Chapter 201: Haven't You Done Enough? (2)
Chapter 201: Haven't You Done Enough? (2)
An elf who sold their soul to darkness and became a fallen being.
To the elven race, such an existence was considered a disgrace worse than death itself.
That cursed being now stood right before her eyes.
"Kantaros?"
Elione recognized him instantly. Her eyes widened as she screamed.
"Kantaros! Have you finally fallen into the abyss?"
"Heh."
"Who was it? Where is the one who turned you into a Dark Elf? Have you been colluding with them all along?"
For an elf to become a Dark Elf, there had to be an external source to provide the magi.
As Elione pointed this out, Kantaros smiled and replied.
"Yes. I’ve been working with the Dark Elves for quite some time now."
He admitted the truth readily.
"How dare you..."
Elione’s eyes flared with fierce indignation as she glared at him, but he remained entirely unfazed. He calmly began to pour out the inner thoughts he had kept hidden.
"The World Tree is perishing, and our race is facing its end. In the midst of such a crisis, I felt I had to do something."
"And that 'something' was joining hands with Dark Elves?"
"I thought the Dark Elves might know a way that we didn't. I had to continue living, one way or another. I didn't want to just submissively accept death."
Elione was speechless.
Kantaros had been an extremist even among the traditionalists. His argument had always been that even if the destruction of their race was destiny, they should accept it with dignity.
Elione hadn't agreed with him, but she had at least believed there was a shred of pride in their choice. And yet...
"You fell into corruption just because of your lingering attachment to life? And after that, you still dared to preach about the pride of our race?"
Despite Elione’s stern interrogation, Kantaros simply smiled.
"That was a lie, obviously. I just said what they wanted to hear to draw the other elves to my side."
"You bastard..."
"It's only natural to want to live. Is it not?"
"Kantarossss...!"
A low, guttural growl escaped Elione’s throat. Her hatred was so deep that she could barely form words. Her gaze fell upon the corpses of the other traditionalist elves lying at his feet.
"Why did you kill them? They were the ones who followed you!"
"It couldn't be helped. What else was I supposed to do when they refused to walk the same path as me?"
Grit.
The ones lying beneath Kantaros’s feet were likely those who had refused to become Dark Elves. Kantaros must have offered the traditionalist elves imprisoned with him the chance to turn, and he had slaughtered those who declined.
Of the dozens of traditionalists held in the prison, most had met their end.
Among them was even Yurahis.
Despite being Kantaros’s own son, he lay there in a wretched, lifeless heap.
"Does falling to darkness strip away even the bonds of blood?"
"Hmm, I didn't know it would, but apparently, it does."
"......"
"How should I put it? Affection for a child? Attachment to the race? Faith in the World Tree? All those bothersome, useless things have vanished. Thanks to that..."
"......"
"I feel wonderful right now."
"Kantarossss!"
Unable to listen to any more, Elione grabbed the bow from her back and swiftly notched an arrow.
"Die!"
Dozens of arrows flew in rapid succession, following the blur of her hands. They streaked through the air in a relentless line. However...
"It's useless."
Whooooosh!
A surge of dark magi erupted from beneath Kantaros’s feet. That alone was enough to knock every incoming arrow out of the air.
"Magi..."
Elione bit her lower lip hard.
Dark Elves cannot use spirit power. Instead, they use the magi employed by the Demon Clan, which, frankly, was far more practical for combat.
Without the use of spirits, Elione wouldn't be able to handle even one of them. She focused, coating her weapon in spirit power as she weighed her options.
What do I do?
It was then.
"Sister!"
Fortunately, Kirios and the other young elves arrived on the scene. Most of them had trained in aura, making them potentially more helpful in this situation than the Elven Knights.
"Kantaros... So you've finally become that."
"Kirios, do not let your guard down."
"I know."
Kirios swung his spear in a wide arc and shouted to his comrades.
"Surround them! Do not let these cursed beings leave here alive!"
At Kirios’s command, the elves fanned out in unison, encircling the Dark Elves. Roughly two hundred aura users raised their weapons, aiming at the enemy.
In contrast, the enemy numbered only ten.
The elves believed that with this disparity in strength, they had a fighting chance. Kantaros looked at them with a sneer.
"Arrogant fools... A race in decline, struggling against a fate they cannot accept. How filthy."
"You're one to talk."
"It's because of people like you that I had no choice but to take this path!" Kantaros roared. Then, he began to snicker. "No, perhaps I should thank you instead. If I had known it felt this good, I would have done it much sooner."
"......"
"Enough talk. Just looking at you makes me sick."
Kantaros’s red eyes flashed as he screamed.
"Kill them all!"
Upon his command, the other Dark Elves scattered in all directions, lunging at the elves forming the perimeter.
The battle began in earnest.
*
They had already fought one battle today.
The conflict sparked by the traditionalists capturing Patrick had been fierce on both sides. Though Patrick had appeared at the most decisive moment to settle things, they had fought desperately until then. However...
Was that a real battle?
No matter how much their ideologies differed, they were still of the same race. It was difficult to view someone as a true enemy just because they had a different opinion. Therefore, both sides had held back to some extent. At least, that was true until Yurahis crossed the line.
But now, it was different.
Dark Elves. To the elven race, their very existence was an object of hatred that deserved nothing but eradication. And the feeling was mutual.
The true, blood-soaked battle had only just begun.
"Die!"
A young elven man thrust his spear with genuine killing intent. His spear was imbued with aura nearing the 4-star realm. It was a lethal attack that might have seemed excessive against an unarmed opponent, but against a Dark Elf, there was no room for mercy. However...
Grab.
The same applied to his opponent.
The Dark Elf caught the incoming spear with his bare hand without a moment's hesitation. Even though he grabbed a blade saturated with aura, his hand didn't suffer a single scratch. He had protected his hand with magi. The Dark Elf smiled with pure ecstasy.
"The one dying is you, brat!"
The Dark Elf yanked the spear shaft.
"Ugh...!"
Unable to retract his weapon in time, the young elf was pulled forward helplessly. Waiting for him was the Dark Elf’s hand, wreathed in black magi and shaped like a blade.
Thwack!
"Cough...!"
The knife-hand strike pierced through his body with precision. The Dark Elf’s hand, having torn through the chest and emerged from the back, was clutching the young man's heart.
Crunch!
The Dark Elf crushed the heart in his grip and then proceeded to tear the lifeless elf's body apart.
"No... No!"
"Herius!"
The cries of the surrounding elves were useless. The Dark Elf tore the elf named Herius apart with his bare hands and bathed in the blood spraying from the body as if it were a blessing.
"Hahaha... Ahahahaha!"
Drunk on blood and slaughter, the Dark Elf let out a mad laugh, his expression one of pure rapture. When no more blood flowed from the corpse he held high above his head, he tossed it aside. His red eyes flashed.
"Now, who's going to entertain me next?"
In that moment, the elves shivered with a chilling fear. As they took a step back, the Dark Elf’s eyes glinted with murderous intent. A predator never misses the moment its prey falters.
"Ahahahaha! Die, all of you!"
He charged forward with a maniacal laugh, massacring the terrified elves. His bare hands, thick with magi, ripped them apart alive. Similar scenes were unfolding all around.
The elves, who had zero actual combat experience, were overwhelmed by the cruelty, madness, and killing intent of the Dark Elves. They were being slaughtered without being able to display even half of their true strength.
It was a one-sided massacre.
Boom!
"Urgh...!"
"Sister!"
"I'm fine, just focus!"
Elione barely managed to block Kantaros’s fist with her sword, which was coated in spirit power. She was currently fighting Kantaros alongside her brother, Kirios.
Even though they couldn't receive direct help from the spirits, she was an Elven Knight and Kirios had reached the 4-star realm. She thought that together, they would have some chance against the fallen Kantaros. However...
I was too naive.
The power of a Dark Elf was far beyond anything she had heard. Their attacks didn't work at all against the dense magi surrounding his body, while their own flesh was torn like cheese every time he even grazed them.
Above all...
Sizzle...
"Aaaagh...!"
The wounds inflicted by magi caused constant, agonizing pain. It felt like being branded with a hot iron. Both of them were already covered in such wounds.
Seeing them wince in pain, Kantaros smiled.
"Heh heh. Why don't you try struggling a bit more with your spirit arts?"
"Shut up!"
"Are you still thinking of the World Tree until the very end? How pathetic."
"I told you to shut your filthy mouth!"
"From where I stand now, your obsession is..." Kantaros continued with a blatant sneer, "meaningless and even primitive."
"......"
Elione bit her lip until it bled. Seeing her face filled with resentment, Kantaros spoke again.
"The World Tree is finished anyway. Why sacrifice yourself for it?"
"Shut up."
"If you used spirit arts, you might be able to resist a little longer. No, actually..." Kantaros pulled a small insect from his robe. "Why don't you come over to this side as well?"
"I said shut up!"
Elione screamed and lunged forward, swinging her sword at Kantaros.
Boom!
Her sword, drawing out the maximum amount of spirit power, managed to bite into Kantaros’s magi to some extent. However...
"Don't you realize yet that it's useless?"
That was the extent of it. Even though Kantaros stood still and took her full-power attack, he remained completely unharmed. The difference in power was too vast. And to make matters worse...
Crash!
"Gah...!"
She was hit directly by a wave of magi Kantaros released with a casual swing. Elione was sent flying backward, her weapon slipping from her grasp.
"Sister!"
Kirios rushed to her side and stood protectively in front of her, but Kantaros didn't even care.
"Truly magnificent. This overwhelming power... Why did I ever cling to the World Tree like a parasite when I could have had this?"
"...Cough... Hack..."
"Elione. Join me. Enjoy the glory of the dark race. You will experience an ecstasy you've never felt in your life."
Kirios bit his lip and glared at Kantaros, who kept trying to tempt his sister.
"Shut that filthy mouth, Kantaros."
"Stay out of this, Kirios."
"I think I know why you're trying so hard to bring my sister over."
"......"
Kirios pointed the tip of his spear at Kantaros.
"You want her to guide you to the World Tree, don't you?"
"......"
"As a fallen servant of darkness, you can no longer pass through the path to the World Tree. That's why you want to turn my sister."
"......"
"My sister is an elf so favored that she received a branch of the World Tree. She could open the path for you. Isn't that right?"
"Shut your—"
"I'm certain now. Your goal was the World Tree from the very beginning."
Kantaros sighed at Kirios’s blunt accusation. He covered half of his face with one hand and spoke with a cold, serious expression.
"I've thought this for a long time..."
"......"
"You're far too quick-witted."
The moment he finished speaking, Kantaros lunged forward.
"Hah!"
Kirios countered with a spear thrust. But Kantaros simply waved his hand, sending a surge of magi toward him.
K-boom!
"Gah...!"
Despite Kirios putting everything into his spear, the result was devastating. The spear shattered into pieces, and Kirios was sent flying back, coughing up blood.
"Kirios!"
Elione tried to move to help her brother. But Kantaros easily caught her lunging sword and stopped her. With his other hand, he grabbed her slender neck and pinned her.
"Urgh... Let go!"
Elione quickly drew a backup knife from her waist and struck at Kantaros. However...
Thud!
It did nothing. Her attack couldn't pierce Kantaros’s magi. Kantaros then grabbed the wrist of the hand holding the weapon and...
Snap.
"Aaaaah!"
He crushed it. Elione groaned in agony as her wrist was shattered. Having completely subdued her, Kantaros spoke.
"I'll say it again. Open the path to the World Tree, and I will spare your life."
Spit!
Elione spat in Kantaros’s face, showing she had no intention of listening. Her face was filled with venomous hatred.
"Just kill me."
At her defiant cry, Kantaros nodded as if he had expected it.
"I figured you'd say that."
In truth, Kantaros knew she wouldn't cooperate easily. Given what the World Tree meant to the elven race, it would have been stranger if she had given in. But...
Our situation is urgent as well.
If they didn't destroy the World Tree here, they would be the ones in danger. Therefore...
"I'll have to try everything I can."
"I told you to stop your pathetic games and just kill—"
Riiiiiip!
In that moment, a sense of shame far greater than her anger washed over Elione’s face.
"Kyaaaaaah!"
Kantaros had grabbed her clothes and torn them downward. Her snow-white skin was exposed to the air.
"No... No! Don't look!"
Elione sobbed, desperately trying to cover herself. Kantaros stared at her intently.
"Interesting. To think I can feel lust even without affection or love? It's a fresh sensation."
"Please... I beg you..."
"I finally understand why humans are so desperate to capture us elves as slaves. Beauty really does incite such a desire for possession."
Kantaros looked at Elione’s exposed skin with blatant, raw desire.
"Kantarossss!"
Kirios, still on the ground, wailed at the sight. But Kantaros didn't even blink. Having become a Dark Elf, he was now experiencing desires he had never possessed before.
"Shall I test it out? I wonder what kind of satisfaction I'll feel once I sate this urge."
Kantaros moved his lips toward Elione’s.
"No... Stop!"
Elione struggled to avoid his lips, but it was impossible in her completely subdued state. Kirios watched the scene from afar, pleading desperately.
Please... Please, someone...
Anyone would do. If someone appeared now and saved his sister, he would give his life for them. Even if it was that obnoxious human, Patrick.
Then...
A flash of light streaked through the air.
Followed by a thunderous impact.
BOOM!
"Urgh...!"
Kantaros groaned in pain as the shock of the flash forced him to release Elione and pushed him far back. He glared and shouted.
"Who is it?"
Kantaros and Kirios’s gazes focused on one person simultaneously.
The figure who had appeared like a savior amidst the brilliant flash. That person was...
"Please explain the situation."
Dazzling golden hair and beauty like that of a goddess. A female swordsman who looked perfectly natural holding two twin swords.
It was April.