Episode 219 Lycanthropes (4)

-“You cursed creatures, how dare you defile this sacred land?!”

-“Monsters! Kill them!”

-“M-monster! Help! Somebody help me!”

Throughout the long history of the continent,

Lycanthropes had always been treated like a plague, a race to be feared and eradicated.

An incomplete species, unable to reproduce naturally, forced to rely on infection to increase their numbers.

Those infected would be corrupted by dark magic, their minds twisted beyond recognition, consumed by savagery and violence.

Even those who managed to maintain their sanity would lose control under the full moon, rampaging and spreading infection and death.

It was only natural for people to want to protect themselves and their families from these ticking time bombs.

There was a story of a young boy who had been bitten by a werewolf and then, in a moment of madness, killed everyone in his village, including his own family, before fleeing.

Driven by his instincts, he had left countless victims in his wake before finally succumbing to his curse and becoming a monster… It was a common tale in this world.

…But it was truly exceptional for one to survive for hundreds of years and become strong enough to be called ‘King’.

And that process couldn’t have been possible without someone’s intervention and support.

Kaboom—!

“Kihihihyaha! Gotcha! You pesky little bugs!”

Lycanthrope King Baucalacas ripped apart the Earth Spirit that had been relentlessly blocking his path with his fearsome claws.

A single swipe was enough to leave a five-meter-wide scar on the ground, resembling a beast’s claw marks, and the spirit, overwhelmed by the overwhelming destructive power, was forced back to its own dimension without any resistance, despite being a Highest-level being.

“Ugh!”

“Horut! Are you alright?”

“…Cecily, this is nothing! Focus! If that monster takes even one step outside, it’s over!”

The aftershock made the High Elf Horut, the spirit summoner, cough up blood.

But he gritted his teeth and focused his remaining energy on his spirits, ignoring the pain.

In the heart of the battlefield, where the two races clashed head-on…

All four High Elves remaining in Drasha were assigned to hold back the leader of the Lycanthropes.

‘We’re barely holding on, even though we’re right next to the World Tree…! I never thought such a monster would attack so recklessly… The difference in level is one thing, but the compatibility is terrible.’

High Elves were strongest when they were near the World Tree, but the enemy’s power, amplified by a fusion of dark magic and madness, was overwhelming.

No matter how much firepower they unleashed, he would just shrug it off and regenerate, his monstrous physique ignoring a certain percentage of their attacks.

And his own attacks easily pierced through their defenses, despite their best efforts.

Their only option was to hold him back with a formation, relying on their superior regenerative abilities thanks to the World Tree.

‘…But will that really work? Looking at that monster, I’m not so sure… If only we had another High Elf of the same level…’

Elves, with their long lifespans, generally had a high proportion of strong individuals compared to other races.

The Forest Guardians, the master-level Elves who protected each region, were the reason why they had been able to respond to the simultaneous attacks by the White Giants and the Lycanthropes.

But for some reason, there wasn’t a single High Elf who had reached transcendence in the current Elven Kingdom.

The only one who was close was Lydia, the leader of the Guardians… but she had crossed the ocean to join the hero party.

“Kahahaha! Are you tired yet? Huh? Is it over? Let’s finish this!”

Baucalacas, the Werewolf King, charged towards the High Elves, laughing maniacally.

The air around him crackled as his destructive magic power surged, leaving trails of scorched air in his wake.

“I’ll block him!”

“We’ll support you!”

The High Elf Platina, a master of both spirit summoning and swordsmanship, stepped forward, her body enveloped in aura, to block his path.

Her sword, imbued with starlight, clashed with his blood-red claws.

Clang—!

She staggered for a moment, overwhelmed by his overwhelming physical strength, but the Queen’s support magic helped her regain her footing.

But it didn’t last long…

Crack! Boom—!

“Ugh!”

She endured for barely a minute, even with additional support from the others.

She was finally forced to retreat, dodging his attack.

If Cecily hadn’t shielded her with a water barrier at the last moment, she would have been seriously injured.

“Hmph! Almost had one! Too bad! I wish that World Tree wasn’t there! Ah, we need to burn it down, quickly!”

Baucalacas growled, the blood-red madness in his eyes intensifying.

His rationality was fading, but his physical abilities were only growing stronger.

‘We need to find a way…’

Cecily bit her lip, her heart sinking.

They were barely holding on, but five more general-level Lycanthropes were heading towards the battlefield.

There were strong individuals on the Elven side as well, but…

‘There will be casualties. Wait, where’s Harris?’

She suddenly realized that Harris had been silent for a while.

The last report had been that he was engaged in battle with a general-level Lycanthrope, but…

She couldn’t contact him, as they didn’t have the time to maintain the World Tree network.

‘…He’s probably on his way back. Things will get better once he’s here. We just need to hold on until then.’

As Cecily refocused on the battle,

Harris was just entering Drasha.

______________________

Crunch!

“Ugh! World Tree…”

Kaboom—!

“Clang!”

Death was spreading in the heart of the Enamel Continent, which had been a sanctuary of peace for so long.

It didn’t discriminate between Lycanthrope or Elf.

The hastily erected wooden barricades were already breached, and the Elves were slowly retreating, trying to minimize their losses.

The Lycanthropes dodged or deflected most of the ranged attacks with their superior physical abilities and instincts, and even if they were hit, they rarely died, thanks to their durability, magic resistance, and regenerative abilities.

The Elves outnumbered them, but the invaders were a hand-picked elite force.

They needed a more decisive force… and fortunately, Drasha had the perfect resource.

Away from the main battlefield, near the outer edge…

Clank—

Shapiron Silvesty calmly drew her bowstring, gathering natural energy.

“Grrr! Die!”

A warrior-level Lycanthrope was approaching, dodging her arrows and weaving through the trees.

His massive, muscular body emanated a blood-red aura, his eyes were bloodshot with madness, and his fangs dripped with saliva.

He looked like a rabid beast, but Shapiron remained calm, waiting for the perfect moment…

And as he entered her kill zone, she released her arrow, imbued with the Wind Spirit’s power.

Whoosh— Thwack!

The arrowhead pierced his forehead.

An ordinary warrior-level Lycanthrope would have died instantly, despite their regenerative abilities, but this one, strengthened by a combination of dark magic and madness, only staggered.

He roared, charging towards her with a murderous glint in his eyes, as if he would drag her down with him, even in death.

“Die!”

But Shapiron didn’t flinch.

She didn’t care if he survived the first hit.

She wasn’t alone.

Whoosh— Thwack—! Thwack! Whoosh—! Slash!

As she drew his attention, arrows and magic spells rained down on him from all directions.

He didn’t stand a chance, even if he was a knight.

And two figures emerged from the shadows, where the attacks had originated.

They were her classmates, Timer and Curia, who had performed on stage with Harris before.

“Shapiron, are you sure this is okay? It’s working, but… isn’t this too dangerous for you?”

“…Should we change the plan?”

“It’s alright. We’re only dealing with the wounded and the stragglers. This isn’t the time to be picky.”

Drasha Academy was the best educational institution in the Elven Kingdom.

Naturally, its students were all elites, skilled enough to be considered high-ranking personnel.

They could be trusted with rear support in this crisis.

“If we’re a bit faster, we can save even more lives. So, from now on…”

Rustle—

But as she was speaking,

They all froze, hearing the sound of rustling leaves.

…They could hear it, but they couldn’t sense anything with their heightened senses.

They exchanged glances and slowly turned their heads towards the sound…

And saw a woman with a strange expression, standing there as if she had deliberately made the noise.

“I was going to just pass by… but you’re right. If I’m a bit more diligent, I can save even more of my people.”

She spoke casually, her voice calm and collected.

Short black hair, countless scars covering her exposed skin, a muscular physique over 180 centimeters tall.

“…It’s fine to take care of a few of you on the way, right?”

She grinned, revealing sharp, beast-like teeth, her fingernails slowly extending into claws.

“Ah, I was getting bored hiding while the others were having all the fun. This is perfect. Kihihihik.”

The woman they encountered was…

A general-level Lycanthrope, on a secret mission from the King.

______________________

Harris immediately headed towards Drasha.

Even at his fastest speed, it would take several hours to fly there, but that’s what “Forest Path” was for!

‘It’s usually forbidden for pilgrimages… but this is an emergency!’

And he was on a mission from the World Tree itself, so it was definitely within acceptable limits.

He set the World Tree as his destination and stepped into the Forest Path.

And five minutes later,

He emerged from the path, already perched on one of the World Tree’s branches.

‘…I didn’t plan to come this high. Well, this is better, I guess.’

He could get a better view of the battlefield from here.

Harris looked down at Drasha and frowned slightly.

The sight of the once peaceful and beautiful city filled with chaos was unsettling.

‘The World Tree offered such a generous reward… This must be a serious situation.’

The battlefield before him was in a stalemate.

The Elves were slightly outnumbered, but they weren’t on the verge of collapse, and reinforcements were steadily arriving from the surrounding areas.

‘…I don’t understand. I need to take a closer look.’

Harris quietly drew his bow, Themis, and activated “Stargazer”, observing the situation below.

And then…

He froze, feeling a sudden surge of power.

‘What’s this?’

It wasn’t a bad thing.

It felt like he was more closely connected to the World Tree than usual…

‘Is it because I’m on one of its branches?’

All High Elf abilities were amplified when they were near the World Tree.

It was only natural for him to feel it more clearly, being practically on top of it.

…And it was also a special situation, so maybe the World Tree was granting him additional power…

‘…It’s not enough. Let’s see how far I can go.’

Harris activated “Chosen of the World Tree” and “Assimilation with Nature”, maximizing his affinity with the World Tree.

And as he looked down at the battlefield…

‘Ah, this is…’

He could see.

《The special skill “Stargazer” has absorbed its sub-skills “Clear Mind” and “Insight” and evolved into “Watcher of the Milky Way”.》

He could see the world through the eyes of the World Tree, through the eyes of a god.

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