Eat The World Tree

Chapter 281: Third Trial

Chapter 281: Third Trial

The first contact with Flower was over.

That night, I didn’t do anything and went straight to bed.

There were many thoughts and emotions to sort through. When I realized that Guseul was part of Flower, I couldn’t count how many times I thought of quitting.

Once I had a bad impression, it was hard to change it.

‘Seyeong died because of Flower. So then…’

I wondered if joining Flower could prevent that future.

Then, what about Sansuyu’s future? What should I do about my master, Hwangdo, and Baekdo’s future? The more I thought about the future, the more it felt like my head would split.

-Knock, knock, knock.

A light knock echoed. After a moment, Taeyang entered the room.

“Yeah, what brings you here?”

“I just wanted to talk.”

Taeyang casually sat in the chair next to my bed, crossing his arms and closing his eyes.

I lay back down and stared blankly at the ceiling.

We both stayed silent for a long time, lost in thought, with my hands resting behind my head.

“Hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“Want me to tell you about the slums, from chapter 1 to chapter 9?”

“No need.”

“Tch.”

A brief silence followed.

“So, what are you going to do? About Flower?”

“I don’t know.”

“Personally, I don’t think joining would be a bad idea.”

That was an unexpected comment.

Up until now, Taeyang had left the choice entirely up to me, without expressing his opinion. Apart from suggesting we pick fruit from trees, I don’t remember him being this direct. ??????S?

“Is it because of Guseul?”

“No. Do you think I’m crazy? Just because I talked to that girl, do you think I would recommend joining? I’m saying this because I know your personality. Hyung, you’re too soft on women.”

“Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden?”

“It’s going to be a long conversation, so let’s explain bit by bit.”

I was not the type to be overly attached to people. But for some reason, I had a tendency to cling to the relationships I formed before returning to the past.

The reason… well, there were a few things.

During the painful training under Cheonma, the people who came to mind were those I had met.

Without them, my life wouldn’t have been guaranteed in the first place.

Taeyang knew a bit about my situation.

Just when I thought he might offer me some advice, he said,

“If there’s too much to handle, maybe it’s time to let go of a few things.”

“Is that so?”

“…What you’re doing might be a big offense to the women in your life.”

That could very well be the case.

“In order to utilize the power of the Tree Spirit King, you’ll need to seduce or forcibly bond with women. Do you think your lovers will be thrilled about that?”

“Probably not.”

“And what if you delay the decision?”

Then, I’d die.

“On the other hand, if you take a half-hearted approach, the lives of your lovers will be in danger.”

“So you’re saying to give it all up?”

All the relationships I had built so far. Honor. Money.

Give up everything, even my name and status, and go somewhere unknown where Seyeong, Jin Dallae, Sansuyu, and Cheondo wouldn’t know me.

“…It’s hard to decide.”

“Khehehe.”

Taeyang laughed at my hesitation.

“Stubborn hyung. Do you know why I entrusted the position of Tree Spirit King to you?”

“What’s the reason?”

“Ah, this will be a long story too. Let me cut to the point. Hmm, it’s because you have someone you can hold in your arms with that power, don’t you? Like Princess Shiba or Sansuyu.”

Taeyang muttered this without any care, almost cheerfully.

“But for me, they’re all long gone.”

Taeyang shrugged once.

His legs trembled as he crossed them. Over and over again. His lips turned blue, and his face was pale, like he could die any moment.

“Because I couldn’t be strong enough. Because I couldn’t choose my enemies.”

Taeyang spoke.

“Hyung.”

Quietly.

“I accepted you as king because, even if I gained power, there was nothing I wanted to achieve.”

It was an honest statement.

In that moment, the suspicion that Taeyang might have some ulterior motive vanished completely.

“Don’t live foolishly like me.”

He was the one who inherited the power of the Tree Spirit King.

Perhaps, just like me, this guy had his own complicated history with the World Tree and Flower.

His voice carried a sincerity that was hard to find these days.

Listening to Taeyang’s words, thick with regret, I couldn’t muster a reply.

The third trial was a class concept I was fairly familiar with.

Mentor. Mentee.

I vividly remembered the first time I met Baekdo, when we argued about whether the peach was hard or soft.

[Ziiing, ziiing]

The camera artifacts appeared again, floating in the air. By now, I was used to them, so when my mask appeared on the lens, I nodded slightly in greeting.

The number of participants had significantly decreased. After a few more trials, the Forester Selection Competition would be over.

It felt like just a little over a month had passed, but the competition was progressing quickly.

‘Maybe it’s to prevent Flower from having any time to prepare.’

I snapped out of my thoughts and stared ahead.

In front of me, a line of A and S-rank hunters, as numerous as the participants, stood before the Pope.

“You are young blood, just now beginning to bloom with talent.”

A long speech followed. The surrounding hunters slightly bowed their heads at the Pope’s words.

“And these heroes before you. They, too, were once prodigies like you, participating in the selection long ago.”

The hunters who had previously participated in the Forester Selection chuckled at his words.

They, too, had once sought guidance from more experienced hunters.

“Teachings are passed down. Whether it’s great magic, swordsmanship, the wisdom of life, or the blessing of the World Tree.”

With those words, the Pope descended from the platform.

“As previous Foresters have done, the young Foresters will also experience more. Now, it is time for that power to be passed on.”

Hunters, heroes, and other powerful figures began to step down from their positions.

The selection of mentors was entirely free.

The mentors, having observed the first and second trials, would select mentees based on whether they could provide valuable guidance or advice.

Once the mentors made their choices, it was then the mentees’ turn.

If a mentee believed they could benefit from a mentor’s teachings and trials, they would accept, completing the third trial.

There was no need to worry about not being chosen.

Just being here proved one’s talent.

“Anyway.”

I opened the guide I had received and checked the names of the hunters.

Some were familiar, while others I recognized from articles on the internet due to my recent extensive browsing.

There were national representatives who frequently appeared as guests on variety shows, famous hunters, and hunters renowned for their skill in guilds.

“…Why are there so many S-ranks?”

There were many A-ranks as well, but I counted over forty S-ranks alone.

Not counting the Tree Spirit King and Cheonma, just how many were there?

Considering the number of hunters in Korea alone, it wasn’t surprising that so many had gathered from around the world.

It was, after all, a global competition, and the level of participants was staggering.

[Flap, flap]

As I flipped through the pages, memorizing names, someone tugged hard at my sleeve.

“Hey.”

A familiar, snappy voice.

When I turned, there stood a short figure, grinning mischievously. It was Champi.

“Why are you here?”

“Why the hell shouldn’t I be here?”

“I thought you hated these kinds of competitions.”

Flipping through a few more pages, I found Champi’s photo, flashing a peace sign.

Next to it was Elena, someone she didn’t get along with.

“There are a lot of S-ranks, huh? They’ve been churning them out lately.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Since ’98, the colors of hunter licenses have gradually brightened. But the real skilled ones are the ones from before that.”

“Why is ’98 the standard?”

I asked, confused by Champi’s comment. She smirked and showed me her hunter license.

It was mostly black with a tinge of purple, issued in 1998.

I guess it was just because she was from ’98.

“So, will you be my mentor?”

“Are you nuts? What would I even teach you? If it were Sansuyu, maybe.”

I had a feeling it would be a no.

Champi crossed her arms at her waist and snorted.

I wondered what kind of growth period would lead to her childlike body.

That thought crossed my mind, but I decided not to say it out loud.

“…Besides, you already have someone. So does Sansuyu.”

“Someone?”

“You’ll find out soon enough. Ah, she’s coming now. Look over there.”

Champi pointed to the right.

As I followed her gaze, I heard the sound of heels clicking.

Clack.

A woman was walking toward us.

Her attire was entirely different from everyone else around her.

A long dress that hid her white shoes, and a black butterfly insignia.

A wide-brimmed, white hat large enough to cover her face, reminiscent of a witch’s hat.

Her clothing was like something out of early modern Europe.

It was strange, yet enchanting. Even though she stood among other mentors and mentees dressed in modern attire, she didn’t seem out of place. She wore it that well.

I had felt a similar aura from Baekdo once.

The woman walked slowly toward us.

Her pace was relaxed, taking each step deliberately.

“Well, I’m off.”

“Wait, who is she?”

“You don’t know?”

Should I?

The only person I know who would dress like that is Aori, who’s obsessed with cosplay.

Champi gave me a bored look before pointing at the woman again.

“The Sage.”

The Sage. The Tree of Sephirot.

The protector of the World Tree of Knowledge.

The woman Champi pointed to stopped, her hand raised to hold her hat against the breeze.

As the brim lifted slightly, her face came into view.

Her silver hair was tied in a half-up style, and she wore a gentle smile that reminded me of a duchess.

As soon as our eyes met, she smiled softly.

“Hello, Lee Shiheon, participant.”

She was quite tall, unlike other women who had to look up at me.

She wasn’t taller than me, but if she stood on her toes, we’d be eye to eye.

The Sage of Sephirot. I had heard of her before.

Although I had never seen her appearance, I recognized the name.

“Is there a mentor spot available?”

“…Ah, yes.”

I was so mesmerized by her appearance that I blanked out for a moment.

The Sage smiled gently at my response, completely ignoring Champi standing behind me, and narrowed her eyes.

“Since you’re a magician, Lee Shiheon, I’d like to mentor you. What do you think? Would you like to hear what the other mentors have to say first?”

Her words made it seem like this was my only chance.

Her voice was kind, but listening to it gave me chills.

The Sage.

The greatest magician, scholar, and intellectual in the world.

When people were asked to name the strongest person, opinions varied, but when it came to the greatest magician, everyone agreed on one name.

There was no need to elaborate.

The spatial magic I was using right now was also her creation.

Everything, from the theory to the manifestation, was pioneered by the Sage.

I simply followed her lead.

There was only one possible answer in this situation.

“…Let’s go, Mentor.”

I didn’t know what the Sage had in mind, but her name carried as much weight as Cheonma’s in the modern world.

There was no way I could turn this down.