"Navi! That crazy woman! She’s supposed to be out there planting seeds, so why is she here? Your time to appear is still a long way off!"

Though the regressor was screaming internally, they answered boldly, with tension filling their shoulders.

"I thought there might be a druid among all creation, but I never imagined such a great one. There's only one druid I can think of with horns on their head without even transforming. Am I right?"

Feigning ignorance, pretending it was their first time meeting. The regressor spoke with a bluffing tone even in the face of an absolute being. That regressor sure has guts.

Despite her identity being revealed, Navi showed no particular reaction. In fact, Navi seemed more interested in the identity of the regressor.

"You’ve broken down the Abyss and seized the demonic god, burning all the seeds and roots planted in the Alchemical Nations… When I first heard the news, I thought you were some deliberate harlot."

"What? A harlot?"

"But you don’t seem like one. I apologize for my mistake in briefly mistaking you for a harlot."

"Oh, right. That crazy woman always called saints harlots, didn’t she? Out of nowhere, she’d call me a harlot and interfere every time I tried to obtain a relic of the demonic gods… If I hadn’t had my mask…"

The regressor resisted the urge to touch their face, suppressing the fear rising from deep within, feeding off it to remain defiant.

"I won’t forgive you, even if you apologize! You fiend!"

"But… two demonic gods… or more… curious indeed. Even the filthiest harlot wouldn’t monopolize this much power…"

"Enough with the chatter!"

"What’s the matter? Doesn’t it strike you as strange? Unexpected? It should make you cautious, right? You don’t know how sharp the thorns I carry might be!"

Their bravado was equal to, if not surpassing, my own. While I read others’ thoughts and foster misunderstandings within limits, the regressor stands firm, betting their life with inherent defiance even in overwhelmingly unfavorable situations.

It’s neither recklessness nor folly. It’s a survival method discovered after facing death multiple times with no other option but to charge forward. The regressor braced themselves, gripping Cheonaeng and Jijan firmly in front of them.

"Draw your weapon. I don’t want to fight barehanded!"

"See here! Cheonaeng and Jijan! Maybe you can handle Cheonaeng alone, but what about this? It’s Jijan! With Jijan, it’s hard to ignore, right? You should be on guard! You wouldn’t dare bring out that cursed branch carelessly, would you?"

…And yet, somehow, their inner thoughts sounded like a ridiculous bluff.

Bluff or not, the regressor's cards were certainly intimidating. Cheonaeng crackled in resonance with their emotions, while Jijan remained silent, its weight growing ever more oppressive. The regressor, holding two demonic gods, undoubtedly appeared to be a supreme force.

…But their opponent…

"Even if the bird’s sight is good, its depth is shallow; don’t believe all it chirps from your shoulder. The song is beautiful, but it is as light as its feathers."

Navi hummed in rhythm, a druidic song. Her body moved naturally to the timeless sound of nature.

But the regressor only grew more tense, tightening their grip on Cheonaeng and Jijan.

"Tch! Here it comes! Stay alert, Shea! One slip… and you’re dead!"

Navi extended her left hand. There was a small branch, just the right size to hold, sprouting from the ground, as if it had always been there. Navi snapped off the branch and held it as a staff, walking toward the regressor.

One step, two steps. A mere three steps away, unfazed by the presence of two demonic gods.

"Now!"

At that moment, the regressor brought down both swords.

The attack commenced almost simultaneously with their movement. Two streaks of dark and light energy descended right in front of Navi. One sliced through the wind, while the other pressed down on the earth.

Navi, facing the overwhelming presence of the two demonic gods, raised the branch she was holding at an angle.

Cheonaeng struck near the branch’s leaves. The force alone shredded the leaves before even making contact. Jijan’s trajectory was blocked by the branch's root, though its thickness and weight were nowhere close to a match.

It was an absurdly reckless attempt, like trying to stop a storm and earthquake with straw.

However.

"—Little World Tree. Bloom."

A forest’s trees cannot be toppled by storms, and deep-rooted branches firmly grasp the earth.

The seemingly ordinary wooden staff, one that could have been picked up from the nearest hillside, gently sprouted roots and branches. Fine roots firmly gripped Jijan, and newly sprouted leaves embraced Cheonaeng.

There was no sound of impact. The leaves that had suddenly bloomed surrounded the space, while the long roots dug into the ground. As a result, Cheonaeng and Jijan found themselves temporarily locked in a standoff with a single branch.

"The earth goddess and sky god… Ha. It's overflowing with hubris. Such power is far too audacious for one human to wield alone."

Behind Navi’s feet, seeds scattered, and sprouts emerged. Trees, growing to waist height, resonated throughout the area. Navi’s once subtle presence now filled the space.

With both swords held by a single tree, the regressor gritted their teeth.

"Damn it!"

To swing again, they needed to move back first. The regressor pulled Jijan away. Without inertia, the sword ripped out roots as it withdrew, gaining some distance. The regressor tried to retreat.

At that moment, they felt a sharp pain on the top of their foot.

"Guh!"

As Jijan was retracted, Navi's foot pressed down on the regressor’s foot, pinning it firmly in place with a vine binding it tightly underneath.

Navi leaned close, wearing a mocking smile as she whispered.

"Don’t want to fight barehanded? How laughable. Since when did you start valuing fights so?"

"You—ugh!"

"It’s… not coming loose! The vine knots…!"

With their feet locked together, the battle shifted to a completely different dimension.

Navi’s fist shot toward the regressor’s face. Before they could even register it, their qi-enhanced body responded instinctively.

"Heaven Reversal Technique."

The regressor’s ultimate defensive technique, developed over countless returns, proved its worth. They narrowly dodged Navi’s thunderous fist by a hair’s breadth, countering with a strike from Jijan…

But it was only an attempt.

Tap.

Navi’s left foot pressed down on Jijan’s hilt, stopping it from extending further. With the regressor’s intention thwarted, Navi extended her other hand, which transformed into a strange shape.

Once, humans had envied animals. In ancient times, when tools and technology were primitive, they revered and utilized the skins and claws of beasts, idolizing their strength.

Druids followed such ancient beliefs, worshipping animals and gaining strength from them.

Among them, the ancient druid Navi imbued herself with the strength of the most powerful beasts.

Golden Bird, White Crane.

Navi’s hand transformed. Her human hand, with five fingers ending in blunt nails, morphed into a bird’s talons, with four toes and sharp claws extended wide. In an instant, the claw that could crush even rocks enlarged.

"Too fast…! Cheonaeng!"

Thwack. Blood splattered. The strike, exceeding human anatomy, was too swift for even the Heaven Reversal Technique to fully evade.

Thanks to the compressed space of Cheonaeng, the regressor managed to barely avoid having their shoulder torn off entirely, though the massive talon still gouged out a chunk of flesh.

Navi gave a slight nod of admiration for the regressor’s response.

"Impressive. This is not something borrowed from an unseen future, but rather a skill built up through countless experiences. So, you really have nothing to do with the Sacred Crown?"

"Tch…! Enough with the superiority act!"

The regressor slammed Jijan into the ground.

"Earth-Gong Style: Earth-Smoothing!"

Rumble. Jijan, embedded in the concrete floor, acted as a claw, violently scraping the ground. The regressor pulled Jijan back forcefully.

Roots were spreading beneath Navi’s feet, expanding the territory of the small World Tree. But Jijan, its rightful judge, dragged all the entangled roots and vines out, tearing up the earth as if caught in a net.

The once concrete floor of the Alchemical Nations’ headquarters was now transformed into a ground covered with soil and scattered vines. The terrain itself had changed from just two people fighting. As a result, I had to roll on the ground to avoid danger.

Though she could have pressed her advantage, Navi stopped her assault. The regressor, clutching their injured shoulder, displayed it rather than concealing it, showing that such a wound didn’t even count as an injury to them.

"Planting seeds? Quite the amusing little trick. But do you think it matters? As long as Jijan is here, this land won’t yield to you!"

"Hah… hah… I’m grateful for Jijan. If I let her be, she’d turn everything around her into a forest…! With her using trees as a medium for her green magic in favorable terrain, it’s hopeless without Jijan…!"

Clearly, if the fight continued, Navi would win. Both the regressor and Navi knew this. However, Navi seemed to hesitate, either due to the regressor’s bluster or the skill displayed in the battle.

"…Let’s see. I stand to gain much if I win this fight, yet there’s also much I might lose if it drags on too long. So…"

Her thoughts flowed into action swiftly, but her judgment was as slow as a turtle’s crawl. It wasn’t due to stupidity, but rather the overwhelming number of considerations she was factoring in.

Perhaps this was an opening. I quickly shouted.

"Great, Shea! Just buy a little more time! If this fight drags on, we might win!"

"What do you mean buy time? I’m settling this right here and now!"

"You fool! We’ll lose if it drags out! Bluffing to make her retreat is the best option! Quit talking and hurry up and do something to help too!"

Talking is helping. This is our way out. Just like the regressor, I raised my voice with every bit of bravado I could muster.

"There’s someone here to help! Ria! Give us support!"

"Hmph. Forget your petty help!"

"The gunner? Looked like she went down earlier, but she’s back on her feet? Well then, call her! We could use every hand we can get!"

No, she’s not on her feet. She’s completely drained, unable to move a muscle.

But there was another purpose in saying it. It would plant the idea of sniper or support fire in Navi’s mind. Not that an ancient druid would be afraid of sniping…

What Navi feared was not a sniper but the potential death of Maximilien.

"Hmm. If he had died, it’d be different, but if he still lives, I must save him. I must honor him for locating our king. Even if I bring the king’s body now… his true return will only come when the people cry out his name."

Navi finally finished her deliberation. Slipping back, she tidied her attire and bowed.

"I am Navi. I will withdraw here. I look forward to our next meeting."

"You think I’ll let you run? Heavenly Sword Technique, Dragon Slayer Slash!"

"Not in a hurry, are you? I’ll go easy on you; just leave if you’re going to!"

Cheonaeng extended, imbued with wind. Predictably, the Heavenly Sword Technique only reached the branches and leaves of the small World Tree, stopping there. Knowing the result, the regressor wasn’t particularly disappointed.

"To commemorate our brief encounter, I’ll show you a little trick."

But Navi’s next action would certainly have disappointed them.

Navi grabbed her horn and twisted it. Despite its sturdy appearance, it snapped off as though that was its intended purpose. Once held in her hand, it resembled an undeveloped sapling rather than a horn.

"O ancestor tree who gave birth to all creation. I call upon the root of the surviving branch from among your countless boughs."

Navi dropped the sapling on the ground. Tap. As soon as it touched the concrete, it began to seep into the ground.

The regressor’s body twitched as if ready to leap out of their skin.

"No, don’t react! If you act like you know [that], she’ll start questioning how you know! But why, of all things, would she use [that] here?"

…Perhaps she’s doing it to show me.

A demonic god.

"Realize, beast, the origin from which you were born."

After Navi’s incantation.

All the military-grade chimera bean sacks stored at the Alchemical Nations’ headquarters began to tremble. Had there been a nearby quartermaster, they would have looked puzzled.

The chimera beans, which were notorious for being so unpalatable even rats retched at the taste, were rich enough in nutrients to sustain families and armies alike. These chimera beans, gathered from across the Alchemical Nations, were stored in abundance at the headquarters…

Their nutrients exploded all at once.

The so-called nutrients were, in truth, green powder. Humans are like slow-moving furnaces, consuming fuel inside their bellies at a gradual burn. They dress up eating and living as noble acts, but at their core, they are no different from other beasts, creeping insects, or creatures so small they can’t be seen with the naked eye.

No matter whose stomach it’s in, it’s the same fuel, burning with the same fire. There is no difference except in scale.

Know your origin.

The unique magic, Origin Tree.

The tree of origins that holds life and birth within it.

To some, known as the tree of betrayal… the unique magic of a certain druid.

Though named after a god, it has not become a possession of all, for it still lives, listening only through him.

Across the area, green explosions erupted with screams. Consuming everything with nutrients, new structures grew and stretched. It was as if earth dragons were emerging everywhere, giving birth to new offspring.

With a single move, Navi had created a near-catastrophic situation. Dusting off her hands, she gathered Maximilien. Having made her decision, she felt no regret. Navi strode confidently into the large knothole.

Before the knothole closed, Navi gave a slight nod to me.

"Farewell, then."

The regressor did their best until the end, waving Cheonaeng above their head and shouting furiously.

"Don’t you dare run away!"

"Just get out of here!"

Fortunately, Navi heeded the regressor's inner desire and disappeared deep into the ground as the tree closed.