Chapter 131: Earth's World Tree (1)
A post titled "I've received a blessing from the World Tree" was uploaded onto a community forum site that Hunters often used to share information.
The DG Guild had recently revealed the power of the World Tree on their MeTube channel, drawing widespread attention. So when a new post appeared, every Hunter who saw it clicked without hesitation, eager to find out more.
I'm just here to state the facts. I got to witness it thanks to a reporter I know who received an invite from That Crazy Bastard (Kim Ki-Rok) to attend the press conference.
And wow! He really had a lot to say.
In any case, while attending the press conference, I took tons of photos and videos of various Guildmasters.
Of course, I made sure to get pictures of Ji-Hee too. Now I get why they call her The Smiling Angel.
During the press conference, That Crazy Bastard explained the different types of blessings the World Tree could bestow. So the moment it ended, I went searching for it. Behind the main guild headquarters, there's an empty lot that looks like it used to be a Jokgu court or something. That's where I found a small tree growing. I walked over for a closer look and, just like That Crazy Bastard said, it gave me its blessing. (I almost screamed.)
But when I saw Ji-Hee walking toward me while singing Fairy Flower's debut song, I panicked and ran.
Anyway, the World Tree really did bless me. And here's what the hologram said:
[You have received the World Tree's blessing. For the next thirty days, your experience gains will increase by 5%.]
[You have received the World Tree's blessing. For the next thirty days, your stats are increased by +2.]
[You have received the World Tree's blessing. For the next thirty days, your elemental resistance has been enhanced.]
I'm not a monster, nor do I possess any mana from the Demon Realm, so I didn't see any holograms about the World Tree weakening monsters or those with Demon Realm mana. The same goes for the World Tree's rumored fifth power. I couldn't confirm the hologram related to the talent awakening blessing, and it seems I don't have the talent to become an Elementalist.
According to That Crazy Bastard, as time passes and the World Tree grows, the effects of its blessings will also grow stronger. We'll just have to wait and see how much stronger they can become.
Finally, I'm sure many of you are curious about the new permanent Gate, so you can find the Appraisal details below.
[Northern Border City of the Continental Alliance]
Difficulty: None
Restrictions: Level 80 and above
Rewards: None
The forum post documented everything, both the Gate and the World Tree's blessings, as verified by the Appraisal system.
The number of views exploded, since even Hunters from overseas were clicking on the post like they were possessed. Thanks to MeTube's status as a global platform and its basic translation subtitles, foreign Hunters had no problem watching the DG Guild's videos themselves.
Just an hour later, dozens of new posts appeared from Seoul-based Hunters confirming the previous information, each of them having received the World Tree's blessings firsthand.
Plane tickets to Incheon International Airport sold out instantly, and even flights to Jeju and Gimhae were quickly snapped up by overseas Hunters desperate to enter Korea. Meanwhile, highways were as jammed as during major holidays, packed with Hunters heading to Seoul.
Whether they were arriving from abroad or traveling from different parts of Korea, all of these Hunters had a single goal. Everyone wanted to receive those blessings.
***
Kim Ki-Rok stroked the cat in his lap as he sat in a large, high-backed office chair.
"He's at it again..."
At this dumbfounded remark from Yoo Seh-Eun, all the Hunters visiting their Guildmaster's office burst into muffled laughter.
Kim Ki-Rok's cold voice cut through the noise. "Everyone..."
"What is it?" Yoo Seh-Eun asked impatiently.
Kim Ki-Rok frowned. "Hmmm... it seems the DG Guild's discipline has been getting increasingly lax these days."
"It's always been like this," Yoo Seh-Eun replied with a shrug.
"Ah. That's true. This is how it usually is," Kim Ki-Rok admitted with a nod as he resumed stroking his cat. "Everyone..."
Yoo Seh-Eun let out an exasperated sigh. "What is it this time?"
"You've all had plenty of rest, haven't you?"
"So now you want us to get back to work?"
"That's right."
The DG Guild members typically followed Kim Ki-Rok's recommendations on which Gates to target. The Gates he selected were always just a little too difficult and exhausting, but precisely because of that, they had all grown rapidly.
"Where are we starting? The Northern Border City?" Yoo Seh-Eun asked.
Kim Ki-Rok shook his head. "No. The only reason we were able to operate there before was thanks to our superior equipment and the buffs from our food."
And even with their equipment enhancing all their stats, every battle there had been a matter of life and death.
No matter how much the DG Guild "sought out" adversity, that place had not been efficient for leveling up.
"As a result of discussions between the government, the Hunters Association, and the guilds that participated in the Gate's clear, we restricted entry to Hunters Level 80 and above," Kim Ki-Rok explained.
Those who had chosen to create a permanent Gate as part of their clear rewards had received administrator authority, allowing them to impose such entry restrictions.
"Still, since we're part of the DG Guild, we can enter whenever we want, right?" Yoo Seh-Eun confirmed.
"That's right. We do hold administrator authority, but try to abide by the restrictions as best you can," Kim Ki-Rok advised. "Now then, back to the main topic. As thanks for inviting them on our expedition to the Yuashiel Dimension, the Shine Guild, Golden Lion Guild, and Baekdusan Guild have transferred some of the Gates they were responsible for guarding over to us. Naturally, they've also handed over their raid permits."
Yoo Seh-Eun reached out to pick up one of the reports lying on the table.
"There are also a few Gates here from the government and the Association," Yoo Seh-Eun noted.
"Yes. They've sent us several Gates they'd like us to raid," Kim Ki-Rok confirmed.
"Hm..."
After reading through the report, Yoo Seh-Eun saw that all the Gates they had received matched the average level of the DG Guild.
"And one more thing," Kim Ki-Rok added.
The Hunters, who had been scanning their own copies of the report and choosing which Gates to raid, turned their attention back to him.
"If you go to the café on the first floor, you'll find something interesting," Kim Ki-Rok said with a smile.
"Is it something weird?" Yoo Seh-Eun asked suspiciously.
"It's something interesting," he repeated.
"And like I said, I want to know if it's something weird," Yoo Seh-Eun insisted, clearly growing impatient.
Everything Kim Ki-Rok did seemed that way. Though his ideas were often interesting and effective, they were also, at their core, undeniably strange.
"So what are you trying to get us to do this time?" she asked, steering the conversation back to the point.
Kim Ki-Rok cleared his throat. "Ahem! Now then, where should I begin? Upon resurrecting the World Tree, the monsters—"
"Guildmaster." Yoo Seh-Eun suddenly cut him off.
"Yes, Miss Seh-Eun."
"It sounds like it's going to be another long explanation. In that case, we'll skip the briefing. We'll just go down and take a look ourselves."
Yoo Seh-Eun rose from her seat, still holding the Gate report in her hand. The other Hunters, summoned to the Guildmaster's office by Kim Ki-Rok, followed suit. They all hurried out as if trying to escape before they got roped into another one of his famously long-winded explanations.
Left alone in the now-quiet Guildmaster's office, Kim Ki-Rok stared forlornly out the window. But that look of melancholy didn't last long.
"Well, I guess that's just the way the world works." Kim Ki-Rok chuckled softly, rising from his seat.
A sudden, sharp hiss drew his attention down to the cat who had been abruptly dropped from his lap. It had been lazily dozing, eyes half-lidded, until it was unceremoniously dumped onto the floor. With a flash of fangs, it let out a sharp cry of protest.
"Ah, my bad," Kim Ki-Rok quickly apologized.
Hissss!
"I said I was sorry."
Hissss!
"I'll buy you a snack from the convenience store."
"Meeeeow."
Kim Ki-Rok blinked in disbelief as the cat immediately began rubbing its head against his leg, as if it had never been angry in the first place.
"You..."
"Nyaaaa?
""After absorbing that tree's mana, you've kinda changed, haven't you?"
The World Tree had bestowed its blessings on all living beings within its domain. Naturally, that included the cat, which was once just a stray sheltering behind the warehouse.
It pawed at Kim Ki-Rok's leg, as if impatiently asking what was taking so long.
Before long, Kim Ki-Rok left the Guildmaster's office with the cat cradled in his arms.
***
Kim Ki-Rok had said they would see something interesting downstairs.
"Well, it does seem kinda interesting," Yoo Seh-Eun admitted.
An unusual bulletin board stood against one wall of the coffee shop, posting requests that seemed straight out of a fantasy novel.
[White Bear Corpse]
Client: The elf, Henia
Description: The elven tailor Henia is seeking the corpse of a White Bear
Reward: Henia's Leather Armor (C)
[Relic Recovery]
Client: Aians Empire
Description: The Aians Empire is looking to recover relics from their soldiers who died in the war
Reward: E-Class Mana Stone
"To think we'd even have quests..." Yoo Seh-Eun muttered.
"After hearing that we Heroes—well, Hunters—could return to their continent through these portals called Gates, Sir Pilarin suggested the idea to our Guildmaster," Lee Ji-Yeon explained, having already been briefed by Kim Ki-Rok.
Since Hunters were now able to access areas that had once been controlled by the Black Kingdom through the Gates, cooperating with the Continental Alliance to recover items lost during the war was a practical and worthwhile possibility.
The only issue was that some of the requests on the board were... a bit odd.
[Game Package]
Client: The elf, Jeya
Description: The elven warrior Jeya is searching for a console game package
Additional Information: Preferably JRPGs
Reward: Jeya's Bow (C)
[Latest Dramas]
Client: The human, Renee
Description: Renee of the Temple Alliance wants copies of the latest Korean dramas
Additional Information: Prefers melodramas
Reward: Consumable Artifact infused with Divine Power (C)
There were quite a few requests involving the procurement of Earth-made products. One client's name, in particular, stood out.
"That name sounds really familiar..." Yoo Seh-Eun muttered in disbelief.
A request from someone named Renee, affiliated with the Temple Alliance—there was only one person that could be.
"Oh my... even the Saint's getting involved in this?"
Publicly, the Saint's image fit her title perfectly. She was graceful and composed. But once her duties ended for the day, she turned into a completely ordinary high school girl who loved watching dramas.
Perhaps, this was the prime example of healthy work-life balance.
After staring blankly at the quest board for a few moments, Yoo Seh-Eun pulled down the slip for the White Bear Corpse request. At the same time, Lee Ji-Yeon reached up and pulled the request form for Saint Renee's quest.
Yoo Seh-Eun turned to her in surprise. "Seriously, Ji-Yeon?"
"No, I mean... It's still a quest, okay?" Lee Ji-Yeon replied, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
***
[You have received the World Tree's blessing. For the next thirty days, your experience gain is increased by 5%.]
[You have received the World Tree's blessing. For the next thirty days, your stats are raised by +2.]
[You have received the World Tree's blessing. For the next thirty days, your Elemental resistance is increased.]
Ji Seok-Hyun, Guildmaster of the Phoenix Guild, had gone straight to the World Tree upon arriving at the DG Guild's headquarters. Like the Shine Guild, they were an A-Class guild based in Seoul, so the distance hadn't been far.
He scanned the hologram that appeared before him and smacked his lips in envy. "So, what were the Shine Guild's blessings again?"
One of his guild members responded, "They said their experience gain increased by 7%, and their stats were boosted by 3 points."
It was only a 2% difference in experience gain, and just a one-point gap in stats. However, Kim Ki-Rok had said that as the World Tree grew, its blessings would also grow stronger. That meant the gap would only widen over time.
What a shame, Ji Seok-Hyun thought.
If only he had been able to participate in the Gate raid. The more he dwelled on it, the harder it became to shake the regret.
"Haaaah... I'm sure there'll be another chance in the future," Ji Seok-Hyun muttered, turning away from the World Tree to attend his meeting with Guildmaster Kim Ki-Rok.
Just as he was about to leave, he instinctively stopped in his tracks. A young girl had suddenly stepped out of the DG Guild's headquarters through the back door, directly in front of him.
Kim Ji-Hee, startled by his towering presence, looked up and murmured, "Tall..."
Ji Seok-Hyun, standing 195 centimeters tall and weighing 113 kilograms, looked down and murmured, "She really is cute."
"Uwaaah!" Kim Ji-Hee exclaimed. "You're even bigger than Uncle Baek-San!"
She clutched a water bottle in one hand and a stuffed rabbit in the other, a plush that had practically become her trademark.
"Ah, hello?" Ji Seok-Hyun greeted her awkwardly.
"Hello." Kim Ji-Hee returned the greeting, placing both hands on her stomach and bowing at the waist.
Seeing such a cute child act so politely, the members of the Phoenix Guild couldn't help but gaze at her with warmth in their eyes.
Ji Seok-Hyun cleared his throat. "You're Ji-Hee, right?"
"Yeees," she replied.
"We're actually here to see your Guildmaster."
"Mister?"
"That's right. If you're not busy, could I ask you to lead us to him?"
"Ah, yes!" Kim Ji-Hee excitedly accepted the quest.
This meant she got to walk around with this giant.
"Please hold on one moment!" she called out, then ran over to the World Tree and poured the water from her bottle onto its roots. "Waltee, your unni will be back soon."
The World Tree's branches began to sway energetically, despite the absence of wind.
The members of the Phoenix Guild stared in surprise as the massive branches swayed left to right, almost as if the tree were actually waving goodbye.
Ji Seok-Hyun blinked in shock. "What the—it's alive?! No, sentient?"
They watched astonished as the World Tree responded to her.
Unbothered by the stunned crowd behind her, Kim Ji-Hee finished watering the tree and ran back. She was still holding her water bottle, and its loose cap was now dripping.
Kim Ji-Hee looked up at Ji Seok-Hyun with a beaming smile. "Mr. Giant!"
"Ah, rather than mister, I would actually prefer it if you just called me uncle," Ji Seok-Hyun admitted.
"Uncle Giant?"
"That's right. Uncle Giant."
"Mm! Alright! Uncle Giant!"
With a cheerful skip in her step, Kim Ji-Hee began leading the way.