Episode 138 The Immortal King's Uprising (2)
Not all the strong individuals in the conference hall, whether they were representatives or bodyguards, participated in the battle.
For example, the Empire's Master had to step forward because of national prestige, but the Archmage who was with him stayed behind under the pretext of protecting the Crown Prince.
And among those who were observing the situation instead of joining the fight…
"Ugh— Shouldn't I join too? If they fall, this place is finished anyway. Ah, but Lord Rapori asked me to…"
Cecily Granwood, the newly awakened High Elf from the Elven Kingdom, was also among them.
She had been rapidly growing stronger since becoming a High Elf, even evolving her water spirit to the highest level recently, but she couldn't handle it skillfully due to lack of experience.
Knowing that, Rapori had sent her to the barrier, asking her to look after the other Elves, and went to the front lines alone.
Rumble!
Whoosh—
The highest-ranking spirits Rapori summoned were three.
Intense golden lightning struck the dark spirit's body, and a raging storm kept the Liches trying to join the fight in check.
[Ugh— You dare—! I'll drown you in fear—!]
Dread Phantom Pagos unleashed a thick wave of fear from his entire body, enveloped in the Immortal King's abyssal energy, but it couldn't penetrate the Earth Spirit's defense and dissipated.
'Lord Rapori is amazing.'
Spirits, as pure beings, were vulnerable to corruption, so special care was needed when facing such high-ranking undead.
They were the worst matchup because they were negatively affected just by contact.
And there was even the Immortal King, the pinnacle of the undead, in this battlefield!
It wasn't a big problem for Rapori, a veteran Spirit Summoner, but it was a different story for her, who was still inexperienced despite having high-level spirits.
'If I intervened, I would probably just hinder Lord Rapori. …That's why he sent me back here.'
And Shapiron, her daughter, was also looking at him with a worried gaze.
'Father…'
Of course, she couldn't even think about participating, as she could only handle Intermediate-level spirits, but how many children could be at ease when their father was in a dangerous battle?
She could only hope for his safe return.
But as they were anxiously watching, unable to do anything,
Someone was calmly preparing something among them—.
"Huh? Harris? What are you doing? Don't tell me you're thinking of joining them?"
"What? What is Harris doing?"
Harris was attaching a silver thread he had taken out of his pocket to his bow, Themis, and examining it.
He didn't even change his expression at the surprised gazes directed at him and answered in his usual gentle voice.
"Ah, it's nothing. Just…"
Twang—
A deep, resonant sound echoed from the lightly plucked bowstring.
As expected of a masterpiece, even the sound was different.
"…Thinking about shooting an arrow."
"…What?"
Harris smiled at their dumbfounded gazes and slowly stepped out of the barrier.
With a calm expression, as if he was going for a walk.
____________________
Clang—!
The sword, imbued with blue aura, bounced off the two-handed sword that was infused with dark energy.
The knight who swung the sword hurriedly tried to regain his composure, but…
The large blade, belying its size, moved nimbly and exploited his opening.
Whoosh!
The two-handed sword cut through the knight's upper body.
Those fighting alongside him desperately tried to block the follow-up attack, but it was already too late.
"Gah!"
The sword, imbued with dark magic power, mercilessly cut through his neck, and the knight died on the spot before help could arrive.
"Sir Turkan!"
"Damn it! This monster!"
Karam, facing the humans charging at him in anger, slowly scanned the surroundings again and checked the identities of those around him.
'I've eliminated Cayenne Turkan, the Crown Prince's bodyguard. Then the next prey is…'
He immediately headed towards the next 'target he could kill', following the information relayed in real time from the Immortal King.
He didn't know what criteria were used to create the list, but the details didn't really matter to him.
'I am the King's sword. I just follow his orders. His Majesty must have a grand plan.'
Crack—!
His two-handed sword once again cut through the thick armor of the holy knight blocking his path.
But this one wasn't allowed.
Karam clashed with the one who rushed to save the holy knight and looked around, ignoring the injured being carried to the rear.
'But he's tougher than I thought. How many layers of holy barrier did they stack? I could have easily cut him down normally.'
Actually, he wasn't holding back or going easy on those who weren't allowed to be killed, he just didn't finish them off.
His power wasn't fully unleashed because of the barrier, but the defensive effect applied to the opponent was beyond imagination.
'It's a bit difficult because of the barrier, but I can still handle it. …There he is. Payton, the current Mercenary King's right-hand man.'
He charged towards the one who was just buying time against a Death Knight in the back, deflecting the attacks of those rushing at him.
"Ugh! Why me?!"
As the Immortal King ordered.
To imprint maximum fear on those here.
And of course, Karam wasn't the only one who received such a strange order.
____________________
As the battle intensified, undead were destroyed everywhere, and casualties started to mount.
The immortal army was steadily reaping lives, despite the holy barrier being activated.
Naturally, those who died were those who had already been investigated through the list Heinrich had obtained in advance.
They were the worst of the worst, even considering that this was a world where a class system was prevalent.
'The current Mercenary King, Kanbul, the mastermind behind the scheme to sell commoners as slaves by colluding with high-ranking officials from various countries. The Main God Church couldn't intervene directly because there was no evidence…'
At that moment, Heinrich, with the help of several strong individuals, charged at Hans again.
And he scattered black flashes in all directions, as if to keep them in check.
Boom!
The strong individuals hurriedly blocked the attack.
But 'coincidentally', one of the beams, imbued with an especially powerful energy, pierced through Mercenary King Kanbul's defenses and struck his body.
"Gah!"
He collapsed, coughing up black blood, but he didn't die instantly thanks to the holy barrier.
The Saintess and other priests hurriedly tried to heal him…
Boom—
"Ugh!"
Suddenly, Heinrich was thrown back, and they couldn't afford to pay attention to him because the Immortal King, who was momentarily freed, started to rampage.
And when Heinrich rejoined the battle and finally stabilized the situation, Kanbul was already dead, pierced by a shadow that surged from the ground.
'Actually, there are many more who should be punished.'
Harris, who was observing the scene from afar, subtly turned his head and looked at those hiding in the barrier.
He stared at Crown Prince Simon, who was fuming after his bodyguard knight was killed, and then shook his head, smacking his lips.
It would take considerable effort to break through that carefully constructed barrier, and even if he did, the casualties would increase uncontrollably.
'It can't be helped. I'll have to be content with those on the battlefield for now.'
The current main targets were those who couldn't back down because of their pride and were awkwardly participating in the battle, like the recently deceased Mercenary King.
Of course, even if he did this, there would be those who felt something was strange, but…
'What does it matter? What are they going to do about it?'
Who would dare to imagine that the Immortal King and the hero were in cahoots, creating a hit list and selecting targets to kill?
'No, that's impossible, considering that everything that has happened so far is known to be the Immortal King's doing.'
The number of victims across the continent was immeasurable, so what kind of selection was that?
Naturally, they would think there was some kind of strategy and rack their brains, but the only conclusion they would reach would be coincidence.
'But it's not good for it to seem too unnatural, so I should wrap things up soon.'
He had already come up with a decent ending, so all he had to do was act according to the stage.
"…Harris! I'm telling you to go back! This isn't a place for us…"
"That's right, Harris! I know you're capable, but this isn't a place for a mere Intermediate-level Spirit Summoner to…"
He heard frantic voices from both sides.
Those who followed him out of the barrier, worried about him.
He smiled at them, feeling grateful for their concern, and answered nonchalantly.
"I have a plan. As long as Lady Cecily blocks the shockwaves, I'll take care of the rest."
"…No, we don't know when they'll attack us, how can you be so calm! What are you going to do?!"
Of course, they wouldn't attack him, even though he was out in the open like this.
He had told them so.
"Whew—"
Harris slowly exhaled and raised his bow, aiming it forward.
And he slowly created an arrow, recalling the shot he had fired before leaving the Enamel Continent.
The surrounding energy fluctuated unstably as dark magic power and holy power intertwined, but…
The World Tree was a being that acted as a filter for this world, and its power, however weak, was also contained in "Child of the World Tree".
Wooong—
The surrounding energy was sucked in and compressed into the arrow.
At the same time, the spirits he had contracted with appeared around him.
Crackle! Whoosh—!
Whirr! Wooong—
His lovely spirits started to imbue the arrow with their power.
He couldn't have them directly dwell in the arrow because they could be contaminated, but it couldn't be helped, so he had to do it this way.
'Actually, it's a bit lacking in plausibility that they're Intermediate-level spirits. I'll have to somehow fix that with the scenario…'
But at that moment,
Harris suddenly stopped.
A strange, yet comforting energy.
It instantly surged from his toes to the top of his head.
'Ah?'
He felt something blocked at the top of his head burst open.
And he soon realized.
《The individual meets the conditions and grows. The special skill "Child of the World Tree" evolves into "Chosen of the World Tree".》
'…So this is what it feels like.'
Harris…
Had met the 'conditions' to become a High Elf.
'Wait, what did I even do? …Of course, I was planning to do something soon. Don't tell me he gave me an advance?'
He closed his eyes, savoring his subtly changed senses.
There wasn't a dramatic change because he hadn't officially awakened as a High Elf yet, but the limit of what he could do had clearly increased.
Anyway, this filled the gap in plausibility.
"Ah? Harris…? You, don't tell me!"
Cecily, who was standing next to him, seemed to have realized something and looked at him with wide eyes.
She was a High Elf, so it seemed like she felt the moment he became qualified, but Shapiron, who couldn't sense it, was also surprised.
It couldn't be helped because a noticeable change was happening right in front of her.
"Harris! Your spirit suddenly…?"
Crackle—!
The moment he became qualified to be a High Elf and obtained "Chosen of the World Tree", his explosively increased natural energy and affinity instantly affected "Spirit Summoning".
And the first to be affected was…
"Watt."
Crackle!
The Lightning Spirit Watt.
His first partner had finally surpassed the Intermediate level and reached the Advanced level.
The other spirits hadn't evolved yet, but they had definitely become stronger.
"…This means that even the World Tree is supporting you, Harris. Go ahead and do what you want. I'll do my best to protect you until then."
Cecily nodded with a determined expression, staring ahead.
Shapiron, caught up in the atmosphere, also started to guard the surroundings with a hardened expression.
'Hmm… well, it doesn't matter.'
Harris shrugged lightly and continued to focus, resuming the process he had been preparing.
Even thicker natural energy, which he wouldn't have been able to handle normally, flowed in from Themis, made from the World Tree's branch, and the bracelet.
The arrow was being compressed, and the spirit's power was being imbued in it.
He slowly aimed the arrowhead, which was nearing completion, at his target.
Rumble—!
A shockwave spread in all directions as the Immortal King and the hero clashed fiercely again.
The impact swept the surroundings and reached where Harris was, but…
Swoosh—
The highest-ranking Water Spirit that Cecily summoned effortlessly neutralized it, and they didn't suffer any damage.
'Just a little more…'
An aura surged from Heinrich, the hero, and the sword of light in his hand instantly grew several times larger.
"Haa—!"
A giant crescent-shaped sword energy shot out from the holy sword that was swung in the air.
The sacred blade of light cut through the ominous shadows blocking his path and opened a way towards the Immortal King.
"Saint!"
Heinrich dashed through the path like a whirlwind as the Saintess and the Cardinal's support arrived at the perfect timing.
Boom!
The Immortal King's dark magic power and the hero's holy power clashed.
Another shockwave erupted.
Swords and magic power crossed, and holy magic and dark magic clashed.
And in the midst of that, his thoughts accelerated, and time slowed down.
Only Hans, Heinrich, and Harris shared that moment.
There was no need to exchange glances or gestures.
They just moved naturally, as if they were one.
Hans subtly twisted his body in the middle of the fierce battle.
Heinrich's sword adjusted its trajectory in real time and swung, and Hans responded by using dark magic.
As if working together on a delicate task, the two exchanged blows, weaving a single outcome.
And finally,
When the hero's desperate attack was blocked by the Immortal King's magic power barrier, but left a large crack,
And just as the overflowing dark magic power was about to repair it in the blink of an eye,
An arrow was shot.
The silent beam of light flew in a straight line,
Grazed the fragments of magic power scattered from the aftereffects of the clash,
And pierced through the crack, the size of a fingertip, which hadn't been repaired yet—.
Thud—
Boom—!
It struck the 'impossible' opening, which shouldn't have existed.