Ariase turned around, sighing in disappointment at his missed chance to ask the old man a question.
However, something unusual caught his attention.
The Elder Spirit of Nature stood frozen, staring upwards in sheer shock.
Even the girl beside her, who was patiently awaiting the completion of her awakening, looked at the spirit with confusion.
'What's with her? Is there something on my back?' Ariase wondered, frowning.
Following the nature spirit's gaze, his eyes landed on a peculiar sight.
Five leaves gently drifting down from the massive tree above.
'Leaves falling… isn't that pretty normal? What's so shocking about it?' he thought, puzzled.
Curious, he reached out and grabbed one.
The moment his fingers wrapped around the delicate-looking leaf, an unbearable weight slammed into him.
His knees buckled, and before he could react, he collapsed to the ground with a grunt.
His arm trembled under the sheer pressure as a sharp grimace crossed his face.
'What the hell?! Why is this so heavy?!'
His thoughts raced as he struggled to lift the leaf.
His entire body strained against the unnatural weight, his breaths coming out ragged as the ground beneath him cracked slightly from the force pressing down on him.
Before he could make sense of what was happening, the Elder Spirit of Nature suddenly rushed toward him in a panic.
Her ethereal presence shimmered with urgency as she demanded, "Human, speak! What did you do?! Why has the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil given you its leaves?!"
The sheer weight of her words struck Ariase harder than the leaf itself.
Ariase pushed himself to his feet, his voice rising in disbelief.
"What?!! This tree is the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil?!"
Before anyone could respond, a deep, resonant voice echoed from the towering tree itself.
"Kalikasan, prepare a container for my leaves and present them to that young man as a gift. Treat him properly—he is my guest."
A stunned silence followed.
Kalikasan stiffened, her expression flickering from shock to disbelief.
'A guest? How could that be…? What has this human done to earn the favor of Sir Divine Tree?' she thought, her mind racing.
Meanwhile, Ariase was just as dumbfounded. 'I… I didn't offend that old man, right...?'
A bead of sweat rolled down his temple as he recalled that he had thought badly of the tree.
Kalikasan quickly gathered herself, her previous wariness vanishing as her demeanor did a complete 360.
With a gentle thump on the ground, she conjured a modest bamboo hut before turning to Ariase with a newfound air of politeness.
"Sir, please rest here while I prepare a container for your gift~" she said with an almost too-sweet smile.
Ariase narrowed his eyes, resisting the urge to smirk.
'What a sucker…It seems even for someone like her, her authority is nothing compared to the Divine Tree,' he mused.
For a brief moment, he entertained the thought of making her suffer a little for threatening him earlier.
However, he quickly dismissed the idea.
'Just let it go, Ariase. No point holding onto what happened earlier.'
He exhaled sharply, shaking his head, 'Who knows? She might hold a grudge if I push my luck.'
With that in mind, he sighed and stepped into the bamboo hut.
The girl who had been silently observing everything was just as stunned.
She had never expected a spirit to treat a human with such respect nor had she ever imagined a tree could speak, let alone bestow a gift upon a mortal.
Her expression twisted into a mix of envy and amusement as she scoffed internally.
'Hmph… I guess getting badly stabbed has its perks. That oversized tree better compensate me too.'
Meanwhile, Ariase's gaze shifted toward her, his eyes narrowing as he noticed her chuckling to herself.
'Tch, if it weren't for this brat distracting the old man, I might've gotten the chance to ask the Divine Tree some questions. Anyways...'
His attention returned to the massive tree towering above them.
'If this replica world has the Tree of Knowledge… don't tell me the Tree of Life exists here too? If I could get my hands on just one fruit… immortality…'
Before his thoughts could spiral further, he shook his head sharply and slapped both his cheeks, snapping himself out of his greed-fueled daydream.
"No. I better not get greedy. Pissing off these divine beings would be the fastest way to an early death," he muttered under his breath.
Still, as his fingers rubbed against his stinging cheeks, a small smirk formed at the edge of his lips.
"But… there's no harm in asking if it really exists, right?"
Soon after, Kalikasan finished crafting an amber-like wooden container, its surface shimmering faintly under the divine glow of the great tree.
With a composed smile, she presented it to Ariase along with the earlier gift.
"Here are both of the boxes," she said warmly. "If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to ask."
Ariase accepted them with a nod, running his fingers over the smooth wood.
Then, after a moment of contemplation, he spoke.
"Actually, I do have a question… if that's alright."
The spirit of nature nodded without hesitation, "Sure, anything for the guest of Sir Divine Tree."
However, despite her calm demeanor, her thoughts painted a different picture.
'This mortal is surprisingly kind. He hasn't even tried to punish me for my earlier transgression. I suppose I can indulge him and answer a few of his questions.'
Encouraged by her response, Ariase wasted no time.
"I'd like to know… does this realm also house the Tree of Life?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Kalikasan's smile vanished.
A shadow passed over her face as her expression hardened, her tone now carrying a hint of warning.
"Human, I suggest you abandon your curiosity. There are limits to the things one should seek."
Her reaction was all the confirmation Ariase needed.
'Ha! So it does exist, either here or elsewhere.'
'If I can get my hands on even a single fruit someday, then I could eliminate one of the greatest weaknesses of mystic users…'
Realizing he had pushed too far, he quickly bowed his head in apology.
"I understand. I didn't mean to overstep."
Kalikasan studied him for a moment before nodding slightly as the tension in the air eased.
Deciding to shift the topic, Ariase asked, "Then… about the awakening process, is being stabbed to the point of death really necessary?"
...
Minutes later, most of Ariase's questions had been answered by the nature spirit.
He learned that a human could only tap into their greatest gifts when exposed to the threshold between life and death.
This moment of extreme peril serves as a catalyst for awakening the elemental affinity they were destined to wield.
He also discovered that, though exceedingly rare, it was possible for a human to harness and awaken two elements simultaneously.
This revelation intrigued him, sparking countless possibilities in his mind.
During their discussion, Ariase took the opportunity to inquire about the box the spirit had offered as compensation.
To his surprise, Kalikasan revealed that one of the boxes contained a bottle of Earth Grade Condensed Leaf Essence, an incredibly potent resource.
With all his questions finally answered, Kalikasan wasted no time.
She raised her hand, channeling her energy, and a shimmering portal materialized before them.
It was a gateway leading to the Grand Altar of Endless Stars.
Though she maintained a polite smile, a flicker of irritation glimmered in her eyes.
'Just go already, you brat. My patience is wearing thin with your endless questions.'
But Ariase was still reluctant to leave.
He knew that an opportunity to be in this place was rare, perhaps even once in a lifetime.
So, gathering his courage and using the privilege of being a 'guest', he dared to make one last request.
"Elder Spirit, may I ask for one final favor?"
Kalikasan's eye twitched as she suppressed the urge to sigh.
'This damn brat! If he weren't a guest, I might have turned him into a tree-watering slave by now.'
But outwardly, she maintained a composed expression, her smile only slightly strained, with her fist clenched behind her back.
Before she could respond, Ariase quickly clarified, "Ah, don't worry, I won't ask any more questions. I just wanted to request permission to stay here for a while until everyone at the Grand Altar finishes their awakening."
The spirit raised an eyebrow, intrigued by his unusual request. "M-may I ask why?"
Ariase replied without hesitation, "To train my talents. This place is the perfect location, after all."
For the first time, genuine interest flickered in Kalikasan's ancient eyes.
She turned toward the Divine Tree, deep in thought.
'Such a young human, yet his mind is sharp. To think he would recognize the value of this place as a training ground, where mystic energy of nature element is at its absolute peak…'
She couldn't recall a single human who had made such a bold request before.
Normally, those who arrived here left content after receiving their awakening, never once considering that they could linger to harness the power of the land itself.
'Perhaps this is why the Divine Tree favors him…' Kalikasan mused, her curiosity about the boy growing.