Chapter 2149: World Tree: Evolution (1/2)

Lord of The Mysterious Realms

“Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

The old elf clicked his tongue at the sight, earning a vicious glare from the ancient silver dragon.

In any case, after the silver dragon’s brief display, Jenkins’s final ability slot was filled, just as expected. The new blue heteromorphic ability was called [Dragon’s Kiss Venom]. It allowed Jenkins to release a special toxin through contact with his lips. Since it had to be actively triggered, he didn't have to worry about becoming a walking font of poison.

The toxin could only originate from—and be produced by—an ancient dragon, but it was uniquely effective against all races. Once it took hold, the victim would irreversibly turn into a gray stone statue within thirty to sixty minutes.

The information that came with the ability suggested the venom was linked to the very origin of dragons. It was a pity there wasn't more to go on; otherwise, Jenkins might have finally been able to unravel the mystery of this world's draconic lineage.

With the dragon-related ability acquired, the ritual could now officially begin.

The ritual array was an unusual square. Since Jenkins himself served as the representative for the elves, he stood at the eastern vertex. In mysticism, the east itself also symbolized leadership.

As the ritual activated, a faint tremor ran through the ground and a light emerged, linking up with the green aura enveloping Jenkins. The point of light representing his [World Tree Seedling] ability flared first, then shot out an incredibly fine green thread that connected to the light of [Four Seasons].

This was the telltale sign of a chain ability forming. Before Jenkins had completed the full ritual, the process looked remarkably similar to it.

As the eastern side of the ritual array became fully illuminated with a verdant glow, a warm east wind began to stir beneath the dark, ash-strewn sky. The breeze swept away the acrid stench of the fog, and those standing by caught the unmistakable scent of burgeoning life.

“Spring.”

He announced simply, then walked along the straight edge of the square array toward the southern vertex. The verdant light followed his steps, creeping southward, but it didn't fully illuminate the next point.

South corresponded to summer, and Anathasia stood at its vertex, awaiting his arrival. As they met, a brilliant blue radiance ignited the southern corner of the ritual. A sound like a dragon’s roar echoed from within the pillar of azure light that shot toward the sky. The shadow of the silver dragon’s true form flickered behind Jenkins, and simultaneously, the point of light for his blue [Dragon’s Kiss Venom] ability flared. Another fine thread of light linked this ability to [Four Seasons].

A south wind howled—a blast of summer, intensely hot and tinged with the humidity of a rainy season, utterly clashing with the apocalyptic scene. Yet it, too, drove back the fog from the southern corner, allowing the blue light to join the green.

“Summer.”

He declared, giving the silver dragon a nod before continuing along the ritual’s edge toward the western vertex.

West corresponded to autumn, and at its vertex stood a colossal stone statue of a Titan. Though the Titan’s soul had perished in its struggle against Jenkins, the statue was its true physical form and still contained a measure of its power.

The Church had intended to study the statue in detail, but now, it served Jenkins’s purpose instead.

Jenkins approached the foot of the statue and laid his hand upon it. As the coarse texture registered in his mind, a savage red light flared to life, illuminating the western side of the array.

The red light spread across the entire statue. An autumn wind began to blow, scattering the western fog and carrying with it the scent of both harvest and decay.

The point of light for [Titan’s Power] ignited, linking to [Four Seasons]. It was the third ability.

“Autumn.”

He said, but then he hesitated, not taking the next step.

At the northern vertex of the ritual, Chocolate sat watching Jenkins. In the darkness, a cat’s eyes would normally seem to glow, but the light in Chocolate's was not the least bit frightening. He looked utterly pathetic, shifting uneasily as he stared at the writer a short distance away.

Nearby, Alexia pursed her lips. Miss Brolignans wore an expression of keen interest, and the silver dragon raised an eyebrow, equally intrigued by the scene. The old elf, while pretending to observe the ritual, was surreptitiously glancing at Jenkins. Only Audrey, still not grasping the full situation, hesitated, assuming Jenkins’s pause meant something had gone wrong with the ritual.

After a moment’s pause, he resumed his path along the array’s edge, heading for the northern vertex. As he bent down and scooped up his cat, the light of his [Cat’s Grace] ability flared and connected to [Four Seasons].

[Cat’s Grace] was a Red Martial ability and should have glowed red. But as Jenkins made contact with Chocolate, a biting north wind swept in, and an aura of black light—the color of sin—tore through the thick fog.

At the four corners of the ritual, the lights of green, blue, red, and black intertwined, completely banishing the surrounding fog.

“Winter.”

Jenkins ignored the cat squirming winsomely in his arms, belly exposed, and walked from the northern vertex back to the eastern one.

He had now completed a full circuit of the square. Upon his return to the eastern vertex, the four colors representing the four seasons finally merged completely. Cradling the cat, Jenkins stepped from the east into the very center of the ritual array.

The spot was easy to find, as the fruit platter, one of the ritual’s core items, was placed there. As Jenkins drew near, it drew upon the powers of the four seasons from the four cardinal directions, absorbing their spirit without producing any fruit.

The platter fused the power of the four seasons, fulfilling its original purpose: to make an offering to a great power. The lights and the platter itself were re-fused, tempered, and condensed, then given a new form before merging into Jenkins’s chest, right where his heart was.

The platter didn't become his heart; instead, it granted him the ability to absorb the spiritual auras of the four seasons.