CHAPTER 46
046 – An Intense Reaction

[1st Floor: Primitive Forest]
[Find the blue portal. If you want to return.]

The Gate opened, and Jinwoo entered the 1st Floor.

He was able to find the red portal in less than two hours. Part of it was good luck, but it was also because Jinwoo had become faster and more decisive.

He spent a day on the 2nd Floor, and by the next day, he had found the red portal leading to the 3rd Floor.

'My original plan was to look for the altar of the Moonlight Forest on the 2nd Floor.'

But now that he'd found the red portal to the 3rd Floor, there was no need to search for the altar on the 2nd. On the 2nd Floor, he would have had to wander the labyrinth searching for an altar somewhere within it, but on the 3rd Floor, it was right in the city.

He jumped into the red portal, and a moment later, he opened his eyes to a sprawling city.

A mysterious city where humans, Elves, and Dwarves—and even Orcs and Beastmen—walked around casually.

Of course, the sharp tension between them was a constant reminder that they were enemies.

[3rd Floor: Pandemonium]

Jinwoo had arrived in the 3rd Floor city of Pandemonium.

The 3rd Floor was like an extension of the 2nd, a place where the temples of the 13 Gods also existed.

However, unlike the altars on the 2nd Floor, which were randomly located within the labyrinth, the temples on the 3rd Floor had fixed locations.

The 3rd Floor, Pandemonium.

In the city bearing that name, the 13 Gods had their temples, and Hunters could choose one of them to raise their Contribution.

The methods were varied: making offerings, or accepting and clearing trials. There were no set rules; it was truly up to the whims of the gods.

Though, generally, accepting trials was the most common method.

'Just as I heard, this is one strange city.'

The city's scenery was highly unusual.

The architectural styles were completely inconsistent, creating a jumbled mess.

There were buildings that looked like taverns from a Western movie, and others that resembled medieval castles. There were stone structures with strong religious overtones, and he could even see an entrance leading to a dugout cave.

He saw an East-Asian-style building with something like a tiled roof, and even a modern skyscraper.

It was a chaotic jumble without any rules. A scene that looked like random worlds had been haphazardly stitched together.

The word "grotesque" was a perfect fit.

'The individual buildings are fine, but the harmony is a complete mess.'

Looking at them one by one, there were many rather magnificent buildings, but with all the different styles mixed together, it couldn't be more chaotic.

Anyway, where is the Sky God's temple? I heard you just have to look up.

'Could that be it?'

Looking at the sky, he saw a small island floating there, half-obscuring the sun.

He worried it might fall at any moment, but the island floated as naturally as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Because it covered about half the sun, half the city was also shrouded in shadow. Depending on the sun's position, it seemed the entire city could be covered.

'The Lord of Oppression and the Ceiling.'

Seeing this, he now understood exactly why the Sky God's monarch title was "Oppression." That was clearly an island pressing down on this city.

Just then, he heard a commotion from a nearby alley.

"Hey, were you just licking your lips at me?"

"What's wrong with licking my lips at the sight of food, Elf?"

"You monkey-like bastard!"

The two who were arguing fiercely were an Elf and an Orc. Seeing an Orc for the first time, Jinwoo observed them a little more closely.

After what seemed like a brief argument, the two entered a dark alley. A moment later, only the Elf emerged.

Wiping the blood splattered on his sword and cheek, it seemed he had killed the Orc in the alley.

'Even though it's a city, it doesn't seem like public order is maintained.'

It was only natural. Buildings were gathered together and the place was teeming with people because of the temples, but in the end, this was still a Gate.

He had thought there might be some kind of order since there were buildings and people walking around, but the absence of order was the order here.

'I've got a good feel for the city's atmosphere.'

The 1st or 2nd Floors, where you mainly fought monsters, might be far safer than the 3rd Floor, where you were bound to clash with other Hunters and species.

He could see why Hunters called the 3rd Floor and above the "high floors" and tried to enter in parties or guilds.

'First, let's find a place to sleep.'

The laws of survival were the same here as in the Primitive Forest. First, secure a safe place to stay for the night.

'Preferably somewhere that's less likely to be robbed.'

Jinwoo set his sights on the towering skyscraper.

It looked to be at least 50 stories tall, but the elevator was, of course, broken.

He took the stairs up and chose an empty unit in a corner on the 36th floor as his base camp.

'The lock is... broken, as expected. I'll just have to block it with something heavy.'

He forced the rusty, rattling door shut and took a heavy boulder he had packed from the Primitive Forest out of his inventory to block it.

Someone could break down the door or wall to get in, but at least a silent intrusion was impossible.

In the empty, pre-lease room, Jinwoo started a campfire in the center. He arranged the firewood and lit it with a fire stick.

After filling his stomach with a simple can of soup, Jinwoo checked the Contribution rankings for Pandemonium.

'Contribution.'

[Accept the trials of the gods and receive their blessings.]
[Those most beloved by the gods are as follows.]

・Lin Shenlin - Sky God's Contribution: 124,374,823
・Vertus - God of the Battlefield's Contribution: 55,254,152
・Ipril - God of the Moonlight Forest's Contribution: 48,754,238
・Kartuna - God of the Forge's Contribution: 46,214,852

As he checked the Contribution, a familiar name caught his eye. The name at the top: Lin Shenlin.

'Isn't that the S-class Hunter from Hong Kong?'

It was unexpected to see an S-class Hunter's name in a place like this. Moreover, his Contribution had surpassed 100 million.

It was more than double that of the person in second place, Vertus. Even considering he was an S-class, it was an incredibly high number. He could feel that other Hunters and species couldn't even dream of catching up.

How many months, no, how many years has he been stuck on the 3rd Floor?

'Well, it's not like I'm competing for Contribution, so it doesn't matter.'

Jinwoo's goal was simply to see the reaction of the God of the Moonlight Forest and determine whether it was the World Tree.

He wasn't particularly interested in raising his Contribution. In fact, he had brought a pile of items that might even lower it.

'Time to go.'

He cleared the empty bowl and put out the campfire.

Placing the boulder back in his inventory, Jinwoo set off for the Temple of the Moonlight Forest.

The temple was located in the center of a small forest situated in the northeastern part of the city.

Kalesian was flitting through the skies of the 3rd Floor, holding Mahiri with both hands.

If he were an adult dragon who had gone through multiple sheddings, he could have carried her on his back or head, but in his hatchling body, this was the only way.

"Hmm... just how long does that guy plan on staying cooped up on the 3rd Floor?"

His vision magnified like a telescope, examining the floating island in the sky.

There, an Asian man holding a single sword was cupping his hands as if in a formal bow, offering a prayer to the Sky Temple.

"I don't understand why an S-class Hunter like him is sitting on the 3rd Floor instead of going to the 5th. It's not like he's returning to Earth, either."

Kalesian had been occasionally coming to the 3rd Floor to scout the temples of each god, and Lin Shenlin was always at the Sky Temple.

Always, except for when he was briefly away on a trial. He had never seen him return to Earth.

'Is he a favorite of the Sky God?'

Perhaps the god was bestowing upon him blessings or rewards Kalesian couldn't even imagine. And maybe he'd gotten a taste for it, choosing to remain on the 3rd Floor instead of the 5th.

"The Sky Temple will be difficult, as I thought."

Its location in the sky was actually advantageous for him, a dragon. But as long as that guy Lin Shenlin was holding his ground, it wouldn't be easy.

And even if he got past him, there was still the guardian protecting the divine artifact.

'Still, I should scout just in case... Whoa.'

Just then, in his magnified vision, he saw Lin Shenlin open his eyes. He turned his head and looked this way with sharp eyes.

Despite the great distance and the fact that he was using invisibility magic, it seemed he had sensed his presence. The man's sword was drawn, and a wave of sword energy shot towards him. Kalesian clicked his tongue and dodged it.

The forest, called the Moonlight Forest after its god. Arriving there, Jinwoo felt a strange sense of disharmony.

'It's only Elves.'

In the city center, various races had been mixed together. There were Elves, Orcs, Dwarves, and even humans from Earth.

But as he got closer to the Moonlight Forest, the other races disappeared, and he began to see only Elves. It seemed that most of those who chose the Moonlight Forest to raise their Contribution were Elves.

"A human in the Moonlight Forest?"

"He doesn't know his place."

He could hear the Elves muttering and sneering.

Jinwoo found this quite surprising, because they were only sneering at him instead of attacking on sight.

"Excuse me, can I ask you something?"

"Wh-What?! M-Me?"

He stopped an Elf who was walking by with a smirk and asked him a question. Jinwoo had his hand ready in case the elf drew his sword, but the Elf just stopped with a sour look on his face.

"I was under the impression that Elves attack humans on sight. Why is it different here?"

"You fool! Don't you know that shedding unnecessary blood in the Moonlight Forest lowers your Contribution? Ha, I guess a human wouldn't know."

It seemed the God of the Moonlight Forest did not like bloodshed in the forest.

"One more thing. Why are there only Elves around here?"

"Because the God of the Moonlight Forest is a god who only looks after Elves. I've never heard of a human or a dwarf raising their Contribution at the Temple of the Moonlight Forest. And that's to say nothing of barbaric races like Orcs."

A god who only looks after Elves...

He felt like the clues pointing to it being the World Tree were piling up.

"Hey! Why are you being so nice and telling him all that? That's not like you!"

"I-I just... ah, forget it, let's just go!"

The Elf who had answered bluntly left in a hurry with his companion. His tone was a bit rough, but he wasn't a bad guy for answering everything.

'If other races can't raise their Contribution, am I just wasting my time?'

That might be the case. But he needed to confirm it.

Jinwoo walked comfortably through the woods. His steps on the forest floor were much more stable and different from when he walked on brick or concrete.

A few skilled Elves noticed Jinwoo's gait and observed him with intrigued eyes. Most, however, either sneered or ignored him.

Soon, he arrived at a structure characteristic of Elves, built from intertwined trees. It was enormous, reminding him of the royal palace in the Elf world he had briefly seen.

'No, it's much smaller than that.'

Looking again, it wasn't the size of a royal palace. That palace had been truly massive, like three forests combined.

It seemed to be about the size of the white tower that had stood in the depths of that palace. And that tower had been excessively large for just one person to live in.

Arriving at the temple, he stepped inside.

[The God of the Moonlight Forest welcomes you.]

'Huh?'

The moment he entered, he heard that voice. Just like when he had offered shaved ice to the God of the Ice Valley on the 2nd Floor.

The difference was that this time, Jinwoo had merely stepped inside the temple; he hadn't even offered anything yet.

'...Be careful. A welcome isn't always a sign of goodwill.'

Just because it welcomed him didn't necessarily mean it was friendly.

It could also mean, The one I've been waiting for has finally entered my domain. I've got you now.

Behind the altar was a small sapling that emitted a soft, white glow.

With the tree being the only source of light in the dark interior, it added to the mysterious atmosphere.

The place had a somewhat solemn feel.

Perhaps because it was a temple, it also felt like the churches or cathedrals he had visited as a child.

'Could that be the divine artifact?'

But for that, it didn't seem to emit any special energy. And he couldn't see the guardian that was supposed to be protecting it.

It certainly seemed to be a special tree, but...

'First, let's try an offering.'

Watching the tree's reaction, Jinwoo cautiously took out a box of apples and placed it at the base of the tree's roots. It was an expensive box of fruit sold as a holiday gift.

He thought it might be rejected, but...

[The God of the Moonlight Forest is pleased. However, there are too many of these.]
[You have made a minor contribution to the Moonlight Forest.]
・Kang Jinwoo - God of the Moonlight Forest's Contribution: 239 (+239)

'What, it's actually going up?'

Contrary to what the Elf on the path had said, his Contribution went up properly. Moreover, even though the message said it was a "minor" contribution, it had risen by over 200, which was a significant amount.

'Does it normally go up this easily?'

From what he'd read on HunterNet's anonymous forum, Contribution didn't increase much from offerings.

No matter how much of a favorite item you offered, getting around 100 points was considered a lot.

The increase in Contribution was much greater for accepting and clearing trials than for offerings, which was why the 3rd Floor was mainly about undertaking trials.

This meant that the people in the rankings who had accumulated tens of millions of Contribution points must have spent at least several years camped out here, solving trials.

And yet, 200 points for a box of apples.

'How about this?'

He placed down the special plant nutrient that Chartia had made for him. It was an item infused with her power of growth, which protected plants from pests and made them stronger.

It was a very rare item in this day and age, sold at a high price to wealthy people who enjoyed gardening as a hobby.

[The God of the Moonlight Forest is pleased. However, this is too boring.]
[You have made a minor contribution to the Moonlight Forest.]
・Kang Jinwoo - God of the Moonlight Forest's Contribution: 624 (↑385)

This time, his Contribution rose by nearly 400. It was an expensive item, but it was still an item from Earth. Was it really worth this much?

No, perhaps it liked it more because it was an unfamiliar item from Earth. Hadn't the God of the Ice Valley also loved something as common as shaved ice?

'With a name like Moonlight Forest, it's definitely a god related to forests.'

The suspicion that it was the World Tree grew stronger. Could this really be the World Tree?

'If it really is the World Tree...'

...then it, too, is ultimately a Lord of Erosion. He recalled the World Tree he had seen in the Elf world. Its black roots, coveting Erosion and wielding its power.

Deciding to offer a completely random item this time, Jinwoo rummaged through his inventory and pulled out something that came to mind.

It was a children's picture book, with very few words and mostly pictures.

When opened, the pictures would pop up in 3D, making it very high quality.

The story was a common one, like a children's cartoon, about a human hero, an Elf mage, and a Dwarf warrior joining forces to defeat a demon king.

'If you really are the World Tree, then stop making the Elves attack humans.'

With that thought, Jinwoo gave a bitter smile and placed the picture book down.

A light flashed, and the book disappeared. This meant it had been accepted as an offering.

But there was no reaction. I knew it, Jinwoo thought with a shrug.

'It's not like it would enjoy a picture book.'

He was wondering what item to test next when...

[The God of the Moonlight Forest is delighted.]

A delayed reaction came.

[You have made a profound contribution to the Moonlight Forest.]
・Kang Jinwoo - God of the Moonlight Forest's Contribution: 25,162 (↑24,777)

"What...?"

It was an intense reaction, incomparable to anything before.