Chapter 369

Chapter 369

Eat The World Tree.

Episode 369: Sprouting Monster (8)

“It seems we need to advance the schedule.”

Under the cross of green and dark brown, a saint seated at the center of the round table continued speaking.

“Artifacts and war materials from all over the world are gathering under the Cornus family. There’s no benefit in delaying any further.”

The World Tree’s judgment of heresy was a double-edged sword.

Turning against the Cornus family, the highest echelon among the nobles, caused unease among other noble factions, no matter how justified the cause.

The acceleration of the current system’s collapse.

This subjugation carried such a risk, so it must be completed as soon as the judgment was made.

“This is the result of condoning nobles associated with Flower until now.”

Everyone fell silent at the words of a woman, Angelica, with striking golden eyes and long hair.

Those seated at the round table were engaged in the meeting in their respective postures.

Representatives of the World Tree, each symbolizing a concept.

[Justice], [Sincerity], [Fortitude], [Sacrifice], [Prosperity]

If Flower had executives, the Order had these representatives.

They, called by Pope Bed the 2nd, expressed their opinions.

“A cardinal, only three of whom are produced in a generation, passed away due to the Cradle terror. Is there any reason not to act after seeing these scoundrels running rampant?”

Angelica, the representative of the World Tree of Justice and the principal of El Academy.

A woman answered her question.

“This is a matter that requires caution, Lady Angelica. If we cause more civilian casualties…”

“What benefit do you see in being more cautious?”

At Angelica’s growling words, the woman held her breath.

Azelin, the representative of the World Tree of Prosperity and the owner of Goto, a young girl with chestnut hair, trembled in fear.

“Think carefully about why the situation has deteriorated this way… Oh, Lady Angelica.”

“It’s because of Flower. Those corrupt nobles, like the Cornus family, have a hand in it. And those ignorant humans swayed by Flower’s smooth talk—”

“I don’t think those people are at fault. There’s no need to criticize even the innocent…”

“Azelin. Is it appropriate for a representative of a World Tree to have such an attitude?”

“Ugh.”

Azelin’s words, gentle-hearted and friendly to humans, were valid but useless at this point.

Instead of the disheartened Azelin, a woman spoke up.

“In any case, rather than dwelling on past mistakes, the issue now is how to subjugate the Cornus family.”

At the words of Perpetua, the representative of Sacrifice, Edward, the representative of Fortitude, asked.

“Perpetua. Do you think the Cornus family has that much power?”

The World Tree Order and the Hunter Association have many forces to offer.

Guilds and knight orders. Numerous talents who had achieved remarkable feats at the S-class level.

“With that level, the Cornus family might be able to engage in a power struggle. However.”

However, there were beings who wielded power comparable to an army with their individual strength alone.

The Summit

Beings who have transcended the limits of life, falling outside the norm.

Those nearing that realm were often mentioned, but there were none in the current generation who had actually surpassed it.

Only three in the world.

Only the unfading giants occupied that position.

[The Hundred Battles Unbeaten Three Peach Trees. Cheonma.]

[The powerhouse of the association. The Sword Saint’s Limitless.]

[And Flower’s top executive. Tarragon.]

Two of the beings called the strongest in this world existed as allies.

Their power was truly an asymmetric force.

If even one of them turned their back, a war comparable to the Tree Spirit King’s will break out.

No matter how influential the figures in political and business circles were, it would not be easy to create beings capable of opposing them.

Unless that experiment succeeded, the story would be different.

“Isn’t that assumption based on the two of them siding with the Order?”

Perpetua, who had been listening to Edward’s words, retorted.

Having that much power meant they couldn’t be controlled. It was impossible to hold their leashes.

They only cooperated with the World Tree for their own reasons.

“Even Cheonma might turn her back in the current situation.”

“What about the curse’s effect? Cheonma should have a mark.”

“What use is that leash to someone who has transcended realms? She can break free if she sets her mind to it. She’s only yielding temporarily to get her sisters’ bodies back.”

Perpetua and Edward exchanged arguments.

The other representatives listened to their discussion, organizing their thoughts.

“Doesn’t that mean Cheonma can’t resist the Order’s will?”

“I heard she has a disciple.”

That was probably a master-disciple relationship bound by a bond thicker than blood.

Returning her sisters’ bodies might be something only the World Tree can do, but if they diverged, she was a woman who would give her life for her disciple.

At Perpetua’s words, Edward fell silent.

“…Why do you think so?”

“According to the Sword Saint, Cheonma has weakened.”

“What?”

The name “Cheonma” had lost much of its former majesty, but its danger cannot be ignored.

That woman, who seemed capable of shattering the sky, has weakened?

“I don’t know the reason, but the timing… It coincides with when the dungeon called Purgatory stopped functioning.”

“Purgatory…”

“If her inherent power has weakened, she might have sensed her end. With a weakened body, she won’t be able to break the World Tree’s curse or get her body back.”

Those three women dying.

It was unimaginable.

“Whether Cheonma will struggle in her final moments or pass everything to her successor and fade away.”

“…Who is that successor?”

Perpetua spoke softly.

Angelica’s eyes widened.

“Lee Shiheon of Korea.”

The man of prophecy.

It hadn’t been long since the prophecy was given, and the matter was temporarily postponed due to the greater danger of Flower. There were even discussions of killing him if he couldn’t be persuaded, based on the opinion that he might be the Tree Spirit King’s successor, but that proposal had now subsided.

The Tree Spirit King’s successor had already been officially determined by the Order as a person named “Suwang” and is being tracked.

The World Tree was also a living being. Even if it was revered as a god, it couldn’t know and prepare for everything.

Especially in the current worst situation, where all forces could be taken away by Flower if they let their guard down even for a moment.

A monster that sprouted under delusion was stretching.

“Hyungnim. It’ll take 10 minutes.”

“Hmm, really?”

Turning my head, I saw Maronnie looking at me with a grimace.

As soon as our eyes met, she forced a smile and waved her hand brightly.

“It’s work, work. I can wait… hehe.”

Maronnie also had little time to meet with me.

“Must it be now?”

“Yes.”

Taeyang’s expression was quite serious.

Of course, I was in a position to follow Taeyang, but I asked again two or three times out of courtesy.

“Okay, I’ll get ready quickly.”

“I’m sorry. You probably have little time to spend with your lover.”

As Taeyang lowered his head tactfully, Maronnie didn’t know what to do.

I stroked the head of the dejected cat and hugged her once.

“Are you alright?”

“Mon chéri…”

What was the fuss about 10 minutes?

I could say that, but considering her title as a National Tree, it’s true that meetings were quite rare.

As Maronnie said, there was a possibility we wouldn’t meet for about a year.

Because of our backgrounds, Maronnie treasured every second, let alone a minute.

Maronnie, hugged by me, tapped my cheek, urging me.

It was an order to kiss her quickly.

-Smack.

Her tongue, entering through her sweet cherry-scented lips, intertwined very passionately and stickily.

I gently hugged Maronnie’s waist and, as I did around lunchtime today, softly twisted her sensitive nipples inside her dress.

Maronnie’s body trembled intermittently.

“…Slurp, chomp… Phew…”

Her legs were shaking.

I stroked Blanche’s head and whispered in her ear.

“Warm up your body.”

“Then, take off my clothes.”

What could I do? I removed my summer short-sleeved shirt and placed it in Maronnie’s hands, then changed into new clothes and left the hotel.

“Do you have to go quickly?”

She asked, looking up in Korean, and her voice made me even more restless.

I quickly left the room and asked Taeyang.

-Thump!

As soon as I closed the door, Taeyang followed me and recited coordinates.

Coordinates in a format I didn’t recognize. I could move if told to, but the form of the coordinates was quite different.

Taking into account the operation of the artifact that blurs mana… a case where coordinates are obscured due to considerable security layers.

“Please move there.”

“What’s going on?”

“I said I have personal matters to attend to, didn’t I? Shouldn’t hyungnim start adapting to this kind of work little by little?”

I asked Taeyang while activating space magic.

“So, where are we going?”

Taeyang didn’t say anything and waited until I activated the magic.

After the space magic, the place we moved to was a cramped, enclosed space filled with pitch-black darkness.

It was humid, people’s faces were invisible, and even my senses were blurred by the hundreds of layers of magic.

The underworld.

That’s what I thought as soon as I saw this scene.

“Hyungnim, to maintain your position, you sometimes need to resort to coercive and dark means.”

Taeyang spread his hands, showing me this sticky and unpleasant place.

“When that happens, we’ll help.”

“Where is this?”

“The Rootlets.”

He confidently recited the name.

Taeyang explained as he walked.

The Rootlets were the lowest layer of the tree.

An organic organization that concealed itself in the dark soil, absorbing nutrients from its surroundings faster than any other organism.

“Where to go when you need information. What to do when you need to cover up your hyungnim’s mistakes.”

Taeyang spoke indifferently.

“Also, what to do when you want to kill someone. Here, it doesn’t matter whether it’s Flower or the World Tree. It’s one of the dungeons created by the Tree Spirit King, thoroughly hidden, and its secrets remain unraveled.”

“Really?”

“Yes. So, don’t reveal your identity here unless absolutely necessary. Well, I can, though.”

Why could he?

As soon as my question left my mouth, a little kid suddenly ran up and clung to Taeyang’s side.

“Suwang-nim!”

-Poof.

Taeyang, hugging the one whose voice was presumed to be a girl, ruffled her hair.

The girl’s laughter was faintly heard.

It was too dark, and I couldn’t use mana, so I couldn’t see her exact shape.

“Suwang-nim.”

“Did you bring that person?”

“What’s the matter this time?”

Soon, a man’s voice was heard. Taeyang continued.

“The reason I can reveal my identity is that I have that much power.”

“Suwang?”

“Ah, I didn’t tell you that. We can’t let the two forces focus too much on hyungnim, can we?”

Taeyang whispered softly.

“The ‘White Ants’ of the Rootlets. Outwardly, they are presumed to be a force led by the Tree Spirit King’s successor.”

Now I understood why he easily did things that others couldn’t.

Something I, who hadn’t lived in this world for long, couldn’t have.

Taeyang had been slowly and thoroughly preparing for this moment for decades.

“Now it’s time for hyungnim to use us.”

Even without Taeyang’s words, dozens of silhouettes approached me and knelt.

“Well. Don’t expect too much. We can only get information.”

Even that was a really big surprise.