Karubene snatched a gun from his pocket and fired at the enemy.
That guy Karubene actually did shoot the gun. It hit his leg, not his heart, though.
“Hoo, hoo, you! How dare you!”
“So, you bleed red after all.”
“Shut up and disappear!!”
Karubene was blown away by roots that sprouted from the ground. Nigpyura’s bloodshot eyes turned towards this way. At the same time, my vision shook, and the next moment I was slammed into the ground.
“Gah! Uuh…”
I… can’t breathe. But I have to get up quickly, or I’ll be finished. I tried to push myself up with my elbows, but a sharp pain shot through my arm.
“Hoo, you savages. If you want to know so badly, I’ll tell you. That Hummingbird Har named Ryoku is still alive. I’ll return her when I get the power. You can pluck her feathers and make a hat out of them.”
“To get the power,” he said. Ryoku’s power is the ability to converse with the forest spirits. Is this guy planning to steal his spirits? But that’s impossible. Spirits and Hummingbird Hers are bound by a special power.
“Ryoku won’t give her power to someone like you.”
“Do you really think I’d say ‘please’ like that myself?”
“Then, if that’s the case…”
“Yes, separate the host and the spirit. I’ve spent many years on this research, ever since that day the forest’s voice was born.”
What a cruel thing to say. Aren’t spirits supposed to have their souls stabilized by the Hummingbird Har? Won’t the spirit go berserk if it’s forcibly torn away?
“Fifteen years ago, I came to this forest. And I realized the potential of the Hummingbird Har. This mystical race holds the power to surpass my brother. I attacked, but the forest cried out as if it had anticipated it. Since then, I’ve been waiting, searching.”
Had this guy been planning an invasion for a long time? But just then, Ryoku was born, and the forest began to gain consciousness. What he’s saying might be true. Thanks to the small Hummingbird Har, the forest can think and move at will.
“I can’t let you lot interfere with the answer I’ve finally reached!!”
A sharp pain struck my whole body again. It seemed I had been blown away by tree roots. My bones might be broken.
“It’s ironic, isn’t it? The spokesperson for the forest’s voice can’t speak. It seems a little bit of luck is on my side, don’t you think?”
I rubbed the dirt out of my eyes and looked up. My chest hurt with every breath. A grotesquely twisted trunk snaked around my master like a tower. Nigpyura, seated within it, looked down at me like a king.
The entire forest creaked and swayed with a loud noise. This wasn’t like Ryoku’s abilities; it felt like space itself was being forcibly twisted. The ground was breaking and shattering like crumpled origami.
A thick tree root was ripped from the ground and flew towards me. I fell to my hands and knees. It whizzed past overhead.
“Gyaah, Ugyaa!”
“Gah!”
Right, my companions were fighting behind me. When I looked back, I saw the Dark Elves crushed by the flying tree. Is this guy going to involve his own allies without a second thought?
“H-hey, Nigpyura, you’re hitting your own allies!”
Nigpyura didn’t seem to care at all, gazing into the distance from atop his tower. I definitely won’t surrender this forest to you.
“Arisugawa, are you alright?”
“Sharin? What about the others?”
“They’re doing their best somehow, but it looks like we need to retreat for now. The ground itself is about to collapse.”
But if I do that, this guy will be completely unleashed. I brushed Sharin’s hand away and stood up.
“Elana, can you still fight? Her magic is plant-based, so she should be weak against fire.”
“That’s true, but I don’t think she can win against that. We should retreat.”
“But, are you just going to leave him? If we escape, who will fight?”
I have to think of a way to stop him. Someone, yes, where is Veronica? The last time I saw her, she was fighting with a tree trunk behind Nigpyura.
“Is that Veronica over there?”
Where Sharin was pointing, Veronica was half-trapped by intertwined tree trunks. This is bad; she’s going to be crushed if this continues.
“Veronica! I’m coming to save you!”
“Hey, wait, Arisugawa!”
I ran, clutching my aching side. My foot got caught on the broken ground, and I fell. Nigpyura probably noticed me, but I didn’t care. I passed by the distorted tower and thrust my sword into the tree trunk where Veronica was caught.
My blade didn’t even penetrate. Only the surface was scraped away. While I stood there, the wood in front of me writhed and continued to grow.
“Kid, what are you doing? Run!”
Veronica’s voice came from above. She’s still alive. If only I could reach her.
“Idiot, hurry up and go!”
Right, I can grab onto the growing trunk and climb. I can use my dagger as a foothold by sticking it in.
“Look behind you!!”
Suddenly, I was pushed sideways by Karubene. A large icicle pierced the spot where I had been standing, shattering like glass.
“Brother, let’s escape, he’s targeting us.”
“Can I leave Veronica? She’s going to die like this! Hey, Karubene.”
Karubene ignored me and dragged me away from the tree trunk where Veronica was trapped.
