The fountain water filled with blessing overflowed, enough to wet the soles of shoes. The branches of the World Tree, stretching out like coral reefs in the sea, were enveloped in a golden aura.

Just like when we defeated the giant insect fire that attacked the 28th terrarium, the branches created a golden wave and spread it in all directions. The recoil caused the water to ripple and surge like waves. With each impact of the golden wave, the size of the sun above the ground gradually shrank.

The guild members, who had to risk burns with every attack, wrapped themselves in the power of the World Tree’s blessing and charged at the Inferno leader with all their might. Now, it seemed they had a chance of winning in battle against him.

However, the golden wave unleashed by the World Tree branches clearly reduced the size of the sun above the ground, but it could not completely eliminate it.

“My master, Jae. I thought you would summon a desert field for me. I expected you to wish for me to become a giant shield to protect everyone. But I never imagined you would summon the terrarium. Jae is truly an amazing druid.”

I will willingly become the shield to protect what I want to safeguard. It seemed Mesquite was raising her shield, as if responding to my wish.

“With this energy, I can definitely block that heat. I’ll show you. The power of a tree that does not yield even to the blazing sun in the desert.”

In our team’s spirited battle, he stopped gathering flames and took a stance as if to fire them straight at us. In the end, we had to defend against that massive attack at least once. The defensive dryads were seen busily raising shields to protect their teammates.

As Mesquite walked toward the front lines, a vision of a massive white temple appeared around her. It was the Temple of the Sun artifact furniture, obtained by achieving the highest VIP rank at the 18th Terrarium’s artifact workshop.

Suddenly, I recalled that the Temple of the Sun’s bonus effect was somehow different from those attached to other artifacts. At the time, I was so focused on giving it to Mesquite that I glossed over the effect without much thought. It felt too much like an advertisement, so I hadn’t noticed its uniqueness.

A dryad with a deep bond can reenact moments of glory.

As the rising vision settled like a backdrop, Mesquite’s advance toward the front lines made it seem as if she was walking through the temple.

Dressed in jet-black armor that contrasted starkly with the pure white temple, she looked like the temple’s master. Beneath her feet, the ground was carpeted with golden-glowing sand, blessed by the energy from the World Tree’s branches.

At the moment the condensed fire was fired, Mesquite raised her shield. Golden energy formed into grains of sand, and in an instant, massive dunes piled up in front of her. It was a sight that made us feel as if we were in the middle of a desert.

The fire struck Mesquite’s shield first. As her shield was scorched and pounded by the flames, the dunes she had summoned also collapsed. It seemed as though the damage was shared among the dunes.

However, the diamond fountain emanating from the 28th Terrarium’s field restored all of Mesquite’s equipment in real-time. As long as the fountain’s power combined with the Temple of the Sun’s support, her shield remained intact. This defense was also successfully managed.

“It’s like watching an old story unfold before my eyes.”

The elder supporting Mesquite murmured.

“An old story?”

“Mesquite once told me about how she used to fight back in the day, and this is exactly what I imagined. Anyway, if Mesquite has regained this much power, doesn’t that mean your soul’s magnitude has grown enormously?”

Had I unknowingly leveled up?

“So, that’s the culprit.”

The moment I heard those words, I locked eyes with the Inferno leader. His cat-like, narrow pupils, different from ordinary people, sent a chill down my spine.

At the same time, Papillion moved. She acted as if she had been waiting for Mesquite to leave my side. The Inferno leader relentlessly fired wide-range fire attacks, as if trying to pin Mesquite down.

It was clear that if Mesquite stepped away, those behind her would take a direct hit. But she was a dryad who valued my single life over dozens of allies.

As soon as she withdrew her shield and returned to me, as if mimicking Mesquite’s technique, the Inferno leader created massive mountains of blazing fire.

While everyone was preoccupied with dealing with the Inferno leader, not many noticed the movements of Papillion and his dryads.

The moment the Viburnum and the dryads beside me defended against the sudden attack of the black dryads, a gunshot rang out.

Silver hair spread messily across my vision. A faint, elegant fragrance was perceptible right next to me.

I was shoved painfully toward the ground. In my spot, Earning, her chest stained red, was collapsing.

I couldn’t hear the dryads’ voices asking if I was okay clearly. After all, it was Earning who was clearly not okay.

The viburnum trees were defending firmly, but there was an opening. Amid the chaos, I don’t know who shot the bullet aimed at me. But in that split second, Earning shoved me aside and took the bullet instead.

Looking at me with wide eyes, she wore a deeply satisfied expression and spoke with difficulty.

“Don’t ask why I did it… Because I myself don’t know why I… made this choice.”

Since our first meeting, she had left nothing but a bad impression. Between us, there had never been any bond or good memories. I thought there was nothing between us that would make Earning choose to die in my place.

A massive shadow loomed over me. Returning to my side and raising her shield, Mesquite merely glanced down at the bleeding Earning with dry eyes. Only the eyes that turned to me held relief.

Mesquite, who is absolute goodwill to me alone, and Earning, who is absolute goodwill to her own. My startled heart and tangled mind wouldn’t easily settle. I tried to approach Earning, but she flinched and refused my touch.

“What’s certain is… I didn’t do this for you. Never thank me. The moment you feel gratitude toward me… I’m afraid the feelings I’m having now will be tainted.”

I saw Earning’s dryads wrapping around her with tear-streaked faces. Though she had flinched from my touch, she stubbornly kept her calm eyes fixed on me, forcing her drooping head up.

“If only… you had been blonde… I could have remembered you perfectly with a distorted memory before I died….”

Earning eventually collapsed limply, like a puppet with its strings cut. The moment she stopped breathing, her dryads also closed their eyes with wretched expressions. Soon, they too were enveloped in black and turned into black dryad fruits.

The sparkling powders lingered around the fallen Earning for a long while before scattering and disappearing. Watching that, I felt as if my head had been struck hard by something blunt.

Uh…?

Then, along with her death, I heard the sound announcing the moment I had been waiting for so earnestly. That notification sound alone reminded me that there was something I absolutely had to do, setting everything else aside. Seeing Papillion check his wallet with trembling eyes, I felt certain.

World Tree’s 16th Terrarium shareholding rate 99% achieved

Administrative authority will be transferred according to the terrarium’s shareholding rate.

Notice regarding the transfer of administrative authority for the World Tree’s 16th Terrarium

Druid Name: Jae

Due to your high shareholding rate in the terrarium, you, Druid, have been designated as the temporary administrative manager of the 16th Terrarium.

The 16th Terrarium will temporarily be attributed to your terrarium artifact.

It has been confirmed that the terrarium shares were acquired through an abnormal route.

Since administrative authority has not been properly delegated through the former administrative manager, some decision-making rights within the terrarium will temporarily belong to the Central Administrative Department.

If you decline the transfer of administrative authority, the 16th Terrarium will be delegated to the former administrative manager.

Achievement conditions: Terrarium shareholding rate of 80% or higher achieved / Delegation of the former administrative manager’s position.

Current achievement: 99%. The position has not been properly delegated by the former administrative manager.

★While in the status of temporary administrative manager, you will remain unknown to the residents of the terrarium.

Your status within the World Tree’s 16th Terrarium: Level 1 Gardener (Administrative Manager)

(From Level 4 and above, you will be able to own a certain share of the respective terrarium.)

(From below level 9, you become hostile with this terrarium, making entry impossible.)

Some of your authorities and benefits within the terrarium can be obtained after becoming the official administrative manager.

To make a formal determination regarding the temporary authority, the Central Administrative Department of the 1st Terrarium plans to visit the 16th Terrarium.

The 1st Central Administrative Department and Orchard of the World Tree certifies this certificate.

I had only guessed, but I didn’t know that taking all the shares would actually let me steal the administrative manager position too.

However, the certificate was very different from when I became the temporary administrative manager of the 28th Terrarium. Is the statement about acquiring shares through an abnormal route because I paid diamonds to the black branch of the mountain garden instead of the orchard’s branch?

Moreover, unlike when I visited the 18th Terrarium to get the formal confirmation, now the 1st Terrarium is even kindly coming to visit the 16th Terrarium in person.

If I became the administrative manager, there was a way to decisively break this situation. It was also the only breakthrough I had thought of.

The visitor menu visible on the administrative management mode screen of the 16th Terrarium. Unlike the 28th Terrarium, a countless number of lists unfolded. Among these numerous people, the one I needed to find was just a single person.

The only person among those whose current location is the back garden of the Alchemy Tower and whose name was unfamiliar to me.

“Has the leader of Inferno ever been exiled from the Terrarium?”

Expelling him, so intimidating that no one dared approach recklessly, was possible with just a few touches. I lowered the grade next to the name ‘Ash’ to the bottom and pressed the [Exile] button as if crushing it.

This place is mine now. If you’re going to cause a riot in my territory, get out.

The leader of Inferno was engulfed in a golden radiance even more brilliant than his flames. Then he vanished in an instant. Everyone engaged in the fierce battle stopped, staring at the empty space where the man had disappeared as if he had suddenly evaporated.