Ch.118Successor (4)

The most cruel army under heaven was on the move.

Angels descended upon the eastern continent, charging forward with their pure white steeds. Thousands of cavalry covered the horizon, as if the sun itself had poured down from the sky.

“Everyone, bow down! God has arrived!”

“We worship you! You are great!”

Humans emerging from the forest fell to their knees. Unlike the childlike World Tree, the celestial army carried true dignity.

Some were so moved they shed tears. The wondrous sight had captured their hearts.

But they were mere insects, unaware of the wave of fate approaching them.

“What? Why aren’t they stopping?”

Though hundreds of humans prostrated themselves, the angels did not slow down. Instead, they accelerated. With spears raised, they charged forward as fiercely as if facing demons on a battlefield.

Chaos spread in an instant. They had expected gracious dialogue, but the response they received foretold a miserable end.

“This isn’t right.”

“I knew it. I recognized them when they burned our village!”

A few at the back quickly broke away. They had sensed death coming. They ran toward the forest seeking safety, desperately trying to find a thread of survival in the distant greenery.

Meanwhile, the angels crashed into the suspended crowd of humans.

CRUNCH!

Screams erupted from all directions as shattered bodies were flung into the air. Red rain fell, soaking those who remained. A mother clutching her child tightly prayed for salvation, but it was futile.

“Save us!”

“Oh God!”

No matter whom they called out to, only the God of Light existed in the heavens. He ignored all deaths. Seeing it merely as part of the process of conquering the world, he only sought the Goddess of Night.

“The forest is next. They must have handed the sacred relic to the World Tree.”

Seeing how smoothly the demons had withdrawn, they concluded their objective had been achieved. This meant that by burning down the forest, they could naturally seize the sacred relic.

The extermination of demons would come after that.

As if to affirm their excellent judgment, streams of light poured down from the heavens. It was like the dawn. The rising sun swept over the mangled corpses.

“Advance! The world shall be ruled by the God of Light.”

The World Tree’s forest would meet the same fate.

The angels did not change course but increased their speed even more.

#

The forest screamed. Facing pure death before its eyes, it could not hide its fear. This stemmed from the shock experienced by the World Tree.

“…..”

It was devastating. Merciless hands continuously cut down humans. Soulless bodies collapsed on blood-spattered earth. The empty eyes resting on faces contorted in terrible agony weighed heavily on her heart.

She couldn’t even open her mouth. For the first time in her life, she was confronted with primal terror. The World Tree could only watch the approaching army of angels for a while.

“Ah, aah.”

Only after all the human refugees had met their deaths could she finally make a sound. That’s how intense the scene had been. She had hoped they would just pass by, but the angels did not stop. The World Tree could instinctively sense it.

They were targeting the forest.

As the demons had predicted, they brought death with them. Though they served the God of Light, they did not tolerate life. Were they truly trying to erase the gods?

“I can’t just stand still.”

A gap appeared in her limited experience. She reminded herself once more that she needed to gather her wits and exert her power. The World Tree faced her enemy—the angelic cavalry charging forward, shaking heaven and earth. She began to concentrate her life force in their direction.

KWAAAA—

Green energy gathered. It formed a contrast with the brightly shining celestial faith. The monotonous sun versus the pulsating deep green.

A massive collision was imminent.

#

“General. Smoke is rising from the forest.”

The expelled demons were still lingering nearby. To fulfill their mission of delivering the sacred relic to the World Tree, they were enduring. Anticipating an opportunity, they did not succumb to humiliation.

“It seems the angels are attacking the World Tree.”

“Those who proclaim there is only one god under heaven would be bothered by the existence of the Creator God.”

“They were brutally slaughtered in the heavens too. The World Tree is now the only child of the Primordial God.”

“If the angels weaken the World Tree, it will end in complete victory for the heavens. We cannot stand by and watch that happen.”

The demons had not yet abandoned hope. Even though the World Tree had rejected them due to distrust, they needed to take her hand for the future. The World Tree was the only being who could stand against the heavens by obtaining divine power.

“Advance! The moment destined by fate is now!”

“Hahaha! Glory was right here all along!”

Tantalos and the demons laughed heartily. True death awaited there, so they did not hesitate. Gripping the reins of their demonic steeds, they charged toward the burning forest. Though not as intense as to shake heaven and earth, their will was as sharp as a spear.

BUUUUUUU—

The war horn sounded long, announcing the beginning of battle.

They charged toward the angelic march that shook heaven and earth—toward the army of faith advancing as if to devour the forest. Their momentum was so fierce that it made some of the units burning the forest hesitate. Only three hundred against tens of thousands, but there was no fear. The demons increased their speed.

PIIIIIIIII—

The angels responded by blowing their flutes. Some of the units entering the forest turned toward the demons. Holy knights in heavy armor formed a wall on the exposed flank. Spear tips protruding above solid shields denied approach. It seemed their desperate charge would be like a droplet falling on a vast lake. That’s how solid it was.

BUUUUUUUU—

But the war horn did not stop. They bared their claws against the wall that sought to withstand everything in the world.

“CHAAAARGE!”

Tantalos, at the vanguard, unleashed demonic energy. Red fighting spirit spread like a net across the world. The angels responded by sprinkling holy power, but it was insufficient.

A warrior favored by the first Demon King. A commander who had survived thousands of battlefields was a being that even the elite corps of heaven could not handle.

“We can’t hold any longer!”

“It’s a commander-level! The sacred relic bearer has appeared!”

The holy power from the sky shattered.

With a roar, a powerful shockwave erupted. The angels in the front line who had planted their feet firmly on the ground lost their balance and retreated. Even the black smoke covering the forest cleared, revealing the brilliant sun. Demons with their backs to the light—this was the last scene witnessed by the angelic corps soldiers.

KWAAANG!

Tantalos broke through the shields and invaded the main force. Ranks and files meant nothing. Under the hooves of demonic steeds, all were trampled, and ordinary soldiers became mere chunks of meat. The spear thrust by the demon aimed precisely at the commander-level. The heavenly cavalry commander, who had come out personally to encourage his troops to overcome fear, had his head exploded without making any significant contribution.

“Follow the general!”

“Kill as many as you can until you can kill no more!”

Three hundred warriors calling for glory followed. Angels fell in droves under the swinging spears. None dared to block them. High-ranking troops should have been deployed, but a disaster occurred because many elite units had entered the forest to confront the World Tree. It was a calamity beyond the control of any commander.

The flank collapsed in an instant. There were those who chose to resist, united by faith, but they fell like leaves before the demon legion’s charge.

Warriors who accepted death, and rulers who only pronounced death.

The difference between the two was stark.

#

“The children… where are the children?”

“We’ve evacuated them all inside for now. But…”

“But what?”

“Some of the older elves haven’t been able to reach the inner forest yet…”

The forest attacked by angels had become chaotic. All the flora and fauna that had lived peacefully met their deaths. The World Tree had no time to intervene. She tried to resist with her powerful life force, but an even greater holy power rendered her resistance futile.

The dignity shown by those who ruled the heavens was different.

Though the World Tree was called a child of the Creator God, she was ultimately designed as a variable in human history. Without abilities meant for combat, she could not withstand the power of angels intent on eradicating other objects of faith.

“You should go inside too. I’ll go get them myself.”

Amidst the chaos, the World Tree did her best. To save even the surviving elves if not everyone, she went in all directions. She subdued angels setting fire to the forest with tree roots and twisted the necks of warriors obsessively focused on slaughter.

There was no tranquility in the face of war. In the screaming pandemonium, she had to kill someone.

“Please come back safely.”

“Don’t worry. Who do you think I am? Quickly, go inside.”

The World Tree watched a young elf running away in the distance and sighed deeply. She pretended to be composed, but her fear was too great. She never knew that death, experienced for the first time, could be so cruel. She hated her past self who thought she could overcome with dignity, as the miserable scene continued.

“Hoo.”

She gathered her wits again. The war was just beginning. The wind brought the smell of blood. The pure scent of elves was not yet mixed in. There was still a chance. She moved forward through the chaotic deaths.

“Please be alive.”

The World Tree prayed earnestly. It was already overwhelming to feel the sorrow of trees reduced to ashes.

To be honest, from the moment war broke out, intense shock had been shaking her. She could barely hold on because she had someone to protect. Had it not been for that, the World Tree would have collapsed long ago.

Her purity allowed her to embrace during times of peace, but in wartime, it manifested as ignorance. Arrogance and complacency. The war created by the World Tree somewhere between these qualities had devastated the forest.

“……”

The moment she reached the outskirts after leaving the interior, she could see it.

The result of a momentary misjudgment. Bodies scattered on the white earth. Humans who couldn’t close their eyes and animals burned black. The final moments of trees watching this scene were starkly revealed.

The World Tree’s hands trembled. She could no longer hold back her tears. She felt she could no longer remain composed.

“My child. Where is my child?”

Her steps quickened. She was afraid the elf might have fallen to the angels’ blades. She searched for the adult elf who had jumped into the flames for the sake of a young child. They too were still children who hadn’t yet reached twenty years in the world. The World Tree’s heart felt like it was being torn apart.

“Child! My child!”

A scream from somewhere. Gray smoke rising sharply. The scent of blood wafting up.

And finally, the scattered corpse of a holy knight.

“……”

The World Tree stopped. She slowly turned her head.

The corpse of a holy knight. An angel.

A merciless slaughterer and fearsome being. But here, he had fallen into eternal sleep.

Not one whose neck the World Tree had twisted. There was a clear sword mark on his chest. It looked as if a beast had torn it with claws.

“It can’t be.”

The angels had been defeated by another being. The warrior who had massacred humans based on mighty holy power had met a miserable end. The World Tree sensed it at that moment.

“Demons…”

Those she had driven away with her own hands. The ill omen that had brought war to the world had returned to the forest.

It would have been understandable if they had returned for revenge. The World Tree was clearly at a disadvantage against the angels, so if they wanted to take her head, they could have easily entered. But they did not make the forest their enemy.

They had swung their swords against the angels. Looking around, there were no elf corpses.

“Impossible.”

The World Tree staggered. At the same time, she moved forward. She wanted to see with her own eyes. She needed to properly recognize the fact that those she had driven away had returned to fight for the forest—only then would her heart be at ease. She prayed for an end to this indescribable churning feeling.

Passing through the devastated forest, crossing the dried-up stream, when she emerged into the outskirts turned to ashes.

“Ah…”

The elf was there. It seemed they had tried to protect animals as much as possible in the midst of war. She saw them trembling while hugging a small rabbit. They had shown courage against the persecution of the angelic army.

That small will was protected by a black warrior.

Though battered by holy power and covered in wounds, with all his comrades dead, he stood proudly.

“Come! Are there no more warriors to challenge me?!”

It was like the roar of a beast. The sword firmly gripped in both hands emitted red fighting spirit, making the air vibrate. Though covered in wounds, he showed a presence that seemed like he would never fall.

Tantalos. The World Tree savored that name.

But she couldn’t speak it aloud. He had lost too much blood and was facing imminent death. Seeing him fight to protect the elf, she couldn’t find the words to say.

“It’s the World Tree! The World Tree has appeared on the battlefield!”

“Retreat. Any further would result in serious damage. Let’s fall back, regroup, and plan for next time.”

The angels chose retreat over combat at the appearance of a transcendent being. They decided to endure in order to heal the deep wounds inflicted by the demon legion’s intrusion.

The enemies receded like an ebbing tide. The holy power that had pervaded the earth was withdrawn.

What remained were burnt ashes and red fighting spirit.

The lone demon lowered his sword. It fell with a thud, as if his strength had left him.