Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint - Chapter 569



The God Whose Skin is Stitched with Sins – 4

Unlike a country that has already perished, the land of Man-guk is one where the people are content. This may be because Man-guk is a good land, but it is also likely due to the harshness of this land itself.

Beyond the Enger Plains lies a distant, isolated land. In the endless jungle sprawling across the southeastern continent, there stands the World Tree. The king of trees, the pillar that supports the world, the first creation of the Earth Mother. In the northeastern part of the continent, the blessed ginkgo tree stood tall, rivaling the Metasequoia.

An isolated jungle. In this ancient land, where help and contact from others are difficult, Mu-hu established a nation. Gathering all the tribes of this land, he spread his influence and created a brilliant civilization that no one could easily replicate.

However, as the saying goes, “A flower that blooms for ten days will wither.” The civilization that was so beautiful and radiant faded just as quickly as it appeared. Along with the World Tree, which had stood for countless ages.

Why did the World Tree burn and fall? How did Man-guk perish? Why does Mu-hu not return? In this land, severed by trees as high as the city walls, the clear truths were not passed down.

But one thing remained certain: at the very spot where the World Tree burned and fell, a new tree grew, consuming the ashes of the World Tree.

The cursed World Tree, known as the Tree of Betrayal.

And the being that governs that Tree of Betrayal is…

“An omen?”

The ancient druid, passed down like a legend. Rash, who finally recognized Nebida with the deer antlers, was horrified. Before the confused Rash could act, Kalis tightly embraced him from behind.

“Rash! Stop!”

“What?”

“You must stay still. Don’t make yourself noticeable! Stand like a background, don’t let her see you!”

Kalis desperately held onto him. Reading the fear in Kalis’s trembling hands, Rash complied and closed his mouth.

It was a being that could instantly transform the Offering God into a tree. Even the immortal Rash could not guarantee his life or death. Following Kalis’s wishes, Rash held his breath.

In a situation where it was difficult for anyone to help, a being far more dangerous than the Offering God was approaching. What could they be thinking?

I tried to read Nebida’s thoughts, but all I felt was a calm emotion akin to that of an inanimate object. I could grasp the thoughts that came to mind right now, but reading the essence of the human known as Nebida remained elusive.

—

There is a resistance to mind control… rather, it’s because, like the shadow of Tir, the current Nebida is also something beyond human.

To understand what on earth is going on, I suppose I should ask. Will they answer me?

“Excuse me, Nebida? I have a question.”

“Please ask, my lord.”

“What is this preparation you speak of? I haven’t heard anything about it.”

“It is a preparation to restore your power.”

Fortunately, Nebida’s loyalty towards me was somewhat genuine. Bowing deeply, Nebida faithfully answered my words.

“You are the clear and rightful king of humanity, the great prophet and agent of all humankind. It is only fitting that you reign over this world.”

Nebida’s gaze flicked to one side. For a moment, a being made of light appeared far in the distance of Nebida’s vision. Before I could recognize that form, Nebida withdrew their gaze and continued speaking.

“Due to the curse of the fallen woman, you have lost your power and vanished. While the throne is empty, false kings dare to call themselves rulers and claim this world as their own. In this lamentable situation, I have been preparing for your restoration.”

Power for me? To be restored? Well, that sounds like a good story, doesn’t it? I hesitated for a moment, about to ask if it was true, lost in thought.

“So, if I regain my power, I can drive out the kings with that power, right?”

“If you regain your power, everything will flow according to your will, so what problem could there be? That is the true nature that humanity should possess. Please act as you wish.”

Honestly, it would be a lie to say I wasn’t tempted, but the only good stories are the ones I tell myself. If someone else says they’ll take care of my interests, that’s a scam.

What should I do? While I was pondering, Nebida slowly stood up and spoke to me.

“My lord. I will guide you there. Follow me and reign once more as the king of this world.”

“It’s a really good story, but I wonder if it’s truly okay. I need to think a bit more.”

“I will serve you with all my heart.”

Oh, right! Nebida has no intention of considering my will! They plan to take me and restore my power!

Well, if I can’t avoid it anyway, maybe accepting this power wouldn’t be so bad…

[I am where there is faith. I have come here.]

“Ah! My eyes!”

The light flashed momentarily. It was so sudden that I couldn’t even close my eyes. When my vision recovered, the figure of a girl appeared as if it had always been there.

The heavenly saint who led us here, Meiel. After a long silence in response to the questions of the returner, she finally revealed herself. Nebida gazed at the light as if waiting.

“After clearing away all the children of the fallen woman.”

The form of the heavenly saint, Meiel, did not look at anything. It seemed as if neither Nebida nor I were in her thoughts. With her gaze lost in the air, she muttered blankly.

[Shey. I still hope you will make a different choice. It’s not too late, even now. But if you do not…]

Meiel gently reached out her hand. A delicate arm, seemingly unable to hold even a spoon, extended toward Nebida from beneath the flowing fabric.

It was hard to feel any threat from that slow and fragile gesture. Even if she were a real person, it would have felt the same; the hazy afterimage made of light seemed ephemeral, as if it would soon vanish.

[Until you awaken, I will let you dream the same dream.]

—

—

But just after Meiel finished speaking.

The space distorted.

Nabida and a radius of 10 meters. All things in the world twist and flow into that place. The wind, the water, the earth, the broken underbrush and branches. The loud noises and the thrashing insects. Even the light. They compress to crush the existence known as Nabida.

What kind of power is this? It’s beyond intuitive understanding. It feels as if the world itself is trying to exclude Nabida. It was a bizarre attack, one that left no room for resistance.

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If it were me, I would have died more than ten times over in that torrent of power. Yet within it… Nabida slowly moved her body, resisting all things in the world.

The wind that crushed her body was pushed away, the deafening roar was endured, and she stood firm on the ground, withstanding the pressure. Even the world, which had endured an unfathomable time, could not break her. Nabida stood tall like a great tree, gazing at Meiel.

“Arrogant, you wayward child. Did you think to tread upon this land without bringing your own body?”

The aftermath alone seemed capable of killing several people, yet Nabida remained unfazed by all that pressure. No, she was adapting to the changing environment. The body that had been swaying gradually regained its stability.

Instead of answering, Meiel looked up at the sky and murmured.

[Oh light. Oh sun. Father of the sky who gazes upon all things. Watch over this place.]

And then the sky was torn apart.

There were no words to express it. The forest, so lush that the sky was obscured, suddenly ignited. A beam of incandescent light pierced through the leaves, turning to ash in the air.

In an instant, the world was painted white. All the vibrant colors that filled this fresh forest vanished, and as the hues burned away, the world was divided into stark black and white.

[There is no place untouched by light. Thus, I too am here with the light.]

It was light. It felt as if all the hot rays emitted by the sun in the summer sky were gathered and poured out. That light was power itself. The blades of grass burned in the air, and the ground dried up in an instant. The very space bubbled with a torrent of pure power, different from mere heat.

In the overwhelming brightness, the world lost its color, divided only into light and shadow. Momentarily blinded, I could not withstand it and turned my back on the light.

“Ugh! What is this?!”

I knew that the divine being originated from the heavens! But what kind of power does it possess?

Simply having light present ignited the air and stirred up a storm. I had just gone blind. I regained my sight through regeneration, but even the aftermath was this intense! Even now, Nabida’s body was being disassembled by the light!

I hadn’t even realized it, but my body was already far removed from the scene. Even though those two didn’t particularly care about my existence, I was simply overwhelmed by their presence.

Is this the power of the saint of the heavens? Just the scattered light hitting the ground feels blinding! I couldn’t even tell what had become of Nabida. The space made of light blocked my view. All I could do was turn my body and turn my back to the light.

“Huz!”

At that moment. A returnee leaped in, riding the light. Struggling to enter, the returnee hurriedly pulled me along.

“Huz. Run! While Meiel’s gaze is diverted, we need to escape from Nabida! If you don’t want to become the king of sin!”

“What? Escape? It feels like we’re winning!”

“Maybe in the Engor Plains, but not in this realm! Just depriving her of the future won’t bring Nabida down! Hurry! There’s no time….”

At that moment, the returnee’s expression hardened as they swung a celestial spear. The creeping vines that had been approaching us fell away in a shower.

“Is it a primordial tree? Do you have the capacity to survey this place?”

“No? It’s just a vine!”

“…Tch!”

—

The returner focused their energy into their eyes and drew out the tricolor, blue-eyed gem from the seven-colored pouch. With their deep blue gaze piercing through the light cluster, the returner flinched at the writhing life beyond the forest.

The trees are growing. At a speed visible to the eye.

That is not the power of a druid. The druid’s power rapidly depletes the life force of the trees to sprout branches and leaves. What can be seen is impressive, but there is a limit to using the life force of trees and the earth. No matter how exceptional a druid may be, they cannot create a tree from a single leaf.

Yet, what is happening right before my eyes is pure growth. A light that seems to burn the world. Even after receiving it, the leaves are gradually growing, absorbing air and water, gathering and absorbing light to form their bodies.

“I will break through!”

The returner simultaneously drew out the celestial sword and the earth sword. Sheathed the earth sword, crammed the celestial sword in, and pulled it out in one swift motion. The compressed space held energy and drew a single line.

“Celestial Earth Sword! Horizon Splitter!”

A crack formed in the pure white light. The strike that even cleaved light split the space. The flowing wind was momentarily severed, and the forest was split into two, above and below. Hundreds of trees fell simultaneously, revealing a few rings of age, and a path emerged between the fallen foliage.

“Hurry! Before the green barrier is complete…!”

Just as the returner was about to dash out, they halted and twisted their body. Sharp thorns erupted from the space the returner had just been heading towards. The sharply grown branches were as keen as blades, capable of easily tearing through human skin.

Despair flickered across the returner’s face.

“Is it already too late… for me…?”

The space that the returner had cleaved with their strike was once again sprouting with grass and trees. As if to trap anything from escaping.