Absolute Dweller-Chapter 257

So, according to the avatar's claim, even though he had ascended 100 kilometers above, the scenery around him remained the same.

The faint green life energy flowing gently from the dense forest.

It was the typical World Tree forest.

It wasn’t difficult to verify the truth of what the avatar had said.

“Jae-hyun, something’s off here.”

From Kim Geon, who had been flying towards the sky for reconnaissance:

“There’s... something strange. I can’t see the end.”

From Jeong So-ra, who had been conducting a full-range reconnaissance using the Wind Spirit:

And then...

“The terrain itself is very peculiar.”

Yoo Han-gil, who was using his Clairvoyance ability, opened his eyes and pointed to the dirt ground.

“This is... the branch of the World Tree.”

It wasn’t hard to understand what that meant.

‘...How massive is this thing?’

The forest itself was growing on the branch of the World Tree.

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The dirt had accumulated on the branch, and trees and grass had grown there.

It was truly immense.

Even though over 2,000 retainers were spread out for reconnaissance, the terrain was still not showing significant bends.

What was even more peculiar was...

‘I can’t see the sky.’

Leaving aside the retainers on the ground, even those flying in the sky, including Kim Geon, should have been able to see the outlines of the forest.

Even though the forest was formed on a massive branch, there had to be a limit to the size of the trees growing there.

Yet, in this forest, it was impossible to get an overall view anywhere.

As I observed Kim Geon’s sight, it almost felt like we were constantly cutting through the undergrowth.

‘...This environment extends 100 km upwards? Is such a structure even possible?’

That wasn’t the only oddity.

“Within a 1 km radius, there are no elves. But…”

“What is it?”

“...It seems there are no traces of any living creatures at all.”

There hadn’t been a single battle in the wide area that the retainers were scouting.

Considering the nature of dimensional gates, this was nearly impossible.

‘This is different from the random shifts to other dimensions.’

It was unlike the times when we randomly teleported through Lilith’s spaces or orchards.

When using the dimensional map to open a dimensional gate, it usually opened near the heart of the World Tree.

As such, fierce battles would erupt from the moment of entry, but now there was no sign of anything.

‘This is strange. Even if we didn’t summon near the heart of the World Tree, the absence of battle doesn’t make sense.’

Dimensions connected to the main root were areas completely saturated with the World Tree’s influence.

The sky was a branch of the World Tree, and the mountain ranges were its roots.

Naturally, elves were everywhere in these places.

But here...

‘Not only elves, but there isn’t even a single animal or insect to be found.’

A bizarre forest where there were no bird songs or insects chirping.

Yet, despite that, an overwhelming sense of vitality pervaded the area.

‘What on earth…’

I focused my attention on the avatar.

I wanted to use Clairvoyance to observe the overall appearance of the forest.

But then...

“Jae-hyun, are you watching?”

It was Kim Geon’s voice.

I immediately checked the Absolute Master’s vision attached to Kim Geon.

There, I saw...

Swaaa—!

A massive waterfall cascading down.

Its scale was so large that even Earth’s Niagara Falls would pale in comparison.

A vast flow of water had formed, and as a result, an open space had been created nearby.

Thanks to this, it was now possible to observe the entire area.

‘Huh...’

Everywhere, the World Tree existed.

In a different dimension, these enormous trees would be called World Trees, but here, they grew just like ordinary trees.

They grew as though they were just one of the trees forming the forest.

Moreover, the thick tree branch directly in front of Kim Geon, cutting through the center of the area.

The World Trees visible now seemed like small parts of huge trees, almost like children compared to their massive size.

But the more shocking thing was something else.

Swaaa—!

A colossal cliff, no, it was more like a mountain range, its overwhelming size.

And its identity?

‘Unbelievable.’

It was merely the trunk of a tree.

At that moment, I understood.

Even the tree branch supporting the land the retainers were standing on was just a mere twig.

‘That means...’

After compiling all the information the retainers had gathered so far...

‘Is this all part of the World Tree...?’

I couldn’t even begin to fathom how huge this tree was in my mind.

Just trying to estimate its size evoked a terrifying sense of fear.

But then...

[300,000,000 won will be consumed.]

This notification meant the avatar had used money.

Wondering if there had been a battle, I checked the Absolute Master’s vision attached to the avatar, but there was nothing around him.

There was no sign of battle with elves, just a perfectly fine forest.

I could only see the avatar with his eyes closed.

[What’s going on?]

Then he answered.

“See for yourself.”

Curious about what he meant, I quickly synchronized my senses.

By focusing all my attention on the avatar, I could see the scene he was witnessing.

‘This...’

It seemed that the 300 million had been spent to enhance his ‘Clairvoyance’ ability.

The ability’s range had been expanded tremendously by modifying it to extend in a straight line from the caster, allowing an unprecedented increase in the observation distance.

With that, black energy was infused, allowing him to see even further.

And in the space he had observed...

Gulunk—

A familiar sight was unfolding.

The sticky, uncomfortable black energy I had seen before.

And it was clashing with the World Tree’s life force.

“Doesn’t it look familiar?”

As he had said.

[...It’s similar to what I saw in my memory.]

The future sight.

To be more precise, this was the future from a different timeline.

It was the scene I had seen in the world where another version of me, now inhabiting the avatar’s body, had once existed.

Of course, it wasn’t exactly the same landscape.

In that place, the black energy and the black energy consumed by another version of me, which I had made my own, were clashing violently in a hell of greed.

On the other hand, here, the World Tree’s life force was tightly gathered to form a shield, and the black energy was devouring it.

The spots devoured by the black energy were quickly filled with newly supplied life force, maintaining the boundary.

‘Hah.’

The moment I saw that, I was able to understand the situation of the World Tree to some extent.

It was simple.

I already knew where the life force replenishing the gaps was coming from.

‘The energy from planets and stars in other dimensions.’

The life force absorbed by the roots from planets and the energy taken by the leaves from stars.

All of it was being consumed here.

To protect itself from the all-consuming black energy.

In the end, the World Tree was struggling to survive.

‘Now I understand why it got so weak before the black energy.’

The black energy was the World Tree’s natural enemy.

The World Tree absorbs life force from other-dimensional planets, offering it to the black energy to extend its life.

It was a perfect predator-prey relationship.

Naturally, the black energy’s power was bound to be deadly to the World Tree.

‘...It’s embarrassing to have feared the World Tree.’

Looking at how it exerted enormous influence across multiple dimensions and boasted of its galactic scale, I now found my previous awe of it pitiful.

In essence, the World Tree was nothing more than livestock raised by the black energy.

It was simply a giant tree that exploited countless dimensions to generate life force to offer to the black energy.

The true being to fear wasn’t the World Tree at all.

‘What the hell is the black energy?’

Thirteen years.

No, now, what will that entity be like when it arrives on Earth ten years from now?

And whether I can even stop it.

I couldn’t help but wonder.

‘But.’

There was one reassuring thought.

If I managed to devour the World Tree, at least I’d be able to protect Earth.

If I devoured the heart of the World Tree here and created an orchard, I could gain enormous energy.

Moreover, if I absorbed all the other dimensions where the World Tree’s influence extended over the next ten years, it seemed possible to protect the entire solar system.

Then, suddenly, reality hit me.

‘...Fundamentally, I’m no different from the World Tree.’

The only difference is that I won’t just let things happen.

By actively using my predatory abilities, I could absorb the black energy sweeping over the solar system and, eventually, find a breakthrough.

I spoke to the avatar.

[Feel free to spend as much money as you want, but find the heart of the World Tree first. And devour it.]

The avatar responded.

“I’ve already found the heart.”

I was a bit surprised.

Even though it was the avatar, I didn’t expect him to find the location of the heart so quickly.

It was a little funny, considering I was saying this, but he certainly had some solid abilities.

[Really? Then hurry up and finish it.]

If he found the heart, there was no need to waste any more time.

But then...

“I’m sorry, but that might be a bit difficult.”

The avatar’s slightly amused expression made me uneasy.

I had already expected that he had something planned, but...

Then, the avatar opened his eyes, extended both hands, and said.

“How am I supposed to devour this?”

[...What?]

For a moment, I couldn’t understand what he meant.

It was just too irrational.

But as the avatar explained further, I could grasp what he was saying.

“I’ve teleported here at least dozens of times. I’ve gone up 100 km dozens of times. Even then, I couldn’t see the end, so I enhanced my Clairvoyance. Do you have any idea how far the scenery I just showed you is? Around 1.2 million kilometers, I’d say.”

So what the avatar was saying was this.

“How am I supposed to devour something this massive?”

Here.

This place, which looked like a world in itself.

The entire world-like scale...

“It’s a heart that’s probably bigger than the sun, how am I supposed to devour it?”

The heart of the World Tree.

“Sure, I could partially devour it, but if that’s the case, wouldn’t it be more efficient to devour the heart from another dimension?”

I was speechless, understanding the avatar’s words.

But the real issue wasn’t that.

[Jae-hyun.]

Kim Da-bin’s voice suddenly echoed.

Her emotions were more urgent than ever, and they poured through without any filter.

And then...

[Please check the sky immediately. It’s near the top of Hwangnyeong Mountain.]

At the top of Hwangnyeong Mountain.

It was the place visible through the window of my house’s balcony.

With a simple turn of my head, I could immediately spot the anomaly.

At the top point.

Right next to the sun.

The sky was turning black.