Free Web NovelChapter 21: suspicion
"If by the Wis level, My Lord, you mean the fourth level, then no one in this world has ever reached it!" frёeωebɳovel.com
Those words struck Rios like a bolt of lightning, filling his mind with countless doubts.
"What do you mean by that?"
"My Lord, in this world, no one has ever truly heard of or witnessed someone reaching the fourth level. All that exists are mere rumors. There are stories about individuals and beings such as the sacred Tree of Cradle one hundred thousand years ago. According to those tales, they really did reach the fourth level, but shortly afterward they disappeared, along with everyone close to them. As for the current world, no one has ever surpassed the third level. The only reason we believe such rumors at all is because of the relics left behind by the ancients." Queen Elena briefly explained that part of history without leaving out the important details.
Rios’ thoughts raced like lightning as suspicion crept into his mind.
"Something is definitely wrong. The system clearly told me that the strongest person in this world is at the fourth level. There’s no way it would lie to me about that. It has never deceived me about anything else. Aside from stealing my points in a perfectly legitimate manner, everything it has guided me toward has benefited me."
The doubts in Rios’ mind continued to grow until they turned into outright paranoia.
"No... You must never trust anyone in this world. You’re a stranger here. Everything is unfamiliar to you! The system is unfamiliar! This city is unfamiliar! These Elves are strangers! You can’t trust anyone! Not the system! Not the Elves! Not anyone else! Trust only yourself. You learned that lesson the hard way in your previous life, so don’t ruin this one because of a few foolish mistakes."
Rios finally let out a sigh, pushed those distracting thoughts aside, and asked the system,
"System, didn’t you tell me that the strongest person in this world is at the fourth level?"
[The host is correct.]
"Then why am I now being told that the strongest person here is only at the third level?"
[The host must discover that for himself.]
"I knew it. It seems the information possessed by the City of Light is incomplete."
Rios sighed before turning toward Queen Elena.
"What are these relics you mentioned?"
"My Lord, the relics I spoke of include the defensive formation protecting the City of Light that you witnessed upon arriving at the battlefield, in addition to the wings of the Falcon race, the spear of the Dragon race, and the golden shield belonging to the Golden Lion race."
After hearing that, Rios fell into thought. freewebnøvel.coɱ
"I never paid attention before, but that formation on the city walls is far too extraordinary to have been created by a handful of third-level beings. And from Elena’s words, it seems the Falcon race’s wings are no less impressive. Then what about the Dragon race’s spear and the Golden Lion race’s shield? There are too many questions. The more I learn, the more everything becomes mysterious and complicated."
"Has no one ever tried to reach the fourth level before?"
Rios abandoned the topic of those complicated relics, convinced he would only receive vague answers, and instead tried to gather as much information as possible about ascending to the Wis level, even though he doubted Queen Elena or the City of Light could offer him anything truly useful.
"Many have tried, My Lord. But every time someone attempts to surpass the third level and reach the fourth, a calamity descends from the heavens and turns them to ashes. It continued happening until almost no one dared challenge the third level anymore, save for a handful of fanatics."
As Queen Elena mentioned the heavenly calamity, an involuntary shiver ran through her body.
"My apologies, My Lord. I suddenly remembered the scene of the Flame Storm descending upon one of those who attempted to reach the fourth level... He was reduced to ashes."
Embarrassed, Elena lowered her head so deeply it nearly disappeared into her chest.
"It’s fine."
Rios nodded before asking again,
"Then what is the story behind the Tree of Cradle ascending to the heavens and taking the Elf clan with it?"
"The legend says, My Lord, that the Tree of Cradle successfully overcame the calamity separating the third and fourth levels and reached the fourth level. As a reward for accomplishing such an unprecedented feat, the world itself rewarded the Tree of Cradle by taking it to the heavens and allowing it to bring along the members of the Elf clan closest to it."
As Elena spoke, a trace of zeal and excitement appeared in her eyes while she gazed at Rios’ face, which resembled a purple sphere.
Rios noticed the look beneath Queen Elena’s white veil but paid it no attention, remaining absorbed in his own thoughts.
"Just as I expected... things are becoming more complicated."
He sighed before looking at Queen Elena and then at the Tree of Life.
"Since the Tree of Cradle managed to surpass the third level and reach the fourth, then there’s no reason I can’t do the same. But first, I need to become stronger, and the fastest way to do that is by devouring the Tree of Life!"
"From this moment onward, and for the next several days, no one is permitted to enter this garden except the four of you. If I discover that my orders have not been carried out perfectly, the punishment will be execution. Is that understood?"
Rios spoke coldly as he issued his command to Elena, Gao, Thandria, and Etham while releasing a portion of his overwhelming aura to intimidate them.
"As you command, My Lord."
The four of them dropped to one knee and answered almost in unison.
"You may leave now."
Rios lowered Queen Elena back to the ground and granted them permission to depart.
"My Lord, forgive my curiosity, but... will the sacred Tree of Life be healed?"
Queen Elena looked at Rios with a glimmer of hope.
"No. The fate of the Tree of Life has already been sealed. There is no longer any hope of saving it."
Of course, Rios was lying.
He had already asked the system about the Tree of Life’s condition, and it had informed him that it could indeed be saved. But doing so would cost him three precious opportunities.
The chance to become stronger.
The chance to obtain a human form.
And the chance to complete the mission assigned to him by the system.
"Then... what will you do, My Lord?"
Queen Elena asked anxiously, a dreadful feeling rising within her.
"Of course... I’ll devour it..."
