Massacre

“Is there anything left to discuss?”

I couldn’t bear the boredom any longer and stood up abruptly.

My legs felt numb from sitting for too long.

How inconvenient the human body is!

Miel immediately flew onto my hair, settling into her usual spot, while Cecilia perched on my shoulder, radiating warmth.

Rote began circling around me as she always did.

Glacia was the only exception.

That lazy lump was still sprawled on the sofa.

Should’ve left her in the labyrinth.

Evan hurriedly organized the documents on his desk.

“Leaving already? I have something to ask…”

“I’m busy. I have something important to do.”

Disappointment crossed Evan’s face.

He slumped into his chair and asked,

“Where are you going?”

I smiled faintly, pleased with myself.

“I’m going to perform a sacred ritual for Michel.”

Evan’s eyes widened.

He seemed to want to say more, but I was already leaving the guild master’s office.

Behind me, Glacia slowly got up with a languid movement.

What a slowpoke!

As I descended to the first floor, all the humans followed me.

Ryandel, Raybi, Torben, Karl, Terry, Elina, Rodrick, Evan…

“Are you all coming with me?”

They all nodded in unison.

Karl, in particular, spoke energetically with sparkling eyes.

“It would be an honor to participate in the ritual for Lycoris!”

Hmm…

It’s such a hassle to perform the ritual with so many humans around.

“Only Ryandel and Raybi come. The rest, stay in town and don’t get in the way.”

‘I need to test their skills anyway!’

At my words, Karl, Torben, and Terry looked disappointed.

The other humans accepted it calmly, not expecting much to begin with.

Evan cautiously approached me.

“Is this ritual going to recreate the red moon and Michel’s flower scent from three years ago?”

I looked at him and smiled broadly.

“Of course!”

Hope and fear flickered across Evan’s face.

He lowered his voice and said,

“May I come too? I want to provide evidence to the central guild that granting S-rank was justified.”

Hmm, since Evan is the guild master…

Imagining him spreading Michel’s proper teachings to the adventurers, I smiled pleasantly.

“Sure! You can come!”

As we left the guild, the full moon hung in the night sky.

The perfect full moon over the Shia Kalt mountain range cast a silver glow over the entire town.

“It’s the perfect night for the ritual!”

I clapped my hands in delight.

Miel on my head flapped her wings slightly to balance herself before settling back down.

Leaving the other humans behind, I headed out of town with Ryandel, Raybi, and Evan.

Performing the ritual too close might harm the town.

Dodododo.

Humans are so fragile.

We moved to a spot far enough from the town.

The snow-covered field bathed in moonlight shimmered like silver velvet.

The peaks of the Shia Kalt mountain range loomed in the distance, casting dark shadows.

“Well, let’s begin~”

At my words, Raybi, Ryandel, and Evan swallowed hard in unison.

Their faces were tense.

Especially Raybi, who seemed to be trembling slightly.

“Heh, scared?”

Raybi’s expression softened as she moved closer to me.

Cecilia spread her fiery wings, offering her warmth.

It’s time to start for real.

I took a deep breath and focused my mind.

Slowly, I prepared to scatter the temptation pollen.

Pink petals bloomed from my hair, growing thicker and thicker until they burst forth in a cloud.

The pink mist covered the field and spread towards the Shia Kalt mountains.

“Wow…”

Raybi marveled.

The pink petals glistening under the moonlight were a fantastical sight.

Now, the red moon.

I looked up at the full moon and imagined it turning red for Michel.

Slowly, the moon’s color shifted from white to light pink, then deepened to crimson.

The blood-red moon dyed the world in its color.

The snow-covered field transformed into a sea of red.

“Hehe… This is the power granted by Michel!”

I exclaimed proudly.

Ryandel’s face was one of astonishment.

He let out a small gasp.

“Incredible… the moon’s color…”

Raybi also looked up at the sky in awe.

Evan seemed to be trying to remain calm, but sweat formed on his brow, betraying his tension.

“This is truly… divine.”

Just then, movement was detected from the mountains.

“Hehe, they’re here!”

The monsters were drawn by the pollen, rushing towards us.

Snow hyenas on the ground, ice goblins crouching low, ice trolls lumbering forward, flying reindeer in the air, glacier floppers slithering… All were monsters I’d seen countless times before.

No new insect-type monsters were in sight.

What a pity…

It seemed they had already joined my Belez.

“Well, let’s begin!”

I activated the Dark Root Dance.

Black roots burst from the ground, moving like dancing tendrils, piercing the monsters.

“Crawl!” “Squeak!” “Growl!”

The monsters’ cries pierced the night air.

Those impaled by the roots writhed and fell.

Simultaneously, I began scattering various pollens in large quantities.

Monsters hit by the paralysis pollen froze in place, while those struck by the hemorrhage pollen bled profusely and collapsed.

Those affected by the decay pollen rotted away, screaming.

Glacia finally joined the fray, excitedly charging at the flying reindeer with her venomous stinger.

One, two… The monsters struck by Glacia’s stinger froze and fell.

Cecilia and Rote stayed by my side, protecting me.

Cecilia was on guard against potential fire attacks, while Rote orbited me like a defensive barrier.

And Miel, not a combatant, clung tightly to my head.

“Heh! Kill them all!”

Lost in the excitement of the ritual, I didn’t notice Raybi moving at first.

She had been staring with wide eyes but now seemed to have snapped out of it.

She drew an elegantly curved bow from her back and nocked an arrow.

Whoosh!

The arrow sliced through the air, piercing the eye of a flying reindeer with precision.

The reindeer cried out and fell.

Raybi followed up with several more shots, each finding their mark.

“Oh, you’re quite skilled!”

My praise brought a smile of pride to Raybi’s face.

“Oh, thank you!”

Ryandel wasn’t far behind, raising his crystal staff high.

A magic circle formed in the air, summoning dozens of ice arrows that flew at the goblin pack.

As the goblins fell, he swung his staff again, creating an ice barrier that blocked the path of the advancing hyenas.

Evan, too, swung a large axe at a frozen bear, striking its leg accurately before rolling back to create distance.

“Good, good~”

I nodded in approval as I watched the humans fight.

Of course, compared to my abilities, they were like fledglings, but they were more useful than I expected.

I realized I hadn’t used the Crimson Bind yet.

It was tailored to my size, and Ryandel had called it a legendary weapon.

Should I try it?

I drew the Crimson Bind from my waist.

The sword emitted a crimson glow and began to vibrate.

Like when it absorbed the Crystal Basilisk’s blood, the blood from the monsters’ corpses flowed into the blade like a river.

“Oh! It’s completely awesome!”

The blade grew redder, its vibrations intensifying.

The energy emanating from it was immense, likely due to absorbing so much blood.

‘Indeed, a legendary weapon!’

I needed a test subject.

A paralyzed ice troll caught my eye, frozen in place by the pollen.

Its large, sturdy frame and blue-tinted skin made it a perfect target.

“Here goes nothing!”

I approached the immobile ice troll.

Its icy blue skin glistened with frost, and its dull eyes trembled with fear as it stared up at me.

“Heh, scared?”

I swung the Crimson Bind lightly.

“Eh!”

As I tried to slash its ankle, the sword moved on its own, as if it had a will of its own, pulling my hand in an unintended direction.

“Huh? Wha…?”

Instead of a light slash, the sword swung in an arc toward the troll’s shin, forcing me into an awkward stance.

“Ugh!”

Slice-

The troll’s shin was cleanly severed.

“Rooooar!!”

The troll lost its balance and knelt, blood spurting like a fountain and staining the snow red.

“Whoa! It worked! …But wait, what the heck?!”

I had ended up in such an awkward pose!

I straightened up, looking down at the sword in confusion.

What is this thing?

Did it have such an ability?

The sword ignored me, continuing to move on its own.

As a result, the troll’s sturdy hide was sliced cleanly, but I struggled to maintain my balance, nearly falling forward.

Barely regaining my posture, the sword pulled my hand again, thrusting toward the troll’s chest.

“Wait a second!”

The sword seemed to guide me to strike the troll’s weak points, but my body couldn’t keep up with its movements.

It was like a novice dancer being led by a professional partner.

“Oh, slow down! Let me keep up!”

But the sword seemed beyond my control.

I awkwardly followed its movements, continuing to mutilate the troll.

Arm, leg, torso, head…

Everywhere the sword touched was sliced cleanly.

Under the blood-red moon, crimson blood sprayed like a fountain, absorbed by the Crimson Bind.

“Wow, beautiful!”

I admired the sight of the blood being absorbed, marveling at the blade.

“Heh, heh! Yes, yes! You want sacrifices for Michel too, don’t you? Good boy!”

“…Ugh”

A gagging sound came from behind.

Raybi had her hand over her mouth.

Her lips were pale, and her eyes filled with pure horror.

Ryandel clenched his jaw, holding his breath.

His fingertips trembled slightly.

Evan avoided looking directly at the scene, his gaze lowered.

His lips quivered faintly.

‘Huh? Why?’

I turned to the humans, puzzled by their expressions.

Then I looked down.

Only then did I realize.

The troll’s corpse was completely dismembered.

One shin lay far away on a rock, the severed head dangled behind me.

Entrails and flesh were scattered everywhere.

‘I don’t feel anything about it…’

Recalling human memories, such a sight would have been utterly horrifying.

Hmm…

I thought back to my first hunt in the middle layer, when I killed a snow hyena.

Even then, I had felt some gruesomeness…

‘Now, I’ve truly become a different being…’

When did I start finding such slaughter natural?

Or rather, enjoying it.

Once again, I realized I was no longer human.

‘But becoming a flower let me meet Master, so no regrets.’

Perhaps this strength is a good thing.

Just then, stronger presences approached.

More powerful monsters were coming.

‘Not that they stand a chance against me.’

I smiled, waiting for the new foes.