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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Chapter 32: Spirit Fortress (1)
The Spirit Fortress.
After opening the Sanctuary of Fire, I could clearly feel the elves becoming stronger.
The sacrifices had been significant, but we achieved our goal, so we celebrated it as a success and began our return to the fortress.
The return journey was peaceful without interference from liches or undead.
"Do I need to comprehend the essence and energy of fire?"
[That is correct, High Elf.]
Peep had somehow latched onto Diana, offering all sorts of advice about fire.
It was fascinating how much knowledge it seemed to have despite being born so recently.
Of course, seeing it abandon its master to act like that was annoying, but at least she wasn’t thinking about the Spirit of Wrath while the phoenix was teaching.
The return journey felt longer compared to when Alfid and I had been traveling alone, but thankfully, we seemed to have unlocked the Sanctuary of Earth along the way.
The elves began to wield the power of the Earth Spirit as well.
With three spirits awakened, the elves began to display their full strength.
They healed their stamina with the Water Spirit, achieved explosive speed with the Fire Spirit, and secured endurance with the Earth Spirit.
With the synergy of the three spirits, the elves were no longer the weaklings who had struggled against the undead.
Despite having more companions this time, we managed to return to the fortress within ten days.
After ten days, a return message popped up, but I decided to pass on it for now.
I planned to stay until I reached level 50.
[You have completed a special quest.]
[The Flame Chariot Summon skill has been upgraded to level 2.]
Ohhh.
There were some chilling moments, but overall, it was an easy quest.
[Transform Trein Fortress into Spirit Fortress. Once that is achieved, Diana will be ready to become the Apostle of the Sun God. Then, for 50 days, prevent her from summoning the Spirit of Wrath.]
[Linked Quest.]
[Difficulty: Hard.]
[Upgrade Trein Fortress to Spirit Fortress and prevent Diana from summoning the Spirit of Wrath for 50 days.]
[Quest Rewards:]
Flame Chariot Summon Skill Upgrade.
Phoenix Enhancement.
Blessing of the Sun God.
Wow!
They’re just giving out rewards.
I have to do this no matter what.
Once it becomes Spirit Fortress, defending it will be easier.
Still, I wonder if we can last for 50 days since the difficulty is labeled as “Hard.”
I assume Diana would only summon the Spirit of Wrath if the fortress were in grave danger.
The enemy’s main force must be quite strong.
Anyway, since there’s no penalty for failure, I accepted the quest.
After accepting the quest, I followed Count Ohaim to the strategy meeting room.
"You’ve arrived, Apostle of the Goddess."
"To think you saved the elf rangers and safely escorted High Elf Diana... Apostle of the Goddess, you truly are our beacon of hope."
"Now that the dwarf lord Ambrosian has unlocked the Sanctuary of Earth, it seems we only need to open the Sanctuary of Wind to transform Trein Fortress into Spirit Fortress."
So, once we unlock that, we can finally breathe a bit easier?
The room was abuzz with discussions about which devices could be activated and which ones required the Sanctuary of Wind to be opened.
Of course, I didn’t understand any of it and just zoned out.
After some time passed, a human soldier suddenly rushed into the strategy meeting room.
"Urgent report! The Black Dragon Legion has increased their marching speed. At this rate, they’ll reach the fortress in less than 20 days."
The previously excited atmosphere from unlocking the sanctuaries was dampened as if cold water had been poured on it.
It’s probably the main force this time, not just the vanguard, right?
This won’t be easy.
"They’re moving too quickly..."
"And we haven’t even unlocked the Sanctuary of Wind yet."
"We need to unlock all the sanctuaries to fully wield the power of the spirits. We must unlock the Sanctuary of Wind at all costs."
"What do we need to do to unlock the Sanctuary of Wind?"
In response to my question, Diana answered,
"We just need to take the Orb Sealed with Sylphid’s Breath to the Sanctuary of Wind and release it there."
"Doesn’t sound like we need a large group, then?"
"Correct. There’s no need for elves or dwarves who handle spirits to go. That’s why Knight Commander Lannister went."
Hmm.
I could go alone, but... Diana might summon the Spirit of Wrath again, so I’ll suggest going together for guidance.
I’m worried she might lose control again.
"Diana, it seems we don’t need many people for this task. Why don’t just the two of us go quickly?"
"Ah. Just the two of us?"
"Yes. I could go alone, but I don’t know the way."
Diana hesitated for a moment but soon nodded in agreement.
"Understood."
"Then, since time is of the essence, let’s leave today."
"Alright. I need to prepare a few things first. Let’s depart in an hour."
"Got it."
Diana quickly left the meeting room.
Does she have a lot to prepare?
As Diana and I talked, Count Ohaim, who had been watching, spoke up.
"Please take good care of Diana. She seems much more subdued than usual. I heard she lost most of her guard, who were like family to her... Some say she nearly summoned the Spirit of Wrath. Is that true?"
"Yes, it is."
"Oh dear. That could have been disastrous. We almost lost the hope of the elves."
Hope?
That’s a bit much...
"What exactly happens if someone summons the Spirit of Wrath?"
"If someone summons a forbidden spirit outside the realm of order, a High Elf loses their divinity. The Spirit of Wrath is the highest-ranking forbidden spirit, so she would instantly be demoted to a Fallen Elf. High Elves are the ones who nurture and protect the World Tree. If she falls, the World Tree of this era will fail to grow and wither."
"Wait, there’s only one High Elf? Would the World Tree fail just because one of them is gone?"
"There are five High Elves in this era. But apart from Diana, the others are too old... Diana’s role is crucial."
I thought there’d be at least a hundred High Elves, but only five?
They really are royalty-tier beings.
Count Ohaim, seemingly eager to share, continued his explanations about the status of High Elves, Diana, the current era of the human kingdom, and more.
If I were planning to live here forever, I’d pay attention, but since I’ll leave once I restore this broken world, I let most of it go in one ear and out the other.
"...So Diana’s divinity is absolutely essential."
"Then why did she take the risk of going to activate the Sanctuary of Fire?"
"That’s because…”
“It’s been lacking power lately.”
Diana re-entered the conference room.
She carried a small leather backpack slung over her right shoulder.
“If the fortress had fallen, I would have died anyway. Heading to the Sanctuary of Fire was inevitable. I only regret that my carelessness cost the lives of my sisters.”
I quickly changed the subject to stop her from saying more sorrowful words.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes. Let’s set off now. I’ll guide you.”
Following her lead, we left the castle.
“Since time is pressing, let’s go as fast as we can. Let me know if it gets too hard.”
“Understood.”
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Armored and determined, she took a deep breath and bolted forward like an arrow.
Wow, she’s fast!
Fueled by competitiveness, I pushed myself to run as fast as I could.
Each step left footprints behind as my body surged forward with the sound of rushing wind.
But unlike the time with Alfid, the gap wasn’t closing—in fact, it was widening bit by bit.
Once we entered the forest, it became even harder to catch up.
While I crashed through trees, Diana weaved skillfully between them, disappearing from view.
[Why not use the Flame Chariot?]
The phoenix flying alongside me offered a suggestion.
Fair point.
This isn’t the time to cling to pride.
The Flame Chariot is my ability, after all—if speed’s an issue, I should use it.
“Summon Flame Chariot.”
I summoned the chariot while carefully controlling the firepower to avoid setting the forest ablaze.
Perhaps thanks to my improved skill levels, the chariot now had three horses, and both the horses and the chariot itself were larger in size.
Moreover, the mana consumption was significantly reduced, making it viable for regular travel.
I climbed onto the Flame Chariot and activated my spiritualization ability.
“Let’s go!”
Neighhh!
The three fiery horses raised their front legs in unison and took off at an insane speed.
Much faster than when I was running.
The scenery blurred as it zipped past.
Thanks to the improved control over firepower, I managed to avoid setting the forest alight, even at high speeds.
“Phoenix… aren’t you fast?”
[I could go even faster, but I’m matching your pace.]
“Finally, you’re acting like a divine beast.”
[Divine beast? With this tiny body? Hurry up and get stronger. If you grow more, I might even carry you and fly through the sky.]
Wow.
Flying on a phoenix sounds amazing!
Though it might overlap a bit with the Flame Chariot.
Chatting idly with the phoenix, I soon found myself beyond the forested area.
There, by a small lakeside, Diana stood waiting for me.
“The Flame Chariot has become more powerful.”
“I’ve benefited from enhanced mana.”
“Judging by its speed, I’ll run at full power as well. For now, you can use the Flame Chariot while I run on foot.”
“Is that really necessary? Why don’t you ride with me like last time?”
I offered since it felt unfair for her to exert herself while I traveled comfortably.
But she shook her head.
“I can’t spiritualize like you, so I’d probably get stuck on trees.”
“The forest isn’t over yet?”
“No, we still have a long way to go. This is just a lakeside area in a corner of the Trein Forest.”
“If we run above the trees…”
“Wouldn’t that consume more mana? Don’t worry about me. I actually enjoy running through the forest.”
“Alright, then let’s proceed as planned.”
“Yes, but before we go, I’d like to take a short break here. I have something to give you.”
Oh?
Something to give me?
Could it be a gift… a latent power boost?
I’d never refuse something like that.
I immediately dispelled the Flame Chariot and approached her.
“I felt terrible when you said you’d lost your latent power. So I thought about what I could do to help you recover, even a little…”
She sat down and opened her backpack.
She reached inside and began pulling out various items.
First, she spread a pure white cloth on the ground and started arranging the contents of her bag.
There were softly glowing green leaves, tree bark, roots, branches, and even golden shining fruits—everything related to trees.
After arranging the items, she turned to me with a question.
“Apostle, was your original race human?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“For humans, the leaves of the World Tree often have noticeable effects. Though someone as strong as you might not see much benefit… Since you said you used up all your latent power, I brought it just in case.”
The leaves of the World Tree?
A leaf the size of my upper torso, resembling a sesame leaf.
Its gentle green glow exuded a divine aura.
“Try eating it.”
“Just as it is?”
“Yes.”
I brought the large leaf to my mouth and started chewing.
Surprisingly, it tasted quite good.
The tangy freshness and subtle sweetness were far better than I’d expected for something leaf-like.
I shoved the massive leaf into my mouth and ate it all.
Then, a system message appeared.
[You have consumed the Leaf of the World Tree.]
[User Kim Jiho’s latent physical abilities have permanently increased.]
[Order Alignment’s power stat limit has risen.]
[Order Alignment’s agility stat limit has risen.]
[Neutral Alignment’s physical stat limit has risen.]
[Neutral Alignment’s physical stats can now be upgraded to B.]
Ohhh!!
I can upgrade to B?
Even without reaching the C-rank, my limits have increased!
“My potential has risen! It’s really risen!”
While I celebrated, Diana looked at me with pity.
“To think… a mere leaf could improve your abilities. You really must have used up every last bit of your latent power…”
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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