Vs. The Cocky Elf Bastard (1)
The World Tree was extremely satisfied with steering the conflict from all-out war into a duel. Of course, it had never planned to grant Elsia her freedom in the first place. Stupid bitch. Did you really think I'd let you go? Just thinking back to Hye-ji from earlier made its roots and branches tremble. In that sense, settling things with a duel was the perfect solution. The woman in the navy-blue martial arts uniform wouldn't be able to defeat the Elf Great Warriors, and Kim Shinu didn't stand much of a chance either. Even if, by some miracle, they actually won, it wouldn't matter. After all, it planned to kidnap Elsia the moment the second duel ended.
The life force transfer will be complete with just a little more time. The rampage from earlier had been truly devastating. The existing core had already sustained irreversible damage. So right now, the World Tree was creating a new core in the form of a small sphere, condensing all its life force into it. Once the process finished, it would kidnap Elsia, flee to a completely new location, and take root again. Naturally, the Pond Leaf Tribe would lead the entire operation.
As it reviewed its future plans, the World Tree asked itself whether Elsia was truly worth kidnapping. Of course. It answered without a shred of hesitation. Elsia's talent. More precisely, her ability. She probably thought it was just the power to manifest butterflies. But in reality, it's a far more profound ability. The only drawback is that it requires elven blood. One of the rare abilities that can be inherited. Especially, the purer the elven blood, the greater the effect. That's why the past, when many elves possessed this ability, was truly the golden age of the elves. However, their arrogance led them to pick a fight with another dimension, which became their downfall. Most elves perished in that incident, severing the lineage of the ability and leading to their decline.
The World Tree had instructed the High Elves to encourage pure-blooded unions among elves. To revive the ability and restore the elves' golden age. As a result, the concentration of elven blood had increased, but the ability itself was not restored. Over time, the World Tree had half-given up. Until it discovered, quite by chance, that a single mixed-blood High Elf possessed the ability. Though inferior compared to purebloods, it was still something to be grateful for, considering the lineage had been broken.
The initial plan was to use the hollow title of World Tree Reception Representative as bait to get acquainted with the Pond Leaf Tribe and pair them up. The Pond Leaf Tribe, thoughtless and perpetually in heat but with blind loyalty and strong physical power, was perfect for exploitation. Ultimately, the World Tree's plan was to have Elsia produce numerous elves and usher in a new golden age for the elves. As long as Elsia remained alive, regardless of her emotions, it didn't matter. After all, what mattered to the World Tree was the entire elven race, not Elsia as an individual.
Of course, as with all things in the world, it didn't go exactly as planned. But this much is still within the margin of error. The World Tree was smiling. No matter how crazy and capable the combination of lunatics might be, except for Hye-ji, they were all inferior short-lived species to the World Tree. The World Tree was merely resting for the sake of balance. For the completion of this plan. To usher in the elves' golden age. The World Tree simply sat still, observing the struggling short-lived species. The World Tree was smiling.
***
Fabianer. Commonly known as Fabian. A High Elf of the Pond Leaf Tribe and ranked second among the Elf Great Warriors. His main weapon was a long spear taller than himself. His secondary weapons were an arming sword at his waist and three daggers. Aside from leather reinforcements at the joints—shoulders, elbows, wrists—and leather boots, the rest of his outfit consisted of slightly tight clothing made from green fabric with a faint sheen. It looked somewhat like armor for everyday wear, but calling it proper armor would be an overstatement. Still, as the second-ranked Elf Great Warrior, the pressure he exuded was real.
Just as tension rose and the fight was about to begin, Fabian suddenly picked a fight with me. "Short-lived species! Do you know why you're inferior?"
"What is it, Spear Boy?"
Fabian gritted his teeth at the sudden "Spear Boy" attack. Then he flashed a filthy smile, placed his hand on his waist, and thrust his hips forward slightly as if emphasizing his crotch. "This is the superior race's cannon that you'll never even dream of in your lifetime! Burn it into your eyes!"
At that, several High Elf women watching from behind Fabian began letting out heated moans. Judging by how they were all blushing and crossing their legs, they had already entered their mating season.
"Honey! I can't hold back anymore!"
"Oppa! Finish him in one shot! Just like when you made our kids!"
"Hurry up and end it, Daddy! I want to see him go crazy!"
"I'm more than half Daddy's, so hurry up and masturbate with me!"
From the way they talked, they were probably his wives. How vulgar and filthy.
You're dead for showing off like that.
This wasn't something you could run away from. Those bastards' Lucian was trash too, so his little brother couldn't be much better. "Neo Armstrong."
I unbuckled my belt and started lowering my pants. "Cyclone Jet."
"Kim Shinu, you fucking lunatic!!!!!!"
Right before I could fully drop my pants, Hye-ji threw an axe at me. Thanks to the Defensive Coat, the axe bounced off, but I hurriedly pulled my pants back up, terrified of a follow-up attack. Still, Fabian and his wives in front of me had gotten a rough glimpse of my junk and each reacted differently.
Fabian pointed at my crotch with a terrified expression, his hands trembling. "......A wild stallion?"
Meanwhile, Fabian's wives had completely erased the pink gazes they had been directing at Fabian just moments ago. Instead, they started stealing glances at my lower body. Suddenly I feel a bit sorry. This feels like NTR.
If it comes to it, become the Great Forest MILF Hunter.
Impossible. That hack writer doesn't have the skill to write erotic novels.
Well, you have zero experience to begin with.
- It hurts, you fucking bastards.
I thought I heard a faint crying sound from somewhere, but since it wasn't the first or second time, I casually ignored it. At that moment, Fabian let out a battle cry and thrust his spear with all his might toward my solar plexus.
"You black-haired, mismatched-eyed thug bastard!!!"
"Don't say shit like 'Golden Sun,' you fucking bitch!"
Because I'd been lost in thought for a moment, my reaction was half a beat late. In a hurry, I manifested the shield from the 9 o'clock position of my left hand's Mana Tattoo and blocked the spear at an angle. But—
- Crack!
"What the hell?"
Fabian's spear pierced straight through the mana-constructed shield. Since I had been raising it, the spearhead didn't reach my body, but this was the first time a shield had been pierced in a single attack. Still, Fabian's spear was now lodged in the shield. I drove my left hand deeper inward, pushing the shield outward to the left and knocking the spear aside. At the same time, with my right hand, I manifested a hand axe from the 4 o'clock position of my Mana Tattoo and brought it down on Fabian's left shoulder.
- Crack!
The mana-constructed hand axe buried itself deep into Fabian's left trapezius. But that was all. No matter how much force I applied, it felt like the axe was being pushed back instead. No—the axe was actually being slowly pushed out. Shit. What the hell is this guy?
Focus, you fool!
Fabian didn't even groan. Instead, he tried to draw his arming sword from his waist with his left hand in a reverse grip. I let go of the axe and lowered my stance. I immediately slammed the pommel of the half-drawn arming sword with my right elbow, preventing him from pulling it out completely. In that position, I quickly stepped forward with my left foot into a stable stance and drove a punch deep into him while reinforcing my left hand with mana.
- Crunch-crunch-crunch-crunch!!!!!!
"Hup!!!"
Fabian let out only a short groan before being sent flying far away. However, he didn't drop a single weapon he was holding, and when he immediately stood back up, he looked completely fine. In fact, Fabian roughly yanked out the axe still embedded in his left trapezius and even threw it back at me. ......The impact definitely felt like his solar plexus had been crushed.
Judging by how the axe was embedded, it doesn't seem like he has something like a Defensive Coat.
While dodging the flying axe, Fabian sheathed his arming sword and pointed his spear at me, laughing savagely. "You're pretty good! For an inferior species!"
"No, you fucking bastard. Why are you completely fine?"
"Did you really think this body would be wounded by an inferior species like you!"
As Fabian slowly closed the distance, I thought to myself. The axe blade had definitely dug deep into the muscle, to the point where I felt it graze the collarbone. At that level, there should have been a major hindrance to using his left arm. Yet Fabian moved his left hand without any problem and even drew his arming sword. The way the axe blade was being pushed out was strange too—multiple bizarre phenomena.
......The axe blade is being pushed out? Ah.
So you figured it out too.
Piece seemed to have realized it at the same time and spoke to me. That man probably possesses a recovery ability.
His recovery speed is insanely fast, seriously.
Looking closely, the spot where the axe had been embedded and bleeding just moments ago now had fresh new flesh growing over it. The solar plexus area I thought had been caved in showed no trace at all. Seeing Fabian completely unharmed, the elves who had been watching with bated breath erupted into cheers.