Chapter 395 (1/2)
“Sorry?”
The Tree’s mom? Why was its mom suddenly being brought up in this conversation?
If such a thing was to be mentioned, then it should’ve been done so much sooner. Besides all that, though, a World Tree’s mother, was it? Su-hyeun couldn’t wrap his head around the current flow of their conversation at all.
His thoughts instantly became too complicated.
It was at that moment that Sun Wukong began guffawing at Su-hyeun’s dazed expression. “Fuu…fuu-hahahaht! You’re definitely my little bro, that’s for sure! The exact same reaction as mine, eh?”
“Excuse me, everyone will react the same as he did when they found themselves in the same situation, you know?” Luslec retorted.
Judging from Sun Wukong’s and Luslec’s reactions, they seemed to have been informed of what was going on while Su-hyeun was unconscious.
And just as Su-hyeun remained sitting there in a daze for a little while…
Chwa-ruk, chwa-rururu…
The floor rose, and a small tree grew from there. This tree’s vines twisted and coiled around to eventually morph into a silhouette of a person.
Sun Wukong stopped his snickering immediately. Even Luslec sucked in his breath and watched this scene unfold.
If it was only Luslec, then it would have been understandable, but even Sun Wukong, too? That made Su-hyeun also suck in his breath.
The tree that was rising up finished forming the silhouette, and then, “flesh” materialized above the brown tree before being covered up in a human-like skin.
It had turned into an actual person. Whether it was a woman or a man, it was hard to tell from its outer appearance alone. At a glance, it seemed like a handsome woman or a beautiful man—the most beautiful woman or man ever in history.
The figure that was giving off an androgynous feeling opened its eyes and stared at Su-hyeun.
Even though Su-hyeun saw a lone individual, he was sensing an indescribably vast universe spanning behind the figure. He could instinctively tell.
Gulp…
Su-hyeun was unable to remain sitting anymore and stood on his feet. “Are you…the World Tree?” he asked.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” it smiled pleasantly but did not say no to the question.
But the stupefying and vast presence emanating from the rather small figure was more than enough for Su-hyeun to confirm that, indeed, this individual was the real World Tree.
Gulp…
A sense of nervousness completely swallowed him up by now but not because he was scared or anything like that.
It was more like nervousness born out of facing a gigantic “world” that he had never encountered before. “Ah, y—yes. It’s a…pleasure to meet you, too.”
“Please don’t be too nervous. I have no plan to harm you, nor do I possess the means to do so. I merely wished to meet the person who protected my seed. That was all.”
“When you say your seed…”
“I meant this child.” The World Tree looked around their surroundings. They were currently inside the false World Tree’s trunk.
The “child” referred to in this case was rather obvious—a World Tree smaller than the actual one.
“But wasn’t this the fal—?”
Just before Su-hyeun could finish asking if this wasn’t the false World Tree, he stopped himself and smiled awkwardly.
Without a doubt, the real World Tree before him referred to the so-called “false” Tree as its child, so he couldn’t help but wonder if he was stepping out of line by asking whether it was really a “false” Tree or not.
“Yes, it is indeed a false Tree. There’s no need to be so jittery. For sure, this child is unlike the other World Trees, as it has been ‘manufactured,’ you see.”
“Manufactured…?”
Su-hyeun didn’t know anything about the World Tree, so he couldn’t quite understand what the tree meant by that.
He knew that the “false” World Tree he was standing inside, as well as the realm this tree had created, was actually a world created by a god of some kind. At least that’s what he heard.
However, the thing was, not even Luslec knew a lot about World Trees in the first place.
Was a World Tree “manufactured” or born naturally? Su-hyeun didn’t even know something as elemental as that, so he would never get to fully understand what the World Tree was telling him right now.
“It is not necessary to learn the process of how this child came to be, but what is important right now is the fact that you saved this child.”
“I—I see.”
“Yes, you’ve answered my request most excellently.”
Su-hyeun became puzzled when he heard the World Tree. Answered its request? When did the World Tree even request him?
Su-hyeun, standing there with a puzzled face for a little while, soon opened his eyes wide and suddenly asked, “Could it be that the system we have been hearing in this world was…?”
“Yes, I’m the one who created it. I’m unable to directly interfere in the matters of this world, you see.” While saying that, the World Tree swept its gaze over its arm. “Other than creating a small body like this one.”
“…”
“That’s why I’ve been waiting for individuals such as yourselves. I feared that it was getting too late, but thankfully, you have come at the right time.” The World Tree bowed its head toward Su-hyeun.
He hurriedly bowed in reply as well, as did Luslec.
Only Sun Wukong stood tall, merely lightly nodding. It seemed that he was still uncomfortable with bowing his head to someone.
“As such, I must bestow you with your reward. After all, I did make a promise.”
“A reward, you say?”
If the World Tree was indeed the creator of the system of this world, according to the information regarding this world, then the final reward should be an elixir of some kind.
And that elixir was the source of energy that composed this world. In other words, it meant the false World Tree itself.
“If I could, I’d have given the reward to all three of you, but that’s not possible…So, I shall give it to the person who has played the most active role.”
“I don’t need it, actually. I’m only tagging along to hand that reward over to Mister Su-hyeun in the first place, you see.”
“I also don’t need it. I’ve already eaten way too many elixirs by now.”
Both Luslec and Sun Wukong expressed their refusal.
The World Tree smiled faintly at the two men quickly refusing the heavenly elixir. It then addressed Sun Wukong, “But this elixir is rather different from the ones you’ve already consumed. The Peach of Immortality is indeed an excellent elixir worthy of being called the fruit of the gods, but even the gods are tempted by my elixir, you know?”
Creak, gugugu…
As the World Tree continued to speak, another tree rose from the floor. This small tree quickly began sprouting some leaves, and soon, a small seed appeared on one of the leaves.
“This is a seed of the next World Tree.”
“Sorry?”