Chapter 275: The Reason I Knelt Was... (9)[R-18]
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 275: The Reason I Knelt Was... (9)[R-18]
Thud—!
‘Damn it...’
The Wild Hunters grabbed my shoulders and forced me to my knees, slamming my face into the dirt.
I had resisted desperately to buy time, but while I might have stood a chance if they were hunting me individually like at the start, escaping a concentrated group of Wild Hunters was impossible.
“You little rat. You certainly know how to run.”
“...It wasn't as hard as I thought it’d be.”
“Shut up!”
Whack—!
No. 1 kicked me square in the face.
I felt bone crack and skin tear, blood beginning to flow, but I suppressed the urge to scream.
If I could buy time by taking a beating, our side’s chances of victory would increase by that much.
“...”
Crunch—! Thwack—! Thwack—!
Seeing my silence, No. 1 didn't seem satisfied. He kicked me a few more times, then panted heavily as he spoke.
“...Contact the Elders! Tell them we’ve captured the human!”
*
“Now... the Spirit King is sealed. Without him, what can you possibly do against us?”
“Ha...”
Elfriede let out a hollow laugh at the Third Elder’s confident tone.
“You dumbass, you still haven't snapped out of it. If you’re being serious, you might as well just bite your tongue and die.”
“You’re bluffing. If you could call upon the Spirit King, you would have already—”
“Oh, sure. Tattling on me definitely worked; I can't feel Ifrit at all. The blessing is gone too, so my body feels a bit heavier than usual. But you see...”
—Boom!
The moment she stomped her foot, the High Spirits of Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth materialized simultaneously around Elfriede.
“Just because I’ve gotten weaker doesn't mean you lot have gotten any stronger!”
“H-How?! The blessing should definitely be sealed?!”
The Third Elder was struck with horror once again.
He had certainly sealed it. Through the Crown, he had temporarily severed not only her contract with the Spirit King but also the blessing of the World Tree!
‘Could it be...?’
If Elfriede could still summon the four High Spirits simultaneously despite that...
There was only one explanation.
Even excluding the blessing from the World Tree, Elfriede’s pure talent alone was enough to command the four High Spirits at once.
‘Elfriede... just what are you...’
But that wasn't all.
Whoosh—!
With one hand planted on the ground, Elfriede’s leg swung like a whip, slamming into the chest of the nearest Wild Hunter.
Crack—!
With the sound of breaking bones, the Wild Hunter was sent flying, crashing into a wall.
“....”
With that single move, Elfriede showed everyone present exactly what she was capable of.
She showed them the level she had reached through physical techniques alone—without the Spirit King, the blessing of the World Tree, or even mana.
Bang—! Bang—!
‘Is it... is it over? Our grand cause... to make the Elves great again?’
She possessed an overwhelming power that shattered every scheme and trap head-on.
At the very moment the Third Elder’s conviction began to crumble before Elfriede’s common-sense-defying strength...
Vroom—!
The crystal ball the Wild Hunters had brought earlier began to emit a faint light.
“Elder! A message from the tracking team!”
“....!!!”
Yes, it wasn't over yet.
There was one last card left.
If they just had Ian, that human, they could stop this monster!
Flash—!
As he poured mana into the crystal ball, an image of Ian—captured by the Wild Hunters, his face a mess of blood and bruises—floated in the air.
“Senior!!!!”
Elfriede screamed at the sight of Ian’s battered state.
[...Elfriede. I’m... fi...ne...]
“What do you mean you’re fine looking like that!! Just hold on! I-I’ll save you right now!”
Elfriede’s eyes turned cold as she looked back at the Elders and the Wild Hunters.
“...Move if you don't want to die. From now on, I’m attacking to kill.”
───Shiver!!
The bloodlust radiating from Elfriede was enough to revive the survival instincts of even the Wild Hunters, whose minds were supposed to be painted over with fanaticism.
Amidst that terrifying bloodlust, only the Third Elder screamed like a madman.
“No. 1! The moment Elfriede attacks, kill him immediately!!!”
[Understood, Elder.]
“Third Elder!!!!”
“Kill us if you want, Elfriede!!!!”
Frothing at the mouth, the Third Elder’s eyes gleamed with madness.
“Did you think we’d give up because we value our lives... It’s not just me! Everyone here!! We are all prepared to die to make the Elves great again!!!”
Seeing Elfriede summon the four spirits even without the blessing only made the Third Elder more certain.
If that girl became one with the World Tree, the Elves could surely be great again!
“Decide!!! Will you wear the Crown, become one with the World Tree, and inherit the position of Grand Elder to cancel the order?! Or... will you kill us and watch that man die!!!!”
Grit—
Blood seeped from Elfriede’s clenched fists.
“You... mother... fucking... piece of shit...!!!”
“That is not the right answer. No. 1, rip off his arm!!!”
As the Third Elder barked the command at the crystal ball, the Wild Hunter on the screen unhesitatingly grabbed Ian’s right arm and twisted it backward.
Crunch!
[....!!]
“S-Senior!!”
Ian bit his lip hard to keep from screaming, but cold sweat poured down him like rain.
[Elfriede... it’s okay... just... run...!]
I didn't know what this 'Crown' the Elders were talking about was...
But I was certain it was something Elfriede should never wear.
[Shut your mouth.]
Creeeak—
Seeing that Ian’s spirit still hadn't broken, No. 1 applied even more force, as if he intended to tear the arm clean off.
“Stop! I said stop!!! You son of a bitch!!”
“...You know the way to make it stop, Elfriede.”
“Third... Elder!! I will... I’ll!!!”
“...I suppose an arm isn't enough. No. 1, gouge out his eyes this time.”
[Yes, Elder.]
As the Wild Hunter’s fingers forced Ian’s eyelids open and prepared to dig into his eyeballs...
“Fine!!! I get it!! Fuck!”
Elfriede shrieked and unsummoned all four High Spirits.
“I’ll do it! I’ll do it! I’ll be the Grand Elder, I’ll wear the Crown, I’ll do whatever you want!! So... stop... no, please stop...”
“…A wise choice, Elfriede. You may resent us now, but one day you will understand that this was the right path.”
[Elf...riede...! ...Don't!! Run away!!]
“...I’m sorry, Senior. But... there’s no other way.”
Yes, this was the only way.
To save Ian and burn the Essence of the World Tree to the ground.
Even after predicting 14,605 futures with her Super Genius Beauty High Elf intelligence, Elfriede saw only one possibility if Ian died here: she would spend the rest of her Elf Life massacring every single Elf in existence.
But...
What would be the point of that?
What would be left if she burned everything in a world without Ian?
She would burn and burn until the Elves were wiped from the face of the earth, and in the end, she would burn herself out.
In that case...
─I can do it. If it’s me!
Despite her tearful appearance, Elfriede’s heart was cold.
She didn't know how powerful the 'Crown' was, but even that piece of shit Third Elder had endured it for ten seconds.
Surely, the Super Genius Beauty High Elf Elfriede could resist it for longer than that!
Of course, holding it in one's hand and wearing it on one's head would be quite different...
But even if she only lasted ten seconds like the Third Elder, that would be enough time to inherit the authority of the Grand Elder, cancel the order given to the Wild Hunters, and make everyone here 'smokin' hot' along with that goddamn Crown.
“Kneel... I shall place the Crown upon you. Yes... to sacrifice oneself for the glory of the Elves. This is the reason you were born; this was your destiny.”
“...Hic...! Ugh...!”
Thump—!
─Senior, just bear with it a little longer. I’m going to slaughter them so they can't even chirp before I come to save you!!
As Ian watched Elfriede kneel while shedding calculated tears, he thought:
‘...What... what the hell am I doing?’
With Estelle, with Hayangi, and now again with Elfriede...
How many times did this have to repeat before he realized?
He had trained every single day without fail.
He had worked himself to the brink of death.
But that was nowhere near enough.
He needed power.
An unreasonable amount of power, far beyond what could be gained through mere effort.
‘Please...’
Goddess Ellis...
No, he didn't care if it was a demon or anyone else, as long as they gave him power.
He didn't care if the Black Flame Dragon sealed in his left hand woke up, if the Gate of Truth opened, if his Ancestor's Blood awakened, or if another ego manifested.
Even if it made no sense, even if there was no logic, even if it was impossible.
He just needed a 'power' strong enough to overturn this shitty 'fate' in an instant.
‘Please...!!’
He desperately made a 'forced demand' to the world.
And then...
[Just how long are you going to act like spoiled brats and call yourselves the 'Abuse Faction'! Naias! Seraphiel!]
He heard a voice.
[So, what do you want us to do, Ifrit? I told you a long time ago I’d never contract with an Elf again, and you said you understood.]
[Yeah~, same here.]
[Elfriede is different! Can't you see right now?! Even if the time allowed to us is close to eternity, a chance like this might never come again!! Do you honestly think an Elf with Elfriede’s talent and personality will ever appear again!!]
[Ugh!! I don't know!! Why are you only bothering us? Just ask Gabia from the 'Observation Faction' to contract with her!! I don't want to contract with an Elf!!]
[...I hate Elves too.]
[Naias!!!]
“If you hate Elves that much... then contract with me.”
[Fine, I’d rather— wait, what? Who was that?]
[A human? Did a human just hear us and speak to us?]
[...You... Ian?]
[What is it, Ifrit? Who’s Ian? Do you know him?]
[Is his name Ian? No, more importantly, isn't his mana pattern that of a Mage?]
[You big bear! Listen to yourself! A Mage? How could a Mage hear our voices!]
[Then, Naias, does it make sense for a human who can't even contract with a Lesser Spirit to hear us?]
[No, that doesn't make sense either... but did he really talk to us? Maybe the sound just leaked through by accident?]
[That makes even less sense. There’s no way the voice of something that can't even perceive the Spirit Realm could leak in...]
“Stop your yapping and just contract with me!!”
[What?]
[Did a human just insolently tell us we’re being noisy?]
“There’s no time! You said you hate Elves!! I’ll crush the Elves and the World Tree for you!! So shut up and contract with me!!”
[A-Are you crazy? You’re the first person to ever treat me, the Spirit King of Water, like this!]
[Fine! Great! Let’s contract! Human! But! You have to keep the promise you just made. Smash the Elves! Smash the World Tree!]
[Wait, hold on! Seraphiel. I was the one who heard his voice first! If anyone’s contracting, it’s me! Why are you doing it!]
[I thought you said you hated contracts, Naias?]
[I-I didn't say I hated it! I said I’ve never been treated like this before! Fine! Good. Human, consider it an honor. I, Naias, the Spirit King of Water, shall form a contract with you.]
[Human, pick me, not Naias. I’ll treat you well.]
*
“....Rain.”
“This human... he keeps mumbling to himself. Has he lost his mind?... It’s almost pitiful...”
“...No. 4. Do not feel sympathy for the enemy. We only do what we are ordered.”
No. 1 spoke sharply as he looked at No. 4, who had just rejoined them from the forest.
He had assumed No. 4 had been killed or at least severely injured by Ian...
But No. 4 had returned with all his limbs intact.
The other Wild Hunters were the same.
No. 5, No. 8, and No. 12 had only lost consciousness; they had no fatal wounds.
Drip— Drop—
Then, the sound of water droplets hitting leaves could be heard.
It began to rain.
“...Hm? A rain shower? The Water Spirits didn't say anything.”
“Quiet. Shut your mouth.”
Whoooooosh—
The wind blew.
“But Captain... isn't this a bit much for a rain shower?”
“...I told you to be quiet.”
CRACK-BOOM—!
Lightning struck.
“No, look...!! I want to be quiet too, but...! Whoa! Lightning just struck right next to us! Isn't this strange! Did the Spirit King of Fire do something?”
“...That’s impossible. No matter how powerful the Spirit King of Fire is, calling a storm is outside the domain of fire!! This is just a coincidence...”
Boom—!! Boom—!! Crash!!
At that moment, as if incurring the wrath of the heavens, lightning began to strike indiscriminately around the Wild Hunters, splitting giant trees that shrieked as they fell.
“Captain!! Then what the hell is this!!”
“...Shut up! No. 4! Whether it rains or lightning strikes, we follow the Elder’s orders...”
It rained.
The rain fell and the wind blew.
The rain fell, the wind blew, and the lightning struck.
And then...
The storm arrived.
─────────BOOOOOOOOM!!!
“Guh!”
In an instant, a weight and pressure as if they were sinking into the deep sea hit them.
The Wild Hunters fell to their knees involuntarily.
They couldn't breathe.
Everything in the atmosphere was crushing them.
[REMOVE YOUR HANDS FROM THE CONTRACTOR.]
Then, from between the dark clouds, an 'Endlessly Circling Whale' emitting an overwhelming presence revealed itself.
“...A Spirit... King?”
The Wild Hunters were horrified.
The manifestation of a Spirit King was nothing short of a miracle, but since there was the precedent of Elfriede, it wasn't entirely incomprehensible.
However...
[BACK OFF.]
This time, a 'Bear that Tears Everything Apart' appeared, ripping through the storm with a low growl.
It was unimaginable for not just one, but two Spirit Kings to appear.
Especially if that contractor...
[Rise, Contractor.]
[Get up, Contractor.]
Slowly—
Was a human.
“....”
Amidst the storm, Ian opened his eyes.