Geum Taeyang Devours the Life Tree
“I can see why they call it the Life Tree, Great Chieftain. Just looking at it feels like my soul is awakening from within.”
The Life Tree brimmed with a potent, mystical energy. Around its roots grew countless medicinal herbs, which the Ragnarok tribe used to treat their ailments. Beyond those roots, however, even tribe members could not approach without the Great Chieftain’s permission. Yet Geum Taeyang had entered that sacred space, and up close the Life Tree no longer resembled a mere tree—it looked like a living spirit entity.
“It used to be far more magnificent,” Cassandra said. “Elemental elves would appear around it. But at some point its power began to wane. We feared it might be due to people’s impure souls, so we’ve restricted access since ancient times.”
Geum Taeyang expressed reverence, but Cassandra looked troubled. Showing this weakened state to a chosen one favored by the goddess felt like exposing a shameful secret. As the guardian of the Life Tree and Great Chieftain of the Ragnarok tribe, she felt deeply ashamed.
“I’m not sure if this is accurate,” Geum Taeyang said, “but I’ve heard that in its earliest days the Life Tree and the Selendis staff were described as mutually complementary.”
He nodded thoughtfully and asked about the legends passed down in the Ragnarok tribe. In truth, he already knew everything from playing World Conquest Chronicles, but he maintained the act for the sake of a flawless performance.
“Legend says Selendis created the Life Tree staff. Since Icarus and Selendis are distant relatives, the goddess Selendis bestowed a celebratory blessing upon the Life Tree.”
Cassandra explained the Life Tree myth of the Ragnarok tribe. Icarus was said to be a half-blood god born between a spirit deity and an ordinary god. That was why Cassandra, wielder of the Life Tree staff, could wield both spirit energy and blue mana simultaneously.
Selendis appeared frequently in Ragnarok mythology, though the story was now known only to their tribe. Once Memphis became a kingdom and the Church of the Goddess of Light became the dominant religion, they pruned the old tales. They needed to establish Selendis as the supreme figure.
Geum Taeyang understood the reason perfectly. It was information mentioned even while playing World Conquest Chronicles. The original scriptures of the Church of the Goddess of Light had detailed the close relationship between Selendis and Icarus, but once the church rose to prominence at the end of the ancient era, those passages were removed from the official canon. Only the Saintess could still access the original texts, which was why she alone had quietly maintained ties with the Ragnarok tribe over the long years.
“Just as I thought. Hearing your explanation has only strengthened my conviction.”
Geum Taeyang nodded slowly, radiating quiet confidence.
“When I first saw the Life Tree from afar, I felt a powerful inspiration as the bearer of Selendis’s legendary artifact. It was calling to me.”
From there, he began spinning his silver tongue in earnest. Inspiration, his ass.
“What kind of inspiration was it, Great Khan?”
Geum Taeyang’s acting was flawless. Cassandra gazed at him with eyes full of anticipation, already viewing him as the savior sent to rescue the Ragnarok tribe—just as Serazad had.
“The Life Tree is calling me. It wants me.”
When the other party was already in that state, the only thing left was to thoroughly enjoy and exploit the situation. That was the Cult Leader Mode Geum Taeyang.
“Ah…! Then if you had shown the true form of Selendis’s artifact the moment we first met, things might have progressed much faster… We wouldn’t have had to go through that humiliating ordeal…”
Cassandra let out a soft sigh. When she had seen the true form of Selendis’s artifact in the special detention facility, she had been overcome with joy—and regret. If Geum Taeyang had revealed that card from the very beginning, their connection would have formed smoothly. That was how significant Selendis’s legendary artifact was to the Great Chieftain of the Ragnarok tribe.
“I considered it, but in the end I couldn’t. My deepest intuition rejected the idea. Looking back now, I believe it was part of Icarus’s grand design.”
Of course, the real reason Geum Taeyang hadn’t played his hidden card immediately was far simpler: he needed to create a more dramatic effect to milk the situation for all it was worth. Thanks to that, he had already laid the groundwork to win over King Constantine of Grace, the noble alliance, and Sword Empress Marianne. Still, he couldn’t exactly tell Cassandra that. So he invoked Icarus’s name and spouted the classic cult-leader logic.
“Ah… I was too worldly in my understanding of the divine will… How shameful…”
“Hahaha! It’s only natural for humans to struggle. So don’t blame yourself, Great Chieftain Cassandra.”
Geum Taeyang’s cult-leader act worked perfectly.
Yes… It was painful, but in the end I was able to resolve the grudge from fourteen years ago, and we’ve laid the foundation to end the fundamental conflict with the Grace Kingdom. Just as Geum Taeyang said, perhaps Icarus and the Life Tree intended this all along.
Geum Taeyang wasn’t merely a smooth talker. In just a few days he had solved problems Cassandra had been struggling with for twenty-three years. For a chieftain who loved her people, enduring a little public humiliation was more than acceptable.
“The time has come.”
Geum Taeyang looked up at the massive Life Tree. The time for the grand plan he had sketched and followed to its conclusion—the time to place the final period.
“I must stand before the Life Tree now.”
The final act—what exactly did Geum Taeyang intend to show Cassandra?
The Life Tree is a fortuitous encounter for me. The moment I touch it, Fortuitous Encounter Monopolization will activate.
In World Conquest Chronicles, the Ragnarok tribe was a fairly important supporting faction, and the Life Tree stood at its center. Each story mode contained a route to restore the weakened Life Tree’s power. Geum Taeyang judged that the same mechanic applied even in 19+ mode now that Cassandra had become his heroine. After all, she was the guardian of the Life Tree.
When I devoured Ivy, the child the Life Tree had given Cassandra, I felt it clearly—just like when I devoured Leona.
That was why he had worked to forge deep connections with everything related to the Life Tree. The prime example was Cassandra’s daughter, Ivy. The moment he devoured Ivy, he experienced the same reaction he had felt when devouring Leona and realizing Beatrice’s pendant was a fortuitous encounter.
“May I accompany you?”
“Of course, Lady Cassandra. The Life Tree desires it.”
“Aaaah…”
Geum Taeyang walked toward the Life Tree. Cassandra, flushed with emotion, asked if she could share in this historic moment. The swindler Geum Taeyang smiled leisurely, extended his hand, and granted permission.
“Life Tree… what is it that you want from me…”
Thud…!
Geum Taeyang placed his hand on the massive trunk of the Life Tree to confirm the activation of Fortuitous Encounter Monopolization, speaking the line for Cassandra’s benefit.
The Conqueror Geum Taeyang’s Fortuitous Encounter Monopolization trait has been activated.
Just as I thought!
Geum Taeyang savored the details of the fortuitous encounter that appeared afterward.
“Fuck… H-has it gone insane? Is this Life Tree bitch completely out of her mind???”
He barely managed to swallow the curse that nearly burst out loud.
“Is something wrong, Great Khan?”
Geum Taeyang froze for a moment, and Cassandra, seeing his back, asked in a worried voice.
“No. The exchange of higher-dimensional communion was simply so intense that I nearly grew dizzy. Heh heh…”
“Ah… I see…”
Geum Taeyang quickly composed his expression and brushed it off. It didn’t seem like bad news. Just… personally inconvenient?
“The Life Tree wishes to commune with me. It has even granted me a temporary ability called Soul Consensus.”
“Ooh! Soul Consensus!”
The fortuitous encounter with the Life Tree had triggered Trait Linkage, creating the temporary skill Soul Consensus. Then what was the original cheat trait of Geum Taeyang that had linked with the Life Tree’s fortuitous encounter?
Soul Consensus
Geum Taeyang activated Soul Consensus. An emerald-green spirit energy circuit formed on his left hand.
What an incredible sight! That’s clearly a Connecting!
Cassandra could not hide her astonishment. The formation of an energy circuit—commonly called Connecting—was a high-level magical phenomenon that occurred during intimate linkage.
“Now… let’s commune, my dear Life Tree…”
Swish…!
Whoosh…!
Geum Taeyang ran his hands over the massive trunk of the Life Tree, circling it. The Life Tree stood as tall as a fifty-meter building—its circumference was enormous.
“Not here… This isn’t the spot…”
“What kind of Connecting are you performing…?”
“You’ll find out soon enough. Heh heh…”
Cassandra followed closely behind him. Having secured her full attention, Geum Taeyang wore an extremely profound expression and shook his head.
He was blatantly drawing her focus.
Thud!
After walking nearly two-thirds of the way around the trunk, Geum Taeyang suddenly stopped. He turned his gaze to the exact spot where his left hand was Connecting. Until now he had been walking with his eyes closed.
Has he found the Connecting point? What could it be?
Cassandra’s head turned at the same time.
What filled her vision was—
A… a knothole???
A knothole in a suspicious location and of suspicious size.
Why was it suspicious?
“Hmm… This spot is definitely the most lewd.”
Geum Taeyang’s words and gaze were extremely suspicious.
“L-lewd…?”
Cassandra naturally tilted her head in confusion.
“Now I shall begin the Life Tree reinforcement ritual.”
—Zzzzzzzip!!
Without further explanation, Geum Taeyang boldly dropped his pants.
Flop! Flop! Flop!
His dangling, shameless member was revealed before the Life Tree.
“G-Great Khan??? What are you doing right now?”
Cassandra cried out in shock, at a complete loss.
“Exactly what it looks like. I am going to strengthen the weakened Life Tree and evolve your Life Tree staff. And the method to strengthen the Life Tree is—”
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Geum Taeyang stripped off both his pants and shirt without hesitation.
“—to devour this ancient female that has lived for over ten thousand years.”
That was right. Geum Taeyang intended to devour the Life Tree and fill it with his seed.
The other trait that had linked with Fortuitous Encounter Monopolization was none other than Casanova.