Chapter 395: Purification [6]

Back at the World Tree

Slowly, the brilliant golden radiance began to fade.

The enormous barrier surrounding the World Tree dissolved into countless streams of golden light, which flowed toward its colossal trunk and gradually merged with it.

As the last traces of golden energy disappeared into the tree, a gentle golden hue spread across its bark, illuminating its enormous branches.

Then, something miraculous happened. The crimson flames consuming the World Tree began to subside.

The fire that had raged uncontrollably across its crown gradually weakened, its once-fierce flames shrinking as though an invisible force were suppressing them.

The seven mages maintaining the ritual immediately stopped supplying mana to Lyria.

Lyria slowly lowered her trembling hands and deactivated her Purification ability.

She had done it. She had finally succeeded. A faint smile appeared on her bloodstained face.

However, the moment she stopped channeling her ability, the last traces of strength left her body.

Her legs gave way, and her vision blurred.

Crack.

A cracking sound echoed within her Mana Core.

The fractures caused by the overwhelming influx of mana had left it severely damaged. Even after the ritual ended, the pain inside her body remained unbearable.

But none of that mattered to her anymore. She had accomplished what she had set out to do. She had saved the World Tree.

’I... did it...’

Lyria’s consciousness began to fade as her body tilted forward.

And just as she was about to collapse.

Something unexpected happened.

The World Tree began to glow. Not with the golden radiance of Lyria’s Purification ability, but with a brilliant emerald-green light.

Aelyssa’s eyes widened.

Caelthas, Oranthir, and everyone else present turned toward the enormous tree in astonishment.

"What... is that?" someone whispered.

The emerald radiance spread across the World Tree’s colossal trunk, illuminating its branches and leaves with an otherworldly brilliance.

The burner branches started to get life again, where branches had fallen from burning, new branches rose.

THUMP.

A deep, resonant sound echoed throughout the surroundings.

THUMP.

Another heartbeat-like sound reverberated through the air. It seemed to come from the very depths of the World Tree.

THUMP.

BOOOOM!

An immense wave of emerald-green energy erupted from the World Tree.

The light spread outward like a gentle tide, sweeping across the protected area before expanding throughout the entire city of Lunathiel.

Unlike the destructive power of the cursed flames, this energy carried a warm, soothing sensation.

It was as though the entire city had been embraced by a gentle spring breeze after enduring a long, merciless winter.

At that moment, Noah noticed Lyria collapsing.

"Lyria!"

He immediately rushed forward and caught her in his arms before she could hit the ground.

He dropped to one knee, carefully supporting her unconscious body against his chest.

"Lyria? Can you hear me?"

She didn’t respond.

Noah frowned and looked down at her pale face. Then, he noticed the emerald radiance washing over them.

The warm energy enveloped Lyria first, flowing through her body before spreading to Noah and everyone nearby.

The instant it touched him, something extraordinary happened.

The countless cuts covering his body began to close.

The wounds that had stained his clothes with blood gradually healed, while the lingering pain in his muscles and bones slowly disappeared. Even the injuries he had sustained during his brutal battle with Tharlyssa began recovering at an astonishing rate.

Noah stared at his hands in disbelief.

He could feel the energy flowing through his body, soothing his injuries and restoring his vitality.

It wasn’t mana. At least, it didn’t feel like ordinary mana.

The energy was gentle, yet it carried an immense vitality that seemed capable of breathing life into everything it touched.

Around him, similar miracles were taking place.

The injured elves lying beneath the World Tree began recovering. Bleeding stopped, wounds gradually closed, and those who had been too weak to move found themselves regaining their strength.

Even the exhausted mages and knights felt their bodies becoming lighter as the emerald energy washed over them.

For a moment, the entire city seemed to fall silent.

Then, Noah noticed something else.

Lyria’s body was glowing.

An emerald radiance enveloped her from head to toe, making her appear almost ethereal in his arms. Countless tiny particles of green light swirled around her, drifting through her blonde hair and illuminating the ribbon he had tied around her braid.

Noah looked at her in bewilderment.

"Lyria... What’s happening to you?"

Compare to others, her body was glowing more.

He had no idea what was going on.

However, Aelyssa seemed to have realized something.

The queen stood motionless, staring at the World Tree with wide eyes. Her expression, usually composed even in the face of overwhelming danger, was filled with disbelief.

Then, her lips began to tremble.

"The World Tree..."

Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"Our deity..."

She gazed at the enormous tree, whose emerald radiance now illuminated the entire city.

"The cursed flames have finally been extinguished..."

Her eyes glistened as she watched the tree’s once-burning branches.

For thousands of years, the World Tree had protected the elves. It had nurtured their civilization, sheltered their ancestors, and provided them with the vitality and abundance mana like oxygen that sustained their kingdom.

To the elves, it was more than an enormous tree.

It was their guardian.

And now, after enduring the terrible corruption of the cursed flames, it had finally been saved.

But that wasn’t all.

Aelyssa’s gaze slowly shifted toward Lyria.

The young woman lay unconscious in Noah’s arms, her entire body surrounded by the emerald radiance emanating from the World Tree.

The queen’s eyes widened further as realization struck her.

"That girl..."

Her voice trembled with disbelief.

"She didn’t just save the World Tree..."

Aelyssa took an unsteady step forward.

"She reached it... She reached our deity and awakened her!"

The realization sent a wave of shock through everyone who heard her words.

"Awakened... the World Tree?"

Caelthas stared at Lyria, unable to conceal his astonishment.

Even Oranthir, a powerful mage who had witnessed countless extraordinary phenomena throughout his life, struggled to comprehend what he was seeing.

The World Tree had existed for thousands upon thousands of years.

Yet its true awakening was something the elves had not witnessed for generations beyond counting.

And now, it had happened in the presence of a single young woman.

A young woman who had risked her life to save it.

Aelyssa slowly lowered herself to her knees.

The Queen of the Elves bowed her head toward the World Tree, her expression filled with reverence.

"We offer our gratitude to our deity..."

One by one, the elves around her followed suit.

The elders, knights, mages, and countless citizens gathered beneath the enormous branches lowered themselves to the ground, bowing their heads in prayer.

Others pressed their hands together, unable to find words for the emotions overwhelming them.

The World Tree’s emerald radiance continued to spread across Lunathiel, bathing the city in a gentle, life-giving light.

And at its center, Noah remained on one knee, holding the unconscious Lyria in his arms.

"You really are future saintess..." Noah muttered.

He looked down at her glowing figure, then he raised his eyes toward the awakened World Tree.