Leveling Up With Skills - Chapter 333
With those words, the ghost fell silent.
The dragon, who had been watching the ghost with a bittersweet expression, turned its gaze toward Taesan.
[You must be a being who has descended here by the will of the gods. Take this.]
At the tip of the dragon’s claw, a pure white energy flowed into Taesan.
[You have been recognized by the guardian dragon of this world.]
[Then, even if this world is but an illusion… I hope you will save it.]
The dragon vanished into the depths of the ravine.
Taesan called after it.
“Aren’t you going to do anything?”
[I am a guardian of this world, meant to protect it from external threats. In other words, unless it is an assault by the Old Gods or similar beings, I cannot intervene.]
The dragon spoke as if lamenting its role, disappearing further into the darkness.
[It is laughable, isn’t it? Knowing the world is doomed, yet being unable to act.]
Having completed the third trial, Taesan returned to the imperial capital.
When he arrived after only a few days, Bardray was visibly surprised.
“Already? That was fast.”
“I have completed the third trial.”
“…What?”
“What are the next trials?”
Two trials remained.
One required retrieving the roots of the World Tree in the elven territory.
The other involved retrieving a fragment of divinity from a sacred land.
Bardray, still in awe, stroked his chin.
“Well, for the fourth trial, we’ve already taken action. We sent envoys to the elven domain. They should be returning soon…”
Before he could finish, a maid ran in, her face pale.
“Y-Your Highness! The envoys sent to the elven lands…”
“…Something went wrong.”
Bardray sighed as he followed the maid.
At the entrance of the imperial capital, a lone horse stood.
People looked on with grim expressions but hesitated to approach.
“Hm.”
Bardray expressionlessly stroked his chin.
A severed ear rested on the horse’s back.
“They left the horse untouched. They truly are a race of nature.”
He assessed the situation calmly, then turned to Taesan.
“It seems they really don’t want us approaching. Looks like we’ll have to go ourselves. This time, I’m coming too.”
“You, Your Highness?”
“To deal with those stubborn elves, it might take someone of noble blood.”
His eyes gleamed with curiosity.
A few hours later, after making preparations, Bardray departed with Taesan.
As Bardray set off toward the elven lands, the empire’s citizens cheered for him.
Some flinched at the sight of Taesan, but their excitement did not wane.
It was clear from their reaction just how much Bardray was respected.
The ghost silently watched what he had once possessed.
The elven domain was close. It was adjacent to the empire’s territory, so there were no obstacles in reaching it.
Bardray spoke as they rode.
“To be honest, we don’t know exactly what the elves are.”
Taesan, who had been walking beside him, gradually matched his pace.
Initially, Bardray had chuckled at the absurdity of the situation, but now he had grown accustomed to it.
“They isolate themselves from the world, living only among their own kind. Much about them remains shrouded in mystery. Still, I thought they would cooperate since the prophecy involves them… But for them to kill the envoys outright? This might not go smoothly.”
Before long, they arrived at the elven territory.
A vast forest spread before them.
Beyond the trees, Taesan could sense the presence of something immense.
The World Tree.
He had seen equipment made from its wood when he had ventured into the Abyss.
“…Quite a dramatic welcome.”
Bardray muttered.
He could sense multiple presences approaching from within the forest.
Taking the lead, Bardray stepped forward and called out.
“Hear me, elves! I am Bardray Alkeraite, rightful prince of the Kabert Empire! I have come to speak of the prophecy!”
Swoosh!
The moment he finished speaking, an arrow flew toward him.
Bardray swung his sword, deflecting it.
Taesan merely raised his hand and caught the arrow with ease.
“I would have thought showing yourselves would be common courtesy. Or is elven etiquette different?”
Bardray spoke leisurely.
Determining that they couldn’t simply drive them away, the elves began to reveal themselves.
“Oh.”
Bardray let out a small exclamation.
The elves were as beautiful as the legends described.
Their elegance was something rarely seen among humans.
But Bardray quickly regained his composure.
“…Still, they fall short of Levantia.”
He murmured indifferently.
The elf who had stepped forward scowled, glancing at the grass Bardray’s boots trampled upon.
“How dare a lowly human step foot into our lands?”
The elf raised a hand. A chorus of bows being drawn echoed through the air.
Bardray raised his own hand.
“Let’s talk. Elves, you are aware of the prophecy, are you not?”
He smiled gently, his tone warm.
“The Demon King will soon invade. To stop it, the prophecy must be fulfilled. I understand that you despise humans, but this concerns the fate of the world. Surely, you can set aside your hatred for a moment?”
“Leave.”
The elf coldly rejected him.
Bardray frowned.
“…Is that a refusal?”
“We do not cooperate with lowly beings.”
As if to prove that their words were not just empty threats, the elf waved his hand.
A volley of arrows rained down.
Tatatat!
“I fail to understand.”
Bardray muttered as he deflected the arrows.
“If the prophecy is not fulfilled, no one will be able to stand against the Demon King. You will all be annihilated. Is that what you want?”
“The Demon King? You think that mere construct can destroy us?”
The elf scoffed.
“We are not so weak as to be destroyed by such a thing. Leave.”
“Well, that’s your belief, and I won’t argue. But if you refuse to cooperate, the world will perish. Surely you can offer at least some assistance?”
“Why should we cooperate? This is exactly what we desire.”
The elf spoke with a sneer.
“There is no need for any race but ours in this world. The rest of you—disgusting beings who covet nature and destroy the world—should be grateful to be wiped out by the Demon King.”
Bardray’s face hardened.
The elf’s gaze turned to Taesan.
“Especially you. Black-haired one. You bear the blood of that traitor, don’t you? That filthy blood that betrayed the world dares to set foot in the domain of elves?”
“You’re rather aggressive for an elf.”
Taesan muttered.
“Aren’t you the ones betraying the world now?”
“Foolishness. Only we are recognized by this world. The destruction of you humans is what the world truly desires.”
Contradictory words, filled only with hatred.
The elf spoke harshly, as if there was nothing more to discuss.
“Leave. Otherwise—”
“What will you do?”
Taesan stepped forward.
The hostility emanating from the elves deepened. The elf twisted his face in rage.
“Then you must die. Spirits, heed my call!”
Nature moved at the elves’ command.
Arrows infused with wind were loosed at twice their normal speed, and the trees rose to ensnare Taesan’s feet.
Spirits began to materialize.
Taesan quietly watched.
The arrows that flew toward him were deflected the moment they reached him.
The plants that tried to bind him recoiled, as if terrified, and collapsed back to the ground.
The spirits, upon seeing him, shuddered and began to retreat, forcefully dismissing themselves.
“Sp-Spirits! Why?!”
Bardray spoke, his expression cold.
“You’re fine with this, right, Your Highness?”
“…You are the Hero. Do as you will.”
Bardray withdrew, his face devoid of emotion.
“What a dull race.”
Taesan stared at the elves.
They were panicking now that their attacks had failed.
The ghost’s emotions flowed into Taesan.
Burning, seething rage demanded only one thing.
This quest required acting alongside the owner of these memories, and its rewards would change based on their emotions.
In that case, Taesan would simply do as the owner wished.
“You think you can stop the Demon King?”
Then surely, you can stop this as well.
A flame that had once consumed the world began to manifest in Taesan’s hands.
[You have activated Ember of Calamity.]
Fire surged through the forest.
“Aaaahhh!”
The elves screamed.
They summoned spirits and drew upon water to extinguish the spreading flames.
But it was useless.
The fire that burned the world responded only to Taesan’s will.
It devoured the water and spirits, growing even stronger.
“Insolent human!”
A roar of fury erupted.
Hundreds of arrows rained toward Taesan.
He did nothing.
Tak. Tak. Tak.
The arrows fell harmlessly before they even reached him.
The elves were too weak to stop him.
Ignoring them, Taesan walked deeper into the burning forest.
[It burns well.]
For once, the ghost spoke with rare amusement in his voice.
The elves resisted.
They fought desperately, trying to kill Taesan.
But they were the ones who died instead.
At some point, the elves who had drawn their swords against Taesan had vanished.
He reached the heart of the forest.
“A-Aaah…”
An old elf stood before the World Tree.
The ghost scoffed upon seeing him.
[It’s been a while… That damned face.]
“Aaah…”
The elf’s face twisted in horror as he looked around at the devastation.
“How dare you! How dare you desecrate our land and attack us! You will face divine punishment! The gods will never forgive you!”
[Divine punishment? Never forgive me?]
The elf’s words unleashed the ghost’s pent-up fury.
[You dare say that? Do you remember what I begged you for? Just once—I pleaded for you to open the way! I bowed my head and begged, but you refused!]
Even though he was long dead, the ghost’s emotions materialized.
The elf turned deathly pale.
[I didn’t ask for much! Just a little—just enough to fulfill the prophecy! It wouldn’t have been difficult for you! I even said I would offer parts of myself in return once everything was over! But you mocked me instead! You clung to your arrogance as the world crumbled! And in the end, the world was destroyed!]
“H-hngh…”
The elf collapsed.
The sheer weight of emotion had shattered his mind.
The ghost clenched his teeth.
[I treated you as equals. I tried to respect your claims as much as I could. But all you did was scorn me. You… are worthless to this world.]
Taesan stood before the World Tree.
Even amidst the raging inferno, not a single leaf had been burned.
Thud.
He drove his sword into its roots, severing a portion along with some leaves swaying in the fire.
[You have obtained the Root of the World Tree.]
[You have obtained the Leaf of the World Tree.]
[You have plundered the World Tree, which the elves guarded.]