Chapter 45 – Seasons

000

The color of the sky changes to indigo.

The sun still rises in mid-heaven, but the unexplored territories of the living forest

Is it because of the spread of that disparate magical power?

Despite the name of that time, the sky became like night.

Screams and shouts from all directions.

Is this what the abigyuhwan means?

The offerings of the group of humans recklessly stepped in.

One by one, the blood soaked into the ground.

The unexplored territory was already separated like a separate world.

A normal human would have gone inside without noticing the boundary line.

At that moment, enter a world cut off from the outside world

It was to be sacrificed to the family of the beasts who rushed from all directions.

If you use flight magic, even that will stretch out its vines and try to pull you to the ground.

The three of them ran through the forest, burning each one of their approaching followers as they advanced.

“”Flare Spike!””

The magic of Lyla and Cleon being chanted at the same time.

Eight thorns go out and burn them

Unlike Lyla, who turned one to ashes in an instant

Cleon’s thorns were only able to produce half the power.

She is with Lyla, who uses the magic she has researched and developed.

It was the difference between Cleon, who still lacked the skill to use magic.

And filling the gap.

“Ha!”

It was Lubera who was enchanted by Lila and wrapped her magic sword in fire.

When Cleon cuts off the heads of the people he has held onto, flames invade from there and eventually burn the whole thing.

After tidying up the people around her, Layla let out a sigh.

Are you instinctively afraid of the intense flame element?

After defeating the followers once in this way, they won’t come close for a while.

It came out like crawling out of the darkness of the forest without getting tired of it.

“They are more numerous than when we met before, and they are getting smarter.”

The things that Ruba had previously cooperated with Iona to defeat

I could tell that he was a descendant of the Jeolsui.

But at that time, as if she was taking her time, they popped out one by one.

Today’s guys attacked this side with all their might from the beginning.

Is it because Lyla’s fire element is dangerous?

Or, did it become violent as the coming of the master approached?

There, a sticky and unpleasant magic that covers the entire area.

“The rate of magic recovery is slow… If you go this way, your magic power will be exhausted before reaching those guys.”

I check the magic potion I brought in my bag, but

This space was heterogeneous and seemed to take away the energy of the body just by breathing.

In addition, by forcibly overpowering the adventurers I met on the way here,

Sending them back to the city through the portal.

It was also true that he was using more energy than necessary.

“It was fine to ignore it, but… “

Leila shook her head at Rubera’s words.

“If you do that, you will eventually become a sacrifice and only speed up the descent of the beast.”

Cleon also agreed with Lyla.

“…The direction we’re going is right. Let’s hurry up a little bit more.”

Layla drinks a bottle of magic potion on the spot and leads the way forward.

“You’re strangely motivated.”

Watching behind him, Ruba spat out quietly.

She is also one of the scholars who are called the head of the academy.

In this situation, there was no way that curiosity could not be stirred.

Regardless of the distinction between good and evil, the scholars of this world were such people.

Cleon thinks.

Lila feels responsible for this situation.

If Alvein’s rampage was the cause of this situation.

The fact that he expelled Cleon from the party is also the cause of Alvein’s runaway.

Cause and effect go round and round, and sin takes its karma and becomes punishment.

Then at least, as the human being responsible for this situation.

Even at the cost of her life, it was something that had to be resolved.

Even if things went wrong, neither Quon nor Sasha should have lost their lives in this situation.

Cleon silently looked at the back.

He had no sympathy.

After the series of events, I admit that Lila has softened a bit.

That she is sincerely regretting her past.

But according to Layla’s theory.

The person who caused Alvein’s rampage is also responsible for it.

“…Don’t rush.”

Cleon advances quietly.

A tumor only grew as we advanced into the heart of the forest.

It was foreshadowing an unprecedented ordinance.

001

Eustes, half unconscious, pinned to a wall.

Iona returns to the estate of the Marquis Hughes to find her father.

She saw Eustes’ wounds during her sparring with him and she drew closer and used healing magic.

“Oh. Well done. Help him get better. I need to take care of him a little more.”

Upon Iona’s return, Talchek stroked her chin and instructed her daughter.

“Aren’t you going to unexplored territory?”

“Because that part is not my business.”

Haha. Talcheck says with a smile.

“What are you thinking, father? If you do something wrong, the whole world could be in danger.”

Eventually, Iona stops her restorative magic and rises from her seat to protest her own adoptive father.

Talchek shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

“I’m not a hero. I’m a prosecutor. It’s not my job to fight the world’s enemies.”

“Kuh…! That’s what the 4 heroes would say!”

Seeing Iona’s angry expression, Talcheck sighed as if it wasn’t funny.

“That’s a title that the guys from the Kingdom gave at will. I just liked ‘Gladiator Talcheck’.”

“But… You, together with the hero ‘Lesia’, lead the evil empire…”

Watching Iona speak with a face almost tearful, Talchek said.

“Didn’t I always say it? It was because I happened to.”

How come

Accident.

The days when the Sword Saint Talcheck was still the Gladiator Talcheck.

The past where kingdoms and empires were still fighting a tense war of nerves on the continent.

A small village in the Kingdom near the border was burned by the Empire’s invading forces.

The only girl who was still helpless survived, and went on a journey to take revenge on those who invaded the village.

The girl realizes her true destiny in the course of her journey.

Meet the saintess and obtain the holy sword.

He became a hero to save the kingdom from the empire.

It was not long after she became a hero.

Talchek met her.

As a joke of fate, or as someone intended.

Lesia, the brave who sneaked into the Empire’s gladiator arena.

Talchek and she fought for their lives.

A duel that took place over three days.

I forbade the use of the holy sword.

I forbade the use of magic.

Despite being called a coward, he, an ordinary gladiator, did everything he could to defeat the hero.

And was defeated

But his life did not end there.

The slaves in the gladiator arena were freed by the warrior Lesia, and Talchek was also set free.

And Lesia asked Talchek to be her ally.

I didn’t know about Talcheck.

Why does such a strong being want a companion for himself?

It wasn’t even the saintess who gave her the holy sword.

Not a great sage who lends her wisdom.

The only thing he knew how to do was to persevere and wield a sword.

At that time, holding the hand of the hero, Lesia, was really ‘by chance’.

The fight with the Empire after that was also like that.

As if the hero, Lesia, was always born with such a fate

The fight against the empire continued.

Talcheq was also standing beside him.

Finally, defeating the Emperor of the Empire.

Defeat the dragon called the Storm of Annihilation that was dominated by him.

Until the long, long fight with the Empire is over.

Talchek had never faced Lesia with swords.

“Both the saint and the great sage. They were suitable to be there. But I wasn’t like that.”

Talchek looked at his sword.

“I just happened to be at a historical moment, being dragged around by a hero.”

“That’s…! It can’t be! The hero Lesia must have her father as her teammate…!”

Are you trying to comfort his adoptive father or admonish him for his foolishness?

The moment after Iona cried out in her desperate heart.

“Kuh…”

Eustes, who was lying behind him, opened his eyes.

“It’s noisy… Who the hell is it…?”

When he quietly opened his eyes, Eustes saw Iona’s figure in his eyes.

“…Are you here? Why are you here…”

Obviously, it was the first reunion after a bad breakup, so Eustes was a little surprised.

“What is it? Did you say your full name? This is my daughter.”

“… Iona is the daughter of the Sword Saint Talchek…?”

Eustes then frowned and said ‘Haha…’ ‘ And dropped her head helplessly.

“Then, what is Leona? Is she a disciple of Talchek?”
“…”

No matter how stupid Eustes was, he knew the relationship between Iona and Talchek.

And when I think of Iona and Leona, who seem to be old friends.

It was a bit forced that they came to find him by chance.

And what I felt while fighting Talcheck.

His sword and Leona’s sword resembled each other.

However, there is no time to think deeply about such things.

Attacking and falling over and over again erased the thoughts from his head.

“Okay. I guess I was the only fool. As always.”

Eustes said so and, without getting up from his seat, released the sword from his hand.

Talchek looked at Eustes and tried to say something.

However.

“Talcheck.”

He stopped at the man’s voice calling him and turned around.

Iona, too, when I look there with a check to get rid of her sudden appearance.

There, a man wearing a green robe was standing.

“You… !? You were with the regressors… !”

Iona recognized him and took up her fighting stance.

Then Talchek stretched out her arm to block Iona.

“Father…!”

Iona looks at Tal Check, who steps forward as if to protect herself.

“… What.”

Talchek looked at Mikasia, the man in the hood, with a frown on his face.

“Maxwell says everything is ready.”

“…Uh?”

The moment after Iona said that.

Talcheck laughed.

“That’s right, finally.”

“Father…?”

Her disbelief face changes, and Iona becomes pale.

And Talcheq’s hand touched her neck.

Without a chance to resist, her body changed into the shape of a ‘sacred sword’.

I could no longer feel the will of `Iona Chevalier` in that sword.

“What, what…? A person with a sword…?”

Just staring at it, Eustes sits down as if he doesn’t know why.

When Mikasia turns around and tries to leave the mansion.

Talcheck also follows suit.

“Wait, wait! Talcheck! What are you doing!”

“It’s a fight of a lifetime. I staked my life, my pride, and, unbecomingly, my dreams.”

There was madness in Talchek’s laugh.

Eustes felt as if he was suffocating from the living blood that wrapped around his body.

Without even paying attention to Eustes, Talchek speaks to Mikasia.

“Is he in the living forest?”

“Yes. To unexplored territory with Tio.”

“…Okay.”

The figures of the two disappear, leaving Eustes unable to move.

`What… ? What’s going on… !`

As if he just didn’t understand why, he was on the verge of losing his mind.

The mansion’s training ground where only Eustes, who had finally regained his breath, was left.

Clenched fists

“Damn it…! In the end, I am again…! Without knowing anything…!”

The shame that comes from powerlessness and ignorance.

He was ashamed of himself for considering Talcheck as his teacher even for a moment.

Micasia was given the name Maxwell.

That name was the name of a church priest with whom her father always had a close relationship.

However… He was a bit of a strange man.

He who always brings rare ancient artifacts to his father.

He was trying to do something with Sword Saint Talcheck.

Then. There was no way that his father wasn’t involved in it.

That would also be the case, because the man who came to call Talcheck was also an aid to his father.

I had to know what was going on.

Get up from your seat and remove the bandage from your body.

For a moment, thanks to Iona’s recovery magic, I was able to move my body sufficiently.

This time.

Eustes decided not to run away.

002

“Prometheus…Kahuk…!”

As the activation of the magic stopped midway, a metallic sound flowed out.

Layla vomits blood from her mouth.

The mana had already been exhausted.

“Rubera!”

“Haha…!”

Cleon and Rubera simultaneously cut down the same part of the Plant Golem.

When Cleon’s sword cuts off the outer skin, Barisada strikes at it.

As that part burns, the plant golem staggers and steps back.

“Play! Back!”

“I know…!”

Following Cleon’s instructions, Ruba leaps backwards greatly.

The Plant Golem covers and puts out the fire with its overwhelming regenerative power.

In a frenzy, he swung his fists randomly.

In the meantime, Lila, who drank the potion, uses magic once more.

“Prometheus Gate!”

Spear of pouring flames.

This time, Cleon and Ruba wiped their sweat as they watched the Plant Golem turn to ashes without a chance to regenerate.

“Are you okay? How many potions are left?”

“…One more bottle.”

Of the empty bottles in her bag, Lila takes out the only one that has liquid in it.

The personal strength of each member of the family was meaningless in front of the flames.

But, is it because of that? For attacks other than fire, it was overwhelmingly strong.

Even if you receive a physical attack such as slashing, piercing, or tearing, you will recover by absorbing energy from the ground.

That’s why the burden that Lila had was great.

If it was a normal member of the family, it could be defeated without much wear and tear.

But as we move forward, the number increases.

When a plant golem appears.

Even if it was Lyla, who possessed an enormous amount of magical power.

There was no way to stop the depletion of mana from coming.

“Go back to the city through the portal and get supplies…”

When Cleon said that, Lyla shook her head.

“No. It’s possible to open it from this side, but the portal won’t open when you come back this way.”

“…Why?”

Lila took a deep breath and opened her mouth.

“Because this is the ‘season’.”

Cleon’s eyes widened at those words.

“…The season?”

It seemed that only Ruba did not know.

“Yes. A world that is disconnected. A space conceptually separated from the world through some method. In this case, the existence of the critical factor itself must be the cause. Although it is still physically connected to the rest of the living forest. ..”

While saying that, Lila drank the remaining magic potion.

Then, Cleon continued to speak after that.

“This place has already become a second dimension. The temple rejects all conceptual interference from the outside going this way. So, to enter from the outside, you have no choice but to walk in as before.”

Ruba is silent for a moment at Cleon’s words her.

“Not yet.”

“Yes, that’s right. When the beast of prey completely descends, as soon as it escapes from this place, the entire unexplored area will fall into another dimension.”

At Lyla’s words, Cleon and Ruba also fell silent.

“It was unexpected that Cleon knew.”

And Ruba who speaks frankly.

“…A little while ago… No. This story is for later. Then we have to hurry even more.”

Lyla nodded at Cleon’s words and stood up.

Her legs her seemed to be shaking a little.

“…Are you hurt?”

“No. It’s just a little bit scary.”

It was the first time since her previous dungeon that Layla was speaking frankly without hiding her feelings of fear.

However, it is different from then.

She was trying to overcome that fear through ‘responsibility’.

“…”

Cleon looked at Lila for a moment without saying a word, then she patted her on the shoulder and moved forward.

“…He’s a heartless man.”

Luvera puffed out her cheeks a little seeing Cleon like that.

Lila paused for a second, then put her hand on her shoulder her, where he slapped her, and her eyes twinkled.

The spark of courage returned to her eyes.

“I think so too.”

However, her mouth was smiling.

“… Whoa…!”

Little distance left.

Her own role of her, is to clear her way to a place where she can stop her regressors.

Then…

She doesn’t necessarily have to stand on her own!

“Get out of the way, Cleon!”

“…What?”

Just as Lyla said, Cleon moved aside for a while and slept.

The next moment, a column of intense flame erupted.

It wraps and burns hundreds of meters in front of it.

“…!”

As a result, a blow of flame that gnawed away even the ground.

I made a road through the forest in a straight line.

The next moment, Layla collapsed in her seat, coughing up blood once more.

Exhaustion of power. An unreasonable magic exercise that puts strain on the body beyond exhaustion.

It was a reckless act that could injure the magic nerve.

Rubera quickly grabbed Lyla, and Cleon approached.

“Now… We can go faster with this.”

“…You…”

“Don’t worry. I brought the barrier stone… Of course, it won’t last long.”

Lila pulls a red barrier stone from her bag with her trembling hands.

It was an object that spreads a barrier of flame containing Laila’s own magical power over her.

If it’s the followers of the cut-off beast, they won’t be able to reach it.

“Go. Cleon. I… I want to rest for a while.”

Rubera looks at Cleon.

Are you really going to leave it here?

Cleon looked at Layla for a moment before opening her mouth.

“…Thank you Lila. I will do my part and come back. So… Leave it to me.”

Lila laughed at his words her and activated the barrier.

Lubera pulls back behind her and sees Lyla enveloped within a wall of flame.

Cleon talks to Ruba.

“Let’s go. Maxwell is ahead of us.”

“…Yes.”