Chapter 201
“What a disaster. Who could have imagined something like this would happen to Sefirot merely months ago?” said a man with eyes as red as rubies, pale skin, and lips red as if he had put on lipstick.
Sharp fangs glinted each time the sly man opened his mouth.
“It appears you deeply trust the Sēmen for you to come here, Scourgify,” said Keter.
Their wooden, expressionless face on the wall of Cherec, a space covered in emerald light and a golden light shining down from above, stared fixedly at the man.
“Not at all. I am not as moronic as Consul Volkanu. I would never come to my own deathbed,” Scourgify responded.
“Oh? Then where is your trust placed? Don’t tell me it’s Consanguineus. The likes of Haema Sanguis could never handle me.”
Scourgify, a vampire consul, smiled and said, “Even the infamous Ninth Fiend pales in comparison to the Fifth Lord. I have come carrying the message of the First Lord, Master Grandis.”
Even one as powerful as Keter was forced to remain silent. The First Lord, Grandis, was the Guardian Titan who had formed the Sēmen and rallied the self-centered Ten Lords and Fiends. His name carried special meaning even among the Ten Lords and Fiends.
“Phew, it appears you intend to spare me now,” Scourgify remarked, pretending to wipe sweat from his forehead.
Keter said stiffly, “Give me Grandis’s message.”
“Well, then. So that my words do not distort his message, please excuse me... Ahem.” Scourgify cleared his throat and relayed the original message. “Keter. I have been minimizing intervention, taking into account the fact that the World Tree’s rampage was not your intention. However, I can only stop the Ten Lords and Fiends from getting involved for so long.”
“Grandis... As I’d thought, he knew.”
Keter had expected it from the Sēmen’s passive measures.
Scourgify continued, “Resolve this issue as quickly as possible. If you provide any further justification for the Sēmen to act, the situation will be beyond my control. Elves are an important force in the Mirror World. I do not wish to lose them... That is all.” He bowed deeply after relaying the message.
“Justification, huh?” Keter mumbled.
They then felt the vibrations and heard faint noises from outside. The barrier had been broken. However, they were not worried in the slightest about the invasion; if the invaders were after the World Tree, their deaths would be inevitable.
However, the problem came after that. The Ten Lords and Fiends would use the deaths of their subordinates as justification to intervene in the matter. If that were to happen, even Sefirot would suffer tremendous harm.
And if the World Tree were to be damaged in the process... Keter trailed off in their thoughts.
Not only would their power be reduced, but the elves would be forced to the sidelines, never able to become one of the Mirror World’s major races ever again. It would be a horrendous tragedy.
Dammit, all because of one insane demon.
“Master Keter, this is just me monologuing... Ahem!” Scourgify examined Keter cautiously and continued, “Oh! Perhaps Master Haema Sanguis, the Progenitor, may be able to stop the World Tree’s rampage.”
Keter snorted and instantly replied, “Keh, forget it. It’s clear as day what the Ninth Fiend wants.”
There were several famous drain-type race skills. The most famous ones were the dragons’ Mana Drain and the vampires’ Blood Drain. Haema Sanguis, the master of Blood Drain, would naturally have a great interest in the World Tree’s absorptive capabilities.
It’s far better to negotiate with docile bunnies than to bring a bloodthirsty hyena.
They needed the method that the humans claimed to have. The situation had grown far worse than they had expected.
“Oh... you must have heard me talking to myself. Ahem. Well, then... Could you let me out?”
Keter hesitated momentarily and remarked, “Very well. I will spare you, so tell Grandis to keep a good eye on that flighty Curiositas.”
Scourgiify vanished from Cherec with a flash of bright light.
“Second Fiend... What is your aim?” Keter’s voice echoed inside the vast space.
The Fruit had been temptingly borne, and they had been on full guard with the mind that Curiositas could come at any moment. It was why they had not set one foot outside Cherec despite their subordinates’ resentment skyrocketing. However, not only had Curiositas not shown himself, but enemies had invaded the elves' front yard.
They could not remain silent any longer. The best way was to stop the World Tree’s rampage, which would end the Lumber the World Tree world quest, eliminating justification for their invasion.
“I have no choice but to call Lee Kang-San.”
They had taken a massively long detour to a nearby destination. Everything had been because they had underestimated the Tortoise Emperor.
***
Arf! Arf!
A stupid-looking white dog trotted around the somberly reddish Domen.
“Are you sure we can trust that dog?” Kang-San asked as he stared distrustfully at the white dog taking the lead.
Seong-Hwi smiled and replied, “Its appearance aside, it has never once disappointed me.”
The dog at the front of the group was the Foolish Dog, symbolizing a guide to fortune. After regrouping with Kang-San, Seong-Hwi had embodied the symbol to find the portal leading to the floor above. Hence, countless individuals were simply following a white dog, energetically running around.
“That aside... the sounds stopped,” Kang-San said.
“Keke, the barrier must have been broken. I never thought I’d live to see the day,” Ozenta remarked as he cackled.
The faint noises and vibrations had died down, but it was merely the calm before the storm.
He continued, “Now... Sefirot will take full-scale action. I would imagine the ones inside will pour out into the outer village.”
He could imagine a disorderly warzone full of bloodshed. Countless elves would die to protect the World Tree.
“This tree gave birth to the elves, and now, she will end the elves...” Ozenta mumbled remorsefully.
“Hm?” Kang-San’s brow furrowed, detecting something from afar. “Seong-Hwi, search that area.”
“Okay,” Seong-Hwi replied, also sensing faint presences in the same direction, and activated a skill.
[Activating Unique Skill: Symbol Embodiment.]
[Observer’s Earring, one of the symbols of No.9 The Hermit]
A gold hoop earring appeared on Seong-Hwi’s right ear. His field of view changed to third-person, and he observed the surroundings as if he were a bird flying in the sky.
That’s... he trailed off.
As he was scanning the somberly reddish terrain, he saw a fully geared elf army numbering roughly five thousand. In the center of their formation was a portal made of blue light. He was certain it was the portal they had been looking for. Just then, six high elves at the forefront detected a suspicious flow of mana.
“Hm?”
“What’s that?”
Seong-Hwi immediately canceled the embodiment of the Observer’s Earring and returned to his original field of view.
He turned to Kang-San and said, “I have good news and bad news.”
“Let’s start with the good news,” Kang-San replied.
“The Foolish Dog was heading in the right direction. There is a portal up ahead, and I’m guessing it’s the one that leads to the upper floor.”
The eyes of the scrawny elves filled with hope.
“Wow!”
“Finally!”
“We can escape once we reach Qetseb!”
However, Ozenta’s eyes remained serious as he stared at Seong-Hwi and asked, “Keke, and the bad news?”
“An elf army numbering around five thousand is guarding the portal. Six skilled individuals stand out among them. They are likely the high elves who have been pursuing you, Lee Kang-San.”
Kang-San clicked his tongue and said, “I see... It’s difficult to find me in this vast space, so they’ve just been guarding the exit. How clever of them.”
If they were forces Sefirot had sent to capture him, they would be by no means easy opponents.
“What do you want to do? We outnumber them,” Seong-Hwi asked as he looked back at the elves behind him.
Kang-San had rescued roughly ten thousand elves by himself, and they had rescued ten thousand more while on their way here, so twenty thousand in total. However, not only were they severely weakened, but their enemies were a fully geared elite force. Casualties would skyrocket if a battle were to break out.
We outnumber the enemies, four to one. We could use these elves as bait and jump into the portal while the enemies are preoccupied, Seong-Hwi thought about the easiest and most effective method.
The only thing important to him was humanity; he couldn’t care less about the betterment of elves.
As Seong-Hwi thought about the best way to make them fight, Kang-San said, “If the enemies have set up a camp, then I suppose we have no choice but to set one up for ourselves here.”
“What?” Seong-Hwi said, staring at Kang-San perplexedly, and Kang-San looked back at him as if asking what the problem was.
Seong-Hwi got close to Kang-San and whispered, “What are you doing? Why take the long way around when the easy path is right in front of us?”
“What? Were you thinking of using them as bait and going up to Qetseb by ourselves?”
“Isn’t that the best way? Who knows how long the disorder outside will last?”
“I would’ve thought the same thing in the past.” Kang-San smiled and continued, “You said you had prepared several measures, right, Junior? I’m sure the commotion outside is your doing.”
“So?”
“Thanks to that, Keter has been forced to choose much earlier than expected. They’ll either choose to negotiate with us or start an all-out war.”
Seong-Hwi nodded. He had used Wang Chen’s desperation and incited the detainees in the detainment zone using Tae-Jin and Tigrinus for that purpose.
“If Ozenta is right, then it means Keter started the World Tree’s rampage on purpose, but you don’t think so, right?” Kang-San asked.
“Yes,” Seong-Hwi answered with certainty.
In his past life, Keter had negotiated with Orbis. Seong-Hwi was certain Keter desired to stop the World Tree’s rampage.
“That’s what we’ll gamble on. If Keter made the World Tree go rampant on purpose, they would have already considered war before doing something that extreme, but if it hadn’t been on purpose, they would try to negotiate with us.” Kang-San turned to look at the elves and continued, “If the prideful Fifth Lord gives in first, it would mean they are willing to give whatever they can. That way, we can absorb everyone here.”
“Are you suggesting... We have these elves join the Union?” Seong-Hwi asked.
Kang-San shook his head. “No. The Union is a coalition of humans. Instead, we’ll raise them as a third party and accept them into Underground. How does that sound?”
Only humans and dwarves were currently a part of Underground, but that would change if elves who had become independent from Sefirot were to join.
Seong-Hwi thought momentarily and smiled. “I see. I’m learning a lot from you.”
“Hahaha! Is your respect for your senior skyrocketing?”
Seong-Hwi nodded as he stared at the laughing Kang-San and remarked, “I’m sure Keter would find these elves who disrupt the order of Elvenheim a bother, too.”
“Exactly. If our plan isn’t to escape right this instant, nothing would change even if we went up to Qetseb. What’s important is to figure out whether Keter has any intention of negotiating with us.”
“So, we’re burning our bridges. If we win, we would profit immensely, but if we lose... Do you trust my word over Ozenta’s? You already got burned once for trusting me.”
Kang-San tickled Kang-Il on his shoulder and replied leisurely, “Compared to everything I’ve gone through in life, I don’t even consider that kind of trouble hot. It was lukewarm at best.”
“Keter was lukewarm? You’ve got some guts.”
“Haha! I suppose I do. Besides, of course, I would trust a fellow human over an elf. I trust you, Junior. Even more so since both our lives are on the line this time.”
Seong-Hwi smirked, delighted that Kang-San still trusted him, and thought, I must take even more thorough action from now on!
As he hardened his resolve, Kang-San asked, “Let’s avoid battle. After all, they’re now precious forces of Underground, right?”
“In that case, shall we stop our march here and go rescue some more unfortunate elves?” Seong-Hwi suggested.
“Sounds good to me.”
Seong-Hwi and Kang-San exchanged glances and smiled.
Seeing that, Ozenta’s heart beat nervously as he mumbled, “What are they whispering about?”
Radix, crossing his arms beside Ozenta, said to him, “You’d better watch out. If you underestimate humans... You’ll end up sorry for it.”
It was a warning from someone who had ended up as the Cecil Hotel’s front manager because GM had led him around by the nose.
***
“Masters! The criminals gathered up ahead have scattered and are freeing more criminals!” an elf reported as they dashed toward the six high elves.
They were no ordinary high elves—they were the leaders of the bloodlines who had pursued Kang-San to Domen.
“See?! I told you! He’s gathering forces to attack us!” shouted a muscular elf whose hands were twice as big as those of the others. He was Kaf, one of the twenty-two superior bloodlines.
“Hmph, it doesn’t matter how many of those scrawny weaklings he gathers. We can just wipe them all out,” answered a male elf decorated with yellowish brown gems. He was Gimel, also one of the superior bloodlines.
Kaf laughed as he clapped thunderously. “Hahah! That’s true. In that case, let’s wipe them out before they gather even more!”
“But our objective is the Tortoise Emperor, not the criminals of Domen,” the blond Hod opposed.
An old elf holding a bent cane glanced at Hod and said, “You are too sentimental, Hod. Are you looking out for the likes of manure? How unbefitting of a Sefirah.” She was Lamed, also one of the superior bloodlines.
Hod turned to her and replied, “That is not what I meant, Master Lamed. We’ve made this place a stronghold and prepared extensively to capture Lee Kang-San here, but you want to abandon it?”
An elf who looked like a mischievous boy agreed, “Master Hod has a point. Wow! What a terrifying monster.”
He was Ayin, also one of the twenty-two superior bloodlines. His Veritas Oculus shone with an emerald light, looking into the Tortoise Emperor from afar, sensing his mana and caliber.
He continued, “As you’d expect from a World Ranker! Master Chokmah, Master Gevurah, or Master Netzach might have to assist us!”
“They cannot. They are busy stopping the foreign invasion.” Binah, the middle-aged female elf with short, brown hair and brown eyes, dismissed Ayin’s suggestion.
She placed her hand over her chest and felt it pounding rapidly.
What’s going on? Why is my heart beating so fast?
She did not know why, but she was uneasy. She had not felt this way since her father went missing one day and was suddenly appointed to his position.
Calm down. I am the overseer of this operation! Binah suppressed her unease and organized her thoughts. Should we attack now, as Kaf suggested? The more time passes, the more their number will rise. However, we’ll have to abandon all the traps we had set up here.
They had two Sefirah and four leaders of superior bloodlines. She, Hod, Kaf, and Gimel were Spare Rankers, and Lamed and Ayin were upper Rankers.
All of us combined should be strong enough to defeat an eighty-eighth World Ranker!
Their forces, numbering five thousand, would stop Domen’s criminals while the six masters defeated the Tortoise Emperor. There would be far more sacrifices from going to the Tortoise Emperor instead of luring him here, but there was no other choice.
“We cannot wait any longer. All forces—”
A dark light flashed as Binah was about to relay the command to charge, and a portal was generated. A beautiful female elf with turquoise hair and eyes walked out of the portal, holding a golden longbow in her left hand. She was Lilicia, the woman who had helped Seong-Hwi back in Ferrum.
“Dalet?” Binah said.
The female elf shook her head and smiled. “I can’t even remember how many times I’ve told you this, but my name is Lilicia. Dalet is my house title.”
“Have you come as reinforcement? We are more than enough to defeat the Tortoise Emperor. I’d rather not share our achievements with Dalet,” Gimel said as he narrowed his eyes.
Lilicia snorted and replied, “Oh, Gimel, you vulgar camel. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t assume all elves are starved for achievements like you are.”
“What’d you say to me?”
“And what was that? You’ll defeat the Tortoise Emperor? Hah! You wouldn’t be able to say something like that if you had seen him fighting in Ferrum. You’re repeating the same mistake Master Keter had made. You’re underestimating him, Gimel, you idiot.”
Gimel ripped off one of the gems embedded in his clothes and smiled chillingly. The gem was amber, formed from the fossilization of tree resin.
“You’re... begging me to kill you, right? What a shame. It appears the twenty-two superior bloodlines will be reduced to twenty-one—Huh?”
Gimel was about to activate a skill when Lilicia pulled out an emerald branch from her pocket, its smaller branches forming a crown. Upon seeing the branch, every elf kneeled. Keter’s voice echoed from the crown-shaped branch.
— As of this moment, I rescind the arrest warrant on Lee Kang-San, the Tortoise Emperor. Treat him as Sefirot’s honored guest.