World Tree's Leaf (3)

Arrogant and greedy behavior. A man who always wanted to stand above others but never reached the pinnacle in anything. Lee Ho-jin. It had become a kind of trauma for him. The moment he couldn't even surpass the S-rank wall in the hunter profession, which he thought was his talent.

What he chose was outburst and destruction. Unable to contain his rage right there, he killed one supervisor, two researchers, and one janitor before fleeing the Association. Even so, the underworld sent him plenty of love calls. An A-rank hunter was a premium resource. Above all, he knew it well and thought he could exploit authority. So he formed an organization.

His goal was petty to the extreme. If he couldn't become S-rank, he could drag others down. Even if he didn't climb himself, as long as he was above everyone else, that was enough. To satisfy that twisted desire, he didn't care if his subordinates committed murder or rape under his name. As long as he could tarnish other hunters' reputations and make them believe they were beneath him, nothing else mattered.

That's why Lee Ho-jin now asked the woman before him.

"What rank are you? If you're here to catch me and you hurt me, are you S-rank?"

"Is your worldview really that narrow?"

"...What?"

"How many S-ranks do you think there are in Korea for you to mix them up? Or are you pretending not to know."

The platinum-haired woman spoke as if it were obvious. Then she snapped her fingers.

Suddenly, horns sprouted from above her head, and a scale-covered tail emerged from behind her hips.

...Beastkin?

Beastkin existed in Korea too, though not many. But the woman in front of him felt fundamentally different. And her gaze wasn't on him—it pierced straight through his chest, as if entranced by something.

"C-rank. But hey, I'll be national power level soon enough. Feel honored."

"...."

At those words, veins bulged on Lee Ho-jin's forehead. C-rank? Not even A or B-rank, but C-rank?

Whoosh!—

Overcome with surging fury, Lee Ho-jin swung his brass-knuckled fist at the woman. But without even trying to dodge, she opened her mouth.

"Ha-eun, handle the ones coming from behind."

"Y-yes, unnie!"

Snap—

"I'll take the World Tree's Leaf."

I grabbed the incoming fist and stared at Lee Ho-jin. They wanted me to capture him alive if possible. Smashing his head like a monster would be easy, but this delicate request was pretty tough for me. With Terra, the kid was so sturdy it didn't matter... but humans aren't like that.

"World Tree's Leaf? Ha! So that's what you wanted?"

Crack—

Clang!

Kang!

The guy stepped back a pace, then thrust his brass knuckles forward again. So that's Lee Ho-jin's artifact. I could feel it after glancing off his fists a few times. It transmits impact all the way inside. The type that bursts you from within. Sinister, but damn efficient.

But his attacks were too straight-line. Dodge and counter from the side, and it'd be over... but.

I wanted to see more of this treasure's effects.

Boom!—

"Kuh...."

I countered his incoming attack with my fist. Beyond the brilliantly exploding golden shockwave, the sensation of his bones crunching flowed through my fingertips.

"Your punch hits like a truck, you crazy bitch... Is that your ability?"

"...."

The World Tree's Leaf glowed again, and a gruesome sound of broken bones knitting back together leaked out. Rapid recovery effect. Like a zombie. Of course, it's a good ability, but it must have limits. Shall I test them?

"Talk too much."

I slid forward and grabbed Lee Ho-jin's shoulder. Then, with a crunch— his bone dislocated.

"Kugh....!"

But the glowing World Tree's Leaf reset the dislocated shoulder. So it roughly heals major injuries too. Cuts, fractures, dislocations are within range. Then what's the cost? Or is there a usage limit?

Thud!—

He leaped high, extending one leg for a rapid descent. Energy gathered at the tip, so I hopped back a step.

Kwaaaang!—

A massive crater formed where Lee Ho-jin landed. And at the same time, crack—his leg that couldn't withstand the impact broke.

Trusting rapid recovery to the point of launching attacks his body can't endure... It could be one way to push limits, but relying on a tool like that is bound to cause problems. Treasures are for me to wield. I can't let them wield me. The more dependent you get, the more you fade away.

Swoosh!—

Right after, a spinning kick flew at me fast. Aiming precisely for my head, but in my eyes, it looked sluggish.

Thud!—

"Huh?"

I grabbed the leg, slammed him into the ground, and pinned his chest hard with my left hand to keep him down.

Thwack!—

I smashed my fist into his face. Nosebleed burst out, but it healed.

Smack!—

Teeth flew this time, but healed again.

Splat!—

Blood pooled in his eyes, then healed. Concussion healed too. Even consciousness returned.

"W-wait a—!"

Thwack!—

Splurt!—

Adrenaline? Nah. I'm just testing the performance of the treasure that's about to be mine.

"...!"

As I reared back for another punch, I quickly stood and created distance. I'd been too focused on the World Tree's Leaf and missed his hand.

"A gun?"

A pistol in his right hand. Guns lost their edge in the hunter era, but they're still lethal to humans. And there are anti-hunter firearms too.

Of course.

"Wow, zero romance."

I'm no ordinary human.

"Guys, donate if you get it."

Thud—

I charged at him. Panicked, he pulled the trigger.

Bang!—

Bang!—

I twisted my body, tracking the bullets' paths. Dodged the first, flicked away the second and third with my fingertips.

As his face twisted in horror, I closed in, stacked both hands on his chest, and—

Taaaaang!—

"Gahk!—"

I gathered energy and detonated it. A brilliant beam pierced through his body and burst out his back. He spewed blood and collapsed; I stomped his chest.

Raised my fist again, but the World Tree's Leaf no longer glowed. Mana depleted? Usage limit reached? Or maybe internal damage is too much for a mere leaf.

Crack—

I roughly yanked the necklace from the fainted guy's neck.

"Pretty."

A gem shaped like a leaf, shimmering emerald green. The World Tree's Leaf was in my hand.

Then the status window popped up.

First time since returning to Earth that my collection progress went up. But... the World Tree recognizes me?

"Unnie! ...Unnie?"

"...Huh? Yeah? You done over there?"

"Y-yeah... We found and rescued the kidnapped civilians too, but..."

Ha-eun gulped seeing Lee Ho-jin collapsed unconscious on the ground.

"...You didn't kill him, right?"

"Hey, hey, I'm not that barbaric. He's alive and well. I avoided the vital spots."

"...."

"Cuff him or call someone, whatever. Do it yourself, Ha-eun."

More than that, I wanted to focus on this gem. The surface gleamed emerald, but inside I felt the vast life energy packed into this tiny stone.

Ah... So that's how it heals. Rechargeable. Does it refill its own life force? And the surface is warm. Shimmering.

"Haaah...."

I was so absorbed in the World Tree's Leaf I ignored the chat entirely.

"Huh? One... mil?"

A massive donation hit, snapping my head around.

Kicking for chit-chat is standard, but... a million... maybe once?

Snap—

Sudden formal speech. And... our elves?

In the Elf Holy Kingdom nestled in Korea's Taebaek Mountains. Queen Silvaria had recently picked up a unique hobby: watching a certain dragon's stream.

Dragons were depicted to the kingdom's elves as demons incarnate. So as she watched, she felt a strange thrill of taboo, pondering inwardly.

This is absolutely not slacking! As ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠queen, I'm monitoring the outside world and dangerous creatures' movements...!

And from the fact that a nation existed within Korea, it was clear elves had somewhat assimilated with humans. Internet was a given, naturally. More accurately, what was called a nation was really a city-state autonomous zone. Real diplomatic power lay with the Korean government.

Thus, Silvaria spent her post-work time like this. Not that all issues with races and nations were resolved... but elves weren't rebelling much. They knew the uniqueness of their sudden arrival in this strange world. They needed more time. And they were grateful their landing spot—Korea—aligned well with their interests. Especially hearing rumors of what happened to dark elves who tried settling next door in China.

Anyway, today too, sipping Cola from human exchanges while watching the stream.

[Cuff him or call someone, whatever. Do it yourself, Ha-eun.]

A familiar green gem caught her eye on screen.

"Pfft— Th-that's...?"

Mother's leaf. Right after arriving here, to cover funds, she'd tearfully sold exactly 30 select leaves. One of those scattered leaves. And the moment she saw it, the World Tree—which had been silent for years—spoke to Silvaria.

It sensed the moment that one touched her leaf. Said she could solve the elves' dire problem.

The biggest issue looming... was Mother withering away.

"I understand what you mean, Mother. But she's a dragon. There'll be fierce backlash from within...."

The World Tree replied that it understood traditions and traumas over long ages, but not to judge by race.

"True. But— ...Understood. I'll create an opportunity. Though others won't like it."

At the World Tree's next words, she chuckled.

"Hehe... Right. Others might not, but I can understand that dragon a bit."

She nodded, opened the donation window, entered 1,000,000 won.

[Huh? One... mil?]

Then sent a long whisper to the dragon. The last line:

[Mother has prepared a rare treasure to bestow upon ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you as well.]

Better to dangle bait too. And the reply that came... shocked Silvaria.

"...Did she just say pointy-ears?"

Mother, is this right? Sounds pretty speciesist to me.