Elves and Gatekeeping (3)

Nothing is absolute. If necessary, one should know how to change boldly. In fact, from my perspective, that much being conveyed was enough.

Because I don’t know whether we should stay still or venture out, or what the right answer is.

After finishing the grand departure ceremony, I instructed the earth spirits again to lower the risen stone pillar and descended to level ground.

“Let’s depart. I don’t know what will happen there either, so stay alert.”

The elves’ gazes on me were varied. Many were greatly shocked, and some showed even more fervent support.

Not a few were completely dumbfounded, like Elder Elnar.

“Haven’t we caused too much of a stir?”

“I didn’t say anything I shouldn’t have.”

Patrick whispered nervously, but I was confident. Anyway, it’s clear that losing the bond with spirits was a mistake made by the modern elves.

In such a situation, my words related to spirits had to be unconditionally correct. It was like a sword handle given only to me.

As long as they knew this, it was obvious they wouldn’t be able to cross the line with me. If they did, they would be betraying the cause they believed in most firmly.

“Now let’s worry about what will happen ahead.”

After enjoying pleasant times with the elves, the moment we left their city and entered the vast forest again. I smiled bitterly at the ominous feeling that could be felt even from afar.

The spirits’ mood, which had been joyful, dropped sharply to the point of clinging to me tightly; this ominousness was already eating away at this land.

“After some of those who first discovered the place were caught up and died or went missing, we’ve just been monitoring from the farthest distance.”

“That’s better. You wouldn’t have been able to solve it even if you went there directly anyway.”

Arisa reported with a tense face what measures they were taking there.

In fact, we should hear Renia’s investigation results, which cover the entire continent, but for now, the only power that could respond to the erosion was mine.

With the power the elves had, even if they reached the center of the erosion, there was a high probability that removing it would be impossible.

“This is quite severe.”

And when we arrived at the problematic site, I bit my lip at the surging ominousness.

Contrary to the elves’ words that it had been quiet for quite a long time, the ominousness immediately began to act as if it had been waiting for me to come.

“Everyone, form ranks!”

The urgent elves hurriedly formed a defensive formation, pointing shields and spears, and archers raised their bows to aim forward.

Just as it had spewed out goblin magical beasts, massacring adventurers and putting the city defense forces in crisis, the erosion site activated its defense mechanism.

“—, —!”

“Elves?”

I was surprised to hear the spirits’ description of the enemies. The countless enemies rushing in were dark-skinned, rampaging elves.

“D-Dark elves!”

Corrupted elves, dark elves. The elves were horrified to see them charging with weapons.

In a way, they were facing enemies even worse than humans.

“These are not the dark elves you knew. Don’t let your guard down!”

I shouted urgently. It was because I recalled how the goblins that sprang out from the erosion site had gone berserk with strength beyond common sense.

“Hold on!”

The elves entered the battle, firing arrows and maintaining their formation, but the scene soon began to fall into chaos with a messy melee.

“Damn it…”

Gritting my teeth, I had no choice but to borrow the spirits’ power to the maximum. Shaking the ground to trip up the many charging enemies, using strong winds to knock down or deflect incoming enemy arrows, and so on.

Clearly, the power of the spirits I borrowed was strong enough to face dozens alone.

“Ugh!?”

But the rampaging enemies were not to be underestimated. A mana-coated javelin pierced through the wind barrier I had created and flew straight at me.

A stone pillar raised by the earth spirit barely blocked it.

“Lina, stay still!”

Hurriedly checking on the others, I saw Patrick protecting Lina with his sword. Arisa was also in a fierce battle with the charging dark elves along with other elf warriors.

“Go help Laila.”

I urged the wind spirit that had shown interest in Laila to help her.

Although she had drawn her sword in the heat of the moment, Laila, still lacking in actual combat experience, barely managed to swing her sword, trusting the wind that enveloped her body.

‘It’s not enough. I need to take on more.’

However, despite these efforts, I judged that the situation was not good.

Even if we win like this, too many allies would be injured and killed. The spirits were fighting hard even at this moment, shooting sharp stone spears or wind blades, but more power was needed.

‘I don’t know how long I can fight, but there’s no choice.’

Finally, I made a decision. I didn’t know how long my mana, which still needed to grow more, would last, but I needed firepower myself for now.

“I-Isilia.”

Lina, who had been pacing anxiously, widened her eyes at me. A brilliant light gathered and began to take shape in my hand.

“Is that… could it be that!?”

Patrick recognized it and was shocked. I, holding the object that momentarily captured everyone’s attention, quickly shouldered the stock and aimed the sight at the enemy.

“Eat this.”

When the enemies were struggling, their feet stuck in the mud created by the earth spirit. I grinned and pulled the trigger repeatedly towards the enemies.

This fragment of this era, which I had previously absorbed by converting it to mana, consumed chunks of my power with each shot fired.

“—!”

But its power was considerable.

The bullet fired with a roar was a fragment of the old era forcibly revived like me. It ignored all the powers of the current era and flew, penetrating the bodies of the enemies with pure physical force.

Seeing them collapse in droves, spewing blood, it seemed that at least the dark elves had no means to withstand these bullets.

* * *

“…”

While the main elf force that had set out with Isilia was in the midst of battle. Taking advantage of the commotion, they had finally succeeded in sneaking here after a long detour.

It was a place where the elves’ city was immediately visible.

‘Capture the city.’

The intense will that was driving them berserk gave them instructions. While the elves’ main force was invading, send a separate unit in reverse to attack the empty elf city.

Numerous armed dark elves began to charge towards the city depleted of troops. By the time the elves noticed this, it was already too late.

“El-Elder! Enemies! Dark elves from the northern forest!”

“Wh-What!”

Elnar, who had been frozen in shock since morning, grabbed his staff and rushed out in alarm. Already, on the outskirts of the city, the elves who had remained in the city were engaged in a fierce battle with the dark elves, spreading bloodstains across the beautiful city.

“No! How dare these evil creatures!”

Elnar joined the battle along with other elves.

Though his body was aged, the strong mana he had cultivated over long years still remained in that body.

He swung his staff to cast a spell, enveloping his body in a dark red power, and attacked the rampaging dark elves.

Befitting an elder, he performed well, taking down multiple enemies, but since all their main forces were away, the elves were inevitably pushed back by the rampaging enemies.

“You’re struggling in vain, Elder.”

“Y-You lot, what are you? Where did you come from!”

At that moment, there was a dark elf addressing him. Unlike the others, he was a bald man with a slight glimmer of intelligence remaining in his eyes.

“The great apocalypse has already begun. Why don’t you stop struggling and join us? This world must… disappear once again.”

“Shut up!”

The fellow boldly proposed defection to Elnar. With veins bulging on his forehead, Elnar shouted with a heart-wrenching feeling.

“How dare you make such a proposal to me, the elder of the clan!”

“You’re indeed stubborn. But look at yourself. And look around. Elves are only regressing as time passes. It’s because people like you take the lead and stubbornly refuse to accept change. If you’re so confident, why don’t you try stopping it with that precious stubbornness of yours.”

The dark elf smirked and aimed somewhere with the black bow in his hand.

Suddenly feeling a chill, Elnar turned around. There, his daughter Ellua was hurrying towards him with a bow to help.

“Ellua!”

He shouted urgently, but the arrow, full of dark magic, had already been fired. Ellua also noticed it and threw herself aside, but in a split second, the arrow that flew, tearing through the air, grazed her arm, leaving a long wound.

“Too late. Your daughter won’t be able to resist the curse.”

Elnar rushed to her urgently, but the arm he grabbed was already turning black.