Chapter 20

Chapter 20: World Tree

Chapter 20) World Tree

After the forced transfer back to my dungeon ended, I opened my eyes to see Yihi . Her wings were flapping as she flew round and round .

“You came back, Master!”

“Calm yourself . ”

Yihi flew down and lightly settled on top of the Dungeon Core . Yihi had a spirit body but could make contact with the Dungeon Core .

“Master, Master . Listen to Yihi’s words . Isn’t the scenery on the 15th floor pretty after I planted the Flower of Eternity?”

Yihi chattered without any concerns .

The Flower of Eternity was a gift I gave to Yihi after the 1st auction . A rare flower that bloomed forever . I replied lightly .

“Right . ”

“The bees are also moving . Yihihi . Yihi is really looking forward to the delicious honey that will be created . ”

“Right . ”

“But Master . Do you have a gift for Yihi this time?”

Yihi was anxious as she waited for the answer . It was the reason she suddenly brought up the Flower of Eternity out of nowhere .

The fairy of the Dungeon Core wanted something from the Dungeon Master . I inwardly shook my head when thinking of this behaviour .

“It will come soon . ”

He got something for Yihi from the outdoor market . Despite the irregularities created by the bees, she had excellent dungeon management skills .

Yihi’s clear, jewel like eyes blinked . Her wings flapped like a motor was attached to it .

“Wah! Yihi isn’t mistaken? Then I will guess what it is . Um, acacia flower! Night flower! Rapeseed flower! Yihihi . Master, honey harvested from these flowers will be sweet . Also……”

All types of flowers . It was evidence that she really loved flowers . Yihi gave a list that was tailored to her own tastes as she chattered .

A crack soon occurred in the surrounding space . I was receiving the items I had successfully bid for . They started to appear . There are a few usable goods purchased from the outdoor market as well .

Once everything purchased from the Demon World Auction appeared through the crack in space, Yihi’s mouth opened with admiration . Her attention was focused in one place .

“Eh……”

King Bee!

A large bee 1 metre in size .

It was a low grade creature . It wasn’t sold in stores but I discovered it at the outdoor market . I remembered Yihi talking about the king bee one time when she was harvesting honey .

Yihi instinctively recognized that it was a gift for her .

But its appearance was overwhelming .

Unlike ordinary bees, its antennae were sharp and pointed . It had a big mouth and wide eyes . If dozens of them were gathered then it would be a terrifying sight . It was sometimes referred to as the bee penalty .

“Cute!”

However, this was like a feast for Yihi .

Yihi gave a big laugh and disappeared with the king bee . I shrugged as she twisted her body around and waved her fingers . It was a gift that matched her heart . She had noisily called out ‘Master, the best!’

After that, I looked through the items purchased at the auction and grasped the Astral Code .

‘First I have to use this . ’

I opened Mind’s Eye to once again check Astral Code’s options .

-Name- Astral Code (U)

Description: Add one option to an item .

* Stats +1~2, a specific characteristic will be randomly selected to enhance the item .

** The failure probability will depend on the user’s magic power .

In the end, it was a strengthening item . It increased a random stat by 1~2 and gave an unique attribute to the item selected .

What should I enhance?

I thought for a moment before pulling out Wrath . It was one of the best things I used . There was also Sloth but it was a cloak . It wasn’t as important as the sword that was directly wielded .

‘I will strengthen Wrath . ’

The information about how to use the item was simple .

“Astral Code . ”

I called the name .

Soon the black object emitted a colourful light .

-Astral Code is working . Please select an item to strengthen .

Wrath (Epic) 2 . Sloth (Epic) 3 . Paranormal (U) .

Those were my three current equipment .

I chose Wrath .

-Item ‘Wrath’ will be overwritten by Astral Code . Please wait for a moment .

The high magic power (93) has significantly increased the chance of success .

Progress 1%, 2%, 3%…100% .

-The enhanced attribute has been selected .

The requirements for the skill ‘Wrath (Epic)’ has become lower . If you have more than 76 intelligence then you won’t be taken over by the abnormal state .

I gripped my fists tightly . My breath was a little rough .

The random selection increased strength by 2 so that was a big winner .

But the enhanced attribute . It lowered the intelligence requirements for the ‘Wrath’ skill . Right now my intelligence was 74 . This meant I was almost unaffected .

Previously, I wouldn’t have dared use the skill unless I had over 80 . Astral Code had fixed a persistent problem .

‘It is a good start . ’

It was just the beginning . I immediately looked at the Spirit King’s Recipe .

‘A recipe gives instructions on how to make something . ’

Dark Spirit King . What was he intending when he handed me this bundle of paper as a gift?

It was in the form of a few expensive pieces of parchment paper tied up . I untied the paper and read the words written on it .

But the letters were blurry . It was impossible to confirm with the naked eye .

‘Hidden options……’

A ‘unique grade observation skill’ was required to read the words . I immediately took a look at the letters with Mind’s Eye .

-The ‘Spirit King’s Recipe’ has been confirmed .

The rating of Mind’s Eye is higher than the rating of the seal . No penalty will be given .

The message windows that subsequently rose up . I ignored it and read the words written on the recipe .

-A unique combination skill is required to make the items listed in the recipe .

Tear of the Moon + Smile of the Sun = Magic Crystal (Curse)

Magic Crystal (Curse) + Elixir + Unicorn Horn = Magic Crystal (Pure)

Magic Crystal (Pure) + Seed of the World Tree = Germinated World Tree Seed

Only three lines .

However, the three lines were very meaningful .

‘Germinated World Tree Seed…this?’

I was at a loss for words after reading the recipe . World Tree . The best structure for extending a dungeon . A true of life that was worth more than 10 million points alone .

In my previous life, no one could obtain it except for Okullos . But I could never figure out how Okullos obtained the world tree .

I took a moment to be impressed .

‘I have to do a combination . ’

It wasn’t simple to make the Seed of the World Tree germinate . Combining things was a must to make it germinate . But no one would use combination on a Seed of the World Tree .

The seed itself was expensive and not easy to obtain . In my previous life, it had only shown itself a few times at the Demon World Auction . At most three, four times? There was a higher chance that a wrong mix of items would be combined . Then it would become a completely worthless item .

A gamble . However, it was a different story with the recipe . Of course, the Dark Spirit King gave it as a gift and it was unlikely he was deceiving me .

The Dark Spirit King was hoping that the balance would crumble . He selected me after the tests…one of the fastest way to expand a person’s power was the ‘World Tree . ’ The reproduction rate of the creatures would increase and earth spirits would automatically be generated . The roots could be used to create high grade items .

‘The problem is Skill Combination . ’

Skill Combination (R) wasn’t able to combine any items . I contemplated for a moment as I looked at Sage’s Leap that I purchased .

-Name: Sage’s Leap

Description- Alchemy Can increase the rating of all skills Unique (U) and below . If used on a Unique (U) skill, it will increase half a step towards Exceptional Unique (Ex U) . There will be no effect on higher ratings .

A rare skill rating would increase to unique . Unique was literally unique . Changing something from rare to unique would have a high value .

‘Raising the rating of Skill Combination might lead to a skill related combination skill . Normally the behaviour would change but Sage’s Leap is random . ’

I worried over whether to use it or not .

But the store didn’t sell any unique combination skills . No, Skill Combination (R) was the only choice . ’

The only other ways to find it was through the Demon World Auction or rewards for special events . That was currently impossible .

‘It can’t be helped . ’

The roads I could go on were very limited .

Waiting a year for the next Demon World Action would take too long . I also couldn’t be certain it would have it . It was more likely all that time would be wasted .

I would have to pray that a skill that could combine items would emerge . Besides, the Dark Spirit King would have pre-calculated something like this . The Dark Spirit King knew all the items that weren’t shown in the auction .

If he judged that I didn’t have the appropriate combination skill then he would have offered it . It meant I could resolve it myself .

I held Sage’s Leap to my tongue and drank it .

-The Sage’s Leap has been consumed . Please select a skill to raise the rating .

Skill Combination (R) .

He was only capable of raising one skill . The rest was epic skills so Sage’s Leap would have no effect on them .

Anyway, it had already started . No regrets . The skill selected has raised its rating .

-Skill Combination (R) has been changed to Combine Everything (U) .

An unfamiliar name . I never heard of it in my previous life . I carefully looked at the description of the skill floating in the air .

-Combine Everything (U) – Everything in the world can be combined . But there is a limit, unlike the tremendous name . It is possible for the user to combine the majority of things .

I nodded . Fortunately, this was a skill with a very wide versatility .

‘Good . ’

I smiled with satisfaction as the result was even better than expected .

Now I just had to follow the steps as it was written in the recipe .

Tear of the Moon, Smile of the Sun, Elixir, Unicorn Horn and…Seed of the World Tree .

I didn’t think a world tree would appear in my dungeon already so my hands were sweating . Okullos had received a huge benefit from the world tree . He had good quality creatures that other demons didn’t dare go against .

He still had a favourable position but I was the one who would obtain a world tree first .

South Korea’s dungeon would be worth 5 different dungeons . Considering that it had only been 2 years, I had widened the distance .

Besides, I had one more Seed of the World Tree . If I found a way then I could have two world trees .

Unprecedented . A surprise that I didn’t think would happen so my excitement was visible .

I shifted my attention to the recipe again . And he opened the store to buy the remaining goods needed .

* * *

-Magic Crystal (Pure) and Seed of the World Tree has been successfully combined .

The result is a very successful combination . ‘Germinated World Tree Seed’ has been completed!

Elixir and Unicorn Horn . Fortunately both of them could be purchased from the store . Once all the materials were combined, the only thing left was a germinated seed .

It was only the size of a thumb but the potential was endless . If it was buried in sunny ground then it could grow hundreds of metres into a giant tree .

In my previous life, I had seen Okullos’ world tree two times . A truly dignified form . A magic power that would make someone overwhelmed and at a loss for words . Creating an electrifying presence……

I could confidently say that it was one of the most beautiful things to exist in the world .

‘This is why the elves will wage war over the world trees . ’

Of course, the world tree itself brought great benefits . But the elves had a lot of ego and pride about the world trees . The giant tree was the root of the elves’ vitality .

It was why only the strong elves could live near the world trees .

‘There isn’t much information written…but it is enough . ’

The recipe was real .

I could know for certain that the Dark Spirit King was favourable to me .

Usually I would find receiving gifts a burden but this time I didn’t care . I had used a colossal amount of points at the Demon World Auction and would continue to do so . It was a role designed for a lot of entertainment .

This was enough to deserve it .

There might be a problem but such things hadn’t happened yet . Even if I refused their favor, there was no way for them to hurt me .

VIP . I used more points than the factions .

I would receive the greatest gained in the Demon World Auction and the Dark Spirit King wouldn’t receive any damages . They might feel resentful but that was all .

I carefully held the seed and moved to the 15th floor .

Before long, I reached the vicinity of the dark elf’s village and Julliom rushed forward .

“It is great to see Dungeon Master . ”

“Where is the place that the Seed of the World Tree is planted?”

I spoke bluntly .

The seed I obtained from Adol Luph’s dungeon hadn’t germinated .

It was buried in the place with the strongest soil .

Julliom blinked and asked .

“Not far from here . You came…if you don’t mind, can I ask the reason?”

“I intend to plant the Seed of the World Tree . ”

“Haven’t you already planted it?”

“It did not germinate . This is a Seed of the World Tree that has germinated . Look . ”

I spread out my right hand and showed the Germinated World Tree Seed .

The seed contained such a massive amount of magic power that even Julliom could recognize it . It looked exactly like the other Seed of the World Tree…but there was one thing . The germinated seed had one difference .

“……!”

Julliom’s breath stopped as he realized the difference . His body trembled badly as his eyes widened .

It was surprising enough that there were two Seeds of the World Tree but now one had germinated . Julliom realized my intention and hurriedly bowed .

“I-I will bring you there immediately . ”

Julliom swallowed his saliva and turned around .

In the middle of the 15th floor .

The Seed of the World Tree was buried .

Fertile ground . The status and strength of the soil was excellent . Anything planted there would grow rapidly .

Dozens of dark elves were gathered around singing . Chrisley’s face had a blood red tattoo on it and she was sitting closest to the seed .

A powerful surge of magic power . Grass was noticeably growing . This was the hymn of life that all elves instinctively knew .

But it didn’t seemed to be effective in germinating the seed . It seemed like the seed needed combination to germinate so the usual way wouldn’t work .

“Please focus here . Stop the ceremony!”

Julliom clapped his hands . The concentration on the ceremony scattered . The dark elves turned their attention this way with puzzled expressions .

Then they hurriedly got up and bowed to me .

“Dungeon Master has come . ”

“It is great to see Dungeon Master . ”

I continued looking at Chrisley in the centre . Her face was tired from the ceremony but it still had its usual charm . But I asked a question rather than dwell on her beauty .

“It has been a while . The progress?”

“…No . ”

Chrisley replied weakly .

She already had the seed for a few months . It started confidently but soon came to a standstill .

“Tell me what you used . ”

“First the fertility of the soil . Bugs were used to stimulate growth and I asked the fairy to change the soil . There was also advice from the earth spirits but they seem unsure about the world tree . We also planted other trees but they just died . Finally, we’ve been performing the hymn of life for a month but…it seems like there isn’t much effect . My Dungeon Master . ”

Chrisley answered honestly without holding anything back . Every other method failed so the ceremony was their last resort .

‘I am certain that nothing will work except combination . ’

I expected it . There were no exceptions .

I passed the seed in my hand over to Chrisley .

Chrisley opened her mouth and spoke with confusion .

“This is?”

“A new Seed of the World Tree that will be planted . ”

Chrisley noticed quickly . She perceived that it was real . But there was still one questionable thing .

“My Dungeon Master . If I’m not mistaken, that is in an already germinated state . ”

I spoke like it wasn’t a big deal .

“You saw it properly . ”

“Ah… . . !”

That one word was enough . It contained all of Chrisley’s admiration . All the efforts of the dark elves were in vain but she felt great joy at the germinated seed .

“Are you thinking of planting it?”

“It is worrying . Do you know if two world trees have every appeared in one place?”

Chrisley struggled for a while before her shoulders slumped .

“I’m sorry . I’ve never heard anything about it . ”

“Any others?”

I asked the rest of the dark elves . However, none of them nodded .

I touched my chin while thinking . Julliom and Chrisley were familiar with the history of the Demon World . If they both didn’t know then it was unlikely to have happened .

‘I can plant it in Japan’s dungeon or plant both . ’

I worried about where to place the germinated seed . But it increasingly tilted in the direction of planting both together . This was because of an item purchased at the auction .

Statue of Abundance!

An epic grade item that increased the reproduction rate of all ‘species’ near it . The Seed of the World Tree went in this category as well . It also had an impact on growth . If I moved a seed to Japan’s dungeon then it wouldn’t receive the effect .

I made a decision and said .

“Plant both together . ”

“Will it be okay? We don’t know a lot about the world trees . There is no knowing if the other one with grow properly even with the germinated seed . ”

“It does not matter . ”

Chrisley’s face was full of worry . And she wasn’t wrong . There were many unsure variables .

If one was planted in Japan’s dungeon then the risk would reduce significantly . But there would be more results if both were planted together .

They would receive the blessing from the Statue of Abundance . Besides…what effect would the blessing have on the germinated seed? It might have a good effect on raising the world trees .

I selected the side that I wouldn’t regret . Anyway, I was rarely 100% satisfied .

I didn’t allow any further objections so she nodded . At the same time, conviction appeared in the eyes of the dark elves including Chrisley .

Two world trees .

They couldn’t help feeling greedy . Chrisley was just thinking of me when she was worrying about the results .

If they succeeded…this was a tremendous blessing . No, they would be able to enjoy unprecedented benefits .

“This is definitely the place with the most fertile soil?”

“Certainly . ”

Chrisley replied confidently .

I took out the Statue of Abundance from the magic bag . It was a 1 . 5 m stone statue of a plump woman smiling . The dark elves stared curiously but I didn’t pay any attention and invoked the blessing .

“Statue of Abundance . ”

A window popped up in the air .

-Only one species can receive the ‘Blessing of Abundance .

The range of the blessing is a 50 km radium around the status and the effect will disappear outside this range .

This is a list of the species that exist in the vicinity . Please select a species to give a blessing .

Dark Elf 2 . Thousand Year Old Tree 3 . King Bee 4……

A list of species that existed in the vicinity came up . I found ‘World Tree’ at position number 12 . The Germinated World Tree Seed seemed to fall under it .

After ‘World Tree’ was selected, a bright light poured from the Statue of Abundance . The light spread through the 15th floor of the dungeon and gathered at the Seeds of the World Tree .

-The Blessing of Abundance has been given to the world tree .

Its growth rate will increase significantly and it will grow up more healthy .

A blue light shone around Chrisley’s hand and the seed . The blessing was given properly . I didn’t know how much help it would give but…it would have some effect .

“Plant it . ”

“Yes . ”

Chrisley replied with a tense expression .

She chose a place a little off from where the Seed of the World Tree was already planted . She moved her hand through the dirt and carefully buried the seed .

Then she covered it with dirt again .

Puhung!

The ground started vibrating . The fertile soil started being affected .

But that wasn’t the end .

A small bud shot up from the dirt . The size was only a few centimetres but it gave off an intense vitality .

“Ah… . . !”

“World tree…world tree……!”

The dark elves were at a loss for words . They stared at the bud of the world tree with thrill . They were so ecstatic that tears started falling from their eyes . The dark elves sank to their knees and ‘welcomed’ the world tree .

They had never showed that reaction to me who was the Dungeon Master . Chrisley and Julliom were thrilled but they had self-control .

Soon a few messages appeared in the air .

-An incredible achievement! A ‘World Tree’ has successfully sprouted for the first time!

The world tree is the mother of the forest . Thanks to the special blessing, a large fortress can be constructed that will stop enemy attacks .

-The dungeon rating has gone up . You can verify this through Domestic Mode .

The title ‘World Tree Master’ has been given .

I frowned while looking over the windows .

‘Dungeon rating?’

I had somewhat anticipated a title . A title had been given for growing a world tree . But I was ignorant about the dungeon rating .

‘Was there a dungeon rating before?’

I couldn’t know . I had neglected almost everything related to my dungeon in my previous life . My information related to dungeons was very limited .

I should verify it . But I checked my status window first .

Name: Randalph BrigsielOccupationDemon Duke (Dungeon Master)Title* Dungeon Hunter (Residual stats +1 when occupying dungeons and hunting demons)

* Indomitable Warrior (Ex U, All stats +2)

* World Tree Master (Ex U, All stats +2)

* First to Receive a Fairy’s Blessing (U, Magic Power +6)

StatsStrength80 (+11)Intelligence 72 (+4)Agility75 (+11)Stamina80Magic Power85 (+10) Potential: (392+40/500)

Remaining Stat Points: 3

Electric Power: 16GW

Uniqueness: Heart of the Hell Monarch has woken up .

Skill: Combine Everything (U), Mind’s Eye (Ex U), Lightning Elemental (Epic), Wrath (Epic), Sloth (Epic)

[Before and After Comparison]

Strength 89 Intelligence 74 Agility 77 Stamina 82 Magic 93 Potential (392+23/500)

Strength 91 Intelligence 76 Agility 86 Stamina 84 Magic 95 Potential (392+40/500)

“Uhh… . . ”

I gave a smile . The +2 to all stats from the title meant strength went over 90 . Agility rose significantly thanks to Sloth and my magic power was at 95 . I have a total of 432 stats . I had gone way beyond my original capabilities in my previous life .

This was all thanks to the compensation stats .

The effects of the titles and items increased my stats by 40 . This was a feat that most demons couldn’t compete with . My pure stats had risen but it wasn’t enough to cover everything .

I also had three skills with the epic rating . In the present time, only the Grand Dukes could barely match me .

I was looking forward to displaying Wrath that was strengthened by the Astral Code .

Either way…I was satisfied with the status window .

‘Unfortunately, the other one didn’t react . ’

I was referring to the other Seed of the World Tree . The seed already buried in the ground didn’t react as well .

It was still too early . I would be able to obtain accurate data over time . If there wasn’t a reaction after a long then then I would find a different solution .

“Continue the ceremony . ”

The chanting of the hymn of life .

I would try anything that would help the growth of the world tree .

“As you command . My Dungeon Master . ”

Chrisley who was watching the bud of the world tree blankly hastily bowed her head . On the other hand, Julliom and the other dark elves were still affected .

They were close to the world tree that was their desire . Dream . Hope . Such a thing .

The dark elves lived in the Demon World where the strong ruled . They lived in remote areas and were strengthened every day . As a result, they were forced to make a deal with the dark spirits . Of course, their wish was to save Chrisley’s life but…now under the protection of the world true, the dark elves could enjoy some prosperity .

‘Today they don’t have to worry . ’

I wasn’t an unreasonable boss . I smiled and turned away .

Domestic Mode .

One of the privileges of the Dungeon Master was to learn the details related to the dungeon .

I ran Domestic Mode next to the Dungeon Core .

After a moment, a holographic cross section of the dungeon emerged . The placement and situation of the creatures was confirmed but not much changed from before .

But there was one place . A change on the 15th floor .

There was a towering tree like figure with the description ‘World Tree (Budding) . It was the first time I had seen something added to the hologram .

Apart from that, I found new words on the bottom left .

‘A rare rated dungeon . ’

There were some yellow letters . I touched my hand to the words that stated it was a rare grade dungeon .

The holographic screen changed and a new window was shown .

-The dungeon rating can vary according to special structures .

A rare grade dungeon will have additional features compared to a general grade dungeon .

Do you want to verify the additional structures?

Of course I wanted to confirm it . This was the first time I realized a dungeon had ratings . I clicked on the button without hesitation and lengthy writing showed up .

Stronger control over the creatures . No matter how low the intelligence of the creatures, they will now listen to the Dungeon Master’s commands . It is possible for one of the creatures to be appointed to ‘Master Guardian . ’ A Master Guardian will protect the Dungeon Core and is the Dungeon Master’s ultimate sword . The Master Guardian will have all stats +5 . They can perform a ‘space jump’ beyond the law of physics only once . New sculptures are added .

-Artificial sun, clouds and moon .

The seasonal setting is enabled .

-Spring, summer, autumn, winter .

Those were the 4 main points added . I looked at the list step by step .

Number 1 . A leader was required for low intelligence creatures during monster waves but that wasn’t necessary anymore .

Point 2 about the ‘Master Guardian’ was quite interesting . One creature could have all stats increased by 5 . Space jump was a bit vague but that was inconsequential .

Points 3 and 4 were additional features that changed the terrain . Depending on how I used it, various effects could be obtained . It would be good for those creatures strengthened by the sun or the moon .

‘It means there are even more ratings . ’

If I had raised the dungeon rating to rare from general then I must be able to raise it even further to unique, epic and legend ratings .

These were the rare grade additional features so I couldn’t imagine what else would be added .

It seemed like a good idea to make multiple investments in the dungeon . There would be a number of benefits if I focused on raising the rating . There were some disadvantages but it seemed like the benefits were greater .

‘There wasn’t any related achievements?’

I thought I would obtain a dungeon achievement for raising the rating . But that didn’t seem to be the case . It seemed like the additional features were the reward .

I shook my head and looked at Sloth . I was wearing the red cloak . But I still hadn’t experimented with the skill .

‘I have to try out Sloth . ’

Thanks to Astral Code, the intelligence restrictions of Wrath was lowered . However, Sloth was different . It was likely that I would once again be taken over by an unknown state .

But I couldn’t just ignore it .

I needed to be aware of the skill and what situations I could use it in . However, I didn’t use it randomly like before . Basic defenses were necessary .

I made some plans to experiment with Sloth .

3 days later .

I stepped foot on the 20th floor of the dungeon .

“Wait around here . If I act unusually violent then try to block me for as long as possible . ”

“I will keep that in mind . ”

“Block! I can do it!”

Kkiruk!

Krasla, Gigantes and the griffin answered .

I called these three here for a reason . In case something occurred while I experimented with Sloth .

Two high class creatures . Krasla who was a slight level below .

I judged that the three of them together could block me .

20th floor . There was nothing in this place for me to damage but…I couldn’t be sure . I didn’t know what this product did .

I made some preparations just in case .

Then Krasla asked .

“I’ve roughly heard the story . But what if Master doesn’t return to normal?”

Before coming here, I had given a slight explanation that I was experimenting with a skill . Now that Krasla mentioned it, I realized that there was a blind spot .

I touched my chin and thought for a minute before replying .

“Then consult with Yihi and Chrisley . Those two should be able to identify my condition and prepare for it . ”

Yihi had a soul connection with me . She should be able to figure out my state . Chrisley had the ability to improvise . They should be able to handle the situation somehow .

“I understand . ”

Krasla seemed convinced and bowed his head .

I released my chin and said .

“However, there is no need to be too unreasonable . All you have to do is limit my movements . That will be enough . ”

Right now my total stats was 432 . It was much higher than the figures of Gigantes and the griffin . I would be pushed if both of them were my opponents . Killing one or both of them in a confrontation . It was clear that the results wouldn’t be very good . There was a chance they might die . So I didn’t forget to warn them in advance .

“Now step aside . ”

Krasla took the lead as the three of them moved away .

They would be in the vicinity when I activated the skill . They would observe my state from a distance . It would be best if none of them were killed when I examined the skill .

‘I should raise the remaining stats . ’

Tsk . I clicked my tongue .

My intelligence was the issue . I only had 66 intelligence when I used Wrath . It had grown by 10 to reach 76 but that figure was still vague . It was high but also low . That’s why a few safety measures were needed .

I had 3 residual stats that I could invest in intelligence . However, l would rather save the stats for when my life was at risk . One day I could also break through the limit because of the residual stats .

I stood still and looked around .

My hands couldn’t touch anything on the 20th floor . The middle of nowhere . It is natural that there was nothing . I stood in the centre of a floor without anything else present .

I wore the cloak properly and took a deep breath .

Wrath caused a significant decline in agility but raised strength, agility and stamina . I had been taken over by an abnormal state and destroyed everything . Yihi the optimist had even trembled in fear because of me .

What about Sloth?

I prepared my mind and slowly opened my mouth .

“Sloth . ”

-High magic power (95) has caused strength, stamina and intelligence to fall by 6 .

Agility has risen by 6 .

Intelligence has blocked 49% of the abnormal state . The defense has failed . You have been taken over by the ‘Sloth’ state .

The moment the message surfaced .

My whole body felt drowsy . It was like my body was submerged in water .

I closed my eyes and sat down . Soon even breathing was an annoyance .

This was Sloth? Everything was slowing down . It wasn’t as something as simple as deceleration . Agility had momentarily jumped over 100 to 106 . It meant I jumped over the ‘Transcendental Wall . ’

The skill ‘Sloth’ was the ability to accelerate the world . The synergy effect of the superior quickness changed time and space . The scope was crazy . I could catch the slight movements of the grass outside the dungeon . That wasn’t all . Water droplets forming and then falling could be seen .

I just needed to stand still and all the information would come to me . So there was no need to move . I could distinguish everything . This was true laziness .

Cognitive changes . The flow of time had changed .

1 second became very long . 1 minute was even longer . When an hour and then a day passed, it felt like I was trapped in a large prison of time .

Nevertheless, I was lazy . I didn’t take any actions . I just stood still and went with the flow .

Then one moment .

My body began to be dismantled . I inwardly screamed . It felt like the walls of time was pushing against my body . My physical ability couldn’t withstand the acceleration .

It was natural . Compared to the 106 agility, stamina and strength was too low . As Sloth continued, the result would cause an imbalance that would appear gradually . This caused my body to feel like it was being crushed .

‘Will it be okay?’

I thought with distant pain .

I could no longer be lazy .

I took one step forward with annoyance .

‘I’m back . Don’t deny the flow . It is like someone is mocking me . I can’t succumb to this state when using the skill . ’

It was a little questionable .

Like a wave forming when a stone was thrown at a lake . The wavelength would become bigger due to the impact .

‘Get up, Randalph Brigsiel . You can’t let Sloth get to you . ’

There was the notification window that ‘Sloth’ was over and I opened my eyes .

“Huuk!”

I released my blocked breath .

I immediately checked my body .

Fortunately, nothing was broken or injured . But I could see bruises all over like I had slowly been crushed by the walls of time .

‘This is Sloth?’

Once again .

An intense state . It was like being a god . I could sense even the slight movements of the air .

Furthermore, the world became extremely slow . It was impossible to compare to a simple ‘acceleration’ skill . A common acceleration skill simply strengthened the body . It put a strain on the brain so it was a double edged sword for the user .

But Sloth involved time . It was in the realm of the senses . There was no need to strengthen physical force . If an accident happened then I could move . It was possible to feel and react to everything in advance .

Sloth was similar to an acceleration skill but it was more developed .

A type of side effect was that my motivation to move was completely gone . I needed to overcome that part .

“It isn’t easy . ”

I laughed bitterly .

The problem was obvious .

It was activated but my body couldn’t control it . My body was strengthened but it was also weakened . My 106 agility made my stamina and strength seem low .

How much intelligence……

‘I can’t use Wrath and Sloth at the same time . ’

I thought about trying it once intelligence reached 90 .

It was still too early to use them both simultaneously .

Wrath enhanced my overall physical abilities while Sloth activated my senses . I could use it flexibly depending on the situation .

And among the remaining 5 Seven Sins, there might be something to raise intelligence . I could expect something .

‘I now know what type of skill Sloth is . ’

The difference between knowing and not knowing was large .

My purpose was achieved . It was enough to know the limitations of Sloth .

I left this place .

* * *

3 days after my experiment with Sloth ended .

Chrisley who had been watching the growth of the world tree came to see me .

“This is rare . ”

These words came out naturally .

Chrisley rarely ever came to me first . I was away a lot of the time but she was also very busy . I ordered her to raise the skill proficiency and her body was exhausted from looking after the world tree .

“It is great to see Dungeon Master . ”

Chrisley kneeled down and spoke . I waved my hand and asked .

“Don’t worry about the formal greeting . Tell me the reason you came . ”

Chrisley raised her head and said .

“I came because of the world tree . ”

“Tell me . ”

I gave Chrisley more freedom than others . She started talking without hesitation .

“When the bud of the world tree emerged, I could feel intense yin and yang magic power . This wasn’t originally in the seed . Impurities . But refined into something pure…in the meantime, I organized my thoughts and wanted to ask Master about it . ”

I had no choice but to feel surprised .

“How do you know that?”

“Don’t you know the type of magic power in my body?”

The true demonic dragon Aojin and the dark elf Shilla . The contrasting power mixed together inside Chrisley . It meant she was very sensitive in that direction .

But noticing impurities was a completely different area . Let alone knowing about refining magic power .

‘This is the impact of 100 intelligence . ’

That was just my guess .

I took a moment to admire it .

Information about the world tree . This information about the world tree couldn’t leak out to the other demons .

But the other person was Chrisley .

A dark elf who became devoted to me through the ceremony and would never betray me . Furthermore, Chrisley was the owner of 100 intelligence . I didn’t know the answer but there was no possibility of going back .

Since then, she had worked had .

“Combination . ”

I spoke after coming to that conclusion .

“Combination…is it?”

Chrisley was confused by the ambiguous reply .

I took out the recipe from my magic bag and handed it to Chrisley .

“This is a combination that can germinate the Seed of the World Tree . ”

“Tear of the Moon, Smile of the Sun? This if the first time I’ve heard those names . ”

“You can read it?”

I was inwardly surprised . The Dark Spirit King had directly sealed the recipe . It couldn’t be read without an observation skill . But Chrisley could read it .

This was the overall effects of high intelligence . I once again realized my intelligence was too low .

Chrisley watched my reaction and asked .

“Is it strange?”

“No . Anyway, it is written in the recipe . ”

“Crystallized magic power…I’ve heard of it . If pure magic power is gathered then sometimes a crystal will form . ”

Chrisley noticed the presence of Tear of the Moon and Smile of the Sun .

“For now, there is no way to obtain it . ”

So I could only look forward to the Statue of Abundance . I was hoping that the blessing would germinate the remaining seed . It had only happened a few days ago but there were still no signs .

Chrisley closed her eyes . She seemed to be thinking of something . Dozens of seconds passed . Then Chrisley opened her eyes again and a strange light flashed in it .

“Tear of the Moon, Smile of the Sun . Looking at the name, they probably consist of yin and yang magic power . If so…won’t my ‘blood’ play a similar role? The magic power in my blood might be able to form a crystal . ”

“……”

I gazed at Chrisley with a bemused expression .

It felt like I had been struck . Why didn’t I think of something so simple?

An unparalleled amount of magic power certainly flowed in her blood . The true demonic dragon Aojin had the nature of the sun while the dark elf queen Shilla was of the moon .

But getting such an effect would require removing a significant amount of blood .

“You could die . ”

“I’m not going to die . ”

A baseless confidence .

A laugh couldn’t help escaping .

“The combination isn’t meaningful . There is guarantee a magic crystal would be completed . ”

“Taking the first step is important . If it isn’t even started then nothing can be achieved . ”

It was quite reasonable .

That was also my attitude after coming back to the past .

But there was still something that bothered me .

“Your blood is not enough . ”

“You will cover the rest of the magic power . My Dungeon Master . If you allow me to learn a skill related to extracting magic power . I can extract the magic power and combine it with my blood in order to form a crystal . ”

Extracted magic power couldn’t unconditionally be combined . The ratio of magic power extracted needed to be established and purified . This was a highly complex task . But Chrisley could pull it off .

In addition, her motivation was great . Chrisley normally didn’t strongly express her opinions . This was the first time she had an active attitude .

‘In my previous life, I would have just rejected it . ’

I would never hand out a skill power or be willing to bleed to extract magic power . But now I thought differently from my previous life .

Trusting a creature below me…it wasn’t a bad idea to give her a chance . It might be a failure but I couldn’t just reject it .

The 2nd year . I was walking properly along my path . I could afford to do this . This was an opportunity that I could afford to give a few times .

“Okay . You can try it . ”

I nodded and said .

Extracting magic power was a rare grade skill . And an item with a high concentration of magic power . I could prepare both of them .

One of the items I bought at the Demon World Auction contained a high concentration of magic power .

The body of the earth dragon . The earth dragon was born after a forest lived for thousands of years so the accumulated amounts in its bones couldn’t be ignored .

I originally planned to create an undead creature called ‘bone dragon’ from it but…plans were always changing .

I would gladly use the body of the dragon if it would give positive results . Of course, some practice was required before using the body of the earth dragon .

“Chrisley . I will appoint you as the Master Guardian . ”

Before handing over the skill and corpse of the earth dragon .

I spoke to Chrisley .

I chose to appoint Chrisley as my Master Guardian . She had very high loyalty to me and she had the brightest future . In addition, all stats would increase by 5 so she would become more resilient .

I had experienced the power of raising agility to 106 . I couldn’t imagine the effect that would appear if her intelligence reached 105 .

More stamina would also be helpful . It was inevitable that Chrisley would be selected as the Master Guardian .

“I will follow you . ”

This was another good point about Chrisley . Unlike Julliom, she didn’t bother asking me for a reason . She tried to understand it for herself . If she still didn’t know then she wouldn’t hesitate to ask .

I smiled and immediately went into Domestic Mode to make the appointment . And the rest of the procedure was done .

At the same time, a colourful light emerged from the Dungeon Core .

Light started to wrap around Chrisley like a cocoon .

A few message windows flashed in the air .

-‘Chrisley’ has been selected as the Master Guardian .

The Master Guardian is different from the other creatures . They are the last shield . Only one can exist and will defend everything .

‘Chrisley’ will have all stats increase by 5 .

-Warning!

The true demonic dragon Aojin and dark elf Shilla’s blood has started reacting . Chrisley’s ‘blood’ has started awakening!

Blood was awakening?

Unfamiliar words .

It meant there was originally a ‘reaction . ’

Plus, the warning message meant there might be an issue .

There was no doubt it was a problem due to being selected as the Master Guardian .

I gazed at Chrisley .

The colourful light that wrapped around Chrisley…it was repeatedly expanding and contracting . Certainly an unusual phenomenon .

I monitored the anomalies . It would be a headache if there was a problem . I stayed quiet and waited for the results .

Hwiing!

A heavy wind blew . There seemed to be a three sided struggle inside the cocoon . There was no way of knowing the situation but I was certain that three powers in her blood were fighting .

After a long time, the magic power gradually settled . The brilliant light was absorbed by Chrisley’s body .

-‘Chrisley’ has been completely changed to the Master Guardian .-The blood awakening has created the skill ‘Queen of the Sun and Moon . ’

Flop!

Chrisley collapsed .

The fierce fight had caused her stamina to drop .

I drew closer to Chrisley and used Mind’s Eye .

Name: ChrisleyOccupationMaster Guardian (All stats + 5)Title* Person with the Blood of a True Demonic Dragon (Epic, Intelligence +6, Magic +6)

* Blessed by the Moon (Ex U, Magic Power +8)

StatsStrength 37 (+5)Intelligence94 (+11)Agility41 (+5)Stamina39 (+5)Magic Power66 (+23) Potential: (277+49/484)

Uniqueness: A person with the true demonic dragon Aojin and the dark elf Shilla’s blood, the end of her growth can’t be seen .

Skill: Large Body Control (U), Undead Manufacturing (Ex U), Queen of the Sun and Moon (Epic)

Items Worn: Death Wand (Ex U, Set, Magic Power +4)

[Before and After Comparison]

Strength 26 Intelligence 100 Agility 28 Stamina 32 Magic 73 Potential (235+24/478)

Strength 42 Intelligence 105 Agility 46 Stamina 44 Magic 89 Potential (277+49/484)

“…Crazy . ”

A sound emerged .

It was natural . The effect of Master Guardian had overwhelmingly calibrated Chrisley’s stats . 49 . I smiled . Her growth rate meant she would catch up to Krasla sooner or later .

In addition, her potential threshold had increased . 478 to 484! A small but definitely breakthrough . Until now, I had never heard of a creature breaking through the limit .

Body Control (R) had also climbed to a unique rated skill . It had upgraded to Large Body Control (U) and she could control a lot more corpses . Undead Manufacturing had increased a half step but the more amazing part was the newly created skill .

Epic grade skill .

A measure of a high class creature .

It wasn’t a requirement but the best high class creatures had epic grade skills .

‘The change in only one year is unbelievable . ’

This wasn’t the end . She had become stronger in a year . Among my creatures, Chrisley had the potential to be the best . It was impossible for humans to even be compared .

I was proud to have an excellent creature . But it forced me to think again .

‘Even creating a skill…was I too impatient when selecting her as the Master Guardian?’

Chrisley had come to me through the Demon World Auction . There was no doubt about her loyalty after the ceremony . However…that was confined to the present . Chrisley had tremendous potential that could even surpass me .

It wasn’t simply the potential shown in the status window . It was deeper, wider and more difficult to define .

Obtaining an epic grade skill was completely unexpected . Her growth was ridiculously fast . She was soaring through the sky .

But I couldn’t help getting a strong feeling .

She was a strong variable .

Power could change everything . She was once weak so I was unsure of how she would react once she became more powerful .

The odds were high that her heart…I had seen such scenes in my previous life .

Usually creatures couldn’t deny the Dungeon Master . But Chrisley had unprecedented intelligence . There wasn’t much known about the intelligence stat . Maybe in the near future, I could break through the loophole in the system but that wasn’t doable at the moment .

Single-minded? Humble service? It was certainly good words but I had doubts if she could keep following me . The use of such words were usually weak . There were those who became crazy and forgot the past after gaining strength .

This subjective judgement was based on experience but…I needed to consider if Chrisley would escape from this category .

Thoughts kept on springing up . They didn’t settle .

Then after a moment .

I realized something .

‘Was I scared?’

Ha! I lightly breathed out .

A variable had popped up . Was this why I felt so anxious?

Soon I found the answer .

‘I don’t know . Chrisley . ’

It wasn’t much different from the variable of the Demon World Auction list being changed . In my previous life, I had experienced with the dark spirits . They only took action for a specific reason .

This fact wouldn’t harm me so much .

But Chrisley wasn’t present in my previous life .

This was why I couldn’t define her .

I couldn’t have any assurances .

Until now, I had thought of the creatures as being below me . She was special . And my hand would be moving her from above like a marionette . That’s why I was surprised and angry by this variable .

I said to the unconscious Chrisley .

“I will watch…you . ”

The water had already been spilled

I could only walk down this road .

The experiences from my past life wasn’t always the truth . There was a chance I might not suffer . I needed to take control of this variable .

‘A strong variable . It is enough if I neutralize the strong presence . ’

I nodded .

A simple and clear answer .

Chrisley had the potential to surpass me but I needed to be realistic . If I was alarmed every time I saw her then it might accelerate the possibilities of that happening .

‘I have to break my prejudices . ’

Everyone gained strength . They changed .

Chrisley? She had an irregular strength . Wouldn’t she stay loyal if I remained stronger than her?

Duk . I tapped Chrisley on the cheek to wake her up and started to move .

‘Queen of the Sun and Moon’ was a dark, aggressive skill .

The power of the sun could shoot out beams over a distance while the moon could freeze the ground .

It was on par with the griffin’s Fire and Lightning skill .

Shortly after the change, Chrisley learned to extract magic power . She reduced her sleeping time and threw herself into studying the skill . Her high intelligence meant she quickly learned the skill .

It didn’t take long after handing her the body of the earth dragon .

Her blood was purified every day . And the pure magic power was placed inside the earth dragon . The two different magic powers were combined in a ratio to form a Magic Crystal .

The experiment lasted for a while . Chrisley tried several combinations and failed many times . If the ratio wasn’t correct then the magic power would explode .

Even so, Chrisley was determined . The combination ratio improved every day . After the 37th challenge, a ‘Magic Crystal of High Concentration’ was formed .

“There is no curse . ”

I held the crystal that was the size of a thumbnail and studied it . The size and colour made it more beautiful than the previous combination . It didn’t have a curse attached to it so I was satisfied with the result .

“…Was it combined correctly?”

Chrisley asked me with an anxious expression .

A pale complexion . It was due to a lot of blood being pulled from her skin .

The power from the earth dragon was also extracted but there was a lot extra . It was inevitable that Chrisley’s condition would be like this .

“The combination itself is unquestionable . Now we just need to verify whether it will germinate the seed . ”

“I will bring the seed . ”

I shook my head .

“No . Let’s go together . ”

I wanted to leave the seed where it would be affect by the Statue of Abundance’s blessing . But the Magic Crystal was completed so I wanted to see the results as soon as possible .

I headed to the 15th floor with Chrisley . The forest terrain had changed as the bud from the world tree already grew as tall as an adult .

The dark elves were still around it doing the ceremony .

The ceremony was interrupted by my appearance and Chrisley carefully dug out the seed before handing it to me .

“…Here it is . ”

Concern was on Chrisley’s face as she handed it over . She was tense now that it was actually happening .

I said with a smile .

“Don’t worry . It isn’t your fault even if it fails . ”

“Oh . ”

“I gave you the order . I also let you decide the combination for the crystal . If it goes wrong then it will be because of my mismanagement . Besides, it hasn’t been confirmed to be a failure yet . ”

I spoke in a firm tone .

It was in order to convince Chrisley . I was still uneasy but I felt significantly better now . Her anxiety was due to her desire to please me .

‘Then……’

There was no need to waste time .

I immediately triggered Combine Everything while holding the crystal and seed .

A message window flashed .

-Would you like to combine Magic Crystal of High Concentration to the Seed of the World Tree?

There was yes or no written underneath it .

Needless to say, I pressed the yes button .

And the two ingredients started to merge .

It was repeatedly disassembled and combined .

I had already seen this sight dozens of times .

But it was more tense this time . I only had one Seed of the World Tree . I didn’t know when I could challenge it again .

Chrisley and the dark elves were tense as they watched the spectacle .

After dozens of seconds .

-The Magic Crystal of High Concentration and Seed of the World Tree has been combined .

The result is a very successful combination . ‘Germinated World Tree Seed’ has been completed!

Seed of the World Tree .

There was also the blessing on the surface…and a bud . It was filled with vitality . The bud quivered like it was alive and protesting .

I smirked .

“Look . My judgement wasn’t wrong .

“Ahh . I truly believed, my Dungeon Master……”

Flop!

Chrisley collapsed once again .

Her tension was released and the sleepless nights caught up with her tired body .

The sleep deprivation and extraction of blood made her unconscious .

Yet a small smile still remained on her weary face .