Blessing (1)

United States. The AAU Western Branch was on high alert. Branch Chief Jim Joshua. Even at midnight, the light in the branch chief's office didn't go out.

Our boss isn't the type to do that...

"Overtime? The great Jim Joshua?"

It was Thursday, when regular updates happened, but even during emergency updates, Jim Joshua would always talk about work-life balance. And today was Friday, no less. Normally, he'd be enjoying the weekend on his private yacht. What wind was blowing to make him act like this?

"Katrina, what do you think?"

"Huh? What'd you say?"

"I mean Jim. He's not the type."

"The boss? Yeah, it's kinda weird."

"Man, what a deflating reaction."

Slurp— The man sucked on his straw, racking his brain. There had to be a reason for it.

"He went on a business trip to Korea, right? Both the West and East branches."

"Yeah, some branch chief-level meeting."

"...Isn't that kinda suspicious?"

"What?"

"I mean, they've always handled branch chief meetings via video call just fine. But suddenly flying overseas? Across the Pacific to Korea, of all places? What's the reason for that?"

If he had to guess, there was one thing that came to mind.

"...Could it be because of Lee Hoyeol?"

Korea had Lee Hoyeol. The one who'd cleared the London Dungeon Rift. But frankly, it wasn't like he'd cleared rifts like that once or twice. Was it worth going on a trip and then pulling all-nighters upon return? No reason to make a fuss.

"Maybe he got chewed out at the meeting?"

"By who? Our boss? From whom?"

"From anyone. He barely works during office hours anyway, right? Just slacks off and kisses up to the higher-ups..."

Tap tap tap— As the conversation naturally shifted to gossiping about the superior.

The man's eyes changed. He'd thought Katrina was responding soullessly.

"What're you hammering away at now?"

"Oh, this? Nothing much."

"You always say it's nothing. Let me see, yeah?"

Roll— As Katrina pulled her chair back, the monitor came into view. More precisely, the photos on the monitor.

The man asked again.

"...Wait, isn't this London?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Why're you collecting pics of the Aquarius oak tree for?"

Before the cataclysm, Arcana's developer. Thanks to the AAU, the tree's name had belatedly become known to the world. Not just photos—Katrina, who was typing info about the oak tree, shrugged.

"Nah, not for anything specific."

"Not for anything, but you're organizing it this meticulously? C'mon, keep it secret. Tell me. What's your hypothesis this time?"

"Hmm, alright."

Click— ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠The typing cursor dragged. The man keenly read the text.

"Requires a lot of moisture, otherwise no notable features... No features is the feature? You even noted stuff this trivial."

"It's definitely different."

"Different? How?"

"Doesn't match the testimonies from London citizens."

...Wait a sec, now that he thought about it. No need to search news articles online. The past few days, the media had been buzzing with London news.

"Didn't they say it felt like a warm life force?"

"It wasn't just a feeling—it had a definite effect."

"Right. Players got messages too."

At that point, he got why Katrina was collecting tree photos. The man lowered his voice to a whisper.

"So this isn't your average Aquarius oak tree, huh?"

Katrina nodded.

'Not something to mention at this stage.'

A tree related to life force... At least in Katrina's memory. Only one tree from Arcana's lore came to mind.

The World Tree.

Of course, that didn't mean the hundreds or thousands of Aquarius oaks blooming in London were World Trees. Just overlapping in one feature: life force.

But there was another point of connection.

'Lee Hoyeol.'

Hoyeol had a past where he'd sprouted a World Tree seed.

Katrina thought seriously. Was it right to dismiss this as coincidence?

Moreover, London's Aquarius oaks hadn't grown naturally. They'd bloomed through the power of a spirit, High El. Hoyeol's contracted spirit.

Too much to call it coincidence.

Of course, no proof. Couldn't just ask Lee Hoyeol outright.

But as before, one fact was clear. With the World Tree involved now. 'That race' wouldn't stay silent forever.

Katrina shooed away the intruder.

"Alright, move aside now."

"Wait, that's it? No hypothesis?"

"Nothing to report at present."

"...What's with that annoying tone?"

If that race appeared in reality through rifts. The impact would be unimaginable. Even when Arcana was just a game, mere foreshadowing had the world in uproar.

Katrina shrugged again.

"Well, might as well make noise while we can."

"What's that loaded line mean?"

"Feels like soon we won't even have time to rest if we wanted."

"...Seriously spouting nonsense right before the weekend!"

*

Time should be fair to all. Yet for elves living eternal ages, time merely flowed. The same for the demon eyes floating in the night sky instead of stars. Like seasons changing with time's flow, just the night view shifting.

"Meaningless."

Through eternal ages, elves' emotions had dulled. Demons bursting from the Demon Realm. Arcana Continent's lives suffering under them. To elven eyes, just another day.

From their lofty gaze, humans and demons were equally inferior.

War too. Arcana Continent never lacked conflict.

"However, Mother seems to think differently from us."

Elven homeland, Sisli. Their gaze turned to the World Tree.

The World Tree, withering, losing vitality.

You sensed crisis and scattered seeds across the continent, huh.

Truly incomprehensible.

"Merely things that flow by."

Even before Mother World Tree, no humility in their eyes.

"You've weakened, Mother of All."

Fierce feral aura lingering around the World Tree. Dragon energy, enjoying eternal ages like them.

To scatter seeds. You even begged those insolent lizards?

Elf's lip twisted.

"I understand your will, Mother. But I cannot follow it."

Elves declared before the World Tree.

"We're past the age to be swayed by your overprotectiveness, aren't we?"

That day, elves rebelled against the World Tree's will.

Continent's extinction crisis? So what. Ant hill smashed, ant king changed. Irrelevant to us.

As said, time generous before us. In hindsight, all meaningless. Mere past.

Yes. Emotions dulled over ages. Only arrogance remained.

No pride or nobility in elves.

But Mother wouldn't watch wayward children idly. Even withering, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠losing life force.

"?!"

Change immediate. Generous time began flowing.

Bodies never losing vitality accumulated fatigue; minds needing no rest creaked.

Elves intuited.

"Damn it!"

World Tree had revoked their 'Blessing.' How could Mother abandon her children? Unfathomable.

"Why!"

Revoking blessing meant granting it to another.

But none around. Even if they defied World Tree's will. No one on continent worthy to replace them. All unqualified.

Before crumbling World Tree, elf bellowed.

"Mother, do you pity humans? What's the difference from demons? Their nature no different. Current suffering mere karma from past deeds!"

No answer from World Tree.

"...Foolish we cannot understand."

Blessing stolen, immortality lost. No more leisure. Couldn't stay in Sisli like this.

"We'll find who took our blessing. Witness with our eyes if they're worthy."

If unworthy. Crumbling World Tree. In your senility's stead, we'll reclaim it. That blessing too lavish for trash.

"Crush any who block us."

Elven expedition. In eternal ages. An unprecedented event unfolding.

*

...Suddenly, a chill. Aftereffect of wandering rain-soaked? Flu coming? But with [Warmth] buff, unlikely. Just my imagination.

'Plus, I did something to earn grudges.'

Golden weekend ahead, dropping a bomb on AAU. Even I think it was nuke-level declaration.

AAU Yusra Branch? No one saw it coming.

"Harmony is paramount, after all."

In the space of 『Strange』, the rift. Naturally, counter strange with strange.

Arcana Continent info already sufficient. Allies so solid my absence irrelevant.

Mage Tower.

Lion Heart Knight Order.

Shadow Mercenary Corps.

Explorer's Federation... Too many Arcana forces to list. From giant alliances to players by field.

So I didn't expect much from AAU. They'd acknowledged their limits long ago.

What I wanted: info on 'Arcana Continent Chronicles.' More precisely, Arcana system info.

'The system doesn't lie.'

Like it or not, I'd staked my life proving it.

No surer proof than dying in Arcana Continent via [Title] system, reviving in reality.

"Thus, no room for negligence."

Rare sensible words, Grandfell.

Holy War aside. To save reality from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Arcana erosion, must understand system precisely.

In that sense, AAU's info from past Arcana devs invaluable.

'Didn't need Yusra Branch, really.'

But this lofty pride wouldn't take easy path.

"Only from equal stance can we see truth."

...Can't complain; not entirely wrong.

Suppose info via AAU. Risk of distorted transmission? Overflowing.

Why, those meeting stares still vivid. Slight naivety, and they'd spew nonsense.

But Yusra AAU Branch like them. If I'm branch chief. No such worry.

AAU endures via branch mutual checks amid global interests.

'Plus, made some AAU allies.'

Starting with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠London Chief Baker. Those swayed by Grandfell's pride doctrine.

Naturally, no grounds to reject my proposal.

Everything quid pro quo. I'd provide Arcana Continent info too.

"Not just them."

Precisely, to all in Holy War. Transparent pride hides nothing, tiresome as is.

Reasons flexible anyway.

No time wasting. Time to train.

Increased stamina training demands! Multitasking needed to meet daily quota. Cram magic book knowledge while exercising. Damn, dizzy before starting...!

Shouldn't have invested points in [Strength], [Agility].

Complaints useless. With pride in chest. I'll conquer any stamina quest sipping hot green tea.

So start. One, two...

"Magic circles, eh. Intriguing interference pattern."

...One thousand.

...But what's this. Trained stamina, crammed magic book. No fatigue in body or mind...?

Risen stats? No, mere points couldn't cause this.

'There must be a reason...?'

Checked status window, freaked out.

...Wait, that absurd blessing is a permanent buff?!