Chapter 132
Chapter 132. The World Tree
The assumption that the Rejection Phenomenon originated from the collapse of the World Tree was based on various pieces of information gathered so far.
Kaiman had said that the elves had lost their “master.” The “master” referred to the Progenitor Organism—the root bloodline from which that species originated.
It was said that certain beings exert a powerful influence over their descendants.
However, what that being was for the elves had remained unknown until now.
The Rejection Phenomenon began ten years ago. The collapse of the World Tree was said to have occurred around the same time.
The timing was suspiciously similar. Though it was unclear how a tidal wave could have caused the collapse of the World Tree.
It might not be possible to know for certain, but at the very least, it seemed worth investigating.
The blue-skinned man with an extra eye stroked his chin.
“No hunter has gone near that place yet. But at the very least, the collapse of the World Tree likely wasn’t caused by the Wrath of the Sea God. The Ivory City itself was never invaded, so it would be strange for the World Tree, which lies even further north, to have been struck by a tidal wave.”
“Then someone is spreading that rumor?”
“That’s the most likely scenario. Here, this is a newly ordered drink made from ordinary lingonberries.”
It had a sour taste, but it was drinkable. The high alcohol content made his insides feel warm as well.
“Who lives near the World Tree?”
“The Frost Elves. They’ve adapted to the cold northern lands. They’re quite isolationist—just stepping into their territory could leave your whole body riddled with arrow holes.”
“Hmm. Then what about the Grand Duke said to reside in the Frost Dragon Mountains?”
“The Frost Dragon Mountains are a massive range that runs across the entirety of Eures Keynes Realm. The outer side of the range belongs to the penguins, while the inner Frost Dragon Mountains are the domain of the Northern Grand Duke, Norspelskard.”
“What kind of person is he?”
“According to the old giants, he’s one of the top five strongest beings in all of Eures Keynes Realm.”
“That strong?”
“Wow, I want to fight him!?”
At Aelia Invicta’s remark from the side, Ryollo shook his head.
“You’d best abandon that thought. Norspelskard is a demigod stronger than a god.”
“A demigod stronger than a god?”
At Yul’s question, he answered.
“He’s the child of a god, hence a demigod, but he possesses no divinity. Even so, he wields tremendous power.”
“Would defeating Norspelskard count as an achievement?”
“An achievement? Heh. Of course it would. But as far as I know, he has never attacked ordinary mortals. Rather than that, it seems he has some other plan in mind—he’s been holed up in his fortress, refusing to come out.”
“I see.”
“Tzzbit. But why is he called a Grand Duke? What territory does he even rule?”
“Within the Frost Dragon Mountains. I’ve seen a giant from there here in the Ivory City before. Hmm? It’s gotten quite late.”
Ryollo spoke as he wiped a cup.
“If you don’t have a place to stay, why not spend the night here? It’s already late.”
“But it’s bright outside?”
At Yul’s question, he shook his head.
“It’ll grow dark soon.”
“Really?”
As if a curtain had been drawn, the scenery outside the window turned pitch black.
“What kind of phenomenon is this now?”
Yul had long since given up trying to understand this place with his old worldview. At this point, he could only accept things as they were.
“Give us a room. What do we pay with?”
“Normally I’d take gold pieces, but well, let me see what you’ve brought.”
The customers were all staring at the wall where the head of the Stag of Endless Branches was hung.
“That should be more than enough. At this rate, I might even need to hire someone just to guard that head.”
At Ryollo’s suggestion, Yul decided to stay the night there.
The next morning, he met with Aelia Invicta and Piruka to talk.
“Yul, I think we’ll have to leave first.”
“Tzzbit. To hunt the ice dragon said to appear at the Ice Lake, time is tight. The Month of Descending Darkness will begin soon.”
“The Month of Descending Darkness?”
“It refers to the month when the nights are much longer than the days. Once that time comes, the cracks in the Ice Lake disappear due to the cold, making it impossible to hunt the ice dragon.”
At the mention of hunting an ice dragon, Yul nodded.
“Then this is where we part ways. Aelia, may fortune be with you.”
“I hope things go well on your end, too.”
Yul’s destination differed from that of Aelia Invicta and Piruka, this duo.
“Hmm. Let’s see.”
There was no longer any need to maintain a human form.
He had already heard from Ryollo about the locations of the Frost Dragon Mountains and the World Tree.
Yul left the Ivory City, deciding to visit the World Tree first.
Then, a voice reached his ears.
-Zzt. Ah. Zzt. Ahh. Can you hear me?
An odd magic signal was being transmitted. He was about to ignore it, but upon hearing the voice, he asked back.
-Kaiman?
Yul focused his mind on the magic signal. That alone made the voice clearer and easier to hear.
-Looks like the connection went through.
-How did you do that?
The voice came through in a manner similar to the Connection formula.
-I’m currently in your temple. I’m using a massive stone here as a medium to transmit the magic signal.
-What, that’s possible?
-Anyway, the item you ordered a few days ago is complete—the Infinite-Series Dimensional Perceiver.
That was faster than expected.
-Didn’t you say it would take a year? Has it even been half a year?
-I was working on it alongside restoring Syrendron, but honestly, making items is more fun. Anyway, I shipped it a few months ago.
-Shipped?
-I created a mechanical familiar that moves while roughly estimating your location. A mechanical bat will deliver it. It should arrive soon.
-I’m in the Arctic right now. Can it really make it all the way here?
-Huh? Why are you in the Arctic?
-Various things happened, and I ended up here.
Yul really had just somehow ended up in the Arctic. At first, he had only come to see who had provoked him, but who could have expected such a strange world inside the Arctic?
-No wonder I couldn’t reach you properly. I contacted you because there are a few things I need to tell you.
-What is it?
-First, Shillenwe Arkatil has successfully received the “Food Ship” technology from Archmage Eldiren. However, they’re unable to produce it.
-Oh? Why not?
-It requires a “seed” imbued with divine power. Apparently, the High Elves obtained it long ago from a place whose origin is unknown.
-Hmm. That might actually be possible.
A seed… Perhaps one could be found among the remains of the collapsed World Tree.
-There’s one more thing. Your dinosaur—it’s become Endaira’s pet dragon.
-…?
-It’s faster to see it yourself than to explain. Use the island’s soul and look toward the western hill of the island, where the children are.
Yul closed his eyes and focused his mind. His soul, connected to the island’s soul, adjusted his vision.
And there, sea elf children were running around playing. It looked like a typical game of mock battle, but something felt off.
Among the boys and girls, the most eye-catching was Endaira, with her distinctive pink hair.
“Let’s go, Beru!”
Piru!”
And Endaira was riding Beru.
‘What is this?’
“Break through!”
“Piru!!”
Beru charged forward imposingly through the children. Reaching their center, Beru gently pushed aside the surrounding sea elves with its head.
Even though it was only a gentle push, the sea elf boys and girls were no match for it.
“Ha! I will become the Pirate King!”
Endaira stretched her hand forward dramatically from atop the dinosaur. That pose… it felt strangely familiar.
‘A portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte?’
Endaira, riding the dinosaur into the enemy ranks and seizing the flag, extended her hand just like Napoleon.
‘I have no idea where things started going wrong.’
Why was Beru there? Why was Endaira riding a dinosaur? And why were the other elves just leaving them alone?
“That’s cheating! You’re riding a divine beast!”
“Get off the divine beast!”
“Hmph! Beru and I are one body. Right?”
“Piru!”
“And besides, you can’t become the Pirate King riding a dinosaur.”
“Why not?”
“Divine beasts can’t swim in water.”
“Really?”
“Piru!!”
Watching the childish conversation of the kids, Yul soon released the connection.
-You saw it, right?
-What was that?
-I used hypnosis magic to take your dinosaur and then did this and that with it…
-Cut the nonsense.
-I think it was just tamed with food? It’s fearless, and the other kids can’t even approach Beru.
-Maybe it’s popular because it’s cute.
-I don’t know. Anyway, that’s how it turned out.
-Hmm. Come to think of it, what happened to that one? Puyo, I mean.
-Ah, that white one? It’s somewhere on the island learning magic.
-Magic?
-It said it would learn magic while gathering things underwater for the sea elves.
-I see.
-And it seems it has something to tell you when you return.
-Got it.
It didn’t seem like Puyo was causing any trouble, at least.
-Oh, and recently that guy came to the temple. The one with the shaved head.
-Sonam Rinpoche?
-eah. He usually stays on his own island, but sometimes he comes to the temple and gives sermons or something.
-I see. Leave him be.
Yul needed to observe how far Sonam Rinpoche would move.
-How do I use the Infinite-Series Dimensional Perceiver?
-Just activate it and carry it on your body.
-That’s it?
-Its effect is certain. For one, it can drastically weaken attacks coming from outside three dimensions.
-What do you mean?
-If there are attacks fired from another world, not ours, it can block them.
-Hmm.
Then could the temporal anomalies inside the Dragon Land barrier be something like attacks from outside three dimensions?
-Once delivery is complete, recharge the bat with magic. It has a return procedure. You said you’re in the Arctic…? If it’s broken, just carry it around.
-I’ll just put it in my backpack.
-Then I’m off.
A short while later.
Just as Kaiman had said, a bat that looked mechanically constructed flew in from somewhere.
It fell to the ground near Yul. It didn’t seem to be in normal condition—parts of it were frozen, and several components had fallen off.
“It made it all the way to the Arctic.”
It seemed to have a return protocol, but in its current state—completely frozen and missing parts—it was useless.
Yul stored the bat in his backpack and took out the Infinite-Series Dimensional Perceiver.
‘Hmm. I’ve seen something like this before.’
Ah. It came to him. It was pouch-shaped, but the design… it looked similar to a belt that might appear in Kamen Rider.
Using the included strap, he fastened it around his waist. When he infused it with magic, no visible barrier appeared, but it felt like something had activated.
‘Well, it doesn’t seem immediately useful.’
Since he had no plans to go to Dragon Land, he didn’t particularly need it.
Yul immediately headed toward where the World Tree was said to be.
As he pushed through an endless expanse of icy plains where nothing existed, he soon saw a freezing river and, in the distance, two icebergs.
Between the two massive chunks of ice, an unreal tree was growing.
A gigantic oak. Even from afar, its size seemed to defy perspective, and mistletoe climbed up its trunk.
‘That mistletoe must be enormous too.’
According to Ryollo’s information, that oak must be the World Tree.
Yul was considering how to cross the river when he soon noticed something unusual.
A small ferry boat. And on it stood a penguin wearing a giant beaked mask and a long coat reinforced with steel plates.
“A human?”