Legends of the Absolute Ones and the Three-Way Clash
Long ago, during a three-way war, it is said that legendary beings known as the Absolute Ones lived in the world. They ruled over the human realm, the demon realm, the fringes of time, and more. But for some reason, they perished one by one. The descendants of those Absolute Ones came to rule the world, and they were called the ancient existences.
And those ancient existences bore offspring. And more offspring, and yet more, until their blood grew ever thinner. For humans, the bloodline was all but severed. It's said that scarcely any in the world still carry that lineage. But those who inherit even a trace of the ancient existences' blood—such beasts are called divine beasts.
"Haa... this ain't no joke... I, I can't even breathe. You feelin' that too?"
"Is somethin' like this even allowed to exist in the world?"
The Absolute Ones from the fairy tales Grandpa used to read—beings radiating such an overwhelming presence that it was hard to believe even a drop of their blood flowed in this creature.
"C-can we even talk to it? This feels like straight-up blasphemy..."
"Y-yeah, good point. Let's just kneel and pray in silence."
Showing more respect than they'd ever given their own grandparents, the two dropped to their knees on the ground and bowed deeply.
[My name is Apis. What are your names?]
A mystical voice echoed in their minds, close to that of a beautiful woman, resonating like telepathy straight into their skulls.
"M-my name is Teren..."
"M-my name is Kim Eunhasu..."
[I see. You two are the only real ones in this forest full of fakes. Why have you come?]
Kim Eunhasu shot Teren a look that screamed What the hell kinda nonsense is that? Teren pondered the words carefully before responding.
"Th-the Academy sent us here to hunt monsters."
The "forest full of fakes" probably meant the Instant Area created by the Academy. The "real ones" had to refer to the two of them, excluding the artificially spawned monsters. And saying the Academy sent them to hunt monsters... well, it wasn't wrong if you nitpicked, so he'd summed it up as simply and concisely as possible.
[I see...]
Apis nodded, then began munching on the grass nearby. From the motion of its jaw to the way it swished its tail to fend off insects drawn by the light—it was the picture of an ordinary cow.
-Burp! It even belched, probably from ruminating.
Even top-tier beings burp, huh? The thought made them feel a bit more fond of it.
"Let's go now."
"What? If we tag along behind its tail like good little servants, maybe it'll give us a crystal?"
"I don't want it that bad."
Teren knew. If Apis had wanted to give them one, it would've done so right at first sight. Sticking around too long might just annoy it enough to wipe them out in an instant.
"Plus, there've been guys chasing the divine beast since earlier."
"The real deal?"
As Teren said, Team 8 had been the first to spot the divine beast—faster than anyone. They'd demanded a crystal from it, but they couldn't sway Apis's cold rejection.
"Teren and Kim Eunhasu failed too, huh."
"Yeah. I was gonna steal their crystal with my summon's ability if they got one."
"There'll be another chance next time."
They kept tabs on the summon's movements while hunting monsters popping up around them, racking up points that way.
"You think any team'll actually get a crystal from the divine beast? Otherwise, we've just been wasting our time."
"Well, it'd suck, but still..."
"Awooooooo!"
Suddenly, a wolf's howl echoed through the air. Teren, in his wolf form, charged ferociously at Team 8.
"How long have you known our position?! Damn it, Rubber Robber!"
A long rubber band wrapped snake-like around the arm of Lifter, one of Team 8's members, stretched toward Teren like it had a mind of its own. It was Lifter's summon.
The moment Rubber Robber touched Teren's body, his summon—the wolf outfit—teleported instantly to Lifter's hand.
"My Wear Wolf!"
With his Wear Wolf gone, Teren was left buck naked.
"You pervy bastards! Did you really have to go that far?!"
"Shut up! Can't be helped if we wanna win! Finish him!"
Lifter held up the now-limp Wear Wolf like ordinary clothes. Then one of Lifter's teammates ordered their summon—a centipede—to attack it.
The centipede charged eagerly at the Wear Wolf.
"You're out, Teren!"
"Sorry, Lifter, but that's no ordinary clothes. It's my summon."
"So what if—"
The seemingly cloth-only Wear Wolf suddenly grabbed Rubber Robber with sharp claws, then slipped free from Lifter's hand like grease.
"What?!"
"Wolf oil. Slippery, right?"
"Like hell that's a thing!"
Team 8 watched, dumbfounded, as the rag of wolf-person cosplay cloth—with Rubber Robber clutched in one hand—leaped into the air. It fluttered wildly like laundry on a clothesline in the wind, then slashed down with the claws on its sleeves, cleaving the centipede's head in two.
"No way, what kinda summon even is that shit?!"
"D-don't worry. My Rubber Robber's tough—it won't break..."
-Snap!
Before Lifter could finish, the clothes tore the rubber band in two with both hands.
[Team 8 (Lifter, Amy) - 41 points acquired - Currently 4th place* Eliminated (Can no longer earn points; heading to Professor Ellie)]
Teren covered his privates with both hands and ran to his Wear Wolf.
"Aigoo, my good pup! You did amazing. Come back to your master now!"
But the Wear Wolf sniffed around, caught a scent, and bolted toward another nearby monster.
"Oh, come on..."
Teren approached Lifter.
"Lend me some pants."
"Like hell I will!"
"Lur, this tree..."
"Yeah..."
Lur and Liz had discovered a bizarre tree unlike any they'd seen before. An unidentified metallic stench wafted from it—strong enough to make even Liz's summon, Peros, wrinkle its nose.
Moreover, monster corpses from the Instant Area were jumbled together, dangling like fruit from the tips of its branches.
"Think this is the boss monster? It can't be the divine beast, right?"
"Boss monster...?"
"Yeah, Lur! Killing this gives way more points!"
Lur and Liz didn't notice that the "fruit" on the branches twitched violently—as if about to burst—every time they spoke or moved.
"Still, better not touch it. And boss monsters aren't in the rules anyway."
"Hmm... guess so."
And there was another problem. Teams were tailing them right now. Or rather, multiple teams. Teams 5 and 6 had teamed up.
She'd figured higher teams might ally to check each other, but targeting Lur's Team 4? Why go after the 3rd-place team specifically?
A massive tree loomed ahead that they shouldn't touch. Behind them, the 4th, 5th, and 6th-place alliance closed in.
But that's not all. Everyone's converging here right now!
Men presumed to be the tree's owner were heading this way too. One of Melle's lackeys with his toad, and the guy called Zeke was sprinting over as well.
But amid it all, a fun idea popped up.
If I just send Lur and Liz somewhere else, I can watch the show! Zeke vs. Team 7 vs. the 5-6 alliance. Haha, spin your wheels fighting each other! I'll chill with my master and her friends!
I spewed black smoke from my mouth.
"Wh-what...! What's this black smoke?!"
"Thanatos...?"
I invited Lur, Liz, and even Liz's pet Peros into my smoke domain.
"Thanatos?"
Lur, Liz, and Peros all looked at me. I wiggled my finger, signaling them to follow.
"This okay?"
"It's fine. You can trust Thanatos."
"Well, if Lur says so."
Thankfully, they all followed nicely. As I passed, the smoke parted to make way. Kinda like students trailing after their teacher. Hehehe, so cute.
I manipulated the smoke to pat Lur's head.
"Huh...? Did something just pet my head?"
"This the right way?"
"Yeah, definitely."
"What the hell is this tree?"
Teams 5 and 6 arrived first.
-Kaboom!!
Next came Zeke, smashing through trees and rocks blocking the path.
"Ooh, Teams 5 and 6!"
"Zeke...!"
"Everyone, get ready to attack!"
And last...
"What, we got guests? Haha, here to kill the tree I worked so hard to grow?"
"Wait... Uncle Zeke's here too?"
"Huh...?"
Zeke. Team 7 (Adam, Eve). The 5-6 alliance.
The three-way battle had begun!