The World Tree Responds, and the Black Robes Fall
Whoosh!__
The massive tree blazed with blinding light in direct response to Jin Chen’s words.__
“Aaaaaah!”__
The elves let out cries of amazement.__
They had never seen the World Tree—Mother of their race, the very symbol of the elves—react to a human’s voice.__
Their surprise, however, was far from over.__
Kiiiieeeeee!__
A piercing bird cry echoed from the sky, and a colossal bird soared across the clearing.__
An entity woven from dazzling five-colored light.__
Whoosh, whoosh.__
The gigantic creature flapped its wings and began to descend.__
Kiiiieeee!__
As it drew closer to the ground, its enormous size shrank rapidly.__
By the time it reached Jin Chen’s shoulder, it had shrunk to the size of a fist.__
Kiiiik!__
The creature that had instantly reduced its size—Samsaek-i—glared at the black-robed figures and let out a sharp chirp.__
Jin Chen stroked Samsaek-i’s head and spoke casually.__
“Stay put. I’ll finish them off more thoroughly than you think.”__
Samsaek-i bobbed its head once, then flew straight up and perched on the thickest, most verdant branch of the World Tree.__
Jin Chen watched the bird with a gentle smile, then turned his gaze back to the black-robed figures.__
His expression was so cold it looked as though he doubted their very identity.__
The black-robed figures, who had barely managed to dispel his overwhelming aura with frantic magic, shuddered.__
“Y-you! What are you?!”__
“W-we’re done here. Just… we’ll leave.”__
“Even a Grand Swordmaster couldn’t take all of us on!”__
“If we cross you, even a Grand Swordmaster couldn’t survive!”__
One strike was enough. It was more than enough to predict Jin Chen’s strength.__
Looking at the black-robed figures who had lost their fighting spirit, Jin Chen curled one corner of his mouth.__
“Don’t even think about pushing me. To me you’re just…”__
Boom.__
With a heavy footstep, Jin Chen closed the distance in an instant.__
“Much easier to chop you up than to yawn.”__
Ziiing!__
Scarlet energy gathered on the axe.__
The black-robed figures were sliced clean through by the killing energy of this father’s martial art, the Shadowless Killing Technique.__
Swaaash!__
The figures didn’t even know what had happened to them. They only recoiled in shock.__
“Eh?”__
The figures whose bodies had been forcibly tilted forward by the killing aura let out bewildered voices.__
Tuk. Clank!__
Thirty figures toppled, their upper and lower bodies separating as they rolled across the ground.__
Pshiiiik!__
Blood gushed from the severed bodies, flooding the earth. The remaining black-robed figures shouted in terror.__
“W-what are you doing?! Attack already!”__
“Fire Buster!”__
“Dark Hands!”__
“Negative Energy!”__
“Animate Dead! Kill the bastard!”__
All kinds of magic erupted toward Jin Chen—fire, darkness, death hands bursting from the ground to bind his legs.__
Even the corpses lying around them rose as undead and charged at him.__
“Krrrroar…”__
“Kaaaaargh!”__
Jin Chen raised his foot without a second thought.__
Geeeerrrroar!__
The death hands clung stubbornly, letting out a strange sound.__
Boom!__
The heavy impact shattered the death hands.__
Sssshhhk!__
After clearing the clinging limbs, he leaped up again.__
Paaaht!__
He swung the axe toward the heads that rose in unison to match his movements.__
Flash!__
Pwaaaah!__
“Kaaaaargh!”__
“Keeeerrgh!”__
The black-robed figures were slaughtered without even time to block.__
Jin Chen landed among them and asked,__
“This isn’t the end, right?”__
“Ugh… die!”__
“M-monster…”__
“G-get them all! We can kill them!”__
The survivors gripped their weapons tightly and charged like madmen.__
One strike is enough! If they’re people, a knife to the back will kill them!__
Jin Chen swung his axe without mercy at the bodies leaping toward him.__
Flash!__
Chwaaaah!__
They couldn’t even try to block.__
Even if they poured all their mana into their aura, the situation didn’t change.__
“Kaaaaargh!”__
“Keeeerrgh!”__
Screaming as the black-robed figures crumbled.__
The original five hundred had dropped to half or fewer in an instant.__
“Ugh… we can’t block it…”__
“R-run!”__
“Fly!”__
“Blink!”__
The ones at the back fled in terror.__
The panic spread like a plague until every black-robed figure scattered in all directions.__
Some ran without looking back, others flew into the sky, others cast short-range teleportation magic.__
Jin Chen smirked at the desperate fleeing figures.__
“Who said anyone could go?”__
Ziiing.__
The sound was ominous, and Jin Chen swung the axe at terrifying speed.__
Scarlet energy trails burst out following the axe’s arc.__
Swaaaah!__
The aura filled the air like blood-soaked petals scattering in every direction—beautiful enough to stun the soul.__
“Aaaah…”__
“I-I can’t believe…”__
The elves sighed in admiration.__
“Kaaaaargh!”__
“Keeeerrgh!”__
On the other side, the black-robed figures screamed.__
In the center of all these contrasting reactions stood Jin Chen.__
Tuk. Tuk.__
The undead crumbled back into corpses and disintegrated.__
“Ugh…”__
The survivors staggered back in terror.__
“K-kiiiigh…”__
“S-save me… kiiiigh…”__
Including those barely clinging to life, there were roughly twenty.__
Jin Chen approached them and said,__
“The ones that look the most… alive…”__
He scanned them with a serious expression.__
About three looked injured but had no life-threatening wounds.__
That was enough. He needed to confirm who they were and if they were the right ones.__
Jin Chen turned to the elves.__
“These three I’ll take. No objections?”__
No one answered. The elves only stared at him with tense, wary eyes.__
“The rest… handle them yourselves. And…”__
Jin Chen looked at the World Tree.__
“Is this debt properly settled?”__
Whoosh!__
The branches and leaves of the World Tree swayed beautifully despite the lack of wind, as if nodding.__
Jin Chen let out a soft chuckle.__
“I’ve been talking to trees all my life. It’s one hell of a weird world, though.”__
He walked toward the three survivors. Then, with a backhanded slap, he knocked them unconscious and grabbed their collars.__
“Mission’s over. Time to go.”__
Samsaek-i flew over with a whoosh and landed on his shoulder.__
“What? Why are you sitting there? I brought you, so I should be the one carrying you, right?”__
Kiiiik! Kiiing!__
“No, this much help is plenty. What else do I need to do?”__
Krrreee!__
“What if someone else comes? Why are you asking me? They should handle it themselves.”__
Krrreeee! Kiiiik!__
“You’re being harsh? You little brat. You’re really mean. Who dragged a perfectly healthy person here?!”__
Samsaek-i shifted its gaze, avoiding Jin Chen’s words.__
“And honestly, why is this tree causing a scene if it’s not even talking?”__
Kiiiik!__
“You can’t speak because you’re shameless? Then what about you? Why are you being shameless?”__
The human who had instantly wiped out the attackers was bickering with a small bird no bigger than a palm.__
Casually, like old friends.__
The elves’ tense expressions finally relaxed.__
Perhaps their wariness toward this human had already faded.__
Since the moment they realized the human who had saved their mother was also the friend of the Divine Bird who had suddenly appeared one day.__
The relief now flowing through the elves likely stemmed from the emotions left by the black-robed figures.__
It had been resolved thanks to the Divine Bird’s master.__
And the one who first understood that was Aria, the only High Elf of the Blue Leaf Tribe and daughter of the tribe’s Great Elder, Arwen.__
She lowered her head slowly and said,__
“On behalf of the Blue Leaf Tribe, I offer my deepest gratitude to the Divine Bird’s master.”__
“Gratitude is unnecessary. This guy just came to repay a debt.”__
“Our time together has been short, but the Divine Bird has been our friend and family. He never asked for anything in return, yet he helped us through everything—until this tribe’s danger…”__
Aria’s voice trailed off as she lowered her head.__
Tears began to fall from the elves’ eyes.__
No matter what race you are, saying goodbye to the dead is always painful.__
Even if it was to return Mother, the World Tree, to her embrace, leaving the ones they had shared a lifetime with was never easy.__
Samsaek-i poked Jin Chen’s shoulder with its beak, as if telling him to do something.__
What? What should I do?__
Samsaek-i kept poking despite Jin Chen’s bewildered glare.__
Jin Chen clicked his tongue in resignation.__
“Fine. I’ll call in a fixer.”__
Kiiiik?__
“Who? There’s only this guy.”__
Jin Chen raised his bracelet, and Samsaek-i narrowed its eyes.__
“I don’t like it, but you’re right. He knows them better than I do.”__
Samsaek-i nodded slightly.__
Jin Chen activated the communication magic etched on his bracelet.__
“Come over here. Don’t be late this time.”__
[…]__
“Hm. Sounds busy.”__
Kiiiik-__
“Ah! Don’t worry. I’ll handle it in Cologne, so I’ll contact you after.”__
[Ugh. What now? I clearly said it was because of research!]__
The voice finally came through. It was Sybel.__
“You bastard, you’re deliberately ignoring me.”__
[I said I was busy!]__
“This place is more of a mess than your research, so get over here already.”__
[What the hell are you talking about? Did you raid another temple again?]__
“I did raid the Light Temple the other day.”__
Sybel fell silent.__
For a moment,__
[You crazy bastard! You didn’t even meet the God of Light, did you?]__
“I wonder if the flag of dawn is weaker than the other goddess’s. He didn’t appear.”__
[Hah. Good thing.]__
“Whether it’s good or not, you’ll see for yourself after you get here.”__
Jin Chen looked at the black-robed figures with cold eyes and continued.__
“It seems we’ve found out why they spread the plague.”__
Before the words even finished, space rippled behind Jin Chen, and light burst forth.__
Paaaaah!__
The light faded, revealing Sybel.__
He looked at the elves and hardened his face.__
“You are…?”