episode_0052

000

The gap that appeared in the air was slowly widening.

The stalk stretched out from beyond, wrapped in intense magical power.

Slowly, it begins to encroach upon the surrounding world.

Eustace sat slumped next to Theo’s corpse.

He could only watch the descent of the Boundary Tree.

Maxwell was able to somehow cut it down by borrowing the power of the Holy Sword.

But such a gigantic monster of a different scale.

There was no way he could do anything about it, even with the power of the Holy Sword.

“Is this the end….”

Words of resignation flowed from his mouth involuntarily.

If this was going to happen even after defeating the cause of the incident.

He had done all he could.

Thinking so, Eustace tried to escape from the barrier.

Just as he was about to sling Theo’s body over his shoulder and move his feet.

Eustace stopped as if tied to the spot and thought about something.

His mother had returned to the mansion once for his sake.

Even though she knew that he might die as a result.

Theo also threw away his life twice.

He protected him.

This life might have already ended a long time ago.

He is standing here because of the sacrifices of others.

There was no way he could run away from here.

He apologized to Theo and placed the corpse on the ground.

And grabs Mistilteinn.

Due to its immense size, it took time for the Boundary Tree to cross over into this world through the narrow gap.

The situation outside has not yet been resolved.

All he can do is swing his sword to close this gap.

He took a deep breath and aimed the Holy Sword at the Boundary Tree.

The magical power of another dimension can be purified by divine magical power.

If the dimensional gap is also made of magical power from another dimension.

He should be able to fill the gap by pouring as much divine magical power as possible from the Holy Sword into it.

“Here I go…. Mistilteinn!”

The moment he somehow grabbed the sword and took a step towards the Boundary Tree.

*Thump!* The pillar of a giant tree, striking down from above, crushed Eustace as it was.

The impact was so great that he couldn’t even make a sound even if he opened his mouth.

He was about to get caught between the ground and the tree trunk due to the impact, but he somehow managed to pull himself to the side.

His mind went blank for a moment, and Eustace almost fainted from the pain as if the bones in his entire body had been shattered.

But thanks to the divine magical power that Mistilteinn had accumulated, he somehow survived and healed his body.

When he snapped back to his senses, the Boundary Tree was looking at him, distorting its face.

As if mocking the weak.

“Ugh…. Damn it!”

He somehow survived thanks to the power of the Holy Sword.

But the fact remained that he was overwhelmingly disadvantaged.

Somehow, avoiding that guy’s tree trunks.

He had to get to the dimensional gap.

“Some kind of method….”

He can somehow handle injuries to his body with the magical power of the Holy Sword.

At least a way to not stop moving forward-.

Suddenly, Eustace realized something.

The Holy Sword is a sword, but it is not an ordinary sword.

Its power is based on divine magical power.

Enhancement of the user’s physical abilities.

Control of magical power emission.

Strengthening of the sword’s hardness.

It functions in various forms as a sword and as a hero’s partner.

“Emission of magical power…! If it’s the Holy Sword…!”

When Eustace aimed the sword at the Boundary Tree.

The Boundary Tree tilted its large head and grabbed its body as if trying to catch and break a toy.

“Ugh…!”

The pressure exerted on his entire body felt as if his bones were breaking.

Somehow, his arm was pointing at the gap from which the Boundary Tree was emerging.

He emits magical power in the form he imagined.

Silver needles floating in the air.

It was a mass of divine magical power separated from Mistilteinn.

“That’s it…! Go!”

The magical power needle that shot out with the sound of bones breaking became embedded in the widening dimensional gap.

A memory from Eustace’s childhood, from who knows when, comes to his mind.

Expensive clothes that his father had strictly told him never to break.

But, when he broke his father’s orders due to his recklessness and made a large hole in them.

When he went to his mother, crying.

His mother repaired the clothes with skillful sewing.

“Kkkyaaaaaaack!!”

Blood flowed from his mouth from the pain covering his body, and his eyes became bloodshot and blood flowed from them.

As his internal organs made a creaking sound and broke down.

The rate of recovery gradually became insufficient compared to the rate of destruction.

However, he does not stop using magical power, but rather creates even more needles and sends them flying into the gap.

“I’m the most useless…!”

Eustace’s voice, shouting while spitting out blood.

“Everyone…. is living their lives fulfilling their roles…. I’m the most worthless existence, having run away until now…!”

The magical power needles create threads from his body and move between the torn gaps.

The needles and threads dancing in the air are like sewing the fabric of the world.

The gap was gradually closing each time they moved.

“So…. Other humans dying before me is…! Something that shouldn’t happen…!!!”

A shout close to a shriek.

A cracking sound is heard, and the sensation of his entire body crumbling passes through him.

Eventually, Eustace’s body droops down.

But at the same time.

The magical power needles completed their role and forcibly sealed the gradually widening dimensional gap.

[KURRAAAAAAAAAAA!]

The Boundary Tree, forcibly split in half by the closing gap.

It screams, separated from the half of its body that had not yet crossed over.

The ground shakes. The air vibrates.

When the Boundary Tree, unable to properly aim its body due to the pain, releases the power it was holding in its hand.

Eustace falls to the ground.

Mistilteinn had completed the task entrusted to it by Eustace and its light was gradually fading.

The Boundary Tree, barely managing to stop its body from falling off the cliff, looks down with angry eyes.

It extends the tree trunks of its entire body randomly.

Each one was a thorn as sharp as a steel awl.

In order to smash the barrier of the hateful humans surrounding it.

Eustace is pierced by thorns in the process.

Mistilteinn desperately blocks vital points such as the head and heart.

Eventually. The barrier curtain collapses.

Finally, the Boundary Tree had returned to the world, even if incompletely.

001

A vibration resonates throughout the guild building.

Some of the adventurers gathered, including Ruti, fall over or stagger, unable to maintain their balance.

“Wh-what is it?”

“Is it an earthquake?”

The rookie adventurers muttered and looked at each other.

The veterans also grabbed their weapons unconsciously, looking uneasy.

“Ruti…”

“Yeah. Something bad is coming.”

Kuon was trembling as if she felt something.

Ruti was staring outside the building with pupils that had changed at some point.

Amidst everyone’s anxiety, silence settled over the chaotic building.

And after a while, the door of the building burst open!

The person who came in was an ordinary town resident, not an adventurer.

“I-it’s a disaster! Tree monsters are entering the city!”

Everyone’s expressions changed at those words.

The Boundary Tree had completely descended and was beginning to alter the world.

That domain has spread to the city.

The veterans who heard the story immediately grabbed their weapons and left the hall.

The rookies could only hesitate, watching their seniors.

“Ruti, let’s go too!”

Kuon also grabbed her staff and followed the veterans out, and Ruti nodded and tried to go outside.

She speaks, looking at the rookies who don’t know what to do.

“You guys evacuate the residents! Move them to the temple!”

Only then did the adventurers follow Ruti’s instructions and move.

Ruti sighed and went outside.

Shouts and other sounds can be heard from the gate between the city and the forest.

With a light movement, she kicks off the wall and climbs to a high place.

There, she sees the shadow of a giant tree.

Even though it’s this far away, its peak is higher than where she is standing.

“Boundary Tree, Shuradsel….”

And her gaze naturally moves towards the gate.

There, she saw the forms of the Boundary Tree’s subordinates rising from the ground.

The veterans are at the forefront fighting them.

But the number of enemies was probably infinite unless the Boundary Tree disappeared.

Ruti was hesitating.

The enemy who crossed over from the dimensional gap is outside the covenant.

If she went to fight the Boundary Tree, she would be able to stop that side to some extent.

But if that happens, only humans will be left here.

The subordinates must be faced by the adventurers, including Kuon.

It is currently near the gate, but soon the entire city will turn into a battlefield.

They alone cannot protect this place.

Even if they stop the Boundary Tree, how many people will be sacrificed in the city in the meantime?

“…Lecia. What would you have done?”

Ruti clenches her fist and places her hand on her chest, asking herself.

If Lecia were still the guild master here, instead of herself.

The Boundary Tree might not have appeared in the first place.

No matter what they do, they cannot be like her.

Cleon, Talchick, Ruti.

Those who share memories with her all follow in her footsteps.

Ruti jumps off the building and pours wind magic on the subordinates.

The wind blades with excellent cutting power tear apart the subordinates.

The adventurers who saw that turned around to look at Ruti, surprised.

“Spread the defense line as wide as possible! Move with the mages who can use fire magic at the center!”

As Ruti gives instructions, the adventurers somehow move accordingly.

“Kuon! Go to the temple and ask the priests for support! And those rookies there, bring as much supplies as possible from the town to this side!”

“Understood!”

She gives instructions to Kuon as well, and she too faces the subordinates.

“We will protect the city. The city of adventurers ‘Elesia’…. With our own hands!”

The adventurers and Ruti steel their resolve and stand against the subordinates.

This city was a place worth protecting with their lives for them too.

`…Please, Cleon. Lyla…!`

002

The three people who heard Lyla’s telepathy and returned to the place where she was.

They lay down the wounded Eustace and stand in front of the barrier she had spread.

Then, the barrier collapses.

Lyla, who had regained consciousness, looks up at everyone.

Her breathing was still a little rough, as if her body was not yet in its normal condition.

“…Magical power?”

“About 10% has been restored…. It was a little faster inside the barrier. But even in such a short time, this is the limit.”

Lyla clenched and unclenched her fists, checking if her body was moving properly.

“If we’re going to do something, we need to do it quickly. Even though it’s only half its body, it’s quite a distance with each step due to its size.”

When Rubella pointed to the giant tree approaching from afar, Lyla nodded.

“That can’t be dealt with by attacking from the outside. If we’re going to do anything, we have to burn it from the inside.”

“From the inside…?”

When Iona expressed her doubt, Lyla nodded.

And she quickly confirms once again that Iona is there.

“What. Weren’t you in the city with Talchick?”

“It’s a long story, but….”

Lyla pauses for a moment at Iona’s words and then shakes her head.

“No, I understand roughly. Talchick came here.”

Cleon nods at Lyla’s words, who thought that she couldn’t have come alone.

“Well. That’s roughly it. So what do you mean by burning it from the inside?”

Lyla looks at Cleon and begins to explain.

“It’s exactly what it sounds like. Going inside the Boundary Tree and using fire magic is the most effective method.”

“… …”

The three people who heard those words all fell into silence.

“You’re not going to tell me you’re going to do that, are you?”

“Oh, is there someone here who is better at using fire magic than me?”

Lyla shrugs once at Rubella’s words.

Her face was a little pouty as usual.

But what she was trying to do was, in other words, suicide.

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

When Cleon said firmly, Lyla turned to look at him.

“Doing something like that will only put a big burden on Kuon.”

“Kuon, you mean….”

Lyla looked a little sad at Cleon’s words and then put on the same expression as before.

“It’s to protect Kuon. The opponent is a huge enemy that is changing the world itself. We can’t defeat it without any sacrifices.”

“Does that sacrifice have to be you?”

Lyla gives a bitter smile at Cleon’s words and replies.

“I have to do it.”

“Wh-why!?”

Lyla turns to look at Iona at Iona’s flustered words.

“If the runaway of Albein’s Holy Sword is the cause of the Boundary Tree’s return. Then I’m the one who provided the first cause.”

Lyla tempted Albein to break up with Cleon.

The result was the final battle between Cleon and Albein.

And it led to this incident.

“If that’s the case. I have to take responsibility.”

Iona and Cleon are silent at those words.

However, Rubella opens her mouth as if she doesn’t care.

“If that’s the only way…. You said earlier that you only have 10% of your remaining magical power. What can you do in that state?”

Certainly. The fact was that Lyla’s total amount of magical power was greater than that of others.

But that didn’t mean that she would be able to do something with only that much magical power left.

“You should know, right? The power of the magical power that humans squeeze out just before they die.”

“…Don’t tell me.”

Lyla answers Rubella like that.

Rubella could still feel her mother’s blessing on her body.

Magical power so powerful that it could be maintained even after the sorcerer had been dead for over ten years.

If a mage like Lyla burned her life to squeeze out magical power, maybe-.

“There’s a possibility…. Not entirely. I understand. Then the question is how to get you inside.”

When Rubella nodded and agreed to Lyla’s plan.

Cleon grabs Rubella’s arm.

“Wait a minute, are you serious?”

Then Rubella looked back at Cleon with a what-are-you-talking-about expression.

“I’m just agreeing to the most effective method presented.”

“Th-there might be another way!”

Rubella looked at Lyla at Iona’s words.

Her face was as detached as ever.

Cleon and Iona both look at Lyla’s face, following Rubella’s gaze.

Her expression was filled with the resolve of someone who had prepared for everything.

“I wanted to do it in a way that wouldn’t kill me if possible. But if things turn out like this, there’s nothing I can do.”

“Lyla…. You….”

Cleon could not find the words to say to her and could only clench his fist.

“Wait a minute…! There’s definitely another way!”

Iona takes out a notebook from her waist bag, as if she hasn’t given up yet.

If the knowledge she has gathered so far can be of any help!

But Rubella looked at the notebook and suddenly remembered something.

“…That’s it.”

Everyone’s gaze is focused on Iona at Rubella’s words.

“Yes? This notebook?”

When Iona tilted her head, Rubella shook her head.

“No. Not the notebook. The one we used before, in this unexplored area, when we defeated the subordinates and the plant golem.”

“…Ah! You mean the scroll!”

Iona nods as if she remembered at Rubella’s words.

Lyla listened to the two people’s story and thought about something for a moment.

She suddenly raised her head.

“That’s right…. Inscription magic…! If you use a scroll, you can activate magic inside the target you attach it to. No, but the firepower….”

“Ugh…. That’s right. There’s a limit to the incantations that can be written on the scroll, and above all, there’s not enough blood….”

Iona seemed to understand Lyla’s words and was thinking about something together.

Rubella and Cleon were not properly understanding the two people’s stories.

“Wait a minute! If I become a sword, I can use divine magical power, so use that….”

“You’re saying you’re going to write letters with a sword? Considering the firepower, you have to use at least 5th tier magic. And there’s no scroll paper either….”

“…The Boundary Tree is a tree, right? Scrolls are paper, and”

“Paper…. Is made from trees.”

The two people looked at each other for a moment and then turned towards Cleon at the same time.

“”Cleon!””

“…What. Have you come to a conclusion?”

Iona and Lyla both raised the corners of their mouths at the same time.

And Lyla completely returned to her usual self and opened her mouth.

“Be prepared. You’re going to have to take dictation from now on.”