Re:The Worst System Leveling Turned Me Into A Zombie

Chapter 43: Yggdrasil

[System Call: World Tree Secret Quest –

Fruit Of Wisdom:

Climb The World Tree And Pluck A Fruit From Yggdrasil To Claim A System Reward!

Only Those Who Are Willing To Forsake Part Of Themselves Can Ascend!

The Unworthy Will Fall And Be Judged By The Midgard Serpent Jormungandr!]

"I believe that you are capable of reaching the top! Keep going!" Rita interrupts my speed reading and drags my attention back to the critical task at hand. "Don't lose focus!"

"I know!" Speedily, I accept the secret quest and continue no my way. So, this whole time...that thing in the lake was Jormungandr? I've been getting eaten by the World Serpent? The System is Norse? Or is it just borrowing human culture to create this place? Wait...stop thinking! Just climb!

"RAT! I'M COMING FOR YOU!" My ever-present pursuer hasn't given up. He chases me to the very bitter end. Each second, my hands get more and more tired, and Rita's directions begin to seem like they're coming from very far away. We are very high up. Well...by the Underworld's standards anyway. I think I can even hear a phantom wind. The overwhelming cacophony of the rumbling falls has faded away. Now it's just my breathing, Rita's voice, and this damn tree.

"Two more! Just two more branches! Keep climbing!" Rita begs me to finish the job. Even though I know success is so close, my body is just about done. I think bits of my collarbone are beginning to poke out of my skin. It hurts like hellfire every time I move.

"No...no more..." I whisper, closing my eyes. Not that it makes a difference.

"Yes! One more! Just one more! Come on, Hei! Everyone's waiting for you up there!" She guilts me into trying again. "That's it! Just do it for Sierra...and Tepis! We'll be right up there!"

"I'll...try."

Autopilot. That's all it is. Me and my dying body against this bloody tree. The last few handholds are like mountains, when I have to lift myself up, I almost let go just to stop the pain. Please...no more! No more! However, I keep going because Rita tells me the others are waiting for me. She guilt-trips me, insults me, does everything short of smacking me to get me over the top. It works.

My fingers scrabble searching for something I can use to pull myself over the top. There's one giant branch in front of me. Exhausted, I flop onto the top and lay there on my belly like a worm. A supremely hot warmth falls on my face and forearms. It's like being roasted in front of the sun. Does the Underworld have a sun?

"RAAT! HOW DID YOU KNOW THERE WAS A SECRET QUEST HERE!" The high-level moans from somewhere below as I reach the end of the World Tree. He curses profoundly, "THIS WON'T CHANGE ANYTHING! A RAT WILL ALWAYS BE A RAT! JUST WAIT TILL I GET UP THERE!"

"Where are you, Rita?" I call out with the last of my energy. "Sierra? Tepis? You...there?"

"We're all right here, Hei. You just can't see us. But you will in a second. Just finish the quest. The fruit is right in front of you." Rita insists that I do what the System wants. I shake my head. Though my eyes are gone, I think I'm crying. My face feels wet. Maybe it's blood.

"I...I can't. You guys do it. If it's that important." I let my hand drop down onto the branch. "I'm tired...I need a nap..."

"Hei. HEI! No way! You need to finish this...! Ugh, how do I...? Do you want us all to die? If not, get your hands up and take a bite of that goddamn fruit!" Rita's voice grows angrier than I've ever heard it before. I can't remember hearing her speak like that before. It must be important. Maybe...I'll listen...just this once.