Chapter 31: The Spirit Tree’s Final Gift

“Just give me a little more so I can reach 30 million points.”

Choi Kangjoong sighed in disappointment.

He wiped out the remaining zombies and prepared to devour the dimension.

If there was still some nutrient left or a strong specimen remained, the dimension devouring wouldn’t proceed properly.

“I need to move the Dark Elves and deal with the Spirit Tree as well.”

Choi Kangjoong handed Count Pabelus’s Dimension Ship over to Dielka.

“Thank you. Today’s deed will be praised forever alongside the Nahrromel family. How can I ever repay this favor? Even if it means destroying Marsala, I will follow you.”

Dielka thought it might not be a bad idea to ally with the race that had first helped the Dark Elves.

Though they acted all clean and proper in front of others, behind the scenes, they were more trustworthy than cunning and sinister elves.

“Later.”

“Huh?”

“There’s nothing I can give you right now.”

The Dark Elves looked shabby.

Their equipment was old, and their clothes were tattered.

Dielka blushed.

“I understand. I will repay this favor once I have become wealthy enough to satisfy you!”

The Dark Elves knelt down.

They resembled generals pledging loyalty to their lord.

Having witnessed this once before, Choi Kangjoong calmly accepted it.

The Dark Elves boarded the Dimension Ship.

Though demonic, the operating principle was similar, so it could be activated.

The Mana Engine started running, and the Dimension Ship took off.

“Time to deal with the Spirit Tree.”

He sent the Walkers underground to retrieve the Spirit Tree.

Since it was only 10 meters tall, he stuffed it whole into the digestion chamber.

Even if it was an important tree to the elves, Choi Kangjoong didn’t think much of it.

•The Spirit Tree served as the elves’ stronghold in the Dimension War, but devouring it only yielded nutrients and evolution points.

The Spirit Tree was completely digested.

His nutrients and evolution points increased.

Despite being a small tree, it gave 200,000 evolution points, pushing his total evolution points beyond 30 million.

But the Spirit Tree gave more than just that.

[New racial evolution directions discovered.]

[1. Spirit Development: Apocalids that consume spirits can utilize spirit power. Apocalids supported by spirit power will devour prey more efficiently.]

[Apocalid individuals can devour spirits, develop spirit-utilizing organs, gain enhanced spirit resistance, and central units can become spiritualized.]

[2. Mana Development: Mana application abilities are enhanced. Using elemental mana, they can tear enemies apart in diverse ways.]

[Elemental mana usage enabled, mana application organs develop, magic resistance strengthened, and central units specialize in mana attributes.]

[3. Plant Development: Plant-type Apocalids can be produced. These Apocalids cover entire dimensions with minimal nutrients.]

[Plant-type Apocalid production enabled, improved nutrient efficiency of plants, mana synthesis possible, plant-type central units strengthened.]

“Is this the spirit tree’s version of the giving tree?”

Choi Kangjoong studied the options.

“Spirit affinity isn’t bad.”

Spirit buffs were widely regarded as convenient.

Since spirits had intelligence, they would automatically cast buffs when asked.

However, they were less versatile than magic and struggled to reach high levels.

“For Apocalids, spirit buffs should be enough. But the problem is obtaining spirits.”

He could ask Eselin, but the number of spirits would be limited.

Unless he raised the Spirit Tree himself, the number of spirits couldn’t keep up with the Apocalid’s reproduction rate.

“Mana affinity is also decent.”

Each Apocalid individual didn’t properly utilize mana.

Only the Outer Mind possessed a will.

They merely used mana as imprinted on their brains for basic functions.

With mana affinity, they could add fire attributes to claw attacks or strengthen mana projectiles.

“What about plant affinity? Plant-type Apocalids…”

Choi Kangjoong imagined a forest filled with plant-type Apocalids.

Intruders would be struck by poison needles, weakened by traps, swallowed, and dissolved by acid.

Collecting nutrients like this, they’d reproduce rapidly and soon swallow entire dimensions.

“This might be good too…”

It would be excellent for defense, and if he scattered Apocalid seeds across a dimension, they’d expand their territory and devour it automatically.

However, absorbing plant-type monster evolution codes to create similar Apocalids made him hesitant.

“Mana or plant… I’m torn.”

After pondering, Choi Kangjoong chose Mana Development.

He could create Apocalids that sacrificed mobility to strengthen other abilities, so this seemed better.

[Apocalid evolves through Mana Development.]

[Elemental mana can be used.]

[Mana application organs develop.]

[Magic resistance is enhanced.]

[Psionic Chitin Blade can be imbued with attributes.]

[Psionic Chitin Gauntlet can be imbued with attributes.]

[Brutal Lord specializes in death attributes.]

[Aura Blade evolves into Death Blade.]

[Dark Eye specializes in darkness attributes.]

[Blink evolves into Stealth Blink.]

[Maelstrom specializes in electric attributes.]

[Mana Storm evolves into Great Mana Storm.]

[Central Cannon Giant specializes in fire attributes.]

[Mana Emitter evolves into Flame Emitter.]

Messages flooded in rapidly.

Apocalid’s evolution was also Choi Kangjoong’s growth.

He trembled with joy.

“Death Blade… sounds cool just from the name.”

Choi Kangjoong pulled out the Chitin Blade and tested the Death Blade.

A dark, flickering mana mass formed.

“Incredible. Even grazing an enemy would be fatal.”

Seeing it firsthand, he understood why Count Pabelus had been running away all this time.

“Come to think of it, the Death Spirit absorbed mana after using its Origin Power and spread Death Mana. I wonder if I can create Death Mana using Origin Power too?”

He turned off the Death Blade and imagined condensing Death Mana like the Death Spirit did.

Origin Power flowed but its nature didn’t change.

“I think it might work…”

Choi Kangjoong focused again.

This time, he tried to actually implement the Death Mana he felt from the Death Blade, not just imagine it.

“The mana wavelength was the opposite of elemental mana wavelength.”

He poured Origin Power into the Chitin Blade and tried to mimic Death Mana.

Slowly, the mana wavelength and attributes changed.

Soon, the Origin Power became Death Mana, radiating a dangerous aura.

“It worked!”

It wasn’t easy, so the achievement felt great.

“It’s difficult. I can’t use it easily. So that’s why life and death are upper-tier attributes.”

If Eselin or Dielka had seen this, they’d have been stunned, but Choi Kangjoong calmly tried converting Life Mana as well.

However, having never seen Life Mana before, he couldn’t change it at all.

“I’ll try again after seeing a Life Spirit. I made the right choice with Mana Development.”

Choi Kangjoong activated the Death Blade.

The quiet, terrifying power pleased him immensely.

“I should evolve the race too.”

He evolved the Psionic Chitin Blade, Psionic Chitin Gauntlet, and Psionic Combat Nerves to level 6.

Thirty million evolution points drained at once.

In return, the Apocalid’s attack power, defense, and combat skills improved significantly.

“I should also make Apocalids to escort Kuongi.”

Kuongi was already 500 meters long.

If he fed it the nutrients gained today, it could grow another 100 to 200 meters.

That would increase firepower, but slow it down, so escort Apocalids were essential.

If he had brought along a bonded dragon or other monsters or demons, things wouldn’t have ended so futilely.

Choi Kangjoong went to the evolution room and opened the Titan Class.

The exact form of Kuongi’s first birth appeared on the table.

“Make it slimmer to increase mobility.”

The length stayed the same, but the width and height shrank, making it sleeker.

He removed the mana cannon on the side and attached a Chitin Cannon.

It would support the mana cannon when intercepting small, fast targets.

[New Titan Class has been created.]

[Would you like to name it?]

“Light.”

[Apocalid Light Titan has been saved.]

Its actual weight was tens of tons, but among Titans, it was on the lighter side.

Of course, this alone couldn’t guarantee perfect protection for Kuongi.

Choi Kangjoong planned to make a Giant even bigger than the Central Cannon Giant later to strengthen the air defense network.

“This will do for now.”

Choi Kangjoong decided to produce 3 Titans and 7 Light Titans.

He increased Walkers to 10,000, Scouts to 5,000, and Warriors to 1,000.

With the remaining nutrients, he added 4 Fighter Giants.

“Since I’ve increased Titans a lot, it’s better to raise these than Cannon Giants.”

[Mass production of Apocalids will complete in 20:00:00.]

“In just 20 hours, the Apocalid count will reach sixteen thousand!”

Choi Kangjoong rejoiced.

His muscles felt like they were bulging with strength.

“As expected, orcs are a jackpot. I hope that guy Kuralgal brings many more next time.”

In high spirits, he went to the Hunter Association and sold the Mana Stones.

They were from the Orc Great Boss, and altogether worth over 10 billion won.

“Big fights mean big loot.”

Since immediate full payment was impossible, he agreed to receive 3 billion won in installments.

With his bank account sturdily replenished, Choi Kangjoong returned home.

He removed his armor, dressed comfortably, and sat on the sofa, suddenly feeling the need for a car.

Flying was convenient, but as Choi Kangjoong, he had to carry clothes, and phone calls were awkward while moving.

“Maybe I should buy a car. First, I need to get a license.”

Since he rarely left his room, he had no license.

“I’ll register for driving school and then buy a car.”

Planning for the future, he called his mother to share his happiness.

He couldn’t explain the battle in detail but could enjoy expensive beef together.

“Kangjoong? How’s the new house?”

“It’s good. I picked it well.”

“Must be nice living alone, huh?”

“It’s easier for you too, right?”

“Yeah, it’s more comfortable with just your dad.”

Her tone darkened.

There was something worrying her.

Having spent a long time secluded, Choi Kangjoong was sensitive even to small changes in his mother.

“Mom, shall we eat beef with Dad today? I’ll pay.”

“I’d like that. But I don’t know if your dad will have time.”

“Why? Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing serious.”

“Then I’ll call and ask him.”

“Okay. If he says yes, let me know.”

“Yes.”

Choi Kangjoong called his father and asked.

His father’s voice was somber, but he was glad to hear from his son and said they could have dinner together.

He informed his mother and left home at the appointed time.