Seeker 223.1

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Chapter 223.1. World Tree (2)

The inside of the World Tree felt like a dungeon. 

Walls and ceilings emitted a phosphorescent glow in the cavern-like space, and we followed the unicorn deeper into it. 

Eventually, we reached a dead end, which was shaped like a small room, with a teleportation magic circle on the ground. 

Together with Unicorn, we stepped onto the teleportation magic circle.

In a flash of light, we arrived in an open space. 

We found ourselves dozens of meters above the ground. 

Below us, there was what seemed like a massive tree trunk, extending horizontally in mid-air. 

It was several meters wide, and it seemed unlikely that we would fall off just by walking normally. 

All around us, enormous leaves flourished, creating the appearance of a labyrinth surrounded by green.

The teleportation magic circle at our feet continued to emit its phosphorescent light. 

It wasn't just a one-way teleportation circle; it appeared to be a round-trip teleportation circle. 

Unicorn walked along the massive tree trunk that lay horizontally in the air. 

This seemed to be our path. 

We, too, timidly followed Unicorn.

As we continued, I realized that the surface we were walking on was not the "trunk" of the tree but its branches. 

These thick structures were, indeed, branches of the World Tree. 

The branches of the World Tree sometimes forked, creating intersections.

Unicorn chose one path without hesitation and continued.

After several intersections, I doubted whether I could find my way back. 

Eventually, we reached a second teleportation magic circle. 

We boarded it alongside Unicorn. 

The destination of this teleportation was once again a cavern, but it was in a different location than the initial one.

As we advanced through this area, we encountered another teleportation magic circle. 

Upon arriving at its destination, we were once again on the branches of the World Tree, but in a different place from before. 

Unicorn continued further ahead.

We repeated this process multiple times. 

Teleportation magic circles were scattered everywhere, and we hopped between branches and caverns, rapidly advancing. 

By this point, the memory of the way back seemed hopeless.

I'd ask Unicorn to send us back when the time came. 

"Hey, Uni, what's this 'anomaly' in the World Tree you mentioned earlier?"

As we walked, Yuzuki spoke up, asking Unicorn. 

Unicorn continued to move along the branches of the World Tree and answered. 

-First, let's talk about the World Tree itself. It's said to be a tree that supports the entire continent with its benevolent power. It spreads its roots throughout the entire continent, protecting our world with its sacred power.-

"Is that so... It has roots all over the continent?" 

Yuzuki's response was somewhat casual.

Well, I suppose it does.

I, who had been listening nearby, couldn't help but feel a bit lost at what she said. 

Roots throughout the entire continent? 

What is she talking about? 

Is she out of her mind? 

From what I gathered on the map, the continent we're currently in seems roughly the same size as the Australian continent. 

Even if we were to take the most direct path from one end of the continent to the other, it would take us a month or 2 on foot. 

The World Tree's location is somewhere in the middle of the continent, but even then, it made no sense. 

And it's supposedly protecting the entire continent with its sacred power. 

To believe that with a modern Japanese sensibility was just too bewildering. 

However, we were dealing with a fantasy world to begin with. 

Regardless of whether it was true or not, I decided to accept it for now.

"So, what does it mean that the World Tree, which supports this world, is 'abnormal'? Based on what you've told us, it sounds like a pretty serious matter." 

Kazane-san's voice asked Unicorn this time.

Unicorn nodded gracefully. 

-Yes, it's best to assume something very bad is happening. If the World Tree is showing anomalies, there's a high possibility that something abnormal is happening to the continent itself. Now, we've arrived. This is the central part of the World Tree.-

Led by Unicorn, we arrived in a dome-shaped space within the World Tree's cavern, resembling a large hall. 

High above at the central part of the spacious area, a gigantic energy sphere floated. 

The energy sphere was of a size that could easily engulf not only us humans but also griffins and unicorns, and it emitted a dazzling yet gentle pure white light. 

Somehow, the light emitted by the energy sphere felt sacred.

But that wasn't all. 

There was something else. 

Around the energy sphere, a dark, different energy was swirling in a serpentine manner, occasionally making a move to bite into the energy sphere. 

The dark energy was like a snake, slithering around the light sphere, trying to attack it from time to time. 

The light sphere would fend it off with great force. 

But the parts where the light sphere was bitten by the black serpentine energy seemed to dim as if they had lost their sacred power. 

The black serpentine energy was not just one.

There were several of them, circling the light sphere, attempting to bite into it whenever they had the chance.