THE WORLD TREE OF ASHA
The moment the order was given, 10,000 faith drained from The Root's total—dropping it to 82,714.3—but a massive green shield erupted from the ground, curving over the defenders like a dome of living leaves. Branch Shield (B-rank) blunted every Solar Flare and turned aside every blow, giving Asha's fighters the chance to regroup.
TOTAL FAITH: 82,714.3
FAITH PER SECOND: 3.815 (Increased by new believers joining the fight)
TIME TO LEVEL 3: 5 hours 18 minutes
"Hold the line!" Kira shouted, as the shield's light infused the defenders with extra strength. "Every second we hold here adds to our faith—we'll reach Level 3 before they can break through!"
Lyra slammed her sword against the shield, sparks flying as the golden blade met green wood. "You're just delaying the inevitable! The Solar Oak has already spent 50,000 faith to unlock Sunburst Spear (A-rank)—once it's ready, nothing will stop us!"
But Asha's defenders were fighting with purpose. Zara, now Level 9, used her Water Sense to redirect streams onto the dry ground, turning it to mud that slowed Greenwater's advance. Borin led a countercharge, his Woodweave Armor glowing with high faith (0.9) as he pushed back three fighters at once. With every successful move, the faith of the defenders grew—ten people's belief climbed from mid to high, adding 0.4 total faith and boosting the rate further.
FAITH PER SECOND: 4.239
TIME TO LEVEL 3: 4 hours 32 minutes
As the fight stretched into the afternoon, more help arrived. A group from a river village, guided by their own Level 2 Guardian—the Current Serpent—crossed the bridge to stand with Asha. Their faith added 1.2 total, and their water-based abilities complemented The Root's powers, creating walls of mist that confused the Greenwater forces.
Alliance with other Guardians strengthens our faith, The Root's voice echoed. Each Guardian we work with increases our faith per second by 0.5. We will remember this when we reach higher levels.
By sunset, the tide had turned. Greenwater's fighters were tiring, their Solar Flare abilities draining their own strength, while Asha's defenders drew power from The Root's shield and growing faith. The numbers continued to climb:
TOTAL FAITH: 95,187.2
FAITH PER SECOND: 4.762
TIME TO LEVEL 3: 26 minutes
"Twenty-six more minutes!" Tano called out, his voice carrying over the battlefield. "We're almost there!"
Lyra realized they couldn't hold on much longer and signaled for a retreat. "We'll be back when the Solar Oak reaches Level 4," she warned as her forces pulled away. "Next time, there will be no shield to save you."
As the Greenwater warriors disappeared into the distance, the Branch Shield faded, and the village gathered to wait for the final push to Level 3. Every person—fighter, farmer, healer, and child—stood near The Root, their faith focused and strong. Some gave absolute faith (1.0) now, their belief unshakable after the battle.
With just seconds to go, the total faith climbed to 99,999.9—and then ticked over to 100,000 exactly as the moon rose over the hills.
A wave of power unlike anything Asha had felt before washed over the land. The Root's trunk thickened, its branches reaching high enough to touch the lowest clouds, and the territory expanded in a massive burst—covering 40x the original village size, with forests, rivers, and hills all falling under its protection.
GUARDIAN: The Root
LEVEL: 2 → 3
TOTAL FAITH USED: 100,000 (Remaining: 3,892.1)
FAITH PER SECOND: 5.317
REQUIRED FOR LEVEL 4: 1,000,000
CURRENT CAP: 10,000,000,000 (100x Level 2 cap)
TERRITORY SIZE: 40x Village Size (Automatic expansion complete; daily growth rate 5%)
NEW ABILITIES UNLOCKED: Branch Shield (B-rank) – Cost: 10,000 faith; Lifeweave (B-rank) – Cost: 15,000 faith
ASCENSION PREPARATION: Unlocked path to Level 50 – requires 10,000,000,000 total faith
SPECIES LEVEL UPDATE: Highest 10 (Average 4)
SPECIES LEVEL COST REMINDER: Pre-ascension (×5 per level), Post-ascension (×10 per level) – Only Level 11+ may ascend
Lifeweave (B-rank) allowed chosen healers to regrow lost limbs and cure illnesses that had once been fatal—but the 15,000 faith cost meant it could only be used for the most critical cases. The Root also provided guidance for building a central keep made of living wood that would grow stronger with every passing day, and plans for advanced irrigation systems that would turn the southern plains into the most fertile land in the region.
Over the next three months, The Root climbed to Level 4, its total faith surpassing 1,000,000 and its territory expanding to 400x the original village size. They formed alliances with five other Guardians—each Level 3 or higher—and created a network of trade and defense that stretched across half the region. Greenwater's Solar Oak had reached Level 4 as well, but their aggressive tactics had led to rebellions in some of the villages they controlled, slowing their growth.
During this time, three of Asha's fighters reached Level 10—Kira, Borin, and Zara. The cost to reach Level 11 pre-ascension was staggering: 500 × 5¹⁰ = 4,882,812,500 faith per person. But The Root assured them that every bit of faith invested in their growth would be returned when they ascended, though the post-ascension cost to reach Level 12 would be 48,828,125,000.
When you ascend, The Root explained, you will be able to draw on my faith directly for your abilities—but every use will deduct from my total. A single Lifeweave cast by an ascended healer will cost 15,000 faith, just as it does when I bestow it. This balance ensures we grow together, not at each other's expense.
Kira stood at the top of the living keep, looking out over the vast territory that now housed thousands of believers. The Root's branches stretched high above, and she could see the first signs of what was to come—small green buds that would one day become the structures needed for ascension.
"We have a long way to go to reach Level 50," she said to Borin and Zara, who stood beside her. "But every second we build, every person we help, every alliance we form brings us closer."
And when we reach Level 50, The Root's voice said, your wings will carry our faith to new lands, and your power will help guide other species to their own ascendant paths. The journey is long, but the roots we plant today will support us for all time.
As the sun set over the expanding territory, Kira could feel the faith ticking upward—5.317 per second, adding up with every breath, every heartbeat, every moment of belief.
The path to ascension had begun.