THE WORLD TREE OF ASHA
The moment Tano's fingers closed around the amulet, a small window of light appeared in both their minds—clear as day, showing numbers that ticked upward with every passing heartbeat:
GUARDIAN: The Root
LEVEL: 1
TOTAL FAITH: 0.2
FAITH PER SECOND: 0.00000231
REQUIRED FOR LEVEL 2: 10,000
CURRENT CAP: 1,000,000
CHOSEN FIGHTERS: 2 (Level 1 each)
ABILITY GRANTED: Root Touch (F-Rank)
"Per second?" Tano breathed, watching the numbers creep up. "So every moment we believe, we're helping it grow?"
"Every single one," Kira confirmed, her eyes fixed on the tree. The new leaves swayed gently, even though no wind blew. "We need to show the others—prove that this is real."
They moved quickly through the village, waking the elders first. Borin—the man who had nearly sworn to the Solar Oak—was the hardest to convince, until Kira placed her hand on his swollen ankle and used Root Touch. The warmth from her amulet seeped into his skin, and within seconds, the swelling faded, the pain gone entirely.
"By the stars," he whispered, pressing his own hand to The Root's bark. "I… I'm sorry I doubted you. I want to believe."
New believer. Low faith—0.1. Total faith: 0.3. Faith per second: 0.00000347
The numbers shifted again, and a third bud burst open on the tree. Word spread like wildfire through the village. Within an hour, twelve more people had come to the clearing, each placing their hand on the bark and speaking their pledge of faith. Some gave only low faith—0.1 each—but old Mama Elara, who had tended the tree as a girl, spoke with tears in her eyes:
"I never stopped believing. Even when the river dried up, I knew you were just sleeping."
New believer. High faith—0.7. Total faith: 1.8. Faith per second: 0.00002083
The tree responded immediately—its trunk straightened slightly, and a trickle of water began to seep from the ground at its base, forming a small pool that already showed tiny green shoots around its edges. The air grew cleaner, carrying the scent of damp earth and growing things.
"Look at the faith per second," Tano said, pointing to the mental window. "Each person adds their faith divided by the number of seconds in a day—so 0.1 faith gives about 0.00000115 per second. Mama Elara's 0.7 is almost eight times that much."
Kira nodded, already calculating. At their current rate, they were gaining roughly 1.8 faith per day. To reach 10,000 total faith for Level 2, it would take more than 15 years—time they didn't have.
"We need more believers, and we need people to give higher faith," she told the small group gathered under the tree. "Low faith is good to start, but mid (0.3), high (0.7), and absolute (1) will push us forward much faster. How do we make people believe more deeply?"
Faith depth is tied to trust, sacrifice, and purpose, The Root's voice echoed in their minds. Those who act to protect me and our people will find their faith growing stronger. Those who give of themselves for the community will unlock higher levels of belief.
As if on cue, a horn sounded from the eastern edge of the village. A scout came running, his face pale with fear.
"Storm Cypress warriors! They're crossing the river—saying our land is unclaimed now that our Guardian is 'dead'!"
Kira and Tano grabbed their makeshift weapons—staves carved from fallen branches of The Root, which now glowed with faint green light. The other believers followed, their own amulets beginning to form as The Root granted them the same F-rank ability.
When they reached the riverbank, they found a band of six warriors from the Mountain Clan, their armor etched with swirling patterns like storm clouds. Their Guardian—the Storm Cypress—was Level 3, with total faith of 100,000 and a faith per second rate that made Kira's heart sink: 1.157 per second. Each warrior was at least Level 3, their weapons crackling with weak lightning.
"Step aside," their leader growled, his eyes fixed on the distant form of The Root. "This land has no living Guardian. It belongs to the strongest now."
"We have a Guardian," Kira called out, stepping forward. Her staff glowed brighter, and she could feel her Level 1 strength coursing through her veins. "The Root lives, and we are its chosen."
The warrior laughed, raising a lightning-wreathed axe. "A dying stick and a handful of farmers? You'll be no match for Storm Cypress's power!"
He charged, and Kira met him head-on. To her surprise, her staff held firm against his axe, the green light from Root Touch creating a barrier that turned aside the lightning. Tano and the other believers joined the fight—though they were outmatched in skill, their newfound strength let them hold their ground.
During the clash, Borin threw himself in front of a young boy, taking a blow meant for him. As he fell, his faith surged—from low 0.1 to mid 0.3.
Faith strengthened by sacrifice, The Root's voice rang out. Borin's faith now 0.3. Total faith: 2.0. Faith per second: 0.00002315
Mama Elara used Root Touch to heal Borin's wound, and as she worked, her faith climbed from high 0.7 to absolute 1.0.
Faith strengthened by purpose, the voice continued. Mama Elara's faith now 1.0. Total faith: 2.7. Faith per second: 0.00003107
With the boost in faith, The Root's power grew. A wall of thick roots burst from the ground, separating the Mountain Clan warriors from the villagers. The river swelled slightly, its water running clearer as it pushed back against the intruders.
The leader stared, his eyes wide with shock. "Impossible… a Level 1 Guardian shouldn't have that kind of power!"
"Belief makes all things possible," Kira said, her staff glowing with renewed light. "Leave now, and we'll let you go. Come back, and we'll be ready."
The warriors retreated, muttering about dark magic and impossible growth. As the villagers made their way back to the clearing, they found more changes: the tree's leaves were fully green now, the pool at its base had grown into a small stream that flowed toward the village's dried-up wells, and the soil around them was darkening with life.
New believers came forward—two dozen more, drawn by the visible signs of power. Some gave low faith, others mid. By sunset, the numbers had shifted dramatically:
GUARDIAN: The Root
LEVEL: 1
TOTAL FAITH: 8.9
FAITH PER SECOND: 0.0001028
REQUIRED FOR LEVEL 2: 10,000
CURRENT CAP: 1,000,000
CHOSEN FIGHTERS: 38 (Levels 1–2)
ABILITY GRANTED: Root Touch (F-Rank)
NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED: Soil Strength (F-Rank) – Available to those with mid faith or higher
Kira looked out over the village as the sun set, knowing that their victory was only temporary. Greenwater's Solar Oak was still growing—its faith per second rate was 2.314, and they had dozens of Level 5 fighters. The Mountain Clan would be back, and word of The Root's awakening would spread to other Guardians who saw Asha's land as their own.
But as she watched the numbers tick upward—0.0001028 per second, adding up with every breath the villagers took—she felt a spark of hope she hadn't felt in years.
"We have a long way to go," she told Tano, who stood beside her with his own amulet glowing bright. "But every second counts now."
Every second, The Root confirmed, and every heart that believes.
As the first stars appeared in the night sky, a new message appeared in their minds—a hint of what was to come:
To unlock mid-rank abilities (C-B), the Guardian must reach Level 3. To unlock high-rank abilities (A-SSS), Level 10 is required. God-rank abilities demand Level 100 and absolute faith from at least 10,000 believers. The path is long, but the roots grow deep.