Ascension Through Skills

Chapter 333

At those words, the ghost closed its mouth. The dragon, who had been watching the ghost with a bitter expression, turned its gaze to Taesan.

[You must be the one who descended here by the will of the gods. Take it.]

From the tip of the dragon’s claw, a pure white energy flowed into Taesan.

[You have been acknowledged by the dragon who protects the world.]

[Then, even if this world is false, I hope you will save it.]

The dragon disappeared into the valley once again.

Taesan asked as the dragon vanished.

“Are you not going to do anything?”

[I am the guardian of this world. I protect it from external threats. In other words, unless it’s an attack by a being like the Demon God, I cannot interfere.]

[It’s amusing, isn’t it? Even though I know of the destruction, my role prevents me from doing anything about it.]

Having completed the third trial, Taesan returned to the imperial city.

Bradley was quite surprised to see Taesan return in just a few days.

“Already? That was quite fast.”

“I’ve completed the third trial.”

“…What?”

“How do we proceed with the remaining trials?”

There were two remaining trials: obtaining the root of the World Tree from the elves’ territory and retrieving the fragment of the god located in the sanctuary.

Bradley stroked his chin in amazement.

“As it happens, we’re already handling the fourth trial. We’ve sent an envoy to the elves’ territory. They should be returning soon…”

No sooner had Bradley finished speaking than a maid ran in, her face pale.

“Y-Your Highness, the envoy sent to the elves’ territory…”

“It seems there’s been a problem.”

The maid frantically guided Bradley to the palace gates, where only a horse stood. The people watched anxiously from a distance, unwilling to approach.

“Hmph.”

Bradley stroked his chin expressionlessly.

Atop the horse was a severed ear.

“They didn’t harm the horse. So, they’re a race of nature, huh?”

Assessing the situation calmly, Bradley turned his gaze to Taesan.

“It seems they really don’t like our approach. We’ll have to go there ourselves. This time, I’ll be going with you.”

“Are you sure, Your Highness?”

“To satisfy those stubborn creatures, I think someone of noble blood needs to step in.”

Bradley’s eyes sparkled with curiosity as he spoke.

A few hours later, Bradley, having finished his preparations, set out with Taesan.

The people of the empire cheered and sent Bradley off enthusiastically as he departed for the elves’ territory.

Some trembled when they saw Taesan, but their excitement never wavered.

Just from this, it was clear how deeply respected Bradley was by his people.

The ghost quietly watched over what it had once possessed.

The elves’ territory was nearby. Since it was adjacent to the empire’s land, there was no issue in approaching it.

“We don’t really know what kind of race the elves are.”

As they rode on, Bradley spoke. Taesan slowly followed him, walking beside his horse. Bradley, who had initially scoffed at Taesan, now seemed to have gotten used to him and responded calmly.

“They cut off contact with the outside world and live in their own realm. Many things about them are shrouded in mystery. Still, since they’re part of the prophecy, I thought they would cooperate… but they killed the envoy. This won’t be easy.”

Before long, they reached the elves’ territory.

A vast forest stretched out before them.

Taesan felt the presence emanating from the enormous tree beyond it.

The World Tree. He had seen equipment made from it deep within the labyrinth.

“A noisy welcome.”

Bradley muttered. They could sense several presences approaching from within the forest.

The prince stepped forward and spoke.

“Hear me, elves! I am Bradley Alkeraite, the rightful prince of the Calvert Empire! I come to speak of the prophecy with you!”

Swish!

Before Bradley could finish his words, an arrow flew toward him.

Bradley swung his sword to deflect it. As for Taesan, he casually caught the arrow with a wave of his hand.

“I thought showing your face would be the polite thing to do. Do elves have different manners?”

Bradley spoke leisurely. Perhaps realizing they couldn’t easily drive them away, the elves finally revealed themselves.

“Hoo.”

Bradley let out a small sigh of admiration.

The elves were as beautiful as the tales said.

They possessed a beauty rarely seen in the human world.

But Bradley quickly regained his composure.

“Not as good as Levancia.”

He muttered indifferently.

The elf who appeared glared at Bradley, their face twisted in disgust. Looking at the grass under Bradley’s feet, the elf spat out harshly.

“How dare a lowly human step foot into our territory?”

The elf raised their hand. The bowstrings were drawn tight in unison.

Bradley raised his hand.

“Let’s talk, elf. You know of the prophecy, don’t you?”

He smiled warmly as he spoke.

“The Demon King will soon invade the world. To stop it, we must fulfill the prophecy. I know you despise us humans, but since the fate of the world is at stake, how about cooperating for a little while?”

“Leave.”

The elf coldly responded.

Bradley’s face contorted.

“Is that a refusal?”

“We do not cooperate with lowly beings.”

The elf swung their hand. Arrows rained down in unison.

Tat-tat-tat!

“I don’t understand.”

Bradley said, deflecting the arrows.

“If the prophecy isn’t fulfilled, you won’t be able to stand against the Demon King. Then you will perish as well. Is that what you want?”

“Do you think the Demon King could destroy us?”

The elf sneered at Bradley.

“We are not so weak as to be destroyed by such a thing. Leave.”

“Well, that’s your opinion, so I won’t interfere… But if you don’t cooperate, the world will be destroyed. Couldn’t you at least help with that?”

“Why should we cooperate? That’s exactly what we want.”

The elf spoke with cold sarcasm.

“There is no need for any race other than us in this world. The disgusting creatures that covet nature and destroy the world… I’d be grateful if the Demon King wiped them all out.”

Bradley’s face hardened.

The elf’s gaze turned to Taesan.

“Especially you. With your black hair… You must be the descendant of the traitor. How dare the dirty blood that betrayed the world invade the territory of the elves?”

“Quite aggressive for an elf.”

Taesan muttered.

“Isn’t what you’re doing now a betrayal?”

“Nonsense. The only ones acknowledged by this world are us. The deaths of you humans are exactly what the world desires.”

Their words were filled with contradictions and hatred.

The elf, as if there was no need for further conversation, spoke harshly.

“Leave. Otherwise…”

“What will you do?”

Taesan stepped forward.

The emotions emanating from them grew stronger. The elf’s face twisted in rage.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

“Then you must die. Spirits, rise!”

Nature responded to the elf’s command.

Arrows, carried by the wind, shot forward at speeds far greater than before. The grass rose up to bind Taesan’s feet. The spirits began to reveal themselves.

Taesan quietly observed them.

As the arrows, carried by the wind, were about to strike him, they all deflected away.

The grass that had risen to bind his feet collapsed onto the ground, as if terrified.

The spirits that had appeared hesitated and, in fear, began to reverse summon themselves out of existence.

“S-Spirits! Why?!”

“Your Highness. It will be fine.”

“…You are the hero. Do as you wish.”

The prince retreated, his face cold.

“What a dull race.”

Taesan looked at the elves.

They were clearly flustered, realizing their attacks were ineffective.

The ghost’s emotions resonated with Taesan.

The fierce and boiling emotions demanded one thing.

This quest involved Taesan moving in sync with the owner of the memories, and the reward would vary based on those emotions.

In that case, he would act as the owner wished.

“Do you think you can stop the Demon King?”

Then you should be able to stop this too.

The fire that once destroyed the world began to manifest in Taesan’s hand.

[You have activated the Flame of Calamity.]

The flames fiercely swept through the forest.

“Ahhhh!”

The elves screamed. They desperately summoned spirits and water, trying to extinguish the flames that were consuming the forest.

But it was futile.

The fire, which burned everything in its path, moved only according to Taesan’s will. Instead, it consumed the water and the spirits, growing even stronger.

“Human!”

A roar of anger rang out.

Hundreds of arrows flew toward Taesan.

Taesan did nothing.

Tat-tat-tat!

The arrows fell before they could even reach him.

The elves were too weak to do anything to Taesan. Ignoring them, he walked deeper into the burning forest.

[It’s burning well.]

The ghost, who had been silent, spoke. There was a rare tone of amusement in the voice.

The elves resisted.

They fought back desperately, trying to kill Taesan.

But instead, they were the ones dying.

At some point, there were no elves left to raise a sword against Taesan.

Taesan walked deeper into the forest.

“Ah… Ahhh…”

In front of the World Tree stood an old elf. The ghost scoffed at the sight of the elf.

[It’s been a long time... That disgusting face.]

“Ahh…”

The elf’s face twisted as they surveyed the destruction around them.

“How dare you! How dare you lay waste to the elves’ territory and attack us! You will be struck down by divine punishment! The gods will never forgive you!”

[Divine punishment? Not forgive?]

The ghost’s emotions exploded at the elf’s words.

[You dare say such things?! What did I tell you back then? I begged you to open the path just once! I even said I would bow my head and plead! But you never opened the path!]

Even though the ghost had long been dead, its emotions took on a physical form.

The elf’s face turned 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 promised to give you a part of myself once everything was over! But instead, you mocked me! You clung to your arrogance, and the world was destroyed because of it!]

“H-Hah.”

The elf collapsed.

Crushed by the overwhelming emotions, the elf’s mind had broken. The ghost gritted its teeth.

[I treated you as equals. That’s why I tried to accept your claims. But all you did was mock me. You are... worthless beings.]

Taesan stood before the World Tree. Despite the world-burning flames, the World Tree remained untouched, with not a single branch scorched.

Thunk.

Taesan drove his sword into the tree. He retrieved the roots and the leaves that swayed amidst the flames.

[You have obtained the root of the World Tree.]

[You have obtained the leaves of the World Tree.]

[You have plundered the World Tree, which the elves were guarding.]