"I'm bored with all the planning, I want action." TBOAH! Hannah bluntly said the moment Adalie walked in the room. 

"W-what?" Adalie asked with a yawn.

"She said the current shows are boring because it's filled with planning." TCF! Tasha gently said while nodding her head in agreement. "While it's fun to watch young master Cale plan the destruction of our enemies, it has gotten a little boring."

"Hmm," Adalie thought. "Then let's skip some parts. While it isn't full on fighting, you might all still like it."

Adalie quickly played the screen, not letting anyone speak their opinion. After all, time was running out and they were not even one-third done, forget the fact there was a sequel. At the rate they're going, they'll never finish within the year!

Chapter 170 - Perhaps (5)

Cale clenched his fist.
Crackle, crackle.
He could feel the electricity in his palm.

"Human, why are you trying to use the fiery thunderbolt? I will destroy whatever it is for you! Just tell me!"

"Yeah, yeah! Don't force yourself, human, you're extremely weak!" Raon agreed with his tv self.

"Okay." TCF! Cale immediately agreed, glad that he would be able to have more time with his slacker life. 

'Maybe it was a good idea to watch this.' he thought with a small scheming smile. 'This way, I don't need to do anything in the future and just let them do the work for me. If that happens, I won't be well-known in the future and can live on as a trash.'

'Is he going crazy?' TBOAH! White Star thought when he noticed the crazed look in TCF! Cale's eyes.

"I'm not using it."

"Yes, he definitely was not using it." TBOAH! Adin mocked. "Ignore the fact that it's literally in his palms."

"Achoo." TBOAH! Cage sneezed.

"What's wrong?" Taylor asked worriedly. "Are you feeling cold?"

"No, I heard bullshit." TBOAH! Cage said, causing TBOAH! Adin to grow red in the face.

Cale lightly pushed away Raon's face and started to walk. He could feel the slightly slippery ice underneath his shoes.

"Be careful, Cale-nim." TCF! Choi Han said worriedly. 

"Where are you going anyway, young master-nim?" TBOAH! Hans asked curiously. 

"Why do I find that place familiar?" the fire murmured with a frown.

At the same time, a warm breeze that followed the blue light from the token brushed by his face.

"Did something happen?"

Cale waved his hand toward Choi Han, who urgently arrived by his side.

TCF! Choi Han smiled, glad that he was still accompanying TCF! Cale, the first person he would consider his savior and, if he can be bold, friend. 

"Not really."
"That's good."

Choi Han responded back before following Cale into the path.

"Do we have to walk far?"

Cale responded back to Paseton's cautious question.

"I'm there too?" Paseton said in shock while both versions of his family and Archie looked at the screen in confusion. Because the tv was only showing TCF! Cale and a few shadows, they didn't know who was accompanying the red-haired until they speak. It was to "make things interesting", Adalie said.

"I heard that we have to walk for a bit."

Eruhaben had told him that the entrance was a bit of a distance from the lake.

Eruhaben looked interested. Naturally, he was familiar with the road TCF! Cale and his group was going and wanted to know why they were there. Did he ask the human to say something? That was a weird feeling, considering that he was not used to lean on someone else.  

Rosalyn looked around the path with curiosity. She could see the snowstorm still raging outside the transparent path. Of course, Hong was gulping while looking at the snowstorm outside the path.

"Why is he gulping down the air?" TBOAH! Litana asked in worry.

"I have a bad feeling..." TCF! Glenn said. "is the snow poisonous?"

"Ding ding ding ding!" Adalie said while confetti fell from the ceiling. "Congratulations!"

"Is that something to congratulate?" TCF! Shawn asked with a blank stare. 

No one worried about Hong, already knowing his skills in the past video.

"Young master Cale. It is interesting that a safe path like this appeared as soon as you used the token. I guess the World Tree heard the signal right away."

"The World Tree?!" many exclaimed in shock. They didn't expect the young master to have connections with something that was only heard by the majority of the people in the world.

'How troublesome.' TCF! Cale scowled.

Rosalyn could not see Cale's face, as she was very excited. Cale played along.

"I'm not sure, but it does seem that way."

"...Young master Cale..." TCF! Rosalyn could only weakly say, feeling embarrassed. "Next time, you don't need to play along with me."

"Alright." TCF! Cale agreed without understanding anything. Did he do something wrong? 

That reaction made Choi Han flinch.
However, Cale did not pay any attention to it as he was thinking about what Eruhaben had told him.

'This token will let the World Tree know that you are someone I sent, so a somewhat decent path will appear to prevent you from getting poisoned.'

Eruhaben had definitely said a decent path. However, this path seemed much better than, 'decent.'

"You don't say." TBOAH! Archie sarcastically said. 

'I have a bad feeling about this.'
Cale had a bad feeling, but he was not scared.

"Oh no." TCF! Cale murmured as he felt his left eye twitch. He was confident with his gut feeling as it saved him numerous times before so hearing his future self say that means only one thing - his slacker life is in danger.

The reason for that was because the Super Rock's usual statement when danger approached was not present today.

"So he is useful besides giving scary comments." TBOAH! Lily said with an innocent look, not knowing that her words wounded super rock's heart.

In fact, the Super Rock asked if he planned on destroying it instead. It had even sounded very concerned when it asked.

"Who wouldn't be concerned?" the half-dragon asked rhetorically, only to shut up when some raised their hands. 

'I forgot I'm in a room with bloodthirsty people.' he thought with a sweat drop.

Cale looked down at his palm.
The Fire of Destruction was still crackling in his palm. Cale did not return the power back into his body.

"Why wouldn't you?" the children asked with a frown, worried their human and father might faint.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." he reassured, earning disbelieving looks. 

'Did he really try to burn up the World Tree?'

"Excuse me?!" both Adite squeaked in shock as the others looked at the proud fire with a raised brow.

"What?" the fire shrugged.

Cale recalled the owner of the ancient power that was extremely greedy for money. Furthermore, he also thought about the World Tree that had generously created this safe path for them.

"I kind of pity the world tree." TCF! John said, looking warily at TCF! Cale's future self who started looking smug.

"You aren't alone." TCF! Kora agreed.

'Maybe this-'

Cale started to smirk.
At that moment, Archie, who had been peeking at Cale, started to speak.

TBOAH! Shickler looked surprise at how close his other self's nation was with the transmigrator while TCF! Shickler looked proud. Who wouldn't when you got a very dependable person as an ally? 

"Young master-nim, have you met Elves before?"
"I have."
"Then you should know how they are, young master-nim."

Archie's expression turned serious.

All of the elves in the room looked at both Archies who simply shrugged. What was wrong with what they said on the screen? It was true after all. 

"Why?"
"The Elves of this lake are worse than any other Elves you've met before."

"True." TBOAH! Tasha agreed, ignoring the looks she was given by the elves spoken about.

'Worse?'
Cale remembered how Shickler had said that the Elves here were, 'rude and arrogant.'

'Something must change.' all the elves in the room thought. 'If our reputation keeps being like this, something bad will happen.'

Archie continued to speak after seeing that he had caught Cale's attention.

"We have met them a few times because they are the closest Elf Village to the Whale tribe and we each have items that the other side needs."
"And?"

Archie let out a sigh.

"They think that they are the chosen Elves."

"Chosen...elves?" TBOAH! Gilbert asked with a raised brow. 

"It will be explained." Adalie said the moment she saw someone open their mouth. It was better to say it instead of letting the other waste their saliva. 

Cale shared a thought that quickly passed through his mind.

"They think they were selected by the World Tree?"
"Something like that."

No one knew what to say. It might sound arrogant but at the same time, it seemed true considering they were one of the few who interacted with the world tree on a daily basis.

Archie snorted before adding on.

"These Elves are extremely arrogant because they are the only Elves who can see the World Tree as well as a Dragon quite frequently."

"Not anymore." TBOAH! Obante said with a small smile. Who can blame him for his reaction when those elves loved mocking him and his people? Heh, they finally got a taste of their own medicine. 

Paseton slowly commented as well.

"Mm, they definitely have a habit of ignoring and looking down on other races. It is probably the worst here than any other Elf Village. Although we are going at a Dragon-nim's order, but, mm."

Paseton could not finish his sentence.

Both Witiras looked at Paseton on the screen in surprise. Their little brother finally got the strength to bad talk others, although very mildly. 

"But?"

Archie responded back at Cale's urging.

"But they will probably ignore you because you are human. They look down on us Whales as idiots with strong bodies."

"Not when he's with Raon-nim." TBOAH! Rosalyn said. 

Archie seemed to be angry.
He would have whipped them with his tail if Whale King Shickler had not told him to let it go because of the World Tree.
Paseton, on the other hand, seemed to choose to take a solemn expression.

'...Captain Archie is pretty bad too.'

"Excuse me?!" TCF! Archie asked while feeling offended. "I wasn't...that rude."

"Nice to know you still have some awareness." TCF! Witira said, earning a look from both Archies but they weren't brave enough to complain. 

Paseton had seen Archie respond to rudeness with even more rudeness in the past.

"That's natural." TBOAH! Bud said while sipping some water (TBOAH! Glenn took his alcohol) grumpily. "One should always return how others treat you. It's stupid to accept all of that when you did nothing wrong."

Cale asked the two Whales a question at that time.

"Don't you know how Elves feel about Dragons?"
"We do. They apparently respect them."
"Have you ever seen the Elves meeting a Dragon?"
"I have not."

Archie answered while peeking toward Raon. He then cautiously added on.
"I suppose they may slightly lower those stiff necks of theirs because Raon-nim is with us this time."

"You're too naive." TBOAH! Obante said. 

"I know." TCF! Archie grumbled out. How would he not know? He saw how the dark elves reacted when Raon appeared before them. How about these elves that worship dragons?

"You really think that'll be the case?"
"Excuse me?"

Cale looked toward the two Whales with a serious expression, leading them to flinch.

Even if this was just a six-year-old Dragon, would the Elves be rude to them when they also had a person coming to deliver a message from an ancient Dragon?

"Of course not!" most people exclaimed with a blank look.

However, the two Whales couldn't help but think that those arrogant pricks might just do that. Cale answered with a serious expression at that moment.

"They will cry."
"...Excuse me? Who will cry?"

Cale seriously answered the confused Archie's question.

"The Elves."
"...Excuse me?"
"They may get emotional and cry when they see Raon."

"Pfft." many laughed at the confused expression of the strong whale because it looked silly and stupid while both versions of said whale wondered if it was too late to fall asleep to escape the embarrassment.

'They think that Elves respect Dragons? I wish it was just at that level.'

"Hah, why would they lessen their worship on us? Aren't we incredibly amazing?" Rasheel said with a boastful look. 

"Yes, yes." some immediately placated the dragon, afraid he would start a bloodbath if his need wasn't met.

"Kids, you shouldn't act like that, alright?" TCF! Cale said, earning nods from the kids and a glare from Rasheel.

Archie and Paseton looked toward Raon. Raon puffed up his chest and stretched his wings out wide as he confidently started to speak.

"I am kind of great and popular!"

"Exactly." Jung Soo nod with a smile. 

"When isn't he great and popular?" TBOAH! Witira asked rhetorically with a fond look.

Raon was still wearing a white fur coat. It did not make him look majestic at all.
However, the two Whales chose to accept it as Cale's group all seemed confident.

"I-it doesn't?" Raon asked with a heartbroken look. 

"It does." TBOAH! Basen immediately said. "They just don't have good taste."

Many also nodded, causing Raon to believe and smiled brightly. 

Cale turned away from the confused Whales and continued to follow the blue light.

'Cale Henituse. We need to strengthen the defensive magic around the World Tree. The little kid and Rosalyn should be able to take care of it.
'Also, deliver this message to the World Tree.'

Eruhaben had called Cale over secretly in order to tell him these things before they left for the North.

'Don't tell the little kid.'

This was the message Eruhaben wanted Cale to deliver.

'I have a bad feeling.' Eruhaben suddenly thought with a shiver. 'Why do I feel like my life is about to end?'

'I have less than two years to live. World Tree, I hope you can give your fruit to the Dragon I send in my place. That child would have learned everything I know.'

"..." no one could say anything until a large scream was heard. When everyone turned to see who shouted, they were not surprised to see an almost-crying Raon. 

"Goldie gramps, what do you mean?!" he asked with tears on the corner of his eyes.

"It is as you heard." Eruhaben bluntly said. He didn't know how to break it slowly and he trusted the little guy to understand so he didn't bother sugarcoating his words.

Wrong choice.

Tears immediately fell down Raon's face as he sobbed, causing the majority to panic and glare at the gold dragon who looked lost.

It took an hour for the little guy to calm down with Eruhaben regretting his actions to the point of mental breakdown. 

'I will never say such things in front of the little guy.'

'I will never say such things in front of the little guy.'

'I will never say such things in front of the little guy.'

'I will never say such things in front of the little guy.'

'I will never say such things in front of the little guy.'

'I will never say such things in front of the little guy.'

These were the only words stuck in Eruhaben's head as he blankly watched the screen. It seems he grew a phobia in speaking bluntly now.

Eruhaben laughed as he added on.

'Cale Henituse. This is something only you should know.'

Cale responded back normally to the laughing ancient Dragon.

'Yes sir. I will not tell anybody else.'

'Yes. I knew that you would answer that way.'

"Not anymore." Mila teased. "Everyone here now knows."

Cale started to think even harder about whether there was a way to extend the ancient Dragon's life after seeing the satisfied expression on Eruhaben's face.

Eruhaben let out a small smile, feeling warm inside at the sight of TCF! Cale caring for him.

It was not that Eruhaben was sick, instead, he was just naturally facing death due to his old age.

"Seeing everything Cale has done, I'm pretty sure he'll find a way to cure the gold dragon, probably even finding a way to immortality." Rok Soo said with a playful look. 

"He hasn't found a way yet?" TBOAH! Cale joined in the fun. "I expected more from you."

"Have you found a way?" TCF! Cale attacked back. 

Thus, a fight broke out between the three on whether or not they lived a fruitful life (don't ask how they got there). 

'But Eruhaben-nim.'
'What is it?'
'Are you welcoming death?'
'...Is there anybody in the world that would welcome death? We don't want to be sick and we don't want to die. I think that should be the case for both Dragons and humans.'

"Weak." TBOAH! White Star mocked, mostly because he kept reincarnating so he doesn't fear death. 

"Kinda want to kill him right now." Dodori said in annoyance. He might not be as prideful as the others but he still had pride as a dragon. 

The ancient Dragon casually responded back, but Cale could feel his desire to live.

Eruhaben blushed a little in embarrassment at the thought that everyone could see his desire to live. After all, he's been acting like he didn't care for a long time.

Cale observed him and continued to think.

'There definitely has to be a way.'

Immortality was impossible due to the laws of nature, however, Cale felt like there must be an ancient power that slowed down your aging.

"Oh! I remember now! Doesn't th-" the mouth of the shield was sealed shut by Adalie who smiled mischievously.

"It's a spoiler~" she teased, earning frustrated looks. 

Cale continued to think about the ancient powers he read about until he stopped walking.

"We're here!"

Cale looked down after hearing Raon's excited shout.

Swooooooosh-
He could see a large hole in the center of the snowstorm.

"Human, Goldie gramps said that the World Tree would be down below!"
"Yes. Raon, turn invisible for now."
"Me? Alright!"

Cale felt Raon sticking to his back after becoming invisible and started to speak toward Archie and Choi Han.

"Archie, you go down first because you have met the Elves before. Choi Han, you come down last."
"I understand."

Choi Han responded back immediately while Archie was looking at the hole with a frown.

"Damn it, I thought I would only interact with them once a year, who knew it could get worse." TCF! Archie cursed with a frown while his other self looked gleeful at his misery.

'Sadistic TBOAH! Archie!' TCF! Archie cursed in his mind. 'How can we be the same whale?!'

Pat.
Cale patted Archie's back and Archie sighed before jumping into the hole that seemed to be endless.

"Looks fun!"
"I want to jump in now!"

Cale was scared, but sighed at On and Hong's excited gazes as he jumped in with them.

"It's still surprising to hear him say, well think, he's scared of such a small thing when he can bravely faced dragons." Taylor said with a small smile. 

"Guess everyone has something they fear." TBOAH! Cage said. 

'Doesn't the young master fear losing his slacker life instead of that?' TCF! Hans thought but didn't say out loud.

It was similar to when he went to the underground city of the Dark Elves last time, however, this was a steeper slide, so it was more dynamic than last time.

– Wow! Human, this is fun!

Raon, who was on Cale's back, was excited.

The kids simultaneously turned to look at TCF! Cale with sparkling eyes, wanting to experience it. Seeing this, TCF! Cale sighed but nodded, silently promising that they will go in the future as the kids cheered in happiness. 

Cale-

The screen turned black, surprising everyone as they simultaneously turned to look at Adalie who also looked surprise. Looking around, she quickly found the reason - TCF! White Star was holding the wire of the television, shutting it down.

"Give it back." Adalie demanded with a frown, holding a paw in front of her.

"No," TCF! White Star answered with a smug smirk. "Not until you show interesting things."

"Fine!" the panda shouted with a glare, something sinister appearing in her mind. "After this, we'll watch something interesting."

"Alright." was the reply she got as she was given back the wire.

The middle-aged Elf wiped away some sweat as he continued to speak.

"You need to meet with the priestess-nim who takes care of the World Tree. She was originally supposed to come to greet you, but she could not do so as the World Tree suddenly called for her."
"Is that so? Then let's head to the priestess-nim right away."

"The World Tree suddenly called for me?" TCF! Adite mumbled in surprise. "That rarely happens and the only times it did was because of... something big."

'I think meeting the one who burned you before warrants that.' Adalie thought while feeling slight pity for the tree.

Cale wanted to quickly take care of things and lay down by a fireplace.

"Yes sir. We will take you there right away! Huh?"

The middle-aged Elf turned toward the direction of the village before stopping in shock. Cale had a confused expression on his face as well.

A little girl was running toward them.
There were a couple of other Elves behind her as well.

"Aww, she looks so cute!" TBOAH! Lily said with sparkling eyes as others voiced their agreements while both priestess blushed in embarrassment. They were rarely praised with their looks, most usually focusing on her skills instead. 

Both felt warm in their hearts.  

"...Priestess-nim?"

'Priestess?'
Cale looked back at the little girl after hearing the middle-aged Elf's comment.

'Hmm?'

The two of them made eye contact at that moment.

'Is she looking at me?'

Cale's back felt chilly after seeing the little Elf who looked like a troublemaker rushing toward him.

"I don't!" both versions of Adite immediately argued with a small pout. They were responsible little elves and definitely not little pranksters who liked to tease their elders when they don't listen to them. 

Definitely not. 

'Isn't her face too pale?'

The little Elf seemed completely petrified.

"What did you do, Cale?" Jour immediately asked as TCF! Cale looked at her in betrayal. When Jour noticed it, she just raised an eyebrow, daring him to argue. 

TCF! Cale wisely shut his mouth, kicking the chairs of both Rok Soo and TBOAH! Cale who were laughing at him. 

The young priestess rushed toward Cale as if she had a very important mission. The middle-aged Elf quickly approached the priestess once she got close.

"Priestess-nim, what is going on?"

The priestess did not even pay any attention to the middle-aged Elf before pointing toward Cale.

"Red hair!"

Cale flinched.

"Why di-would you flinch?" Jung Soo asked with a teasing look. "Aren't you supposed to be used in being blamed and called out by others?"

"I..." TCF! Cale couldn't continue his sentence, not sure what to say because he realized it was true, especially when he started entering Rok Soo's body. 

The young priestess had a look of urgency on her freckled face as she walked in front of Cale.

Cale slowly took a step backward.
This priestess seemed to be a bit weird.

"You should beat the shit out of those who try to attack you!" TBOAH! Toonka suggested with a bored look.

"You should think rationally and come up with ways to make them confess without beating them to the ground." the peace-loving TCF! Litana interjected.

"I would have ran away immediately if someone approaches me like that." TBOAH! Eric said.

"Finally, someone with a normal opinion!" TCF! Shawn cried out. "Why do you need to beat them or make them confess when you can just escape?!"

However, there was a noise that intrigued Cale at that moment.

Clang.

It was the sound of coins.

"Of course it is." TCF! Duke Fredo said with a small laugh. 

'Maybe I should prepare lots of money to bribe him to join my side.' he thought as both Clopehs started counting their (together with their household) money to see if they have enough to talk with their god, even for a little while.

Cale looked down at the young priestess.
The priestess raised her head and tried to hand the bag in her hand to Cale.

Clang, clang.
It sounded like coins clanging against each other inside the bag.

The young Elf started to speak.

"It might be old human money, but please take it! Apparently, they are silver coins!"

'Hmm?'

"Here, here! Now!"

The priestess shoved the bag toward Cale and Cale accepted it for now. 

"He doesn't have any plans in rejecting it so I doubt the 'for now' part is needed." TBOAH! Bud said. 

"Exactly." TCF! Jopis agreed. "It would be sufficed to say that Cale accepted it with a smile."

"Do I look that addicted to money?" TCF! Cale asked with a raised brow.

"You don't want to hear the fucking answer." the water immediately said. "But yes, you are."

The priestess then rummaged through her wide sleeves and took out a flat rectangular item as well.

"Here is gold as well! There were no gold coins!"

The young Elf seemed to be panicking.

"...What the hell?"

Cale was shocked and swore without thinking about it. However, the young priestess did not even care about that.

"Pfft." many laughed at TCF! Cale's dumbfounded face as TCF! Alberu silently took out a notebook and wrote the priestess' method.

'I should do that sometimes to make that money-addict lose his annoying smug face.' he thought with a bitter look.

He was definitely not annoyed that he found someone who was more expert than him in using the glib tongue.

In her ten years as a priestess, this was the first time that the World Tree was so scared. The priestess raised the bar of gold back toward Cale and started to speak.

"The World Tree told me to give money to the red-haired person! It told me to give you coins!"

Coins.
There seemed to be a reason she kept saying coins.

'Please understand, please understand, please understand.' the World Tree, who was still hidden, thought with droopy branches as it slightly shivered in fear. 

Cale opened up his left hand.
Crackle, crackle. The Fire of Destruction was still there.
The young priestess urgently started to speak after seeing Cale looking back at her.

"Please take it! Otherwise, the World Tree said everything will burn! There will be a sea of fire!"

Cale started to think.
'Just what did the owner of the Fire of Destruction do?'

"Well~" the fire started with a sing-song voice, only to be muffled by the rock with a piece of bread he got from the shield. 

"We don't need to know." the rock calmly said although his left eye was twitching. He couldn't be blamed, especially because he remembered their past where the fire would never shut up once he started. 

Don't blame the rock for wanting tranquility and peace instead of noise.

The Elf priestess seemed concerned.

"It said you really like coins and that you would go crazy for it!"

'He wasn't just a greedy hero?'
Cale couldn't believe it, but accepted the Elf priestess's gold for now.

"Again, the last two words are useless." TCF! Pen said. 

"Of course he would be like you,"  Eruhaben said with a sigh. "a greedy person to the point of doing anything for money."

"I am not greedy!" the fire yelled indignantly. "I'm practical!"

"I mean, in a way, you are." the wind comforted, feeling pity to the whining fire. 

"What a mess." Adalie sighed in annoyance.