Ch.21771. The Grand Premise of Strategy (3)

“Ugh…”

Delica forcefully clung to her consciousness that felt like it was about to slip away.

Her entire body felt precarious, as if it would crumble and be torn apart at any moment.

She wasn’t sure if that was actually the case, but that’s how it felt.

This wasn’t merely muscle pain from rough physical exertion, or aching bones and joints creaking in pain—it was an exhaustion that defied comparison.

Even a severe bout of illness wouldn’t be this bad.

Her vision was completely blurry because her eyes weren’t functioning properly.

Hot heat seemed to press against her eyeballs and eye sockets like tiny thorns.

‘…I can’t do this a second time.’

Our Legion Commander truly knows many things and can work many wonders.

…But she was a monster who knew absolutely nothing about kindness.

‘Definitely.’

She had personally learned why demons and demon-folk descending to the middle realm was significant, and why even indirect manifestation through borrowing someone’s body was… so burdensome.

…Just that brief permission had reduced her to this state.

Involuntarily, she coughed lightly.

Even that small action made her whole body shudder, her lungs and heart lurching.

It was as laborious as a hot blade grazing her lungs.

The spreading, stabbing headache was even more lethal.

Perhaps because dried blood was blocking her nose, breathing was difficult and extremely painful.

…If Delica had been a normal child her age… this alone might have shocked her into unconsciousness, or worse, death.

Excessive pain can kill.

How many such examples had she witnessed?

Even damaging just ten fingers and ten toes is enough to kill a person.

Hadn’t she witnessed this all too vividly?

‘Is it hatred?’

That’s why she needed to burn with determination.

Delica, at least, knew better than anyone how to hate.

-…

Lutesia didn’t look to be in good condition either.

This was even more apparent up close.

Her entire body was trembling violently, to the point where it seemed dangerous for her to remain standing.

If she were to lose consciousness here… she would be nothing but dead weight.

The crimson-thorned tree, part of the demon realm’s flora.

She was enduring by driving it into her body like stakes into the ground.

Though she was using the crimson-thorned tree to forcibly move her body because it was difficult to move on her own, even that looked extremely precarious.

As if she might die at any moment.

The pain Lutesia was enduring had long since exceeded the threshold of what an individual could bear.

That’s why her rationality was no longer intact.

Though she was desperately holding on, even that was as thin as a thread.

…The fact that she wasn’t rampaging indiscriminately.

And the fact that she was still enduring without dying.

Her willpower and patience could only be seen as transcendental, bordering on extreme.

After all, even the pain that crumbled her enemies was only a fraction of what Lutesia herself was enduring.

‘Pain….’

That which is avoided, hated, and rejected by all living beings—Lutesia had grasped it as a weapon.

The only legacy of the Great Demon King remaining in the demon realm.

Yet with that alone, she had managed to conquer the demon realm.

Though Delica herself didn’t know the details, according to Cain, that journey had been anything but smooth.

Until Lutesia somehow became the Demon King, established the Law of Reason, and came to rule the demon realm, her entire life had been a series of precarious moments.

…After becoming the Demon King, thanks to that detestable Legion Commander’s ascension, at least all problems within the demon realm were resolved.

But even so, that was just the beginning.

The beginning.

And the end.

Everything is utterly hateful.

‘Everything must be ended.’

This world overflows with absurdity.

Even without absurdity, it’s irrational and unreasonable.

There is no way to restore it to normal or ideal.

Even if there were, it would only be temporary.

…This world was wrongly constructed from the beginning.

It’s messed up.

So I, we…

Dream of erasing the world forever.

For my own sake.

For everyone else’s sake.

This damned world that curses us with every breath must disappear.

…As God and the Creator curse us.

All we can do is offer pure rebellion and resistance.

====

As the tree monster spread countless stems and branches like tentacles, it continued its struggle without quite touching the surface of the World Tree.

Watching this scene, Mines, who had somewhat stabilized Lemira’s condition, hoisted her up and glided through the air to escape from that place.

‘The delay in reinforcements… means they’re also focusing all their efforts on this, right?’

Mines tried to assess the situation coolly.

Originally, she had little expectation or interest in reinforcements or support.

But if it could help avoid the worst, she saw it as necessary.

‘If more time is needed….’

In the end, it was a matter of time.

If so, Mines’ own role was far from over.

No matter how much she might arbitrarily decide and define the situation as finished, the world never simply ended on its own.

The most selfish entity is neither the individual nor others, neither saintly altruists nor malicious villains or demons.

This world itself, this very world is the most selfish nature and phenomenon.

……Mines vaguely concluded.

Doing nothing.

Feeling nothing.

How cursed that is.

“Hwoook!”

As she exhaled, white breath stretched out like frost.

What would happen if ice crystals froze solid?

The phenomenon that just occurred was like causing frostbite with cooled ice crystals.

The girl, that dark and ominous form that briefly enveloped Delica, was in that sense ugly and atrocious in a way different from the Demon King.

“……”

It wasn’t because Mines was foolish that she didn’t use that method.

She too had utilized it sufficiently at times.

But the way that person used it was clearly meant to annihilate the opponent.

…And it wasn’t just a similar power.

It was exactly the same power as her own.

…So does that mean the same restrictions don’t apply to that person?

‘This isn’t the time to think about that.’

Her body was already moving.

As the frozen barrier melted, cracked, and collapsed, the wooden wall positioned inside was fully revealed.

Quickly approaching and reaching for it, it instantly shrank into a small rod small enough to fit in Mines’ hand.

“……”

Which should take priority?

The Demon King first, or that tree monster?

-…

The Demon King also looked to be in serious condition, but despite that, she was struggling to move forward.

Her movement, which could hardly be called walking, was very slow and dull despite her determination.

But the tree monster, as if unconcerned with the transparent barrier blocking it, was gradually expanding its size and territory with the intention of engulfing even that.

Even so, it still only occupied an extremely small portion compared to the World Tree’s scale.

If left alone, it would continue to expand its territory without stopping.

Moreover, it was unclear how long that transparent barrier would hold…

‘For now…’

That one.

Mines rose into the air, stepping on the frozen air like stairs.

Soon she was positioned where she could take in the entire form of the tree monster at a glance.

“……”

If Zora would first report to anyone, it would be in Kariel’s direction.

He would probably be heading here as soon as he detected the anomaly.

So, just a moment would do.

Just a very brief moment to do what needed to be done.

“……”

Mines slightly pursed her lips and immediately targeted where the tree monster’s core would be.

When the cold had penetrated earlier, she had roughly sensed its location.

However, it was so well hidden that knowing its location didn’t necessarily mean she could do anything about it.

But… that didn’t mean there was no other way.

‘I should keep it simple?’

What did it mean to keep it simple?

‘Indeed.’

Though she questioned herself internally.

Her actions were, as always, straightforward.

The wooden rod in her hand suddenly transformed into a massive axe.

Then hoarfrost formed over it, becoming rime, and beyond that, intense ice crystals coated it.

Its scale and volume were far greater than the original transformed wooden axe.

It looked like it could actually inflict damage on that enormous monster.

‘Striking blindly would be problematic.’

The impact might affect the barrier and cause problems.

So, what was she planning to do with this?

‘Like peeling off the skin.’

During her stay in the Lake Dragon’s valley, she had unwillingly participated in logging work.

At that time, she had seen various methods of cutting, breaking, toppling, and splitting trees.

‘It’s nothing special.’

Really nothing special.

The giant axe descended vertically.

Kwadreuk!

The ice axe, firmly embedded in the monster’s body, began to exponentially expand its area from that point.

Once again, white frost and ice crystals gradually began to form over the tree monster’s body.

The branches and vines that had been extending like the tentacles of a strange creature just moments ago were now moving much more sluggishly, as if restrained by something.

‘It would be fortunate if this takes care of it.’

The cold was extending to the core and clearly affecting it.

But it might not be enough to finish the job.

However, this was the best option for now.

The monster seemed to have considerable resistance to cold, as ordinary cold barely affected it.

It was only because Mines was forcibly restraining it with her powerful authority that it was working at all. Using conventional magic or spirit arts, even with the same ice or cold techniques, would likely be ineffective.

‘……’

Even so, Mines was also keeping an eye on the Demon King, just in case.

In the midst of this, she caught a glimpse of elves moving through the forest toward them, allowing her to breathe a slight sigh of relief.

‘That person is…’

But that wasn’t all.

The blue-haired elf leading the group of elves was none other than the Elf Queen’s younger brother, known as the Guardian of the South.

One of the most powerful forces that could be called upon in this country had just arrived on the scene.

And.

Delica, who had barely managed to stand up, was just now witnessing this scene with vague eyes.

“…Cain.”

If she had endured until now, it could be said she had endured relatively well.

Delica thought.

This situation had already been anticipated in the plan.

‘She said to be good bait, but not to get eaten, right?’

That admonition, or rather, mocking advice… was still clearly present in Delica’s mind.

Though it was clearly meant for Lutesia, the only one who could act as her head and mouth now was…

‘Just me.’

But that didn’t mean the situation looked like it would be resolved.

“I wonder which side is allowing us to be eaten.”

If the bait fulfills its role, then surely the next important role belongs to the fisherman who cast the bait, the hunter who set the trap.

“Haa.”

That’s why her realization was somewhat delayed.

The surrounding air had already changed in an unusual way.

The crimson-thorned tree was enveloping the ground, firmly establishing itself around Delica and Lutesia.

-…

With a slight friction of armor making a clattering sound.

The Demon King’s beast-like cry, shout, howling.

…Shook the entire area.

And so.

The crimson-black tree gradually began to take shape.

“That is…”

The area was very narrow and very faint.

But at that very moment.

A small manifestation of the demon realm appeared in that area.

More precisely, an extremely small part of the middle realm had been completely infiltrated by the demon realm’s territory.

“My lord.”

Though she was suppressing her rough breathing, Lutesia’s condition was clearly better than before.

Tearing away, removing, and breaking the crimson-thorned tree that had been supporting her body with brute force.

The Demon King, rising again on her two feet,

Extended her black armored hand toward the approaching group.

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The resonance of a language no one could understand.

But Delica instinctively understood what she had said.

She didn’t comprehend the words, but she understood the meaning.

A curious thing.

-All things equally.

…Shall be cursed.

As the crimson-thorned tree spread in dozens, hundreds of directions.

And red butterflies and all kinds of beasts poured down like illusions with red afterimages.

That was indeed.

The foundation of the curse to which all life and death are unilaterally indebted.

It was the eternal resistance, struggle, and rebellion of all concepts and delusions, obsessions and attachments that were alive yet dead, yearning for death while craving life, all mixed together in a rotten and broken nightmare.

And the uprising.

A part of it, however feeble.

Nevertheless, if that place was the demon realm.

It would represent her rights, her duties, her greatness.

Over the forest, the unchanging millennial kingdom, the home of the long-lived race that had continued for ten thousand years.

The despair of all living things descended.

It settled.

It fell.