Chapter 174: 38th Floor. Fairy Village (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 174: 38th Floor. Fairy Village (2)
“Whoooo!”
“Finally! Her Agent has arrived!”
Kang Jun-hyeok was led into the heart of the Fairy Village.
It wasn't just a simple welcome; a full-blown festival was being held in his honor. The Village Chief, his face beaming with joy, handed Jun-hyeok a cup of liquor.
“Here! Drink up!”
“……Thank you.”
“Drop the formalities! You are her Agent!”
“Mhm. Thanks.”
Kang Jun-hyeok accepted the cup. Since it was sized for a Fairy, the liquid was gone in a single gulp. As he drank with a smile, the Fairies cheered and laughed merrily.
“Could you, by any chance, show us those wings one more time?”
The cooldown for Pixie's Wings was 60 minutes. Since it wasn't that long, he could activate them again. When Kang Jun-hyeok unfurled the wings, the Fairies’ expressions turned ecstatic.
“Ahhh….”
“They really are her wings!”
“How beautiful!”
“Long live the Agent!”
‘What is this?’
Jun-hyeok was taken aback.
He had expected their attitude to change once he showed them the wings, but he hadn't expected them to drop their guard so completely, showing such pure goodwill and reverence.
Fairies were notoriously hostile toward other races. Even with the power of the Persuasion skill, they were usually difficult to approach. Yet, that hostility had vanished entirely just by showing them the wings once.
[That brat’s mistake, huh. I wonder what she did.]
[This looks like it might be entertaining.]
The Master of All Weapons and Eldiria remained composed, as if the Fairies' behavior was only natural.
Jun-hyeok quietly raised his glass.
* * *
The next day.
The festival had ended, and Fairies were sprawled out haphazardly along the paths. Kang Jun-hyeok had spent the night at the Village Chief’s house after being invited. However, being a house built for a Fairy, he’d had to practically fold himself in half just to fit inside.
“I’m so sorry! We don't have any buildings for humans. I’ll have a proper guest room built for you immediately!”
“There’s no need. I’ll be leaving as soon as the job is done.”
“Ah! I see. Hahaha! She hasn't forgotten us! To be honest, I thought she’d completely erased us from her memory! It’s been so long, after all!”
Looking at the grinning Chief, Jun-hyeok asked quietly, “Could you tell me more about her?”
“Huh? You received her wings. What is there to tell?”
“She gave me the wings, but she didn't give me a detailed explanation about herself.”
“Ah. Well, she always was a bit whimsical. Fine.”
The Chief began to explain with a dreamy look on his face.
“She is truly magnificent. A being who transcended the limitations of the Fairy race. Do you know how incredible she is? She is even called the ———!”
Static filled Jun-hyeok's ears, drowning out the words.
It was expected. Since Pixie had discarded her own identity, her name, her feats, and her achievements had all been erased. The Chief continued to speak, but everything that followed was unintelligible noise.
So, Jun-hyeok read his emotions instead.
He observed the Chief’s expression as he spat out words covered in static. What he saw was adoration and reverence. It wasn't the kind of emotion one showed a king or a ruler. If he had to put a label on it, it was the kind of emotion reserved for a god.
But Fairies didn't worship things. They were born of illusions and lived as illusions; they were beings far removed from the concept of worship. At least, that was what he knew.
But what if what he knew was wrong?
“……That is the kind of person she is!”
“I see. I’ve heard enough.”
Jun-hyeok gave a rough nod. The Chief looked at him with sparkling eyes.
“She is a very busy person! So, truthfully… I thought she had forgotten us! But she didn't! She sent an Agent for our sake! That’s our Great One for you!”
“Sorry to interrupt.” Jun-hyeok raised a hand. “But what exactly is the problem here?”
“Huh? Didn't you hear it from her?”
“She only told me to help. She didn't go into detail about the problem. She seemed a bit… embarrassed.”
“Hmm… I suppose she would be. This was her mistake, after all. Even she is a living being, not a god. Follow me.”
The Chief spread his wings, and Jun-hyeok followed.
* * *
He followed the Fairy deep into the heart of the forest.
“I heard things were falling apart, but it doesn't look that way to me.”
The Fairy Village seemed perfectly fine. If anything, it looked prosperous. Life was overflowing, and dense mana rippled through the atmosphere. The Chief scratched his head.
“For now, yes. It’s a miraculous place, unlike anywhere else. But before long, this place will die. Look. Do you hear any insects or animals?”
“……Hmm?”
Jun-hyeok’s expression shifted.
A lush forest should be teeming with life, including insects. But here, there wasn't a single sound.
Jun-hyeok soon realized why.
‘The mana concentration is too high.’
That was the reason living creatures couldn't survive here.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, the mana in the air grew even denser. No, it went beyond just being dense. It was becoming physical, making it difficult to even move. The Chief grimaced, waving his hands to barely clear a path.
“It’s gotten even thicker than before. At this rate, we won't last a month.”
“This is…”
“The grace she bestowed upon us. And also, her mistake.”
They arrived at a clearing in the forest.
There stood a single tree.
Naturally, it was no ordinary tree. The circumference of its trunk was measured in kilometers. It was a size that rivaled a World Tree. It soared so high into the sky that its top was invisible.
But its appearance was the least of it.
“Ugh.”
The tree emitted mana so thick it was hard to breathe. That mana was currently spreading throughout the entire forest.
The Chief began his explanation.
“Fairies live by consuming mana as our staple food. But the mana in this forest was never enough. We were struggling to survive. Then one day, she visited our village.”
Pitying the state of the village, she decided to help. She planted a tree she had brought from somewhere in this clearing.
“That tree absorbs the surrounding mana, amplifies it, and then breathes it back out. The tree grew massive in an instant. It grew magnificently and provided us with mana. Our dying village was brought back to life.”
It was undoubtedly Pixie’s blessing. If it had ended there, it would have been a beautiful tale of kindness.
“However, she made one mistake. This tree has no limit to its growth.”
The tree grew endlessly. It swallowed the surrounding mana, amplified it, scattered it, and then swallowed that mana again. In no time, the mana in the forest area became so dense that life could no longer endure it.
“The weak things, like insects and animals, have all fled. We can still hold out for now… but we’re reaching our limit. If the tree gets any bigger, even we won't be able to stand it and will be driven out.”
The help intended to save the village was now killing it.
[I wondered what the mistake was. So it was this.]
[To bestow a blessing without setting a limit… to make such a basic mistake. It’s almost laughable.]
The Master of All Weapons and Eldiria muttered as if they found the situation hilarious. They seemed fully intent on teasing her the next time they met. Jun-hyeok ignored them and asked about a point of confusion.
“But in the end, isn't it just a tree? Can't you just limit its growth by cutting the roots or pruning the branches?”
“You’re right. That’s what we tried to do. But… she is a very thorough person.”
The Chief raised his hand with a conflicted expression.
“She installed a safety measure just in case some external threat tried to harm the tree’s abilities.”
Fwoosh!
An arrow of mana flew toward the tree. It was a First Rank attack, possessing enough power to shatter and pierce even magically protected fortress walls.
Ting.
But before it could even touch the tree, it was flicked away like a toothpick. The lingering mana condensed, forming a shape.
Jun-hyeok’s eyes widened.
“That’s…”
Blonde hair. Eyes that shone brilliantly. It was an opponent he knew very well.
It was Pixie.
A translucent Pixie appeared before the tree.
“It’s her phantom. It tries to eliminate anyone who attempts to attack the tree. Even I wouldn't dare face it.”
That was the reason they couldn't touch the tree and were slowly being crushed by the mana.
Jun-hyeok let out a short laugh. Now he understood why they had been so reluctant to let outsiders in. Why the Fairies who had entered the village to progress the quest had all kept their mouths shut. It all made sense now.
The great and mighty Pixie. She held the respect and adoration of all Fairies.
The 38th Floor was a floor where one had to clean up her mess. From the Fairies' perspective, it was something they could never speak of.
“Then what I have to do is simple.”
Eliminate the phantom of Pixie guarding the tree. That was his task on the 38th Floor.
* * *
“I’m counting on you. If you need help, just say the word!”
The Chief bowed and departed. Jun-hyeok was left alone, standing before the phantom of Pixie.
“I’ve never seen her look like this before.”
She was a woman of extremes. At first, she had seemed half-dead and gloomy, but after seeing his potential, she had become energetic.
In contrast, the phantom before him was expressionless.
It had a strange beauty of its own. Pixie truly possessed a beauty that was the essence of a fairy.
“To think I’d end up fighting her like this.”
[This should be fun.]
[It’ll be quite a sight.]
The Master of All Weapons and Eldiria muttered in interested tones. Jun-hyeok drew his spear.
[ Single Point Penetration ]
His body accelerated instantly.
The air exploded and the ground shook. He thrust at the tree at a speed that transcended sound.
Claaaaang!
Just before reaching the tree, he was blocked by a translucent barrier.
The phantom of Pixie stared at him with cold, quiet eyes. Jun-hyeok grinned.
“Hello.”
Vrrrrm.
The phantom moved its hand. The mana in the atmosphere materialized and spread around her. It attempted to crush the space where Jun-hyeok stood.
[ Rift Movement ]
Flash.
Moving through the rift to escape, Jun-hyeok gathered his strength.
‘Pixie.’
The Shopkeeper of the Tower. A being worshipped and respected by Fairies.
Even Jun-hyeok didn't know the full extent of her strength. But he had an idea.
‘A Transcendent.’
A strength like a god’s, beyond the category of Ranks. A powerhouse capable of shaking the universe. She likely possessed power on that level.
And he was about to face the phantom of such a being.
Because of that, Jun-hyeok smiled with joy.
“This is a good opportunity.”
How well could he fare against an opponent of that caliber right now? He had his estimates, but actually clashing was worlds apart from theory. Jun-hyeok took a step forward.
“Come at me, Shopkeeper.”