Eat The World Tree

Lush forests of indulgence.

No, perhaps it was more fitting to call it a bird-filled forest of indulgence.

Two people who came early in the morning stared at me, dumbfounded.

[The white hair. I’ll pluck it out for you.]

[Luci, don’t cling so much.]

[Oh, Princess, really.]

Another bird joined us.

And it was surprisingly obedient, at that.

“Oh my.”

The Sage, who thought they’d seen it all in life, couldn’t hide their surprise.

[…Pat me. Please? Quickly. I’m about to go crazy.]

The woodpecker climbed onto my shoulder and nuzzled its face against me, pecking my neck gently with its beak.

It even hugged my neck with its short but soft wings.

[Master~]

“Uh, Master?”

Maronnie looked at me in shock, startled by the woodpecker’s choice of title.

It was rare to establish a master-servant relationship with a spirit.

Unlike Earth, where humans and tree people coexisted, the hidden world was ruled by a single species. Spirits, beings of magical energy, were more sensitive and authoritative than the World Tree itself.

“It’s not possible for a spirit conjurer to have that kind of relationship with a spirit. If anything, the spirit would be the master. It’s not even a beginner spirit…”

“I didn’t plan for it to turn out like this either.”

The contract itself was easy.

But the woodpecker, accustomed to being treated like royalty, still behaved petulantly.

I had no choice but to add a bit of… taming to the contract.

Leisurely, all through the dawn.

“Here.”

When I extended a finger toward my shoulder, the woodpecker tapped its head against it.

It’s the bird’s way of showing affection.

[Ah…]

The woodpecker, busy plucking out white hairs from my head, suddenly stopped.

“You want some too?”

[…Yes, Master.]

There she was. The one guarding the spirits in their realm.

I knew her name as Luci.

“Are you jealous of the princess you’re supposed to be protecting?”

[I apologize… but it’s your fault, Master.]

“Here.”

[…Sigh.]

When I held out my hand, the woodpecker hesitated for a long time before finally nestling in my palm.

It’s a creature that enjoys being held tightly, to the point of mild discomfort.

“My goodness.”

“Is it really that surprising?”

“…Even a famous spirit conjurer couldn’t manage this.”

Maronnie was beyond shocked, practically rejecting reality.

“I didn’t think your spirit affinity was that high. Sage, if it’s not too much trouble, could you explain how this is possible?”

Maronnie asked the Sage, who placed a hand on her cheek, lost in thought.

Was this situation unprecedented even for her?

“It is the high spirit of Arcadia, after all… Hm. With Shiheon’s magical constitution, it’s plausible. Astonishing. I’ve learned something new.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Shiheon’s magical essence is unique. No, I’d even say it’s one of a kind.”

Maronnie didn’t understand a word.

It was a story only we knew.

“…It’s not just the power. Originally, this body lacked magic. After undergoing multiple transformations and experiencing something akin to awakening…”

The Sage extended her hand toward the two spirits.

Naturally, my spirits had zero interest in the Sage’s hand.

[What is that? Go away!]

“Woodpecker.”

[Yes, yes, Master?]

“Speak more politely.”

[…Understood.]

It drooped its head in dismay.

From the conversation around me, I gathered the gist.

Just as certain people resonated with the World Tree, some resonated with spirits.

That resonance was spirit sensitivity—a sense of being able to see and interact with worlds unseen by others from a young age.

I was told that’s the basic foundation for spirit conjurers.

Elata, an S-grade hunter, was reputed to have befriended hundreds of spirits.

‘Magic serves a similar purpose to spirit sensitivity.’

As beings of magic, spirits were naturally attracted to it.

I knew this from speaking with the woodpecker and its friend several times.

…Although it was a bit odd to hear them make strange sounds now and then…

It was a testament to how unique my magical power was.

My magical energy was forcibly awakened after being pulled from another world.

Naturally, its constitution was different from that of other hunters in this world.

On top of that, I inherited the power of the Tree Spirit King and the techniques of Cheonma.

To the spirits, it was a magic they could never experience even in several centuries.

“Well. It’s a good result, isn’t it? Everything’s moving along smoothly.”

The Sage even used a Korean idiom to speak to me.

It was a bit surprising to hear Korean, but there was no way this person wouldn’t know another language.

I nodded once.

“Maronnie, I’ll teach you slowly.”

“Thank you. I really can’t understand it.”

Of course, I’d explain, but I’d keep certain things hidden. She gave me a knowing glance.

We’d been around each other long enough that I could pick up on her expressions and intentions.

Of course, she was sharp and smart, but…

She was a bit cute when she’s flustered.

‘…If everything she shows me is an act, that would be scary.’

Still, thanks to her, I managed to contract two spirits.

Between the spirit stones and other matters, I certainly owed her a lot.

‘One more step.’

Cheonma’s magic.

The phrase itself may be contradictory, but didn’t it get your heart racing?

The birth of an unprecedented magic was almost here.

-Caw.

-Caaaw~

The help of these two spirits was essential for that process.

I stroked the woodpecker.

Honestly, I had always preferred pets to people who might betray me someday.

They were better than trees, anyway.

Ah.

Except for Shiba, of course.

Could one believe there existed a princess and a knight spirit subdued by a lowly human?

Seduced by his touch, they had become captives of the man.

[Aaaaah!]

But, to my eyes, they were just birds.

As the World Tree submitted to the Tree Spirit King, spirits could also be subdued.

Eleonore.

The sparrow’s tiny legs, with its white belly exposed to me, tightened and loosened.

[Master… Master….]

“Alright, I get it. Understand?”

[Of course I understand….]

Apart from its slightly clingy reaction…

The two spirits were powerful and held high ranks.

The spirits summoned and contracted by beginner spirit conjurers were, at best, basic-level spirits that couldn’t handle much magic.

I had heard that they could barely cast a fireball. In that case, it was better to just become a magician than to contract with such spirits.

In contrast, these two had their own unique magic.

The woodpecker could create a bright yellow sword in midair.

The woodpecker had its own royal secret technique, too.

Of course, since they hadn’t been officially evaluated or showcased, their ranks were uncertain.

But I had fought them enough to know they were skilled.

“Watch carefully.”

I spread my fingers and release a bit of dark energy directly.

It was pure dark energy itself, no magic mixed with it.

A dangerous power that could explode the entire training ground if I lost focus, even for a moment.

If it went out of control, I wouldn’t escape unscathed.

Moreover, dark energy was so disruptive to one’s essence that even the power of healing can’t easily restore it.

It required a steady infusion of healing power over a long period to finally return to normal.

On the bright side, this had greatly boosted my healing abilities.

‘Once Sansuyu’s treatment is complete, I’ll have to intentionally wound myself with dark energy to continue practicing healing.’

Healing power had been my driving force, allowing me to contend with S-grade hunters.

Others might avoid taking severe injuries, but I took risks without hesitation, knowing I could heal.

Unless I used the Black Path, my power output was similar to or slightly higher than other S-grades.

That’s why I was able to overwhelm them.

Not tiring, unaffected by conditions, and able to continue fighting even if I lost a limb—

This ability has proven more valuable than any other.

It was worth the pain it took to develop it.

Now, back to the main point.

“I’m planning to mix dark energy with magic to cast spells.”

I addressed the two adorable birds perched on the desk.

“Can you do it?”

A tiny black dragon crawled along my finger.

-Caw.

After a moment, the woodpecker cautiously spoke.

[…I don’t think I can do this alone, Master.]

“Really? What about you, Woodpecker?”

[Woodpecker… Could you please call me Luci instead…? Ah, never mind. Is this the power you call magi? It’s my first time seeing it, but it seems quite difficult.]

I figured as much.

Even spirits, the highest experts in magic handling, were daunted by its difficulty.

When I almost gave up trying to do it on my own, it wasn’t just empty talk.

[But, if there are two of us, as the Princess mentioned… it doesn’t seem impossible.]

“It’s not just about mixing. You know that, right?”

[You mean focusing on efficiency. We may need some trial and error. It looks like it’ll take at least two days… Master.]

Maybe it was because of her military background…

But I appreciated how clear and decisive Luci’s speech was.

I liked that she didn’t hesitate in her words.

“Good. Luci, I like how you communicate.”

[You… like me? That’s… beyond me. Hehe.]

The woodpecker raised her wings slightly, hiding her beak.

The princess, watching Luci, chirped urgently.

[I-I can do it!]

[P-Princess?]

[I’ll do it alone. I am the third princess of Arcadia. I can handle it by myself….]

[Princess, this is dangerous work. Doing it alone is—]

[I hate you, Luci!]

Imagine a princess jealous of her knight.

For some reason, it felt like my two contracted spirits were getting along worse as time went on.

To calm them down, I infused each bird with magic in turn.

With a gentle pat on their backs—

[…Oh!]

[…Aah!]

They instantly quieted and looked at me.

“If you mess up before you even start cooperating, how will you handle it if the spell backfires and I get hurt?”

[I’m sorry….]

The woodpecker cautiously perched on my arm, and the woodpecker also climbed up, circling my arm.

[We need physical contact, Master. We’ll have to intervene while the spell is activating… Princess, let’s start with something light.]

[…Alright.]

Once in position, the two birds clung to my arm.

I also brought along the mistletoe for a more effective setup.

When I poured in my magic, the mistletoe quickly transformed into a staff.

It helps greatly with concentrating and controlling magic.

Though I hadn’t tried it with dark energy before, I was confident it could handle it since it grew from Cheondo’s body.

The spell I’d cast was Fireball, which I failed at previously.

As I imbued it with properties, black magic rose in a mirage-like effect from my hand.

Simultaneously, black magic also emerged from the two birds attached to my arm.

It felt like we were one entity.

‘Indeed.’

It was noticeably easier than when I tried to cast it by myself.

Less fatigue, and it felt like we were dividing the task of lifting a heavy, bulky desk among the three of us.

It was easier to maintain balance, and most importantly, it felt light.

Dark energy was a difficult power to control even for me.

I’d been avoiding it until I could handle it alone, but with this, it’s manageable.

-Ssssss.

The magic gathered at a focal point of the staff.

At the end of it, a black flame absorbed all surrounding light.

It occurred to me that, if it exploded, it might devastate the area around me.

So I walked further forward.

I positioned myself at the center of the training ground, ensuring it wouldn’t reach the desk where I’d been sitting, even if it burst.

Once I secured a safe distance, I threw the fireball at the center.

-Whoosh!

A basic spell, but with a significant amount of magic power, making it advanced-level or higher.

With dark energy mixed in, its destructive power was unimaginable.

The flame left my hand and reached the center.

-Caw.

The bird cried.

-Thud!

Perhaps from the impact of the shockwave, I was thrown toward the edge of the training room and struck the solid wall.

[…Ugh!]

[M-Master!]

The two spirits immediately activated healing magic to shield me.

Thanks to them, my slight headache disappeared without the need for power.

Though it wasn’t severe, my hand was burned since I didn’t reinforce my body.

It may be ineffective against strong monsters or hunters, but—

‘If I add more dark energy and expand it to various spells…’

I dusted myself off and got up.

A charred mark remained, pitch black, in the center of the training room.

Watching it brought a smile to my face.

I’d discovered a huge potential.