Published at 29th of June 2026 11:23 am

Chapter 360

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

[Today, I shall tell you about the World Tree.]

Occasionally, the Dragon King Antares would have Suho sit and tell him very old stories. His demeanor was like that of a grandfather, who had lived for long ages, telling tales to his grandson, but it was also advice for the long war Suho would have to face.

However, it was also for himself.

The Dragon King Antares was revived thanks to Sung Jinwoos scheme. Of course, he had lost the Primordial Darkness and was no longer a Monarch, but such things mattered little. Just because he lacked the title of Monarch didnt mean he couldnt fight. A flame born from darkness that enjoys endless war...

That was the First Monarch and the Strongest Monarch, the king of berserk dragons symbolizing fear and destruction, Antares. The lifespan of their race was long, and he himself would eventually grow stronger. No matter how young and weak Ragnars reborn body was, time would solve everything. It was a foregone conclusion that he would one day grow to become the strongest being in this universe. And then...

To fight Sung Jinwoo at full strength one more time.

To fight and win against the one who had dealt him defeat. To inflict the humiliation of defeat upon the Shadow Monarch. That was the goal Antares had set for this life. But as he followed Suho and observed the situation of this world, he realized a serious problem.

[You should know what needs to be known.]

Perhaps it started from then. He started to tell Suho the facts he had realized from time to time. He had to prevent this universe from disappearing before he could even fight Sung Jinwoo again, didnt he?

[In the distant past, when the universe was just forming... all souls, upon death, flew towards the World Tree.]

The beginning of that story was precisely the World Tree. That giant tree towering in the center of the Sea of the Afterlife was the divine tool crafted with the utmost care by the Itarim who created this world. The World Tree accepted all those souls, purified them, and was the center of reincarnation, allowing them to be reborn as new life.

[But in truth, that wasnt all. It had a more important function.]

The role given to the World Tree by the god was not merely a simple cycle device.

[The World Tree was the cradle and the tomb for us, the two forces.]

The radiant fruits that formed at the ends of the World Trees high branches. From there, the messengers of god, the so-called Rulers soldiers, were born.

Angels.

The celestial warriors harboring sacred light were born from the fruit endlessly, carrying out the gods command and protecting the entire dimension.

[But that alone does not create balance. The role of the World Tree has always been balance and harmony, after all.]

Antares revealed an unexpected truth. It wasnt just the soldiers of heaven that were born from the World Tree. Simultaneously, deep within the World Trees massive roots, beings of the exact opposite attribute were sprouting...

[Precisely, us. To be more accurate, all the races of the demonic realm we rule.]

Thats right. The angels born from the celestial light and the races of darkness born from the World Trees shadow. All those opposing forces were being created above and below the World Tree. Using dead souls as material.

[Fundamentally, the branches and roots of the World Tree are structured exactly the same. Only the direction, up and down, is different. Because that is balance.]

The essence of the World Tree was balance. Therefore, if the fruits of angels formed at the ends of the World Trees branches, which spread their roots throughout all dimensions, then likewise, from the ends of the countless roots growing below, the warriors of the earth were being born. And the kings leading all those races were precisely the Monarchs who harbored the Primordial Darkness.

[Thus, light and darkness. Heaven and earth. The soldiers of the sky and the soldiers of the land. Centered on a single World Tree, the two forces born for different purposes antagonized each other, waging a long war.]

The reason for the war? There was no need to question it. From the moment they were born, their natures were polar opposites. They were set up to antagonize each other from the start.

[The Rulers mission is to serve the god and protect the world he created. In contrast, our Monarchs instinct is destruction. To hate the god and destroy all that he created... The conflict between the two forces was perfectly natural.]

But that long war had already ended. When the gods messengers, by their own will, murdered the god who had created them. But... the real problem occurred after that. This was a problem no one had anticipated. Since it was hard to even imagine the gods messengers ever rebelling in the first place. Naturally, no one anticipated what would happen next. Neither the Rulers nor the Monarchs.

[When the god disappeared, the World Tree stopped functioning, and problems began to arise.]

Even though the World Tree was dead, the dead souls invariably gathered towards it. For purification and circulation. But now, such things did not happen. There was no next life. The universe had stopped, to the point where even the Rulers soldiers were no longer being born.

[No new life will be born in this universe anymore. This body that has come to harbor me, Ragnar, might be the last. Its fortunate that the egg was laid long before the World Tree died. But this too matters little. Whats important is the Primordial Darkness.]

As new Monarchs were not being born, the Primordial Darknesses remained together within Nidhogg. And Nidhogg harbored the instincts possessed by those Primordial Darknesses as well. The purpose given by the god: to destroy all things. The reason Nidhogg clung to the World Tree and endlessly gnawed at its roots was precisely because of that. In short, what the Dragon King Antares meant to tell Suho was ultimately this.

It was a perfectly natural instinct for Nidhogg, that giant serpent, to want to destroy the World Tree. That if left alone, the World Tree, though already broken but at least preserving its form, would eventually be completely devoured by the creature without even a trace left. That then, even the slightest possibility of fixing the World Tree would disappear.

[If it goes that far, there is no future for this universe. A true end.]

The Dragon King guaranteed that reviving a universe that had already stopped was a realm impossible even for the Shadow Monarch. Creation was truly the domain of a god.

So, until now, the Dragon King Antares had, knowingly or not, directly and indirectly helped Suho weaken Nidhoggs power. The fact that he had passed on the Primordial Darkness he harbored to Suho in the process was also because there was effectively no other choice. If this universe were to be extinguished, everything would end. His own goal of raising Ragnar to his fullest and fighting Sung Jinwoo once more would become completely impossible.

[...And you have splendidly eliminated Nidhogg. For now, you have prevented the World Tree from being gnawed on any further.]

And recently, after Suho finally succeeded in having all Monarchs succeed their lineage and breaking Nidhogg back down into the Primordial Darknesses, Antares praised Suhos achievement for the first time.

[Well done. But...]

However, he did not forget a warning.

[You have not yet solved the fundamental problem facing this universe.]

Reviving the already dead World Tree was thedomain of a god. This was something that even as the Dragon King , he could not help or advise on. If it were destruction, perhaps, but he had no talent for fixing things. But there was a clue.

[The only possibility is you. Sung Suho, it is you who has become the Guardian of the World Tree...]

After meeting the Shadow of the World Tree, Suho had changed. Though he didnt know exactly what had changed, the Dragon King had seen such a change once before. Precisely, in his father, Sung Jinwoo. It was similar to when Sung Jinwoo became one with Ashborn and was reborn as the true Shadow Monarch.

[So think. Rack your brain desperately. You can do it.]

The Dragon King adviced and encouraged him.

[If you decide on something, I will help you with all my might.]

Suho felt a truly strange sensation, receiving the heartfelt encouragement of Antares, who was once his fathers sworn enemy.

[So later, when you meet your father, be sure to tell him. Just this once... its a temporary alliance.]

After hearing that serious final statement, Suho couldnt help but burst into laughter. At his reaction, the Dragon King tilted his head, but Suho couldnt bring himself to tell him. That... contrary to the Dragon Kings firm and stern gaze, Ragnars form, in which he resided, was extremely chubby and cute.

...Well, that was the story. And just as the Dragon King said, like Sung Jinwoo who had become one with Ashborn, Sung Suho this time became one with the Shadow of the World Tree. Then, there was knowledge he instinctively came to realize. The power given to him, and the numerous ingredients latent within him.

The plan is set, and the ingredients are all gathered...

Now, all that was left was to press the execute button. To awaken all the potential within him.

"Arise, Shadow Nidhogg."

Fwaaaaaaah!

At Suhos command, the Primordial Darkness within all the Monarchs he had suppressed until now burst forth as if exploding.

Starting with the King of Giants, Monarch of Conquest, Thomas Andre.

The ferocious darkness harbored by the King of Beasts, Monarch of the Hunt, Gray.

The cold darkness possessed by the King of Snow Folk, Monarch of Disaster, Sirka.

The heavy darkness held by the King of Monstrous Humanoids, Monarch of Trials, Ammut.

The void darkness that filled the Queen of Insects, Monarch of the Void, Arsha.

The extremely greedy and dense darkness within the King of Demons, Monarch of Gluttony, Esil.

All that darkness, as soon as Suhos words ended, erupted towards him in unison. However, its momentum was by no means favorable to Suho.

Grwoooooooar!

All that darkness transformed into the heads of Nidhogg, baring their teeth at Suho.

[Nidhogg, the Serpent that Gnaws at the Roots of the World Tree]

"Come."

At its center, Suho smiled darkly. Nidhogg was still the same. Even in this divided state, it still fiercely opened its maw wide, lunging to devour the Shadow of the World Tree and its Guardian. Watching the six Nidhogg heads, Suho spread his arms wide. And he drew forth the last Primordial Darkness, the darkness inherited from the Dragon King , stirring within him. Then, the seven heads of Nidhogg competitively swallowed Suho.

Chomp!

[...A dangerous act.]

Instantly, the chuckling voice of the Dragon King was heard in Suhos ear.

[But impressive. Is this the authority as the Guardian of the World Tree?]

"No, this is just an application."

Suho answered the Dragon King, and enveloped all the Nidhogg heads that had attacked him with his pure white shadow. And then, combined.

"Arent snakes also a type of dragon?"

[Huh?]

At those words, the Dragon King couldnt help but let out a hollow laugh. Suhos demeanor, jesting even in such a precarious situation, reminded him of his father. Of course, it wasnt entirely pleasant. Long ago, Sung Jinwoo, in a slightly similar though different predicament, had used Dragon Fear, a specialty of the dragon race, to turn the tables. And Suho too. Roared with all his might. Just like Sung Jinwoo of that day.

Kraaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

[Using Skill: Dragon Fear.]

[...?!]

Then, at that moment. The true majesty of the King of Berserk Dragons, emanating from the Dragon Kings Heart proudly inherited from Antares in Suhos chest, engulfed the Nidhogg heads. And the result was astonishing.

Grrooooaaak!

[Effect: Fear is activated.]

[Nidhogg, the Serpent that Gnaws at the Roots of the World Tree, fears you.]

No matter how large and strong a snake, it could not withstand the fear emitted by the Dragon King. Antares was the first and the strongest Monarch. And now, within Suho, was the heart inherited from such a being. And all of these were the results and ingredients Suho had cultivated through his own efforts until now...

"So Im the boss. You bastards."

Suho, in turn, swallowed the six Nidhogg heads that had lunged to devour him. At that moment, the day he had first encountered Nidhogg flashed in Suhos memory. The giant serpent with seven heads, coiling around the World Tree. Its overwhelming presence was truly of a cosmic catastrophe class. But now, that creature...

Blazing with a pure white shadow, soared up as one with Suho. Vertically, towards the Outer God that had come from far beyond the universe.

[Grrooooooooooo!]

And as the Dragon King had repeatedly said, the Primordial Darknesses were fundamentally...

"A power meant to oppose gods!"

[Kieeeeeek! Thou finally hatched!]

Beru, having shrunk again, clung to Suhos, now Nidhoggs, head and roared with excitement.

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