First Form: Dawn
In the sky, Shiina buzzed about like a bothersome fly. On the ground, a worm thrashed wildly, slamming itself into the roots.
It was a fine pincer movement—except that one look at Shiina's face made it clear she had never intended any of this.
"Whoa. What kind of lunatic made that?"
A curious exclamation spilled from Shiina's lips. Even the worm's rampage looked, to her, like nothing more than an entertaining spectacle. Chin propped on her broom, she gazed down with genuine interest.
"Grrrraaagh!"
The worm battered the World Tree's trunk with obsessive force, yet the tree did not so much as sway. No matter how massive the creature was, set against the World Tree it was still only a human beside an ant.
The real problem was never physical impact.
A sinister black aura rose from the worm's body. Dozens of Mana Stones embedded across its flesh poured out a dense, corrosive miasma; the mere presence of the creature was enough to rot the World Tree's roots.
"I won't allow this any further!"
At Elysee's gesture, the World Tree's roots began to heave. Moments later, roots erupted from deep underground and punched straight through the monster's body.
Pwahk!
Meat tore with a wet sound; viscous fluid sprayed in every direction. Even so, Elysee's expression did not lighten.
Sizzle.
Smoke rose from the roots still buried in the worm. The same roots that had driven in so fiercely were now corroding from the inside out, rotting black. Every attempt at attack only accelerated the contamination.
Worse, the worm's wounds closed almost at once. The slime that had poured from the gashes stilled; the split flesh knit back together. Even the World Tree roots still lodged deep in its body, once fully blackened, began to fuse into the worm's own flesh.
That…
A chill crawled down Do-yun's spine as he watched. This was no mere regeneration. It was absorption—the same principle the World Tree itself used, turning whatever attacked it into fuel for its own power.
"The matchup is terrible," Elysee muttered, biting her lower lip.
In that same instant, an arrow grazed her shoulder. A thin, folded scrap of paper was tied to its fletching.
Elysee stared blankly at the shaft, then unfolded the paper with trembling fingers.
The World Tree must fall.
A beat of silence. Then her fingertips shook harder, unrestrained fury flooding through her. The World Tree's branches answered her rage, thrashing wildly overhead.
"You stole our people's future, and now you mean to crush even our chance at revival?"
Elysee flung the paper away. The wind carried it to Do-yun's feet. He picked it up in silence.
Hatred for the World Tree dripped from every character, so raw it was almost unnerving. And more than that—the sheer, insane archery required to put an arrow this high from the ground.
Robin, then.
Do-yun could only wear a look of pure disbelief. The dozens of Mana Stones covering the worm's body—he finally knew whose stockpile they had come from.
"I told him to gather Mana Stones," he muttered.
He had ordered Robin to secure them until their next meeting. Faced with the unprecedented resurrection of the World Tree, Robin had apparently been unable to hold himself back and had spent them all—anything to bring that hated tree down.
Do-yun crushed the paper in his fist, a twisted smile on his lips. Robin almost certainly had not known Do-yun was standing on the World Tree itself. Even so, squandering the carefully collected stones in a way that put Do-yun in danger was deeply, thoroughly irritating.
"I'm taking that thing."
"What?"
Ciel's eyes went round.
"W-wait a second! That looks impossible no matter how you look at it!"
Instead of answering, Do-yun drew the sword at his hip. His gaze never left the worm's thrashing form.
It has to be now.
The ground around the worm was blackening by the second. That alone was bad enough—but the real threat was the colossal World Tree under Do-yun's feet. The tree had already pierced the clouds and climbed into the high sky. Even a single falling branch from this height would shake the bedrock. If the entire World Tree came down…
The whole eighth floor gets wiped clean.
At that point, hidden pieces would no longer matter. Stopping the World Tree's collapse was necessary for Do-yun's own survival.
"Elysee."
At his voice, the dazed elf slowly turned her head. Anger and shock still clouded her eyes, but contact with Do-yun's gaze gradually sharpened her focus again.
"Hold it down when I give the signal. You can do that, right?"
She stared at him for a long moment, then slowly nodded.
"I understand."
Every attack only wounded the World Tree further. With every option producing the opposite of the desired result, there was only one thing left for Elysee to do: trust Do-yun and follow his lead.
Having secured her agreement, Do-yun lifted his face toward the sky.
"Shiina."
The witch sat on her broom, swinging her feet, still wearing that leisurely expression—as if whatever happened on the ground was none of her business. Do-yun tossed a single, blunt request her way.
"Lend me the broom."
"Hmm?"
Shiina stroked her chin.
"And what's in that for meee?"
"I'll show you me killing that thing alone."
He had only observed her briefly, but he already had a fair read on her nature.
She never lets anything interesting slip past her.
Offer a spectacle this good and she had no reason to refuse. Sure enough, Shiina flashed a wide grin and took the bait.
"Well, fine! Perfect chance to see what Rank One's finishing move actually looks like."
Her eyes glittered with curiosity. She had clawed her way to Rank Two on the seventh floor, yet she still knew nothing about the person who held first place—thanks to the information blackout privilege Do-yun had earned by taking consecutive firsts. Shiina had no way of knowing that, and she was not about to let this chance go. She was already burning to see what kind of man he was and what tricks he would pull.
She zipped up in front of him, stopped the broom, and patted the space behind her.
"Hop on. No air resistance, so don't worry."
Do-yun eyed the narrow seat she indicated. Climbing onto it was no physical challenge—the problem was psychological.
Am I really supposed to trust this thing?
One lost balance and he would plummet. Half doubtful, he swung astride the broom—and let out a small sound of surprise at how stable the ride actually felt.
"Then we're off~!"
Apparently pleased by his reaction, Shiina shoved the broom forward with an oddly excited look. The next instant they plummeted straight down.
Wind howled past them, yet Do-yun's vision stayed perfectly clear. Just as she had promised, air resistance had vanished completely. He could grip his sword as steadily as if he were standing on level ground.
Scorching Sword (C)
Flame bloomed along the blade in an instant. The fierce blaze looked ready to burn the surrounding air itself. Even so, Do-yun shook his head. Scorching Sword was the most destructive skill he possessed—and it still was not enough.
"I need your help."
He sent his will toward the flame spirit dwelling on the back of his hand. Since their first meeting at the lake, the spirit had never spoken a word. Even when the other spirits lent him their power, it had remained silent. This time was different. A short, clear phrase rang inside his mind.
— I am of no use.
A question mark rose in Do-yun's thoughts. If a high-ranking spirit was useless, what did that make the lesser spirits currently residing in his body?
Then a vision unfolded in his mind and explained the hesitation.
A forest burned. Trees collapsed, swallowed by red tongues of fire. Beasts that had lost their dens fled, howling. All that remained was ash scattered on the wind.
— This is the memory of the moment I was born.
The flame spirit's voice continued, calm and even.
— When I use my power, everything disappears.
Fire and forest had never been meant to coexist. Immense power was not a blessing—it was a curse. Even a fragment of leaked force would become a wildfire.
Trauma, then.
Do-yun did not push. Forcing the issue would only backfire.
"It's fine. I'll take responsibility."
The words were not empty comfort or pity—they were a declaration that he would bear the burden himself. That landed harder than any sympathy could have.
"You just burn. I'll be the one who swings the power."
After a long silence, the tattoo on the back of his hand flared bright in answer. The flames along the blade roared higher. This was no longer simple fire fed by mana. It was living flame, carrying a spirit's will.
Watching the blazing sword, Do-yun reached into his coat one last time. What he drew out was a conch shell—a blue shell dense with pure natural energy. He set it to his lips and blew with all his strength.
A deep, resonant note rolled out. The natural force sealed inside the shell surged into the open world on his breath. The flames drank that dense vitality and swelled even fiercer. The entire blade burned white-hot, so intense that even the durability-reinforced edge looked ready to melt.
The sword's heat has surpassed the critical threshold!
The sword's swing speed has surpassed the critical threshold!
Sun Swordsmanship (SS) comprehension has increased by 10%.
Current Comprehension — 20%
You have grasped the usage of First Form: Dawn.
Sensing the anomaly, the worm writhed—but in that same heartbeat, roots erupted from the ground and bound it tight.
"Greeeeaaagh!"
From the way it thrashed, the restraint would not last long. Do-yun paid it no mind and focused entirely on the sword gripped in both hands.
First Form: Dawn.
The opening techniques of Sun Swordsmanship were modeled after the sun's own motion. The first of them was a light-speed thrust shaped after the dawn that drives back the dark.
"Go on. Try absorbing this, too."
Do-yun drove the white-hot blade forward.
From the sky to the earth, a single brilliant line of light fell.