Chapter 74: Trial and Summon - Part 1

I continued walking towards it but it seems like this place is very confusing. This place is like a maze where I can't find the densest area of death energy.

I also noticed that a whole mountain near the sea looks like it is also affected by the death energy.

"Just how did it occur? Natural? No, it is impossible for the land blessed by the [World tree]." I said as I started flying over the dead forest.

[World Trees] are the source of food and life for three races.

[Elves], [Fairies], and [Dryads] are the races that are dependant on the [World Tree].

That is also why the kingdoms of these three races are close to each other.

[World Tree] is the tree full of life and it is the source of all elements such as wind that we breathe, the fire that we used for cooking and blacksmith, earth for alchemy, and water for avoiding dehydration.

It is also the source of [Life Elements] which is beneficial for all races to continuously evolve.

That is why it is impossible to have the death element at the land blessed by the life element since both of them cannot coexist. Only gods can combine them based on the [Akashic Record]

This matter is very intriguing in every way.

How did the source of death energy come here?

Why is the [World Tree] not doing anything?

Why is this place is still in one place? If the source of this thing is a living being, then its reason is not destruction?

If it is, then why?

I can't answer all of these questions by myself unless I am going to find the most important clues that I can get. For now, I can't deduct where is the source of the deadly elements so I only need some clues.

This place is very vast and this place is probably larger than Japan. I can't look for information in just a day...

I looked at the ground which really feels like it is too cruel to happen. I went to the mountain near the sea at the farthest south near the ocean and saw the horizon of dead nature.

This is like a curse. The place is supposed to be full of green and yellow but this place became black and brown.

It seems like some places near the [Demon Empire] in the east and the [Dwarven Empire] in the west are also affected by this problem.

[Demons] can do something about this problem because they have the death affinity similar to my and Ashton's affinity of death.

"The energy is stable as if the source is not moving. I am convinced that it may be either an artifact that is plausible or a creature with an uncontrollable death element that is subconsciously releasing the deadly effects of that element and it is staying in one place." I muttered as I pat Ashton's face who looks like he is sleeping on my shoulder.

"Hmm. I should fly at the highest altitude, I should place Ashton back to his capsule, he will feel cold up there..." I took Ashton and placed him back in his capsule I used to capture him. Then, I flapped my wings at the highest point where I can see the dead forest.

'Hmm?' I noticed the I can feel the death energy up here and when I realized that the whole dead forest is in a circular shape, I realized that the death energy is not affecting the ground but it also affecting the sky.

"The shape of the energy is a three-dimensional circle... Then if that is the case, then the source of the death energy is..." I flew down as soon as possible and went to the middle part of the place continued, "The location of the source is... Underground!"

I didn't notice it because there are still some life elements below the ground which is still probably nurturing the trees once again.

"But there isn't a hole nor a crater, then, how is it in the underground?" I looked from left and right to see if there are still holes or something but unfortunately, there aren't.

I sat down on this place and thought of digging it down but the source must be so deep that it can even reach the highest point that I can see the whole area of the dead trees.

'Then, what is the other way to enter underground?' I scratched my head as I can't think of a possible way.

'Underground Tunnel? That doesn't exist in this world at all. How about underground ruins? Possible but where is the entrance? Hmmm, how about caves?' I am thinking several of possibilities to enter the underground but the only thing that is possible is both the underground ruins and a cave.

'Then, what if there is an underground ruin entrance inside the cave which leads to the underground ruins?' I said to myself as I saw a cave below the cliff near the vicinity.

"Then, I should enter there..." I said to myself as I walk normally and stared at the pitch-black cave where you can't see anything at all.

[Artificial Sense]

I closed my eyes and felt every single thing inside the cave and formed a model of the cave structure inside my head.

It seems like this cave is full of stalactites and there is a smell of a mineral that is similar to the sulfides. The place is also full of death elements.

There are dead monsters here who can benefit me by collecting their drops by just tapping their corpse.

I walked towards the deepest part of the cave as I take the free drops in the way and I can feel light elements on this place.

That indicates that there is already a light inside this cave.

I opened my eyes and saw two large doors. They are somehow similar to the [Shinto]-style structure.

I walked towards the door and opened it immediately.

I entered the door and saw a large temple ahead of the hallway full of carvings. It is similar to Japanese traditional temples and.

The carvings are somehow familiar. There is a lot of dragons in the walls and ceiling which is probably connected to a dragon.

And the dragon that comes into my find first is the god they considered as [Water Kami/God], Ryuujin, which literally means the dragon god.

It is the god that is connected to agricultural matters.

"But why is the [Shinto Dragon God]'s temple is here?" I asked myself as I continued walking towards the temple and showed some respect towards the god with the Japanese tradition.

I stared at a tablet with Japanese kanji on it.

"Shinto of the east, Greek in the west, Chinese at the south, and the Norse on the North. Once you've known the secrets it will unfold, you will know the secret that you must hold." I muttered the English version of those words as I hold my chins, thinking the reason for this tablet to be beside the entrance at the temple.

"Waah-- this is really a Japanese-style temple..." I stepped inside as I appreciate the beautiful image of the Japanese temple that is still fresh in my memory where we went there last year.

"It seems like it is really [Ryuujin]'s temple..." A voice abruptly muttered in my ears as I heard Japanese phrases. I can understand them but my memory is rejecting them,

[You entered the temple of the [Shinto Dragon God], you received the [Dragon Cloth]]

[Dragon Cloth (Celestial)

Description: An equipment that can only be equipped by a creature with one of its parts.

You have one part of the set [Dragon God Set 1/7]

Effect; Dragon skill damage +1000%]

'[Dragon God Set]? It seems like my [Dragon Wings] is part of that set'

I noticed that I haven't changed my equipment at all because of my infinity stats without the help of the equipment.

[--Equipment--]

[Main Weapon: Crystal Ice Sword

Secondary Sword: Twilight Dagger

Armor: Dragon Cloth

Head Gear: Majestic Head Gear

Gloves: Inexhaustible Bleeding Gloves

Boots: Elemental Boots

Cloak: Elemental Cloak

Accessory: Call of the Dragon]

I unequipped my [Fire Armor] which I got from the [Fire Rabbit] five months ago and changed it into [Dragon Cloth] and the other equipment is still the same.

"Well, then, let us continue... I wonder where that door goes to..." I looked at the suspicious door beside the altar and walked towards it.

I entered the door as I am still kind of uncomfortable with my new armor, it is like bound to my skin, just like the [Dragon Wings].

I can also make it invisible and change its appearance into a blue or black one.

I just walked normally towards the end of the hallway and saw some kind of relic in the middle of the huge square arena-like place.

"Just what is this?" I am confused about why is there a relic in the middle of this area.

I stepped inside the arena and then the notification suddenly rang.

[You entered the [Trial of Life and Death], choose a difficulty: Hydro, Terra, Aeria, Pyro, and Lyra]