BOOOOOOM!
A massive explosion tore through the forest.
The assassins were blown away—erased from existence, leaving nothing behind.
Orion had completely forgotten one crucial thing about Star Fire.
It didn't just explode. It burned everything instantly. No life remained in the area where the explosion occurred. Instead, there was a massive hole left behind.
The only reason Orion was still breathing was because of his race. All Dragon Kin had naturally fire-resistant skin.
Even so, though he was still alive, his body was burned beyond anything human.
His entire body was charred—skin cracked, muscles burned. It looked like death was only moments away.
Max, who had already recovered thanks to Axl's healing, had already left to get any sort of help he could find.
Axl stayed behind.
The small creature hovered beside Orion's unconscious body, panic filling his eyes as a soft blue glow spread across his head. Streams of blue energy poured into Orion's ruined body from his head.
But Nothing happened.
Axl poured in more power.
Still nothing.
Frustration and fear overwhelmed him. He started slapping Orion's face with his tiny hands, desperately hoping it would wake him.
But it was all in vain.
Seeing there was no other option, his expression changed.
He closed his eyes and began absorbing the natural life force from his surroundings.
Trees withered. Grass lost its color. Small animals collapsed lifelessly, axl sucked in the very essence of their life into his own body.
But it was too much for the small creature to handle.
Far too much.
His body swelled with energy, cracks of pain tearing through him. His form trembled violently, barely holding together.
"Kuuiuuu…!" Axl screamed.
Pain wracked his entire body.
"Kuuuuuu…!"
His vision blurred. Darkness swallowed everything he saw.
Then—suddenly—
The world changed.
"Khuuuu…?"
Axl found himself standing in a vast garden filled with waterfalls, lush greenery, and countless magical animals.
But strangely He wasn't afraid. Because this place wasn't unfamiliar to him.
It was his home.
Axl looked around carefully, his eyes wide with confusion. He didn't understand how he had returned to his home.
"Kuuu…?" he murmured.
Before he could think further, a gentle yet overwhelming voice echoed from the enormous tree at the center of the garden. It was colossal—far taller than a hundred-story building—and its massive trunk and branches were adorned with hundreds of different flowers, each glowing softly.
"Come closer, child."
Axl obeyed immediately, his small body moving forward without hesitation.
It was the World Tree—the mother of all life, revered as a goddess by Axl's species.
"Why are you using the forbidden art of life, child?" Her voice was warm and maternal, yet beneath it lingered a subtle note of disapproval.
"Khuuuu… khuuuu… kuu!" Axl chattered rapidly, the sounds tumbling out as if he were desperately explaining himself.
Strangely, the World Tree understood him perfectly.
"Oh… so you made a friend outside this world," she said softly, her tone curious.
"And now he is in grave danger?"
"Khuuu!" Axl nodded vigorously.
"Even so," she continued gently, "using the forbidden art cannot be excused. You must be punished. I am sorry for your friend, my child, but rules are rules."
"Khuuuu… khuuuu… khuuuu!"
Axl protested desperately, leaping and spinning in panic. If he were punished, he would never see Orion again—and he was the only one who could save him. The World Tree paused.
After hearing his protest. The world tree paused
"You believe he is special," she said slowly.
"That his life force resembles my own?"
"Khuuu!" Axl nodded violently.
"That… is interesting."
Pausing to think for a moment, she spoke again.
"Very well. I will pardon you—this once."
A red flower fell gently from her branches, landing before Axl.
"Use this to heal your friend. But on one condition—
You will report information about him to me every week."
"Khuuuu…!"
Axl hesitated.
But there was no other choice.
Besides, he trusted the world tree with his life. He was sure she wouldn't harm Orion in any way.
"Kuu…" he agreed, picking up the flower.
"Good. Now go." A soft blue light wrapped around Axl, and in the next moment, he vanished.
After Axl disappeared, a woman stepped out from the tree. She had green hair and green eyes, a curvy body, and small horns on her head that looked like tree branches.
She was the world tree in human form.
"A life force similar to mine…" she murmured.
"That shouldn't be possible."
Her eyes suddenly widened.
"…Is he the one?"
She pondered briefly, then decided to wait for Axl's reports. Soon after, she spotted some animals that looked like deer and went to play with them.
Back in the forest
Axl reappeared beside Orion.
Without hesitation, he shoved the flower into Orion's mouth.
At first—
Nothing happened.
Then, Orion began chewing the flower unconsciously. As the flower's juice entered his body, every part of him that had been destroyed started healing at an incredible speed.
Green energy wrapped around his body and gently lifted him into the air.
His burns healed.
His flesh reformed.
His shattered life force
That was destroyed beyond recovery—was restored.
Minutes passed.
Orion's breathing stabilized.
When he finally regained consciousness, his first thought was that if he opened his eyes, he would find himself in the void again.
But to his surprise, when he opened his eyes, he was still in the same forest.
"…Wait. I survived?"
He remembered the explosion.
The fire.
The pain.
"I'm alive… but how?"
[Congratulations, Host
You have consumed the Seed of the World Tree
Your life force is now connected to the World Tree.]
"…World Tree? Seed?" Orion muttered. He was beyond confused.
Then he noticed Axl—jumping excitedly beside him after seeing him recover.
"…Did you do this?" Orion asked.
"Khuuui!?"
Axl just stared back innocently.
"Sigh… I'll investigate this later," Orion said.
"Where's Max?"
As if summoned, Max returned—with the carriage driver and several guards.
It was already morning.
The driver approached, relief on his face. After seeing the destruction, he thought Orion had surely died.
"Sir Orion! Are you alright—oh!"
He abruptly turned away.
Confused, Orion looked down.
He was completely naked.
Orion was beyond embarrassed. He wanted to dig a hole and hide forever, but he forced himself to stay calm and swallowed his shame.
"…Do you have any clothes?" he asked quietly, his face turning red.
The driver nodded and hurried off.
Inside the man's mind, however, an existential crisis erupted.
He started comparing his manhood to Orion's. Although his was also quite big, but puny compared to Orion's. He felt vastly inferior.
After the driver brought Orion some clothes, similar to what he himself was wearing, they set off for the capital once again.
On the way back, Orion stopped in front of the Adventurers' Guild to finish his business. He was surprised that the guild was open so early in the morning.
The carriage driver then informed him that the guild stayed open all day and all night.
Elsewhere…
Beneath a massive tree, a half-burned body lay motionless.
The assassin leader.
Alive.
When the explosion occurred, he had used one of his subordinates as a shield—but it still left him critically injured.
Three men in black robes approached.
"Damn… what happened to him?"
"Wasn't he sent to kill a kid?"
"You think a kid did this?"
"…He's breathing."
"Should we take him back with us?"
"Yes, I think the boos would like to know what happened."
One of the men took him on his shoulder, and they left the place.