THE WORLD TREE OF ASHA
Two years had passed since The Root reached Level 6, and the world had been transformed. The network of allied Guardians now numbered over 100, spanning from the northern mountains to the southern coasts, and their collective faith had pushed The Root to the brink of Level 10.
GUARDIAN: The Root
LEVEL: 9
TOTAL FAITH: 9,872,416,391.2
FAITH PER SECOND: 1,893.427
REQUIRED FOR LEVEL 10: 10,000,000,000
CURRENT CAP: 10¹⁵ (100 trillion)
TERRITORY SIZE: 12,000,000x Village Size (Daily growth rate 50%)
ALLIED GUARDIANS: 112 (Levels 4–12)
ASCENSION PLATFORM: Fully grown – ready for first ascensions
NUMBER OF LEVEL 11+ FIGHTERS: 47 (Pre-ascension)
TOTAL FAITH REQUIRED FOR FIRST 12 ASCENSIONS: 58,593,750,000
VOID TREE ADVANCE FORCES: 3 days from Asha's territory edge
The ascension platform rose from the center of The Root's clearing like a spiral of living wood, reaching hundreds of feet into the sky. Its branches were woven with glowing green vines that pulsed with the Guardian's power—waiting to transform the first fighters who were ready to ascend.
Kira stood at the platform's base, her Level 15 pre-ascension strength making her one of the most powerful fighters in the network. Beside her were Borin, Zara, and nine other Level 11+ fighters who had been chosen for the first wave of ascensions.
"Once we ascend," Borin said, checking the faith numbers one last time, "our level costs multiply by 10 instead of 5. My current Level 14 cost me 500 × 5¹³ = 610,351,562,500 faith. To reach Level 15 post-ascension will take 6,103,515,625,000."
Zara nodded, her Water Sense letting her feel the Void Tree's corrupting influence spreading through the land ahead. "But we'll be able to fly, draw on The Root's faith directly, and use abilities that can stand against their advance forces. The cost is worth it."
The Root's voice echoed through the network, reaching every allied Guardian and believer:
In one hour, we will reach Level 10. At that moment, we will spend 58,593,750,000 faith to ascend our first twelve fighters. This will reduce our total faith significantly, but it will give us the strength to face the Void Tree's advance. Every ability they use will cost faith we must replace—each of their corrupted skills drains life and faith from the land, requiring us to spend heavily to heal the damage.
Word had come from the northern front: the Void Tree's advance forces were led by ascended fighters at Level 25 or higher. Their abilities—Void Touch and Life Drain—cost millions of faith per use, but they also absorbed faith from everything they touched, growing stronger at the expense of all other life.
As the hour ticked down, believers from every allied village focused their devotion. The faith per second rate surged to 2,517.839 as millions of people joined in prayer and work, their collective belief pushing The Root closer to Level 10.
TOTAL FAITH: 9,999,987,214.6
TIME TO LEVEL 10: 5 seconds
On the fifth second, the numbers clicked over, and a wave of power unlike anything the world had seen washed over the land. The Root's branches stretched into the clouds, its trunk wide enough to house a small village, and the territory expanded to cover an area the size of a small nation—120,000,000x the original village size.
GUARDIAN: The Root
LEVEL: 9 → 10
TOTAL FAITH USED FOR LEVEL UP: 10,000,000,000 (Remaining: 1,243,756,805.8)
FAITH TO BE SPENT ON ASCENSIONS: 58,593,750,000 (To be drawn from Faith Reserve)
NEW ABILITIES UNLOCKED: Ascended Link (SSS-rank) – Cost: 100,000,000 faith; Worldweave (God-rank requirement unlocked – needs Level 50 and 10 billion believers with absolute faith)
ASCENSION ACTIVATED – 12 FIGHTERS READY
The ascension platform burst into brilliant green light, wrapping around Kira and her companions. Pain mixed with power as their bodies transformed—wings of woven leaves and ironbark sprouted from their backs, their skin took on the texture of living wood, and their eyes glowed with the same green light as The Root.
ASCENSION COMPLETE
KIRA, BORIN, ZARA, AND 9 OTHERS ASCENDED
CURRENT LEVEL: 11 (Post-ascension)
LEVEL 12 COST: 48,828,125,000 faith per person
NEW ABILITIES GRANTED: Flight (Passive), Faith Channel (Active – draws on The Root's faith for abilities), Land Heal (SS-rank – Cost: 1,000,000 faith per use)
Kira spread her wings—they spanned twenty feet wide, light as air but strong as steel—and lifted off from the platform. The world looked different from above: she could see the Root Network as a web of green lines connecting every village, forest, and stream. She could feel the faith flowing through the network, and with Faith Channel, she could draw on it to fuel her abilities.
"The advance forces are here," Zara called out, soaring beside her as she sensed the corrupting presence approaching from the north. "They've already destroyed three allied villages and absorbed their Guardians' faith."
Below, the remaining pre-ascension fighters gathered at the northern territory edge, their Woodweave Armor and Root Bind abilities ready. The allied Guardians had pooled their faith to activate Branch Shield across the entire northern border—a barrier that cost 100 million faith per hour to maintain.
The Void Tree's forces appeared on the horizon like a dark cloud. Their fighters were twisted versions of ascended beings—their wings made of black thorns, their skin grey as ash, their eyes glowing with purple light. Their leader, a Level 30 ascended fighter named Malach, landed before the shield, his voice carrying across the battlefield like grinding stone.
"Surrender your Guardian now," he said, his hand reaching toward the shield as Void Touch began to eat away at the green light. "The Void Tree will absorb its power and grant you mercy—if you swear absolute faith to it alone."
Kira descended to face him, her wings folding behind her as she activated Faith Channel. The Root's faith flowed through her, and her staff glowed with intense green light.
"We will never surrender our freedom," she said firmly. "Every Guardian has the right to guide their people. Your Void Tree seeks to consume all life—but we will protect it with every second we have."
Malach laughed, a sound like dry leaves crumbling. "You think your little alliance can stand against the Void Tree? It has reached Level 75, with billions of believers and ascended fighters at Level 50 or higher. Every village we destroy adds to its power—your faith is nothing compared to what we can absorb."
He raised his hand, and a wave of purple energy washed over the shield. Void Touch cost 5 million faith per use, but it also absorbed 10 million faith from whatever it touched. The shield flickered as the Void Tree's forces began to drain its power.
"We need to hold them off until more fighters can ascend," Borin said, joining Kira with a group of ascended defenders. "Every second we fight gives our allies time to prepare—and gives The Root time to grow stronger."
Kira nodded, then took to the air with the other ascended fighters. "Remember—every ability we use costs faith we need to replace. Use Land Heal only when necessary, and focus on pushing them back, not destroying them. There may still be a way to free them from the Void Tree's control."
As the first wave of Void Tree fighters charged, Kira dove forward, her staff striking Malach's weapon as their forces clashed in the sky and on the ground. Green light met purple darkness, and the battle for the world's future began in earnest.