episode_0048

It was clearer and denser than the beam that had pierced a hole in the entrance of the World Tree; in other words, a perfect superior version of my own technique approached me simply by her raising a hand.

*Crash!*

Soon, the beam created yet another hole in the World Tree, and both of us simply lay prostrate on the ground to avoid it.

‘The higher-ups shouldn’t be appearing already…?’

It’s only 1 o’clock.

This is only the first of the twelve trials.

As it’s the first, all we had to do was find an item in the guild’s basement and burn it; it was easier compared to the other trials.

But what was this sight?

A higher-up, who should only appear after 6 o’clock, was already before my eyes.

“A basic attack with a risk factor is this strong…?”

Naturally, gods cannot exert their full power in a place called the Human Realm.

If they used their original power without any restrictions, the Human Realm would lose its form without any resistance.

Of course, I don’t know why.

It was just written in the game’s settings, and the word “(partially)” was always attached when facing gods after 6 o’clock.

“…!”

A finger.

A giant finger, as if woven from wheat, appeared before me as I lay on the ground.

That finger was glowing, as if about to use the same technique as before.

[Heart Sword]

I gathered all the Heart Swords I could currently use, forming them into a shield-like shape.

Even if she was a god, if I used all the swords that had cut down the Queen for defense, wouldn’t I be able to block it to some extent?

And wouldn’t I be able to escape with that brief time I gained?

Perhaps my mind was seized by fear, preventing proper thought.

My mind was filled with arrogance.

*Booming crash!!!!*

With the sound of something shattering, my Heart Sword turned to dust, disappearing beyond recognition.

The smoke created by the still-burning tree trunks and the beams colliding prevented me from discerning the extent of my injuries.

“Cough….”

The pain.

The tearing pain of flesh was felt from my abdomen.

“…..”

It was hot.

My hand grasped a sticky, warm liquid.

Perhaps it was because I had never felt so much liquid from my own body before?

Or perhaps it was because my Heart Sword had shattered without even a single clash?

Or was it that not even a flicker of hope to move remained?

I simply stared at the colossal hand before my eyes, reloading its beam.

Did she, the god Demeter, not even want to grant us a chance for dialogue?

She, who had been staring at us with an arrogant expression, waved her hand as if she no longer wished to see mere humans.

“Haa… haa…”

What happened to Ellicia?

I weakly turned my head and looked at her, fallen.

Perhaps she had also taken the beam almost head-on; she was slumped over, showing no signs of getting up, and was creating a shallow pool of blood.

It was bright.

Bright despite being night.

I remained still, sending magic to the giant hand re-aiming its beam, forgetting even to assess my surroundings.

How could I win this?

My Heart Sword had shattered before it could even reach her true form.

Even if I restored it with #$% and attacked again, would it work?

*Crashing roar!!!*

The wall of the World Tree.

The wall of the World Tree, which I had thought would support our backs and see us off to our end, tore apart with a roar.

[Hey, Master!]

With Brownie’s words, the beam in front of me emitted light, and I immediately felt a soft comfort.

Ah, they say it gets comfortable when you’re about to die…

[Master! What is that now?!]

At the hallucination in my ear, I unconsciously sent magic.

Only then did I realize my body was on Brownie’s hand.

[Master! I said, what is that? What is it, spewing out magic incomparable to the Queen’s?]

At Brownie’s words, I raised my body, dripping blood.

It was high in the sky.

It was high in the sky, where the throne was visible.

Brownie and I looked down at Demeter, seated on her throne, but what was this feeling?

I didn’t feel at all like I was looking down on her.

“What… what else could it be…. It’s the higher-ups I always talked about…”

With every word I spoke, the wounds in my abdomen throbbed and ached, but I continued speaking.

[The higher-ups…. So that’s…. Those are the great gods….]

“Can you… face her…?”

[Master, did you hit your head or something? There’s no way I can face something like that. Running away is the answer.]

“Then… hurry up and run….”

[If I could, wouldn’t I have already? I don’t know what that god oversees, but I can’t move a single step…]

Demeter, Goddess of the Earth.

A member of the great collective of gods called Olympus and the creator of the World Tree.

The [Garden] began with her.

What does this mean?

The [Garden] is Demeter’s domain.

Perhaps it was because a single great star, a god, had descended here?

This night was not dark at all.

Had Demeter also noticed us in the sky?

Her body slowly detached from the throne.

[It feels like the ground is holding me, how am I supposed to escape this…]

At Brownie’s desperate mutter, I looked at Demeter, who was looking up at us.

[Heart Sword]

If she was just standing there, and I had regained my senses, wouldn’t it be worth trying an attack?

Fortunately, my [Heart Sword] had been restored to its original form.

[Cetus Style, Third Form]

[Menkar]

Magic overflowing the land.

If I used that overflowing magic, in other words, if I used divine magic, wouldn’t I be able to loosen her control even slightly? With that thought, I summoned a giant whale shark to the same spot again.

“…..!”

It sucked it in.

Clearly, the giant whale shark behind me was absorbing magic.

But why did it show no sign of giving it back?

Had Demeter seen what I was trying to do?

She tilted her head slightly, then waved her hand toward the giant whale shark behind me.

Immense magic.

Magic so vast it made the word “immense” seem apologetic, burst the belly of the whale shark behind me.

Was that not enough?

As she raised her hand, a single colossal tendril emerged from within the World Tree.

With a light *swish,*

a heavy *thud* came from Brownie’s body.

Thick blood gushing from his body soaked the earth.

[Cough….]

Along with Brownie’s voice, sounding like a death rattle,

*Thump*, and the giant wolf fell to the ground.

Without even a single counterattack.

“Brownie…. are you alive….”

Did he respond, if only with his body, to the question of whether he was alive?

Brownie, impaled by the thick tree tendril, reverted to his pre-transformation body and lay unconscious in my arms.

Seeing him twitch, only then did I see Demeter approaching us.

With every step she took, new life sprouted from the earth.

Her footprints were clearly impressed upon the ground, and small sprouts subtly bloomed in their marks.

As if unconcerned by the unholy magic of the demon cult that had once been there, these sprouts grew, feeding on the corpses of chimeras gathered around.

Was she mistaking us for members of the demon cult?

And did she think even speaking to demon cultists like us was a luxury?

Demeter offered no rebuke or criticism as she approached us.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

Ellicia was sound asleep beside me, and Brownie merely twitched, unconscious in my arms.

In this situation, what could possibly help me?

[Heart Sword]

The last.

Perhaps the last attack I could make.

I gathered every Heart Sword I could deploy, forming a greatsword and striking down, but

*Thud*

My Heart Sword was caught by her slender, white hand.

The Heart Sword, which I had believed could not be seen or caught, and only attacked.

It shattered into dust in her hand.

There was no hope left now.

I lowered my head.

*Squeak, squeak.*

A mouse, from who knows where, squeaked.

A bird, dead for who knows how long, flapped its half-remaining feathers, letting out a painful, vibrant shriek.

A snake, shedding its last remaining scales and making a smooth metallic sound, moved forward, heedless of its body scraping against a tree.

A spirit, making pattering footsteps as it dragged its body, split in half, did not lose its bright smile, even with only half.

Rotten moths, carrying only bone dust instead of the usual powder moths bear, sat between the trees.

What good thing could be happening to them?

There was no reason for these dead beings to visit Demeter’s domain, a place that should be filled with the natural energy of life, was there?

They wailed, each making their own sound.

I wondered if they even possessed vocal cords to wail with, but the ear-splitting sound forced me to turn and look at the place they were staring at.

“….!”

This was no longer Demeter’s domain.