Chapter 224
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 224
Chapter Title: The World Tree Blooms
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"Run...... a......way. The World Tree is already......"
She spoke in a fading voice, on the brink of death.
It was true that they had escaped the red mist's influence, but that had only bought her a little time—she was already dying.
That was when it happened.
"No can do. Without the World Tree's power, we can't deal with that thing."
At his response, Triana let out a bitter laugh.
"Too late. The World Tree is already...... Besides...... even that sword can't heal it now......"
"That'd be true in normal circumstances."
Leon lightly tapped the blade of Falling Petal.
Triana's eyes widened at the incredible sight that unfolded.
A brilliantly clear and radiant energy began seeping from Leon's body into the sword.
"Normally, this would be a bit of a cheat. But since I've picked up some new tricks, let's take the easy route this time. Falling Petal."
"What are you......?"
"Cancer's already spread through its entire body, so by normal means, we'd have to call the World Tree dead."
"......"
"But things have changed on this end too."
Speaking as if addressing the sword itself, Leon spun the massive claymore in one hand before holding it upright with perfect form.
The sword's guard rested against his collarbone, the hilt touching his chest.
The blade extended straight upward past his face, scattering a bluish aura.
No. It's true the power of that sword called Falling Petal is extraordinary, but it's not enough to heal the World Tree now that it's fallen apart...
Triana's thoughts ground to a halt at the words that slipped from Leon's lips.
"Bloom fully."
A voice laced with mystical resonance emanated from Leon's mouth.
At the same moment, the claymore—Falling Petal—in his grasp began to scatter entirely into fragments of light.
Before, it had at least held its sword form, but this time, the shape itself was transforming completely.
As if an egg were cracking open to reveal its true form.
It was as though everything he'd shown so far with the sword called Falling Petal had been mere child's play.
And the scattered light soon coalesced in midair into the form of a massive flower bud.
The bud then began to slowly unfurl.
And when it had fully bloomed...
Something astonishing happened.
Even after Leon departed, the elves continued their desperate battle at the barrier, staking their lives on the fight.
The colossal monster had paused from the single strike Leon unleashed, but once the intent infused in that blow fully dissipated, it would surely move again.
He must have ordered a retreat.
Yet not a single elf fled.
Perhaps because they knew losing the foundation of their very existence was worse than death.
Those who had panicked at the sight of the enormous entity now found faint hope ignited within them by Leon's sword aura.
House Romila, House Trigrad, House Ifrita, House Demetea, House Luosid.
All the great houses of high elves in the Mother Forest moved as one.
But they all knew deep down—they would end up burying their bones here.
No one mentioned it, but the faint life force emanating from the World Tree had vanished entirely just moments ago.
In other words, the World Tree had met its end.
Even though Leon had come, was it too late?
As such thoughts swirled in his mind...
Something wondrous began to occur.
Tiny specks of blue light adorned the dark night sky, gathering from every corner of the forest toward the World Tree.
What is that?
So numerous they couldn't be counted, the glowing motes slowly and gently converged on the World Tree.
Whoosh!!
At the same instant, the red mist that had filled the path to the core dispersed in a flash, and a clear, pure energy began washing over every elf present.
Oselon sensed it instinctively.
This power, imperceptible until moments ago, felt familiar. It was none other than...
The power of that sword Leon wielded—Falling Petal.
However, the density and scope were on an entirely different level from what he'd witnessed before.
"The...... World Tree!"
At that moment, the head of House Ifrita cried out in shock, pointing at the World Tree with wide eyes.
"Heavens!"
"By the gods......"
The World Tree, utterly corrupted and withered like a dead husk, began slowly regaining its original form.
Repairing at an astonishing speed, it unleashed a torrent of vitality across the forest as if venting all the suffering it had endured.
At the same time, the leaves, now fully restored to vibrant blue, began to glow faintly. An enormous, unidentified magic circle started unfolding above the World Tree's colossal form.
A sacred tree of immense age, sustaining not just this great forest but the entire continent—its very sentience unknown.
An inviolable absolute existence that even dwarves, humans, and countless other races never dared touch, even in war with the elves.
That was the World Tree.
Hummmmm...
Fully restored and expelling all that had eroded it, the World Tree condensed its vast power into the magic circle.
At the same moment, the grotesque entity, temporarily neutralized by the sword of intent, adapted to that force and began moving once more in full.
Craaaack!!!
But it couldn't move further.
The magic circle conjured by the World Tree shattered into shards of light in an instant, altering the very air around it.
It wasn't that the World Tree's power had been broken.
The World Tree's myriad branches began emitting white light all at once.
Plip... plip... plipplipplip whooooosh!!!
As proof, raindrops began pouring across the entire great forest.
"This rain......"
"The corruption... it's washing away!!"
Incredibly, the rain summoned by the World Tree cleansed the corruption from everything it touched.
Slimes and twisted magical beasts melted upon contact with the droplets. Corrupted wild animals writhed and screamed on the ground before their taint vanished, scattering in all directions to flee.
And the greatest impact fell upon the translucent colossal entity.
The immense being, whose name none knew, spewed unidentified shrieks as the rain struck it.
But like something massive had slammed into it, it staggered repeatedly before being neutralized once more.
The World Tree's power couldn't kill it.
But that was enough.
By paralyzing it and creating an opening for a decisive blow, the World Tree had fulfilled its role.
Something streaked through the city at tremendous speed, leaping over the barrier.
All the elves' gazes turned toward it, soon recognizing Leon.
A bluish aura around the high-leaping Leon suddenly dyed red.
[Intent – Strong (强)]
[Crimson (赤)]
A massive aura blade laced with red lightning surged from his sword.
And in the instant airborne Leon swung his blade...
For a split second, an optical illusion made it seem as if the world itself twisted and split.
Krunch!!
The sound of something shattering rang out clearly across the chaotic battlefield.
What followed was miraculous.
The colossal aberrant lifeform, gradually solidifying its form, blurred again as if it had been a mere hallucination, slowly fading away. As it vanished, the corruption followed suit.
The twisted magical beasts and slimes assaulting the city disappeared entirely, and the corrupted wildlife scattered in all directions, signaling the battle's end.
"We...... lived......"
"We survived! Damn it! We survived!!"
The gasping elves, realizing they had lived, embraced each other in greater joy than anyone.
Watching the battlefield in a daze, the head of House Oselon soon spotted an elf girl rushing toward him.
"Father!!"
"Triana!"
Reflexively scooping her into his arms, the Oselon house head trembled at the sight of his pristine daughter.
"Are you hurt...... anywhere?"
"No. Young Master Leon and the World Tree...... protected me."
"Thank the gods...... thank goodness......"
Clutching his precious daughter, Oselon descended to the barrier and took in the sight of Leon murmuring something.
The elves cheered toward the World Tree and Leon, who had slain the monster.
Had he ever seen elves cheering for a human like this?
Recalling how, long ago, all houses except Romila had viewed humans with suspicion, it was a profound change.
Ironically, Romila House was now the most wary of humans...
Thus, the massive assault that had dyed the great forest purple seemed to reach its conclusion.
The assault had halted, but cleanup remained.
There were many deaths, and some things fully corrupted never returned.
Indeed, parts of the great forest still harbored lingering corruption, barring entry to all.
The World Tree had been healed, but having expended its power on the red moon phenomenon, it was recovering once more.
Either way, the key was that the elves had survived the invasion.
The head of Romila House, arriving late, reportedly stared blankly at the now-safe World Tree without a word.
He simply gazed up at it in a daze before rallying his house members to tend the wounded and handle aftermath.
However, he'd reportedly helped clear Triana's name at the high elves' council.
Though her innocence wasn't fully proven yet.
"Mm. Eating it straight-up is pretty tasty."
Munching on a snack popular among elves, Luna had already gained massive popularity among them in half a day.
There were many injured elves despite purging the corruption.
Luna healed them all instead of leaving them be, earning their gratitude.
And the high elves instinctively treated her with utmost respect.
They must have sensed something from her, even if they couldn't pinpoint it.
While the elves cleared battle traces and handled affairs, Luna and I received their utmost hospitality.
After all, it was true I'd healed the World Tree and driven off the things trying to devour it.
Moreover, the Romila house head—who'd been most wary of me—sided with me after surviving, flipping public opinion overnight to favorable.
Thus, strolling the city, elves now approached me warmly.
Oselon mentioned that once cleanup finished, he'd formally prepare Fairy Wood supplies from the elves for House Cascadia.
Normally, external trade of Fairy Wood requires all houses' approval.
Yet it passed unanimously at this council, I heard.
I hadn't expected even Romila's head to agree.
He distrusted humans, after all.
Currently, per Triana's testimony, I was at the presumed spot where she'd met Isna.
Though being hailed as a benefactor, having five or six elf guards from Romila House as guides was unexpected.
"This should be the place Miss Triana mentioned."
"Thank you."
"We'll search for traces of that human woman."
"Appreciate the help."
Not that I needed it much, but if they're offering...
I silently scanned the surroundings.
Isna had only passed through here; the odds of substantial traces remaining were slim to none.