Chapter 91 – Blooming in the Swamp (8)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“It is to sprout the seed of the World Tree.”

“……!!!”

The confident attitude of having nothing to hide.

At Ho-yeol’s words, astonishment appeared on the faces of the Guild Masters.

The one who could at least answer.

Was Nam Tae-min, who had developed some resistance to those shocking actions while being together with Ho-yeol.

“Ho-yeol-ssi. I’m saying this because the progress is too fast but……. By any chance, when you say the seed of the World Tree, are you talking about this, this giant rock?”

“That is right. It is not a rock, it is the seed of the World Tree.”

“The World Tree…….”

Ho-yeol is lying?

He knows that is something that cannot happen but.

To think the World Tree would suddenly pop out.

It was natural that it was hard to accept easily.

However.

“There is no shame in not knowing.”

A voice as noble as its appearance.

At the spirit’s voice, Nam Tae-min nodded his head.

“If Ho-yeol-ssi says so, it must be right. I believe it.”

Whether Nam Tae-min believed it or not.

Leonie’s mind was in chaos.

‘……Is it really okay to just, tell us something like this?’

Both before and after the Cataclysm.

Information about Arcana was power.

But to think he would suddenly bring up the word World Tree.

Out of his own mouth.

If you think about it, he told the truth as it is to them, who were strangers.

Action before thought.

Even though Leonie loathed putting meaning into such actions…….

‘Still, does it mean we aren’t total strangers?’

It couldn’t be helped that she flinched.

Hisagi’s thoughts weren’t much different from hers either.

No, it had to be worse than the two of them.

‘Why?’

If he wanted to hide it, he could have hidden it as much as he wanted.

No, if it were him, he would have unconditionally hidden it.

The seed of the World Tree.

Just hearing about it, anyone who is a Player would have been able to intuitively sense that a tremendous reward is entangled with it.

However, Ho-yeol spoke the truth as if it was natural.

‘Leaving aside Gaon and Berserker. Even to us.’

He felt it in Hokkaido, and also in the Yusra Kingdom but.

How could he fathom Ho-yeol’s will no matter how much he agonized over it?

Hisagi merely made a resolution.

“Whatever that cooperation is, Inazuma will do our best to help.”

Nam Tae-min and Leonie.

As if the two of them didn’t even need to answer.

They were only waiting for Ho-yeol to open his mouth.

Of course, there was not a sliver of hesitation for Ho-yeol.

“In order to sprout the seed of the World Tree.”

In order to do it……!

“Because it requires considerable concentration.”

So, where should they start?

Even while listening attentively to Ho-yeol’s words.

The three of them racked their brains utilizing their Arcana experience in their own ways.

If it were a normal flow, they would have to start with investigation first.

It would take quite a long time just to examine the giant seed.

‘It seems the fight will drag on.’

‘It’s a good thing I prepared fully.’

‘If push comes to shove, maybe even building a base completely…….’

But.

“Could you quiet the commotion for a moment?”

……For a moment?

At Ho-yeol’s words, the faces of the three people were once again dyed with astonishment.

Because that meant even a brief moment was enough to sprout that giant seed of the World Tree.

‘I didn’t even know the World Tree existed……!’

‘……Just how far ahead is he looking?’

‘As expected, it is Ho-yeol-ssi.’

What is the meaning?

Ho-yeol’s declaration that they couldn’t even dare to guess.

Although their reactions to it were different.

In this moment, the actions of the three Guild Masters were the same.

The seed of the World Tree.

Now that it became closer to loot.

Ho-yeol and the three guilds had basically become the public enemy.

“They’re coming!”

Right, battles with the lunging predators.

No, cooperation as Ho-yeol requested.

It meant they had to quiet the commotion.

[Poisonous Horn Rhinoceros : Lv.530]

[Ragged Beast : Lv.550]

[Bone Tomb Keeper Golem : Lv.600]…….

Considering the levels of the flocking monsters.

If it were a single guild, it would have been something they wouldn’t even dare to do.

Just looking at the 4th place in guild rankings, Bohemian, they suffered tremendous damage while dealing with merely two monsters. However, it wasn’t a single guild.

“Great. We just have to do it like when things get messy. It’s our specialty, isn’t it?”

Moreover, Gaon and Inazuma.

As much as they had competed for supremacy with each other, they were two guilds that knew each other well.

Not only the Guild Masters, but even the guild members among themselves.

It meant they knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses well.

Those two guilds synchronized for the first time?

That synchronization was unusually good, to the point it was hard to believe it was their first time.

To the extent that it ignited the madness of the watching Berserker.

Snatch!

After snatching the flying arrow with his bare hand.

Swoooosh!

Thud!

Displaying superhuman strength, Nam Tae-min throwing the arrow back with his bare hand instead.

Slash!

Literally giving flesh and.

Slash, slash!

Leonie cutting off bones.

Barbarian and Berserker.

If Nam Tae-min and Leonie fiercely stirred up the battlefield.

Hisagi skillfully tuned the pace of the battle with his spear.

Is it really true that they are matching their breaths for the first time?

The onlookers couldn’t help but be excited.

“We cannot know what kind of conversations went back and forth, but. Anyway, it’s amazing synchronization. They are not being pushed back against nearly a dozen monsters.”

“Aren’t Gaon and Inazuma considered the best guilds excluding Shining and Unification of the World? They are showing an active performance befitting that reputation!”

“Berserker is also formidable. Even though their guild ranking lags behind the two guilds, befitting their name of Berserkers. Their momentum on the battlefield is not pushed back by the two guilds at all!”

The Predator Zone rift.

As much as battles never cease.

They thought there would be many things to see but.

-I never thought I’d see Gaon and Inazuma on the same team in my lifetime lol

-A joke that would get you cursed at even on April Fools’ Day became reality *shiver*

-Rankers aren’t rankers for nothing really

-They aren’t getting pushed back even though there’s quite a level gap with the mobs

Developments that couldn’t be predicted even for a moment poured out.

Naturally, the majority of that share belonged to Ho-yeol.

From the unusual appearance starting with revealing himself on a lotus leaf.

The swordsmanship he revealed like a hidden dagger.

As if forming a contract with a spirit wasn’t enough.

To make Gaon, Inazuma, and Berserker unite.

Because they knew that fact.

The onlookers had no choice but to anticipate.

Not only the Player community.

-I thought his purpose was just the spirit contract

-No, if that was his purpose he would have left the rift right away lol;;

-Well experience points or drop rate buffs are meaningless to Lee Ho-yeol

The VBC Studio.

“There must be a bigger purpose for Player Lee Ho-yeol.”

“He must be drawing a bigger picture. You mean that!”

“That’s right! There must definitely be a reason he rallied the guilds!”

No, the whole world had started to focus on Ho-yeol.

PD Hyun Yong-suk, who was looking deeply into the monitor while sweating bullets.

He suddenly opened his mouth.

“I feel this while working in broadcasting, you know.”

“Yes?”

“Humans are really cunning. Once you give them a stimulus full of great fun or thrill, they adapt to it. You know just by looking at the drama side, right? Even if it’s praised as well-made, it actually gets lower viewer ratings than a makjang drama(crazy soap opera).”

“That is true, right?”

“But the thing is, they even adapt to that level of makjang.”

“Now that I hear it, that’s also true? Now, the secret of one’s birth is basic, plus adultery, crime, half-siblings……. Anyway, they come out with tremendous settings.”

“Right. You know it well. That’s why I’m worried.”

“Worried? Are you suddenly worried about the broadcasting station?”

At the bewildered reaction of the assistant director, Hyun Yong-suk shook his head.

“No, Lee Ho-yeol.”

Because he has shown so much so far.

Now Ho-yeol wouldn’t be able to satisfy the public with just ordinary things.

Why, it was like that even just now.

‘If it were me, I wouldn’t even be able to breathe properly because of the pressure.’

Although he couldn’t know Ho-yeol’s thoughts.

Hyun Yong-suk racked his brain.

‘As if magic wasn’t enough, high-level swordsmanship. As if proving the existence of a spirit wasn’t enough, he formed a contract with at least a high-ranking spirit.

Moreover, he made Gaon, Inazuma, and Berserker unite with each other.’

Even just that was an active performance that could be talked about for days.

No, for weeks.

However, as you can see, because humans are cunning creatures.

Aren’t they anticipating again?

‘That if it’s Lee Ho-yeol, he will show something even more amazing.’

However, Hyun Yong-suk thought calmly.

That he developed an eye for it while directing Today Arcana.

‘He showed way too much this time.’

An active performance that surpasses those active performances.

No matter how much it is Lee Ho-yeol, it would be hard to show it.

Hyun Yong-suk thought.

‘Of course, even that, wrapping it up nicely is the role of a director.’

But it was a misconception.

“……S-Senior! Look at that!”

“E-Eh? Why?”

“No, look at Lee Ho-yeol!”

The urgent call of the assistant director.

The gaze heading toward the monitor again.

Soon, Hyun Yong-suk’s eyes widened.

“Wh-What. That wasn’t a rock?”

There was no way Ho-yeol needed something like wrapping.

*

It’s incomparably reassuring.

In this [Swampland of Predators] rift.

We probably couldn’t find backup more reassuring than this.

‘Rankers aren’t rankers for nothing.’

Nam Tae-min, who started his class quest during the recapture of Frost.

Even without the class quest, he was someone who belonged to the topmost tier of the Player rankings.

Must be thanks to the class quest’s reward.

He really gets noticeably stronger every time I see him.

‘Also, rivals aren’t rivals for nothing.’

Because such Nam Tae-min’s rival was exactly Hisagi.

There was no need to say two words.

‘As for Leonie, well, since the first time I saw her.’

She was an excellent talented person who meets Granfel’s standards.

Because at one point, I even tried moving my body alone to try using her swordsmanship.

So.

I was able to approach the seed of the World Tree without any particular interference.

Because it’s bigger when seen up close, this thing.

Even though I don’t know where the World Tree is.

It’s a scale that makes me curious about the circumstances of how that seed ended up rolling all the way here. Really.

“I will begin, Nymph.”

However, there is no hesitation.

Although I am worried about the aftermath, the mana exhaustion, proportional to its giant size…….

I had conviction.

Since knowledge about the World Tree existed in the [Pentagram of Pure Knowledge].

The World Tree is forever a plant.

“As you will.”

Because the Nymph had a blessing that promotes the growth of plants.

The Nymph and I placed our hands on the seed of the World Tree at the same time.

It’s hard.

That was all I felt but it didn’t seem to be the case for the Nymph.

“I feel an unusual energy.”

I didn’t bother to reply.

Isn’t she the Nymph who received my influence?

As expected, there was no hesitation in something she had decided to do once.

Gooooo!

Mana began to flow out from the Nymph’s body.

At the same time, the power of {Nature} permeating the seed of the World Tree.

Indeed, the expected thing began to happen.

……Crazy, look at the mana draining out.

I was prepared for it, but to think it would be at this speed.

In the giant sponge called the seed of the World Tree.

It felt like merely dropping a few drops of water.

However, I cannot show it on my face.

Even if it means fainting from mana exhaustion……!

I mean I have no choice but to desperately suppress my legs trembling.

And my vision spinning.

A problem on a different dimension from enduring the cold.

Indeed, an obsession with formality to a marvelous degree.

Even though I felt a sense of prostration like I would collapse if touched.

I was maintaining an upright standing posture.

Damn it, method acting!

As much as the Players immersed in battle.

I am also engaging in a death struggle.

Of course, since even the Nymph right next to me couldn’t notice that fact.

The Nymph was turning my mana, using it like water, into {Nature}’s ability.

Into blessing.

With not a single person acknowledging it.

My life is this sorrowful…….

But.

“……!”

Even if there is no person or spirit acknowledging it.

[The Seed of the World Tree Sprouts.]

Right, the system knew my dog-like suffering……!

Simultaneously with the message popping up, the Nymph said.

“Ho-yeol-nim, thanks to you watching over me……!”

I nodded my head.

And checked the quest window.

●Total Seeds of the World Tree Currently Sprouted: 1 / Unknown

I succeeded!

Do not ask how the process was.

Whether it was pitiful, or whether I skipped the intermediate process by a lot, anyway.

What’s important is forever the result.

“I never doubted it was possible.”

This time it wasn’t me being shameless.

If I had to collect information about the World Tree by the book and sprout the seed of the World Tree. The Arcana continent would have been completely destroyed by the demons long before then.

Right, I did a splendid job this time. Lee Ho-yeol.

Self-praise was brief.

I shifted my gaze from the message.

‘So this is the World Tree.’

Seureureu

The seed slowly splitting.

Chwaaaa

A radiant light began to spew out from within it.

“Ho-yeol-ssi?”

“I-Is it already over?”

“As expected of Ho-yeol-san……!!”

From those close by, they began to witness the sight.

That didn’t distinguish between Players and monsters.

Even stopping the battle where life and death went back and forth.

They focused on the birth of a new World Tree.

I was the same.

The giant cotyledon becomes a stem and becomes a base.

The extending roots firmly hold onto the swampland.

As if the moisture of the swampland was nutrients prepared for itself.

To the extent that it was visible to the eyes that the water level was lowering.

The World Tree absorbed moisture.

And then began to sprout leaves from its branches.

Simultaneously, messages popped up.

[A new World Tree has taken root on the Arcana continent.]

[The Arcana continent blesses the birth of the World Tree.]

[The energy of life ripples throughout the entire Arcana continent.]…….

A feast of continuously popping-up messages.

Since it was a true world-class quest.

The messages wouldn’t have popped up only for me.

“Th-The World Tree?!”

“No way, that was the seed of the World Tree?”

“Just how much does Lee Ho-yeol know……?”

However, I kept my silence.

The reason for that was because of a message that popped up only for me.

Who was performing the world quest.

[Your achievement echoes throughout the Arcana continent.]

[The lives of the Arcana continent speak of your existence.]

[The Title System is unlocked.]

[You acquire the title, ‘The Last Adventurer’.]

……Title System you say?

Wait, what effect……?