The Life Tree Cloak and the Sword Empress's Secret

165. [Geomhu’s Incurable Disease, Guumjeolmaek, Born from Excessive Yin Energy — Its Cure.] [Conqueror Geum Taeyang has achieved the feat of communicating with the Life Tree.]

‘Oh~ So it’s giving this to me? I was half-convinced it might or might not hand out rewards.’

After Geum Taeyang severed the Life Tree’s ada, an achievement notification soon reached him. The Ragnarok tribe appears as supporting characters in nearly every story mode. The protagonist works to restore the Life Tree’s power, and depending on how closely the story ties to the tribe and how much weight the Ragnarok people carry in that route, the communication achievement may or may not trigger.

‘With two heroines in the tribe, it would’ve been stranger if it didn’t appear.’

Yet it did.

‘What kind of reward will it be? I have a general idea of what’s usually given, but there’s also a good chance it’ll be something else.’

Because of that, the rewards could vary somewhat.

‘The most standard reward. Thanks to this, mobilizing Ragnarok forces becomes much easier in the game “Isekai Conquest Chronicle.” Other nations require complicated procedures even after conquest, and betrayal is always a risk. Not here.’

The first reward was Aura. From now on, the people of the Ragnarok tribe would regard Geum Taeyang as second only to Cassandra in loyalty.

‘If there’s a first, there must be a second or more. Maybe…?’

Aura was extremely useful. Yet it did nothing to satisfy the dopamine-soaked, perverted male that was Geum Taeyang. So his interest immediately shifted to the second reward.

‘Ooooooh!!!!’

The moment the name of the second reward appeared, Geum Taeyang could not hold back his cheers.

‘Following the Life Tree Staff, another growth-series item! This is a real jackpot! So this is what drops!’

The Life Tree Cloak was a treasured artifact. It usually started at the highest grade, though the exact starting point varied by circumstance. Its primary stat was an extremely high recovery rate. At Hero grade it granted increased magic immunity, and at Legendary grade it allowed temporary cloaking.

‘And once it reaches Mythic grade, you can even fly through the sky.’

It was truly the ultimate support-type treasured artifact.

‘I only ever obtained this while playing as Eugene Caesar and Arthur. Eugene especially made great use of it.’

In other words, Geum Taeyang had already witnessed the Mythic-grade Life Tree Cloak. He had been able to reach that point because, after obtaining Selendis through Luciena and Excalibur and raising it to Mythic, he had also elevated the matching Life Tree Cloak to Mythic grade.

‘No, what the fuck— of course I’m doing the sub-mission for Legendary grade. Honestly, a Hero-grade Life Tree Cloak doesn’t offer me that much value right now!’

When Geum Taeyang had played “Isekai Conquest Chronicle,” he received it at Hero grade. It had been useful then, because neither Eugene Caesar nor Arthur possessed cheat traits like the Peerless Martial Body or Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity. For the current Geum Taeyang, who held both, the recovery and magic immunity of a Hero-grade Life Tree Cloak were not particularly attractive.

‘Fuck! Who said this wasn’t an R-19 game? Even the sub-mission is pure R-19!’

The sub-mission specified by Geum Taeyang’s status window was brutally explicit. And so—

“I think we need a more dramatic performance, Lady Cassandra. Rather than returning by carriage and casting the ability in a half-hearted way, let’s arrive directly tomorrow through the Life Tree’s Omni-Gate and show the majesty of our barbarian tribes.”

“You know about the Omni-Gate as well?”

“Hahaha! My major at the Imperial Academy was Alchemy Magic, so I possess considerable general magical knowledge. Of course, it’s only knowledge.”

“Ah…”

Geum Taeyang persuaded Cassandra. To shorten the promised four days to three, the Life Tree had to be strengthened enough to use the Omni-Gate. Thus Geum Taeyang created a pretext.

“Will you be all right? The Omni-Gate is an ability the Life Tree could only use back when it was as massive as the World Tree. It requires activating dozens of Terra Novas, and adding the Omni-Gate on top…”

“Hahaha! Don’t compare my virility to that of an ordinary man. Look forward to it. You’ll see exactly what kind of stamina this Geum Taeyang possesses.”

The method of strengthening? Naturally, Geum Taeyang would once again summon the Life Tree’s spirit clone and pound her pussy full of yang energy. The Life Tree, now braided with ada by Geum Taeyang, had become a shy newlywed who would grant his every request.

“How does my cock taste, Life Tree!! Is the yang energy surging? Hurry up and recover your stats, our Life Tree!!”

Puck! Chup! Puck! Puck! Puck! Chup! Puck! Puck!

[You indecent man! Hooheuuuung! I’m already full! Tuhuueuuung! I want to recover slowly! Hueeeng! Heoheuteuheuuuung!]

“Who decided that? I need you! I need your power! You have no choice. If you want to refuse, try blocking your own pussy! If you can’t stop it, then just take my cum and climax twenty times!”

Geum Taeyang passionately thrust his cock into the Life Tree spirit clone’s pussy all night long. As a result—

“Hahaha! So that’s the production? Thanks, Life Tree! I’ll put it to good use! With the Life Tree Cloak, I’ll protect and prosper not only you but the entire Ragnarok tribe!”

The sub-mission was cleared, and the Life Tree personally granted Geum Taeyang the Life Tree Cloak.

“Look at this, Chief Cassandra! This Geum Taeyang now possesses three Legendary-grade artifacts!”

“That is truly magnificent, Great Khan! You will surely become the supreme ruler of the Pangea continent! You truly resemble the ancient hero-king Gilgamesh!”

Exactly as the status window had stated—Legendary grade. The overpowered Geum Taeyang of the otherworld Pieta had now assembled a triple Legendary artifact set.

‘Ah…!’

Upon hearing Geum Taeyang’s tale, Nadia could not suppress a soft sigh.

‘I should have sent Vivian along… I underestimated Great Khan Geum Taeyang too much…’

Geum Taeyang had not been entirely explicit, but he had subtly directed the scent of his story toward Nadia. As expected, the quick-witted Nadia grasped the situation and was going mad with regret at having missed such an incredible dopamine scene—the mad princess of the Grace Kingdom, Nadia Jasmine.

Step, step, step. At that moment, on the red earth created by Geum Taeyang and Cassandra, a black-haired woman in white robes walked barefoot. She moved with extreme care, holding her shoes in both hands.

“Hahaha! How is it, Lady Geomhu? Walking barefoot on fertile soil feels quite different, doesn’t it?”

It was Sword Empress Marianne Nahoja.

“It has been a long time. Because my maternal homeland is another kingdom, I occasionally visited the countryside there as a child and walked on red soil like this. It felt truly wondrous.”

Marianne answered Geum Taeyang’s question with a smile far more relaxed than usual for her.

‘Whoa… look at those feet. Her skin is really white. Nadia’s skin is pale too, but Marianne’s is just dazzling.’

While thinking this, Marianne continued walking diligently across the red earth. Geum ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Taeyang clicked his tongue at the snow-white skin that resembled her eyes.

‘Guumjeolmaek. Marianne carries Guumjeolmaek inside her body. That’s why her skin is so pale.’

He was not simply marveling at unusually white skin. He knew the background behind Marianne possessing such skin. Guumjeolmaek—an incurable disease in which the body’s meridians become blocked and severed because the innate yin energy is too powerful, suppressing yang energy, causing physical functions to endlessly decline until death.

It was a disease usually seen only in martial arts stories, yet Marianne Nahoja had carried Guumjeolmaek since childhood.

‘The story about visiting her mother’s countryside was also for that reason. When she was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠young, the Guumjeolmaek gradually worsened, so she went there to recuperate.’

Perhaps because it was a martial-arts element, even the greatest mages could not diagnose it at all. Their only prescription was peaceful recuperation. Thus Marianne Nahoja’s life in her early years had been one of recuperation.

‘Then she was kidnapped by northern barbarians, and in that crisis her master Seolyeon-ah saved her, connecting the two of them.’

Marianne’s mother’s homeland was close to the Isgandal Mountains where the northern barbarians lived. While traveling by carriage, they were attacked by barbarians and Marianne Nahoja was dragged all the way into the Isgandal Mountains.

‘Through Seolyeon-ah she learned the sword art Seolhwa Flying Sword. That technique stopped the further spread of Guumjeolmaek, allowing her to overcome the death sentence that she would die before turning twenty.’

Seolyeon-ah, who saved Marianne, had identified the girl’s Guumjeolmaek—an illness even the greatest mages could not detect. She then declared to Marianne’s parents that she would extend the child’s lifespan and take her as a disciple, essentially a declaration of war. Marianne’s parents could not refuse Seolyeon-ah’s overwhelming presence. As Seolyeon-ah had said, under her guidance Marianne gradually showed improvement from Guumjeolmaek.

‘That’s why she has such a difficult psychological state. She is not only cautious but extremely careful, with tremendous defense mechanisms.’

She had improved, but she was not cured. Marianne kept her condition hidden from the outside world. The reason she rarely engaged in external activities despite being strong enough to earn the title Sword Empress was also related to this.

‘But who am I? I’m the man who already conquered Marianne Nahoja while playing “Isekai Conquest Chronicle.” I have a way to break down even the iron fortress of the Sword Empress’s defense mechanisms.’

In reality, countless beta testers had complained that conquering Marianne Nahoja was extremely difficult. Even Geum Taeyang had found it honestly challenging. Yet in the end he had succeeded.

“This is a historic day. To my knowledge, this is the first time in all of history that the Grace Kingdom has formed a treaty with the Mohican tribe.”

After completing the Terra Nova Crystal performance, Geum Taeyang entered the Grace Kingdom that day and received a direct welcome from King Constantine. At Constantine’s active urging, the Noble Alliance began to move, and the Grace Kingdom agreed to provide full support for the Mohican tribe’s craft business. Today was the day they would sign the official contract.

Geum Taeyang, who had laid the foundation for fulfilling Grace’s long-cherished wish, was already being treated as a hero among the Grace Kingdom’s nobles, and reactions were beginning to spread among the common people as well.

“When I heard about you from afar, I thought you were an extremely rigid person, but meeting you in person, you’re nothing like that. Thank you for looking after us even amid all the complications.”

Scritch, scritch, scritch!

“Hoho, I am indeed a rigid person. That is precisely why I treated you according to the principles, based on the achievements you have shown, Great Khan.”

Press…!!

Geum Taeyang signed the contract, and Marianne stamped the official seal as head of the Noble Alliance.

“Then you are returning tomorrow?”

Marianne asked about Geum Taeyang’s departure date while exchanging the contract.

“What do you mean? I still have work left to do here.”

However, Geum Taeyang wore an expression that said such talk was nonsense.

“You still have work left?”

“Didn’t I say that if you stop the public humiliation, this Geum Taeyang would visit the Nahoja family and personally learn your swordsmanship? I may be busy, but I must of course keep my promise.”

Geum Taeyang charged forward like a bulldozer.