Eat The World Tree

Chapter 326: Collapse Of The Cradle (11)

The black arrow swept across the entire arena.

It swirled as if to suck in all the surrounding air, then cut through nearby vines and embedded itself into the two tree people.

Crunch!

The magic that seemed to be going well faded away, blocked by the barrier.

‘A unique ability.’

I could tell at a glance.

A power perfectly suited to turn the situation around.

Each National Tree possessed a power that proved their identity.

Bell of the ‘Round Table.’

I stepped into the arena, cursing coarsely.

How must Maronnie feel, betrayed by two friends?

You could tell just from the shocked look on her face.

“…Lee Shiheon? Why are you here?”

She spoke in a hoarse voice, as if she couldn’t believe it.

I walked forward briskly, shaping the mistletoe into the form of a gauntlet.

“I didn’t expect it to be you, Bell, of all people.”

“Have we met before?”

Bell tilted his head upon seeing me.

“No, we haven’t.”

But I knew.

The Oak family’s main branch.

“Bell Arthur Philip Wesley. There’s no way I wouldn’t know your name.”

By tracing Lee Seyeong’s family back to its roots, you’d end up in England.

Naturally, I came to know Bell’s name as well.

“It’s an honor. The Tree Spirit King knows me.”

Bell mocked me as he took a stance.

I entered the barrier.

【Connection with the World Tree is temporarily established.】

“I don’t know why you National Trees switched to the Flowers.”

From what I heard, their identity was exposed too.

Maronnie’s look at me had changed quite a bit.

There was no helping it.

No need to hang oneself over it.

I’d just do what I had to do.

Bell approached.

I moved forward silently.

<Master…>

‘It’s fine now. Come out. You know Taeyang, right? Fly straight to him.’

The unique ability of a National Tree was perfect for causing variables.

It wouldn’t be strange if I became combat ineffective here.

Just in case, I sent Luci to the hotel to deliver the message.

[Chirp!]

“So you’re a spirit user.”

Luci, escaping from Maronnie’s chest, flew up into the air.

“You’ll be in trouble if you keep watching.”

“……”

After my warning, Bell flinched, about to chase Luci.

Even if his magic was sealed, his martial arts weren’t gone.

A fierce aura rose from the golden divine sword Bell clutched.

The man’s lips curved into a crescent moon.

“Lee Shiheon, I have a lot to say to you.”

“Keep your teeth to yourself. I have nothing to hear from you.”

“It’d be better for you to listen. Why do you stand with the World Tree?”

“Me, on the side of the World Tree?”

I mocked him back as I took my stance.

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”

“Joining the Flowers would be much better. There’s no reason for us to fight.”

“You’ve caused quite a stir for someone saying that. Right?”

The look of abandonment on Maronnie’s face.

Betrayed. A single word couldn’t express that emotion.

She didn’t look kindly at me either, but I understood given the circumstances.

I raised my blood-stained fist.

“If you had a cause, you should have at least tried to persuade me before all this shit happened. Would the guy who got all this crap really go crazy and join the Flowers now?”

“It’s not about emotions.”

His shamelessness made me smile.

Abie laughed almost simultaneously as he saw my face.

We were on parallel lines that could never understand each other.

Realizing this, Bell moved first.

“Ha!”

The longsword he was holding quickly swung sideways to cut me.

The speed was within expectations.

While deflecting his threatening attack, I slowly looked for an opening.

Bell’s eyes shone towards one point.

Slice!

After several exchanges, his sword pierced my shoulder.

As droplets of blood spurted, his eyes filled with glee.

If it were someone he met for the first time, it would work on anyone.

Even if you were a National Tree, that didn’t change.

Crack!

My right shoulder bone broke, and muscles twisted.

Without stopping, I advanced, and Bell recoiled in shock, stepping back.

Thud!

A punch to the forehead. Without magic, it was less lethal than before.

The sensation of bones crunching in my grip.

Without stopping, I dashed forward, grabbed his neck, and was about to throw him down when Abie’s long spear aimed at my left chest.

“Ugh, aargh!”

Bell was struggling not to be pushed back.

Bam!

Crash!

The moment Bell’s body hit the ground and the spear pierced my lung were almost simultaneous.

“Cough.”

Thorns grew from the spear, tormenting various organs.

Thorns protruded from my back, and a blood-stained steel spear stuck out through my chest.

After confirming Bell’s consciousness had briefly slipped, I slowly stepped back.

Then, gripping the spear shaft stuck in my lung, without hesitation-

Crack!

I pulled it out, expecting flesh to be torn away with it.

Blobs of crimson and blood dripped down.

The absence of magic meant the wounds weren’t that deep.

“Pheww.”

With one deep breath, the joints of the bones and flesh reattached.

The protruding veins receded, and organs found their places.

Taking the upper hand was easy.

I didn’t know how many times this would work, but this combat method had always been effective against anyone.

Especially in a situation like now, where every second counted.

“Tough, huh, bastard.”

Bell, quickly regaining consciousness, wiped the blood from his forehead as he stood up from the collapsed ground.

Abie gripped the blue spear he had hung on the wall again.

“Abie, what are you going to do?”

The healing process caused a brief delay.

After Bell stood up and took his stance, I asked him.

Abie pointed his chin towards Maronnie.

“Doesn’t seem like a good idea. Really?”

Bell hesitated. What was he going to do?

I decided to act before he moved.

“Or we can go at it once.”

As I moved, Abie spoke behind me. Bell laughed heartily, tensing his arms.

Blue veins swelled, and roots covered his eyes.

“Release.”

Thud.

Rumble…

With a single word, the barrier vibrated.

A golden tree began to encase his body from the ground.

A golden emblem extending down from his neck.

“Spolia opima”

[Most honorable decoration of Roman Britain]

His lengthened hair hardens like tree branches, sharp like a lion’s mane spreading behind him.

Bell Arthur’s true form exerted strong pressure on the surroundings.

Golden magic surged above his shoulders.

‘…This is.’

The only being within the Round Table who could freely use magic.

Was there ever a connection between unique abilities and tree transformation?

Fortunately, the power of the barrier itself began to weaken.

At this level, I might be able to exert some power too.

Then there was no reason not to fight.

Bang!

Since I didn’t move, Bell charged forward first.

He vanished from sight briefly, bringing a massive gust of wind.

Thud!

My arm, wrapped in magic, blocked his sword strike.

The ground supporting me cracked, my feet sinking into the dirt.

Swish!

Suddenly, beams of light entered the dark arena.

All of Bell’s muscles bulged as he struck my torso with vigor.

My body was pushed to the very edge of the barrier.

The entire barrier flashed as if a giant sun had descended.

“Ssip.”

As I inhale, the surrounding air burst, and belatedly, sound followed.

Pop!

Bell’s body, kicking off the air, tried to strike my torso again.

I twisted my body, barely reading Bell’s movement.

Crack!

Long branches sprouted from my body, piercing through me.

The barrier seemed to have become impassable, as I was pushed to the edge by Bell’s attack.

“You wouldn’t understand.”

Bell, coming closer, murmured in a bizarre voice.

“…I have things to do. A lot to bear. So-”

I ignored him and struck back.

“Ugh!?”

A surge of black magic sent Bell’s jaw upward.

His armor flaked off, his body lifting about 5 cm off the ground.

I clenched my fist, pulling my elbow back.

“One, White Peach.”

White magic rained down in a straight line between brief resonances.

Thud, rumble…

Cracks appeared in the barrier. Sunlight poured in, the light flashing.

“Two, Thousand Petals White Peach.”

Crack!

Pop!

Bone fragments broke through the flesh. A vibration resonates in the bright yellow barrier.

During the attack, Bell’s sword pierced my cheek.

The hard sensation in my mouth. As my jaw regenerated, I clenched my teeth to fix the sword in place.

Bell’s body, bound together with the sword and arm by roots, didn’t fly away but stayed within my reach.

My fist turned red.

“Three.”

Thousand Red Points.

The pupils in Bell’s eyes disappear.

Bang!

After hitting him twice, the pain of melting muscles caused him to lose consciousness again.

If he were an ordinary National Tree, his whole body might have burst by now.

I brought my hands together.

“Four.”

Barae Boksa.

Just as I was about to completely tear him apart.

The sword that was holding us together shattered, and Bell was pushed back.

At that moment, Abie moved in.

I tried to hit with the fourth technique while ignoring him.

Crack?!

“!?”

My chest was torn open.

Blood gushed out.

I didn’t allow the attack, yet this unexpected injury sapped my strength.

The black magic subsided.

“What…”

The attack was reflected right back at me.

Abie, dragging the unconscious Bell, stepped back. Gradually, I could sense the movement of the magic.

‘Reflection.’

The Barae Boksa I shot pierced my own body.

This guy had low innate magic and mediocre physical abilities.

There was a reason for his relaxed attitude till the end.

“Shit…”

Cursing, I staggered forward.

The internal injuries were severe.

To heal, I’d need to use a significant amount of my authority. It would take quite some time.

It was going to be hard to chase those two trying to escape.

“Lee Shiheon.”

Abie, standing in the middle of the barrier, looked at me.

His open eyes had closed by now, and he exhaled, sweating profusely.

“…No, Tree Spirit King.”

“Are you running away?”

“Ha ha.”

His face laughs, but the previous composure was gone.

Reflecting must have its limits and power.

Now that I could move to some extent, I started to move my legs again.

The barrier sealing magic had strengthened as Bell’s release was undone.

“Let’s meet later. Hopefully, we’ll be on the same side then.”

The authority was stronger than expected.

Having recovered my body, I prepared to move again.

‘If it’s now…’

I could chase them. The thought crossed my mind.

“Then. Good work.”

Bang!

A massive explosion sounded.

The entire arena shattered.

Although the ceiling didn’t collapse, the huge outer wall split and fell nearby.

Rumble…

Dust rose from the floor. A gigantic rock fell, crushing my foot.

At the edge of my vision, I saw Maronnie exposed to the collapse.

‘A binary choice.’

Were they trying to escape while I watched?

I emotionally drew out all the magic I could within the barrier.

The amount of magic I could extract, ignoring Bell’s barrier, was very small, but it was enough to create one arrow.

Whoosh!

One arrow shot at Abie.

I didn’t even see if it hit.

Just a strike born from the hope it would hit. There was still work to be done.

I couldn’t say anything.

I could only look ahead helplessly.

Even that was obscured by tears, preventing me from uttering a single word.

No, did I even have the right to?

It was painful just holding onto his ankle. A sense of emptiness overwhelmed me.

Not even a hollow laugh could escape.

Crunch!

A giant spear blade pierced the man’s body.

A National Tree. Even for him, overcoming this was impossible.

…Even if he were the Tree Spirit King.

Maronnie closed her eyes tightly.

She wanted to scream but couldn’t.

A burden.

In her family, here too. Many needed her, but in the end, she could do nothing.

Just concerned for her own safety. Unable to accept it.

If she had acted with more ambition, would the outcome have been different?

‘Abie. Bell.’

Why.

Why did you betray me?

Her heart ached as if it was being squeezed.

They weren’t supposed to be like this.

They were all good, caring for people, always seeming to choose the right path.

She admired them.

Because they were different from her half-hearted self, she thought they were admirable.

Born as a National Tree.

While she, living an ordinary life, became one late.

She learned a lot by watching them, learned her duties from them.

But now, those two stood opposite her.

It was hard to accept.

As her emotions escalated, her chest felt tight.

She should be stopping this fight, but instead, despair rose.

[This coward.]

A voice in her head.

Maronnie shook her head, eyes tightly shut.

“…Please. I, I’m just…”

-Maronnie, how about you take on the role of the next Sage?

“I’m not that kind of person…”

-Maronnie. I’ll ask you one last time. Please help us.

“…Urgh, hurry, ugh.”

-Lady Maronnie. Please, lead your nation well. You must know how important your position is.

Her head hurts like it’s about to burst.

Maronnie’s vision lifts upward.

Boom!

A rock that fell struck her head. Hot liquid flowed down below her forehead.

She only now realized the situation.

The building was collapsing.

Without being able to use magic now, being crushed here meant certain death.

As her head cooled, her eyes widened.

“……”

He ran.

Stepping on the fallen rocks. With all his might. Arms spread wide.

Chunks of concrete and steel beams fell in heaps on the man.

Maronnie muttered in shock.

“Shiheon-”

Crash!

The debris of the building engulfed the two of them.