Novel Full Chapter 203 : Chapter 203
Chapter 203. They Just Don’t Listen (1)
“So, you’re saying you’ll make all the Elves follow me?”
“Yes. That is correct.”
“How do you know how I’ll treat the Elves? What if I, for example, enslave them, work them to the bone, and do bad things?”
“Go ahead and do so.”
“Pardon?”
To the surprised Patrick, the World Tree spoke calmly.
“I am entrusting them to you, believing in your character. If you were to abuse and exploit my children, then it would mean I misjudged you.”
“Hmm…”
“In return, please promise me one thing.”
“What is it?”
“When the time of choice comes, my children…”
It was then.
Pajik Pijijik!
Cracks appeared in the space where Patrick and the World Tree were.
It was as if something powerful was attacking this space from the outside.
The World Tree’s beautiful face contorted.
And she shouted.
“How dare you, do you know where you are!”
“……”
Simultaneously, an immense power emanated from her body.
Feeling that unapproachable, colossal power up close, Patrick thought.
‘Good thing I didn’t pick a fight.’
He had held back thanks to the opponent backing down submissively, but would he have had a chance of winning if they had fought in the first place?
Honestly, it was questionable.
Just then, the World Tree approached Patrick and extended her hand.
“Please take this.”
“What is this?”
A small light had formed in her hand. And the World Tree said…
“This is to make my children follow you from now on.”
“……”
“I would like to give you a detailed explanation, but there’s no time.”
And she placed the small light in her hand into Patrick’s.
The light melted and seeped into Patrick’s palm.
And just as Patrick was about to say something…
Kwang! Kwaaaang!
The attacks pounding on this world from the outside grew fiercer.
She stared at something visible beyond the cracked fissure and said.
“It was an honor to meet you. I hope you achieve all that you desire…”
“Hey. What in the world…”
“Then, farewell…”
And Patrick was flung out of the world.
The World Tree, left alone, gazed intently in the direction Patrick had flown, then turned her head again.
Kwajijik! Kwajik!
The thing that was attacking the outside finally broke into her world.
It was something made of a sticky mud-like substance.
Its mere existence exuded an aura so foul and sinister it was terrifying.
And it seeped into this world, rapidly flooding and swallowing the space.
The thing, which stained everything black and turbid, attached itself directly to the World Tree, attempting to devour her whole.
The World Tree raised her hand and stared at the black energy clinging to her body. Then she spoke in a cold voice.
“You think you’ve caught your chance, is that it?”
Ki… kikikikiki….
It revealed its will.
It was a thing that made noise with a peculiar sound instead of words, but its intention was clear.
I’ve finally got you.
You’re finished now.
Scream. Entertain me with your pain and despair.
Vile glee and filthy hatred.
All of it was conveyed clearly.
The World Tree gazed intently at that energy.
“I only showed a tiny gap to call him into my world, and you managed not to miss it. Should I call you amazing? Or persistent?”
Kiiiiikikiki… kikikiki….
“But it’s already too late. I have already done what I needed to do. So now, there’s no need to be cautious.”
The pupils disappeared from the World Tree’s eyes.
Becoming white eyes that emitted a white radiance, she began to raise her energy.
An unapproachable dignity began to flow from her body.
“How dare you…”
The purest energy in the world began to overflow from her body.
“I…”
That power resolutely pushed away the black mud that was defiling her world like filthy waste. And…
“Do you know who I am!”
Her energy shot up as if exploding.
Kiiiiiiiiik!
Only then did it scream in agony and struggle. And it hastily tried to flee back to where it came from.
Watching it retreat like a receding tide, the World Tree shouted with dignity.
“Do you think I’ll let you go so easily?!”
And an arrow of light appeared in her hand.
The brilliantly shining arrow was imbued with immense natural energy and glowed sacredly.
Like a candle flame on the verge of extinguishing.
“Go!”
And as she extended her hand, the arrow of light flew across space.
To punish the being that dared to invade her world.
***
“Kraaaargh!”
The man clutched one of his eyes and screamed in pain.
“Venerable Master.”
“Venerable Master, are you alright?”
Then, figures clad in black robes rushed from all directions to check on his condition.
And they were horrified.
“Venerable Master, your eye…”
The eye of the man called Venerable Master was being burned to a crisp.
“Keeuk… Dammit…”
He gritted his teeth and plunged his fingers into his own eye.
Kwajik!
“Keeeeuh…. Aaaaargh!”
Ujik. Ppudeudeuk.
He endured the excruciating pain and gouged out his own eyeball.
And after checking the eyeball he had forcibly removed, he hastily threw it away.
Immediately after…
Peeooong!
The eyeball that had detached from his body exploded.
The Venerable Master’s blood ran cold at the sight.
If he had been a moment later, it wouldn’t have been his eye, but his head that would have been blown off.
“That damn rotten old tree has some nerve.”
He had overcome a brush with death and lost an eye.
But, a corner of the Venerable Master’s mouth lifted.
“In any case, this is the end for the World Tree. A great obstacle to achieving His Lordship’s grand design has been removed.”
“Oh… Ooooh…”
“Finally.”
“Venerable Master, congratulations.”
The surrounding figures exclaimed in great admiration.
And the Venerable Master lifted his face, blood streaming down, and said.
“Everything will proceed according to His Lordship’s plan. The time of glory is not far, so let everyone devote themselves to following Him.”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
An unknown underground temple somewhere on the continent.
This was the place where the most wicked conspiracy on the continent was being plotted.
***
“Haaaaat!”
April, uncharacteristically for her, let out a powerful shout and threw her body forward.
“N-… Nooooo!”
Her sword, which had become a streak of light, struck and sent the head of a terrified Dark Elf flying.
“Hoo… Hoooo…”
That was the seventh one.
Her sword had taken the heads of seven out of the ten Dark Elves.
“Damn it, kill her!”
“Kill that bitch first!”
The Dark Elves charged towards April, who was trying to regulate her ragged breath. But…
“Not a chance!”
“How dare you!”
“Get lost!”
Riman, Matthew, and Isabella desperately blocked those Dark Elves.
None of the three were in good condition.
Their bodies were a mess all over, and Matthew, who was the least skilled, was quite seriously injured.
But Matthew, even in pain that felt like he would collapse at any moment, desperately held his sword and fought back.
His body was a mess right now.
And his opponents were stronger than him.
But…
‘That’s no reason for me to give up.’
Courage is not backing down when fighting a strong opponent.
That was the chivalry Matthew pursued.
Although his skills might be far from enough, to be able to call himself that damn guy’s friend, at the very least, his own beliefs must not be broken.
“Uwaaaaaaaah!”
Matthew fought fiercely, emitting an Aura beyond his skill level.
The wounds inflicted by the Demonic Energy brought a burning pain, but Matthew’s fighting spirit did not die down.
Those who could not just watch the trio’s struggle shouted out.
“What are you all doing? This is our home!”
“Fight. The pride of our race is not proven by words, but by actions.”
“Fiiire!”
The Elves, gaining courage from their struggle, also ignited their fighting spirit and fought back.
It was unlikely that ordinary arrows would work against the Dark Elves, who were clad in Demonic Energy, but they still fought back by shooting their bows.
In this moment, there was no distinction of factions.
There were only those who wanted to show a will that was not shameful in the face of the fighting spirit they were witnessing.
“These damn things…”
Kantaros shouted, filled with malice.
Even small bee stings can bring down a lion if hundreds or thousands of them gather.
With many of their comrades dead, the situation grew worse as the Elves and humans all joined forces and charged as if to kill them.
And crucially…
“Move.”
The blonde human woman, who had caught her breath, took her stance again.
And this time, the target was…
“Noooooo!”
The moment he sensed the flash of light coming, Kantaros pulled a comrade next to him and pushed him in front.
“Uh… wha…”
Seogeok!
That comrade couldn’t even finish his words before his head went flying.
And the one who had sent the head flying stepped on the head of the comrade, which was stained with betrayal and fear, and said.
“Two left now.”
At that sight, Kantaros clutched his chilling heart and muttered.
“You monstrous bitch.”
Her breathing was much more ragged than before.
It seemed that fighting while constantly emitting an Aura Blade had taken a considerable toll on her stamina.
But did that offer a glimmer of hope?
“Dammit, where did such a monster come from…”
No way.
No matter how he looked at it, she seemed to have more than enough strength to fire that damn flash of light a few more times.
April aimed her sword at the screaming Kantaros and took her stance again.
As if he wasn’t even worth talking to.
And just before she launched her sword…
“Hoh, a formidable human.”
A voice was heard from the sky.
“No matter how I look at it, she seems to have far surpassed the 7-star level. To slice through the Demonic Energy emitted by a Dark Elf so easily.”
The one at the source of the voice was a man clad in black clothes with a mask covering his face.
As he appeared, Kantaros shouted loudly.
“He… help me.”
“Help you? Why should I?”
When the opponent calmly retorted, Kantaros said.
“If we just deal with that human girl, we can capture Elione. After that, whether we take her hostage or torture her, we can get to the World Tree…”
“Ah, right. That’s why I approached you.”
The being in the sky chuckled, descended to the ground, and landed.
And he walked towards Kantaros, as if he couldn’t care less about the others.
“Hee… hehehe… Help me. I’m still of use…”
“Not anymore.”
Kwajik!
His hand unhesitatingly plunged into Kantaros’s heart.
“Keoheok…”
Kantaros, with an expression of disbelief, grabbed the opponent’s clothes and hung on, saying.
“Wh… why…?”
“The situation has changed.”
“Wha… what…”
“A thing like you can just die. It was disgusting how you were playing both sides and just testing the waters, so this turned out well. Right?”
“N… no…”
A burst of explosive Demonic Energy erupted from the man’s hand that had pierced Kantaros’s body, incinerating him on the spot.
He betrayed his race.
He betrayed the World Tree.
He betrayed his own pride.
The end of the man who betrayed everything was, ironically, concluded by betrayal.