When I stood with the moving castle behind me, only Sis remained at the table, unmoving.
Aid, seeing this, called out to her.
“…Sigh, you’re an Apostle, yet you’re crying. I told you this was a bad idea.”
Sis replied with a trembling voice, lifting her face.
“I-I’m not crying…”
She wasn’t crying, it was true.
But her body trembled as if she was on the verge of tears.
She must have been truly shocked by my rejection. She began to explain the situation to everyone here, little by little.
“But I believed an ally would understand… From the first day we met, I felt it was destiny. I thought we were alike… That we would definitely understand each other someday… That’s why…!”
(Your relationship with Shiso Uzunami was in the distant past—give up. Even if he seeks to know everything in the world, he will never engage with you again.)
Aid interrupted Sis’s words.
Honestly, I felt the same way as Aid.
I felt like I would never understand her world-prioritizing, inhuman way of thinking, even until the day I die.
(Certainly, if you continue to explain patiently, you might eventually gain agreement… However, it would be wiser to stop for now. Shiso Uzunami is about to try and take your body.)
“…It seems so…”
If the castle had started moving even a second later, my battle with Sis would have begun before the “Duel.” Acknowledging this, Sis took a deep breath and stopped her trembling.
Then, the negotiation from before resumed.
However, having placed overwhelming power behind us, it was no longer a peace negotiation.
“…Ally, Aid has agreed to what I said earlier. If I can bring peace to the world with the King here, then I can do as I please. We formed a cooperative relationship very easily.”
“Even with such a clear rejection, you still won’t give up on me…?”
“Yes, of course. Because it’s much faster to use allies. If you refuse my proposal now, you have no choice but to challenge me to a ‘Duel.’ Naturally, Hidaki will fight with me then, right? Because Hidaki and I have been a pair since long ago.”
Even though she used pretty words, it was ultimately a matter of fighting or dying.
The peace talks broke down, and tension rose between me and Sis.
The teacups on the table had all shattered from the previous vibrations. The time for us to enjoy tea together was over.
“However, Aid says she wants to have a ‘Duel’ one-on-one… In that case, shall we start with a battle between the old and new ‘Ruling Kings’? That would be the quickest way.”
Sis challenged Titty, who was next to me, instead of me to a fight. It was clear from the burning fighting spirit in her eyes that she intended to defeat anything and anyone she could to end this quickly.
“I have no objections. Originally, I intended to hold back you and Snow during the ‘Duel’.”
That proposal was within the scope of our pre-arranged plan.
While Aid and I fought, Titty and Snow would hold back Sis and Hidaki. It was one of the ideal scenarios.
“However, Apostle. Before that, could you give me time to talk with my younger brother?”
But before that ideal scenario could unfold, Titty interjected.
Though my head was starting to fill with anger from my conversation with Sis, she remained calm. She hadn’t forgotten the key point of our plan.
(‘Ruling King.’ At this point, what more is there to talk about—)
The most crucial part of fighting the Guardian—it was words.
I believed that persuasion through words was the most effective attack against the Guardians. Titty was confirming this through personal experience.
“Listen, Aid!”
Titty shouted, rejecting Aid, who was about to refuse the discussion.
“I understand why you hate Kanaminn! From your perspective, Shiso Uzunami is an enemy who stole everything a thousand years ago! I get that! It’s useless even if the Child now says Kanaminn wasn’t wrong!!”
Perhaps overwhelmed by her powerful shout—or perhaps it was her younger brother’s nature—Aid silently listened to Titty’s words. Surprisingly, Sis also showed no sign of trying to interfere.
“But that doesn’t mean ending it with violence is the right way!? Even we from a thousand years ago weren’t that unreasonable! That was the method you hated the most as ‘Chancellor’!”
Titty didn’t deny Aid head-on.
She didn’t elevate me as she had the other day, but instead brought up the “Chancellor,” a point Aid seemed to be fixated on.
It was very skillful—an adult’s persuasion.
“To use your great strength and the power of the ‘Thief of Principles’ for a ‘Duel’ and get your way! Whoever wins is right! Is that anything more than a children’s squabble!? Is that the kind of person your ‘Chancellor’ believes in, Aid!?”
(Th-that’s…)
A hesitant voice came from Aid.
In response, Titty spoke with a kind, sisterly tone.
“Trying to force things with strength will only complicate matters… First, let’s talk about everything up until today with the Child… Whether fighting or talking, we must first understand each other. If you honestly reveal your inner thoughts, you might be surprised how often that alone can solve things…?”
Solving things by revealing their inner thoughts—perhaps she was referring to Chloe in the port town of Cork, who stopped Snow.
Seeing how the two, who held similar distortions, came to understand each other, Titty also wished for a similar ending.
I didn’t think that was impossible.
The person here now was not Rowen from a thousand years ago. She was Titty, who had suffered for a thousand years, traveled to the future, learned alongside me, and matured a little into an adult.
I believed we could bring about a different ending than a thousand years ago.
“Relying on the power of the ‘Thief of Principles’ should be the last resort… Otherwise, being swayed by power, everyone will lose sight of what’s important. For example, this town could easily disappear if the children fought with all their might… Hey, Aid. This town is wonderful. I saw it just once, and the smiles of the people came to mind. You’ve done truly excellent work.”
I felt a gasp from within the castle, which had grown into a giant.
Aido was undoubtedly shaken, having his Viais city, which he had nurtured, praised.
“Don’t you think you want to protect this city…? At least as a child, even if it were an uninhabited town, I would want to protect it with all my heart.”
(…I understand. If the Ruling King says so, perhaps we should change locations? There is a plain to the southeast. There, there will be nothing to break, and you can fight to your heart’s content.)
“The southeast plain, huh… It’s close to the children’s homeland. It might indeed be a fitting place to settle this.”
He succeeded in getting the location changed with surprising ease.
However, Titty was not satisfied with just that.
“But not yet. The child and I still have much to talk about!! Now, I’m sure of it having spoken face to face! You–”
She raised her voice as if to decide the battle right then and there.
“–You don’t want to hurt anyone, do you!? Are you sane!? You haven’t changed at all since you were little! You worry not only about people but even about the lives of plants and trees, don’t you!? You cherish all the buildings people have painstakingly created, don’t you!? You can’t stand to see anyone within your sight not smiling, can you!?! You hate fighting, don’t you!?”
With conviction, she shouted and struck her brother, making assumptions about his entire being.
It was an arrogant act, but I believe Titty alone is permitted to do so in this world.
“In the Second Labyrinth City Daril, you incited Rouge and Noir, and you regretted it terribly, didn’t you!? You must have teetered on the brink of madness many times, but each time you saw someone get hurt, you returned to your senses, didn’t you!? That you, being the kind man you are, can be brought back simply by someone getting hurt because of you! Yes, of course! You are different from the child! A Demon who is kinder than anyone else! A strong person who lived for someone until the very end! You are my proud younger brother, Aid, the white tree person!!”
The sister finished her outburst.
At the very end, she called out not to the Chancellor, but to her proud brother.
“……!!”
Aid couldn’t hide his shock.
He caused the castle itself to tremble, shaking the Royal Capital.
“…Please. Answer me, Aid. Let’s talk a little more… We are family… siblings…”
Noticing his distress, Titty pleaded with tearful eyes.
It was an expression utterly unbecoming of the Ruling King.
However, that expression and voice reached Aid—and it was undoubtedly causing him turmoil.
Now, Aid is lost within Viais Castle.
But if he were to accept his sister’s plea as a brother, our Duel would never happen.
Two irreplaceable, precious things have collided, and he seems unable to utter a single word in response.
—In the center of the Royal Capital.
The surroundings of Viais Castle were enveloped in silence.
In that solemn atmosphere, not a single person could speak.
Only the distant chirping of birds and the sound of the wind could be heard.
The one who broke the silence was not Sister Titty, nor Brother Aid, but Sis, who had been watching with a serious expression all along.
“…This is bad. While it may be fine for me and Hidaki, that child can no longer hold back.”
There was no malicious intent to interfere with the siblings. In fact, her demeanor showed that she was worried about them.
“Sis? What are you sayi— No!!”
I tried to ask what she meant by her concern.
But the cold touch on my back forced the question back down my throat.
“–Fufu.”
Following that, a faint chuckle echoed from beside my ear.
At this inexplicable phenomenon, I nearly screamed.
I am currently unfolding Dimension.
I am filling the Royal Capital with magic power with unprecedented caution and thoroughness.
It’s only natural, given that I am facing a Guardian.
Therefore, I can perceive everything within the Royal Capital.
Without a doubt, from corner to corner, not a single ant has been overlooked.
Despite this, someone’s hand has just entered my clothes from behind—
I turned around, filled with the same fear as if I had encountered a ghost.
And then, with my naked eye, not through Dimension, I saw the person.
The moment I saw that person, I instinctively jumped back, creating distance.
I had predicted it from her voice.
I had considered the possibility before even entering the Royal Capital.
Even so, seeing her form, I was stunned speechless.
“Fu, fufu, uhfufu. Fufu, fufu fufufufufu—!!”
The person behind me was Nosfy, the Thief of the Principles of Light.
When I saw her gaunt face, a shiver ran down my spine.
She was still wearing her completely black attire, her chestnut hair dyed black and wild—and her entire body was covered in tattoos like characters, with parts of her body disappearing.
Her body was transparent, allowing me to see through it, making her fragmented limbs appear to be floating.
This girl, more terrifying than a ghost, let out uncontrollable laughter into the outside world.
“Fu, fufu, fufufufu, talkiinggg? You’re talking?! I was told ‘Duel’ and cooperated with all sorts of preparations! You’ve been talking this whole time! To be blunt, it’s incredibly boring for those watching! Utterly dull!!”
From her way of speaking, I was sure it was the Nosfy I knew.
But then, why didn’t she register on Dimension?
I immediately tried to analyze everything about her.
However, Dimension detected nothing unusual.
Rather, Dimension was observing the anomaly that there was nothing where I could see Nosfy with my naked eye.
I don’t know the reason, but Nosfy is undoubtedly evading Dimension. The partial transparency of her body seems to be utilizing light refraction. It might be one of the powers of the Thief of the Principles of Light.
“No, Nosfy…! Didn’t you go south!? No, more importantly, what is that form!?”
Nosfy had hidden her presence and ambushed us.
I understood that much.
But even so, her bizarre appearance left countless questions.
Invisibility was for hiding. I understood that.
But I didn’t understand the reason for her body covered in tattoos. I didn’t understand the reason for her deathly pale complexion, like a ghost.
Her face was still beautiful, but unlike when we met in the Labyrinth, her eyes were bloodshot. Dark circles had formed beneath them, making her look like she hadn’t slept for days. She was clearly unwell.
“Heh, this body!? This is—heh, yes, you could say it’s—a ‘love curse’!” Nosfy giggled. “Ever since I lost to Lord Uzunami, I’ve been writing day after day, continuously, without rest or sleep! So that these feelings will reach him! I wrote a ‘curse mark’ that repels Lord Uzunami’s dimensional magic! It seems you didn’t notice because you can see things too well! Overconfidence is your undoing, Lord Uzunami!”
Nosfy casually explained the meaning of the tattoos. She said they had the effect of repelling my magic, which was why she couldn’t be detected by a 《Dimension》. While I wouldn’t blindly believe her, it was undeniable that Nosfy had gained an effect close to that.
I inhaled sharply and broke out in a cold sweat. This was a level of tension different from when I faced Aid, Sis, or Hidaki.
Nosfy, unconcerned, continued to spew words, ignoring my scowling face.
“Rowen! If possible, I would like this to end with ‘Talks’—but I will not permit it! Because that would be far too righteous, wouldn’t it? It’s just an ordinary war. It’s too adult and too good. It doesn’t suit us. As a professional of ‘Talks’, I absolutely will not permit that! Everyone, let’s do this more like ourselves!?”
Nosfy shouted in the center of everyone as if giving a speech. During that time, she created a flag of light from her right hand and thrust it into the ground. Then, she continued speaking with grand gestures.
“Listen, everyone!! This is not that kind of matter! Chancellor Aid already knows what Rowen is saying! He knows it all too well! He’s doing it with full knowledge! But my emotions! My heart! Can’t possibly allow for repentance now! That’s why I keep repeating it even with full knowledge!!”
It was a speech that sounded like encouragement, but it was skillful incitement. The problem was that the targets weren’t just ordinary people but ‘Thieves of Principles’ who possessed the power to rewrite the world.
“And yet, to think of ‘Talks’ again now, huh!? It’s useless, isn’t it, Lord Uzunami!?”
Nosfy shouted, urging us to fight. She then turned to me, demanding an extremely forceful agreement. Her unchanged demeanor left me with no choice but to make a bitter face.
However, Titty was different from me. She called out Nosfy’s name with a joyful expression.
“Nosfy! You’ve come…!”
She must still consider her a friend. Even with this major scene being interrupted, Titty welcomed her.
Nosfy also seemed surprised by this reaction. She opened her mouth slightly in surprise and then calmly replied.
“…Listen, Rowen. I don’t approve of trying to break down your enemies with mere words like that. A ‘Duel’ is a promise. It’s something you keep. To end this ‘Lingering Desire’ with just debate, without the clash of souls, is what I believe is right.”
Thanks to Titty, Nosfy’s momentum seemed to have waned. However, Nosfy still held the initiative. She continued to speak to each person unilaterally.
“Apostle, you mustn’t get swept up in Lord Uzunami’s pace. It’s a bad habit to try to have dialogues with everyone until the very end. If you do that, you’ll end up getting killed while talking again?”
“…Oh, really?”
“Yes!”
“Y-yes, that’s true. But please don’t shout in my ear. You’ll startle me.”
It seemed we weren’t the only ones overwhelmed by Nosfy’s appearance and momentum. Even Sis, who we assumed was her companion, looked bewildered. Amidst this confusion, Nosfy began to chant.
“Now, since we’ve settled the discussion, let’s fight! If we don’t, we’ll regret it! Of course, even if we do, we’ll regret it! Therefore, it’s better to have the regret *after* having done it! — Magic 《Light Illia》!! Heh, in that case, there’s no need to worry, we just have to do it, right!? I, as a specialist in ‘Talks’, guarantee it! A brawl to the death is the supreme and dearest form of ‘Talks’!!”
From the flag Nosfy held, dazzling lights scattered continuously.
In the middle of the afternoon, the town was filled with stardust-like light. The world’s brightness surpassed its limit, becoming pure white.
This was the power of the ‘Thief of Principles of Light’. It was the light of ‘Talks’ that relentlessly encroached upon everything.
The light entered our bodies and directly spoke to our minds with the magic of ‘Talks’. The incitements Nosfy had just spoken echoed repeatedly in our heads. Fight, don’t hesitate, follow your heart, don’t regret—it urged us on.
Gradually, our bodies grew hot, conversations became bothersome, and we felt the urge to solve everything with violence.
“The light! The fighting spirit—damn it!!”
Since it was mediated by light, there was no way to defend against it. Looking around, my companions were also grimacing. Furthermore, the enemies we were about to fight were in the same state.
Sis held her head, and Hidaki tightly gripped a hand. Aid, who was holed up in the castle, shouted while making the plants on the outer wall writhe like a swarm of snakes.
(Nosfy-sama! That light! It will disrupt the castle’s control!!)
He admonished his collaborator and demanded the engagement be called off.
However, the only reply he received was Nosfy’s advice-laced denial.
“Chancellor Aid, you have resolved to engage in a ‘Duel,’ have you not? Then do not waver. Do not hesitate. Do not take even a single step back. Otherwise, you will be unable to even issue a challenge, will you? …Much like myself.”
Her words were gentle. Unlike her usual flippant demeanor, they conveyed something close to unconditional love. Nosfy truly worried for Aid’s well-being.
But there was no truth in her words. From her own experience, Nosfy encouraged him to act on his impulses, even if it meant making mistakes – driven by her kindness, she was pushing him towards reckless action.
“You understand this suffering all too well. You must not be picky about likes and dislikes. For the sake of your comrades, you have a duty to fight. Is that not why you have maintained your strength until today? Yes, that is a mistake. For… souls are not meant for mere decorative dialogues, but for collision…”
Her words were beautiful, her demeanor divine, like a saintly mother, yet her content was exceedingly violent.
“Collide. Simply collide with your souls,” she incited, shoving him forward.
And Aid accepted her encouragement.
(…Indeed. You speak the truth, Lady Nosfy. With Lord Uzunami’s magic, words alone could bring everything to an end. What he will do—it’s unknown. In that case, overwhelming force is the best approach! Yes, we should start the ‘Duel’ immediately! Right, even now!!)
Aid steeled himself. With his fighting spirit amplified by the erosion of light, he began to move the castle. He unleashed the rapidly growing plants, letting the castle swell. The trees that grew endlessly ascended higher than the top floor, reaching for the heavens. The roots clinging to the castle walls and towers thickened further, beginning to contract and expand like human muscles.
With a sound like an earthquake, one of the giant trunks on the side of Viaisia Castle—the giant’s right arm—slowly moved and began to swing down towards the restaurant on the street. It was a wide-ranging attack, as if a wall were collapsing.
“W-wait! The ‘Duel’ won’t be too late even after Titty finishes talking—Ha! Grow! Magic ‘Dimensional Severing Sword’!!”
Judging that the attack would not stop, he instinctively drew the ‘Aris Family’s Treasure Sword Rowen,’ enveloped it in magic power, and extended the tip of his sword. He couldn’t yet use the ‘Magic Power Solidification’ skill with its neutral magic, but with his current power, he could achieve a similar effect with dimensional magic.
He swung the ‘Dimensional Severing Sword,’ which exceeded one kilometer in length, and cleaved the giant arm vertically. Of course, he hadn’t actually cut it, but merely shifted space. As a result, two separated fists fell on either side of the restaurant.
The kingdom’s capital was marked by two massive craters from the day’s largest tremor and explosion. Naturally, the aftermath was tremendous.
Impact and gale-force winds raged, destroying surrounding buildings. The adjacent restaurant, of course, was demolished like a toy dropped from a height. The tables and chairs arranged on the terrace were all blown away, and the nature that adorned the street was disrupted.
With that single strike, everyone present at the scene moved in unison. It was only natural, as the aftermath included not only shockwaves and gales but also debris from destroyed houses.
First, Nosfy, who had caused this disaster, leaped onto the roof of a nearby tall building to take shelter. Sis, holding Hidaki’s hand, remained in place, shielding them from the shockwaves with a divine magic barrier. Snow, similarly, protected Rouge, creating a vibration magic barrier against the impact. Titty, eschewing magic, swatted away everything that came at her, shouting towards the roof.
“Nosfy, stop that dazzling thing! Wait! Everyone, wait—!!”
“It’s no use, Titty! You protect Snow and Rouge!!”
I entrusted my companions to Titty and leaped onto the roof, just like Nosfy. The two I needed to be wary of now were Aid and Nosfy, who had decided to fight. Positioning myself where I could see them with the naked eye, I gnashed my teeth looking at the destroyed town.
“Damn it! Nosfy!!”
“Heh heh. You are too kind, Lord Uzunami. But is this really the time for such worry?”
Nosfy, standing on a roof a little further away, laughed.
(As expected, you’ll cut me down! But I understand that much!!)
A voice, calling my name, echoed from high in the sky. Following that, the colossal body that blocked the sun moved its remaining left arm, attempting to crush me from above. I immediately readied my long sword again, preparing to intercept.
“Attacking me with such sluggish movements is useless! Aid!”
If sheer size is all there is, there are ways to deal with it—Aleis’ ‘Swordsmanship’ has techniques to face colossal bodies that pierce even the heavens. I shouted this, but Aid did not stop his movement.
(Yes, I don’t think this mere giant body will work! Of course, my true intention is different! The purpose of this colossal body is also something else!)
I heard his cryptic remark but continued my attack with my sword. The sword, extended by the ‘Dimensional Severing Sword,’ tore through the sky, attempting to vertically slice the enemy’s giant left arm again—just before that, I heard laughter from behind.
“Fufu, Lord Uzunami. Are you sure that’s where you should be?”
It was Nosfy’s voice. To avoid being misled by the enemy’s words, I swung my sword. Indeed, the ‘Dimensional Severing Sword’ severed the enemy’s arm—but my sword felt nothing.
—It had missed. The giant’s left arm distorted like a mirage and vanished. At this point, ‘Dimension’ reacted to the colossal mass approaching from the side. Not from above, but from the side—the giant’s left arm was coming at me from the exact side. The reason I hadn’t noticed the arm approaching this closely was likely Nosfy’s magic behind me—!
“What!? Is it light refraction again!?”
“That’s correct! This is a magic you taught me, Lord Uzunami. Our matching ‘displacement technique,’ you see. Fufu, you and I, a-matching-set—fufufu!”
For reasons I don’t understand, only Nosfy can nullify my Dimension. I was completely deceived by Nosfy’s magic, which they didn’t notice.
A giant’s arm is approaching from the side, its palm scraping away houses along with the Royal Capital’s territory.
The giant’s palm alone is taller than any castle wall. If this continues, my footing will be swept away. I try to escape by putting force into my legs, moving in the opposite direction of the arm. However, Nosfy, holding a flag, blocks my path.
“No, Lord Uzunami. You must not run from the Duel. Unlike you, who chose a cowardly method of peaceful resolution by using your family, Chancellor Aid is trying to have a true and just Duel without any tricks or detours, while lamenting his own weakness. And still, you run? — Inside the castle, he waits for you now. Yes, he is waiting! He is waiting for you, Lord Uzunami!!”
Overwhelmed by her shouts, I stop. Above me, the giant roars.
“Battle Exoskeleton ‘Viaisia Castle,’ go to ‘Divine Embodiment Seal Form’! My soul’s World Tree, capture the vengeful enemy Shiso Uzunami—!!”
The approaching giant’s palm writhes, and the roots and branches of trees increase, transforming into a hand with a hundred fingers. I feel an intent to absolutely not let me escape.
The giant’s palm scoops up the house where Nosfy and I stand, along with the ground beneath it. The giant, literally holding me in its hand, does not immediately try to crush me.
While my feet are on the roof, I am overcome by a sense of weightlessness. The giant is trying to bring the soil and buildings it scooped up to its torso. At the center of its body, I can see a massive outer gate. It was a gate leading into Viaisia Castle—no, into the giant’s body.
Aid is undoubtedly trying to invite me in. This means the giant was not prepared for a fight, but solely to capture me.
If I were to jump from its palm to escape this invitation, Nosfy would surely interfere. She has been repeatedly insisting on a Duel from the very beginning. With no other choice, I send a voice message to my companions on the ground.
“Titty, Snow!! The talks have failed! Don’t hold onto persuasion anymore! I’ll be back with you soon, so focus on your own tasks! Understood!!”
Seeing that I have resigned myself, Nosfy shouts as well.
“Heh heh! Then, I will consider the Duel to be agreed upon! Sis! You are to secure Rowen and Snow Walker!”
“I won’t say ‘secure,’ but I intend to keep them in check! However, our opponents are the old Ruling King and the new Dragon Incarnation! If Yotaki and I go all out to hold them, we might end up freezing them!”
“Heh heh, as expected of Apostle Sis! Such confident words! Please, don’t hold back! As long as they don’t die, I will surely heal them! This me, the strongest healer in history!!”
Spirited words filled with absolute confidence fly between Sis and Nosfy. Titty’s voice replies with a delay.
“Kanamin! No need to worry about us either! We have this invincible child here!!”
Titty, who has erected a wind barrier to face Sis and the others, is caught by my Dimension. Inside it, Snow and Rouge-chan are safely protected. I know Titty’s strength best. No matter how unconventional the enemy is, she is not someone who will be defeated easily.
Inside this giant, I have enough time to defeat Aid. I focus my scattered consciousness not outward, but on Nosfy and Aid, whom I am about to fight. Then, I am carried to the giant’s torso—where the castle gate opens on its own.
The giant’s left arm is thrust into the gate, which opens like a gaping maw. It rudely invites guests into the castle, taking the town, the land, and us along with it. Next, beyond the castle gate is a second gate—the outer gate—which also opens automatically. The left arm passes through it, then a third gate, the main gate, also opens, and the left arm passes through—there, the overwhelmingly large arm finally becomes too big to fit.
But my feeling of weightlessness doesn’t end. Only the writhing branches and trunks of trees emerge from the giant left arm, carrying the roof of the house serving as our footing into the castle. The roots forcefully pass through the half-ruined castle entrance, opening every door within the castle as we are carried endlessly—and I arrive.
It’s a familiar sight, one I saw even behind the 66th Floor of the Labyrinth. A grand natural space that this enormous castle boasts. —The great garden of Viaisia Castle. It’s here that there movement finally stops. As my footing settles on the ground, the door I just entered through is sealed by thick tree roots.
My escape route is gone. This means this is the place Aid chose for our Duel. It’s still a vast garden. However, it’s a bit different from the orderly garden I remember. The ceiling of the garden is covered with leaves, completely blocking the sunlight. Perhaps due to the wild growth of various trees, it feels strangely oppressive and lacks openness. I thought of it as a messy garden without a gardener.
On the ground, covered seamlessly with grass and flowers, stood a tall, thin man. He let his waist-length white hair flow unceremoniously, along with what looked like a white robe. Judging by his attire and the glasses around his eyes, he gave the impression of a scholar. However, the gauntlets on his arms contradicted that. Above all, his sturdy legs that stood firm on the ground and his slender, sharp eyes proved that he was a man of action. He was undoubtedly waiting to Duel me. The wood-attribute magic emanating from him was filled with fighting spirit. All the plants he commanded also writhed as if seeking an opponent.
This is the Thief of the Laws of Wood. Now, I am truly facing him. Aid, the guardian of the 40th Floor—
