Chapter 217
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 217
Chapter Title: The Red Moon's Slimes
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The slimy invaders that had assaulted this place no longer surged forward.
It was because the World Tree had begun extending its roots, as if to protect this area, sealing off every gap.
Yeah. Since I've given you some breathing room by treating you, you'll lend a hand yourself now? Fine by me.
'Librarian. The Red Moon?'
[Not confirmed.]
'Then how do you explain this? No matter how I look at it, the ominous vibe from those slimes feels exactly like that Red Moon bastard.'
[Something that shouldn't exist by all rights. But considering the current situation, there's only one possibility.]
The words from that guy who said it was already too late.
'You mean it's already crossed over?'
[It couldn't have fully crossed over. However, it's clear that a portion has taken root somewhere in this land.]
'And you couldn't find it?'
[My apologies.]
A curt apology. Of course, I had no intention of scolding it further. Having made direct contact, I knew full well just how dangerous that thing was.
As I emerged from the space deep within the roots, roars echoed from all directions, flames raged, and slimes writhed about like living creatures everywhere I looked.
Shurik!!
At that moment, one of the prowling slime blobs lunged at an escaping elf girl.
She was one of the elves who hadn't evacuated yet.
"Kyaaah!!"
The terrified elf tripped and fell, and the slime instantly engulfed her, melting everything it touched.
"No!!"
The elf guards who had followed me reacted in a panic, but it was already too late to intervene.
I extended one hand into the air.
Slimes like that had terrible matchup against swords.
Even if you slashed them apart, dealing with every scattered piece wasn't worth the effort.
Slimes were viscous, liquid-like forms. The most efficient magic would be fire... but...
Seeing them emerge unscathed from burning houses, fire clearly wasn't the answer.
So, I'd just have to push with my strongest suit.
[7th Circle Lightning Magic]
[Astrafe (Spear of the Thunder God)]
[Electrocutes and solidifies viscous targets]
Kwajijijik!!
I had mana to spare anyway. And my specialty was precise magic control.
A golden thunder spear shot forth in an instant, colliding with the massive slime blob and triggering a chemical reaction.
The squishy mass blackened, burned, hardened, and shrank in a flash.
Exposed to the intense lightning that lit up the surroundings like daylight, the slime blob fully solidified into a lump.
"Ah... aaa..."
The terrified elf girl froze in place, trembling uncontrollably.
"What are you standing around for? Get her to safety."
"Wh-what was that just now?"
"First time seeing magic?"
Their stares—no, the implication was more like, "That's not what we're asking, you idiot."
Fortunately, the slime assault paused for a moment.
The elves hurried about, extinguishing fires and handling the aftermath.
I had a rough idea of the Demon Tree's location, but this forest was full of spots eerily similar to what the World Tree had shown.
So, I'd have to ask the elves who knew the forest best.
I headed straight for the building housing the elf command.
The guards at the entrance eyed me warily for a moment but let me pass without a word.
'Damn... ever since that human showed up, the slimes attacked.'
'What if he brought them? He claims to be treating the World Tree, but nothing's changed much yet.'
It was natural suspicion. This disaster struck right after I started the treatment.
Objectively, one could argue the Demon Tree lashed out sensing a threat... but it didn't have the ability to control slimes like this.
The culprits were likely the pulsating slime masses around the Demon Tree.
The Red Moon.
A being whose very existence oozed dread.
The elves wouldn't know that.
As soon as I entered, hostile glares flew my way.
"Young Master Leon. What of the World Tree's treatment...?"
"It's ongoing even now. As long as the sword is embedded, leaving won't cause issues. I was just guarding against variables."
Then one elf elder pointed accusingly at me.
"Speak plainly! Are those monstrous slimes connected to you or not?!"
They seemed convinced I'd bungled the treatment and triggered this mess.
So I asked.
"The Demon Tree isn't stupid. Wouldn't it fly into a rage if its meal was interrupted?"
"Nonsense! No ancient text mentions the Demon Tree capable of this! You must have touched something you shouldn't—"
"Enough! What are you saying?! Surely you know how absurd that sounds!"
Osellon's shout silenced the yelling elder.
His trembling fist suggested he knew but confusion clouded his judgment.
"Correct. The Demon Tree lacks such abilities."
I took a slow step forward.
"However, it's definitely weakening the World Tree's power at minimum."
"What do you mean by that?"
It was a question from Family Head Osellon.
"No matter how advantageous the Demon Tree's matchup against the World Tree, it's abnormal for the World Tree to be eroded this easily."
"Then the cause, in your view...?"
"Something's with the Demon Tree. It's interfering with the treatment too. In fact, during the session earlier, the World Tree showed me."
I described the surrounding landscape from the vision.
"Is there terrain like that around here?"
The elves swallowed hard at my question.
Family Head Romila, bandaging a wound on his arm, answered quietly.
"Only three places in this forest match your description."
He'd shown strong distrust before, but his attitude had softened.
Why?
[That elf witnessed you saving the young elf child moments ago.]
[Based on available data, no being who saves children harbors malice.]
Can't comprehend it. How elf minds work.
"So one of them. The slime attacks will resume soon. Blocking them is priority, but eliminating the source is more efficient than swatting them one by one."
"Then...?"
"Here's the plan. The slimes will attack again. Maybe not just slimes—something else might come too. You all defend this place and the deep roots."
The full elf forces here should hold.
"What will you do, Young Master?"
"Just give me one guide. I'll take out the source."
"Absurd! We can buy that the sword's power allows treatment, but you're just a young human! You plan to eliminate the slime controller alone?! We'll handle the source; you focus on—"
Kuwoong!!!!
Before he could finish, another massive roar echoed.
Startled, they rushed outside and gaped in horror.
"Wh-what is that...?"
"Wild beasts from the great forest? But those things..."
Flooding into the elf city were slimes—and wild beasts.
But not ordinary ones.
Twisted horrors with grotesque slime masses pulsating on parts of their flesh.
Growing stronger by the minute.
Perhaps drawing power from corrupting the World Tree.
"All hands! Defensive positions!!"
At Osellon's command, elf guards swarmed the massive walls encircling the city's outskirts.
But their tense standoff shattered at the sight of the colossal entity that emerged.
"In-insane... what the hell is that...?"
Thud!!!! Thud!!!!
Behind the horde of slimes and beasts lumbered a gigantic something.
A colossal 30-meter clay golem.
No—a slime golem.
Its horrific form instinctively repulsed them, terror etching the elves' faces.
"What in the world is that...? Oh, Mother World Tree..."
I had no idea how it happened, but the elves couldn't stop those in short order.
As the massive slime monster advanced, radiating overwhelming presence, its body split open in places, grotesque eyes blinking open.
And then.
Geiiiing...
A heavy hum reverberated, and it unleashed a breath-like beam straight at the elf city.
Jeeeaang!!!
The elf forest existed under the World Tree's protection.
Even corrupted and dying, a radiant aura flowed from the World Tree, forming a massive barrier that blocked the beam.
"The World Tree's power!"
"It's holding back the attack!!"
The bizarre barrier of otherworldly force looked impressive at a glance, but to me, it screamed desperate resistance.
The World Tree was at its limit just to endure.
It seemed to hold strong outwardly, but...
"The... the barrier's cracking!!"
"Impossible!"
The beam wasn't that strong. The World Tree had weakened.
To the point it couldn't even block one properly.
Hence allowing the slime onslaught.
"Family Head Osellon."
I addressed Osellon Bell Trigrad, who stared blankly at the fracturing barrier.
"Give me one guide."
"Young Master! Still on that...? It's too dangerous outside now! What can you do alone...?"
Ignoring his shout, I extended my hand.
"It might be unpleasant, but bear with it."
My quiet voice reached Osellon and all the elder high elves amid the chaos.
[All assemble.]
The elves might cry "necromancer," but who had time for that now?
At my command, entities began emerging from the thick shadows scattered everywhere.
A considerable number of wraith-type undead.
All the undead I'd stockpiled without feeding to Muyoung, Death Knights, or Varil rose up.
Should've prepared more anticipating something like this.
"Hup?!"
"U-undead?!"
The undead rose, demoralizing the area. A massive shadow wolf emerged from my shadow behind me, growling lowly with presence.
And then.
A gigantic black arm clawed out from the shadows, climbing forth as a colossal being revealed itself.
"Hep?!"
"Wh-why is a... dragonkin here?!"
Ignoring the shocked voices, I said.
"Varil. That big one. Bite it."