Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 5] Chapter 318

[Vol. 5] Chapter 318: Beyond Time, the World Tree

In the Sarnos Province, within the eastern primal forest, beneath the towering verdant divine trees that shrouded the sky and the blood-red horizon.

Within the sacred golden barrier, three holy artifacts intertwined and spun together, radiating an unprecedented brilliance.

This radiance did not form any magical runes, arrays, or patterns. Instead, it transformed into pure [Light], spreading toward the sky, the earth, and infinitely into the distance, permeating the entire world.

In a single thought, all things are born, and all things perish.

When she reopened her eyes, the surroundings had already changed.

“Where is this…?”

Philomena looked around in confusion, only to find herself surrounded by a bright void, as though submerged in an ocean of light or drifting above the heavens. The demons and angels that had been fiercely battling moments ago had completely vanished.

Only the presence known as the [Three Saintesses] remained.

“So, this is… the transformation that occurs after gathering the power of the three holy artifacts and initiating the [Holy Ritual]?”

Frederica’s expression reflected a mix of curiosity and solemnity, coupled with a hint of caution befitting someone stepping into the unknown. Instinctively, she reached for the hilt of her sword at her waist, intending to draw it, only to realize that it was no longer there.

The three holy artifacts used to perform the ritual, the [Crownless Crown], the [Judgment Holy Sword], and the [Ring of Salvation], had vanished from sight.

Only Yuna, as though having anticipated this moment, wore a knowing smile, a mix of relief and satisfaction, as if a burden had finally lifted.

“At last… I’ve finally returned to this place. This realm of existence and nonexistence, beyond the confines of causality, the sacred domain where the [Primordial Artifact] was born… the [River of Time].”

“The… River of Time?”

A voice of doubt echoed nearby, but the Bright Light Saintess nodded gently, offering no further explanation.

“Follow me. [It] has been awaiting our audience. You are all descendants blessed by [Its] grace. Here, you should be able to hear [Its Voice].”

The three Saintesses walked slowly along the river of light, which seemed like a void. The shimmering reflections beneath their feet rippled outward, while the surrounding scenery blurred by like streaking meteors. Indistinct figures, impossible to discern, continuously swept past on either side.

The sensation was akin to riding a heavenly steed at incredible speed, as if the beings able to traverse this place had long transcended the mortal world.

As they moved forward step by step, Philomena finally couldn’t suppress her curiosity and spoke.

“Um… Lady Yuna, what exactly *is* the [River of Time]? If we spend too much time dawdling here, the battlefield outside…”

Before Yuna, who was leading the way, could respond, the Judgment Saintess, Frederica, interrupted with a calm but firm voice.

“Don’t worry too much, Lady Philomena. If this place truly is the [River of Time], then, if my guess is correct, we are currently in a state of complete stasis relative to the real world.”

“In other words, you could think of it as the time in the outside world being entirely paused. Whatever was happening when we entered will likely remain the same when we leave… or perhaps, it could be entirely different. Here, we are beyond the flow of time.”

“Do you recall… the ancient description passed down through the generations of the three divine descendants, about receiving the holy artifacts and blessings?”

“This… could it be…!”

Philomena’s question remained unfinished. In the next instant, all three Saintesses suddenly froze in place.

An unprecedented sense of holiness, as though they had witnessed the ultimate truth of the universe, filled every corner of their hearts with awe and enlightenment.

They saw [It].

A tree.

A tree, lush and vibrant.

A tree, ancient and eternal.

A tree, brimming with wonder and hope.

It was a tree that existed yet did not exist.

It was a tree made of [Light].

Its form stood at the distant edge of time and space, grander than the world itself, yet seemingly within reach. Its trunk and branches shimmered beyond the bounds of causality, casting forth a luminous river of stars. Those countless stars filling the heavens seemed to be nothing more than the faint radiance it gently scattered.

The Saintess known as the [Bright Light] knelt in reverence. She trembled, wept, and yet seemed consumed by ecstasy. Prayers poured forth from her lips, transforming into the most devout praises.

“…Great and exalted Primordial Light, I praise Your name.”

“You are the embodiment of dawn and hope…”

“You are the first ray of light in the world, the master of all that is beautiful and bright…”

“A child burdened with sin offers You their earnest prayer…”

“Please, once again, let the holy light descend upon me, dispel evil, and cleanse my heart…”

“To see You again at last… The incarnation of the Primordial Light, the ultimate creator of all things, my Mother… the holiest and most magnificent—[Tree of Creation]!”

“Please forgive us, correct the errors, and grant light to the world once more…”

The Saintess, born of the holy artifact’s spirit, prostrated herself deeply, her form nearly merging with the rippling surface of the luminous river.

She sobbed, her cries echoing freely. This was a fragile and unthinkable sight that no one had ever seen before. Yet Yuna seemed entirely unmoved, her gaze fixed solely on the supreme and sacred [Tree].

At some point, Philomena and Frederica had also knelt with utmost reverence, their faces etched with devotion.

There was no need for doubt, no need for explanation. The moment they “saw” it, the ancestral bloodline within them revealed everything.

“O Supreme Primordial Light, please correct the errors and grant light to the world once more!”

“Sha… shasha…”

The luminous outline of the [Tree of Creation] swayed beyond the bounds of time and space, sending forth ripples that could not be described as mere “sound.” An intention beyond thought resonated, spreading across the [River of Time].

Three orbs of light descended from the tree’s branches, floating before the three Saintesses.

They took the forms of a crown, a longsword, and a circular ring.

Endless light cascaded from the [Tree of Creation], pouring into the three holy artifacts, making their radiance ever more brilliant. Their aura surged forth like an unstoppable torrent.

The seals and imperfections once placed on these artifacts by the [Tree of Creation] itself were now being undone, dissolved by the power of devout prayers and wishes.

And in the instant the seals were completely lifted…

The three artifacts intertwined once more, ascending into the sky above the River of Time. They merged into a single entity, undergoing an extraordinary transformation!

“BZZZZZ!!!!”

The true primordial artifact, the fruit of the [Tree of Creation], descended before its supplicants.

It was a sword.

Using the [Judgment Holy Sword] as its base, the [Ring of Salvation] embedded into its hilt, and the [Crownless Crown] fragmented into star-like scales of light, bestowing upon the sword supreme holy power and authority.

This was the answer granted by the [Tree of Creation].

As the embodiment of existence and nonexistence, the [Tree of Creation] existed beyond the constraints of causality and outside the flow of time. Omniscient and omnipotent, it could not directly intervene in any “reality”.

Instead, it granted strength and guidance to those who prayed, enabling them to cut through the veils of error and bloodshed.

However, such immense power required a worthy wielder.

And so, a young girl’s voice, ethereal and otherworldly, emerged from the [Tree of Creation]. It expressed the will resonated beyond time.

[Bearer of the Sword… take the [Sword of Origin] into your hand.]