Episode 179:

The flower had withered.

The once fresh grass had withered brown, like winter grass.

It wasn’t just that. The huge tree in the middle of the garden made up of grass and flowers was in such a miserable state that it was doubtful whether it was alive.

Even the skin is cracked and dehydrated.

“Mother...”

The voices of elves were heard from behind, looking sadly at the World Tree.

They were crying bitterly.

It was difficult to find life in the withered World Tree.

They resented that they could not do anything even though their mother was sick and withering away.

They hated their incompetence in having to borrow the help of strangers.

“human. “I will ask you this.”

They bowed down to me.

He grabbed the leg of my pants and begged like a child yelling that there was something he wanted to buy at the supermarket.

“Please help my mother get better.”

“She is our precious mother. I’ve already heard that you can heal your mother. “I will do anything you want if you help my mother get better.”

Roxy held my hand and shed tears.

Transparent tears flowed down her pure white cheeks.

‘I think that’s a pretty dangerous thing to say.’

Her words that she would do anything were the same as words that could put her in danger.

Did you say that because you knew what I was going to ask for?

If he was a man with sinister thoughts, what he would ask her would be obvious.

Because in human terms, she was a peerless beauty.

“All right. “Okay, can you please let go of my hand?”

Instead of looking at them, he hurriedly grabbed their hands and dropped them.

If I had done it wrong, a disaster would have occurred with my pants coming off in front of them.

“And you don’t have to ask me that. “Because I promised.”

Even though I said that, their reaction was surprising.

They were hostile to me until I came here.

They were so anxious that they couldn’t eat me that they begged as soon as they saw the World Tree.

This was a passage that showed how important the World Tree was to them.

“Well, if you really want me to ask you a favor, there is one thing.”

“What is that?”

“Would you please treat me as a friend?”

“That’s...”

Contrary to their expectations that they would answer right away, they could not easily open their mouths.

Even though he said he would listen to any request, does it mean that it would be difficult for him to accept me as a friend?

What’s so difficult about that?

I did not ask to be blessed by the World Tree, nor did I ask to be allowed to live here.

Is it really that difficult to just ask to be accepted as a friend?

“Whose friend do you want to be?”

I tilted my head as he continued to speak.

What does this mean again?

We are everyone’s friends, so do we have to decide who we want to be friends with?

Well, everything is so complicated.

“But why are you shaking so much?”

“yes? “Oh, it’s nothing!”

She was startled by my words and took a step back.

That sight is quite unpleasant.

As he said, he himself tried to run away.

“Hmm...”

The other elves reacted the same way as her.

What on earth is a friend to them? Why do they do that?

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t understand their reaction.

“We will work it out and decide on that.”

“Yes....”

Their answer is not pleasant.

As I was looking at it, I felt uncomfortable.

I want to know what friends mean to them.

But looking at their condition, it didn’t seem like they would let me know, so I gave up.

I walked on, thinking I would hear the reason later.

‘But... what did I see?’

Regardless of the elves’ reactions, there were too many things to be embarrassed about right now.

First of all, it was absurd where I was right now.

I have already been here.

Although the World Tree was losing its strength, it was still vibrant.

But not here.

‘This is bloodstone.’

It is an ore that can only be found in the south.

You may ask how a living creature is an ore.

But this was a characteristic of bloodstone.

When bloodstone in the form of ore contains vitality, it becomes a living thing like this.

The worst monster that craves life. That was the existence of bloodstone.

And because of this guy, the world tree was losing its power.

This guy fell into the spring water and the World Tree was unable to retrieve it.

And when they eat up the spring water, the spring water turns black.

Then, it burrows into the ground, attaches itself to the World Tree, and becomes a parasite.

That is why the world tree is withering.

“Ugh!”

As the screams continue, the elves fall down, holding their ears.

Since they had very sensitive senses, Bloodstone’s voice was fatal.

I’m also suffering, although not as much as they are.

I looked at them and pulled out the cotton cloth.

The elves looked at me and trembled.

Before they could react, Moo-myeong was stabbed with a bloodstone.

Chuwaaagh!

The bloodstone shrunk and began to be sucked into obscurity.

“...?”

This is something I hadn’t thought of.

I just aimed for the core of the bloodstone and stabbed it.

But I never thought the bloodstone would be absorbed into ignorance.

‘What the hell is this?’

I looked at the unknown.

After absorbing the bloodstone, the name became shinier than before.

It also became sharper. A hard sword used by Ahar.

That’s exactly what I knew.

“This is a different story.”

Lately, however, Mumyung has been having a hard time accepting my power.

However, after absorbing the bloodstone, it became more refined than before.

What this means is that the more bloodstone you feed, the stronger ignorance becomes.

‘Is this really fun?’

My mouth was watering at the unexpected windfall.

This wasn’t the only bloodstone.

The spring water spread out before my eyes and the bloodstones that have not yet been processed.

Even if we can’t do that, there will probably be dozens of them. My mouth watered at the thought of absorbing them all into cotton.

It’s an opportunity for me to become stronger, so how could I turn it down?

Slurp.

He slowly swept the nameless sword.

Anonymous made a pleasant sound. I touched the cotton and looked around.

The elves were staring at me blankly, as if they didn’t understand the situation.

I walked on, ignoring them.

“there is. there is...!”

He picked up the cotton and stabbed it towards the spring water.

Chuwaaagh.

I felt the bloodstone being sucked through the cotton.

When the feeling of being sucked in disappeared, I pulled out the cotton and the world tree recovered its spring water.

Looking at it, I had a smile on my face.

This was something that killed two birds with one stone and was good for my sister and brother-in-law.

All I have to do is keep my body busy.

Then the World Tree will be restored and I will become stronger.

How good is this?

I didn’t expect to get a harvest like this, but it’s so good.

“Khahahahaha!”

I burst out laughing without realizing it.

“What is it?”

The elves looked at me like I was crazy.

Does not matter. What does it matter how they see me or not?

There are so many miracles all around.

‘I remember that there was another place besides here where bloodstones were collected.’

I couldn’t quite remember.

Because it was something that wasn’t detailed in the original work.

But I know that this bloodstone is only found in the South.

That means if you search the South, you’ll find tons of things like this.

I felt like I made a really good decision to come to the South.