Eat The World Tree-Chapter 319: Collapse Of The Cradle (4)

Flower was running rampant.

This was something most National Trees were aware of.

However, those who participated in the Forester Selection Competition, including Saku and Kim Soo-yeon, couldn’t step forward to suppress Flower.

There was no need to alarm the citizens unnecessarily.

[Stay there.]

“President of the Association!”

Kim Soo-yeon’s intense voice echoed through the café.

Cameras slowly moved away, avoiding capturing this scene.

The cadets sitting in the café stared at her in surprise at the strange commotion.

“Awawa… Soo-yeon-san, that’s a nuisance! A nuisance!”

Saku, her eyes wide open, tried to stop Soo-yeon.

[Nothing will happen even if you’re not there. Don’t even think about confronting them yet.]

The stern voice of an elder carried a tone of resolute authority.

Kim Soo-yeon’s brows knitted, and she bit her lower lip.

“What’s wrong with a National Tree protecting people? Let me return home.”

[……Ha.]

A sigh came through the phone.

The President of the Korean Hunter Association. The granddaughter of Mugung, who carried countless legends. Korea’s National Tree, Kim Soo-yeon.

No matter how experienced a fighter one might be, the worries of a grandfather for his granddaughter were insurmountable.

[Soo-yeon.]

“President… No, Grandpa.”

[…….]

Kim Soo-yeon’s stubbornness, fortified by justice and order, left Mugung silent for a while.

“Even at this moment, people could be dying. Why is this Forester Selection Competition a priority?”

“Soo-yeon-san, how could you call it trivial?!”

“Saku, be quiet.”

“You’re so mean!”

Kim Soo-yeon’s attitude, if evaluated, was commendable.

As a National Tree, her sense of responsibility was unparalleled, and she commanded the trust of the people.

Her presence was already synonymous with South Korea’s future.

Trained rigorously by Mugung from a young age, she had become nearly peerless among her generation.

However, her overflowing sense of justice occasionally clouded her judgment.

When trouble arose, her sole focus was to save lives.

She believed that no life could be weighed or prioritized over another.

This was the very reason she rapidly rose in prominence within South Korea.

But in situations requiring pragmatism, her insight was limited.

In this regard, she stood in stark contrast to Mugung, who had accepted sacrifices and sent many to ruin when necessary.

[Hoo.]

Mugung let out a deep sigh and spoke softly.

[It won’t be long before Flower infiltrates the Selection Competition.]

“…What?”

[No, they’ve probably already prepared. There might even be Flower agents near you.]

Both of them were startled by his words and made bewildered sounds.

The place where World Trees were born and grown, a dense gathering of most saplings—the Cradle.

Of course, World Trees weren’t located solely in the Cradle, but its value was immeasurable.

It was the only place with optimal conditions for young trees to grow.

Although the five major World Trees, Flower’s greatest enemies, weren’t situated here, most saplings destined to become World Trees took root in this area. ṜÁꞐő₿ΕŞ

The security was tight, with soldiers and hunters stationed there.

The trees themselves possessed power comparable to hunters.

For Flower to attack the Cradle would be suicidal unless their top brass intervened.

“That’s absurd. Is that true?”

[Don’t speak carelessly. It was bound to happen eventually. It’s just happening a bit earlier than expected.]

Mugung continued in a calm tone.

[Flower in Korea has been effectively eradicated. There’s nothing you could do, even if you came.]

“But….”

[Do you think I wouldn’t be able to handle a single weed?]

Kim Soo-yeon couldn’t respond.

There was no one who could rival Mugung at this time.

Unless his old foe Cheonma miraculously returned.

Though Korea had recently experienced frequent terrorist attacks and rampaging Ents, it remained one of the safest and least corrupt nations.

If one were to name a country where people thrived, South Korea would frequently come to mind abroad.

This was largely thanks to the efforts of one man, Mugung.

Without him, Korea’s dungeons and other valuable assets might have been drained by foreign powers.

“But still….”

Kim Soo-yeon muttered, her voice half-pouting.

Hearing her disheartened tone, Mugung comforted her.

[Child, you have plenty of responsibilities. There will only be more in the future. Your passion is admirable, but even the mere act of you withdrawing from the Forester Selection Competition would cause public anxiety. People would scramble to find a reason. If they realized it was due to Flower… you know what that would mean.]

“…Yes.”

The aftermath such a revelation could trigger.

Her position was too weighty to act solely out of justice.

A National Tree was a symbol and pride of a nation.

Her actions could be interpreted as representing South Korea’s will.

[Just focus on your duties for now.]

Mugung’s words finally persuaded Soo-yeon.

She resolved to prepare herself while fulfilling her responsibilities in the Cradle.

It wouldn’t be long before Flower struck, as her grandfather had warned.

‘Not long before the Cradle is attacked, huh?’

Soo-yeon understood the gravity of the confidential information her grandfather had subtly shared.

She recognized the dire situation.

Even among National Trees, there was no one she could fully trust.

She needed allies she could rely on.

“Lee Shiheon.”

“What.”

“After this is all over, we’re fighting, right?”

Bao, persistently asking, received a casual nod from me.

Her narrowed eyebrows showed her dissatisfaction with my half-hearted attitude.

“All you care about is finding Bob, isn’t it? But right now, you can’t even figure out where he is.”

Spring Peach Blossom’s mobility was unmatched by any other organization.

They utilize the spatial magic developed by the Sage more effectively than anyone, enabling them to pursue Flower with incredible speed.

Even if Bao discovered Bob’s location, there wass no way she could catch up.

“You said last time that all you need is to contact him.”

“I can’t. Apparently, he’s unreachable now. Too busy, he said.”

I tried calling just in case, but there was no response.

He must be extremely busy.

Although I was a bit concerned, I had decided to lighten my mindset for now.

You couldn’t refuse to ferment soy sauce just because you were afraid of maggots.

Besides, I currently had limited means to assist Cheondo.

“Ugh.”

Bao looked displeased.

Her motivations had been completely derailed for some time.

What began as a mission to find Bob now seemed more like a desire to settle things no matter what.

Yeah. Not happening.

Africa’s National Tree, Bao.

Based on my research, the sacred tradition of Arabid, a 1vs1 duel, required mutual consent.

If I refused, Bao couldn’t do anything about it.

No matter how reckless she might seem, she had to stick to her principles.

“Anyway, moving on… why are none of you speaking?”

I looked at the others sitting around the table in my room.

Taeyang, Aori, Sansuyu, Maronnie, and Bao.

As far as I know, they were some of the best talents for the Forester Selection Competition.

The five looked around awkwardly, shuffling in their seats.

Only Taeyang and Aori, indifferent to whether someone was new or familiar, were casually munching on snacks.

Sansuyu stared intently at Bao, while Maronnie awkwardly glanced at me.

“…What do you expect when you call us here without an explanation?”

“Oh, didn’t I say?”

Maronnie glared at me.

Couldn’t a person make a little mistake?

I reopened the conversation, introducing everyone one by one.

Each of them had been gathered to counter Flower and National Trees that would invade the Cradle.

“I might need a few more people, but for now, I’ve only brought those I can trust. These guys are from the Korean Hunter Academy—Mok Taeyang and Aori. They’re skilled, so you can rely on them. As for Bao, you’ve seen her in the First Trial.”

“Lightweights.”

Bao smirked, recognizing Taeyang and sneering.

Her provoking words didn’t faze Taeyang.

Instead, he chuckled, placing a hand on Aori’s shoulder.

“Not really. I was holding back.”

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“Pfft. Whatever.”

…

This was already a mess.

“Hyung, can I spar with her once?”

“You’ll lose. Hold back.”

“Tch.”

Sometimes, I wondered if I was in the Forester Selection Competition or a kindergarten showdown.

It’s entertaining, but please, let’s keep it professional here.

Seeing my expression, Taeyang scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

“Sansuyu is from El Academy, same as me. Maronnie and Bao are National Trees—famous enough that you all should know them.”

I had worried that Aori might make some inappropriate joke, but surprisingly, she behaved.

Thank goodness she could distinguish between business and casual banter.

After giving a brief introduction, I began explaining the upcoming Flower attack on the Cradle.

At the center of the table lay a detailed map of the Cradle’s interior.

Escape routes, as explained by the Sage, were marked in red.

The structure included a hotel with accommodations up to the sixth floor.

Flower was expected to invade before the Fourth Trial began.

“Considering the staff, there are at least three hundred people. We need to escort them to the mountain area behind the hotel.”

We’d need to manage the chaos and lead the operation.

Even though the Sage was talented, it would be a mistake to assume spatial magic could be used amidst constant interference.

While it might work for an individual, large-scale spatial magic was the most susceptible to disruption.

If interrupted during use, the backlash from mana could lead to catastrophic explosions.

Thus, spatial magic would need to be shifted to the less populated mountainous area.

“There are so many people. Honestly, the five of us won’t be enough to manage them all.”

The Sage herself would likely step in.

“Our role will mostly involve preventing attacks on civilians during the chaos.”

However, there was always the worst-case scenario—we might have to take direct charge of the cadets.

This directive came straight from the Sage, so it couldn’t be ignored.

“But Hyung, do you think Flower will target civilians? They’re obsessed with maintaining their public image.”

“…If it’s them, they could very well do it.”

Maronnie answered for me.

“Civilian casualties would ultimately hurt the World Trees more. Flower might exploit that.”

Under the World Trees’ protection, we lived safely.

“Thank you, Green World,”—a slogan you’d find on posters made by elementary school kids.

Much like global warming, the reverence for World Trees was practically drilled into people’s minds.

If civilian casualties kept occurring, that faith would inevitably waver.

Naturally, dissenters would increase.

Maronnie’s prediction might be accurate.

“They won’t go out of their way to maximize civilian harm.”

Still, there would likely be some casualties.

How well we manage that would determine our success.

Taeyang nodded, resting his chin on his hand, seemingly convinced.

“That means we’ll probably end up fighting the National Trees.”

“…?”

This time, Sansuyu looked confused.

It was an unexpected statement, but true.

If Flower caused civilian casualties, and National Trees were involved, the chaos would be unparalleled.

National Trees representing their countries killing civilians during the Forester Selection Competition.

If such rumors spread… the world would spiral into madness.

‘Why would they betray us?’

Did Flower have that much power?

Perhaps they saw potential or were swayed by Flower’s ideals.

Or they might simply crave immortality or strength, like the Cornus Family.

Either way, it seemed inevitable that we’d have to fight the National Trees.

“We definitely need more people.”

One week.

That was the time we had left.