§ 188. Penitence (5)
An extraordinary emergency meeting was held.
While the knights were keeping the roots of the Demon Tree in check, Seongjin met with Masain, Leader Brno, Orden, and Sir Ilma to discuss the strategy for conquering the Demon Tree.
“You didn’t say anything like that before, did you?”
“You suddenly found out during the battle? How on earth… … .”
When talking about the growth core, Orden and Sir Ilma ask, unable to hide their doubts.
Well, this is a common reaction.
Seongjin says, ‘Ah, I see.’ There was something strange about the palace people following me.
“His Majesty Mores has the ability to immediately see the weaknesses of something wrong. “That’s why we had to recruit Hae Hae to the monster task force.”
Masain spoke confidently, but the embarrassment did not disappear from the faces of the two people.
It’s natural. There was no way they could trust the two people who had extensive experience in subjugating demonic beasts and said, ‘The prince knows the weaknesses of evil when he looks at them.’
“I’m also concerned about the top of the tree. Isn’t it strange that the magic energy is particularly dense at the top? This probably means that it is the center where demon energy is created, the most important part of the Demon Tree.”
When Director Bruno, a former Dekaron Knight, also helped out from the side, the two men reluctantly agreed.
“Lord Masaine. What do you think of Kyeong’s auror explosion? “Will it reach me?”
Seongjin asked, looking at the tree that now seemed to be nearly 30 meters tall.
“If you aim well, you will reach it. Of course, the vibration will be greatly weakened, making it difficult to demonstrate its power properly. only… … .”
Masain explained that there are too many obstacles to overcome along the way.
The probability that an Aura blast fired from the ground would avoid all those countless tree branches flying at random would be almost zero.
“What about firing multiple shots?”
“It is possible a few times, but it is not a technique that can be performed in such a quick succession. I haven’t fully mastered it yet, and I also need time to overlap sword names. “Maybe more branches will grow in the meantime.”
I thought about taking turns firing them with Lord Ilma, but in the first place, Aura bombing was a popular technique in the imperial palace. Sir Ilma looked embarrassed, saying that he wouldn’t be able to learn it all at once.
“The Wolf Knights also have knights who are skilled with bows. But no matter how much aura you put on the arrow, it would be impossible to pierce through so many branches at once.”
“Of course, it’s best to get as close to the top as possible and cut it down.”
Masain frowned after coming to that conclusion.
“But for us, stunts like lowering were impossible. Sir Ilma and I have tried many times… … .”
“Right.”
Seongjin answered like that and looked back at the tree.
‘Of course, there would be a sure way for me to go up and cut it myself.’
But opportunities were limited. When I first climbed the tree, I felt like I was overdoing things by turning my Aura around too much.
You can try one more time, but if you don’t get to the top and cut down another branch, you’re in trouble.
If only I could have seen what the demon lord sees.
‘… uh? for a moment.’
Seongjin blinked as a flash of thought passed through his mind.
I am definitely lending my sense of smell and taste to the devil bastard. But is this sharing of sensations truly one-sided?
When the Demon King first tried to connect his senses of taste, didn’t I see something strange in my field of vision for a moment?
‘Hey, devil!’
[huh?]
‘Can you possibly connect the visuals with me?’
[What?]
‘Wouldn’t it be possible to share your perspective with me, like you do when eating, and show me what you see?’
Then the Demon King looked embarrassed and answered.
[…] Wait a minute, Seongjin Lee. It may be too sudden to say that, but it will probably be difficult.]
‘why?’
[First of all, there is no way for humans to experience the senses of the devil without being completely possessed. The dominant relationship between the senses is so clear. Moreover, this is a special case, so it is even more impossible. Because I do not have a body, there is no sense to share.]
‘Then what are these things you see?’
[Strictly speaking, it is not ‘seeing’. It’s just something I can sense because I’m in a soul state. Maybe you will know when you die and become a soul? It is a ‘spiritual eye’ that living humans do not have.]
‘hmm.’
I fully understood what the demon lord said.
But then, what was all that haze that Seongjin had seen before?
[It’s probably because you’re touching your senses and stimulating them incorrectly. Was it not temporary sensory confusion?]
The Demon King seemed to think nothing of it, but strangely enough, Seongjin was strangely confident that it was not just confusion.
Although it was only a brief glimpse, I felt like I was seeing something closer to the essence of things.
‘If it’s impossible for him, can’t we try the reverse on my part?’
Somehow it seems possible… … .
Seongjin closed his mouth and tried to vividly recall the momentary sensation he felt at the time.
Strange lines carried by the wind, and a green haze shimmering over the swaying grass. The yellow and blue shadows that overlapped with people.
[uh? Seongjin Lee, what are you doing now? … ?]
The demon king asked as if he was embarrassed, but Seongjin concentrated his consciousness even more and sank within himself. Then, the memories of that time begin to come back vividly, as if they were lies.
A tea cup that glowed blue and blue steam rising from it. A pink haze coming from the cold ground.
And, the bright shadows of the priests and paladins glowed exceptionally white.
Seongjin didn’t realize it, but before he knew it, a faint red light that had never existed before was blinking in the center of his pupil.
[Lee Seong-jin?! What did you do now?]
While the Demon King was shocked, Seongjin raised his head and slowly looked around.
Then, a new scene filled with colorful and brilliant light, completely different from before, unfolded before my eyes.
Aside from the deep blue torches held by the knights, the dark night sky, devoid of any light, was covered in a soft red light.
Even in the air that was thought to be empty, there was a faint light.
There are only demons covering the Demon Tree. The evil energy was just writhing in an ominous black color without any color.
Seongjin remained in that state and observed the tree carefully.
——————
faqwiki.us
Join our Discord for new chapter updates!
https://discord.com/invite/xr7SxG5T6V
——————
Strangely, in the middle of the trunk of the magic tree, faint shadows that appeared to be human shapes were seen gathered together.
Although it was hard to tell from the outside, there was clearly an empty space at the bottom of the tree, and there must have been a living person left there. Of course, it was fading as if I would die soon.
A cluster of yellow lights gathered together and spread out from them, turning into one long line along the tree trunk and extending all the way to the top.
And the exact center of the tree where the line of light ends. In the middle of black magic energy.
A round lump of light is visible, emitting bright light as if pulsating. Perhaps that is the growth core that the Demon King spoke of.
[this! How could this happen! A human without spiritual eyes can steal the devil’s spiritual eyes so easily?]
The Demon Lord shouted in an almost panicked state.
However, there was no time to seriously explore this condition with him. My eyes were already tingling badly, and I was starting to get a strong headache from the back of my head.
‘I can’t keep this up for long?’
Seongjin decided that way and declared to the Dajjagojja group.
“I’ll go up this time too.”
“yes?”
“Lowering! What on earth is that… … !”
Masain, who was about to shout loudly, was shocked and stopped talking.
In the eyes of the prince, who was staring at the tree as if fascinated, a light that now felt very familiar was seen.
Silver-grey eyes that emit a strange light in the dark of night, as if they themselves are a light source. And an ominous red pupil that occasionally blinks within it.
“I don’t have time to explain at length now. But if I go up this time, I will definitely be able to cut it down. So, I need you guys to help me so I can go up quickly.”
Seongjin’s confident words made the group look at him, speechless for a moment.
The young prince was enveloped in a strange aura that was somehow different from usual. He was so overwhelmed by the atmosphere that he did not even dare to raise a different opinion, but the prince ordered his companions without any discomfort.
“Lord Masaine. Knock on the tree first with an Auror blast. Since the light’s attack is very strong, it will probably be able to minimize the movement of the demon beast for a while.”
“… … .”
Masain didn’t answer readily, but Seongjin, who faced her slightly trembling eyes, was convinced. If he insists on doing it, he can never say no.
“Lord Ilma. If the Aura blast stops the tree, will you be able to raise me as high as possible? “In the beginning, I want to conserve Auror use as much as possible.”
“… “Yes, sir.”
Lord Ilma looked like he was struggling and answered reluctantly.
Originally, it was natural that the prince’s safety should be prioritized above all else, but for some reason, it occurred to him that there would be no way to get rid of that demonic beast other than the method suggested by the prince.
“Grand Duke. leader. You two, along with the Wolf Knights, cover me from below. If the sword energy doesn’t reach you, it would be okay to use arrows. “It’s just that if I climb halfway up the tree, his attack itself becomes a stepping stone, so I don’t need to provide any more cover than that.”
“All right.”
Orden nodded with a dull face.
After catching a glimpse of Manager Bruno, who was looking at him with meaningful eyes, Seongjin turned towards the Demon Lord.
“Okay then, shall we begin?”
My legs are heavy when I walk. My overworked shoulders and arms are feeling tingly and even mildly numb.
Above all, my whole body throbs from the shock I received from falling earlier.
Nevertheless.
Despite all these adverse conditions, Seongjin somehow felt confident that he would be able to move up more easily than before.
Because now before his eyes, previously unseen paths and new possibilities he could not even imagine were wide open.
Kuaaaaang!
An intense explosion caused by the explosion of all Auras.
The magic tree, whose base had burst open, trembled as if it had been electrocuted, and then stopped moving with a squeak sound.
“Now, sir! Lord Ilma!”
At Lord Masain’s shout, Lord Ilma started jumping onto the Demon Tree while supporting Seongjin.
Whisper, thump!
Auror users on the 9th floor, close to Dekaron Knight.
Indeed, the difference in power was something that could not be ignored, and even with Seongjin in tow, she leapt to a position much higher than the distance Seongjin could run alone.
In that way, they broke through the bottom of the Demon Tree quite smoothly.
However, when he had just passed the first third of the tree, Sir Ilma’s gallop faltered for the first time.
Although the movement of the demonic tree has not yet fully recovered, the demonic energy that has been accumulating since before is surrounding it like a thick fog.
Seongjin glanced up and ordered her.
“Go back now, Sir Ilma.”
“yes? Lowering! but… … .”
“I’m fine, don’t worry.”
“… … .”
Lord Ilma was a little hesitant, but soon agreed and lowered Seongjin onto the branch.
For some reason, I started thinking that it would be strangely difficult to refuse the prince’s orders.
“Well then! Good luck!”
Sir Ilma shouted and fell down. Of course, he didn’t forget to cut one of the thick branches into pieces as he went down.
Chiaaa! Squeak!
The magic beast awakens from shock and begins to wriggle again. However, after tapping her foot a couple of times, Seongjin looked at the path clearly laid out before her in a relaxed manner.
okay. It’s a path.
The movement of branches shooting up randomly, and the movement of branches bending like whips in all directions.
The possibilities implied by the countless movements become several distinct solid lines that are intertwined and unraveled, emitting a sparkling light.
After blinking his now burning eyes a couple of times, Seongjin started running along the path without hesitation.
Peeing! Hiss!
Every now and then, an arrow flies past the side and gets stuck violently in the branch attacking Seongjin. The branch was shocked, flinched, and then flew back, making the prediction even more difficult.
Seongjin’s eyes were already following the arrow’s entire path and the resulting consequences without missing a single detail.
When you step into a space where you think you can see branches like an illusion, new branches sprout up and fill the space without fail.
If you jump in because you think the path is slightly different from the actual flying branch, the arrows that were covering you will soon hit the branch and fit the path.
Running along the path in a trance, Seongjin couldn’t tell whether he was predicting the path or deciding.
“… “How is such movement possible?”
The knights who were shooting arrows under the tree looked at the prince in fascination without realizing it.
It was amazing when he first climbed the tree. The movements the prince was seeing right now were so surprising that they were almost bizarre.
When he hangs on a wildly shaking branch, rises up and falls, a new branch flies in its place as if waiting, pushing the prince upward and upward.
It truly felt like a ray of wind flowing naturally through the trees.
In that way, the prince instantly gained altitude and set foot on the top of the ever-growing Demon Tree.
[Lee Seong-jin! It’s no longer possible!]
Seongjin, who had been following the path as if possessed, came to his senses when he heard the devil’s desperate cries.
‘huh?’
[Do you know? You’re acting weird right now! My eyes are getting damaged!]
‘uh… … .’
Only then did Seongjin sense the warm liquid flowing down his cheek.
‘He said his vision had become a bit blurry for some reason.’
I thought it was because the magic energy had become darker, but maybe it was just the eyes themselves that were getting cold.
Not only that, but my mind wasn’t normal either. The headache, which was not only painful but also hot, felt as if the nerves in the back of my head were gathered together and lit on fire.
‘But it’s almost over!’
Without losing his last concentration, Seongjin raised the nutcracker towards the round sphere shining in front of him.
Boom, boom, boom!
The growth core of the magic tree that emits light as if pulsating.
As if sensing the approaching danger, the demonic energy emanating from it became even stronger.
Whick!
With one light slash, the immovable target fell from the stem so vainly that it rose into the air.
Passsss.
The core instantly loses its light and breaks into pieces.
Kiiiiii… … .
The branches that had lost their cores also twitched and twisted, then shrunk and fell helplessly to the ground.
The ground under my feet suddenly felt empty, and I felt like my body was floating.
‘Oh! yes!’
Come to think of it, I only thought about cutting this down and forgot about the escape route. If this guy doesn’t attack, there won’t be any foothold to stand on.
The air became empty for a moment.
I tried to turn my blurry vision and look down, but my nerves, overworked to the limit, clicked shut my consciousness as if flipping a switch.
Closing his blood-filled eyes, Seongjin fell helplessly 30 meters below.
fantasy,
