81 – World Tree – 12
While I came to my senses for a moment, a white tree branch was in front of me.
As if it had been there from the beginning. No portents, no wild movement or wind noise.
“Kuk!”
He swung his sword reflexively, but he couldn’t come up with a proper posture.
“Is this the hero of this generation? Was the Demon King weaker than I thought?”
Her dagger easily blocked mine.
The force itself did not push it. The swords that collided once did not easily lean to either side.
That, in the end, is my defeat.
Instead of running at me at the speed she just moved, if I had just moved backwards.
The speed at which Nerwen’s arrow flew was phenomenal. I didn’t think that elf would be slower than Nerwen.
To her, this meant no desperate fight.
“Enerel!”
Nerwen’s arrow broke that precarious balance. However, the white branch dodged the arrow with a slight shake of its head.
His posture was not disturbed either. The dagger pressing down on my sword didn’t add or subtract the slightest bit of strength.
“Are you saying you’re going to fight in the end? Okay. It’s a futile fight, but try it.”
The other party, who came to their senses, each brandished their weapons. Celia’s divine spell dwelled in my body and sword, giving me strength, and Farseer’s magic created a floor of flame.
“But we can’t get anything from each other without agreement. Let’s make a bet.”
The white branch, taking two steps back, spoke to me without even thinking about pulling out the bow.
“…betting?”
“I will fight alone. I won’t be accompanied by other elves, and I will subdue you with this sword and bow. If I lose, I will let you go, and I promise you the information you need to return…”
It was an incredibly generous offer. White Branch had no reason to negotiate like this.
This place is inside the World Tree, and besides her, there are countless elves.
It was hard to imagine that there would be an elf stronger than her, but even if one or two more Nerwen-class elves joined us, arrows would rain down on our bodies.
“Instead, if you are subdued, accept the request meekly.”
As if to placate a child, she placed too much of an advantage on us.
“…okay.”
“And the fire will be meaningless.”
The Farseer’s flames on the floor lost their heat in an instant. The surroundings got a little damp.
“Isn’t it okay to fire…”
“Yes. You guys weren’t the only ones who threatened this place. We’ve put in place measures like that.”
My party, again poised.
Nerwen stood slightly behind and aimed her bow at the white branch, while Eleanor stood next to me, ready to protect me.
Farseer and Celia stanced between me and Nerwen, preparing for the White Branch attack.
“I’ll go again.”
“okay!”
I surrendered to a cold intuition and swung my sword into the air. Surprisingly, there was a sense of being caught.
The thing blocking my sword from the line of sight was the dagger of the white branch.
The white branch that appeared in front of me again was sword to sword with me again.
this time it was seen It wasn’t teleportation or anything like that.
It was moving so fast that I couldn’t even perceive it, and using the hero’s power, it was moving at a speed that I could barely feel.
“Is it luck? Well, it’s okay. There’s no reason to dismiss it as not your ability. But.”
In an instant, the white branches disappeared. My sword, which gave me a lot of strength, cut through the air ridiculously, and her dagger came to my heart.
“For a moment, lie down.”
I lost my balance for a moment. It was Eleanor who closed that gap.
The moment she passed by, the way she wore armor and wielded a sword, reminded me of the past.
/////
Eleanor was able to understand White Branch’s thoughts.
With power comes responsibility. Doing something makes a sin, but not doing something makes a sin.
When there is a way to save a thousand by killing one person, those who do not know the way or do not have the power to realize it do not need to worry.
However, those with great power have no choice but to make any choice.
Whether to save nine hundred ninety-nine or kill one.
It was a sad and painful choice. However, as long as you have the strength and wisdom, you have an obligation to choose.
Nevertheless, Eleanor blocked the elf’s sword.
“It won’t be like that.”
“Your eyes are shaking. Fight with all your heart in your sword.”
It was personal. Eleanor had to take responsibility for the one she sacrificed.
Or, he had to protect his benefactor. He had to surrender his power to her without any conditions and keep his faith in the person who believed in her.
I had to keep my promise. Even if he claimed he wasn’t a warrior, and the honor and rights belonged to her.
At least that return was one of the few rewards he was promised.
“I have no intention of losing.”
Misconceptions flew by. Perhaps thinking that she was an insignificant person, the white twig dagger aimed fiercely at her vital points.
A warrior from legend. He is an elven hero in mythology, designed from birth to be stronger than anyone else.
However, Eleanor was not weak either.
“This…”
out of power Eleanor’s sword is not holding back her little sword.
But even though it stumbles, it doesn’t completely collapse. Even if the dagger’s trajectory is allowed, the tip of the sword does not cut the body.
The Elf’s design couldn’t have been perfect from the start. Having lived for a long time means that she has not been given the power to apply to their new children.
It is a white tree branch with one arm replaced with a prosthetic arm and an eyepatch wrapped around one eye. Although she had grown stronger with the passage of time, terrible curses and scars were eating away at her.
Besides, Nerwen’s arrows were restricting her movements. The fireballs from Farseer’s staff scattered all over the ceiling, then returned to her.
There was no way the white twig would hit it. But even if you can avoid all of them with one gesture, at least ‘one gesture’ must be consumed.
Offensive doesn’t follow Even if Eleanor’s sword gets messy, she can’t aim for that opportunity right away.
“Keugh!”
Nonetheless, in the end it was the white twig that took the initiative.
Eleanor simply couldn’t keep up with her in terms of holding the sword, and Enerel lacked the skills and experience to handle it. Eleanor couldn’t last forever.
“Haap!”
However, Enerel rejoined her and swung a sword at her back.
“Hoo…”
The white branch that quickly turned its body blocked the sword with its prosthetic arm. However, there was definitely a shock.
“Haaa!!!”
Eleanor’s sword took advantage of the gap and headed for her back.
It wasn’t a deep wound. In an instant, she moved and pulled out of her besieged position.
However, there were very few drops of blood on the tip of Eleanor’s sword.
“I don’t think you want to joke around. Do you want more?”
However, the white branch did not waver in the slightest and pulled out another dagger.
/////
“In the first place, if you were this strong, the demon lord would…”
“I am ignorant, but I will answer you.”
I breathed a sigh of relief.
I needed some time to catch my breath. Not only me, but all the party members were overdoing it to keep up with the speed of the white twig.
“My life is maintained by the power of the Tree Mother. I can still be active even after leaving the World Tree, but it is impossible to go on a journey. And, in the end, it is the hero who kills the demon king. No matter how strong someone is, they cannot overturn this law. none.”
It would not have been simply a matter of power. Right now, my power is threatening, but it’s not worth the elves’ risk to steal it.
According to Eirin, it was the storage capacity.
“…Well?”
I noticed something strange for a moment, but when the white branch opened its mouth again, I couldn’t help but focus on her.
“From now on, be prepared to shed blood.”
I opened my eyes wide and glared at her.
In terms of power, it is not overwhelmingly pushed. It wasn’t something I was particularly proud of because I fought against the elf, and even against the dagger held in one hand, so I didn’t get pushed back.
I got used to her fast pace to some extent. It wasn’t to the extent that he could counter it with swordsmanship, and it was barely enough to bring the sword to the location of the dagger or aim for her body.
“Please stop. Please…”
Contrary to Nerwen’s desperate expression, her arrow flew toward the heart of the white branch.
Of course, none of these people thought she would be hit by an arrow.
At the same time as dodging that arrow, the white branch moved.
“Where are you!”
This time I caught her movement. He reacted immediately and swung his sword.
But she passed me in an instant and lunged at Celia.
It wasn’t even a few steps. However, in that short period of time, Celia’s body was carved with numerous sword scars.
Her white clothes were stained red. Blood seeped through the patterns.