasil’ myself."
Yggdrasil was the safest and most beautiful city in the modern world, and a top tourist destination where one could receive various ‘blessings’ just by staying there.
"Gasp— right!"
Just then, as if remembering something, Park Jun-mo shot up from his seat, his face pale.
"…I, uh, I don't have my passport. Isn't this illegal entry?"
At his words, Kim Se-hee clicked her tongue.
"Hey, Donald Harris himself came to get us. What does it matter?"
"Ah… is that right? But what if I get lost or something?"
He seemed genuine, and both Lee Hyun-wook and Kim Se-hee shook their heads simultaneously.
"Alright, passing through the portal in ten seconds!"
Prydwen's bow was already approaching the white hole. At that moment, Vedrfolnir, which had been flying ahead, turned and shot what looked like a blue orb at the airship. As it touched the bow, a translucent membrane enveloped the entire hull like a wrapper.
*Woong—!*
"Uh… what was that just now?"
"It's likely a ‘cloaking’ spell."
Lee Hyun-wook answered Kim Se-hee's question.
"Oh, it concealed us?"
"That's right. There's no need to expose ourselves."
It went without saying that it was not at all good for the world to know of Steel Rain's visit to Yggdrasil. The world's attention would generate unnecessary noise and fatigue, and more importantly, it would become valuable strategic information for someone.
"—Passing through the portal now!"
The moment they passed through the white hole, the scenery on the ground changed in an instant.
"Wow…."
The first thing that caught the eye was, of course, the divine tree Yggdrasil, hundreds of meters tall.
"It's… even bigger than I imagined."
A white trunk, thicker than most skyscrapers, stretched endlessly, piercing through the clouds and draping its grand, verdant branches across the brilliant blue sky. From a distance, it created the illusion of a forest floating above the clouds.
"Huh— it's like a dome covering an entire city."
Branches stretching for what must have been several kilometers completely blocked out the sky, allowing not a single ray of sunlight to pass through. While this might sound oppressive, the leaves of the World Tree emitted a faint glow. Ironically, this 'shade' was bathed in light.
And just below Yggdrasil's trunk—around the exposed roots—was a restricted area surrounded by a white barrier. The only structure there was the world's largest sanctuary, the ‘Saint Dome,’ where the Saintess, Emilia Müller, resided.
Surrounding that, the skyscrapers of a planned city were neatly arranged. Occasionally, magical research institutes called ‘Magic Towers’ rose above the building height limit, shining like lighthouses. Looking further out, the chimneys of various factories in the suburbs emitted not black smoke, but streams of mystical light.
This was the world's youngest city, and its most magical one….
"…This is <Yggdrasil>."
Everyone was lost in awe, captivated by the sight of this truly surreal and idyllic city.
Just then, the white falcon ‘Vedrfolnir’ flew over to the window of Prydwen's cockpit.
*Tap! Tap!*
It pecked at the window rather impatiently, then opened its beak.
"—What are you all doing? You don't intend to keep this old man flying forever, do you?"
With that, it turned sharply and flew back toward the shade of the World Tree.
"It seems our host isn't the most patient type, so I'll follow him quickly."
Yeo Sang-min said as he piloted Prydwen forward, and they soon entered the shade.
"Whoa… I feel like a tiny little bird."
As they approached Yggdrasil, the massive airship felt infinitesimally small.
Just as Park Jun-mo had said, it felt like being a bird flying towards a tree.
"Alright— we're about to land, so everyone hold on tight."
After flying for about three more minutes, Vedrfolnir landed on a wide, flat branch.
The branch was as wide as a runway and seemed to be used as a sort of airship port.
*Whoooosh—*
As Prydwen landed on the branch, a large door in the 'trunk' at the end of the branch opened.
From it emerged an old man in a white shirt and jeans: Donald Harris.
And behind him stood the head of the Saint Dome, Saintess Emilia Müller.
And so, the three people the Villains wanted dead most were gathered in one place.
***
"…We need to launch a preemptive strike."
Donald Harris, who had been pouring tea, looked up at Lee Hyun-wook's words.
He tilted his head with an expression that said he must have misheard.
"Uh, what, did you just say a preemptive strike?"
Emilia Müller, buried in the sofa, scratched her messy blonde hair and asked.
Seeing her after a long time, she was, as expected, drunk and hiccuping.
Still, he was grateful that she at least showed up sober for important events.
"*Hic*— Am I still drunk…? Things sound a little strange."
*Clink*— Donald Harris placed a cup of unidentifiable tea on the wooden table.
- Absorb an unknown power, slightly increasing mana recovery speed. (+10%)
Just smelling its aroma was enough to boost mana recovery speed. It was an incredible item.
"When you say preemptive strike, you mean hitting the Green Hell in Berlin, don't you?"
"Yes, that's the Dark Elves' main base, isn't it? We'll catch them off guard."
"Hmm, do you have the strength for that? It's deep underground, so you know it's impossible to strike them preemptively the way you bombed Shanghai, right?"
"It would be difficult for me alone, but it will be possible if you and I join forces, Mr. Harris."
At those words, a faint, unconcealed displeasure spread across Donald Harris's face.
‘As expected, Donald Harris is extremely reluctant to leave Yggdrasil.’
Just as Lee Hyun-wook had experienced, Donald Harris must have faced countless conspiracies and threats targeting Yggdrasil. That was why he had become so averse to going outside. If he were to leave, Yggdrasil's defenses would be significantly weakened.
In other words, he was constantly worried that someone might steal this treasure called Yggdrasil.
He savored his tea for a long moment without answering, then looked into the air and spoke.
"Well, don't you think that if I leave, someone is more likely to take advantage of that opening? With so many villains in this world, it would be like handing them an opportunity."
"Yes, I've taken that into consideration as well. On that note…"
Lee Hyun-wook paused for a moment, and the other two stared at him intently.
"…Let's persuade the ‘Water Spirit King’ in Lake Chad."
At those words, Donald Harris's eyebrow twitched.
Emilia Müller, on the other hand, looked like she didn't understand.
"What— the Water Spirit King? What's that?"
After Yggdrasil's birth here and the establishment of a ‘mana ecosystem’ in the area, spirits had migrated across dimensions. Powerful water spirits had settled in Lake Chad, right next to Yggdrasil, and among them was a being known as a ‘Spirit King.’
"…That troublesome fellow. How do you know about him?"
The existence of the Spirit King was not widely known to the public.
"Well, just as you see things others can't, like impending disasters, through the World Tree, Mr. Harris, I also see various things through Laputa."
Donald Harris still looked unconvinced, but he nodded.
"…But that might be a bit difficult. You see, I'm on bad terms with him."
Lee Hyun-wook didn't know the exact details, but from what he had heard, the S-rank Spiritmancer Donald Harris and the Spirit King… ironically, the two were by no means on good terms.
It was as if they repelled each other, like the same poles of a magnet.
Furthermore, the spirits had migrated to Lake Chad to benefit from the immense mana source that was Yggdrasil, so they would often cling to its roots to absorb mana. Given Donald Harris's personality, he would never tolerate that.
It was said that Donald Harris had not only made a fuss but had eventually come to blows with the spirits of Lake Chad. In other words, far from being allies you could entrust your home to, they were closer to enemies.
"Mr. Harris, you can't make an enemy of everyone you can't control."
"……"
"The Spirit King of Lake Chad is a neutral monster, an NPC, which means he can be controlled to some extent, doesn't it? And if you're really uncomfortable with it… please allow me to take the lead in persuading him."
At that, Donald Harris snorted.
"Hah! You think you can persuade him? Have you even met that bandit-like chief? That guy is stubborn and self-centered. You won't be able to reason with him."
*Right, two stubborn fools staring each other down were bound to clash….*
‘But stubborn people have clear needs, which makes them easier to persuade.’
First of all, the ‘Spirit King’ was a boss monster that could be raided, but also an NPC that could be cooperated with. Lee Hyun-wook remembered a few of the ‘cooperation routes.’
‘And in such Spirit King scenarios, there's always a key NPC: the Spirit King's daughter.’
She was a cliché character through and through—driven by curiosity, she would disguise herself as a human, venture into the human world, fall in love with humanity, and end up serving as a bridge between spirits and humans.
Finding her and building rapport would have various benefits, but….
‘I don't know where she is right now, and building a relationship would take too long.’
Therefore, he had no choice but to take a slightly more difficult, alternative route.
"Mr. Harris, the Spirit King of Lake Chad should be able to hold off an attacking army for quite some time, don't you think? Even if their demands are a bit excessive, making peace and maintaining a long-term alliance will be beneficial for Yggdrasil's survival."
Lee Hyun-wook offered several other reasons to persuade Donald Harris.
In the end, what mattered most to this stubborn man, Donald Harris, was Yggdrasil itself.
So when Lee Hyun-wook emphasized the importance of a ‘preemptive strike’ in waging war, he eventually relented.
"Hah— fine, I suppose you have a point. A surprise attack before they've finished their war preparations… that would certainly diminish their ability to wage war…."
Just as he was conceding, Donald Harris suddenly shook his head again.
"But there's one problem. The means to contact those spirits… it's gone now."
"Pardon?"
"Well, the last time we met, they were stealing mana from the World Tree's roots, so I chased them off a bit roughly, and… ahem, since then, they haven't come out to the material plane at all, you see?"
Lee Hyun-wook nodded calmly, as if he had already anticipated this much.
"In that case, we have no choice but to visit them directly."
But once again, Donald Harris responded negatively.
"No, that's impossible. The Spirit Realm, that place is not somewhere humans can enter lightly."
He scratched his chin, looking a bit embarrassed, then continued.
"…The Spirit Realm is a space separate from the material plane where ordinary life forms exist. It's a strange place where you can't find your way using normal senses. That's why you need an A-rank or higher spirit to act as a guide to avoid getting lost…."
"From the way you're speaking, there must be a reason why you can't do it, Mr. Harris?"
"Right. Just as I drove them out, they've completely blocked my access. With my mana pattern, I can't enter their Spirit Realm anymore."
He had been, for lack of a better term, 'banned'.
"Since I can't enter myself, I need a guide spirit of at least A-rank…."
‘Kim Se-hee is a Spiritmancer, but Hani hasn't reached A-rank yet.’
To reach A-rank, a Player would need to be at least level 85.
Finding a trustworthy Spiritmancer of that level was also a difficult task.
‘But, there is one way.’
It was for this very moment that Lee Hyun-wook had made his preparations.
‘…I'll use the City Sweeper.’
The earth spirit collective inside it—if normalized, they would be A-rank.
‘I'll tame them and make them my guides.’
But opening it was, as he had said many times before, the craziest thing one could do.
Because they were forcibly confined within the spirit prison, the moment it was opened, they would go on a rampage, disintegrating all stone, earth, and metal in the vicinity before eventually exhausting themselves and dissipating. And in the human world, there was virtually no place without stone, earth, and metal.
‘But there is one such place.’
It was right here… inside the World Tree.
A massive building made entirely of wood….
‘Inside here, even if I release them, they won't be able to do anything.’
Here, their rampage would be useless, so he could have a proper conversation with them.
And if conversation failed, he could tame them the old-fashioned way—with force.