Chapter 43
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: The Tainted Branch
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Demonic beasts and monsters are different.
If monsters were native species that had lived on this continent since the beginning of time, demonic beasts were the minions brought by demons.
They were different in essence, and the most striking difference on the surface was the blatant presence of demonic energy.
Or so I learned at the academy.
And it was correct.
“Those are Seids.”
Demonic beasts in the form of shadows, their entire bodies covered in black. They had no definite shape and mimicked the appearance of nearby life forms.
“I never expected to see demonic beasts here… but they're exactly as I learned at the academy.”
At a glance, they looked like a gathering of various monsters. Except that their eyes were all red, and their bodies were black.
“Professor Valmon was a truly excellent teacher.”
“This is no time to be leisurely giving reviews.”
The situation was quite serious. Pernyan's magic had saved all the falling people, but it was impossible to safely catch all the massive, heavily loaded wagons.
Some of the wagons were falling down below, into the underground space teeming with Seids.
And among them.
“Aria, use your spirits to stop the wagons from falling!”
Was the fourth wagon, which contained the World Tree.
Damn it. Pernyan leaped down.
“Which wagon!?”
“All of them!”
Aria stuck close to his side. Five spirits scattered in all directions.
“All of them is impossible!”
Indeed, there were only five spirits, and seven falling wagons.
“Then do the impossible!”
Pernyan ignored Aria's complaint and manipulated his mana. His enhanced vision brightened the darkness ever so slightly.
Though he said that, he knew exactly which wagon had to be saved.
Because he had marked it beforehand.
Down below, the wagon at the very bottom, just about to crash into the ground.
“That's it, Aria! The wagon falling at the very bottom!”
“Confirmed!”
The wind brushed past Pernyan. Aria dashed forward, leading three wind spirits.
Just before the wagon could fall into the maws of the demonic beasts, its descent was narrowly halted.
At a precarious height of about 50 centimeters. Aria landed lightly on the wagon.
“I've got it!”
It was a relief, but the situation wasn't over.
The Seids, transformed into monsters like hounds, orcs, and goblins, and animals like bears and bats, bared their fangs at the prey that had fallen from the sky.
But Pernyan wasn't about to let that happen.
*Crash—*
Flasks filled with reagents fell all around the wagon. *Fwoosh*, as flames flickered and soared high, the shadow-like Seids instinctively flinched.
And a step later, Pernyan landed.
He struck the ground with his staff, activating a spell he had prepared in advance, and a massive barrier separated the Seids from the wagon.
*CRACK—!*
*CRACK—!*
The peace was brief. A roar and an impact shook the barrier.
“What do we do now?”
Aria asked as she landed softly along with the wagon that had been floating in the air.
“What do you think?”
We kill them all and get out of here. He looked up; it was quite deep. They seemed to have fallen about 40 meters.
‘There was a space like this down here?’
It was less a simple basement and more a massive cave or dungeon of enormous size, with a vast underground water vein flowing on one side.
And filling its interior were countless demonic beasts, as well as broken wagons and supplies.
“I wonder how much all that is worth...”
“I know. What a waste.”
“……?”
“What's wrong?”
“It's nothing.”
Have I gotten too used to Ruina? She would have retorted, asking if that was really what mattered right now.
“Listen carefully, Aria.”
“I'm listening.”
“You will immediately take the wagon and go back up. You can do that, right?”
“I can. For now.”
“For now?”
Her words were a little ambiguous.
“Because I don't think I'll be able to soon.”
Only then did he notice something strange.
Her pointed ears were twitching nonstop. It clearly meant she was hearing something he couldn't.
“What is it?”
“You'll hear it soon.”
*THUD—!*
It was.
*THUD—!*
A rhythmic sound echoing through the underground cavern.
If Pernyan's guess was correct, it had to be the footsteps of something massive.
As the sound drew much closer, the demonic energy also grew thicker.
“...A Varga.”
A bipedal beast, 10 meters tall, with a hide tougher than steel, teeth and powerful jaws that could chew through anything, and claws sharper than most masterwork swords.
It was a powerful Grade 4 demonic beast, listed in the major textbook *A Study of Demonic Beasts and Monsters*.
A creature that could easily chew up dozens of trolls, even ogres, the so-called kings of the mountain.
It was on a completely different level from the Grade 8 Seid swarm, which, despite their numbers, was manageable.
“...Damn it.”
Its four crimson pupils were clearly fixed on them.
Goosebumps erupted all over his body.
He realized it. At his current level, he couldn't win against that thing, not in a million years.
Die here?
In a place like this?
He hadn't checked the Prophecy Book and struggled so hard to survive just for this.
“Hyde!”
The bodies of the Seids charging at Pernyan, ahead of the Varga, were split apart.
*SWISH—!*
A stealth so profound that there wasn't even a faint sound, the demonic beasts not even realizing their bodies were being sliced in two.
Suddenly, a guard holding a sword stood before Pernyan.
“...Huh? Isn't this one of Sunbaenim's aides? I had no idea he was hiding such skill!”
Pernyan ignored the cheerful Aria, who seemed out of place in the situation.
“Hyde, you will end that thing's life.”
“Even for me, that thing will be difficult.”
“I'll draw its attention. You watch for an opportunity to finish it...”
*Kwoooarrrr—*
An eardrum-shattering roar vibrated through the underground.
*THUD—*
*THUD-THUD—*
The beast began to charge at Pernyan.
“...It won't even give me a moment's respite.”
*Vwooom—*
A subspace rift opened. A massive 5-meter golem leaped out, blocking the Varga's path.
*CLANG—!*
It took exactly 30 seconds.
Two seconds for the greatsword to strike the Varga.
Four seconds for the Varga's claws to block the greatsword and tear off the golem's chest plate.
Ten seconds for its thick tail to wrap around the golem's entire body.
Twenty-five seconds for that tail to rupture all its armor plates.
And a mere 30 seconds to toss the ruined golem aside.
The result left Pernyan, Aria, and Hyde gaping.
“...This is insane.”
“What... what kind of monster is that...”
“That's a Grade 4...”
Even if he had just thrown it out there without a proper link, wasn't this too much?
But there was no time to just stand and watch the gruesome scene.
*Kakakakakaka—*
A creepy, bizarre laugh. The Varga was clearly mocking them.
As if toying with cornered prey, the Varga gracefully kicked off the ground.
Above it.
*CRASH—!*
Another golem descended upon it.
*KWAAAAANG!*
The Varga was crushed under the weight of the golem that fell from the sky.
“Hyde! Do as I say! Now! It won't hold for long!”
“...Yes, I'll trust you!”
Hyde vanished.
“Who do you think would meekly become your prey?”
Demonic beasts, Vile Breeds, demons, whatever. In the end, he would be the one to survive and win.
Pernyan glared at the Varga struggling to escape from under the golem.
“There are still four more.”
He had brought more than one golem.
* * *
*CLANG—!*
*CRASH—!*
The beast and the golem clash.
The earth trembled, and the impact caused parts of the cave ceiling to collapse.
The footprints they left swept through the surroundings, and the Seids caught in the aftershock screamed.
And the Seids that survived amidst the chaos charged toward the enemy etched into their instincts. Even with torn legs and crushed torsos, they did not sheathe their fangs.
Their target was Pernyan Fallenberg, who had linked with the golem and cut off all external senses.
Just before their goal could be achieved, blades of wind tore their flesh apart.
“This is just too reckless!”
Aria summoned her spirits. The maximum she could summon was five.
The five spirits formed a defensive square around the defenseless Pernyan.
It was the only barrier against the wave-like swarm of Seids.
“Huu, huu... I can do this. I can do this.”
Though weak compared to the Varga, the Seids were still proper demonic beasts.
In contrast, Aria had to hold her ground. She had to abandon the elven advantage of agility and push herself harder than usual.
“No, I don't think I can. I'm going to die at this rate.”
Her mana was rapidly depleting. So was her stamina.
Aria extended her staff forward and chanted a spell. A small tornado instantly swallowed a dozen Seids.
“My mana...!”
But due to her dwindling mana, the spell's power was weakened, and a demonic beast tore through the feeble wind, thrusting its jaws forward.
Aria swung her staff without thinking.
*Thwack*, a bat-shaped Seid was sent flying, but an orc-shaped Seid following right behind raised its club.
Her eyes widened.
She struggled to lift her staff, but there was no strength left in her.
In that moment—
*KWAAAAANG!*
Something fell and crushed the Seid.
What could be seen through the rising cloud of dust was a golem. To be precise, it was the lump of scrap metal that had been disposed of by the Varga, a former golem.
As the golem ceased to operate, the Varga stomped on it and let out a roar of victory.
But.
*CLANG—!*
The battle was still not over.
Once again, a subspace rift opened, and the fourth round began.
“Haaah...”
Aria, having barely survived, glanced at Pernyan, who was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed.
Pernyan, who had already summoned his fourth golem, had his clothes soaked through. Not with water. It was all sweat.
“...I've saved your life several times, Sunbaenim. You should be grateful for that. Not just with words, but with clear compensation!”
For instance, an invitation to the Yacht Club.
Or something to foster a closer bond between the Friediens and the Fallenbergs.
Naturally, there was no reply.
“Throwing my life on the line isn't my style!”
Aria forced down a potion.
There were still many Seids.
* * *
‘…….’
When controlling a golem, a mage becomes completely defenseless.
They close their eyes, completely cutting off their senses. But that didn't mean they were completely disconnected from the outside world.
Because they feel through the golem, instead of their own body.
Cutting off their senses was to control the golem more perfectly. To see from the golem's perspective, to feel the golem as if it were their own body.
‘Damn it.’
That's why he could feel it so clearly.
How outmatched he was in strength. How clumsy this massive body was, how fragile.
And how little talent he had for swordsmanship.
*SWOOSH—!*
The massive sword, custom-made for the golem, cut through the air. The Varga, effortlessly dodging the blow without even a hint of a close call, laughed with a *kakak* sound.
‘This damn bastard!’
He threw a punch, but it was caught. The beast's tail slammed into the golem's chest.
*CRUNCH—!*
The thick armor crumpled. The impact forced the golem back a few steps, and the Varga, not missing the opportunity, pounced on it.
*CRUNCH—*
Unable to withstand the jaw strength, the head was shattered to pieces. The golem's torso fell.
From the shock of the forced disconnection, Pernyan swallowed the blood that surged up his throat.
He wanted to give up. His mana was almost depleted, and the reckless operation had damaged his Mana Heart and Mana Roads.
Nevertheless.
Nevertheless, he could not give up.
*Vwooom—*
A new golem tore through subspace and appeared. It grabbed the neck of the Varga, which was stomping on the fallen golem and roaring in victory, and threw it to the ground.
‘That's three.’
This golem was the fourth unit.
He only had one unit left in reserve, and he didn't even have the strength to operate that one. He had to end it this time, no matter what.
*KWANG!*
He took the top position over the fallen Varga and threw a punch.
*KWANG! KWANG!*
‘Die...!’
He hit it again and again.
‘...Just die already!’
The Varga's head was half-crushed. But even so, it pushed the golem off and spewed demonic energy.
The golem's armor melted and became flimsy in the acid. Pernyan shuddered at its tenacious life force.
‘Hurry...!’
*CRACK*, the golem's leg broke.
Its torso tilted and fell backward.
‘Hurry up...!’
The Varga stomped on the golem and mocked him. *Crackle*, sparks flew as the core in its chest shattered.
Through the golem's fading vision, he saw a black figure land on the beast's head.
A red light soared.
An aura sword, grown to nearly 3 meters, dug into the half-crushed monster's wound.
The beast coughed up blood.
It thrashed its body, trying to shake off the gnat.
But Pernyan did not miss that final chance.
Forcing his overheated Mana Heart, which felt like it would explode, to move.
He threw out the last golem.
It wasn't control, or anything of the sort. He had literally just tossed it, but for that brief moment, the Varga's movements were sealed.
And Hyde drove the final nail into the wound he had created.
*KWADJIK—*
The Varga's head split open.
With a *thud*, the beast collapsed.
At the same time, a trickle of blood flowed from the corner of Pernyan's mouth as he opened his eyes.
“You're late! Way too late!”
“That's right! You're late!”
“I did my best!”
“Four golems were destroyed! Do you have any idea how much those cost!”
“More importantly, I almost died! And don't act like it's all over, come help me, will you?!”
Aria, still fighting the Seids, shrieked.
It was at that moment.
“Gongjanim! Get back!”
“What is that!”
“Self-destruction...?”
The corpse of the Varga, its neck half-severed, was rapidly expanding.
Pernyan hastily erected a barrier as Aria whipped up a wind. And Hyde stood in front of Pernyan to shield him.
*BOOOOOOM—!*
An explosion occurred.
Vile demonic energy swept away everything in the vicinity.
The rocks, the Seids, the underground water, and the wagons.
The only survivors were the three, protected by multiple layers of barriers and artifacts.
“...Ha.”
Pernyan let out a hollow laugh. Most of the wagons had melted, unable to withstand the demonic energy.
The horrifying result was enough to make him forget his own physical condition for a moment.
“Aria.”
“Yes.”
“I have two pieces of good news and one piece of bad news. Which do you want to hear first?”
“Um, the good news.”
“The first is that the Seids were annihilated by that thing's self-destruction. And the second is that I placed an artifact inside the box containing the Branch of the World Tree. Thanks to that, the Branch of the World Tree is safe.”
“Then what's the bad news?”
“That it's not *perfectly* safe.”
“So it seems.”
The Branch of the World Tree, peeking out from the broken box, had a part of it stained black, as if to proclaim that it had been tainted.