Disciple of The Three Kings [EN]: Chapter 423

“Fruit! Fruit is growing!”

Elves, who had been engrossed in building the village, began to gather, one by one, shouting.

“Ah…!”

“Aaaah-!”

The sounds coming from the elves’ mouths were more like moans of awe.

“Fruit…!”

“Fruit!”

Indeed, on the branches of Igrak, gray, or rather, ash-colored fruits were hanging, ripe and full.

It was said that it took a long time for a fruit to grow to that size, but considering the time it took for Igrak to grow this much in the first place, it wasn’t a particularly unusual event.

Scores, hundreds of fruits.

Red Plum Blossom, Cheong In-woo, Lee Ro-woon, and others who sensed the commotion also approached and gazed at the fruits on Igrak.

“What, are those fruits a big deal?”

Cheong In-woo spoke indifferently.

It wasn’t that Lee Ro-woon didn’t have knowledge about elves, but these could be different.

Thud.

Lamang, her face covered in dirt, was slowly approaching them.

With her appearance as the leader succeeding Rarak, the elves bowed slightly, looking at her with trembling eyes.

“The fruit… has ripened.”

It was Ballak.

“The fruit has ripened…!”

At his voice, which was on the verge of tears, Lamang couldn’t hide her complex feelings.

“Yes, it has.”

A warm and beautiful voice.

“The fruit has ripened.”

Having said that, Lamang looked towards Lee Ro-woon.

“Do you know what the World Tree’s fruit is?”

“The essence of the World Tree.”

At Lee Ro-woon’s answer, Lamang nodded.

“Yes. It is said that the fruit of the World Tree, if consumed even just one, grants the ability of eternal life, immense power to those who wield magic, and even brings about a transformation of the body.”

“That is….”

Cheong In-woo, a martial artist, couldn’t possibly be unaware of such effects.

“Isn’t that a legendary elixir?”

A special elixir, even among the elites.

However, an elixir that could bring about a complete transformation was something that appeared so rarely in the history of the Silver [a term referring to a specific group or organization] that it could be counted on one hand.

That is….

“All of those are elixirs…?”

Could those hundreds of fruits be that?

Cheong In-woo, and the other Red Plum Blossom unit members who were listening to this story, couldn’t help but be surprised.

If there were that many of such elixirs, it would literally mean.

“We could create a sect.”

They could create a sect.

Not just any sect, but one that could rival the Nine Great Sects [powerful martial arts factions].

That meant they had the power to create history itself.

Perhaps even more than that….

“However, that is only the case when the fruit is harvested and consumed.”

Lamang said, looking at the fruit.

“The fruit of the World Tree….”

Woong.

As if responding to Lamang’s energy, numerous fruits began to emit light simultaneously.

“Wow!”

Even the hardened martial artists of Hwasan [a martial arts sect] expressed admiration at the beautiful sight.

“Craz…y.”

Cheong In-woo, along with several other masters and Lee Ro-woon, could clearly see.

Woong!

The fruits emitting bright light, inside them.

“Are those elves?”

That elves were taking their place.

“Yes.”

Lamang answered.

“The fruit of the World Tree signifies the birth of elves. What has happened only a handful of times in the past is happening now.”

Even at this moment, several more fruits were ripening.

Soon.

Thud!

One of the fruits fell.

Despite falling from a great height, the fruit that landed on the ground seemed to have not even a small scratch.

The elves gathered in front of it.

As if their gaze was a signal.

Crack!

The fruit, which had been unscathed despite falling from the World Tree, began to crack.

An elf slowly began to reveal itself.

It was already a fully grown, mature elf.

Thud! Thud thud thud!

The fruits began to fall.

Before they knew it, elves were being born everywhere, accompanied by bright light.

* * *

It was said that the birth of elves was not usually like this.

Originally, it was said that fruits would ripen and take a long time to grow, and even if such a fruit fell and an elf was born, it would start as an infant, just like humans.

However, whether it was due to the changes caused by Lee Ro-woon, or whether it was the world trying to balance itself, no one knew.

“Your names are….”

The hundreds of newly born elves were already grown and mature.

“Yes.”

They also possessed a certain level of language and knowledge.

World Tree.

It seemed that knowledge was also being transmitted through the connection with it.

Also, it wasn’t a one-time event.

Another fruit was slowly ripening.

However, unlike before, the birth did not follow immediately after ripening, but it didn’t seem like it would take too long this time either.

The newly born elves quickly adapted to the village under Lamang’s guidance and even participated in the village construction.

“At this rate, the world will soon be covered in elves.”

Cheong In-woo’s joke-like words even contained a degree of sincerity.

Of course, that wouldn’t happen.

Also, the elves born this way did not only possess basic language and knowledge.

Clang!

The sound of metal echoed.

On one side, the Red Plum Blossom unit and the newly born elves were sparring.

Clang!

The wooden sword carved from a fallen branch of the World Tree did not budge even when it clashed with the plum blossom sword.

Claaang!

Of course, they were members of the Red Plum Blossom unit, who were among the best in the Silver.

“Kuh!”

It was unimaginable that they would be pushed back by the newly born elves, but still, they seemed to be holding their own to some extent and growing rapidly.

“Is this even okay?”

They were like sponges.

It was felt that they were learning the Hwasan sword techniques used by the Red Plum Blossom unit through clashes.

Thud.

Eventually, the wooden sword fell from their grasp and rolled on the ground.

Chuk.

The elf brought their hands together and bowed, showing respect.

This too.

“Huh.”

Could be said to have been learned from the Hwasan martial artists.

[Thirteen days remain until Igrak’s complete growth.]

There was still plenty of time left.

Lee Ro-woon spent his time talking with Cheong In-woo or observing the world.

The elves no longer needed Lee Ro-woon’s attention.

“You are quite an excellent leader.”

Under Lamang and Ballak, who assisted her, the elves were uniting, consolidating, and growing stronger.

[Twelve days remain until Igrak’s complete growth.]

In the midst of that.

“What’s going on?”

Lamang and Ballak came to find Lee Ro-woon, leading the new elves.

Cheong In-woo seemed a little tense.

The current elves, or rather, the dark elves, were strong.

Especially the power felt from Lamang and Ballak seemed to be on par with his own.

“This is absurd.”

Of course, he had no doubt that he would win if they fought.

The outcome was not determined by the amount of internal energy one possessed, nor was it all about the combat experience accumulated over the years.

Genius and talent.

Cheong In-woo was not confident that he would lose, but it was true that he was wary of them.

“We greet the Cron.”

Lamang bowed towards Lee Ro-woon.

“We greet the Cron.”

Ballak, and.

“We greet the Cron.”

The newly born dark elves bowed towards Lee Ro-woon.

In the past, all of this would have been nothing but annoying, but.

“Is it an imprint?”

It was different for Lee Ro-woon now.

“Yes.”

To possess, protect, and secure what was his.

Because he knew how important that was.

“The Cron is our god and guardian. It is our duty and obligation to pay respect to such a Cron.”

“Do as you please.”

After that, the dark elves were cautious towards Lee Ro-woon, but they would often peek at him, wanting to see his face even once.

“They’re like obsessed fans.”

Cheong In-woo’s words represented their appearance.

“Well, isn’t it something we’re used to?”

For both Lee Ro-woon and Cheong In-woo, it was a familiar thing.

The attention towards Lee Ro-woon, the Blood Demon, and Cheong In-woo, the best swordsman of Hwasan, would not have been small.

[Eleven days remain until Igrak’s complete growth.]

Another change occurred at that point.

“……!”

They, who had been enduring time as usual, widened their eyes.

Lee Ro-woon, Cheong In-woo, all of them.

Thud.

It was as if the dark elves, the Red Plum Blossom unit, and everything living and breathing in this world were gathering.

In front of the new World Tree, Igrak.

The change was a large fruit that had ripened on one of Igrak’s high branches.

A size that could not be compared to the fruits from which other elves were born.

Woowoong!

A fruit emitting a light that could not be compared to others.

The power felt from it was.

Shivers.

Enough to make most people feel goosebumps.

A message and a window that only Lee Ro-woon could hear and see.

[Igrak has conceived a new Elk.]

This was also the time Lee Ro-woon had been waiting for.

* * *

The shining giant fruit did not fall easily like the previous ones.

It grew even larger.

Fwaaah!

It only emitted an even greater light.

“What is happening?”

No one answered those questions.

The elves were simply kneeling in front of Igrak as if praying, and Lee Ro-woon spent his day as usual, but occasionally came to the front of Igrak to look at the ripened fruit.

[Eight days remain until Igrak’s complete growth.]

It was a sun.

A sun that shone in Asgard, which was a gray world.

In that bright light, vegetation grew on the parched land.

“Parmada!”

New life began to appear on this land.

[Seven days remain until Igrak’s complete growth.]

Everyone was intuitively aware that the time had come.

Fwaaah!

It was like a sun and a heart.

Like a pulsating heart, it emitted and absorbed light for a long time.

“It’s starting.”

Lee Ro-woon’s one word was the signal.

Crack-!

The fruit that had ripened on that high branch of Igrak finally began to tear and break.

The shell began to fall off.

The powder began to scatter.

“…….”

In silence and stillness.

Fwaaaah-!

The fruit that had shed its shell began to emit an even brighter light.

It was to the point where it was difficult to open one’s eyes.

Now, only a few people, including Lee Ro-woon’s group, were looking at the brightly shining fruit with their eyes open.

“I told you.”

Lee Ro-woon had said.

That he could not become an Elk.

At that time, Lamang had said.

That a new Elk could not be born.

That an Elk could not be born in this world without a World Tree.

However, Lee Ro-woon had said.

“It’s possible.”

That both the World Tree and the Elk could appear again.

Look.

Igrak was born using Rarak’s corpse as a seed.

That Igrak grew and gave birth to elves, and now.

“It’s an Elk.”

It was even trying to give birth to an Elk.

“…….”

Lamang and Ballak closed their eyes and shut their mouths.

At this moment, they were being careful not to say anything that could be negative to the birth of the new Elk.

Fwaaaaaaah!

The light of the fruit shone brilliantly.

In the following moment.

Pat!

The world was dyed in light.

Even Lee Ro-woon blinked his eyes for a moment in that light.

The light that had brightly dyed everything subsided.

“Uh….”

Lamang.

Lamang, who had been silent until now, finally opened her mouth and….

“Mother….”

Sobbed.

The woman who appeared before their eyes, she was the new Elk.

“Rarak.”

It was Rarak.