Chapter 58: Chapter 58

[Translator - Night][Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 58: Entering the World Tree (1)

Eight days had passed since I delivered my warning at the UN secret meeting.

Surprisingly, the nations were cooperative.

HunterNet widely publicized the Kevrian campaign, and limited information was made available to the public.

Previously, information like this had been kept hidden due to memory manipulation, but now it was starting to be disclosed.

The plan was to venture to other planets and preemptively eliminate monsters.

If planetary expeditions were successful, dungeon creation would significantly decrease.

This way, even without the assistance of the Elves, the current system could be sustained.

The gloomy predictions—like the Chaos Lords attacking en masse if the expedition failed, or even if successful, the appearance of B- to C-rank dungeons—were deliberately omitted.

The UN led the charge, optimistically promoting the mission and encouraging participation.

The Elves, too, responded by announcing that they would permit entry to Kevrian at the request of Earthlings.

The public was ecstatic about the Kevrian expedition—forming a united global force to embark on an interstellar mission was thrilling.

Concerns about the Elves leaving soon were quickly replaced by excitement over the expedition.

While those with vested interests in Eshtar resisted, the nations and the Elves worked together to block access to Eshtar, leaving them no choice.

Even the resistant guilds eventually gave in to public pressure and governmental influence after a week or two, agreeing to the Kevrian expedition.

However...

"Fewer level-49 participants than expected, huh?"

There were only 78 volunteers.

Was that all there was worldwide?

"While the nations are cooperating well, high-level Awakened individuals are reluctant to participate."

"The guilds?"

"Yes. They've been enjoying their monopoly over dungeons and experience in Eshtar and now feel their privileges are being taken away. Many guild leaders are reluctant to subordinate themselves to someone else's command."

Level-49 Awakened individuals were annoyingly stubborn.

If they didn’t want to, we had no reason to bend over backward to recruit them.

"If they don't want to join, forget them. We'll select only the willing. Oh, and make sure to prioritize anyone with anti-Undead skills."

During recruitment, I noticed that even within the same class, skills granted by guardian deities varied subtly.

For example, Pollux, who favored women, distributed useful skills to female Awakened individuals.

Most guardian deities granted skills based on their own judgment.

Among them, those with anti-Undead or holy abilities were given a preference equivalent to +3 to +5 levels.

"Some guilds are boycotting, but that’s opened up spots for others to join."

"Yes. I, too, received an anti-Undead skill from my guardian deity, which placed me at level 48."

"Oh? What skill is that?"

"Purifying Arrow. It's a C-rank skill."

Kang Shia made a V-sign with her fingers.

Good.

The assistant stayed on board.

"The first batch is estimated to consist of about 50,000 people."

"That many?"

"It’s actually on the lower side. Many guilds are resisting, so nations are still negotiating with them."

50,000 was considered small?

So everyone really was in Eshtar.

"When’s the departure?"

"We decide that. How about setting off the day after we finalize the 1,000 participants and replace the Apostle Command Unit?"

"Let’s do that."

I looked at my status window.

My level had risen to 74, and I had gained six additional stat points.

My magic stat was now at 97, on the brink of crossing 100.

The SP I’d earned from completing the impossible quest and receiving it in installments had all been credited.

By Earth’s timeline, about a month had passed since then.

During this time, I spent a lot of time on Earth, even attending the UN.

In one month, I’d accumulated just over 120,000 SP from various sources.

"No interest added?"

[Pollux says 5,000 is the maximum.]

Along with that message came an additional 5,000 SP.

Disappointing, but I accepted it.

Good.

Let’s max out all stats to 100.

Raising each stat from 80 to 90 had cost 800 SP per point, and from 90 to 100, it cost 900 SP per point.

I spent a total of 29,500 SP.

Even with plenty of SP left, trying to raise a stat to 110 triggered a warning.

[You’ve reached your talent limit. Proceeding further will consume SP at 10 times the usual rate. Do you wish to continue?]

A 10x cost was too steep.

Additional stat points also required 10 times the SP, so I decided to stop at 100.

Upgrading must stop at 100 until the next level.

[Name: Kim Jiho

Class: Soul Mediator

Guardian Deity: Pollux, the God of Gemini

Title: Hero of Kevrian

Level: 74

Strength: 100, Agility: 100, Magic: 100

SP: 96,142.2

Additional Stats: +6] seaʀᴄh thё ηovёlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

I also distributed stats to the neutral faction.

The SP I earned from breaking chaos magic circles and countless battles amounted to tens of thousands.

Even after pouring all additional stat points into this, the "B" rank bar wasn’t fully filled.

[Name: Kim Jiho

Class: Soul Reaper

Guardian Deity: Aurelia, the Goddess of Volcanoes

Title: Pioneer of Earth (Hero)

Level: 74

Body: B, Magic: B, Skill: B, Luck: B

SP: 84]

Order had reached its limit, but neutrality still had room for improvement.

Reaching 100 in stats gave me a tangible sense of growth.

Still, stagnating until level 100 felt limiting.

Even after consuming the World Tree series items that boost talent, there wasn’t a drastic change.

I’d need to gather more SP while continuing to consume those items.

—Preparations will be complete in about an hour.

"Alright. Let’s depart soon."

The final preparations for the advance party took three weeks.

Sorting 50,000 people from various nations for simultaneous entry naturally took time.

Finishing in three weeks was remarkably quick.

After finishing unit assignments as an Apostle Commander, I rested at home.

"Will it show up this time?"

I mumbled to myself while flipping through the strategy guide.

[……Facing Ampellion and the Undead Legion. This was tougher than the dragon incident.]

After the dragon suppression, the guide had only stated how difficult it would be and then ended abruptly.

Since today was departure day, I hoped the next part would be revealed…

Oh.

As I turned the page, new content appeared.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

[In Phase 2, everyone is expelled, and the terrain changes. We found ourselves in a fortress shaped like the molted skin of an ancient dragon known as Drakia.]

Drakia’s molted skin, huh.

A dragon god’s molt being repurposed as a fortress was fascinating.

It could have symbolic meaning.

Looking at the guide saying it’s an ancient dragon… it seems even here it’s been forgotten as a god.

[We fought hard. Even the dragons helped us. But the undead hordes were endless, and in the end, the Rotten World Tree turned into a monster, Drakia's husk was utterly destroyed, and our final stand ended in defeat. Kevrian was reset.]

What?

It ended?

THE END?

Hey!

You jerk.

I came to Kevrian because you told me to, but we just got annihilated?

This one wasn’t even supposed to be that hard!

[I can already see you cursing me. But as a result of holding the defense line at Drakia’s husk, Earth’s hunters leveled up significantly. I also gained enough experience to reach grade B by unleashing Diana. The reason I didn’t choose Eshtar, the easiest difficulty, but the second one, was precisely for the experience points.]

Ahh.

So you didn’t even dream of subduing the Lord of Chaos, huh.

You just coaxed us to come here because it gives way more experience than Eshtar.

So Kevrian is the second difficulty level among neutral factions.

[Still, it feels a bit regretful as I write this. If we had destroyed more Chaos Circles to reduce the Lord of Death’s power to below 20%…

If the World Tree hadn’t been corrupted, it might’ve been more manageable. If Earth’s forces had fully mobilized, maybe we wouldn’t even have seen the Lord of Death’s face. It’s unfortunate that hunters who reached Phase 2 can never challenge that world again. Still, it was worth it. I think you got a lot out of it too by following my guide.]

Hunters who reached Phase 2 can’t retry?

So if this Kevrian expedition fails, that’s it.

I wondered if the description of holding the defense line at Drakia’s husk would be of any use to me.

It’s a symbolic battleground for the neutral faction.

Won’t we be fighting somewhere else?

I memorized the contents for now, but it was mostly just the same kind of narrative: “We were outnumbered. The enemy was too strong.”

What a morale killer.

This guy.

But I did reduce the Lord of Death’s forces to 5%, and if Earth’s forces mobilize completely, it doesn’t seem entirely hopeless.

Plus, we’re with the Order faction.

Isn’t the World Tree’s corruption something that happens if Order loses?

Maybe Phase 2 could actually be better for us.

As I thought this and flipped the pages, a sentence caught my eye.

[And… the most important thing. You must be consumed by the World Tree.]

[Kevrian was destined to be completely destroyed by the Black Dragon Akardian. However, thanks to the awakeners successfully thwarting his scheme, the Lord of Death’s available power drastically weakened.]

[The Lord of Death can only use 5% of his power.]

[The Lord of Death’s power is insufficient. The Earth side awakener limit has been lifted.]

Messages that appear as soon as we reenter Kevrian.

As my vision adjusted, the first thing I noticed was the tree stretching to the heavens.

It wasn’t a mountain—it was a tree, its peak obscured by clouds, its full form invisible.

A colossal tree.

No, it was so massive it could be mistaken for a tree-shaped mountain.

Is that the World Tree?

[The Lord of Death’s undead army, despite its limited power, is formidable and has advanced to the World Tree, the Order faction’s final bastion. Protect the World Tree and destroy the Lord of Death’s Necropolis.]

On the opposite side of the World Tree.

A floating castle shrouded in deep darkness.

It automatically zooms in as if watching a video.

Walls made of bone.

Buildings of flesh and hardened blood.

It looked less like a castle and more like a massive corpse stitched together.

The focus shifted to the highest level of the castle beyond the walls.

Hades, whom I had seen before, was looking out through a bony window, smiling while fiddling with a monocle.

[The Lord of Death’s power is below 20%. Kevrian’s angels join the battle.]

Light descended from the sky, and angels with wings of light appeared.

Four angels.

They flew in different directions—north, south, east, and west.

Each angel, at least ten meters tall, wielded a blade of light.

Their faces were composed of light, making their appearance indiscernible.

[Death Knight King Ampellion has been repelled. The human alliance, which had been annihilated by Ampellion in the past, joins the defense of the World Tree.]

Suddenly, tents rose from the ground.

The human alliance?

They lost to Ampellion, but hey, something’s better than nothing.

Better than nothing… right?

[High Elf Diana, who tends to the World Tree, survived and became the Apostle of the Sun God. The World Tree’s power has significantly increased. All Order faction members receive the World Tree’s blessing. All attacks are imbued with the power of harmony.]

The weapons of all the awakeners glowed green.

Is this the power of harmony?

It feels a bit different from holy energy.

Either way, it should be a big help.

[Orc hero Grosh was informed of the truth and spared. If the defense is successful, he will return with reinforcements, including other dragon clans.]

“Wow… this is amazing.”

“With this, we have a real chance!”

Everything we’ve done so far is coming together perfectly.

On top of that, the enemy is down to 5% of its power.

We’ve got angels on our side, the World Tree backing us, human soldiers, unlimited Earth awakeners, and if we hold out a bit, orcs and dragons will come to reinforce us…

This might actually be doable.

But… the problem is the guide’s content.

Sigh… consumed, you say?

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]