Chapter 664: I guess I do have to step in? (6)

"Is this where I'm supposed to use that skewer stick?"

The 'sword' that the World Tree gave Cale through the healer Elf Pendrick was a wooden stick that was about as long as a chopstick.

Cale's expression turned odd.

'Did the World Tree look into the moment where I would get rid of the reincarnating White Star and give me that sword?'

His head tilted to one side.

'I don't think that that was the case.'

The World Tree had said that it was unable to see the futures of people with ancient powers clearly.

Cale recalled the moment he received the Sword of the World Tree.

It was when they had infiltrated the Molden Palace with Princess Jopis.

They had quite the battle in the underground area of the Molden Palace, working with the Elves to get rid of the problematic fake World Tree and carrying out the plan to defeat Elisneh the First, one of the White Star's subordinates, and putting Princess Jopis in power.

Pendrick, an Elf who could not use Elemental Arts but had healing powers, had stealthily approached Cale in the middle of the battle.

He handed Cale something that was wrapped in silk as he said something.

'Young master-nim. This is a sword the World Tree-nim gave me to give you.'

'…A sword? This thing?'

'Isn't this just a branch of the World Tree?'

'No, sir. It is a sword.'

Pendrick had shared what the World Tree had told him when it stealthily called him over before he came here.

'Young master-nim. The World Tree-nim said to use this if you were in danger. If you stab this into a living being's heart and cover it in blood, it'll become a great weapon-'

'The World Tree-nim said that young master-nim's blood is special. She said that your blood has more life force and vitality than anyone else. That is why she said that Cale-nim's blood was the perfect weapon against those with weak vigor or vitality.'

Cale started to speak while thinking about that moment.

"It is highly likely that the World Tree didn't know either."

The sword from the World Tree was given so that Cale could use it against the black fake World Tree and anybody who uses dead mana.

It probably had not considered the stick being used to take care of a reincarnator.

'There's no way to be certain, though.'

Cale decided where he would go next after leaving the Henituse territory.

"I'll need to meet with the World Tree first."

"Human, are we heading north before heading back to Puzzle City?"

"Yeah."

Raon made a mental note about their next destination before tightly clenching his two front paws into fists.

'I will not leave the human's side! I will stick to him like glue!'

He would make sure that his human would not be able to push himself too much again.

Raon firmed his resolve.

Cale had no idea about this as he continued to read the addendum in the diary.

"The addendum is longer than the actual contents."

Shhhh, shhhh.

Cale's expression turned odd as he turned the pages.

The diary not only had the method of killing a reincarnator, it also had how to handle single-lifers, transmigrators, and immortals using the annual ring's ability.

< Unfortunately, I cannot tell you anything about the Regressors because there is nothing I know about them. >

Cale made up his mind after reading this far.

'…I should burn this last part later.'

It was information that would be bad for Choi Han and him if someone else found out about it.

'I'm actually the 'victim' of a transmigrator and not a transmigrator, so it shouldn't be bad for me. But it is extremely dangerous for Choi Han.'

He noticed that the characteristics of single-lifers definitely described Choi Han the more he read about them.

< Single-lifers are people who only have one life in this world. They might seem to have a terrible fate as they cannot reincarnate. >

< However, although my family does not know for sure, we believe that a single-lifer's soul does not perish after it finishes its single life. >

< It is possible that the souls of the single-lifers ascend to a higher world after their death. We are only about ten percent sure about it, but we believe it is possible. >

A section of what he just read caught Cale's eyes.

"…A higher world?"

'Could it be?'

< The higher world could be the Divine World or the Demon World. It could also be something even higher. >

The Divine World and Demon World. The one higher than those would most likely be the World of the Gods.

"…Wow."

'Choi Han might become a god once he dies?'

< I know I am repeating myself, but... It is just a hypothesis that we have no proof about and has, at most, ten percent chance of being true. >

Cale felt the back of his neck turning cold.

The fact that he kept getting chills on his back the more he read into Drew Thames's diary made him sure about one thing.

"This diary is dangerous."

There were too many dangerous pieces of information in this diary.

It helped him realize how dangerous of a research the Thames family had been conducting.

On the one hand, he was relieved.

The chances that Cale was the only one who knew about this was high.

Raon had peeked a bit, but Raon was on Cale's side so it shouldn't be a problem.

'If a crazy bastard knew this information, phew.'

Just thinking about it was terrible.

The White Star would have done something big that Cale didn't even want to think about.

The Divine World and Demon World really could have been involved at that point.

'I'm glad that this dangerous seed ended up in my hand first.'

He sighed in relief while looking at the diary in his hand.

< A single-lifer's lifespan extends abnormally if they are transported into a different dimension. >

It was talking about Choi Han.

The diary then discussed how to use annual rings to go up against single-lifers. There were many other dangerous pieces of information that should never be known, and Cale undid the top button of his shirt after feeling himself heat up since he used his ability to record everything in his head.

"Just the last part is left now."

The last part of the addendum was where Drew Thames had left information about the portion of the ancient power she left behind.

< My ancient power is called the 'Annual Rings of Life.' >

< Half of that power, the core part of it, was left in Harris Village while I left the other half here. >

< The power left here was the power I mainly used when I was young. This power can also see annual rings. However, it is focused on the 'present and innate fate.' >

Cale was a bit confused.

'It can't see the future?'

He then saw a word that was darker than the others, as if she had hesitated for a while there.

< Mm. >

That single word made it easy to tell that she debated whether to say the next part or not.

< Ancient powers are impacted by the memories of a soul, and that is usually what determines the method of obtaining that power. >

< Because this is just half of an ancient power and the core was left at Harris Village... I cannot fathom what you will need to do to obtain the power left here. The test will probably be influenced by my younger self, since that was when I used it most. >

Two words caught his attention.

< Good luck. >

Cale had a very bad feeling about those two words.

"Mm."

Cale groaned and looked away from the last words written inside the diary.

Cale looked around at the still silent grave area and slowly closed the diary.

"How do I get this test started, anyway?"

Tap.

The moment he closed the diary…

"Uhh, uhh-!"

"H, human!"

Cale and Raon both raised their voices.

Booooooooooooooooooooom—!

The ground started to shake.

To be more specific, only the hill the graves were on started shaking wildly.

It made such a loud noise that could be heard throughout the entire Henituse territory.

"Hyung-nim!"

Basen was shocked at the sound and couldn't help but run back toward Cale despite his orders to wait for Cale at the bottom of the hill.

Lily was following behind him.

"Orabuni!"

Lily had been throwing a tantrum to Duchess Violan before deciding that she would at least come here to see Cale's face. She was so swift that she had already passed Basen and was running ahead of him.

There were also others who had just teleported to the bottom of this hill.

"He can't get hurt, nya!"

"We need to hurry, nya!"

On and Hong frantically chased behind Basen and Lily in the distance as well.

Cale's allies who had teleported here from the Eastern continent's Mount Nex of the Sez Kingdom had heard the loud noise from the hill with Cale's mother's grave the moment they arrived.

They knew that Cale was on that hill.

"Haaaa. Must this great being head over?"

"I'm going to go! We're already the last ones!"

The pink curly-haired Dragon Dodori pointed, while Ron and Beacrox were already running behind On and Hong and chasing after them while the sighing buzz cut Dragon Rasheel looked to the side.

"Groooaa… ugh."

Dorph, who was in a mess and still had his throat clenched by Rasheel's hand, was struggling to even groan.

"…Haaaa. I can't believe a great being like me has to move to go see a human."

Rasheel was shaking his head and grumbling, but he was smiling as he ran toward Cale while dragging Dorph on the ground.

Dorph groaned some more, but Rasheel had no reasons to care.

'Cale Henituse is obviously going to praise my name. Huhuhu.'

Rasheel looked forward to Cale praising him for thoroughly beating Dorph up as he hurried.

"Hey! Is it over here?"

He could see that the others had stopped moving.

"Is this where Cale Henituse-"

Rasheel was about to ask if Cale was here before he became at a loss for words after seeing what was in front of him.

Boooooooom-

They heard another loud noise. The results of the shaking hill appeared in front of Basen, Lily, On, Hong, and the others who had come to Cale's mother's grave.

Chhhh, chhhhhh.

Cale's biological mother… There was no longer a grave where Drew Thames's grave had been.

"…A… a tree...?"

In this spot where the grave had been… A large tree was growing out of it.

The base of the tree was so wide that it would take multiple adults to hug it and even the roots that poked out of the ground were thick.

The tree was a shiny dark maroon color, while the branches shooting out seemed as strong as the vicious currents of the water in a valley.

"…Ho."

"…Huh?"

In this spot where the grave had been…

A large tree was growing out of it.

"The leaves-"

The leaves growing from the branches were red.

Numerous leaves filled the branches as if the cold weather of winter was a joke.

The leaves were as red as the sunset.

They resembled Cale's hair color.

Hong blankly started mumbling.

"…They're glowing."

The red leaves were glowing.

They were glowing as if they were covered in sunlight.

Everybody looked toward the center of this tree.

It was the center of where these beautiful red leaves were glowing.

"Young master-nim...?"

Cale was at the center, lying on the ground looking as if he was being hugged by the leaves.

Ron believed this had been unexpected based on how Cale's clothes were crumpled here and there.

That suspicion was correct.

"…Uhh… mm…"

Cale looked around with an anxious expression on his face.

The grave had suddenly split in half, and this large tree had started growing.

That tree had surrounded Cale before lifting him with it, making Cale float up while being surrounded by the red leaves before he could even figure out what was happening.

"Mm mm!"

Raon looked back and forth at the people coming toward them and Cale before stating his thoughts out loud in a bright voice.

"H, human! It's beautiful!"

On and Hong nodded their heads as well.

"You look so cool!"

"The red color suits you so well!"

Cale started to frown.

"What are you talking about?"

Cale couldn't help but be baffled since he was suddenly pushed up by these leaves.

He had never expected for the grave to split in half.

'How the hell am I supposed to get the ancient power?'

He heard a voice at that moment.

It was the voice of a young woman who seemed to be in her late teens.

– Hmm? Who might you be?

Cale recalled what he had read in the diary as he heard those questions.

'The power left here was the power I mainly used when I was young.'

'Ancient powers are impacted by the memories of a soul, and that is usually what determines the method of obtaining that power.'

Cale used those pieces of information as the base as he started to think.

'Was the power and test affected by when she was young because Drew Thames mainly used it when she was younger?'

He thought about his face. He believed he was right since the owner of this voice did not recognize Cale Henituse's face.

'Did the soul of the owner that was left behind split into two because the power had split into two?'

Cale felt extremely relieved that the White Star and Bud could not hear the voices of the ancient powers as he slowly opened his mouth to speak.

However, the voice that was believed to be the voice of a young Drew Thames spoke to him again before he could say anything.

– Who might you be and how are you super cute like me?

"Excuse me?"

That was all Cale managed to say in shock.

'What did I just hear?'

He touched his ears at that moment.

– I'm talking about you. Yes, you. You look so cute.

Cale blankly blinked his eyes.

The voice didn't care and just continued to speak.

– I have this weird feeling that I will like you even though we just met! You oddly look like that half-witted fool Deruth, but you also look similarly handsome as my eldest orabuni!

'Ah?'

Cale's pupils started to shake.

This really seemed to be Drew Thames since the voice just mentioned Deruth. It really seemed to be a young Drew Thames.

But this woman was giving off a completely different image from the image of Drew Thames that the real Cale Henituse and the diary had given him.

He had expected her to be more sincere and serious.

– Who do you resemble that you are so handsome and cute?

"Excuse me?"

That was the only thing Cale could say.

– Your confused expression as you say, 'excuse me' is oddly the same as Deruth's stupid face! Ah, it looks so cute!

"Excuse me?"

– Anyway, you pass!

"Excuse me?"

The shocked expression on Cale's face looked very similar to Deruth's face.

'I passed? Passed what?'

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]