Chapter 293
A massive melee broke out.
In the city center, where tree roots hung down, countless plant-type monsters surged upward.
On the outskirts of the city, hordes of undead poured out from subspace.
The two forces collided head-on, and in an instant the frontlines became tangled in chaos.
'Good thing I brought the Legion.'
If he'd had to face those numbers alone, it would have taken him a whole day.
As Legion Commander, Simon's role was mostly to herd the undead along while walking, and to swing his blade ahead of time to slice apart the white apples falling from the sky.
—Gggeugh, gggggeugh.
Wondering what that sound was, he turned around, only to see townsfolk with plant vines bulging like veins all over their bodies charging at him.
Simon recognized them at a glance. They were the very couple who had taken three gold to tell him about Sasha.
'Mm.'
Seeing people he knew in that state was far from a pleasant feeling.
When Simon's expression hardened and he swung his greatsword, the two residents were cleaved at the waist, along with the houses and plant-type monsters behind them, all collapsing in ruin.
'What a massacre. Why is Figaro killing innocent people too?'
[Kehuhuhu, isn't it obvious? Look down that alley!]
Simon's gaze shifted.
Tree roots, like coffins, had pierced through the bodies of fallen people. The roots squirmed, sucking out something like energy, and as they did, the people's bodies grew more shriveled and gaunt.
[He plans to absorb every last resident of this village as nutrients.]
'Nutrients?'
[Yes, he can't stay in that giant tree body forever. If he gathers enough power to completely control the ability of that Sasha girl, he'll change forms again. That's when the real nightmare begins.]
Thud! Thud! Thud!
In the meantime, a tree monster that looked like a rotting stump rushed at Simon, but corpse spiders came swinging in like pendulums, sinking their fangs in and toppling it.
Simon's head tilted upward, toward the treetop. Through the magnified vision of his right eye, he could see Figaro's upper body remaining, grinning smugly.
Simon hardened his resolve once more.
'I'll get up there and wipe that smirk off his face.'
He pulled a zombie from subspace and touched it to the ring on his left hand.
"Time to fight, Prince."
Krrrrrumble!
Black lightning fell from the sky, dyeing the zombie's form jet-black, and soon a boy wearing a crown and aristocratic garb rose to his feet.
[Ah, why is it always like this whenever you call me?]
Prince glanced at the massive tree and gave a hollow laugh.
Simon shrugged.
"You only bring out a hidden card when it really matters."
[...Oh?]
At those words, Prince's face lit up, and he bounced in place.
[That line! That was cool! Hidden card! You mean I'm the Legion's hidden card?]
"Yeah, yeah. Let's go."
Wearing Feer's Bone Armor, Simon's cape billowed as he began to sprint. Prince and the undead ran right alongside him.
[Hidden card, coming through!]
Excited, Prince sprang forward and slammed his fist into the massive tree monster's trunk.
Crash!
The monster went flying, smashing other plant-type monsters along the way.
Prince whistled as he looked at his own fist.
[My strength's gotten better! Your Darkness is stronger now than back in the Holy Federation!]
"Of course!"
Swinging the Greatsword of Destruction to slice apart a falling white apple, Simon replied,
"How could I stay weak after surviving at that school?"
With Simon and Prince at the center, the Legion formed up like a spearhead and charged.
The plant-type monsters and plant-humans were all based more on Sasha's ability than the Saint's power. In terms of monster threat level, they were only about rank 1 to 3, and the Legion's power was superior.
The Legion advanced in a surging tide.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
[Broke through!]
Prince sent plant-type monsters flying with his fists. Right ahead were the tree roots.
'That's high.'
From here, Simon had to crane his neck almost to the breaking point to see the top.
[Simon! You going up?]
"Hold on."
Drawing a deep breath, Simon gripped the Greatsword of Destruction and sent a slash toward the tree.
Crash!
A massive gash formed in the tree, but as expected, it was impossible to split it in one blow.
A moment later, white flames rose in the wound on the tree's body, and it returned to normal.
'The tree is Sasha's main body. The Saint's power is in effect.'
From his fight with the Saint of Purification, Plema, during the first semester's Saint incident, Simon knew that she could be torn apart completely and still revive multiple times with white flames.
In other words, cutting the tree's body directly was impossible. The only way was to climb it, cut down Figaro, and rescue Sasha.
He had a similar experience during the island survival exam, so he was confident.
'No time for cheap tricks.'
Simon placed his right foot on the tree.
'Forward!'
Then he lifted his left foot from the ground to the tree and dashed upward. Prince, the skeletons, and the corpse spiders followed.
[Just keep your eyes forward, boy! I'll control the Legion undead!]
"Reassuring!"
Tilting his greatsword to the side, Simon saw swarms of plant-type monsters flooding toward him along the tree.
'Slice through the space itself!'
Screeeech!
A white arc cut through the air, and every monster caught within it was severed and fell.
[Hidden card punch!]
Prince threw a fist into the air, sending a Darkness shockwave spiraling out and blasting away every monster.
"You really liked that line, huh?"
[Not really!]
Tak!
Tatatatatat!
Simon and Prince kept cutting and punching their way upward.
But,
'This is exhausting!'
It wasn't vertical, but running up a steep slope on two legs was tough, even with Darkness aiding him.
'So many!'
Plant-type monsters kept pouring down the tree without end.
Just as Simon raised his greatsword to slice again—
[Save your strength, idiots!]
The helmet of Feer covering Simon's face lifted up, assembling into a skeleton's face as it bellowed.
The skeletons and corpse spiders behind surged past Simon and Prince, taking the lead in attacking the plant-type monsters.
"Nice, Feer!"
In that time, the two advanced safely past the battle.
[How far up are we?]
Punching out a shockwave, Prince asked.
Kicking away a monster, Simon answered,
"About twenty percent."
[Ugh! Too long!]
Just then, in front of them, branches twisted like a rope, and a white apple popped into existence.
"Ah."
Simon's expression froze.
The fruit, which had only grown from large branches at the top before, could now be produced directly from the trunk.
Proof that Figaro was becoming more accustomed to the Saint's power. He had to be struck down before he fully adapted to the Saint's power and Sasha's ability.
Plop.
Plop.
Small apples fell straight toward Simon and Prince, who destroyed them midair with slashes and shockwaves.
[Whoa!]
Prince's eyes widened in shock.
The moment the apples were destroyed, they triggered tall, pillar-like holy explosions in a vertical blast.
One such blast took off one of Prince's ears and punched a hole through his chest.
"You okay?"
[Ah, shit!]
Prince staggered, coughing blood.
[You have enough zombie stock in subspace?]
"At least nine."
[Then no problem!]
Prince dashed ahead of Simon and hugged the falling white apples. A holy explosion erupted, erasing him without a trace.
Prince was gone, and Simon immediately pulled out another zombie and touched the ring on his left hand.
Rumble!
With black lightning, Prince reappeared.
[Still, dying feels nasty!]
"...Hah."
They kept running without pause, but had only reached about thirty percent of the way.
They'd have to go at least three times farther to reach the top where Figaro's main body was.
The road was long, and his legs were starting to tremble.
Still—
'I have to go up.'
Simon clenched his teeth.
'Don't think about anything else. Just make it to the top!'
While running, Simon reached back and activated a magic circle.
It was finally time to use this spell.
Emerald smoke began to drift out, and from the opposite subspace he pulled out a golem core and grasped it.
The golem core and the emerald smoke merged into black magic.
"Come forth."
At last, the spell Blood Golem was complete, rising into the sky.
Simon halted his steps and pulled 20 skeletons from the massive subspace. Teal smoke wrapped around them.
Twenty summoned skeletons, cloaked in teal radiance, billowed their capes.
[What the—what the! That's insanely cool!]
Prince was excited.
Simon, panting for breath, narrowed his focus straight ahead.
White apples were falling.
Tak, tadat.
The Royal Guard, tracing emerald arcs, shot out like bullets, swinging their swords.
The apples were sliced apart, triggering explosions, and Simon ran safely through in the meantime.
Sreung! Sreung! Sreung!
The twenty skeletons, using Dash, moved with ghostlike swiftness. It was as if countless emerald flashes were revolving around Simon.
They cut the apples, brought down the plant-type monsters, and even severed the whip-like branches that lashed out.
"Kh!"
Then, one Royal Guard got caught in an explosion. Linked to Simon through Cloud, the pain hit him like a hammer, and he missed his footing.
[What are you doing!]
Grab!
Prince, who had been behind him, caught Simon's hand at the last instant.
[You gonna keep spacing out?]
Then, with monstrous strength, he hurled Simon upward. Simon clung to the tree again, Darkness flaring beneath his feet.
"Thanks, Prince!"
[Shut it, keep moving!]
If he fell here, it was over. In this condition, climbing the tree all the way to the top from the beginning again was impossible.
'I have to finish it this time, and get Figaro!'
Thud!
Thwack!
Two more Royal Guards went down.
'Ghhhk!'
Every muscle in his body twisted, his internal organs churned. The Royal Guard's sole weakness was that, being made from Cloud, the pain was transmitted directly to the caster.
Simon barely endured, eyes widening, seeing emerald-green sword slashes cut down falling apples from both flanks.
Only ten Royal Guards remained.
"Khhhhh!"
His vision swam, his head spun, and searing pain flooded his whole body.
But he kept running, kept going.
Pain like this—he could endure without using the Curse of Numbness, Indolence.
Not that his Darkness reserves were good enough to sustain Indolence anyway.
[Hey! Stay with me!]
Whenever he faltered, Prince would come from behind and shove him forward.
Thanks to that, Simon found his footing again and pushed on.
'Now, forty percent!'
Just then, Prince's shout began fading behind him.
When Simon looked back, Prince was falling from the tree.
'Damn it!'
Somewhere along the way, a vine had shot out from the tree and grabbed Prince's ankle, flinging him into the air. He clung back to the tree midway, but Simon didn't have time to wait for him to catch up.
He ran on. The Royal Guard had dwindled to six.
"Huff! Huff! Royal Guard, release!"
The remaining skeletons froze, and Cloud surged upward, returning into Simon's magic circle.
Panting, Simon swung the Greatsword of Destruction.
Now, he was alone.
He slashed furiously, splitting white apples apart, and set foot on the tree's midpoint.
'Half the distance left!'
Now—
Now he had finally reached halfway.
His remaining Darkness reserves were about four percent. He was forcing his Core to overproduce Darkness through mana breathing, but the Core was overloaded and sluggish.
Step.
One foot forward, one swing of the blade, and more Darkness was consumed.
Remaining Darkness inside his body: two percent.
Half the way still left, and above, Figaro was sneering down.
His vision blurred.
His body whispered that it was at its limit.
You've come far enough, you've done enough.
Even if you can't save Sasha, this time, there's nothing you could have done.
She'd think you gave it your all.
The other comrades would think you gave it your all too.
Your best.
'My best.'
The word lodged in his head.
Was this really my best?
Had I truly poured out everything I could?
'Not yet.'
Slashing a falling apple with the greatsword, he stepped forward.
Current progress: fifty percent. Half the distance to Sasha remaining.
To climb this half, there was one thing to do.
Go beyond the line of your limits.
Surpass common sense.
'Drag it out.'
Everything.
To climb this half, give the other half of yourself.
'Ghhhhh!'
Now his remaining Darkness was exactly zero.
As if a lie, all strength drained from his body, and exhaustion dominated every inch of him.
But he still forced one more step forward.
'I…!'
Needed only one thing.
'Anything!'
Faith.
Absolute faith in himself.
'I can do it!'
Fwaaaaaaaaaash!
Figaro, watching, was struck with shock.
Simon's eyes turned gold, and where his dantian had been empty, pure-white radiance surged up.
The end was a new beginning.
Where Darkness had converged toward zero percent, now one hundred percent holiness filled him.
"Hwaaaaaah!"
Now, with holiness under his feet, he began to run.
Swinging the greatsword with his right hand, he pressed his left to his chest.
Different-colored blessings wrapped around his whole body, speeding him up even more. As he ran, he placed his hand on wounds and cast Heal.
He felt so good he could go insane.
Simon, feeling as though his chest had burst open, shouted,
"Follow me, Feer!"
[Kahahahahahaha!]
Feer's body, encasing Simon, was also engulfed in holiness, wrapped in radiance.
[Wait for me, brat!]
The Cloak of Shadows transformed into a dazzling white holy cloak, and in Feer's left eye socket, pure-white flames flared like a torch.
[You really are insane! How far will you go to insult the dead!!]
In the very state of that holy undead who had once severed the Saint of Purification's right arm.
Simon and Feer swung the Greatsword of Destruction at the same time.
Screeeeeech!
Apples and plant-type monsters alike were cleaved in a straight line.
[Why—why does a mere necromancer!!]
Figaro, who thought he'd already won, screamed in desperation.
"I told you!!"
Simon stamped down with holiness flaring from his right foot, launching forward like an arrow.
"Stay right there and wait for me!"