Ch-313. **How Could This Happen?**
—
The World Tree.
A tree that supports the world.
It takes root in the world and serves as the very foundation that sustains it.
At present, the only World Tree remaining in Pangaenia is the elves’ tree that exists in the *Forest of Beginnings*.
However, there was one more.
Here, in the Sacred Domain of the Fang.
*“The existence of the World Tree is what allows the Continent of the Sky to exist.”*
And there was a truth that most did not know.
What role the World Tree truly played.
Long ago, when the continent was still one whole.
The brilliant civilization of that age was annihilated by the advent of *Destruction*.
Though complete ruin was narrowly averted through the sacrifice of Leah, the Goddess of the Earth, half of the land sank into the Abyss, while the remaining half rose into the sky.
The land that ascended into the heavens should have scattered and vanished like dust, but it was sustained by Leah’s twin goddess—the Goddess of the Firmament, Pina.
Thus, Pangaenia as it exists today was formed.
This much was a historical fact known to all.
Yet no one knew that the very power used to *sustain* it was the World Tree.
Nor did they know what would happen should the World Tree disappear.
*“The World Tree was withering…”*
That was the problem.
The World Tree was dying.
The elves must have realized this as well, yet all they could do was pace in helpless agitation.
There was no solution.
Because the race that once tended the World Tree was gone.
A tragic race that had been exterminated by Destruction.
*The Druids.*
…The Druids had vanished.
Destruction had wiped out every race that formed the very roots of the world.
Just as it had eradicated the Ominous Crows who managed the Tower, rendering it dysfunctional.
Just as it had weakened the gods.
So too had it erased the Druids, ensuring that every World Tree would wither and die.
For only the Druids could sow the seeds of the World Tree and tend to it.
*Only the Druids.*
“And yet…”
The Grand Elder stared at the World Tree with eyes filled with disbelief.
For countless years, he had watched over and cared for the World Tree of Honor.
Twice in all that time, truly honorable individuals had proven their worth and caused flowers to bloom…
But—
*“To bloom in full…”*
Only a few blossoms, at most.
This was the first time every leaf had bloomed in full glory.
Yet he still could not understand why.
Why now?
Why did it bloom in full immediately after rejecting Raiga?
Moreover, the withering World Tree had regained its vitality.
A vitality he himself had failed to uncover, despite exhausting every effort.
If it was neither him nor Raiga, then there was only one possible cause.
—*You’ve brought back an interesting child.*
That boy.
Raiga’s disciple.
Yet the Grand Elder had not expected anything.
After all, even Raiga—once brought here by the previous Lord of Fang—had failed to receive the World Tree’s recognition.
Surely Raiga’s disciple would be even more unimpressive.
“……”
When the Grand Elder’s gaze shifted toward him, everyone else’s eyes followed.
They, too, sensed it subconsciously.
Who stood at the center of this change.
But it might not be him.
Which was precisely why confirmation was necessary.
“……Will you accept the Trial of Qualification?”
The Grand Elder spoke.
His eyes betrayed even a hint of tension.
Tap—
Raiga’s disciple gave a brief nod and immediately took a step forward.
He approached the World Tree and spoke.
But the words that left his mouth were utterly unexpected.
“I acknowledge myself as your master, World Tree.”
“……!”
“……!!!”
The elders’ eyes went wide.
The Grand Elder was no less shocked.
He had expected something about being the Lord of Fang, a successor, or a disciple.
But *your master*?
Was he claiming to be the master of the World Tree?
*Impossible.*
The Grand Elder shook his head inwardly.
The World Tree has no master.
Not even the Druids—of all people—could claim such a title.
If such a being did exist, it would be—
Among the Druids, a figure spoken of only in legend.
Only a single being could qualify.
*…The High Druid.*
The ruler of the Druids.
The one known as the master of all things, of nature itself.
Yet the High Druid existed only in legend.
Even the Grand Elder had never seen one who bore that title.
Not even in the era when the world was whole.
*“The High Druid does not exist. Cannot exist.”*
Thus, this proof would surely fail.
Neither Raiga nor his disciple would be chosen by the World Tree.
And then—
It happened.
Flaaash!
Red.
The World Tree emitted a crimson light.
The color of failure.
But—
*“…It didn’t reject him. That means he exceeded ten thousand points of honor.”*
The World Tree of Honor quantified honor numerically.
Red represented the realm of ten thousand points.
Anyone who failed to reach that threshold would be rejected immediately.
Raiga had been repelled precisely because he fell short.
But Raiga’s disciple was not.
Which meant—
He had surpassed ten thousand points.
Flaaash!
*“Orange!”*
…the color changed.
Orange.
The realm of twenty thousand points.
The honor of kings and great heroes preserved in legend usually fell within this range.
On rare occasions, when such figures proved their worth, the light stopped at orange.
Or when one possessed a soul so radiant and beautiful as to rival them, orange would appear.
And yet—
Flaaash!
*“…He surpassed it?”*
Yellow.
He entered the realm of thirty thousand points.
A color of honor befitting even an emperor.
Those qualified to become Lords of Fang were included in this tier.
But anyone who had amassed thirty thousand points of honor should already be known to all.
There would be no reason to become Raiga’s disciple.
Then—
*“Is he the owner of a soul personally crafted by the gods?”*
Only overwhelmingly beautiful souls could reach this realm.
A soul like that of a pope chosen directly by the gods could achieve yellow.
“Ah…!”
“H-How can this be…?!”
But it didn’t end there.
Once again, the color of light changed.
Green!
…A color that had appeared only twice in all of history.
Two beings whose names were etched forever into the annals of time.
The strongest individuals who overturned predetermined outcomes through honor they themselves had amassed.
Aside from those two—whose holiness even the Grand Elder could accept—this was the first time he had ever seen it.
The realm of forty thousand points.
If a soul of the same scale existed, it was beyond imagination.
Perhaps a sacred child of a holy god could reach this level.
“……?!”
“……!!!”
And yet—
Even this was not the end.
Everyone stood in stunned silence, throats tight, words failing them.
…Blue.
He had entered the realm of fifty thousand points.
A color that had never once been seen before.
Neither by the Grand Elder nor by any other elder.
The World Tree of Honor emitting blue light was something none of them had ever witnessed.
All believed green was the limit.
They were certain no being beyond that would ever appear.
And yet, if a being were to emit blue light—
*“The master of the World Tree.”*
Just as he had declared at the very beginning—a being truly worthy of being called its master.
But none had ever seen such a thing.
Thus, the Grand Elder could not react.
Raiga’s disciple had already proven it.
That he was worthy of being the Lord of Fang—and more.
Now the reason the World Tree had bloomed in full and regained its vitality was clear.
*“Like a prophet…”*
Long ago.
There were those who required no proof.
Those who stood at the apex of their kind and led the primordial age.
The High Druid was one.
So was the Lord of Eternity.
So was the Blood-Demon King.
Absolute beings now vanished and forgotten.
If it were them—if it were prophets like them—perhaps they could cause the World Tree to emit blue light.
“G-Grand… E-Elder…!”
“It—it’s indigo!”
“This can’t be…!”
…No one had even imagined the color would change again.
Beyond blue—it became indigo.
The second *first* qualification.
The realm of sixty thousand points.
“Ah…”
The Grand Elder let out a quiet sigh of awe.
Pure admiration.
He had given up trying to think further.
That man had already surpassed every realm he could imagine.
The indigo light—the first ever emitted by the World Tree.
Honor was something so difficult that even living a lifetime free of sin made reaching one thousand points nearly impossible.
A perfect score demanded boundless nobility beyond that.
Then what of sixty thousand points?
What must one do to reach such a realm?
*“The one who has overcome every trial that exists in the world.”*
Only that seemed sufficient.
Naturally, it was impossible.
Even for an immortal who lived for eternity.
And yet, if his soul were of a similar scale—
Was there truly something that surpassed even the prophets?
*“…I don’t know.”*
At the very least, the Grand Elder could imagine nothing beyond this.
Perhaps the arrogant rulers of the Heavens could?
But if they possessed honor, they would not have summoned Destruction.
*“It’s over.”*
A human who had reached an unknown realm.
A man of honor beyond comprehension.
It was finished.
There was nothing more to see.
There could be nothing beyond this.
And yet—
“P-Purple…”
“Purple!”
“Guhhh…!”
…There was more.
The seventh realm—previously existing only in theory.
At that moment—
Whooom! Whoooom!
Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet.
All seven colors adorned the World Tree at once.
And formed a rainbow.
Several elders fainted at the sight.
It defied all common sense.
They could no longer even grasp what kind of qualification this was.
“…Beautiful.”
That was all.
…It was beautiful.
The Grand Elder trembled.
The aura was vast and boundless—the power of nature itself.
An intensity he had never felt in his entire life.
Craaaack!
Another anomaly occurred.
The core of the World Tree split open.
And a realm never before seen appeared.
《Hidden Dungeon, “The Forgotten Dungeon of Honor,” has appeared.》
《This dungeon is a “Party Dungeon.”》
《Only seven beings designated by one who possesses “Completed Honor” may enter together.》
《However, those lacking honor may not enter.》
…A dungeon connected to the World Tree?
Such a thing had never even been spoken of.
And that wasn’t all.
Sliiiide!
Sliiiide!
Horns sprouted from above the Grand Elder’s head.
Great antlers, like those of a stag, began to emerge.
The same happened to the other elders.
Though not as large as the Grand Elder’s, horns grew from them as well.
“Ahh…”
“H-How can this be…?”
“The horns we cut off…”
Power surged through them.
Their honor had been restored.
Their forgotten—no, abandoned—duty returned.
“We—we’ve reclaimed it!”
“The power of the Druids…!”
They wept in emotion.
They cried out loudly.
They embraced one another, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
Of course they did.
They were Druids.
Beings who had moved and hidden the World Tree to escape Destruction.
*“The horns we cut off to flee from Destruction…”*
There had been only one way to survive.
Cut off their horns and abandon their identity as Druids.
After that, they lived on, burning away their honor just to survive.
They abandoned themselves solely to protect the World Tree.
And yet—
The honor they had burned away, the qualifications they had discarded—
…were restored as if by a lie.
As the World Tree was fully restored, it returned their original qualifications to them.
The Grand Elder.
Long ago, he had been one of the great chieftains who led the Druids.
One who fought Destruction.
One who, overwhelmed by its despairing power, fled.
The most dishonorable Druid of all.
And yet—
…The Grand Elder slowly,
With utmost respect, knelt on one knee.
He bowed his head and spoke.
“Albino, Great Chieftain of the Blue Druids, greets the master of great nature—the High Druid.”
High f*cking druid !!!!