Eat The World Tree

“Tomorrow it is.”

Sitting in the guest room, meditating at midnight, Cheonma came to visit.

“…Didn’t you say that the training starts today?”

“I intended to, but that wretched woman detained me for five hours, so I had no choice.”

Was he boasting about his good fortune?

It’s unnecessary to listen.

I let the old man’s excuses go in one ear and out the other.

“I don’t have much time.”

“Yikes. That’s your problem. Anyway, I’ve passed the message. Come unarmed by noon tomorrow.”

“Ah, your sparring partner… will be a bit stronger than you, just so you know.”

-Thump.

The door closed with a loud noise.

The room darkened again. I sat quietly, head bowed, for a long time.

There’s a place to lie down, but tonight, it’s only a light sleep.

Leaning against the wall, I closed my eyes.

The slight discomfort actually provided me with a good night’s sleep.

The day of the spar.

-Thump, thump, thump, thump.

The sound of the drum was loud enough to stir the heart.

Was the spar talked about throughout the neighborhood?

It was natural for the seats to be full, and even the stairs were packed with martial artists.

“Will you be okay?”

Cheondo, dressed as a servant, quietly approached and asked me.

Cheondo was wearing unusual clothes, resembling a commoner from a drama.

“Why are you dressed like that?”

“Usually, I hide my identity as the successor. Even my name and the fact that I’m the master’s daughter.”

Was that so? It seems like a way to avoid unnecessary conflicts and focus on cultivation by completely hiding the successor’s identity.

There must have been a reason why Baekdo was treated as the eldest daughter.

Thinking this made me slightly resent the old man who sent me to the arena.

Cheonma must have thought I was capable enough to handle some conflicts.

Well, from their perspective, I was a complete outsider, so it was natural.

“Anyway, I should go now. Good luck.”

Cheondo seemed a bit brighter and more direct in expression than yesterday.

-Thump, thump, thump.

The drum sounded again.

Ahead, a woman dressed in red appeared, holding a real sword in one hand.

‘…A woman.’

Did he say the person would be a bit stronger than me?

I unwrapped the bandage that was tightly wound around my wrist.

The long scar on my arm was exposed.

“Huff.”

Exhaling slowly, I sharpened my senses.

My chest grew as cold as a block of ice.

As I was gathering my thoughts, the woman took a step towards me.

“Are you my sparring partner?”

Her tone was arrogant.

“Yeah.”

My response made the woman’s face scrunch up.

“…You’re unaware that I’m the head of Dowon. Show some respect.”

“Why should I show respect when you’re not my master? If we’re here to spar, then let’s focus on the spar.”

The changing colors of a master’s face.

From afar, Cheonma and his daughters were watching this scene.

Additionally, many martial artists and elders from various clans filled the stands, making it embarrassing for her to be disregarded.

I took off my blood-soaked bandage and laid it on the ground.

“You’re injured, can you fight properly? It’s laughable if you can’t even last a minute.”

I loosened my shoulders to calm my body.

“…What an idiot, claiming to be a disciple.”

I took a deep breath. Now, my distracted mind seemed to focus on a single point.

“Give up now. It would be better for you.”

“Shut up. We’re not fighting with our mouths.”

“…What?”

“Did you eat a train boiler instead of a bamboo leaf?”

I extended one arm, taking my stance.

The woman looked bewildered, doubting her ears.

“Bamboo leaf, what? Haha.”

Soon, she sneered and tightened her grip on her sword.

A vivid murderous intent enveloped my body.

“Don’t regret this later. I, Hongyeon, will take your head right now.”

The lively drumming suddenly stopped.

Then, a short ringing sound followed.

-Ding~ Ding~

Hongyeon’s scarlet figure started moving towards me.

-Thud!

The sound of the woman’s footsteps resonated clearly in my head.

I could feel the flow of wind moving through my wounded skin.

My flesh trembled as the sword approached.

I moved to counter.

-Clang!

I deflected the red-flashing sword aimed at my shoulder with the palm of my hand.

Normally, one would step back at this point, but Hongyeon pressed in deeper.

“Hwa.”

Quickly, Hongyeon stabbed the outside of my chest with her finger, not with the sword’s tip.

-Poof.

Hongyeon stepped back, displaying a sinister smile.

‘…….’

A red magical flower bloomed from the stabbed area.

Blood continuously surged, soaking my uniform red.

“Moving more will only increase the bleeding.”

The smug face of Hongyeon.

I sealed the wound with the power of healing.

“The moment you allowed the attack, you were-”

The power of the World Tree to heal injuries was maximized the deeper and more severe the wound.

If the injury didn’t lead to death, it would be useless.

Unless it was an instant kill, I wouldn’t fall.

“-Huh?”

Hongyeon was flustered as things didn’t go as expected.

Ignoring her, I adjusted my stance again.

This time, I heightened my magical power, severing my connection with the World Tree and scattering black petals in the center of the sparring area.

-Thump!

Heukdo. The black peach tree.

Petals sprouting from the ground whirled around me, creating a tornado.

My expanded magical power materialized as a black aura on my skin surface.

It was only natural for surprise to appear in Hongyeon’s eyes.

-…Wow!

Exclamations of admiration from the audience.

The noise made by the clashing of magical powers swallowed even those praises.

“There must have been something you were confident in.”

Hongyeon, too, revealed her magic.

The scent of flowers at the tip of my nose. Her power of trees slowly turned red.

Maple.

Leaves split into five branches began to lay down where she stepped.

-Splat, splat.

Around Hongyeon, seven swords wrapped in leaves sprouted.

The red, needle-like sword on her back resembled the tip of a maple leaf.

“Jeomcheomdu.”

Transformation.

“Since it seems you’re showing your full strength, I will also proceed with mine.”

Hongyeon’s eyes blazed like bright red flames.

“…Blooming.”

The red uniform vanished, revealing the skin on her shoulders.

The maple leaves covering her body split like saw teeth, protecting her.

“Woodification.”

The very nature of her magic became different.

A supreme power, protected to this day, inherited from the blood of gods.

This time, no part appeared to be made of wood.

Each person has a different form of woodification. Hongyeon seemed to retain her human form entirely.

“Come.”

As Hongyeon spoke, I rushed forward as if bursting out.

The wind stirred, and petals scattered around.

I concentrated magical power in both hands, breaking through the gathered maple.

-Zzjeok, zzjeojjeok.

The increasing number of swords. The red ones sprouting behind her easily surpassed thirty.

“Flying Heavenly Sword Dance.”

Dozens of swords poured down at a gesture.

Narrowing my eyes, I received them.

-Kwaaaaa!

The swords rained down like rain, embedding themselves in the ground.

Where I moved, the number of swords soon reached a hundred.

-Kwang, kwagagak!

I forcefully made a path and approached.

Leaving afterimages on both sides, continuously moving forward.

The ground where the swords collided broke, leaving craters.

My vision narrowed. Finally, Hongyeon, who had seemed so far away, was now in front of me.

“…Where do you think you’re going!”

-Bang!

With precisely one hit, I drove it straight into her heart.

Hongyeon, who blocked the strike by crossing swords, was blown back by the impact.

I tried to rush forward again but stopped as my legs gave way.

“Can that body do any more?”

Hongyeon’s mocking words reached me from ahead.

Dozens of swords were stuck in my shoulders and back.

“Having become a hedgehog, now you can’t do anything. You can’t even approach.”

My eyes trembled. My heart still pounded loudly, and blood spurted from my body.

I had rested enough.

I kicked off the ground and moved forward again.

“…You’re crazy.”

-Bang!

Once more, I approached closer.

Thanks to that, a sword stuck in my back, but from the second time, it was simple.

Closing the distance, I swung my fist, spraying blood.

Hongyeon’s sword moved quickly, blocking each strike one by one.

“Get away from me now!”

As if disgusted by the situation, Hongyeon swung her sword at my neck.

-Crash!

I bit the sword with my teeth and shattered it.

Sword fragments grazed my cheek, causing a wound, and my face was reflected in the scattered metal pieces.

One more step.

-Crack!

…I couldn’t move forward.

A sword from the sky accurately penetrated my left shoulder joint and descended.

As if to make me feel the difference in skill.

Hongyeon emitted magic from her fingertips.

“You’re like a beast. You’re definitely the one who will bring destruction to our Dowon.”

The sword embedded in my body.

The sword that pierced through my left shoulder rotated once.

-Crack!

A heinous sound as one of my arms flew away.

However, these arrogant people were most negligent when they were convinced they had won.

Leaning forward, I clenched my right fist.

She noticed too late and tried to create distance, but it was too late.

-Thud!

One hit.

I broke her ribs and impacted her organs directly.

Seeing Hongyeon trying to retreat, I stepped forward. A sword from behind now pierced my right arm. I pushed my face forward again.

If I had no arms, then with my mouth.

I bit into the opponent’s shoulder, tearing off her flesh.

“Ugh, Aargh!”

Hongyeon, grimacing in severe pain, created a considerable distance.

The swords flying around lost their concentration and fell to the ground.

Blood poured from her hand clutching her shoulder.

“Mad… What a lunatic.”

As I infused magic, the swords embedded in my body were ejected and fell to the ground.

After catching my breath for a while, I looked around.

In my narrowed field of vision, I saw a severed arm.

Picking it up, I pressed it against the severed area.

-Ugh, crackle!

A grim sound as bones and flesh came together.

Veins bulged blue on the skin.

The more severe the injury, the stronger the power of my ability.

Despite the tendons and nerves being severed, the violently torn arm quickly recovered.

“…….”

Horror colored Hongyeon’s face.

“Are you human?”

I took a step forward. Hongyeon’s magic was significantly depleted; even if she wielded swords again, she could only manage a few.

I could deflect them directly with my hands.

I walked towards Hongyeon, covered in blood.

The terrified eyes of the woman come into my view.

-Bang!

I deflected the swords again.

Then, the solid swords disintegrate as if unraveling bandages.

Magic that didn’t persist once concentration was broken.

Was the person called a master not accustomed to pain?

Of course, that was what I was aiming for.

My blood still contained the nerve poison that Cheonma had spread last time.

It hadn’t been detoxified yet, so its effect was still present.

“Damn, I…”

Hongyeon, whose woodification had dissolved, conceded defeat with her words.

Before her lips could finish, I tripped her and pushed her chest, knocking her over.

“Ugh!”

I climbed on top of Hongyeon and lifted my tightly clenched fist.

The blood from my body soaked Hongyeon’s face.

A hit on the blood-stained area.

-Thud!

I felt the sensation of her nose bone breaking at the end of my fist.

“Stop it. I understand-”

I didn’t stop.

With the World Tree of Time possibly running out of time and returning to reality, this sparring was nothing but a waste of time.

Cheondo might die. So could Sansuyu. And Byeol.

Even the future of our daughter could not be guaranteed in this situation.

Time was precious.

To think I stopped by this sparring ground just to prove myself.

“…Stop.”

I didn’t cease at her plea.

-Thud!

The desperate sound of impact echoed in the sparring ground, eagerly anticipated by the warriors, now silent as if filled with dead mice.

When I was about to deliver another blow.

-Whoosh, thwack!

The last sword, flying from behind, pierced my raised right hand.

A woefully insufficient resistance.

I struck down without care.

“Ugh… gurgle, gack.”

I moved my fist diligently.

-Thud!

“Guh, guk, grrgh.”

How many times had I hit?

“Stop it.”

Just as I was about to raise my fist again, the old man who had approached unnoticed grabbed my wrist.

A strong force held my hand.

“This tree might be worthless to you, but she has lived like a fool for me. That’s enough.”

Without her, he would be too busy. Cheonma said that.

I quietly spoke to him.

“If that was the case, you should have stopped me when my arm fell off. Are you kidding me? At this point, one more hit is fine.”

“…I suppose it does seem that way. People don’t die that easily.”

“Let go.”

The old man silently released my wrist.

-Thud!

After delivering the final blow, Hongyeon’s head fell back.

My clenched fist was dripping with her blood.

I got up from my seat and wiped the corner of my eyes. Relaxing my jaw, a clot of blood fell from my mouth.

The old man watching me shivered with a sickened face.

“I’ve seen many, but you’re worse than those high on drugs and lost their senses.”

“It’s necessary. This way, other bastards won’t climb up.”

“…To me, it seems more like you were just annoyed.”

What Cheondo would think of me, I was not sure… but that’s not my concern right now.

I staggered to my feet.

It felt like I could lose consciousness and fall backward any moment. I bit my tongue to forcibly awaken my body.

Pulling the sword embedded in my hand, it turned into maple leaves and disappeared as if burning.

From then on, there was no more fainting.

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