The World Tree, an enormous, ancient being that stretches far above the clouds. Her colossal trunk spans tens of kilometers, and her countless branches and leaves hum with mythical beauty.

  She serves as both the home and the capital of the Elves, who revere her as their god. Elysia is the only celestial known to possess a physical body that lives among mortals.

  The Elves depend on her for nearly everything from food, shelter, culture, to wisdom, and spiritual guidance. They would die to protect her. In return, she shields them from harm, both physical and spiritual, even from other celestials and champions.

  But this time, an unexpected guest had been permitted to enter the World Tree. Iode stood before the council of Elven elders and their queen, a twisted smirk on his face.

  "Impossible! We can’t give you that!" a gray-haired elf with a ponytail shouted, slamming his fist on the high table. His voice echoed through the grand hall.

  "Oh? Why not?" Iode replied slyly. "If I hadn’t saved Elysia’s seedling from Zenobios years ago, I wonder what fate you all would’ve suffered."

  He grinned. "That bastard destroyed Elysia’s first body. You have me to thank for her survival. I’m not asking for much, you know."

  "Not asking for much?!" a red-haired female elf barked. "You’re requesting the seedling! Do you have any idea how much she invested in that?"

  "Not to mention," another elder added, "it’s the only backup we have in case anything happens to her current body. Your request is outrageous!"

  Iode’s smirk never wavered.

  "Who are you to decide on her behalf? Where is she? I’ll speak to her myself."

  "How preposterous," Queen Elysia III said calmly. "We are the defenders of the sacred World Tree, her chosen representatives. What we decide is what she affirms."

  "Ha, you—" Iode began, but suddenly his pupils glazed over with a misty hue before returning to normal.

  'Foresight activated automatically? he thought. Something nasty is about to happen here. Tch, I’ve wasted too much time arguing. It was only meant as a distraction anyway, my clone should’ve reached the sacred grove by now.'

  "I’m leaving," he muttered, bolting out of the hall, leaving the Elves stunned.

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  'Automatic activation of Foresight means the event will occur in less than three minutes. That’s enough time to get what I came for. But if Foresight triggered on its own, this threat isn’t simple… I’ll stay and see whether it’s 'them', or just humans or parahumans from Earth'.

  He leapt onto a nearby branch and crouched there, scanning for any disturbance. Minutes passed. Nothing.

  "That’s strange," he whispered. "Foresight has never failed to predict an event. Did the perpetrator change plans knowing I’m here?"

  He frowned. "Wait… my clone. No— I didn’t receive any feedback. He already retrieved the seedling... What am I missing?"

  A sudden slash of black pierced through him, a scythe made of pure darkness impaled his back. Iode jolted, eyes wide.

  "What—?! My clone was killed! And whoever did it sent their intent through the link… They’re after the seedling too," he said, smiling bitterly.

  "Too bad for them, my clone stored it in a pocket space before they could touch it. Still, whoever killed him isn’t ordinary. My clones retain half to a fraction of my power depending on the number. To kill one in a single strike… impressive."

  He narrowed his eyes. "And to threaten me through intent alone? The last beings who managed that were the Vampiric Beings of Old."

  “IODE!!!”

  The voice thundered in his mind.

  "What is it, Elysia? Don’t tell me you’re going to ask me to return the seedling."

  “There’s no time for your sarcasm,” she replied sharply. “It’s Them. I’ve temporarily trapped it near my roots. Take the seedling and get out of here.”

  “One of them is here?!” Iode’s tone grew tense. “That’s bad. The seal must be weakening.”

  “We cannot allow them to reach my seedlings. Leave!”

  He scoffed. “What do you take me for? A coward? I’m stopping it here and now. If I let it roam free, it’ll only grow stronger.”

  Without hesitation, Iode dashed toward the root of the giant tree.

  “Very well,” Elysia’s voice echoed. “I’ll support you. It’s breaking free of my restraint, it's heading your way.”

  He could already feel it, that sickening, hateful energy filling the air. He stopped running and waited.

  Down below, the Elves, who moments ago had been living their peaceful lives, turned their gazes toward a spreading tide of darkness creeping across the roots and branches.

  From within that gloom slithered a massive, serpentine creature with blood-red eyes. Its body devoured light, deepening the surrounding shadows. It exuded waves of dark energy, corrupting everything it touched.

  The Elves screamed and scattered in terror as the creature’s roar shook the forest. It turned its gaze toward Iode, who stood calmly in its path.

  A flicker of flame ignited beside his shoulder, expanding into a great fire hound that planted itself between Iode and the creature.

  Molgaron’s flames erupted — their light blazing bright as a house fire. Yet nothing around burned, even as the flames danced wildly. Molgaron’s fire was said to burn almost anything like mana, and even the concept of reality itself. Yet against the creature’s darkness, it neither consumed nor weakened it.

  Still, it halted the spread of the corruption, dividing the area into two realms, half darkness, half light.

  “You are the current guardian of the seal,” the creature spoke, its voice deep and dreadful. “I will make you break it and set us free.”

  “Stand down, Molgaron,” Iode said coldly. “I’ll deal with this wretch myself.”

  A violet magic circle flared in his hand. His pupils began to swirl, his gaze turning glacial.

  “Chains of Suppression.”