CHAPTER 348: THE WORLD TREE

Noah and Lola continued their journey through the increasingly surreal forest, the ambient mana now so concentrated that it felt like walking through liquid magic. Every breath seemed to carry tangible energy that resonated with their internal cultivation, creating a sensation that was both exhilarating and slightly overwhelming.

The rocks had grown to truly massive proportions, including the grass and various other plants.

"Are you excited?" Lola asked with genuine curiosity, glancing at Noah as they navigated between the towering structures.

"Of course," Noah replied honestly, his eyes tracking the increasingly spectacular scenery. "This is unlike anything I’ve experienced before. The sheer concentration of magical energy here makes Esta’s capital feel almost mundane by comparison."

The transformation of the environment continued as they progressed. Bioluminescent plants grew in impossible configurations, their roots suspended in mid-air as they drew sustenance directly from the ambient mana rather than requiring soil or water.

An hour passed in relative silence as both practitioners focused on maintaining awareness of potential threats while marveling at the otherworldly landscape. The mana concentration had reached levels that Noah felt would make training here immensely productive, each breath seeming to slightly strengthen his internal cultivation without conscious effort.

Lola appeared to be experiencing similar effects, although no where near as much as Noah. Due to her peak archmage capabilities. She absorbed the ambient energy and integrated it into her existing power base. The environment was so saturated with mana that simply existing here provided passive cultivation benefits.

They finally arrived within the immediate vicinity of their destination, and the change was immediately apparent. The mana density had reached levels that felt almost oppressive, creating pressure against their magical senses that suggested something of immense power existed nearby.

Noah paused to process the overwhelming energy signature, his mind working through the implications. "Why couldn’t others find the World Tree if it was broadcasting this much magical power? Anyone at adept rank or higher would immediately recognize that something extraordinary exists here. The mana concentration alone should have drawn practitioners from across the kingdoms."

Lola smiled at the logical question, having anticipated his confusion about the apparent accessibility. "This extreme mana saturation is actually a temporary effect of the World Tree when it’s about to bear the teardrop, which contains an absolutely immense amount of concentrated life energy. The tree draws power from the surrounding environment and focuses it in preparation for creating something that represents the pinnacle of natural magical creation."

She gestured at the glowing landscape around them. "All of this excess mana, the growth, the impossible plant life—these are side effects of the World Tree gathering energy for fruit formation. It’s like watching a star prepare to give birth."

Noah nodded in understanding, the explanation resolving his confusion about the strategic situation. "So it’s only during this specific event period that the location becomes so obvious. Usually the tree remains dormant and hidden, with mana levels that blend into the background magical noise of the forest?"

"Exactly," Lola confirmed, pleased with his quick comprehension. "Under normal circumstances, the World Tree exists in a state of minimal activity that makes it nearly impossible to locate without specific knowledge of its position. The ambient mana remains at ordinary forest levels, and the tree itself employs natural camouflage that defeats most detection methods."

She continued explaining as they walked. "But when the conditions align for teardrop formation, which happens perhaps once every few decades, the tree must gather enormous amounts of power over several weeks. During that preparation period, the location becomes increasingly obvious to anyone nearby with magical sensitivity."

"That’s why both elven kingdoms never gave up in locating it," Noah realized. "As for the prince, his team must’ve lucily ventured here, detected the energy buildup and recognized what it meant."

"Precisely. The timing of your arrival in this place and the World Tree’s fruiting cycle creating this opportunity represents remarkable coincidence. Or perhaps fate, depending on your perspective."

Lola began scanning the area systematically, her archmage-level perception allowing her to trace the complex patterns of mana flow back toward their source. The energy streams all converged toward a single point somewhere ahead, creating a focal point that should mark the tree’s actual location.

After searching for several minutes, moving between trees and following the strongest mana currents, she finally identified the source of the overwhelming magical signature.

"There it is!" Lola pointed with a huge grin, her excitement evident in both her expression and her voice.

Noah followed her gesture and felt his breath catch at the sight before them. Even from a distance, the World Tree’s presence was unmistakable and awe-inspiring in ways that transcended simple visual observation.

The tree wasn’t huge compared to other trees next to it. Although objectively it was large, its trunk easily tens of meters in diameter at the base.

What truly captured attention was the light. The entire tree glowed with internal radiance that pulsed in slow, steady rhythms like a visible heartbeat. Each pulse sent waves of mana rippling outward through the environment, the source of all the ambient energy that saturated this entire region.

Near the top of the visible trunk, perhaps twenty meters above the ground, a single fruit hung from a branch that seemed to defy gravity. Even from this distance, Noah could see that the teardrop-shaped object glowed with concentrated power that made everything else in the forest seem dim by comparison.

"That’s what we came for," Lola said quietly, her voice carrying reverence for the natural wonder before them. "The World Tree’s teardrop. One of the most powerful natural magical artifacts that can exist in any world."

Noah nodded as he stared at the teardrop fruit, even from this considerable distance recognizing the immense power concentrated within that single glowing object. The way it pulsed with internal light suggested it contained more raw magical energy than most grandmasters would accumulate in their entire lifetimes.

"We need to get closer," Noah said urgently, realizing their current position was too far away to properly assess the situation or make any concrete plans. "We can’t see the details from here, and we need to understand what kind of defenses or challenges we might face."