I Start with 13 Hidden Traits Chapter-326

Ch-326. ⟨Do Not Dare to Doubt⟩

—

The World Tree was originally one.

The Primordial Forest.

The first land to rise beneath the heavens, a sacred and inviolable domain ruled by the elves—where only a single World Tree had existed.

The benefits the elves gained from this were countless.

Regardless of race, it was treated as a holy land, never invaded; so abundant and fertile with resources and energy that there was no need to covet other lands.

Under the protection of the World Tree, the elves flourished.

…At least until five years ago.

At some point, the World Tree began to weaken.

As its leaves withered and its branches ceased to spread, the elves—who lived dependent upon it—were inevitably affected.

That was when the Dark Elves forced their way in.

Not only did they dare to wage war in a sacred domain where the World Tree still stood—they even carried out abductions.

The Dark Elves had crossed the line.

All because the World Tree and the elves had weakened.

Thus, the Elf Queen had been desperately searching for a *High Druid*.

No—more precisely—

*Elder Arwen said she had found one.*

…Elder Arwen.

He was a human who had cleared the Tower of Rifts, and the “Master of Verdant” had called him a *Druid*.

She claimed he had caused Auril’s laurel tree to grow explosively.

Without a doubt, he was a druid.

And not just any druid—a *High Druid*.

She even remembered his name.

*Randolph.*

Randolph.

In the desert tongue, it meant *Great Wolf*.

A name passed down since ancient times—so diluted by time that most no longer even knew its true meaning.

How could a human know such a name, let alone bear it?

One thing was certain: though human, he was not merely human.

The Randolph Auril had spoken of was truly an enigmatic being.

*The Master of Verdant. A figure so great that the Dragon God Einhassar personally descended to retrieve him. Strong enough to kill the Demon of Envy—and thus acknowledged by the God of War, Karas.*

An *inhuman*.

A transcendent who had cast aside the limits of humanity.

Never in her life had the Elf Queen heard of the Dragon God Einhassar personally seeking out someone.

Nor was that all.

After meeting Randolph, Einhassar reclaimed his dignity as a Dragon God.

The same was true for the God of War, Karas.

True to his name—

Like a *Great Wolf*.

Yet the Elf Queen had been unable to find Randolph.

The Dark Elves had begun their full-scale assault.

And Elder Arwen—who had learned of Randolph—was now missing, her life or death unknown.

Then, the second World Tree appeared.

A matter even more important than finding a druid.

That was why the Elf Queen herself had come.

And now, she was told a High Druid was here.

So she waited in silence.

Not just her—everyone gathered here did.

—Is he truly great enough to gather us all?

—All sacred star gaurdians have assembled. If he’s insignificant, we’ll crush him instantly.

—Just how honorable must he be?

They watched with unprecedented interest.

From the *Giant of Ruin* who guarded the Mother Star, to the *Ancient Phoenix* called the Mother of Fire, to the *Royal Guardian*, the Light’s Protector who had withdrawn from the world.

And the White King.

Those who had hidden themselves for ages emerged en masse.

Star Gaurdians whom even the Elf Queen could not easily approach!

That so many rulers of the holy domain—rather than darkness or the abyss—had gathered in one place was unprecedented in history.

*The owner of the second World Tree is human?*

…And yet.

The High Druid who finally appeared was once again human.

He wasn’t Randolph—

Then how could *all* High Druids be human?

“He is not a ‘High Druid,’ Elf Queen. He is the ‘Druid of the Golden Scale.’ The greatest of all druids—and the rightful master of the World Tree.”

The Druid High Chieftain, Albino, corrected her.

Not a druid. Not a High Druid.

But the *Druid of the Golden Scale*.

“‘Druid of the Golden Scale’…? Is that different from a High Druid?”

Even the Elf Queen had never heard of such a druid.

Albino nodded and explained.

“A ‘High Druid’ is the king of druids.”

“Then what is a Druid of the Golden Scale?”

“A god.”

“…A god?”

“The god of druids.”

Albino—and the other druids—stared at the human with flushed faces.

Which meant—

…Their god had descended here.

If one was a god, the shell mattered not—even if it bore human form.

All that remained was to kneel, revere, and worship.

And druids were a race that formed nature itself.

A god of nature was, by extension, also the god of the elves.

Even the Elf Queen dared not raise her head casually before a god of nature.

If Albino said so, it could not be false.

And yet—

She couldn’t accept it.

*The magnitude of his desire…*

…It was far too great.

Beyond imagination.

Elves possessed eyes that could see the *desire* of existence.

For nothing was more greedy and covetous than nature itself.

“T-that can’t be…”

At that moment, Auril’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Now powerful enough to rival a High Elf, Auril had been brought here solely for her strength.

Yet she trembled violently as she gazed at the Druid of the Golden Scale.

“What is it, Auril?” the Elf Queen asked.

Auril hurriedly shook her head.

“N-no. It’s nothing, Your Majesty.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. Please don’t concern yourself.”

Seeing her serious expression, the Elf Queen did not press further.

There were far more important matters than Auril at hand.

“Those who doubt our god are doubting us druids.”

Albino declared grimly.

Do not doubt.

At the same time—

“……”

“……”

Everyone fell silent.

No race wished to oppose druids, who laid the foundation of nature itself.

For no life could exist without nature.

Moreover, High Chieftain Albino was a *Legendary Druid*.

A monster who lost nothing even when compared to all gathered here.

Having survived since before the age of destruction, he was worthy of reverence.

“I’ve never heard of a dungeon existing within the World Tree. An explanation would be appreciated.”

After the silence—

The Giant of Ruin spoke, maintaining due courtesy.

After all, this was a god of another race; he thought it best not to offend.

…Naturally, they were curious.

Being told to suddenly enter a dungeon was strange.

I nodded and replied.

“It is a Primordial-grade dungeon.”

“…Hmm?”

“Primordial?!”

“What is ‘Primordial’?”

The reactions of those who knew and those who didn’t were worlds apart.

Those who knew trembled as they stared at me in shock.

“‘Primordial’ refers to the first.”

“Then a ‘Primordial-grade dungeon’ means the ‘first dungeon’?”

“Definitions of ‘first’ vary, so I won’t call it that outright. However, it is certain that the dungeon was born alongside the origin of the World Tree.”

“With the origin of the World Tree…!”

Only then did realization dawn, eyes widening across the crowd.

A dungeon that emerged together with the World Tree.

The World Tree appeared at the birth of the world itself—its origin defied description.

I shrugged and continued.

“The rewards will be unprecedented among all dungeons. Perhaps… you may even become the owner of this World Tree.”

“…!!!”

“…?!”

Shock rippled through the crowd.

The god of druids had directly stated that even other races could become the owner of the World Tree.

Naturally, Albino and the druids were flustered.

But this was to draw out their desire.

The Dungeon of Forgotten Honor.

Only the honorable may enter—meaning a battle where honor itself was at stake.

But I had no intention of making it an equal contest.

“The entry condition is honor alone—those I acknowledge. Among those gathered here, the six I call will form teams as leaders or captains, each accompanied by twelve others.”

I added—

Firmly engraving it into their minds.

That only *six* would earn my recognition.

Those not acknowledged by me were not even worthy of competing with me.

“And who are those six?” the Elf Queen asked.

Naturally, everyone desired the position of captain.

“First… the Giant of Ruin.”

I said with a faint smile.

“…Thank you for acknowledging me.”

The Giant of Ruin bowed his head.

When I had met him as Randolph, he had been unbearably arrogant.

Had I acknowledged him as Randolph, he would’ve scoffed.

It seemed qualifications mattered above all.

“……”

All eyes converged.

Of course.

To be named now meant standing on the same level as the Giant of Ruin.

How could they not be curious?

I slowly spoke.

“The White King.”

“…The Druid of the Golden Scale has a sharp eye.”

The White King stepped forward arrogantly.

As irritating as ever.

He’d nearly clashed with the Giant of Ruin while hunting the Dead King in Cramdel—had I not called him, his pride would’ve taken a hit.

That made two.

Four remained.

“Ancient Phoenix. What is your name?”

A monster I had never seen.

One that had never appeared before—an entity of the deep sea.

Yet all phoenixes revered it.

The problem was, no one knew its name.

Not Albino.

Not the druids.

Not even the World Tree.

That alone proved how sacred it was.

A name that could never be known unless it chose to reveal it.

—*Al Raum*. Druid of the Golden Scale, I ask that you do not speak my name to others.*

A voice echoed in my mind.

Al Raum.

I nodded.

It wished its name known only to me.

“Then we’ll move on.”

—*My thanks.*

“Next… Kasim, the Radiant Transcendent.”

Kasim was human.

Among humans acknowledged by the World Tree, he possessed the highest honor aside from Serengeti.

A legendary transcendent.

The one who single-handedly destroyed the Empire of Evil.

In the early days when continents floated in the sky—

He was the strongest of a chaotic era.

Legend said he vanished after the empire’s fall.

*I’d seen his name in quests before—but I never thought he’d still be alive.*

Kasim’s name was famous even among players.

That alone spoke to his legend.

The Giant of Ruin.

The White King.

Ancient Phoenix Al Raum.

Kasim, the Radiant Transcendent.

Only two seats remained.

—

*Rumble.*

The statue moved.

The Guardian of Light—
the Royal Guardian.

It was a colossal stone statue.

With twelve wings spread wide, it grasped a sword as large as its own body in both hands.

*‘A giant statue that exists at the place called the Entrance of the World. I never thought it could move.’*

The one who guards the Entrance of the World.

Also known as the King of the Gate, the Guardian of the Gate.

Of course, the “Entrance of the World” itself is a sealed dungeon that has never once been opened.

The barrier erected around that guardian made it impossible for anyone to enter.

Even I was seeing it move for the first time.

“The remaining seat is…….”

“Now, only one.”

Everyone’s attention sharpened further.

Only a single spot remained.

Naturally, among those left, the most likely candidate was the **Elf Queen**.

“…….”

The Elf Queen, too, was looking at me with restrained expectation.

With the Giant of Ruin and the White King having been called, she seemed convinced that she would, of course, be called as well.

And that would have been a fairly reasonable choice.

If I acknowledged the Elf Queen, I could earn her favor.

Winning the goodwill of the masters of the Sacred Domains was no easy feat.

Moreover, as the sovereign who ruled over all elves, it would be far easier to bring the other elves into line through her.

After all, the Elf Queen of all beings could hardly be expected to follow someone else.

I nodded and spoke the final remaining name aloud.

“**The Elf of the Laurel Tree, Auril.**”

“……?”

 

 

 

 

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