The cathedral's prayer hall is solemn and dignified, provided one ignores the surrounding ruins, the fragments of furniture, the shattered and dusty statue of the World Tree, and the log in the center of the hall.
Duma stared at the enormous tree stump in front of him, speechless with astonishment.
He looked down at Ed beside him:
" My Son of God, your methods are truly astonishing at any time."
Ed waved his hand dismissively:
"There's no need to say things like that anymore."
Duma shook his head:
"I'm not flattering you, I'm just evaluating you purely from an ability perspective. After all, the Demonic Tide changed everything, including the division of power systems, and most of my memories come from before the Demonic Tide."
Hearing this, Ed suddenly had a question, and he turned to look at Duma:
What was the power system of this world like before the Demonic Tide?
Ed's question, bordering on a lack of common sense, did not puzzle Duma; on the contrary, it solidified in his mind the possibility of the Tree God's rebirth.
After all, if an entity that creates and sustains the world wants to be reborn, it must give up something, whether it's the physical body or memories, both of which may be within the scope of what can be given up.
That's why they call themselves the Son of God; it's perfectly reasonable.
Duma thought for a moment and said:
"Do you want to know about the power system of humans, demons, or elves?"
Ed was actually most curious about the power of the elves, but he didn't want to make it too obvious.
"Let's all speak."
"Human power systems should be the easiest to understand. Before the Demonic Tide broke out, they used the word 'profession' to indicate their chosen path. The most common were warriors or mages, and of course, there were also priests from the Tree Worship Church, all of whom could wield extraordinary powers."
It features a classic Western fantasy medieval style and a well-established warrior-mage-priest trinity.
Ed thought to himself, "What do you mean?" and asked:
"Is it possible to study both?"
"Can."
Duma answered immediately, but then added:
"Humans who cultivate multiple skills will find it more difficult to advance in their cultivation than those who cultivate only one."
What constitutes a promotion?
"That depends on whether it's what people perceive as a promotion or a promotion in the actual sense."
"Speak up, everyone."
"The so-called 'what everyone thinks' means that no matter how strong a swordsman is in reality, as long as he can defeat a recognized Middle Tier swordsman, then he is considered Middle Tier in everyone's eyes. The same applies to other professions."
"What about in practical terms?"
"In a practical sense, true advancement requires a so-called 'opportunity.' In the warrior and warrior-like systems, enlightenment can usually be gained through life-or-death struggles, allowing one to seize the opportunity for advancement. So this is somewhat similar to what 'everyone thinks,' since fighting someone stronger than oneself can easily lead to a life-or-death struggle. Before the Demonic Tide, the humans on the warrior system were a group of fearless individuals who challenged strong opponents all over the world, constantly seeking opportunities to fight to the death and thus become stronger."
"Is this also the one who assassinated the Demon King?"
"Including the fact that the assassination of the last Demon King was not carried out by him alone, but by several others. When the assassination was completed, he and his companions were immediately promoted. There are even rumors that he and one of his companions are actually the Twin Kings of the Eternal Domain now."
"Rumors? Don't you know if they're true or false?"
" My Son of God, I wasn't in the Demon Realm Realm's capital at the time, and I only learned about the Demon King's assassination much later."
"What about the demons? How do they become stronger?"
"In human terms, demons become stronger through persistent practice of their talents."
"Um?"
"For example, demons. All demons actually possess the three abilities I mentioned to you before, but the degree to which each demon has mastered them varies. We generally distinguish the strength of their abilities based on the degree to which they have developed and practiced their racial talents."
"I understand. What about the elf?"
" My Son of God, you've come to the right person. I don't know."
Ed looked up at Duma, clenched his fist, and waved it in front of his eyes.
"... My Son of God, that's not what I meant. Please let me explain..."
Duma chuckled twice and said:
"Before the Demonic Tide, many elves liked to leave their home Elf Island and venture to the main continent. They would join various factions as advisors, and with their long lifespans, they would eventually become the backbone of those factions. It is said that this would give them a unique sense of satisfaction, like... like a human's pet dog that has been raised for several generations."
I see, it's that "guardian spirit" trope all along.
Ed glanced at Duma:
"You seem to have similar interests?"
Duma shook his head:
"The difference is still quite significant. After all, elves are welcome wherever they go; they never change their names or identities. Demons are the opposite, which is why I like to disguise myself."
Ed neither confirmed nor denied this.
"Go on."
"That's why elves have a good reputation on the main continent, but that's precisely what makes them seem strange. Think about it, I was once the commander of the entire Demon Allied Army, so I naturally faced elves. Although they can use Psionic Energy and combat skills, I always felt that these weren't their true innate abilities."
"I understand. So, do you think it's possible that elves have a talent for hiding some information about their race?"
Duma nodded hurriedly:
"That is indeed possible, Son of God. This is a conjecture I've only come up with in recent decades."
Ed didn't ask anything more. It seemed that the power system of the elves was indeed very strange. Considering the " Short-Eared Elf " that could modify perception, even Duma couldn't defend against this move. Ed couldn't help but have some guesses.
If elves are really that powerful, then where are they now?
As the two talked, the huge log standing in front of them trembled slightly, as if something was about to hatch.
Ed knew that Enzo was about to awaken. Objectively speaking, Antiya Lisi's skills in manipulating plants were indeed outstanding, which was very much in line with his ruthless nature in achieving his goals.
Ed's current method is derived from the other party's technique of transforming half-tree beings, but he has reversed some of the steps and incorporated his own power to help Enzo complete the reverse Tree Transformation, that is, "humanization".
"Click."
A crack appeared in the log, and a pale, almost white hand emerged from the fissure.
With a forceful pull of his arm, the gap began to extend vertically, eventually splitting the log completely in two.
Enzo stood there somewhat dazedly, then, due to the flow of viscous plant tissue around him, he slumped back down.
Ed took the prepared clothes and handed them to him. Enzo reached out and took them, only to suddenly realize that he had turned back into a human.