Chapter 143: Forty-First Floor, Relocate the World Tree (1)

After that, nothing particularly noteworthy occurred.

I accompanied Ha Hee-Jeong to the shop as planned, but nothing caught my eye. Instead, I spent my time sorting through the miscellaneous items stored in the mimic.

Two days passed in what felt like the blink of an eye, sparring with others or practicing airship navigation during the day, while the evenings were reserved for drinks and camaraderie.

Of course, amidst all this, Ha Hee-Jeong shared some insights about the upcoming group floor.

Having too much time isn’t always a blessing, though.

The extended break had left me feeling somewhat unguarded, although to what extent only became evident once I returned to the waiting room. Contrasting my earlier enthusiasm in the fortieth floor’s waiting room, I found myself lazing around instead of training.

I even found myself hoping the next rest area’s respite wouldn’t be as long.

While sparring with climbers did benefit me, combat training returned significantly greater gains.

Let me see... I already posted my explanation about choosing the neutral faction on the Community board. What else do I have to do again?

After ensuring I had grabbed all my equipment, I turned to Doppy. This pre-floor ritual had become second nature by now. Without needing any instruction, Doppy meticulously went over my gear and inspected every detail from head to toe.

Helmet, armor, belt, sword, shield...

Everything was accounted for.

When our eyes met, Doppy flashed a wide grin.

Originally, I had considered leaving Doppy behind at the rest area. However, after consuming the elixir and growing significantly, Doppy had become a surprisingly dependable companion.

All right, it was time to enter the forty-first floor.

About a minute later, the world shifted, and my vision inverted.

***

[Welcome to the forty-first floor of the Tower of Ordeal: Relocate the World Tree.]

[One year ago, the ents devised a plan to relocate the World Tree. However, due to unexpected interference, they were unable to execute it before the appointed time passed.]

[In response, the ents prayed to their god for assistance. Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s mission is to help the ents.]

[Obtain the World Tree’s Essence and deliver it to the ents. Time remaining: 23 hours 59 minutes.]

[Challenger Kwon Su-Hyeok’s patron deity owns this planet. Clearing this floor will grant a random skill level increase.]

The first thing that struck me was the fragrant aroma of grass wafting through the air. The forest was alive with the melodies of chirping birds and the subtle hum of insects, creating a vibrant natural symphony.

Instantly, I noticed a towering tree ahead of me, and for a second I thought that was the World Tree. That was until I registered the colossal pillar of wood piercing the sky, however. The sheer magnitude of the tree was awe-inspiring, as though hundreds of trees had fused together to form this singular giant. Its immense crown obscured a significant portion of the sky, casting a shadow over the land below.

Much like the first time I encountered a sky whale, the sight filled me with reverence.

Focus. This isn’t the time to get distracted.

Shaking off my awe, I read the message again.

Ents, the World Tree, interference...

This was shaping up to be another difficult individual challenge floor, and as expected, it deviated from Ha Hee-Jeong’s experiences from her previous life. This time it also appeared unrelated to the all-climber floors, though.

It didn’t seem like I would need the Lie Detector for this one, so I tucked it back into the mimic, just in case.

Wait, this world belongs to my sponsor?

I recalled something Ha Hee-Jeong had mentioned. On rare occasions, climbers would find themselves in worlds owned by their patron deity. When that happened, the tower typically provided the climber a significant advantage, such as extra rewards, enhanced stats, or some other benefit.

In my case, I would be granted a free level up on any of my skills.

Not bad.

I couldn’t help but hope the tower would level up Lightning Essence or Master of Shadows. Even if it boosted something less impactful, I wouldn’t complain as it was essentially a free bonus.

After scanning the notification again to ensure I hadn’t missed any hints that would lead to a hidden mission, I sighed, having found nothing.

The mission seemed straightforward: help the ents.

Ents, huh...

The name conjured images of tree-like beings in my mind. I vaguely recalled a movie in which massive, walking trees carried people. My curiosity stirred, but I couldn’t help but wonder if the situation with the elves would repeat itself.

What do they look like?

No, I couldn’t let my imagination run wild. The task at hand needed to take priority.

If something has interfered with the relocation of the World Tree, I just need to eliminate the source of the interference, right?

If only it could be that simple, though—this was an individual challenge floor, after all. Although based on the tower’s phrasing, it seemed like I only had to deal with one antagonist. A single, likely unordinarily strong, enemy.

Looks like my gut feeling was right.

Before entering the rest area, I had guessed that the next floor wouldn’t relate to the upcoming set of all-climber floors. Now, it seemed that my prediction had come true.

Although unease simmered within me, excitement began to rise at the prospect of battling a powerful opponent.

For now, I needed to locate the ents and hear their side of the story. In this dense forest, heading toward the World Tree seemed like a logical starting point.

Just as I began to move, something shifted among the trees ahead.

Huh?

At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, but soon I realized the trees were moving.

Wait, those are ents.

There were three of them, and though they weren’t as colossal as I had imagined, they still stood roughly two-and-a-half meters tall.

Waiting around would only waste my time, so I walked toward them, quickly coming within speaking distance.

They are so solid.

That was my first impression. They didn’t move sluggishly, but their actions were stiff, likely due to their wooden composition.

“A warrior... sent... by the Omniscient... Thunder Axe...!" one of them rumbled, its voice resonating like the depths of a cavern.

“Uh... yes, hello.”

“We are... honored... to meet you. We have awaited... your arrival... ever since the vision."

Their words were warm and welcoming, yet the slow cadence of their speech, combined with their flat expressions, gave them an otherworldly and slightly eerie presence. Perhaps it was simply their nature.

Living, moving trees...

They were the most fascinating species I had encountered so far. It felt like watching nature itself spring to life. As I observed them intently, one of the Ents made a low guttural sound, possibly a cough.

“

Eh... hem...

” It shuddered twice, and the leaves attached to it trembled in unison.

Oops. Did I stare for too long? That was probably rude.

I quickly averted my gaze and apologized, “Ah, sorry. It’s my first time seeing ents."

“It is... no trouble. Let us... proceed. We will... explain... the situation... as we walk."

“We’re heading toward the World Tree?"

“Yes. We are aware... that your time... is limited."

“Let’s go, then."

The three ents turned and began walking, and I fell in step behind them. Their root-like feet gently cradled the earth with every step, which I found fascinating.

One of them even carried a massive sword strapped to its side.

Do ents forge weapons? Wouldn’t they need fire to craft such things?

That seemed counterintuitive for beings made of wood.

Maybe they only use wood from dead trees or wood that has fallen?

I wasn’t certain, but interacting more with the ents would be the only way to find out. This was a different planet that likely had its own species, cultures, and customs. I couldn’t jump to conclusions based on the limited knowledge I had.

As my curiosity simmered, the ents began conversing among themselves in their slow, deliberate manner.

“Ilien... where... should we... begin... explaining?"

“Hmm... not... sure..."

“From... the start?"

“That... may be... best..."

“But... if we do... the story... will be... too long..."

“Even so... starting from... the beginning... seems better..."

Their discussion dragged on, and I started becoming frustrated. Whether their naturally sluggish demeanor or an innate indecisiveness was to blame, I couldn’t tell, but it was exasperating.

I decided interjecting directly would be my best option. After all, I simply had to remove whatever was interfering with their plan.

I interrupted Ilien. “Who is the one causing the interference?"

“Ah... the one... disrupting us... is... Ryun..."

Ryun? That name doesn’t ring a bell.

Ha Hee-Jeong had mentioned that the trials on the forty-first floor usually involved confronting formidable monsters. Judging by that, my task was likely no different, perhaps just scaled up in difficulty.

Maybe Ryun was some sort of beast I hadn’t heard of.

“Ryun? What kind of monster are they?"

“Uh...?"

Hearing the word “monster,” one of the ents turned toward me, bewildered.

What’s with that reaction? Does this mean Ryun isn’t a monster?

“

Warrior... Ryun is... one of us... an ent..."

“Ah..."

It dawned on me that my assumption could have overstepped a boundary. From the tower’s description and fantasy books I had read on Earth, I had imagined my opponent would be a dragon or some other fierce creature.

I cast a quick glance at their expressions, wondering if they had taken my comment personally. Though they didn’t seem offended by my mistake, I decided to shift the conversation to avoid lingering awkwardness.

“Why would another ent oppose the relocation of the World Tree?"

Even as I asked, a nagging suspicion crept into my mind.

Discord among the ents?

Clearly, there was a division of opinion.

Is the relocation problematic?

If a hidden mission did exist, perhaps following that train of thought would lead me to it. The floor’s challenge had only instructed me to deliver the World Tree’s Essence to the ents, not specifying which one.

Wait... that doesn’t entirely add up.

If even the collective ents couldn’t stop Ryun, then Ryun had to be exceptionally powerful. Moreover, if Ryun had wanted to acquire the World Tree’s Essence, he could have done so already.

The tower explicitly referred to Ryun as an “interference,” not a protector.

Although I couldn’t piece everything together yet, I pressed on, unwilling to waste time.

“Or is the relocation itself problematic?"

“That... is... not the case. The migration... of the World Tree... is necessary..."

Their drawn-out explanation tested my patience, but I held back, understanding that this was likely the fastest they could speak.

“The World Tree... absorbs nature’s energy... to grow. For a time... it brings life... to the surrounding... lands..."

The phrase “for a time” stood out to me. It suggested that something significant happened after a certain duration.

“When the energy... is depleted... the tree... requires a... new location. If the timing... is missed... it will drain... all life... from the surrounding area... leaving the land... barren... forever..."

Ah, now it made sense.

By relocating the World Tree periodically, life could be spread across various regions. Failing to adhere to this cycle would result in irreversible devastation.

Yet, my earlier question remained unanswered.

“Then why is Ryun, an ent, opposing the relocation?"

“That... we... don’t... know..."

That wasn’t the definitive answer I had hoped for. Perhaps they truly didn’t know or they chose not to reveal it. Regardless, I would have to find Ryun and learn more.

Well, that is if Ryun is willing to converse with me.

Though I doubted Ryun would be willing to explain everything, understanding Ryun’s strength would be essential in completing this floor.

“Hmm, but how powerful is Ryun? Surely one ent isn’t enough to overpower all of you, right?"

“Well... that’s..." The ent hesitated, glancing uneasily at its companions.

What’s this? Is there some unspoken reason they can’t answer?

“That’s because... Ryun is... a swordmaster..."