109
Chapter 109
In an instant, the scenery before my eyes flashed and shifted rapidly.
After floating in the darkness for a long time, I landed in a familiar place.
The mansion currently under construction.
As soon as we fell through the giant Shadow Passage that had opened in the sky, the Dwarves' gazes naturally converged on us.
One of them urgently ran off somewhere. They were probably going to call Rubia.
Sure enough, the sound of panting came from the distance.
But....
None of that entered my field of vision right now.
The only thing that lingered in my mind was that face from back then.
It was bound to be that way. After all... it was the first time I'd ever seen her cry.
There was no way I couldn't tell that the last words she spat out were a lie.
Then, what was I supposed to do?
That was obvious.
Because I had vowed not to lose anything else.
I had to find her.
I had to somehow catch those bastards, crush them, and bring Ciel back.
'But how on earth?'
Even if I mobilized all the manpower I had and used every means available, it was uncertain whether we could win.
And I couldn't even think of a way to win.
An utterly hopeless situation.
I agonized over it for a long time... and soon realized something.
That this wasn't a matter of how to do it.
I couldn't lose her like this. I couldn't let things end this way. So, I had to save her by any means necessary.
"I-Ian? What's going on all of a sudden...."
Rubia approached me.
She had said she'd have some breathing room now that she had someone to share the workload with, but she still looked exhausted.
However....
"We don't have time, Rubia. I don't care what methods you have to use. Just gather every elixir you can get your hands on as fast as possible."
I didn't have the luxury to answer her right now. Perhaps understanding the severity of the situation upon hearing my voice, she nodded with a serious expression and left.
Next, I called for Rob.
And I handed the Holy Sword and the newly acquired Artifacts over to him.
"Can you fix this within a day?"
At my words, Rob's face was colored with panic.
It was understandable. No matter how many Artifacts I brought him, finishing the job within a one-day deadline was virtually impossible.
"E-Even with the fastest possible workflow, it would take at least three months..."
Just as I expected.
Rob said as much with a troubled voice.
Despite that, I spoke again.
"So, are you saying you can't do it?"
This wasn't a request; it was an order. If it couldn't be done, I would make it happen by any means necessary. I made sure to convey that resolve.
True to his quick-witted nature, Rob simply nodded.
Simultaneously, he began to summon the Dwarves. Hundreds of artisans would probably throw themselves at this task.
I didn't know how it would turn out.
But I didn't have the luxury to worry about things like that.
I immediately headed inside.
The Black Fang's temporary army quarters.
To the warehouse where the items I had gathered for those subordinates were stored.
A space lined with all sorts of gear and weapons.
Naturally, Elixirs were also kept there.
Of course, their quality wasn't all that great.
They were difficult to absorb, and taking too much would actually cause severe side effects.
It wasn't for no reason that I had avoided putting Elixirs in my mouth even when I had the money.
Things easily bought with money had terrible efficiency.
Even with a trait like Healthy Body, recklessly consuming that stuff would destroy my body.
However.
I shoved them into my mouth, every single one I could find.
I could feel my heart pounding like crazy. My mind grew hazy. But even so, I didn't care.
If I die, I just die.
I had sworn to the Holy Sword a long time ago that I would rather die than abandon someone.
Besides, my body was already outside the realm of normalcy anyway. I had been reluctant to experiment with it until now, though.
I had thought of a way to use this to offset the Elixir's penalties.
I drove a knife directly into my own heart.
Since I couldn't feel any pain, there was no reason to hold back.
I forcefully tore through my tough flesh and ripped out my heart.
With this, it was fine even if my heart gave out. A perfectly fine new one would just grow back anyway.
Over and over again, the more I repeated the process, my Mana continued to soar.
Of course.
If I couldn't absorb it properly, repeating this insane stunt wouldn't have any effect at all.
But I didn't care about that, either.
I already knew the Cultivation Methods. The Secret Techniques of Prestigious Families, skills they valued more than their own lives.
I just needed to pick one of them.
Well, I suppose you can't expect to get it right on the first try. In the beginning, I went through some trial and error, like my Mana backflowing and violently vomiting blood.
But after doing it about ten times, I got used to it.
I quickly found a Cultivation Method that suited me and was able to make all that energy my own.
"...W-What in the world is this right now?"
Rubia, who had returned at some point, stared at me with a look of sheer horror. It wasn't exactly surprising.
I must be covered in blood right now.
It would be weirder if she wasn't surprised.
However, there was no need to worry about that.
"Ciel has been kidnapped. We need to save her right now."
Even if she always seems scatterbrained, she gets things done when it counts.
As soon as she heard my words, she understood my recent actions and simply held out the Elixirs she had gathered.
Every single one was a top-grade product.
Things with not a single side effect.
There was no need to repeat the bizarre act from earlier.
"...Is she someone you have to go that far for?"
Rubia asked with a serious expression. I just nodded silently.
My already immense Divine Power and physical body.
Plus the Mana I had just recklessly accumulated.
I picked up a cheap sword lying around in the warehouse and flowed my Mana into it.
The sword immediately let out a loud Crack before fracturing, looking as if it could burst at any second. It was at a level where I couldn't even fathom how many stages I had just leaped over.
But, even so.
It was still not enough.
That was why I took it out.
The final piece that would complete my plan.
The Scroll I had obtained from the castle back then.
...I wonder why.
Unlike before, I didn't feel any tension.
A strong conviction washed over me.
It wasn't because the earring was exerting its power.
It was just my intuition.
My intuition that always missed the mark.
I tore it apart without a single ounce of hesitation. At the same time, an incredibly bizarre Spell Formula engraved itself onto my body.
Predation Buff.
A one-time-use skill that allows me to absorb the traits of a defeated enemy. The probability of getting it must have been less than one in a hundred.
What I aimed for had hit its mark as if it were destiny.
...With this, all preparations were complete.
I stood up from my seat.
I fully intended to use every unethical means at my disposal.
But I didn't feel any hesitation whatsoever.
They were the ones who crossed the line first.
They were the ones who touched something they shouldn't have. Therefore, I wouldn't hold back on my end either.
I will use whatever it takes—original story knowledge or underhanded tricks—to reclaim what I lost.
I will make them realize what it means to turn the main character, the center of the world, into an enemy.
"W-Wait a sec. At least tell me where you're going."
To Rubia, who asked as such, I answered.
"The Great Forest."
"The Great Forest? Why there all of a sudden...."
Rubia spoke with a bewildered face, but it was obvious if she just thought about it for a moment.
"That's the only way they could have pinpointed our location."
There was no way information leaked from Rubia, and Fake Balzac hadn't been caught either. That meant the only remaining possibility was the Elves.
They could sense the aura of their own kind.
"The First Prince must have gained the Elves' cooperation."
"H-Hold on, then you're just walking straight into the enemy's den!"
Rubia said with an even more dismayed expression. Of course, she wasn't wrong.
"It doesn't matter. I'm planning to subjugate them all and make them my slaves."
I said that with a nonchalant face.
Elves were certainly powerful. If it weren't for the risk of not being able to leave the vicinity of the World Tree, they would probably be standing at the top of the pyramid instead of humans.
But this was no empty boast.
If I just used the Gluttony buff from earlier, it was entirely possible. Not to mention holding the power of life and death over all the Elves.
As well as forcing them onto the battlefield to help me get Ciel back.
Of course, I didn't really prefer forcing people into a war without their consent. But what could I do?
They were the ones who touched my person first.
"W-What in the world are you talking about?"
Even after I explained it like that, Rubia's expression grew even more dumbfounded than before. It seemed she couldn't keep up with the situation at all.
But it wouldn't matter much.
Because what I was about to do from here on out was incredibly simple.
"First, I'm going to set the World Tree on fire."
The target I chose for my trait absorption was none other than the World Tree.