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For Rosen, being able to glimpse the true "Tree of Life" of this world was more than a revelation—it was also the very thing ensuring his survival.
In fact, from the very beginning, when the Tree of Life had first awakened within him, Rosen had already sensed faint traces of how this power was put together.
Beyond the well-known Ten Sephiroth, there was also the greater framework, built upon the concept of "Kabbalah":
The World of Matter, the World of Formation, the World of Creation, and, above all, the World of Divinity.
The World of Matter was the one humans lived in. Here, the soul gained flesh, the primordial light fractured into shards, crystallizing into nature, matter, and human existence.
The World of Formation was the realm of the human soul—the world of elements and the lesser angels.
The World of Creation belonged to spirit and soul, a place bathed in divine radiance. Thought and concepts took shape here, and it was home to the great archangels.
And higher still was the World of Divinity. All other worlds flowed from it, the ultimate expression of God's will.
This was the fundamental structure of reality.
Within it lay the Ten Sephiroth, linked together by the channels of emanation. Together, they formed the complete "Kabbalistic Tree of Life."
A flicker of insight passed through Rosen's mind.
Of course, with so few followers and their strength still limited, he couldn't hope to reach the highest Divine World, let alone fully grasp the flow of all emanations.
But when he thought it through carefully, Rosen realized he could borrow a framework he had once seen elsewhere, using it to refine and strengthen himself.
To project outward the very law he desired to embody.
And what he desired—if it could be summed up in a single word—was "oneness."
He was the bearer of the Tree of Life. He was the god of the Cross. He was the one and only being those girls prayed to and revered.
That was who he wanted to be. At least, for now.
And perhaps because of that conviction, Rosen sensed the Tree of Life stir ever so slightly, shifting in response to his thoughts.
But he wasn't yet able to control that subtle change. Maybe only when he could create a divine realm of his own would he truly master the transformation he had just set in motion.
For the time being, though, the most tangible change was simpler: before, he had the power to wipe out a single city. Now, it would be two.
Progress was progress.
And really, in a situation where just contracting a few girls automatically made him stronger, what else was there to long for?
Back in the present, the girls were staring at their stat sheets in silence, clearly deep in thought about what their next steps should be.
Seeing through them, Rosen chuckled and gave advice:"Focusing on your strongest skills is fine, but don't ignore the rest. If your stats drift too far apart, your body won't be able to keep up, and sooner or later you'll run into serious problems."
In DanMachi, they said adventurers barely felt anything when they leveled up—like eating or drinking, just part of everyday life.
But from a practical standpoint? Impossible.
An adventurer at level 1 could never hope to beat a level 2. And from there on, every level gap was like a canyon.
The weaker adventurer was always at an absolute disadvantage against the stronger.
Even if a level 1 maxed out every single stat to S-rank, they could still be crushed by a level 2.
But once someone with maxed stats did reach the next level, they essentially became invincible within that tier.
So yes, updating stats day to day might feel uneventful. But leveling up? That was never something you could ignore.
That was why Rosen insisted his followers raise all their attributes evenly before advancing to the next stage.
"Lord Rosen," Yuki Suou suddenly raised her hand after finishing her meal and listening to his lecture. "Can I tell my grandpa what happened with the mountain god? I'm worried he'll be too anxious if I don't…"
"Go ahead," Rosen nodded. "Let your family know you're safe."
Relieved, Yuki pulled out her phone and dialed home.
"Yuki? Where have you been? Why couldn't we reach you earlier?!" her mother's panicked voice rang out.
The sound of her mother's worry made Yuki's eyes mist over. She steadied herself, then explained everything to her mother—and to her grandfather, Suou Yanqing, who happened to be nearby.
When her grandfather took the phone, he could hardly believe it.
His granddaughter… had defeated a so-called god who came to claim her life?
He hadn't been there, but Yanqing could easily imagine how dire the situation must have been.
The words of concern rose to his lips, but he swallowed them back. In the end, he simply said in a steady voice:"As long as you're safe."
Then, inevitably, his thoughts turned to Rosen—the mysterious man who had contracted his granddaughter as a follower.
Whatever his reasons, Rosen had resolved the greatest crisis the Suou family had ever faced. Yanqing, as head of the family, had no choice but to acknowledge that debt.
"Yuki, tell that lord," he said firmly, "that the Suou family owes him our lives. From this day forward, we are his most loyal allies."
When the call ended, Yuki looked at Rosen with a mix of helplessness and embarrassment.
"Lord Rosen, you heard him, right?"
Becoming extraordinary had already changed the girl's perspective. She knew perfectly well what her grandfather meant.
Trying to repay a god's grace with mundane worldly offerings was, bluntly speaking, like a toad dreaming of swan meat.
Her grandfather's sentiment wasn't bad, but to her it felt… awkward.
At that moment, Rosen thought of something.
"By the way," he asked, "why did your family suddenly decide to turn to the mountain god for protection in the first place?"
"Um… I honestly don't know." Yuki tilted her head, just as puzzled.
But she quickly redialed her grandfather, asking for the details.
The answer stunned her.
The truth was… the Suou family had recently been targeted.
"..."
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