Absolute Dweller-Chapter 255

Group B.

As expected, the squad led by Ha Dong-geon included all the original members.

Leading the squad was Ha Dong-geon, accompanied by Kim Ga-young, Moon Byeong-ho, Kim Geon, Kang Deok-su, Oh Eon-ju, and Kim Da-jeong.

These were the people who had once become retainers and hunted goblins together in the beginning.

Having spent a long time together, there was no need to mention their teamwork.

Caw—

A crow, tamed by Kim Geon, adjusted its neck and began speaking.

"1 o'clock direction, 3 km away. Elven forces are approaching."

It was Kim Geon’s voice.

Ha Dong-geon asked.

"How large is their force?"

"The area is obscured by the tree trunks, so I can't give an exact number. It seems to be at least 5,000 strong."

5,000 elves.

Considering they had entered a dimension leading to the main stream root of the World Tree’s heart, the elves' strength would definitely not be low.

Based on past experiences, even the weakest elves would likely be at least level 50.

A force of 5,000, each at level 50.

This was definitely not a force to be underestimated.

However, compared to the squad led by Ha Dong-geon, they seemed insignificant.

A total of 731 members.

All of them were retainers, and the lowest level among them was 60, with 43 having reached level 70 after the first limit break.

With even just a few of them reaching level 70, they could easily wipe out an army of 5,000 elves, each at level 50.

However, they wouldn't be the ones to step in.

Ha Dong-geon spoke.

"I'll go."

"Okay."

With his declaration, the crow, tamed by Kim Geon, expanded its body dramatically.

As Ha Dong-geon climbed onto the crow's back, they shot straight up into the sky.

Breaking through branches with their body, they soon emerged into the open air.

The view opened up immediately.

Beyond the endless green waves, the massive tree appeared.

It didn’t look like a tree but more like a gigantic pillar connecting the sky and the earth.

Ha Dong-geon looked up.

The blue sky seemed ordinary at first glance, but there was no sun in sight.

Instead of the sun, there was a long, continuous light display.

What appeared like the Milky Way was actually the stem of the World Tree.

‘Incredible.’

The roots were the same.

The things that looked like mountain ranges were all the roots of the World Tree.

Compared to the World Tree in Busan, the one right in front of them made it look like a child's plaything.

It was so large that the word "gigantic" couldn’t even begin to describe it.

For Ha Dong-geon, a mere human, it was an awe-inspiring sight.

While overwhelmed by the World Tree’s size, Kim Geon called out to him.

"Hyung, over there."

"…Right."

In the 1 o'clock direction, 3 km away.

It wouldn’t have been hard to find the elves if that was all there was to it, but finding elves hidden between the tree branches and leaves was a different matter entirely.

Only someone like Kim Geon, whose vision had been maximized through merging with the crow, could detect them.

However, Ha Dong-geon had already completed the second limit break and reached level 80.

As the difference in level becomes much more pronounced as you climb higher, Ha Dong-geon’s strength was beyond imagination.

His vision, far exceeding human limits, spotted the movements of the elves hidden between distant leaves.

‘There.’

Zing—

A spear materialized from his inventory and appeared in Ha Dong-geon’s hand.

Three spiral blades extended from the spear’s shaft.

A spear made from solid steel.

It bore a splendid dragon motif, embossed in gold.

Just its appearance exuded a powerful presence, and it was an artifact personally gifted to him by Kim Jae-hyun.

Unlike regular citizens' enchantments, this spear was made using advanced enchantments only possible by Kim Jae-hyun himself, and it had been granted Legendary-tier options.

It couldn’t even be registered in the store, making it the only one of its kind in the world.

Its destructive power was also on an insane level.

Whoosh—

As Ha Dong-geon held the spear, his entire body was engulfed in black flames.

This was the [Bloom] he gained after reaching 5 stars in the Star Power, following the first limit break.

Soon after.

Whoosh!

The black flames wrapped around Ha Dong-geon’s body, gathering at his head and back, forming a halo and a pair of wings.

Black angel wings, like those of the crow.

This was [Unleashing], which he gained after reaching 7 stars in the Star Power following the second limit break.

On top of that.

Whoosh—

When Kim Jae-hyun directly infused his power into him with "Enhancement."

Shrrrk—

Three pairs of black wings clearly emerged behind Ha Dong-geon.

With this, he forcefully threw the Legendary spear he was holding in one hand.

As Ha Dong-geon’s ‘Throwing’ skill activated, the black flames engulfing the spear flared up dramatically, and the spear’s skill activated.

Zing—

The spear, flying through the air, split into two.

Four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two, sixty-four...

As the spear continued to split into two, it eventually became hundreds of spears.

But the power wasn’t diminished by the number of splits.

Each spear retained the explosive energy it had when it was originally thrown.

As a result.

Kkwaa-kwa-kwa-kwa—!

The spears landed in the forest, creating a deafening sound.

Whoosh—

The black energy surrounding each spear exploded, erasing the forest.

The elven army, which had been lying in ambush across a wide area, waiting for Group B, was obliterated in an instant.

At least 5,000 strong, all vanished with a single throw of Ha Dong-geon’s spear.

Whoooosh—

Having gathered the unleashed power, Ha Dong-geon spoke casually.

“Advance.”

There was no need to retrieve the Legendary spear.

The bound item, which could be called into the inventory at Ha Dong-geon's will, was a key asset.

With Ha Dong-geon at the helm, Group B advanced relentlessly, soon finding the path leading to the center root of the World Tree and entering it.

Once they entered underground, it became difficult to utilize Kim Geon’s reconnaissance, and enemies began to swarm from all directions to ambush them. However, Group B’s strength was undeniable.

They were buffed by various abilities from Kim Jae-hyun and were equipped with items adorned with at least unique-grade options, making them nearly invincible.

Even the lowest-ranking soldiers, equipped with special awakening abilities and reaching level 60, held their ground, and those who had undergone the first limit break and reached level 70 bulldozed their way through.

Among them, the original members of Ha Dong-geon's party were particularly outstanding.

Kim Ga-young, sweeping everything away with light arrows; Moon Byeong-ho, who assassinated commanders by entering the enemy ranks in an invisible state; Kang Deok-su, commanding thousands of steel knights to protect everyone; and Oh Eon-ju, who swept the battlefield like a beast.

Additionally, Kim Da-jeong, who revived others with a single touch, even if they were on the brink of death.

They cleared the path with ease, and it only took half a day to reach the area where the World Tree’s heart resided.

[Group B. World Tree Heart secured.]

[Group B. World Tree Heart secured.]

After sending an avatar to absorb the heart and finishing the task, I took a moment to check the dimensional map.

Whoosh.

A giant map spanning across dimensions appeared.

'We’re almost there.'

Although the size of the activated area was small compared to the entire size, the areas that had been claimed were all prime spots.

The shortest path to the dimension containing the World Tree’s heart.

I was steadily tightening the noose around the World Tree.

On the other hand.

‘The World Tree’s attacks are random and inefficient.’

All the citizens had already been evacuated to the absolute safe zones.

Although the World Tree was still causing chaos outside the absolute zone, it was unable to cause any harm to our side.

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In fact, if there were casualties from the retainers dispatched to other dimensions, it had not resulted in a single death on Earth.

‘Of course, this is within the absolute zone.’

While I had saved as many people as possible, I couldn’t save everyone.

There were those who had refused citizenship, claiming they could survive on their own, and many who had refused to join.

Additionally, there were those who had been expelled after committing crimes despite having obtained citizenship.

Such people were likely…

‘They’ve all died.’

Currently, Earth was half under my domain and half under the World Tree's domain.

Looking at the branches of the World Tree growing in the sky of our domain, it was clear that except for our domain, the rest had been consumed by the World Tree.

In the process, most of the hidden survivors had met their end.

‘Damn it.’

Just as I was steadily claiming the World Tree's root dimensions, the World Tree was also steadily overtaking Earth.

We were essentially playing a game of territorial conquest.

Despite my efforts to go back in time multiple times to make the best decisions, many still died.

[Please proceed with the next strategy for Group B.]

At this point, the casualties among my retainers were slowly growing.

As they got closer to the dimension where the World Tree’s heart existed, the elves' strength was growing, and the weaker ones among my retainers were starting to lose their lives.

Every time this happened, I would use 'Retainer Summon' or activate [Safe Zone] by consuming the heart of a rock golem to protect them.

I also extended their lives with unique-grade chocolates and treated them to overcome the crisis.

Even with all the methods at my disposal, the casualties were increasing slowly.

Still, stopping was not an option.

Because.

‘If we delay even a little longer, Earth will be finished.’

The World Tree’s attacks were random and inefficient.

But it was steadily moving toward one goal.

‘Absorb Earth’s life force and destroy Earth.’

Now that I had absorbed a significant portion of the World Tree’s power, I had a fairly good understanding of its structure.

The purpose of the World Tree’s roots extending into each dimension was simple.

To absorb the energy of the planet it had rooted in, and to absorb the power of the stars through its branches and leaves.

By absorbing the energy of both Earth and the Sun, it would send the life force it created to its central dimension.

Meanwhile, dozens of hearts of the World Tree were being summoned to Earth.

These hearts were deeply rooting into Earth, unabashedly absorbing its life force.

If more time passed, Earth would be destroyed by the World Tree's roots.

‘...You will regret this.’

The White Dragon, who belatedly realized that I was at odds with the World Tree.

However, he was already bound by a contract of subjugation.

He could not defy my orders, and he confessed everything he knew.

Thanks to that, I learned what the World Tree was aiming for.

"It won’t happen that way. I’ll finish it first."

Before the World Tree’s roots destroy Earth, I will reach the true heart of the World Tree first.

[3,000,000,000,000 won is consumed.]

[3,000,000,000,000 won is consumed.]

[5,000,000,000,000 won is consumed.]

……

……

I was now spending money recklessly.

But the results were as certain as anyone could imagine.

I was rapidly finding the World Tree’s heart at a pace unmatched by other retainers and finishing the conquest.

Whoosh—

The World Tree’s energy was absorbed into the system in real time, and the dark parts of the dimensional map were lit up.

And finally.

‘Almost there.’

One of the activated stems connected to the center of the World Tree.

‘Retainer Summon.’

I immediately recalled all the retainers who were currently on dimensional missions back to Earth.

Group A, Group B, and Group C all gathered in one place.

And then.

‘Dongdaemun opening.’

The avatar also returned to Earth.

It had been a long time since I returned to Earth.

And then.

‘Dimensional Gate opening.’

I opened the dimensional gate leading to the true heart of the World Tree’s dimension before them.