Evergreen Tower (Complete)
Scrrrtch.
I landed, scraping against the cliffside, then immediately headed toward the World Tree in the direction Cheori had pointed.
“Kkung.”
“Why aren't you running?”
“Kkung.”
“Like you know how far it'll be.”
I had stamina to spare, but that didn't mean it was infinite.
How far was the World Tree? No way was I sprinting blind.
I didn't sleep last night, which is a bit of a drag...
I'd tried all night, but sleep just wouldn't come.
It nagged at me a little.
Should be fine, though.
Sleep still wasn't coming now, either.
But it didn't matter much.
As I trudged through the forest, it happened.
“Groooarrr!”
Boom!
A massive bear roared, shaking the ground.
Its back bristled with jagged rocks. I stared up at it blankly.
Earth Bear.
The same kind from the first floor.
The one that got wrecked by the Bloody Mantis on the second.
And now, it was swinging a massive paw at me.
“Kkwoooo!”
Cheori shrieked in panic, wrapping its tail around my neck.
Eyes squeezed shut, it started trembling—probably thinking it was done for.
It sensed the danger.
“What're you freaking out about?”
An Earth Bear? Pfft.
“One shot.”
Thwack!
My right hand swung lightly.
Feather-light. Like no strength was behind it at all.
But that gentle fist...
“Guh...”
...punched a gaping hole straight through the Earth Bear's gut in one hit.
I stared at the beast as it collapsed, spraying blood across the ground.
“Synchronization rate hitting 1.5% must be why.”
It hadn't hit this hard the first time I'd faced one.
But now, at 1.5%?
A casual jab blew right through its belly. Dead.
“Kku... kkwoook...”
Cheori gawked at the corpse, blinking repeatedly, then looked back and forth between me and the bear.
“Told you I'd protect you.”
“...Kkik.”
“I keep my word.”
Rub rub.
Suddenly, it started nuzzling my cheek with its head.
Guess it hadn't believed me before.
Now it did. Good enough.
I chuckled and flicked the blood off my right hand onto the dirt.
“So, straight this way, right?”
“Kkung.”
I nodded and stepped off in the direction Cheori indicated.
Still just trees everywhere.
About four hours in, after dealing with the occasional Earth Bears along the way, I paused for a break by a stream I'd spotted.
I sat and took a refreshing gulp.
“Ahh, cool.”
How long had it been since I'd last had water?
Couldn't even remember. Ages ago, for sure.
“Weird, huh.”
Since entering the tower, no sleep, no hunger.
Thirst was the same. I'd just forgotten about drinking—no real urge.
Satisfied, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and glanced sideways.
Cheori was lapping at the water with its long tongue.
“Taste good?”
“Kkung.”
“Not hungry?”
“Kkwoook...”
A little, then.
Figured.
I shoved a hand in my pocket with a bored expression.
Pulled out a fistful of those amethyst-like gems from yesterday's cave.
“Here, eat up.”
Cheori's eyes widened at the pile for a second—then it went nuts, gulping them down like crazy.
I watched it devour the gems with relish, then quietly turned away.
“That's the World Tree, right?”
At the edge of my vision.
Faint through the thick mist: a colossal tree piercing the clouds.
Dim, but its presence was undeniable.
That had to be it—the goal of this floor.
Maybe seeing it made the distance feel less daunting.
Mentally, I wasn't as drained as I'd expected.
I scooped up Cheori, who was now sprawled belly-up, and slung it over my shoulder.
“Break's over. Let's go.”
No time to waste.
Time to clear the condition.
With Cheori on my shoulder, I pressed on toward the World Tree.
Thud.
Something landed lightly on the gravel.
The woman swept her pale green hair behind her pointed ears and fiddled with the gem fragments on the ground.
“Mana burst stones...”
Dangerous gems that detonated violently when infused with mana.
And someone carrying them was heading straight for Mother.
“Whoever you are, you messed up bad.”
Crunch.
She gripped a fragment and channeled mana into it.
It glowed in her fist—then exploded.
Smoke curled from her hand.
Her vivid emerald eyes narrowed through the haze as she stepped forward, following the tracks on the ground.
“Don't think you can slip past the forest guardian.”
She kicked off lightly—but it wasn't light.
She shot forward at blinding speed, tracing the trail.
And then, she spotted him.
A black-haired man, not far from Mother.
She acted.
“Halt, human!”
She attacked.
Thud—boom!
Something slammed into the ground.
Eyes wide, I leaped back and clenched my fist.
Black Dragon
My heart nearly stopped.
Monsters had been nonexistent the closer I got to the World Tree—no 'ㅁ' shapes, so I'd even deactivated Black Dragon and just walked.
Then bam—attack from the sky.
Hiding my shock, I eyed the figure emerging from the mist.
“Why carry mana burst stones toward Mother?”
“Huh?”
Mana burst stones?
The hell was that?
Wait, more importantly—
“...You can talk?”
“Ha? What nonsense is this, human?”
Step, step.
She crossed the smoke.
I gaped at her.
Deep green hair cascading to her waist.
Leaf-like emerald eyes.
Pointed, fairy ears and a doll-like face.
And...
“...Muscles?”
Every inch of her packed with rippling muscle.
What the—?
Seriously, what?
I was floored.
Outta nowhere, a sky-drop bodybuilder contest contender crash-lands.
She spat on the ground and stomped toward me.
“Get lost. Unless you wanna die.”
Couldn't even tell what language she was speaking.
But I understood it perfectly.
Trippy.
Still, my response was set.
“...Can't do that.”
“What?”
“Got business with the World Tree.”
Yeah.
Business. Had to go.
To survive.
Apparently, she didn't like that.
She ground her teeth and clenched her fist hard.
“...Humans have always been greedy. Slaughtering innocent plants just to live.”
Crackle, crunch.
Emerald energy bloomed from her right hand, enveloping her body in seconds.
She raised her head slowly, eyes burning with hostility, and dropped into a stance.
“That's why I became the guardian. To stop scum like you.”
“...”
“Come at me. If you wanna reach Mother, get past me—the forest guardian, Elpinire!”
Fight her?
For real?
I swallowed dryly and stared.
Elpinire, she called herself.
The air warped as she clenched her fist.
No, it actually warped.
Look at that—green energy rising to the heavens even now.
They really want me to fight her?
She looks pissed.
I let out a hollow laugh and glanced at my shoulder.
Cheori huddled there, tail over its eyes, shaking.
Eyes closed, I thought it over briefly.
Then decided.
“I surrender.”
No fight.
I raised both hands above my head casually.
Elpinire faltered, caught off guard.
“What?”
“Surrendering. You said don't come closer, right?”
“...Well, yes.”
“Plus, seems like you've got the wrong idea.”
I reached into my pocket.
Pulled out a purple gem and tapped Cheori on the shoulder.
“Cheori. Eat this.”
“...Kkung?”
It flicked its tail away, spotted the gem, and shoved it in its mouth.
Gulp. Eyes sparkling, it dove straight into my pocket.
Elpinire backed up, flustered, as Cheori chomped away inside.
“Wh-what's with that snake?”
“You don't know?”
What even was Cheori?
I yanked it out—pocket now empty of gems. Mana burst stones, in her words. All gone.
“These mana burst stones or whatever—I dunno what they do, but I just brought 'em as pet food.”
“Showed you, didn't I? If you still don't believe it...”
“...”
Elpinire clamped her mouth shut.
I set Cheori back on my shoulder and quietly clenched my fist, eyeing her.
“You're an elf, right?”
“...Yes.”
Elf.
The stuff of internet conspiracy theories.
Hunter forums always blew up debating: orcs exist, why not elves?
Never sighted, though. Concluded mythical.
And now, one stood before me.
Though she's buffer than expected, so... yeah, surprised.
Anyway, elf confirmed.
And elves call the World Tree “Mother.”
That solved it.
“Not here to threaten the World Tree. Just wanna see it up close.”
“...”
She fell silent.
Stared hard, then tsked softly.
“Chief's right—leaving the door unlocked lets trash like you wander in.”
She muttered, nodding ahead curtly with a sour look.
“Follow. I'll take you to Mother. But one wrong move...”
“You kill me. Got it.”
“You learn fast.”
Damn, savage.
I shrugged and trailed her into the forest.
“Your name?”
“Han Mir.”
“Hm. I'm Elpinire. Don't get casual.”
“...”
What a nutjob elf.
I stared at her like she was crazy.
She felt it but kept walking.
She didn't say another word as we went.
I kept quiet too, following.
Thirty minutes later, she stopped.
I halted before a massive tree—so tall, craning back didn't reach the top.
“This is the elves' mother, the World Tree.”
“The World Tree...”
Huge. No wonder the name.
“I need to inform the chief of the outsider. Don't move a step.”
Thud!
She leaped away the second she finished.
Left alone, I set Cheori down.
“You know the way from here, right?”
“Kkung?”
“I'm heading back.”
Mission accomplished.
I glanced aside.
Find the World Tree
System confirmed success.
Time to transfer again.
Stick around, and Cheori'd end up dumped somewhere clueless.
So I set it down.
Wonder what the next floor's like...
Hope I meet more talkers like this one.
I waited for the next-floor prompt.
But the message that popped up was way off.
From the next floor onward, you cannot exit the tower.
Proceed to the next floor?
[Yes / No]
[※Selecting No will return you to your previous location immediately. Re-entering the tower afterward will start you from Floor 5.]
Can't exit after the next floor...
Bummer, but fine.
“No.”
Too long in this tower already.
No clue how much time passed outside.
Time to bail. Check on bro's reply, maybe.
As I muttered, light bloomed underfoot.
Floating sensation rose; I closed my eyes.
“Hoo...”
Opened them.
Back in my familiar room.
The moment I exited the tower, exhaustion crashed in. I flopped to the floor—
“Kkwek!”
“...?”
What déjà vu?
I slipped a hand under my butt.
And found...
“Why'd you follow me?”
“...Kkung?”
...Cheori, flattened like a pancake.
Left it behind on purpose. Why'd it tag along?