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Chapter 217
The mucous creatures that had attacked this place no longer poured in.
It was as if the World Tree was protecting this area, extending its roots to seal the gaps.
Right. Now that I've bought us so ti by treating it, you're willing to help out? That would be nice.
“Librarian. The Red Moon?”
[It has not been confird.]
“Then how do you explain this? No matter how I look at it, the unpleasant feeling from that sli is exactly the sa as that Red Moon bastard.”
[Sothing that should not exist under normal circumstances. However, considering the current situation, there is only one explanation.]
That bastard said it was already too late.
“You an he’s already crossed over?”
[He probably didn’t manage to cross over entirely. But it’s certain that part of him has taken root sowhere on this land.]
“And you couldn’t find it?”
[I’m sorry.]
A short apology.
Of course, I wasn’t planning to berate it further.
Having co into contact with him directly, I knew just how dangerous he was.
Leaving the chamber deep within the World Tree's roots, I erged into the outside world, where thunderous roars, blazing fires, and sli that seed alive squird everywhere.
Shriiik!
Just then, a lump of sli lurking nearby lunged at a fleeing elf girl.
An elf who hadn’t made it to safety yet.
“Kyaaah!!”
Terrified, the elf tripped and fell, and the sli, lting everything it touched, pounced on her.
“No!!”
The elf guards who had followed tried to react quickly, but it was too late to intervene.
I reached one hand into the air.
Those sli-type creatures are a poor match for swords.
Even if you slash them, it’s inefficient to deal with every piece that scatters.
Slis have a viscous, fluid-like form.
The most effective magic would normally be fire, but...
Given how they’re crawling out of burning houses without a care, fire clearly isn’t the answer.
Then I had no choice but to push forward with what I was best at.
[7th Circle Lightning Magic]
[Astrapē – Spear of the Thunder God]
Crackkkk!!
Mana is sothing I have in abundance.
What I excel at is precise control of magic.
A golden lightning spear flew in an instant and struck the massive sli blob, imdiately causing a chemical reaction.
Its gelatinous body burned black, stiffened, and shrank.
Exposed to the intense lightning that montarily lit up the surroundings, the sli hardened completely into a solid lump.
“Ah… ahh…”
The terrified elf girl stood frozen, trembling violently.
“What are you doing? Get her to safety.”
“Th-that spell just now… what was that…”
“First ti seeing magic?”
Their eyes—no, their question wasn’t about that.
I could feel it: What the hell is this guy?
Fortunately, the sli assault had paused for now.
The elves were frantically putting out fires and cleaning up the ss.
I had a general idea of where the Demon Tree was located, but the forest had many areas resembling what the World Tree had shown .
So I had to ask the elves, who knew this forest well.
I went straight to the building housing the elven command.
The guards at the entrance eyed with so suspicion but allowed inside without a word.
“Damn it… ever since that human arrived, the slis attacked.”
“Could he have summoned them? He says he’s treating the World Tree, but there’s been no visible change.”
A natural suspicion.
The attack occurred the mont I started the treatnt.
Objectively, it could be seen as the Demon Tree reacting to a threat.
But as far as I know, the Demon Tree doesn’t have the ability to control these slis.
The culprits are likely the pulsating sli blobs near the Demon Tree.
The Red Moon.
A presence that is sinister by its very nature.
There’s no way the elves would know about it.
As I entered, cold glares were cast in my direction.
“Lord Leon. What about the World Tree’s treatnt…”
“I’m still treating it. As long as the sword remains embedded, it’s stable. I only left because of a possible variable that needed to be checked.”
Then, one of the elf elders pointed at angrily.
“Answer clearly! Are you connected to the attacks by these monstrous slis or not!!”
They clearly believed I had done sothing reckless with the World Tree, causing all this.
So I asked in return.
“The Demon Tree isn’t stupid. If soone interferes with its al, of course it’d be enraged.”
“Nonsense! No record ntions the Demon Tree being capable of this! You must have tampered with sothing—!”
“What are you saying! You know full well how absurd that sounds!”
At Ocelon’s outburst, the shouting elder fell silent.
His clenched, trembling fists told everything—he knew, but the chaos of the situation was clouding his judgnt.
“You’re right. The Demon Tree can’t do this.”
I stepped forward slowly.
“But one thing is certain—it’s weakening the World Tree’s power.”
“What do you an?”
It was Lord Ocelon who asked.
“Even if the Demon Tree is naturally hostile to the World Tree, the way the World Tree is being overrun so easily is abnormal.”
“Then what do you think the cause is, Lord?”
“Sothing is working with the Demon Tree. That sothing is interfering with the World Tree’s healing. In fact, while I was performing the treatnt earlier, I made contact with the World Tree.”
I described the surrounding scenery shown to by the World Tree.
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“Is there a place in this forest that matches that description?”
The elves fell silent, swallowing hard at my question.
Then, Lord Romila, who was wrapping a bandage around a wound on his arm, quietly answered.
“There are only three locations in this forest that match what you described.”
He had previously shown strong distrust toward , but now his attitude had changed slightly.
Why?
[That elf witnessed you saving the young elf girl just now.]
"Just because of that?"
[Based on all known data, no being with malicious intent has ever saved a child.]
‘I can't understand. The way pointy-ears think.’
"So you're saying it's one of them. The sli attacks will likely start again. Stopping them is top priority, but rather than fending off each one, eliminating the source would be more efficient."
"Then…"
"Let’s do this. The slis will co again. Maybe not just slis—other things might charge in as well. So you all stay here and defend this place and the deep root area."
With the full elven force, they should be able to hold out.
"And what do you plan to do, young lord?"
"Just give a guide. I’ll remove the cause."
"Nonsense! Healing the World Tree might be possible thanks to the power of that mysterious sword, but you’re still just a young human! A child like you thinks you can defeat the mastermind controlling those monsters?! It’d be better if we handled that—while you focused solely on healing…"
KUUUUUNG!!!
Before a conclusion could be reached, another booming sound rang out.
Startled, everyone rushed outside and gasped as they opened their eyes wide in disbelief.
"Wha… what is that…"
"Aren’t those the wild beasts of the Great Forest? But what’s wrong with them…"
Charging toward the elven city were slis and wild animals.
But they were no ordinary beasts.
Twisted forms, with grotesque sli masses pulsing and clinging to parts of their bodies.
They were beginning to radiate imnse energy.
Perhaps they were drawing power from the corrupted World Tree.
"Everyone! Prepare for battle!!"
At Ocelon’s shout, the elven guards quickly mounted the massive walls surrounding the city.
But their tense standoff was soon shattered by what appeared behind the monstrous horde.
"W-What in the world is that…"
THUD!!! THUD!!!
Behind the swarm of slis and beasts ca sothing massive.
A gigantic sli golem, at least 30 ters tall.
Its body made entirely of pulsating sli, its grotesque appearance stirred instinctive revulsion, and fear spread across the elves’ faces.
"What is that thing… Oh, Mother World Tree…"
No one knew how it was created, but one thing was certain: the elves couldn't stop it in a short ti.
The colossal sli monster’s flesh began to split open, revealing horrifying, distorted eyes.
And then—
BZZZZZ…
A deep hum filled the air as it fired a beam, like a breath weapon, directly at the elven city.
ZZZAAAANG!!!
The elven forest existed under the protection of the World Tree.
Perhaps because of that, even as it withered from corruption, light flowed from the World Tree’s trunk, forming a massive barrier that blocked the beam.
"It’s the power of the World Tree!"
"It’s holding off the attack!!"
The barrier ford from the World Tree’s mysterious power looked impressive at first glance—but to , it seed like a desperate last stand.
The World Tree was barely holding on.
It looked like it was holding strong, but…
"The barrier’s breaking!!"
"No way!"
The breath wasn’t strong—the World Tree had grown weak.
Too weak to even block a single breath.
That’s probably why it allowed the sli’s advance.
"Lord Ocelon."
I spoke to Ocelon Bel Trigard, who stared blankly at the cracking barrier.
"Please assign a guide."
"Young lord! Are you still saying that? The outside is too dangerous right now! What do you think you can do alone…"
Ignoring his outburst, I raised my hand.
"This might feel unpleasant. My apologies in advance."
My calm voice reached not just Ocelon but all the high elves and elders gathered nearby.
[All units, assemble.]
Elves might abhor necromancers—but who has ti for that in a situation like this?
At my command, shapes began to erge from the dense shadows surrounding us.
Nurous ghost-type undead.
All the undead I had kept stored instead of feeding to Muyeong, Death Knight, or Baril—were now rising.
I should’ve prepared even more for a mont like this.
"Hrrk?!"
"U…Undead?!"
As the undead rose, exuding eerie energy, a massive shadow wolf erged from my own shadow and let out a low growl behind .
Then—
A giant black arm reached out from the darkness, and a towering presence began to climb out.
"H-Huh?!"
"A…A dragonkin?! Why is there a dragonkin here?!"
Ignoring their shocked cries, I gave a simple order:
"Baril. Bite that big one."
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