【 THRONE OF THE WORLD TREE 】

—

Evé had once believed that she had completely stripped away the aura of her predecessor and severed all ties with the former World Tree, thereby becoming an entirely new existence in her own right.

However, she soon realized that the fusion between herself and the World Tree had never truly reached its final stage.

Now, after achieving full fusion, her aura transformed abruptly, becoming identical to that of her predecessor.

Only then did she recognize another serious issue, one concerning the World Tree’s throne within the Pantheon.

A divine throne is bound to a True God’s divine power and aura. Therefore, when her aura became completely indistinguishable from that of the former World Tree, her predecessor’s throne would inevitably recognize it as its rightful master and react to this complete fusion.

The worst possible outcome would be that the new throne she had established in the Pantheon would directly fuse to her predecessor’s old throne, with the two merging into one.

Such a result would be an utter disaster.

Realizing the severity of the situation, she immediately suppressed and adjusted her aura, forcefully restoring it to its previous state.

Alas, it was already too late.

Across the vast expanse of the void, Evé felt a powerful connection snap into place. A new divine throne acknowledged her presence. The throne was ancient and solemn, as if it had existed since time immemorial.

It was none other than the World Tree’s old throne in the Pantheon.

In that instant, she sensed the entire Pantheon illuminate, radiating boundless golden light as though welcoming the return of some great and exalted being.

At the center of that brilliance stood the former World Tree’s throne.

The throne trembled continuously, its light growing ever brighter as its prevailing aura of decay was gradually replaced by potent life force.

Meanwhile, the new throne Evé had established also began to quiver faintly, as if it were inclined to merge with the World Tree’s throne.

There was no doubt that if the two thrones made contact, their fusion would be inevitable.

In the next moment, the entire Pantheon also began to shake as the divine auras of the other gods, drawn by the disturbance, slowly descended one after another onto their respective thrones.

Sensing the profound changes within the Pantheon, Eve’s heart heavily pounded.

It had happened without warning.

Truly without warning.

Who could have foreseen that her aura would become identical to her predecessor’s, directly triggering the very thing she most wished to avoid?

Who could have imagined that the time bomb in the Pantheon, which she thought had already been defused, would suddenly detonate at such a moment?

Yet, although the situation teetered on the brink of the worst-case scenario, her mind grew unexpectedly calm.

Time seemed to slow, and countless thoughts flashed through her mind.

She began to consider the last-resort plan she had once kept in reserve, to flee and hide within the Abyss.

She also weighed the plan to lay everything bare, to reveal her power and threaten the safety of the world of Seigües as a means of deterrence.

There was even the option to ascend immediately right now and hope her newfound strength alone could somehow tip the scales.

But she knew that none of these choices was truly optimal.

The first would leave her gravely wounded, for she had not yet completely severed herself from the core origin of the world of Seigües. That process would require at least four or five more months to complete.

Plus, entering the Abyss while severely injured would be exceedingly dangerous.

As for the second option, after learning of the Eternal Lord’s ambitions, she no longer believed deterrence would prove effective.

Deterrence was, at its core, a matter of balance. And she knew that balance could no longer be maintained.

The third option was little different from suicide.

And yet, she had no time left to hesitate.

The fluctuations within the Pantheon were intensifying by the second. Even as she suppressed her aura, she could not prevent the awakening of her predecessor’s throne.

At that very moment, however, inspiration struck her like a sudden revelation.

Gritting her teeth, she answered the throne’s summons without a moment’s delay and descended into the Pantheon faster than any other true god could have descended.

She had only a brief window to act, but fortunately, none of the other gods’ thrones, including that of the Eternal Lord, had been fully lit up.

Without hesitation, Evé drew the Sword of Damocles and struck the World Tree’s throne directly.

In that moment, she intended to use the sword’s absolute severing power to completely cut off her connection to the old throne.

A platinum-white arc of sword light slashed forth and sank beneath the throne, and Evé felt the link between herself and the throne snap.

Dazzling radiance burst from the throne, but it flickered for only a brief instant.

In the next moment, as though it had lost its sustaining force, the glow of the World Tree’s throne began to fade before slowly dimming completely.

Seeing this, Evé let out a breath of relief.

Just as she had guessed, even these thrones, despite being bound to true gods, could still have their connections severed by this extraordinary sword artifact.

With a single strike, she had instantly cut her link to the old throne, erasing the resonance between herself and it.

From now on, as long as she did not recklessly approach the old throne or sit upon it directly, it should no longer respond to her presence.

Such was the law of Absolute Severance.

Its only drawback was the considerable cost of using this sword. Watching her divine power drain away like flowing water, she could not deny the sting of loss.

At this time, the radiance upon the various other thrones had not yet fully coalesced.

So without the slightest hesitation, Evé swung Damocles once more toward the grand hall, severing the residual traces of her aura which remained within the Pantheon.

Only then did she slowly vanish from the temple, her incarnate form fading as if she had never been there in the first place.

A couple of minutes passed in silence as the incarnations of other gods began to appear within the Pantheon, one after another.

The first to arrive was the Eternal Lord, Etriōu.

Next came the God of War and Destruction, Lóðurr.

Then the Star Guardian, Rigdal.

These three chief gods of the Pantheon arrived before the others, but by the time they appeared, the earlier disturbances in the hall had already settled, leaving the chamber calm, as if nothing had happened.

After lingering briefly, the other gods withdrew their incarnations and disappeared. Yet the most powerful ones amongst them understood that a significant disturbance had indeed taken place.

“A powerful deity must have revived, and judging by those fluctuations earlier, they must be at the very least of intermediate divine power,” Lóðurr said in a deep, steady voice.

He turned his gaze to the Eternal Lord, as though seeking confirmation.

Etriōu remained composed as his eyes swept slowly across the grand thrones, noting each in turn, yet revealing no emotion.

When he finally spoke, his voice was measured and calm.

“There isn’t a new throne.”

Lóðurr frowned slightly.

“Your Majesty Etriōu, do you mean… that deity failed?”

The Eternal Lord gave no direct reply.

His gaze passed over the rows of dilapidated, unused thrones before finally resting on an old seat woven from flowers and vines. He lingered on it briefly, then shifted his eyes elsewhere, finding nothing unusual.

His attention then fell on another newly woven throne of flowers and vines, and after a brief pause, he withdrew his gaze once more.

“No, a deity has indeed revived. However… they appeared to have severed their connection with their throne,” the Eternal Lord said evenly.

“That newly revived deity severed their connection with their throne? Other than perishing, could a god really break their link with their throne?”

Lóðurr’s brows knitted together.

“Why, of course. The bond between a divine throne and a true god is sustained solely by the deity’s divine aura and the imprint of their soul. Any such connection, however, can be deliberately severed,” the Eternal Lord stated.

A faint smile then appeared on his lips as he continued.

“This matter is intriguing. If a deity has revived, then so be it. Yet why would this newly revived being feel the need to conceal their identity to the extent of even severing the link to their throne the very instant they returned?”

In an instant, his gaze sharpened.

“Lord Rigdal.”

The Eternal Lord suddenly turned to the silent Star Guardian at his side.

“What is your view upon this matter?”

Rigdal’s expression softened into a gentle smile, the kind of serene patience that seemed to belong to a kindly old man.

“Your Majesty Etriōu, I am merely a recorder of ages and a seer,” he replied quietly. “Beyond maintaining the covenants among the gods and observing the inner workings of the world, I take little interest in other affairs.”

The Eternal Lord withdrew his gaze, offering no further comment. After a brief pause, he continued, his voice calm yet carrying the weight of authority.

“The Heavenly Crusade against the Demons is upon us. I hope nothing goes awry. And… Lord Lóðurr, during the upcoming battle, pay close attention to the movements of the Goddess of Life.”

With that, the Eternal Lord’s incarnate form gradually dissipated, fading from the Pantheon until he was gone.

Lóðurr raised an eyebrow slightly but remained silent.

He glanced at the Star Guardian Rigdal, only to find that the old seer’s eyes were already fixed upon him.

At this moment, the gaze of this mysterious god who governed over the divinity of prophecy had become unfathomably deep.

A thought stirred uneasily within Lóðurr.

“Lord Rigdal, is there something you wish to say to me?” he asked, his voice steady but laced with curiosity.

The Star Guardian did not answer immediately. The old man continued to fix his unnervingly starlit eyes upon Lóðurr, silent and unwavering, as if probing deeper than mere sight could reach.

Gradually, Lóðurr began to sense something odd about the old seer.

“Lord Rigdal, are you perhaps seeing a prophecy right now?” he asked, his tone cautious yet firm.

Yet Rigdal remained silent, his eyes unblinking.

Only when Lóðurr’s patience began to dwindle did the Star Guardian finally withdraw his gaze.

“Your Majesty Lóðurr,” the old man said at last. His voice carried the warmth and softness of a benevolent elder, yet beneath it lingered the faint, cryptic cadence of a murmuring mystic.

“Allow me to offer you a piece of advice… In the coming years, beware of the color red.”

“…Red?” Lóðurr repeated, caught off guard.

His brow furrowed slightly.

“Your Majesty Rigdal, what do you mean by that?”

Rigdal let out a soft, almost melancholic sigh.

“I have just received a revelation,” he said slowly. “In it, I saw you succumbing into madness amidst a sea of red… and all around you was boundless evil.”

“Madness?”

Lóðurr scoffed coldly.

“How laughable. In the past, when I faced horrors beyond imagination, I did not lose my mind. What in this world could possibly drive me to insanity? Evil? Demons? Hah! Do you think the Abyss could consume me? It could not then, and it certainly cannot now.”

A bitter, cold sneer lingered on Lóðurr’s lips.

“I cannot speak further. In any case… please remain vigilant.”

Rigdal replied gently.

With that, the old seer slowly turned and vanished from the Pantheon.

Only the God of War and Destruction, Lóðurr, remained, his brows slightly furrowed.

“Red?”

“Tch, what cryptic nonsense…”

With a faint snort, he began to prepare for departure as well, yet in the instant before leaving, something caught his attention, drawing his gaze downward toward the floor of the grand hall.

There, a faint mark could be seen.

“What’s this? A sword scar?”

Lóðurr narrowed his eyes.

Unlike the Eternal Lord, who often left matters unattended, Lóðurr, being one of the three chief gods of the Pantheon—though not its nominal ruler—was the powerful deity who had remained within the Pantheon for the longest time.

Therefore in some respects, it could be said that he understood this grand hall even better than the increasingly reclusive Eternal Lord.

And in his memory, this particular sword mark, which was nearly imperceptible even to a true god, had not existed beforehand.

The faint mark was already beginning to fade as the Pantheon’s self-restorative power worked to erase the crack.

Lóðurr bent slightly and reached out to touch the mark, feeling its residual energy. Then he closed his eyes, concentrating for a moment as he attuned himself to its lingering powers.

A moment later, he opened them again.

“The Titan God’s Law of Severance… Damocles?”

“How interesting. Truly interesting…”

A hint of amusement flickered in his gaze.

After casting one final look around, Lóðurr finally dispersed his incarnate form and also vanished from the Pantheon.

༺⟐༻

Having severed her connection with the World Tree’s old throne using the Sword of Damocles, Evé returned to the world of Seigües.

She did not pause along the way, moving directly to the outskirts of the Elven Forest, where she waited in silence.

One second passed… two seconds…

One minute… two minutes…

Only after an entire hour had safely passed did Evé finally release a breath she had been holding.

She had survived the ordeal.

—Albeit barely.

The disturbance caused by the old throne’s awakening had been far too intense. Even though she had cut her connection to it, this incident would undoubtedly have drawn the attention and suspicion of the other gods.

Her time was limited.

“I must advance to higher divine power as soon as possible. Once the Heavenly Crusade begins, and once I have fully separated myself from the core origin of the world of Seigües, I must seize the opportunity to ascend immediately.”

“As for the location of my ascension… it shall be that world within the Abyss the Frost Elves once used as a temporary base. According to the star chart, it lies near the Third Layer of Hell. It is ideal since it’s a realm that fell into the Abyss not long ago, where Abyssal power remains highly active. That will facilitate both my movements and my concealment.”

“Moreover, there is a loosened dimensional passageway there, one even mythical beings may traverse. It can be used alongside the Gate of Reversal to reduce the cost of transporting my true body before and after my ascension.”

“However, that fellow Luria would certainly not provide the coordinates out of goodwill. There must be some hidden issue. I must proceed cautiously and investigate in advance.”

“And the remaining missing elven clans and demigods… their departure was surely not without purpose.”

“The search for them must continue.”

“It can be carried out during the Crusade. At that time, the attention of the gods will be fixed upon the Abyss, leaving little room for them to concern themselves with other matters.”

“In addition… preparations for the Elven legion accompanying me to the Abyss must formally begin.”

Evé swiftly organized her plans for the days ahead.

After a moment of contemplation, she sent a request to Hela, asking her to examine the memories of the elven souls who had returned to the Netherworld and determine whether any had settled in other realms.

Next, Evé accessed the game system personally, selected several high-level players, and issued a quest to investigate the spatial passage in the Underground region that Luria had claimed led to the Abyss.

Finally, she returned once more to the roots of the World Tree, drew forth the Sword of Damocles, and resumed carefully severing her connection to the core origin of the world of Seigües.

༺⟐༻

Evé proceeded methodically, making her final preparations for ascension and for the impending Crusade against the demons.

The more critical the moment, the greater the need for composure.

Two days later, the Einherjars who had chosen to be revived finally awakened, one after another, within the world of Seigües.

At the same time, some players noticed that the Demon Lord Labyrinth had been quietly updated, with a new bosses added.

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