EU: Chapter 043 | Leaving The Elven Prison

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[Come out]

It was nighttime. Flashes lit up the sky in scattered bursts as the battle between the Warden and the Level 3 Ogres raged on.

Soldiers were scrambling everywhere, stirred by the chaos that had erupted in the grain prison. Many of them were already down—bodies lying scattered across the area.

Peeking out carefully from his hiding spot, Raepekka listened to the noise. He didn’t move just yet—the soldiers were still combing the area, searching for the Ogres that had slipped in.

Beneath the ash-covered ground, a web of roots stretched far and wide. Small feelers poked out like twitching leaves, reacting to the vibrations in the air.

Far below, a trench had been dug out, and inside it, something that looked like a phonograph had been pieced together from wood. Paper charts covered one of the walls, crammed with all sorts of scribbles.

Raepekka had been analyzing the area when a small shift in the wall caught his attention. A movement in the roots formed two clear words. The moment he saw them, his eyes lit up, ‘He’s here.’

“Are you behind the commotion, Virchuka?” Raepekka asked, watching a familiar figure walk straight down the vertical wall and land softly on the ash-coated floor.

“I led the Ogres inside,” Pinaka said, handing Raepekka a case. “I received my pay from them.”

“Think of this as my support.”

“They… T-They are…” The moment Raepekka grabbed the case, a wave of goosebumps rippled across his skin. He stammered, caught off guard by the sheer weight of what he was holding. “Is this truly alright?”

“I’ll be leaving this place with the Ogres,” Pinaka said, making it clear he wasn’t planning on bringing Raepekka along. “You’re on your own.”

He nodded at the case. “With that, I’m confident you’ll be able to reach Level 2. How you survive from here—that’s up to you.”

“Can I not accompany you?” Raepekka asked, even though he already understood what the answer would be.

‘I don’t intend to reveal my abilities to anyone. And I damn sure don’t wish to live while thinking about hiding myself every damn second of my life.’ Those were his true thoughts. He had his own path to follow, one that couldn’t afford unnecessary complications. Taking Raepekka along would only weigh him down.

“If you want to escape, now’s the perfect time,” Pinaka said, briefly explaining the state of the Elven Prison. “But you’re on your own.”

“Thank you, Virchuka.” Raepekka bowed deeply, then opened the case. His eyes widened, and a sharp breath escaped him when he saw three World Tree Fruits. Without hesitation, he swallowed the first one and nearly groaned at the rush of power. “I’m grateful for your support.”

“Thanks to you…” He looked down at himself, feeling strength flood through every part of his body. “I’ve grown a lot stronger.”

“Then, all the best.” Pinaka extended his hand and shook Raepekka’s. “Let’s hope we don’t get captured by the Humans.”

“Yes,” Raepekka nodded, watching as Pinaka leapt over the wall in a few smooth bounds. ‘With the way he’s moving, he definitely did parkour on Earth.’

He looked back at the case with a wide grin. “There’s two more, huh?”

“That’s plenty enough.” With that, he returned to his bunker. A few seconds later, he pressed his hand against the wall, and roots stretched out across the ground.

New bunkers began to take shape as Raepekka relocated everything he had collected. He had no intention of leaving. He still had a purpose for staying in the Elven Prison.

“I should be able to perceive you better.” He arrived at a bunker situated forty metres underground. It was a cube—three metres on each side—and in its center, a root lay before him.

He reached out and touched it, closing his eyes. “It’s still not clear. But no matter.”

“I will figure out everything in due time.”

The root belonged to the World Tree. He had extended his reach through the earth until he found it. Most of his time was now spent in meditation, keeping constant contact with it.

This was the most authentic state of being for an Elf. Even though he couldn’t control it, he could feel the World Tree’s powerful pulse and boundless vitality.

“You are Gangnea’s life, and I wonder… exactly what all are you capable of.”

“You did bring my soul to this world after all.” His voice brimmed with confidence. Raepekka was one of the most gifted among the Elves—so gifted that, even under crushing conditions, his stats kept rising no matter how much he pushed himself.

And that was inside a prison, with barely any food, water, or sleep, while being worked to the bone and tortured relentlessly. But now?

Now he had food. Water. Rest. And he had just eaten a World Tree Fruit…

Crack!

Raepekka stretched, joints popping as his body began to grow. His muscles thickened and toned, and his hair spilled down his back, all the way to his ankles. Without thinking, a bow formed in his left hand, an arrow in his right as his thumbs regrew

“Hah…” He spent a full hour taking it all in, overwhelmed by the flood of insights that suddenly made sense—everything he’d been contemplating until now, finally clicking into place. “This is amazing.”

If Pinaka had seen the way his stats had jumped, he probably would’ve cursed out loud in sheer envy.

[Name: Raepekka]

[Race: Elf]

[Authority: Wood]

[Control Factor: 2]

[Weight Factor: 90]

[Volume Factor: 18]

[Range Factor: 208]

[Speed Factor: 8]

[Creation Factor: 2]

[Spell: -]

He had gained over 280 stat points in total—an overwhelming amount. And that was just from a single World Tree Fruit, consumed while still a Level 1 Elf. The insights alone from digesting it had given him everything he needed to push through to Level 2.

Now, with the next fruit, his body would process it even more efficiently. And he still had two left. That kind of boost would be more than enough to help him hold his ground while staying hidden.

“I hope I can repay you someday.” Raepekka thought of Pinaka with genuine respect and offered a silent prayer. “I owe you my life.”

The person he was thinking of was already well on his way to the Human Gate. Along the route, he picked up the OgreGate messenger’s bike, reinstalled the Sun Stone into its original slot, and then rammed the whole thing into a tree—right after having Pronto activate the Sun Stone.

That way, the crash looked authentic. Pinaka even generated some of the messenger’s blood and left obvious evidence at the crash site. He made sure to draw a trail that led toward the tunnel section of the prison. “Now, all evidence is taken care of.”

Without wasting a second, Pinaka disappeared into the distance, carrying a clone of himself with two units in Control Factor riding piggyback.

[Spell: Wood Ski]

“The more I use it, the more impressive it becomes.” He couldn’t help but marvel at the Spell—it let him cover massive distances with barely any physical effort.

Since he mostly had his clone use it, Pinaka himself remained in top shape. Inside his bag were the following: the case holding 80 World Tree Fruits, 3 Sun Stones, 1 Vampire Race Relic, the Pronto Staff, and the Living Armour key.

It was an insane haul. Any one of those items was valuable enough to start a war over, given the strategic advantages they offered.

Then there was the Sky Boulder, still hidden underground. Its value came from the simple fact that it could float. With it, Pinaka could one day build a flying ship and travel anywhere he wanted without being tracked or slowed down.

But for now, he didn’t have a way to safely move it without drawing the Warden’s attention. And he hadn’t figured out how to best take advantage of it yet. The amount of Sky Boulder stored inside the Pronto Staff would do for now.

‘I already have Relics of five Races in my possession.’

A faint smile tugged at his lips as he watched the Human Gate from the shadows. Once he was sure the coast was clear, his clone dashed across the bridge, carrying him.

Pinaka used the Pronto Staff to draw out all the heat from the bridge, making it possible for the clone to cross. Even then, metal was a brutal conductor.

By the time the clone reached the other side, its feet were completely ruined, beyond anything repairable. He kicked it into the Lava Moat, formed a fresh clone, gave it two units of Control Factor, and climbed onto its back. “Finally!”

It felt a little anticlimactic—but he knew the truth. One mistake, and he’d be dead.

“I’ve escaped successfully.”

The clone crossed the Human Gate and rushed into the T’Hara Forest. “Officially, I’m free.”

It traveled thirty kilometers before suddenly collapsing from a stroke. Pinaka dissolved it into manure, then created a fresh clone to cover another ten kilometers. “This should be far enough.”

He quickly had a Pinaka Clone make over a hundred more clones to guard the goods. Once everything was secured, he hopped onto another clone’s back and used Wood Ski to speed toward the Ogre Gate.

His goal? To watch the fight, of course. ‘I’m not missing this chance to see Level 3 existences in action—especially the Warden.’

If he ever hoped to liberate the Elven Prison and reclaim the T’Hara Forest for the Elves, the Warden would have to die. That meant Pinaka needed to get a real sense of the Warden’s power. Only then would he know what kind of preparation it would take to face him.

⊱⨷⟐⨳⩥⚔⩤⨳⟐⨷⊰

Drip!

Molten rock splattered against the ground as a sea of flames battered the island. A chunk of rock flew toward the Warden, who dodged it with a sudden thrust. He turned, watching the rock drop from the sky as its floating ability vanished. ‘Its floating capability was transferred mid-flight.’

“You’ve been training, huh?” the Warden, Xoltra, said, eyes locked on Tron-Tak, who stood confidently atop a floating stone platform.

“Indeed,” Tron-Tak replied, forming a small sphere of floating stone beside his leg and kicking it hard. “All in an effort to kill you.”

“Sure, go ahead and try.” The Warden casually shifted to the side, avoiding the shot with ease. “If you’re using projectiles, at least make them as fast as an Elf’s arrow.”

“You gave me that tip the last time we fought.” Tron-Tak didn’t seem fazed. In fact, he grinned as he conjured a massive stone hammer—the shaft alone stretched fifty metres.

The hammerhead was cylindrical, twenty metres long and four metres wide. Made of Sky Boulder, it was weightless to him, letting him wield it with casual ease.

He swung it once, generating a fierce gust of wind. The entire weapon had been conjured in just a tenth of a second. That meant he had the stats to use it like a Spell.

“Ready, my dear?” Tron-Tak called out to his wife, who was mounted on their tamed Wyvern. She gripped a stone axe with a shaft nearly as massive as his hammer.

“Let’s do it!” she roared, hurling the stone axe straight at the Warden. Without missing a beat, she launched axe after axe, filling the air with a storm of massive projectiles.

The Warden took to the air, his movements still relaxed despite the onslaught heading his way. ‘She’s using four Sky Boulders in that barrage.’

He glanced toward the floating island, quickly analyzing the situation. ‘Her Control Factor is at five. Alright then… this might actually make me sweat a little.’

As he soared through the air, the Warden unleashed a spherical burst of flames, engulfing the area around him in a blazing twenty-metre radius.

Ka-Boom!

A bolt of lightning tore through the sky and slammed into the fiery sphere—but missed its true mark. The wall of fire had masked the Warden’s actual position and helped neutralize the lightning’s force.

“Tch!” The Wyvern growled in frustration. “I was hoping that would land.”

“I’ll make you the Wyvern King if you manage to wound him,” Nual-Mak said, giving the beast a firm pat. “You’re only Level 2, so focus on catching him off guard. If you can just stun him for even a second, we win.”

“Hmph!” Tron-Tak grunted, conjuring a Sky Boulder in his palm and hurling it forward. Then, with a powerful kick, he launched himself off the Sky Boulder he’d been standing on, landing on the one he had just thrown. Step by step, he created a path through the air, running across the floating stones.

Each time he leapt off a Sky Boulder, its floating power was stripped, and it plummeted to the ground, shaking the earth on impact.

“If you’ve got the guts, face me in close combat.”

With a roar, Tron-Tak brought down his Sky Boulder hammer in a heavy arc. Just before it hit, he cut off its floating property, turning it into solid stone. The sheer force of the swing blasted the fire sphere apart, revealing the Warden within.

The hammer turned into a Sky Boulder again as Tron-Tak followed up with another strike, deactivating its float just before impact.

“Stop… dodging!”

“If you manage to touch me once, I’ll fight you seriously,” the Warden said, slipping past each swing with practiced ease. His smile grew as he noticed floating platforms forming around him, eyes locking onto Nual-Mak—the one behind it all.

Whoosh!

Tron-Tak swung his hammer again, but this time, spikes of stone extended from his legs, shooting toward the Warden in one-tenth of a second. The Warden twisted his body at the last possible moment, forced to evade as stone constructs boxed him in on all sides.

While he was busy dodging Tron-Tak’s relentless attacks, the Wyvern soared upward, carrying Nual-Mak high into the sky—directly above the Warden’s position. In a blink, she formed a massive chunk of floating land, over a hundred metres wide, and kicked it down.

Gravity took over from there.

The Wyvern circled overhead as Nual-Mak continued blotting out the sky with land masses—creating four every tenth of a second. Within a second, a whole stone island hovered above, its silhouette reflected in the glowing Lava Moat below.

“This’ll hurt you, Xoltra!” she roared.

And then, the island dropped.

…

Gangnea Daily Article #43

The Wyvern Race isn’t known for large numbers. In fact, they only fare better in population than the Elves.

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