61. The Elf Queen's Plea

Carpe followed her into the office. It was still a simple, tidy space.

"Shall I summon Tina as well? What we're about to discuss concerns her too."

Carpe nodded at her words and called forth Tina and Mukhyang.

Once everyone was gathered, Alteer let out a short sigh before continuing.

"Phew. There's much to say, but first, a reward for your efforts."

"Saiers."

"Yes, Lady Alteer."

"Bring it here."

Saiers, standing behind Alteer, bowed politely and fetched a small wooden box from somewhere.

"This feels kinda familiar from yesterday..."

Yesterday, two hefty acorns had popped out of that very box... No ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠way the reward was acorns again, right?

"As if."

Alteer, guessing Carpe's thoughts, spoke with a look of disbelief.

Click.

As the box opened, a fresh grassy scent filled the room.

"It's yours now."

Inside wasn't acorns, but a modest bracelet woven from grass.

Of course, its options were anything but modest.

"Huh? A bracelet?"

Oho. Hero+ grade, huh. No wonder the options are stacked. I'll be rocking this for a while.

Carpe carefully picked up the bracelet.

It was an upgrade over the bracelet he'd borrowed from Fergus for that hidden quest.

He'd been a bit bummed when they'd taken it back right on time, but getting another one like this—way better too!

Conditional self-heal to boot. Might as well go full Hit Spell build now.

'Yeah, right? Ugh! Swinging my fist and popping off spells left and right—chef's kiss.'

Items like his gauntlets Fist Demon that triggered effects on hit were called Hit Spells.

A meta existed around kitting out head-to-toe in Hit Spells and farming with free procs—super efficient too.

Sustained hunts were insanely good.

Hit Spell skills cost zero MP.

Just one self-heal item theoretically meant infinite farming without potions.

Though they're a pain to acquire.

Hit Spell gear wasn't something you could just snag. Rarity was the issue, beyond raw power.

Two Hit Spells before second job... and one of 'em's top-tier Legendary... Alright, gotta grab that hidden piece first then...

Inspired by Hit Spells maybe, Cheonma dove into plotting his roadmap, lost in his own world.

"I originally planned a fine elven bow as reward, but you exceeded expectations, so I changed it."

"Excellent choice. As expected of a leader with true foresight."

Carpe's tongue turned smooth at the unexpectedly great reward.

A handmade elven bow would've been nice, sure, but no way it'd replace a Legendary weapon.

'Accessories are way better.'

High utility, hard to get—perfect reward.

"Glad you like it. I picked it carefully, so use it well."

Alteer smiled faintly, then hardened her expression.

"Carpe. To confirm—you encountered the fragment of the guide while exterminating the slime worms?"

"Yeah. Chased the bugs into a cave, and there was this massive mantis thing. Tough as hell."

"Naturally. Even a fragment—the name Four Calamities is no empty title. Frankly, surviving is the real surprise."

"Four Calamities?"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Four Calamities. Four disasters.

A familiar term.

More than familiar—he'd seen one recently.

The cause of that sudden quake near the reinforcement district.

The majestic blue serpent on Ruana's horizon—one of the Four.

"The Sea Dragon King, right? That ice mantis is one of the same Four Calamities as that sea monster?"

"Not the same. This one's just a fragment. A mere infant compared to the true disaster."

"Infant..."

And it was that strong? Carpe couldn't help chuckling.

"In ancient times beyond historical record. With the world's birth came the Four Calamities."

Countless names for them, but modern races knew them as:

Eastern Sea Dragon.

Western Ice Emperor.

Southern Wind Demon.

Northern Flame Lord.

And feared them.

"Legends about them are endless."

One flap of the Wind Demon's wings wiping out nations.

The Sea Dragon's breath shattering an island into archipelagos.

The wasteland left by Ice Emperor and Flame Lord's three-year clash, barren to all life.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Mostly fiction due to their mystery... but one truth stands."

The Four Calamities exist. Impossibly strong.

All continental life fears their unpredictable arrival.

"If such monsters exist, shouldn't all races unite against them?"

"Unite? Amusing. Then answer me this: Can humans resist typhoons or earthquakes?"

"...No."

"Exactly. They're no different from natural disasters. That's why they're called calamities."

Natural disasters at least predictable sometimes. Not them.

No rhyme or reason to their actions.

Dormant for 500 years, then nations vanish yearly.

Unpredictable. Some say no reason at all.

"World's lasted this long—miracle."

"Not entirely bad. Species without predators fall easily. Survivors forge brilliant civilizations."

Tina, listening quietly, spoke up.

"As Alteer says, calamities aren't pure evil. Arkram especially benefited."

"Benefited? From those monsters?"

"800 years ago, the Gods united against the Northern Flame Lord."

Soon after Arkram unified the continent. Patron Spirits from other worlds invaded, sparking the God War.

"The Four existed then. A thorn to Gods seeking total dominion."

They couldn't ignore uncontrolled power.

Gods resolved to subjugate the nearest: Flame Lord.

"Three 9-star Gods and fifteen 8-stars challenged him."

"...Scale just exploded."

18 high-star Patron Spirits ganged up?

But the real shock followed.

"The 18 Gods failed to injure him properly and lost. Leader, 9-star 'Heracles,' died."

"...Holy shit."

Insane. For real? Explains why no one's ever drawn Heracles in 10 years.

Last Savior's lore had myths and heroes as Patron Spirits, but Heracles—top name—never drawn. Mystery solved.

"That weakened the Gods greatly. Without Flame Lord, Arkram would've fallen faster."

"9-stars are level 400s, right? What's the Four's level?"

"Arkram scholars estimate 700-800."

"...True world-enders."

Chest swelled with awe... wait.

"So that insane fragment's still in this forest?"

Is this okay?

Sharing woods with a ticking bomb?

"Shouldn't you relocate?"

"Impossible. Elves can't reproduce without a World Tree."

Relocation needed a new World Tree seed.

Rudram's fruit. Woodgard clan's sacred treasure.

"In one week, the fruit ripens fully."

Alteer gazed at the massive World Tree Rudram outside.

A vibrant fruit hung from a far branch.

"But the fragment won't wait. Magic King's heir—you saw it? Its abnormal state."

"...Come to think of it."

Dragon's Eye showed its HP and MP at 33%.

"Long ago, our clan fought it with the previous Magic King. Drove it near death, but it escaped."

During prolonged God War, humanity cornered.

Madou King Dretsch visited elves for homunculus materials, aided against the fragment.

"Ah, so that's why..."

Its weakness: lingering damage from that fight.

It hid, manipulated slime worms for 800 years to gather mana.

Yet recovered only 30%.

"The fragment will target Rudram's fruit."

World Tree fruit: life source, pure mana incarnate.

It instinctively knew: perfect cure for its wounds.

"Our clan must seek the Magic King's aid again. Carpe, please help us."

"Huh? Refuse?"

A quest with a different format than before.