URBAN VILLAIN SYSTEM

Chapter 187: Guardian Spirits!

"What did you say...!" Tony asked in surprise.

The system spirit stared toward the distant horizon without answering. Neither spoke for several moments.

The celebration inside the Clark Family estate continued below, yet it felt strangely distant now. The laughter of elders, the noise of servants, and the endless discussions about resources and alliances all seemed insignificant compared to the warning he had just heard.

’Things that should still be sleeping...’ The phrase lingered in his mind.

Eventually Tony broke the silence. "What exactly are these things?" he asked again with impatience. freewebnovel.cσ๓

The spirit looked at him before releasing a slow breath. "Guardian Spirits."

The answer surprised him. Of all the possibilities he imagined, guardian spirits weren’t among them.

The spirit continued, her voice carrying an unusual seriousness. "Every World Tree Blessing isn’t merely an inheritance ground. That’s the mistake humans always make. They see opportunities and treasures, so they assume the place exists for them. The truth is the opposite. The World Tree existed long before human civilizations appeared. The blessings, fruits, inheritances, and seeds are merely byproducts of its existence."

Tony listened quietly.

"The World Tree protects itself. It always has. Ancient guardian spirits were created for that purpose. Some guard treasures. Some guard pathways. Some guard specific inheritances. Others simply destroy intruders who don’t belong there."

The more she spoke, the more dangerous the World Tree sounded.

Tony frowned. "If they’re guardians, why are you worried?"

The spirit immediately looked annoyed. "Because they shouldn’t be awake."

That answer made much more sense.

The spirit pointed toward the incomplete map floating within the system interface. "Normally the outer layers open first. Geniuses enter. They fight. They collect opportunities. Then deeper areas awaken gradually based on talents. That’s how the process is supposed to work."

Tony immediately understood where the conversation was heading. "And because I entered early..."

The spirit nodded. "And because you absorbed Chaotic Life Energy... And because of the Dragon Lord transformation...! Congratulations. You accidentally kicked the World Tree while it was sleeping."

Tony rubbed his forehead. When she described it that way, it sounded considerably worse.

The little spirit floated toward him and sat on his thigh. "The good news is that most guardians probably remain dormant. The bad news is that if even a few awaken early, the danger level inside the World Tree could increase dramatically."

"Okay... Don’t confuse me with half guesses. First, i need to know about this..." Tony looked toward the Dragon Soul Fragment again.

The fragment remained suspended above his palm, glowing faintly beneath the moonlight.

"Does this have anything to do with the Dragon Lord?"

The spirit became silent.

Tony slowly turned toward her. "You know something."

The spirit looked away.

Tony narrowed his eyes. "You definitely know something."

The spirit continued looking away.

Tony immediately laughed. "Every time you do that, it means I’m right."

The little spirit groaned dramatically before finally giving up. "The Dragon Lord inheritance wasn’t supposed to appear yet."

Tony froze. "What?"

"The Dragon Lord inheritance wasn’t supposed to appear yet," she repeated. "It belonged to a deeper layer of the World Tree. A much deeper layer."

For several seconds Tony simply stared at her.

Then his expression became strange. "So... you’re saying I stole an inheritance ahead of schedule?"

The spirit pointed a tiny finger at him. "Exactly."

Tony couldn’t help laughing.

The situation sounded ridiculous.

Unfortunately, the spirit wasn’t laughing. "Do you know what happens when someone removes a cornerstone inheritance from an ancient structure?"

Tony’s smile slowly faded.

The spirit answered before he could. "The structure changes."

For the first time since entering the World Tree secretly, Tony realized his actions might have consequences beyond simple rewards.

***

Meanwhile, thousands of kilometers away, the Pacific Ocean continued changing.

The giant golden pod surrounding the World Tree had become increasingly unstable. Massive cracks spread across its surface like rivers of molten gold. Every few hours, ancient energy leaked into the sky, causing unusual weather patterns across nearby regions.

Martial Government satellites watched continuously. Martial organizations monitored every development.

Countless experts gathered near the ocean. Nobody understood the reason behind the acceleration. Nobody knew the truth.

-

Inside a crystal palace hidden beneath the sea, Luka sat quietly while several reports floated before her.

The old woman’s expression had become increasingly grim over the last few days.

The timing still bothered her.

Everything about the timing bothered her.

One report described the accelerated blooming. Another described unusual fluctuations near the World Tree. A third described the movements of the Demonic Sea Tribe member who had secretly escorted Tony into deep waters.

Luka read the reports repeatedly. The answers remained the same.

Eventually Elsa entered the room carrying her curved blade across one shoulder.

"You haven’t slept."

Luka ignored the observation. Instead she slid one report across the table.

Elsa glanced at it briefly... Then frowned. "Tony Clark?"

The old woman nodded. "The dates match."

Elsa remained silent.

Luka continued. "The woman who guided him claims she never approached the World Tree itself. She only escorted him toward the region. After that, he disappeared."

The room became quiet.

Elsa finally sat down. "Do you think he entered?"

Luka didn’t answer immediately. Instead she looked toward the glowing golden silhouette visible beyond the palace windows. "I think something major happened."

The distinction was subtle.

***

Meanwhile, inside Nine Lotus Academy, another meeting was taking place.

Academy Master Da Vinci stood before a massive projection map showing the World Tree region. Around him sat representatives from various organizations, including family elders, sect leaders, and government officials responsible for supervising the upcoming blessing.

The atmosphere remained serious.

No one discussed rankings... No one discussed business... No one discussed politics. Because all of them had received the same report. The World Tree would open sooner than expected. Much sooner.

Da Vinci tapped the projection map lightly.

"The opening has accelerated again."

"How much?"

"Three days." Da Vinci answered calmly.

The room instantly became silent.

Three days... Only three days remained. Even Da Vinci appeared slightly surprised by the development.

Because according to every historical record... Nothing like this had happened before.

***

Far away, on a rooftop illuminated by moonlight, Tony’s identity token suddenly vibrated.

A golden notification appeared before him... The spirit immediately looked toward it.

Both read the message simultaneously.

[World Tree Blessing Opening Time Updated]

[72 Hours Remaining]

Tony stared at the notification. Then toward the Dragon Soul Fragment floating above his palm.

Three days... Only three days.

The waiting was almost over.

And somewhere beyond the visible world, hidden inside ancient roots and forgotten chambers beneath the World Tree, a pair of golden eyes slowly opened in the darkness.

The creature didn’t move. And after sleeping for countless years, its first thought was surprisingly simple.

’A Dragon Lord’s scent.’

Someone had touched a forbidden inheritance.

-

Tq for the Golden Tickets!