How to Survive Against Villains Chapter 285

Episode 285 – Invest

The mont Karl reached 5-star, he discovered that he could transform parts of his body into spirit form.

This change ca as his trait, Sense, evolved into Extrasensory Perception, becoming even more refined.

The evolution of extrasensory perception ant he could now feel and perceive things that previously went unnoticed.

If he applied this to his dagger technique, he could probably hit a buzzing fly a hundred paces away by throwing a dagger.

His dagger technique had beco unbelievably sharp.

"Nice!"

With great satisfaction, Karl imagined sothing.

Spirit transformation.

He imagined turning the spirit into thick, long, flowing hair that would flutter stylishly wherever he went.

However—

"Not the arm! I said here, the head!"

Despite pouring his will multiple tis toward his head, the damn spirit ignored his earnest wishes and transford into an arm instead.

Watching him with an exasperated expression, Natasha comnted,

"You idiot, you think you can make hair? You’d need ultra-ultra-extrasensory perception to split a spirit into thousands of strands. Extrasensory perception alone won’t cut it.”

"...Ultra-ultra-extrasensory perception?"

“Maybe when you reach 6-star.”

“...6-star...?”

Karl bit his lip and lowered his head. But only for a mont—

“Screw 6-star!”

With a determined look, he clenched his fist. As he raised his head and shouted, it felt like a solemn vow that he would reach 6-star no matter what.

“Let’s do this! Uaaah!”

A man screaming toward 6-star with both hands raised.

That’s one hell of a motivation, I thought.

I decided to ignore him.

Shaking my head, I turned to check on the other Ghosts.

Natasha was offering Karl various pieces of advice after his 5-star awakening.

She was a long-ti 5-star veteran and a master of spirit arts, so her advice would be useful for Karl, who was handling spirit form now.

I, too, had learned spirit arts.

After their rest, the Ghosts resud their transformation in the Spirit Realm and began training to expand their vessels.

I spent ti giving them advice on spirit-related matters.

A while later, Karl approached .

It seed he had finished his long training and returned for a break.

"When did you get here?"

“It’s been a bit. Congratulations on reaching 5-star.”

“This is just the beginning. My true wish hasn’t been fulfilled yet…”

“You’re greedy. You say 5-star is just the beginning?”

“You don’t understand how I feel.”

I had no desire to understand.

Glancing toward Natasha still standing at the center, Karl smacked his lips and said,

“She gave up on reaching 6-star.”

“You an Lady Natasha?”

“Instead, she seems to be looking for a way to grow her spirit. Do you know anything?”

“Spirit growth, huh...”

Even forcibly expanding the vessel using Gereflam’s spirit wasn’t enough to reach 6-star, it seed.

Just as Reto said, perhaps one would have to beco the king of the Giant Tribe to reach 6-star. Just in case, I asked Reto directly.

[There is also a way through inheritance.]

“Inheritance?”

[You can grow a spirit by inheriting a power related to the spirit.]

Inheritance—it was the first I’d heard of it.

“In Gereflam’s case, that power would relate to the Giant Tribe?”

[It could be the Giant Tribe, or sothing else. It depends on the history the spirit holds.]

“That’s complicated. Does this apply to all Spirits?”

[Yes.]

It was new information.

But it wasn’t sothing that could be used imdiately.

Finding a power that affects the spirit was difficult in itself.

When I told Karl about this, he initially tried to head toward Natasha right away, then stopped and flopped down on the ground.

“Not now. Later, after a bit of rest.”

To get to the center where Natasha was, he’d have to fight the spirit all day long. So he postponed the plan until tomorrow.

Looking down at Karl, I asked,

“Any news from Elton?”

“Oh, right. There was a letter. Said he left Demtor with Samuel. Looks like there’s a bounty.”

“A bounty? On Elton?”

“No, on Samuel Barber. That mustached old guy. Two million gold, apparently. If Greedy Fenry hears, he’ll want to chase that mustache down imdiately.”

Two million gold... From the scale, it seed one of Demtor’s Stars had moved.

Could it be Gram Seraphim?

If Demtor itself placed the bounty, then the Cleaners would begin to act in earnest.

Two million was enough to mobilize even top-tier Cleaners. Samuel must have had no choice but to flee Demtor.

For soone like Samuel, there was only one place left to go in Hell Gri.

Aintrier.

A city free from threat.

It was bad news for Samuel—but great news for .

It ant I might et him sooner than expected.

“We need to hurry Elton and the missing Ghosts back. This training here is an opportunity for the Ghosts. They have to do it.”

“You’re right.”

“And the Spirit Realm won’t vanish, will it?”

“Unless sothing unexpected happens, it should remain. But there’s always that one-in-a-million chance. Best to move fast.”

Since Karl reached 5-star, Elton should be able to as well.

The stronger the Ghosts beca, the more it would help Hunt. As soon as I arrived in Aintrier, I would have to find Samuel.

“So, when are we leaving?”

“When preparations are complete.”

“We’re more or less ready. Lochter said he’ll only take useful people. Any other preparations left?”

I nodded.

“We still need the Grand Barrier.”

“Oh, right. The Grand Barrier. How long will that take?”

The safety of the World Tree had to be secured with the Grand Barrier before Hunt’s elite could leave their posts.

According to Lily, it would take over a week—but she wasn’t exactly trustworthy.

Vhuuuung!

Right after parting ways with Karl, around sunset, the entire atmosphere began to vibrate.

I rushed outside and headed to the World Tree. There, I saw witches holding hands, stretched in a circle around the tree.

All the witches had encircled the pillar-like trunk of the World Tree.

They stood with eyes closed, chanting in a low, calming tone.

Woooooo—woooo—

It sounded like humming or the strands of a soft, low lody.

As the witches' chanting spread in all directions, the World Tree began to shine brightly.

Darkness retreated, and a world of green unfolded.

“You’ve arrived?”

“Elder deia.”

The Elder smiled as she saw .

She looked exhausted, probably from sleepless nights preparing the Grand Barrier.

Gazing at the chanting World Tree, she said,

“This is the Grand Barrier we decided upon after much deliberation.”

“What kind of abilities does it have?”

“Think of it as a massive shield made from spells.”

“A shield? Just for defense?”

For a barrier from witches skilled in curses, it felt too simple. Elder deia gave a bitter smile and nodded.

“I’d like to embed powerful curses, but many are flowing into the World Tree now. If we used a harmful barrier, it’d be no different from the old Ghost Forest.”

“Ah…”

“Fenry said sothing—‘We must change to survive.’”

Her goal was to strengthen the World Tree by drawing in many different races.

She didn’t allow the World Tree to be hidden from the world or to block the paths leading to it.

Because of her firm stance, the witches seed to abandon their forr isolationist ways.

It was a positive change.

Though I was a bit concerned—could a single shield really suffice?

“If it breaks, we’re in danger.”

“We narrowed the barrier’s range as much as possible. It was designed to be extrely sturdy when activated. Even if Demtor’s Stars show up, it’ll hold for several days.”

That should be enough.

Tobaron would provide reinforcents within a few days, after all.

Then,

FLASH!!!

My vision filled with green light.

I winced at the brightness. When I opened my eyes again, I saw a massive green barrier surrounding .

Turning my head, I examined the enormous shield enclosing the World Tree.

A massive green shield enclosing the World Tree.

Its range extended out to a 10-kiloter radius.

Everyone ca outside to witness the spectacle.

Elder deia slowly turned and looked at the barrier, then nodded in satisfaction.

It seed the Grand Barrier was functioning properly.

Her sleepless nights setting up the barrier had paid off.

“Cordy and I will manage the activation and deactivation. To maintain the barrier, two Dortas witches’ spiritual power must always be sustained.”

With a faint smile, Elder deia looked at , and I asked softly,

“Don’t you wonder about the outside world? You’ll have to stay here forever…”

“For , this is the outside world.”

She pointed to the small forest surrounding the World Tree. Elves and dwarves were building a village together.

Nearby, Lochter was ruthlessly working the humans.

It was noisy and chaotic.

In a peaceful way.

“New people will keep coming and going. This place will change a lot. It won’t be like the old Ordor Forest. It won’t belong to just the witches anymore.”

“We’re content just listening to the stories of the newcors.”

“Please take care of the World Tree.”

“And take care of , too.”

“Huh?”

A mont of silence.

Then the massive green barrier faded and disappeared into thin air.

The barrier had been deactivated.

The Elder slowly turned her eyes from the World Tree and looked at .

“You know Lily’s divine record has changed, right?”

“You an the Calamity disappeared?”

“Her fate has changed. I think it’s because of you. Just as you changed the witches’ fate.”

“Lily is still young. She doesn’t know much of the world.”

“But she’s clever and quick-witted.”

“I know. That’s why she’s a handful. Her laziness doesn’t help either.”

“About that laziness—do you know of a way to handle it?”

“Dealing with troublemakers, you an?”

deia furrowed her brow in thought, then whispered to ,

“She’s the kind of child who gives sothing when she gets sothing. Use that wisely.”

Give-and-take.

I had never really thought about it, but I should try it with her.

It was sothing I needed to do, since we’d be working together from now on.

“When will you leave?”

“Since preparations are complete, I plan to leave tomorrow.”

“Then the World Tree will be a bit quieter.”

With a smile, deia slowly walked back toward the World Tree.

The next morning, I gathered the Hunt and recruited those who would go to Aintrier.

While Lochter and Karl busily selected companions, I went alone to see Fenry.

“What? You’re asking for money? Not a loan?”

“Twenty percent interest per month is what a scamr would demand. Just give it to .”

“…This guy…”

Fenry let out a hollow laugh and blew a puff of smoke at from his long pipe.

“You still don’t get it? I told you—I’ve got no money.”

“Then you need to grow your money.”

“Grow it?”

“Yes. Big ti.”

At the words “grow it big,” Fenry uncrossed his legs and straightened his posture.

Ever since Blue Rose shut down, his money supply had been cut off. Though he had stashed away a decent fortune, he couldn’t rely on that forever.

He had been looking for a way to grow his money, and now Arthur had scratched that itch.

“So what do you want in return?”

“Invest.”

“Invest?”

I grinned widely.

Second round with Greedy Chaser.

This ti, I won’t lose.