Another Predator-Prey Relationship (1)
I walked through the Mage Tower with Matis. Though calling it a walk was a bit much—it was just a few stairs.
Right now, there was no time to sit idly and chat.
"Chief Lee Hoyeol, I have something to tell you."
The topic, predictably, was the elves. Matis seemed to know as much about them as Yugweed or Marcelo. And there was a reason for that.
"It was during the time I wandered the continent to establish black magic."
Matis must have left the tower more often than other mages. Now that I held full authority over tower expeditions, as long as the reason was sound—like not scribbling nonsense like Bensy William—getting approval wasn't impossible.
'But back then, expeditions weren't commonplace in the Mage Tower.'
It was proof of the high expectations the tower had placed on Matis. Before Marcelo rose to prominence, Matis had been a prime candidate for chief mage.
"I often came across passages about elves in ancient texts."
"Do you remember the contents?"
"Yes."
To sum up Matis's following words simply:
……Elves weren't messing around.
In a word, in the Arcana worldview, elves were one of the chosen two races. True apex beings of Arcana, alongside dragons!
Flawless appearances were standard. Born from the world tree in adult form. Physical and mental prowess beyond human reach. In short, elves were the race that got all the good stuff piled on.
And that wasn't even the half of it. No wonder they say the haves just keep having more.
"Like dragons, they were said to enjoy eternal lifespans. Of course, being mere legends, the truth is unknown."
The moment I heard that, a chill ran down my neck.
……So these elves with all that power were arrogant pricks?
They'd stayed quietly in Sisli until suddenly bursting into the Arcana continent—and even reality.
My head throbbed, but I couldn't show it. I spoke calmly.
Then I stepped into the portal Matis had manifested.
"Then this is a fine chance to verify the truth."
Arrogant…… No, with elves in the picture, wasting mana pointlessly wouldn't do.
Soon, my vision shifted in an instant.
And soon after, I found myself admiring my judgment.
The stench of blood assaulting my nose. The massive, wound-riddled figure of Rakid. And finally, the players.
Good thing I'd conserved my mana.
"Halt."
Above all, this mouth of mine blurted it out first.
……As always, speaking before thinking.
This might be a big problem.
Judging by the lack of [Predator-Prey Relationship] activation, the demons were dealt with.
The issue was who took down that horde of demons in this split second.
I could guess from the atmosphere alone.
The players probably couldn't do a thing. No player but me could face Lv.900 demon monsters right now.
And it wasn't Rakid either. Unless he'd predicted the future, time-wise it was impossible.
That left one possibility.
That elf took out every demon alone. And on top of that, left Rakid in that state.
Why? I had no idea.
But Grandfell's pride couldn't just stand by and watch such a sight. So I'd spat out words on impulse.
'……And now I'm stuck cleaning up the mess.'
Let's think coldly. Could I even fight that elf?
If even Shadow Mercenary Rakid ended up like that, no chance.
Unless [Predator-Prey Relationship] activated. My specialty is reading the room, after all. I knew full well I couldn't win.
Then what about my ace, Matis?
The surging alien mana. A strong one recognizes another, huh.
Matis looked ready to go all out from the start.
Suddenly, memories of the Dragon-Mage War flashed in my mind. Dragons that handed even the mighty Mage Tower a defeat.
And elves were treated on par with them.
Now I truly grasped what I'd done.
Always earning a whipping with my mouth……!
But no more self-recrimination. The elf before us was intimidating enough to overshadow even blaming Grandfell.
First, reload mana. Even if I'd reached sword aura realm, no need to indulge close combat if they wanted it……
As I desperately racked my brain—
[Blessing Hierarchy] occurs on Elf, Elcidoir.
A message popped up before my eyes.
……Flinch!
"!"
The elf froze solid.
The most shocked wasn't me or Matis—it was the elf herself.
Elcidoir, as named in the message.
Elcidoir spoke in a trembling voice.
"……What in the world are you?"
Lee Hoyeol. Answering with a name should be easy enough.
But "you" instead of "you sir"? No way I'd answer such an informal question.
Yet apparently, my name wasn't what piqued her curiosity.
"How can a mere human like you bear Mother's blessing……!!"
Words flashed through my mind.
[First World Tree's Blessing].
[Blessing Hierarchy].
[Elf].
Finally, it clicked.
'So the First World Tree's Blessing is tied to elves?'
My guess solidified into certainty thanks to the blessing's effects.
Vitality and mana regen? Fine. But "rejection"—a higher concept than affinity—baffled me.
[First World Tree's Blessing] rejects aging.
Elves didn't live eternally for no reason.
Elcidoir radiated killing intent toward me.
"I cannot accept this. I cannot acknowledge it."
"……?"
"I will strip you of Mother's blessing."
Matis, listening silently beside me, looked utterly baffled. Fair enough.
After all that alien mana buildup, now the elf was frozen and babbling about some blessing.
I shifted my gaze from Elcidoir. Surveyed the surroundings.
Then addressed her.
"Was your sole purpose the blessing?"
"What?"
"Did the blessing justify such atrocities?"
The ground soaked in Rakid's blood. Players' faces pale with terror.
Yet Elcidoir showed no awareness.
"You speak nonsense I cannot comprehend."
Cannot comprehend?
"I merely crushed those who obstructed me. Demon or human."
Lee Hoyeol could have endured it. But not Grandfell.
I turned to Matis.
"Matis, may I ask you to treat Rakid?"
"As you command."
"My thanks."
Everything has its procedure.
Facing Elcidoir was fine, but treating Rakid's mortal wounds came first. Hired or not, he was valuable Holy War manpower.
I continued to Elcidoir.
"Irrespective of motive, you will be held strictly accountable for these actions."
"Such pride. You tempt me to end you this instant."
"Your lack of decorum will also be factored in."
"……Decorum?"
"Stealing my afternoon tea time will be factored in as well."
"……?"
Elcidoir's brow furrowed. What nonsense is this? She'd think.
Well, anything else aside, she couldn't guess tea time was the real trigger.
But put yourself in my shoes.
"Was this paltry blessing so desirable?"
You spouted nonsense first too.
Ignorance of the blessing aside, swinging that sword was reckless overreach.
Elcidoir's face twisted further at my question.
"I know not how you stole our blessing, but do not strut as if it were always yours. You know nothing of what Mother's blessing signifies."
She spoke plainly.
True, I knew the effects but not the meaning.
But no matter how potent the First World Tree's Blessing, I wouldn't stab innocents over it like her.
Not with this pride in my chest.
"I have no need for such a blessing."
To lofty Grandfell, with towering self-esteem, blessings were optional.
Elcidoir's voice began to tremble roughly. Uncontrollable killing intent leaked out.
"……Absurd drivel."
Blessing Hierarchy.
I didn't know the exact effect, but thanks for now.
It fully restrained her, letting me blather shamelessly.
Of course, no relief showed on my face.
I intoned calmly, as ever.
"Yet I understand."
"……?"
Elcidoir, the elf robbed of her blessing and fuming.
"To you who have lost your pride, the blessing is as good as nothing."
"……!"
Not content with fanning the flames.
"It is but proper procedure that the world tree abandoned you."
"!!!"
I poured oil on the fire.
….
The carnage.
Rakid mangled by the elf was gruesome beyond regular broadcast standards.
With Kichi passed out drunk over the table, Wolf spoke up.
"Everyone, prepare. We'll owe you again, old timer."
"Things were too quiet—trouble brews."
"……I told that fool not to show off!"
"Ugh, annoying."
Contracts or coin bound them. No friendships among Shadow Mercenaries.
But a member's death tarnished the group's honor. They couldn't ignore Rakid's plight.
Gulp—Alkari downed a potion, mana surging.
The screen still played footage. A netuber player's live feed from the battlefield.
No.3, Henderson, assessed coldly.
"No chance of winning!"
Henderson. If Rakid wielded an axe, he swung a massive hammer—a martial brute.
Thus, he knew Rakid's strength best.
"Might even be beyond us!"
Blocking Rakid's strike with a puny sword. Astonishing enough.
Yet unlike death-ready Rakid, the elf hadn't even gone all out.
Click—Wolf loaded his crossbow.
"You never know till you try."
"Haha! True, but!"
"That said, old timer, not rushing you, but……."
High magic, portal. Not easy to manifest, sure.
But delay more, and Rakid was done.
Alkari exhaled raggedly.
"Too much from an old non-mage. Blame the Mage Tower mages and Sir Hoyeol for high standards. Portal manifestation demands immense focus from scouting onward. Know you that?"
Ranting complaints. But it meant he was giving his all.
As Wolf tapped his foot impatiently—
"Wh-what?!"
The Golden Calf tavern fell silent.
"No way" murmurs arose.
Screen mana rippled. From the portal.
"……Old timer?"
Could do it after all, just playing up the drama?
Wolf glanced at Alkari—and flinched.
"Now the interference phase. Far from done. Wait."
Not Alkari's portal.
Players spotted it first amid the mana glow.
"I-it's Lee Hoyeol!!"
……Sir Hoyeol?
Hoyeol appearing where demons showed? Normal.
From giant evils to demon kings, he was there.
But the weirdness started now.
"Wolf, look! That monster froze!"
Like with Rakid, no questions asked. The elf charging Hoyeol halted dead.
Magic? He eyed No.6, Isabelmal.
She shook her head.
No mana felt.
Groans erupted.
"What're they saying? Can't hear!"
"Too far for the shot?"
"……Yeah, expecting close-up's too much."
Hoyeol and elf seemed to converse, but no sound.
Yet Shadow Mercenaries had a lip-reading intel ace. No.9, Dreshev.
"He asked his mage companion to treat Rakid."
"!"
"And……he'll hold her strictly accountable?"
Choppy footage missed some, but enough.
Wolf chuckled unwittingly.
"Rare client worrying for a mercenary."
Then Alkari yelled.
"Done! Hurry, all!"
Portal manifested. No more waiting.
Wolf and the mercenaries' eyes sharpened.
'Even Sir Hoyeol.'
Wolf gauged Hoyeol's physicals. Shooting and learning were peerless, but pure body? Currently……
'Below Rakid, definitively.'
Facing an elf who crushed such Rakid? Even Hoyeol wouldn't have it easy.
Wolf judged mentally.
His vast combat experience matched by others.
"Overwhelm fast!"
Full throttle from the start.
As mercenaries raised weapons—
The battlefield filled their view.
More precisely.
"……Sir Hoyeol?"
Hoyeol had the elf on her knees.
….
I realized it then.
[Blessing Hierarchy].
This was a predator-prey skill even stronger than [Predator-Prey Relationship].