Chapter 593

「The Decaying Roots Speak to the Wind

The Shadow of the World Tree Harbors Cracks

And Shattered the Mirror of Arseria

As the Master of All Exhales His Last Breath

The Ancient Souls Raised the Chalice of Resentment

The Chains of Time Shatter

The Secrets of the Castle Collapse

The Lost Ones Lose Their Way

And Even the Souls Shall Forget

To Those Heirs of Salvamonium’s bl**d

The Song of Shadows Rings at Dawn

Descend Upon the Land of Kaizen Beyond the Roots

And Gather the Beasts that Devour the World

Rebuild the Destroyed History」

[World of Arseria DLC: The Chirality of Yggdrasill]

[Chapter 1: Hybris the Pride]

[▶ No Name]

[▶ Adella]

[▶ Monica]

*

In the main story of WoA, the World Tree was not felled but used as an energy source supporting the entire continent.

The main characters had just sent a string of demon worshipers to prison at the perfect moment.

The demon’s descent plan through the World Tree had been preemptively thwarted.

It was a fitting happy ending for a 12+ audience.

However, two years later, in the following DLC, a massive incident unfolds.

Tada-dak—

The three of us ran through the winding alleyways of the capital.

At a brightening intersection, we encountered students from Rement Academy in their uniforms.

In the past, I would have thrown the first punch, but there was no need now.

We were wearing the same uniforms.

“No Name, Adella, Monica! It seems the prisoner ran off that way! Let’s spread a tight perimeter, and you keep watch over there. We can’t let them get away!”

“Have you ever seen such despicable people! They’re lounging back while putting us in danger?”

“Whoa, hold on there, Saetbyeol.”

I stopped Saetbyeol, who was eager to fight even AI in the game.

Monica pointed her wand towards the group of students.

“It’s clear which way they ran, and yet they choose not to pursue. I’ve just witnessed their cowardice in not practicing their nobless oblige. Is this how it should be, Ms. Name?”

“We don’t need to immerse ourselves too deeply. Just a moderate amount.”

“Then we’ll take up a watch on this path. Right?”

Kraaang—!

A two-headed hyena sprang from the darkness, pouncing on the students.

“Gah! What are these monsters! Get into formation!”

“It bit my leg! Heal, hurry, heal…!”

Today, the monsters also lent a hand to the righteous campaign.

I chuckled lightly and headed out to find the escaped prisoner.

The prisoner’s name was Professor Cronicle.

He was the vice principal of Rement Academy, a demon worshiper, and according to the lore, Adella’s biological father.

Fwssss—

Grrrr—

“Are those the lower monsters that appeared in the Kaizen world?”

A blue beam crossed from the lower left corner to the upper right.

Saetbyeol swiftly took down the monsters with a clean strike and collected the fallen mana stones.

I nodded slightly.

The first evidence of the world’s merging.

We encountered many Kaizen world monsters on our way to the Arseria forest.

Having skipped the tutorial, I explained one feature of WoA to Monica as we moved.

[Arseria Forest]

The forest was engulfed by magic.

A grand and eerie background music played, making it feel as if we had entered a dungeon.

The squelching ground, the rising green smoke, a land of d*ath devoid of life.

“Wow, what is this…?”

A massive amount of residue flowed like lava.

A glob of goo rolled past us as it moved on its own.

As soon as we exited the Arseria forest, monsters disguised in different forms began to track human bl**d.

“Is it you again, rats?”

“!”

Under the shadow created by the protruding roots of the World Tree.

In tattered prison clothing, Professor Cronicle spoke in a gloomy and cracked voice.

“This world will soon embark on the path of destruction. It would have been better to be ruled by the demons. Hehehe… Kha-haha!”

Professor Cronicle’s laughter echoed, sounding more and more deranged.

Thus began the boss battle of the DLC prologue.

Buuuu—

As Cronicle waved his staff, purple light erupted from the ground.

Our party swiftly dashed in three directions, easily overcoming the first pattern.

Saetbyeol and I struck with our swords, while Monica unleashed an explosive fire, quickly whittling down his health.

Occasionally, dark energy waves shot from the tips of his fingers.

However, the attack patterns offered another opportunity for a counterattack.

Shuaaa—

Just barely dodging the magic waves, Saetbyeol swung her dagger in an impressive arc.

“Thinking about the time I thought of you as a father still makes me angry!”

She poured relentless strikes filled with real emotions, beyond mere immersion.

Smoke billowed as the dark traces carved into Professor Cronicle’s body.

[How weak is humanity.]

[The more we explore the universe and nature, the more we are overwhelmed by a relentless feeling of weakness.]

[We consider ourselves rulers, yet in truth, we’re but weak creatures.]

[This world is useless. Kneel before the true disaster that even the great master cannot tame.]

A clear sense of determination and belief surfaced in Professor Cronicle’s vacant eyes.

[Cast: Thermal Conductivity Adjustment – Convection]

Hwaaa-!

Monica’s wand created a powerful heat storm that burned Cronicle’s legs.

He fell just like any ordinary human, leaving behind experience, currency, and miscellaneous items.

“No! That was my last hit!”

“Oops, was I not supposed to take the last hit? I’m sorry, I’m new to this game.”

“Being in the same party means it’s not that big of a deal… Hehe, don’t stress about the last hit, just focus on dealing well next time.”

“Yes! I’ll do my best as far as I can!”

The girls, only a year apart in age, were filled with enthusiasm.

In retrospect, Monica was the youngest among us.

Shortly after, control over the avatar shifted, and we enjoyed the game’s cutscene.

The avatars we controlled walked towards the fallen World Tree.

Millions of leaves were burning beautifully.

The inside of the World Tree’s column was empty, and even with light magic, the ground couldn’t be seen.

We circled around the tree, which had a diameter of several meters.

[A powerful negative energy continues to flow beneath the World Tree’s column.]

[They seem to be drawn by mana.]

[Wait a moment, why don’t I feel any vibrations?]

Dududududu—

A powerful tremor shook the ground.

[Get away!]

Words that didn’t need to be heard but instead struck directly into the brain.

A mysterious child wrapped in a black robe pushed us forcefully, knocking us down.

In that moment,

Kwaaaang—!

An enormous amount of magic erupted like a volcanic explosion.

The ground shook, and the sky was tinged with black light.

The magic, stretching from the roots of the World Tree, soared upward, forming a gigantic curtain that enveloped everything.

The monsters that tormented the human world ascended towards the clouds.

Birds formed gigantic wings, while land animals melded into bodies, intertwining in chaos.

A chimera, greatly resembling a fallen angel, made up of massive amounts of magic.

[℅∂@&≛≬⊕ξψ⇔µ↔†§!!!]

Magic raised its arms high, like Atlas supporting the sky.

As if attempting to bear the weight of the world, an indescribable energy gathered in its arms, aiming at the Academy.

An impossible-to-solve boss.

It seemed the staff of Wearsoft had reinterpreted the concept of arrogance through the myth of Atlas.

For a moment, feeling overwhelmed by the grandeur.

At the most critical moment, control returned to my body.

“What the heck, why did I come back? What should we do about that giant?”

“Whoa! That’s huge… We’re definitely going to d*e…”

While everyone else was panicking and flailing about, I felt a sense of freshness instead.

“Yeah, this is it. I’d be disappointed to skip a moment like this with a cutscene. It’s more thrilling than I thought, right?”

“Gyaaa! The Astral Andromeda Spirit Bomb is coming down!”

“Hey everyone! This way!”

The girl in the black robe jumped up and down.

If the sky is falling and there’s no hole to escape, then?

Then we should just sink into the ground.

The girl pointed at a hole in the World Tree that had been blasted open by arrogance.

It was clearly an instruction to jump downwards.

We were to dash to the World Tree in the shortest path.

“Let’s go!”

“Ah, I’m coming too, Older Sister!”

“Is there a way to do it?”

“Down there!”

[Cast: Elasticity Coefficient Adjustment]

I tossed a stone rolling on the street, bouncing the falling monster corpses away.

Puh-rung—

I should probably ask them to light up the red zone earlier for the newbies.

Arrogance looked down at us as if playing catch with the Earth while we stayed below.

Is it just my imagination that I feel a gaze even though it has no eyes?

[ξ&††≛@†@⊕≬ψ⇔µ℅§!!!]

“That fat one seems angry for some reason!”

“Yeah, it does. Let’s run!”

The girl waiting next to the World Tree tossed off her robe.

With black hair and black eyes, a pair of cute white horns sprouted out.

The young hatchling greeted us in this new world.

“Ruri!”

“There’s no time. On the count of three, jump down! One!”

We tightly gripped each other’s hands and jumped into the depths of the World Tree without hesitation.

As we fell, we spun around to look upwards.

In our original world, the sky gradually turned from color to black and white.

In the end, time stopped.

The sorcerers flying in the sky and the mischievous arrogance stood completely still.

Paf—

A blazing flash brushed past my eyes.

When I regained my senses and got up, the world had completely turned 180 degrees.

Tweet tweet tweet—

A vibrant forest bursting with life unfolded before us, filled with the chirping of larks.

Flap—

Ruri was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, an ornate papyrus paper fluttered down and landed on the grass.

[Find Arrogance. Save her.]

A simple message composed of just four words.

“Wow, time just stopped, right? I guess if we complete a mission here, we can save the original world! An immense sense of duty has been bestowed upon us!”

Monica Rich’s eyes sparkled like jewels as she experienced role-playing for the first time.

“Phew, I’m glad it’s my taste.”

“To be honest, my heart was racing earlier, but I think this experience is refreshing too.”

The reason for including Monica in the pre-release test party was now clear.

“Ugh, how annoying. Is it time for me to step in again?”

Adella scratched her ear.

Having watched Adella save the world a hundred times while doing her VTuber broadcast, it was hard to expect objective data.