Eat The World Tree

No matter how much she downplayed her position as “lowly,” she was still the one tasked with handling the Tree Spirit King.

I knew killing her in one blow would be difficult.

As long as my intent was conveyed, that was enough.

“Hyungnim.”

“Yeah.”

Taeyang, holding a large A4 sheet, lifted his glasses and frowned.

“This one’s a no-go. They said she hasn’t passed the third trial yet.”

The meeting request to Banya, of course, ended in failure.

If it had worked, I would’ve snapped her neck, but I already knew it wouldn’t.

‘Now that Guseul has been flagged as an enemy, the Flowers must already be on edge.’

The Forester Selection Competition.

On that stage, where even a single mistake could be fatal, I didn’t hesitate to try to kill Guseul.

Looking at the outcome, she didn’t die.

But who knew when another traitor might catch my eye?

If a Flower dared approach me, they’d have to think long and hard.

“Not bad.”

“What is?”

“I’m amazed it’s going as you said. I guess a king isn’t a king for nothing?”

Taeyang smirked, sitting on the sofa beside me, resting his hand on my shoulder.

I slapped his hand away and replied.

“It’s just using my position well.”

“Ooh, humble much?”

“If I couldn’t do even this, I’d have been dead long ago—long before I met Baekdo, that old master of mine.”

After the third trial, my position confirmed the presence of the Sage in the background.

Her intelligence far surpasses the Flowers’.

Already in a situation requiring caution, my extreme actions force them to tread even more carefully.

“If luck permits, this might even disrupt the Flowers’ invasion preparations.”

“That’s a stretch.”

Taeyang said, dismissing the idea, and I nodded silently.

“They don’t only have idiots on their side.”

Still, there was value.

This time, it was different.

Back then, I had no reputation, and my enemies underestimated me.

The only thing my records revealed was my academy admission—naturally, they let their guard down.

I exploited the advantages of anonymity.

But now, my name carried weight.

‘The heir of the Tree Spirit King, disciple of Baekdo, and backed by the Sage—no wonder I’ve become a target.’

It’s time to wield this reputation I had built.

Even if others didn’t know, the Flowers did.

Cheondo’s loud proclamations ensured my name was etched into their ears.

‘Still, for now…’

I was relying on others’ honor.

“Taeyang.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s head to the training room. I want to see your skills.”

Over time, I realized something: strength, honor, and wealth—I lacked so much it stung.

At the same time, I started noticing the Flowers and the remnants of the World Tree crossing boundaries little by little.

“Hah.”

My chest grew cold.

A pristine naked body wrapped in a pure white towel.

Long black hair, dark eyes. Her usual bright smile was nowhere to be seen.

“Phew.”

Waking up from the artificial body felt tedious.

If people died and were reborn in heaven, would it feel like this?

That was how deeply submerged and reemerging her consciousness felt.

“They’ve made up their mind.”

Banya’s eyes narrowed slightly as she gazed at Guseul.

Creating an artificial body was grueling work, and it was barely enough to contain a monster like Guseul.

Especially since transferring a soul went far beyond a shaman’s typical limits.

“Don’t die recklessly.”

“I didn’t want to die, either.”

The Tree Spirit King had fully declared hostility.

For Guseul, who had long used artificial bodies, escape was impossible.

The more she used them, the more their performance declined. Above all, the body itself barely matched a B-grade hunter.

It’s only because of Guseul’s exceptional skill that she even managed to pass the first trial.

“Whether it’s to curry favor with the World Tree or not, it won’t work. Those rotten roots won’t leave the Tree Spirit King alone.”

A black-skinned woman, Mahogany, sneered derisively.

She was the national tree of the Dominican Republic.

Not just her—Flowers had overtaken the entire Caribbean.

It’s a region untouched by the World Tree’s influence, so it’s only natural.

The same applied to South America, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and the volatile Balkans.

“How long do you plan to rely on artificial bodies?”

Mahogany’s question made Guseul quietly get dressed.

Banya, covered in inscriptions, glared at Mahogany.

“I can’t use my real body to approach Lee Shiheon.”

“Why?”

“Because I can’t hide my magic.”

Even as an unclassified species, Guseul’s power made it impossible to blend into everyday life.

Whenever she infiltrated Lee Shiheon’s world, Banya’s artificial bodies were essential.

Among the national trees, Banya was one of the earliest to join the Flowers.

Each World Tree defector had their reasons.

For Maehwa, it was to fight more battles.

For Mahogany, it was the revival of the ruined Caribbean.

Banya had her own reasons and convictions.

“Phew.”

Sweat soaked her entire body.

Creating an artificial body demanded immense effort.

It took about a month to produce one, and she’d been repeating this process for four years.

Covering her body’s inscriptions with cloth, Banya suppressed her magic.

The third eye on her forehead slowly closed.

‘The answer sheet.’

《 Prophecy 》

Literally, the authority to glimpse into the future.

This flawless power removed hesitation from her actions.

Becoming a national tree, joining the Flowers, and growing strong within—it all sustained her dreams.

“So.”

Once Guseul finished dressing, a man entered, removing his hat.

“What now?”

The brown-haired man scanned the room with narrow eyes.

Among the numerous World Tree defectors and Flowers, everyone had gathered to bring the Forester Selection Competition to its conclusion.

Just thinking about it made his excitement rise.

“Abe.”

Banya narrowed her eyes.

He was the most inscrutable person present.

Though nominally aligned with the Flowers, she occasionally forgot his allegiance.

“One slip-up, and it could all go to waste. I’m saying this to you, Banya.”

The first step was crucial.

This Forester Selection Competition would lead to a declaration of war by the Flowers.

At the greatest stage, where the brightest talents who would lead the future gathered, the goal was to commit the worst act of terrorism.

While tarnishing the image of the Flowers, it also revealed the World Tree’s incompetence.

“I know.”

Banya snapped at Abe.

They had been preparing for this day for years.

Penetrating the decades-old cradle system entirely was impossible.

However, years of effort, genius, and the unexpectedness of sorcery finally allowed them to exploit a gap.

“We’re well-prepared.”

“The opponent is the Tree Spirit King, backed by the Sage.”

“No matter how great they are, some things simply can’t be stopped.”

“You sound overconfident.”

“Whose side are you on?”

Gathered here were the national trees, cadets, and the talents of the Flowers.

They were practically the pillars of the next generation of the Flowers.

Conversely, their enemies were equally formidable.

Who lived and who died here would change the scale of the war.

“Who knows? What about Lee Shiheon?”

Abe tested her with his question.

At that moment, a masked woman silently watching from behind muttered in a low voice.

“Should I kill him?”

“……”

A woman with pink hair fluttering behind her smiled faintly.

Guseul, who had been silently watching, furrowed her brow.

“Don’t touch that man.”

“Why?”

“He’s not someone you should underestimate. Nor should he die.”

“I don’t want to~.”

The woman with a cracked fox mask exposing her mouth smirked.

Her sensual lipstick carried the fragrance of flowers.

“Isn’t he an enemy of the Flowers? Then he should die. Anyone object?”

Neither Abe nor Banya responded.

Lee Shiheon’s presence was troubling. He was bound to obstruct their path forward.

Yet, he was not someone they could kill easily.

They had glimpsed his capabilities during the first trial. Naturally, that wasn’t his full strength, and even if they went all out, it was uncertain if they could defeat him.

“Don’t waste your strength elsewhere.”

Abe blocked the woman. She stuck out her tongue, then plopped to the floor in boredom.

“We’re prepared for the Tree Spirit King.”

All they had to do was incapacitate him temporarily.

There were many methods.

Abe, who prided himself on his tricks, was confident in this regard.

As his eyelids lifted slightly, his pupils gleamed menacingly.

“The first step.”

As long as the starting line is crossed well, everything will go according to plan.

Abe, who had contributed as much as Banya, was sometimes dismissed as a conniving schemer by others in the Flowers.

But dealing with one young monster that hadn’t fully grown yet was well within his capacity.

In reality, Abe’s authority, which gripped all of Eastern Europe, was higher than anyone else in this room.

“If it’s monsters, we’ve got one of our own.”

Unparalleled talent and skill.

Since the first trial, a being who left countless corpses in their wake was still ripening.

-Step.

Just then, a man entered, narrowing his eyes as he walked.

With each step he took, the scent of blood filled the room.

“You’re here. Seems like you’ve already taken care of a few.”

“……”

The man, gripping the back of his neck as if everything was a bother, collapsed into a chair.

A cracking sound came from his neck.

“Phew.”

China’s national tree, Maehwa, was infamous for his ability to eliminate and conceal countless undocumented individuals with ease.

The blood smeared on his pale skin seemed to glow even more vividly.

Long ago, he had abandoned any concept of humanity or morality.

To say he had descended into madness would be accurate.

‘Can the still-immature Tree Spirit King handle this?’

Abe pondered as he watched Maehwa.

‘Impossible.’

No matter how thoroughly that man prepared, most here had come ready to endure and confront anything.

‘You can’t win while adhering to order.’

That’s the kind of world it was.

If you couldn’t endure it, you’d collapse.

Even if he was destined to become a cornerstone of the Flowers, unless he broke, he’d remain a thorn in their side.

That sentiment wouldn’t change among those gathered here.

‘……’

Only Guseul, who had seen the expression of someone on the brink of killing her, thought differently from the rest.

Two days.

It was an uncomfortably long time.

We meticulously screened the people who would support us, leaving no room for carelessness.

“Shiheon-san, this sofa is sooo comfy. Come sit quickly~.”

The addition of Saku and Kim Soo-yeon.

Compared to other national trees, they were reliable and strong.

Unless there was an unusual variable, I thought these two would cooperate with us.

“…I didn’t expect you to know that.”

“Thanks to the Sage lending their strength.”

“It can’t have been easy to choose not to run and instead to help.”

Admiration and respect.

They looked at me with genuine sincerity.

The wariness from before had significantly softened.

‘A rare sense of justice these days.’

Not many virtuous people stood around me.

Almost all were neutral. Considering that morality doesn’t play as significant a role in this world compared to my own, Kim Soo-yeon is quite unusual.

“We’ve gathered quite a few.”

“I worked hard, didn’t I? Impressive, right?”

“Thanks to you again, Maple.”

Maple stood with her hands on her hips, exhaling proudly.

The number of people gathered seemed sufficient to control the civilians.