TL/Editor: raei
Status: ongoing
Illustrations: none
Join the discord! Here
As the sun set and spirit and magic-powered lights began illuminating Elbrium, many fairies bustled about the central Green Plaza.
This was partly to prepare for the Fairy Forest's greatest festival, the "Song of Leaves and Trees," but mainly to clean up traces of the Demon Tree subjugation from hours earlier.
Part of the plaza was damaged from Zion smashing through the ground to enter, and massive demonic energy still remained in the underground cavern below.
Yet the cleaning fairies' expressions weren't gloomy.
This incident would revive the Fairy Forest.
"We were too late," Krevis, one of the Five Great Demon Generals, spoke while hiding at the plaza's edge with Archdemon of Jealousy Zeloth, watching the fairies.
"To think he'd move immediately upon reaching the Fairy Forest. He's truly radical as they say. But..." Krevis muttered with a slightly hardened face, deep question filling his eyes.
"I can't understand how he found the Demon Tree's location so quickly."
The underground cavern housing the Demon Tree was a place he had created with utmost care.
To maintain absolute secrecy, he had revealed its location only to a few executives besides the guarding monsters, made just one entrance, and allowed access only at night.
Therefore, even an imperial family member couldn't discover it this quickly.
Unless they knew its location beforehand.
"And to even handle the guardian..."
Dealing with the guardian required a royal-class spirit.
Since fairies couldn't summon such beings, Zion Agnes's side must have summoned it.
"The reports of him eliminating Lord Ogrit at the border seem true."
"Hmm..." Zeloth spoke beside Krevis, crossing her arms.
"What options remain for me to recover my power?"
"Depends where the spirit power and blessing from the Demon Tree were moved, but most likely to the World Tree."
"Is that so? Then I'll just have to eat the World Tree."
Zeloth's voice flowed immediately, as if waiting for these words.
"...That could mean clashing with all of Elbrium and Zion Agnes. Perhaps wait until after Zion Agnes leaves the Fairy Forest?"
Though Zeloth's power could handle the entire Fairy Forest, not just Elbrium, she was currently injured.
Moreover, Zion Agnes had killed another Archdemon.
So Krevis's suggestion made sense.
But Zeloth shook her head.
"How often do you think demigod-level beings appear in the world?"
Before the demon general could answer her question, she continued:
"Extremely rarely. Almost never. And those who rise from mortals are even rarer. That's why beings who achieve demigod status can roughly sense when other demigods are born or move. It's that noticeable because it's so rare." Ꞧ
"..."
"But I sensed nothing like that from Zion Agnes. Not even when he fought Pride."
This could mean only one thing.
"Zion Agnes's power must fall far short of demigod level. His killing Pride was either luck from hundreds of coincidences... or he used something that temporarily raised his rank or power tremendously."
And that something was likely single-use.
Logically, power capable of killing a demigod couldn't be permanently granted.
"So there's no need to hesitate."
If they clashed, she'd simply overwhelm him with absolute power.
"...Understood. When do you plan to move?"
"Now. No point waiting further."
Jealousy's eyes had already turned an ominous purple as she answered Krevis.
Events proceeded relatively smoothly after the underground cavern battle ended.
Though Sephir had eaten some spirit power, it was only a portion, and the remainder could handle urgent matters.
Moreover, being Spirit King-level herself, the Frost Queen could infuse spirit power into the World Tree.
Though insufficient to fully revive the World Tree, Spirit King-level summoners would emerge now that Akenidia's blessing had returned, so there wasn't much worry.
After finishing one task, Zion was currently-
"This is the entrance to the World Tree's Cradle."
Zion began walking straight toward the distant World Tree.
Spirena quickly followed behind him.
"The World Tree is the first tree planted in this world by Akenidia, god of nature and spirits."
Though Zion hadn't asked, Spirena began explaining about the World Tree, apparently fond of explaining things.
"It's also like a mother who gave birth to the first fairies in this world. That's why we call all the Fairy Forest's highest leaders Leaves of the World Tree in its honor. Additionally, the World Tree connects fairies and spirits..."
Though Zion knew several parts of Spirena's explanation were wrong from his time as Eternal Emperor, he didn't correct her.
He wasn't particularly interested, and sometimes lies were better than uncomfortable truths.
How long did they walk while listening to her explanations?
'It's still there.'
Finally reaching near the World Tree, Zion's eyes lit up as he discovered something.
A ring.
It was a ring.
Though the black ring embedded in the World Tree's base was smaller than dust compared to the tree, it radiated presence clear enough for Zion to find immediately.
And that presence was ominously unsuited to this place.
"Surely the item you're looking for isn't..."
"It is."
"N-no! You mustn't touch that ring!"
Spirena urgently shouted as Zion approached the ring.
"That's the ring the Eternal Emperor left as proof of visiting here!"
More precisely, the ring the Eternal Emperor had driven into the World Tree as proof that Agnes held the Fairy Forest and World Tree under his feet.
A humiliating symbol containing history of defeat - Spirena had failed several attempts to remove it from the World Tree for separate storage.
Just reaching toward the ring to remove it released such intense power that it interfered, nearly killing her.
She had almost died once because of this.
So Spirena thought the ring would grievously harm Prince Zion this time too.
"I know."
But despite her warning, Zion reached straight for the ring.
"Your Highness, danger...!"
Spirena ran toward Zion, but-
"...Huh?"
The scene she expected didn't unfold.
As if meeting its original owner-
SWOOSH-
The ring slipped free from the World Tree and slid onto Zion's finger by itself.
The fairy's mouth unconsciously opened at this incomprehensible sight.
But to Zion, this was completely natural.
From the start, this ring - the Dark Spirit Ring - had been his.
'Its power remains intact.'
The Dark Spirit Ring had just one function.
Storing Black Star Force.
In the past, he hadn't needed this function and had driven the ring into the World Tree as proof of dominion. Now after hundreds of years, he reclaimed it in a different body.
'Now I can immediately reach seven stars using the stored Black Star Force...'
Just as Zion thought this, feeling the overwhelmingly terrifying power his past self had left-
STOP.
Everything froze.
As if time itself had stopped.
The falling leaves nearby.
The distant raging blizzard.
Even Spirena standing beside him with mouth open.
And in this frozen world where Zion alone moved, a fresh voice rang in his ear:
"I've been waiting, contractor."