Realm Between, World Tree, third year of the Siege of the World Tree.

Shadowing over the fog-shrouded land was a tree whose roots spread deep beneath the earth and branches reached up to touch the sky.

Because of its height and because of the branches that looked like they could hold up the sky, this tree acquired the name of World Tree.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Boom! Boom!

In that moment, boulders clad in black flames hurled through the air and crashed into the tree, causing enormous explosions.

"In the name of the Wretched One, keep attacking!"

While the catapults hurled rocks at the tree relentlessly, the army of white-skinned Rav'akari made their way down the land.

They were marching right below the tree, under its gigantic shadow, and they looked towards the massive entrance of the tree without fear in their eyes.

At the bottom of the tree, in front of the entrance, beautiful and handsome elves pulled the strings of their bows, aimed them high, and let their arrows fly.

The arrows blackened the sky and rained down like a downpour of darkness and destruction.

Rav'akari lifted their shields high and blocked the rain of arrows, but a few managed to slip through and kill several of them.

However, it didn't really hurt their numbers, as there were close to ten thousand of them!

"The arrows won't be enough anymore. Close combat, it is. Get yourselves ready. Let's slay these demonbanes!"

The general of the elves shouted.

With a mighty warcry, the thousands of elves pulled out their swords and took their horses before charging head-first at the large Rav'akari army.

"It had been three long years, but we've finally reached the entrance of the World Tree. Hahahaha!"

At the back of the Rav'akari army, sitting on top of a black horse, Savage Mercy grinned hideously like a demon.

The deformed scalp of his, which looked like brains, had no hair growing in it.

Alongside him, there were two more of his peers—two more World Bosses—and in total, there were three World Bosses attacking the World Tree!

She towered over both of them. Nearly five meters tall woman. Accentuated by a chest so enormous it seemed to strain against the very air around her.

Waves of crimson hair spilled down like liquid fire. Her eyes, the same deep crimson, burned with an intensity that made it hard to tell whether she was furious or amused.

Her lips—red like blood—were curled in amusement.

"Oh, Queen of the World Tree, how I've longed to meet you~"

Malignant Benevolence said in a voice that dripped with honeyed malice.

"Haha…"

Sitting on top of a silver horse, a man with broad shoulders gave a sly chuckle. It was hard to tell how he looked because of the mask that covered his face, but he had black hair that tumbled down his back like a waterfall.

He was Wrathful Patience.

It was a rare sight to see more than one Finger in any of the battlefields, but now that the Siege of the World Tree had taken over three years, it was time to put an end to this.

Two armies clashed—the elves fought with desire to protect their Queen, and the Rav'akari fought with malice in their hearts—it was bloody.

In the middle of the bloodshed, a female Rav'akari—wearing little, but just enough to cover her privates—ripped apart elves with her bare hands.

"Hahahaha!"

She moved her bloody hand down her short hair and let out a maniacal laugh.

While the male Rav'akari was feared all across Whitesky, it was said that it was actually female Rav'akari's that people needed to be truly afraid of.

It was because they were even more ruthless. Even stronger. Even more cunning!

In that moment, from the back, Malignant Benevolence came running and stomped over the elves as if they were mere ants.

They slashed and stabbed their swords at her—to no avail, as they couldn't pierce her skin—and she just kept ramming through them like a tank.

With broken and twisted limbs, the elves got sent flying through the air, and Rav'akari continued their unstoppable march towards the World Tree.

Wrathful Patience and Savage Mercy galloped behind her and soon arrived at the entrance of the tree.

Inside the tree, corridors, stairs, and chambers twisted and turned in on themselves, creating a labyrinth that seemed to have no end.

"The Queen is at the top. Looking down at us mortals from her very own chamber. There she is, hiding!"

Savage Mercy said with a grin, licked his lips, and started making his way up with desire blooming in his heart.

For so long, during the three years of the Siege of the World Tree, he had heard tales of her beauty that was second to none.

It was the only thing that the Rav'akari talked about during their nightly talks around the campfire while waiting for the siege to end one day.

It had been a long time coming!

…

At the top floor of the World Tree.

"They've broken through…"

A voice that was so innocent and kind sounded in the throne room.

Sitting on the high-end throne, a woman of tall and slender figure, with every curve refined like living art, spoke.

She had soft, honey-colored hair that flowed down her back like a waterfall, framing her delicate face. She had eyes as blue as the ocean, with a gaze that was the kindest

Peeking through her honey-colored hair, her pointy ears of an elf peeked out, and the soft linen dress hugged her delicate body.

It seemed blasphemous to take a glimpse of what was underneath and an even greater sin to touch her.

She was the Queen of the World Tree.

"…"

In front of the throne, with a single longsword in hand, a knight in gray armor stood still like a throne, his black eyes staring through his helmet's visors.

They were the only ones in the throne room, and this knight was the only thing standing between her and the forces of evil.

Boom!

At that moment, the door of the throne room exploded, and from there, three generals of evil walked in.

"…Ah!"

Savage Mercy showed a gigantic smile at the sight of the beautiful Queen of the World Tree, and he had to admit that those tales didn't do her justice.

"…"

Malignant Benevolence looked at her with a smirk. She felt an itch to make the woman suffer, but she had to hold herself back for now.

"Finally, I have laid my eyes on her… The woman of my dreams."

Wrathful Patience felt his heart beat—a look of love, and obsession in his eyes—he had been waiting for this day a long time.

"Three years. It has been that long since you've been torturing my kind with your presence."

Queen of the World Tree said.

"Yes, it's been long. It was worth the wait, I must say. Why don't you come with us now to Sefirah Zero? I am sure She will love to meet you."

Savage Mercy said.

"Hmph."

The knight stepped forward, stabbed his longsword into the ground of the throne room, and said.

"The protection of the Queen of the World Tree is a sacred duty. It's a duty that has been passed down for generations, and I will not be the one to fail her.

"Every breathing moment of my life was for this moment. I've shed blood, sweat, and tears. It's all for this.

"My queen, lend me your strength so that I may fulfill my duty to you."

The knight said, and lifted the longsword.

"…"

Queen of the World Tree looked at his lonesome back, and then she stood up, walked to him, and gave him a gentle pat to the head.

"My brave knight…"

She turned back to the throne, shed a few tears, and then sat right back down.

"Who the fuck are you? A nameless knight?"

Savage Mercy scoffed, cracked his knuckles, and then swung his fist in a powerful arc—it came as fast and as sudden as a lightning bolt—it was a punch that had killed countless knights in the past.

"Beg for mercy, bitch!"

Savage Mercy shouted. He wasn't the most elegant speaker.

The knight swung his longsword with determination—a perfect and smooth swing—and it clashed against the fist of the Savage Mercy.

Boom!