Geum Taeyang and Cassandra Ascend as National Heroes of the Grace Kingdom
‘If it’s an Omni Gate, then he must have awakened the World Tree!’
The ultimate spatial transfer gate usable by mages is the dimensional gate. Whether it is multi-dimensional or multi-layered, an Omni Gate surpasses all other spatial transfer gates, and it can be said that only transcendents above demigod level can create one. When such an Omni Gate manifested right before her eyes, the quick-witted Nadia Jasmine immediately realized what Geum Taeyang had accomplished.
Swaaaah...!!!
At last the Omni Gate fully revealed itself and swung open like a colossal door. The crowd could not contain their astonishment at the figures who emerged from within.
“Ooooh!!”
“As expected!!!”
“Have you been waiting long, everyone?”
Step, step, step. The ones who walked out of the gate were none other than Geum Taeyang and Cassandra.
‘They’ve changed.’
Geum Taeyang and Cassandra exchanged light greetings with those who had been waiting for them. Watching them—especially Cassandra—Nadia activated her 【True Mana Detection】. Even with the same skill, the level of detail varied greatly depending on the caster’s ability. That was why Nadia, who could see what Camilla could not, was filled with amazement.
‘She’s undergone a near-limit-break transformation. Is it because of the Life Water’s awakening? In just two days?’
In only two days, Cassandra had achieved an explosive growth in power. Nadia Jasmine could not yet tell whether it was simply a rise in physical stats or the development of some special ability.
“Is there any need to drag this out? We are ready to fulfill our promise.”
“Very well, Great Khan Geum Taeyang. Show us what you spoke of.”
“Understood, Your Highness Rubentner. Then, Chief Cassandra, if you would begin?”
Geum Taeyang took the lead with a confident expression. King Rubentner of the Grace Kingdom, intrigued, played along.
“Let it be so, Great Khan Geum Taeyang.”
Step, step, step. Cassandra walked calmly toward the vast desert. Then—
Shhhhhh...!!!
She immediately summoned her weapon inventory barrier.
“!!!????”
“!!!!!????”
Nadia’s and Camilla’s eyes widened at the sight of the barrier.
‘Gold and emerald…?’
Cassandra’s weapon inventory barrier, which should have been purely emerald, now contained streaks of gold. That could only mean one thing.
‘It evolved into a legendary artifact!’
The Life Tree Staff, once a heroic artifact, had evolved into a legendary one.
—Saaaaah...!!!
The legendary Life Tree Staff rose brilliantly from the barrier and manifested.
“Ooooooh!!!”
“What an incredible staff!!!”
“Its aura is overwhelming!!!”
Even among the many awakened nobles, those knowledgeable about artifacts reacted with primal awe.
“Is that not a legendary artifact, Nadia? I was told that Cassandra, chieftain of the Ragnarok tribe, possessed a heroic artifact.”
“It appears to have evolved from heroic to legendary, Father. During the three days of the promised four, it seems Great Khan Geum Taeyang and Chief Cassandra prepared this.”
“They accomplished that in such a short time?”
“I suspect it is related to the Life Water.”
“Hoooooh…!”
Though Rubentner, an awakened swordsman, could not grasp every detail, his knowledge was sufficient to recognize that Cassandra’s staff was now a legendary artifact. Nadia gave her father a roundabout explanation.
Thud! Cassandra drove the tip of the Life Tree Staff into the sandy ground. A pure, transcendent spirit energy—far clearer than ordinary spirit energy—burst forth from the staff.
Swaaaah...!!
The transcendent spirit energy soon spread throughout Cassandra’s entire body. Her eyes flashed as they were charged with the overwhelming power.
“[Terra Mater, Vita Floreat! Arise, Terranova Crystal!]”
After reciting the energy-laden incantation, cries of astonishment erupted from the noble camp.
“Look over there! Look!!!”
Goooooooh...!!!
Guuuuuh...!!
Grgrgrgrgr...!!
“It’s a massive barrier tsunami!!!”
“Incredible! I can’t even put this sight into words! The vast desert is being covered by barriers!”
Enough land to grow crops for ten thousand people—roughly the size of three hundred and fifty soccer fields by continental double-cropping standards. Across that enormous pre-designated desert area, dozens of massive barriers, each roughly ten meters in diameter, began forming all at once.
Yet the crowd’s amazement was only beginning.
Grgrgrgr...!!
Grgrgrgrgr...!!
Grgrgrgrgr...!!
“What is that now!!????”
“Crystals—huge crystals?!”
From each of the numerous giant barriers, house-sized crystals of majestic and radiant beauty poured forth.
‘Those are Terranova Crystals!!’
The genius mental-type awakened Nadia instantly identified the crystals.
‘Damn… How about that, Nadia? Pretty badass, right? This Geum Taeyang guy just revived the Nova Crystals that supposedly only existed during the ancient Ragnarok tribe’s golden age.’
Geum Taeyang glanced sideways at Nadia’s expression and could not hide his satisfaction. Nova Crystals were the symbolic authority that distinguished the Ragnarok tribe from other races who wielded spirit power. They were the very authority of the Life Water.
Wind Nova, Terra Nova, Water Nova—each natural phenomenon had its own Nova Crystal, and each could perform miracles upon the corresponding natural element through transcendent authority.
‘A heroic artifact could never handle that authority. Only a legendary artifact can receive and summon them like this.’
The Life Water was the source that created the Nova Crystals, but the one who received and summoned them was the wielder of the Life Tree Staff. In the end, it was a joint creation of Cassandra and the Life Water.
“A magnificent sight… It truly feels as though the myths of the ancient Ragnarok tribe are unfolding before my very eyes.”
Dozens of Terranova Crystals had been summoned. Overwhelmed by the spectacle, King Rubentner of the Grace Kingdom rose from his seat, unable to contain his admiration.
“However, our promise was to turn this land into fertile soil capable of supporting ten thousand people immediately. So it is still too early to be surprised, Your Highness.”
“That is what I should be saying, yet you said it first, Great Khan. Your confidence is truly something else.”
If he were a mere swindler, this would have been the perfect moment to declare the show over. But Geum Taeyang, a swindler of an entirely different caliber, was not satisfied with this level of reaction. What he wanted was for people to be so astonished they would fall over.
“[By Soil and Root, By Sun and Rain, I Command You—Terranova Crystal, Breathe Life Into the Land!]”
As soon as Geum Taeyang displayed his confidence, Cassandra recited another incantation as if she had been waiting for it—the incantation to awaken the Terranova.
The moment the words left her lips—
Flash—!!!
Flash—!!!
Flash—!!!
Dozens of Terranova Crystals emitted a brilliant glow and began to resonate.
Wuuum...! Wuuum...! Wuuum...!
They pulsed with a soft emerald energy, as though a spirit’s heart were beating inside each crystal.
Then—
“Everyone, look at this!!!”
Geum Taeyang struck a dramatic pose and pointed forward with a shout. At the spot he indicated—
Shuuuuu...!!!
Shuuuu...!!
Trees sprouted in between as—
“The desert!!! It’s turning into soil!!!”
A vast stretch of fertile farmland was being created. It was nothing short of a miracle. If this was not a miracle, what else could it be called?
King Rubentner Jasmine of the Grace Kingdom lost all royal composure and cried out in frenzy at the divine sight.
“Every place where a crystal stands is turning into soil!!”
“In an instant! It’s changing all at once, like flipping the palm of a hand!!”
“An unbelievable miracle!! We are witnessing a miracle!!”
Following Rubentner’s outburst, the other nobles stared in rapt awe at the miracle of the land that Geum Taeyang and Cassandra had wrought. An area the size of roughly three hundred and fifty soccer fields—a massive desert—was transforming into fertile farmland.
“The performance is over. Please confirm it yourself, Your Majesty.”
After completing the miracle with her eyes closed, Cassandra opened them and pulled the Life Tree Staff from the now-soil ground as she spoke to Rubentner.
“Ooooooh…! Ooooooh…!”
Step, step, step. Rubentner walked toward the vast stretch of soil with a face full of holy reverence, as though approaching a god. He touched and even tasted the nutrient-rich red earth.
Then the words that left Rubentner’s mouth were—
“It’s soil! Fertile soil! The sands of Grace have become perfect land for cultivation!! Great Khan Geum Taeyang and Chief Cassandra have kept their promise!!”
It was a declaration. The vast land before them was no illusion but truth, and the promise that had sounded like Geum Taeyang’s empty boast had been perfectly fulfilled.
“Uwaaaah!!! It’s soil!!”
“Soil! Soil! A massive cultivation zone!!!”
Rumble, rumble, rumble!!
At Rubentner’s declaration, the nobles rushed toward the red earth before them like dogs at dinnertime. A cultivation zone of this scale had been the kingdom’s most fervent, long-standing wish.
“I’m glad it pleases you, Your Highness. Heh heh…”
Geum Taeyang leisurely enjoyed the sight of the frenzied Rubentner and the Grace nobles.
“Then we can grant freedom to the prisoners right away, Princess Nadia?”
“Of course. I have already given the order.”
“As expected, our Princess Nadia is quick on the uptake.”
“Thank you, Princess.”
“It is no trouble. It is a right that Chief Cassandra earned for herself.”
Geum Taeyang sensed Nadia approaching from behind and played it up, acting smug as if asking whether she liked the dopamine he had prepared. Nadia responded flatly. But Geum Taeyang knew that very reaction meant it had worked perfectly.
“Then I will go check on my people.”
“I will follow shortly.”
Cassandra headed toward the special management room with Camilla.
“Summoning that many Terranova Crystals at once and instantly turning desert into land consumes an enormous amount of energy…”
Nadia asked Geum Taeyang in a probing tone, as though she had something she wanted to know.
“Yes, normally it wouldn’t make sense. Even at the fastest, the Terranova Crystals would need to operate for at least half a month to produce this result.”
Summoning multiple crystals simultaneously might be understandable, but having the effect manifest the instant they activated was another matter entirely. What had made it possible?
‘How did I do it? I just poured a ridiculous amount of yang energy into her for an entire day, that’s all.’
That was right. Geum Taeyang had achieved the Life Water awakening in two days, but he had come to the Grace Kingdom on the third day to demonstrate the miracle. Because during that single day he had needed to take the Life Water roughly twenty times in order to create his current, extraordinary ability.
‘It was worth it. I even gained an achievement.’
It had been an insanely grueling schedule. Yet Geum Taeyang showed no sign of fatigue. Along with the achievement, he had obtained his reward.