Chapter 326 – Collapse of the Cradle (11)

Black arrows engulf the entire arena.

They whirl as if to consume all the surrounding air, severing nearby vines before embedding themselves in the two wooden figures.

-Kwajijijik!

The magic, which seemed to progress well, is halted by the barrier and dissipates.

‘Is it a unique ability?’

I could tell right away.

An apt power to turn the tide of the situation.
Each national tree possesses a power that attests to its identity.

The bell of the ‘Round Table’.

“These bastards.”

Swearing, I step into the arena.

How would Marronnier feel after being betrayed by two friends?
One can tell just by seeing his shocked expression.

“…Lee Si-heon? Why are you here?”

He speaks in a hoarse voice, as if in disbelief.
I stride forward, shaping the mistletoe into gauntlets.

“It wasn’t just anyone else, and I hoped it wasn’t you, Bell, at the very least.”
“Have we met before?”

Bell tilts his head as soon as he sees me.

“I’ve never seen you.”

Nevertheless, I know.

The ancestral home of the oak tree.

“Bell Arthur Philip Wesley. How could I not know your name?”

If one traces the lineage of Lee Se-Young’s family, the roots lead to England. Naturally, I came to know Bell’s name.

“It’s an honor. King Mokryeong knows me.”

Bell laughs and strikes a pose at me. I step inside the barrier.

【 Connection to the World Tree is temporarily suspended. 】

“I don’t know why you, being part of the national tree, switched to flowers.”

It seems my true identity has been discovered. The way Marronnier looks at me has changed considerably.

It can’t be helped. There’s no need for despair.

I simply do what I must.

Bell steps forward. Silently, he moves his body ahead.

‘Now it’s time. Come out. You know Tae-yang, right? Fly straight to him.’

The unique ability of the national tree is ideal for invoking variables.
It wouldn’t be surprising to be incapacitated here.

Just in case, I sent Lucy to the hotel to relay the message.

[Chirp!]

“It was a spirit sage.”

Lucy, who had escaped from Marronnier’s embrace, soared into the air.

“If you head that way, you’ll end up at the goal.”
“…….”

Upon issuing the warning, Bell flinched as he attempted to chase after Lucy.

Even if magic is sealed, it doesn’t mean martial arts vanish.
A formidable energy emanated from the golden sword gripped by Bell.

The corner of the thin-eyed man’s mouth curved like a crescent moon.

“Lee Si-heon. I have much to say to you as well.”
“Save your breath. I have nothing to hear from you.”
“It would be better for you to listen. Why do you side with the World Tree?”
“Am I siding with the World Tree?”

Laughing at the opponent, I assumed a stance.

“I can’t even comprehend what you’re saying.”
“Joining Flower would be much better. There’s no need for us to fight.”
“That one has caused a great deal of trouble, hasn’t he?”

An expression of abandonment spread across Marronnier’s face.
Betrayed. A mere handful of words cannot convey the depth of that emotion.

The face gazing at me isn’t particularly pleasing either. I understand, given the lack of urgency.

I raised my bloodied fist.

“If you had a cause, you should have at least tried to persuade me before everything went down. Do you really think someone who has experienced all this fucked up stuff would join Flower now, in the midst of madness?”
“This isn’t a matter to be viewed emotionally.”

The audacity brought a smirk to my face.
Almost simultaneously, A.B. grinned upon seeing my expression.

We were parallel lines, forever incapable of understanding one another.
The moment this realization struck, Bell made the first move.

“Huh!”

The lengthy longsword he wielded swiftly closed in and slashed across.
The speed was commendable.

Patiently releasing sufficiently threatening strikes, he slowly aimed for an opening.
Bell’s eyes shone, focused on a single point.

-Whoosh!

After several exchanges, the opponent’s sword pierced through my shoulder.

As droplets of blood burst forth, delight flickered in his eyes.

It’s the same with anyone, especially if it’s their first encounter.
Regardless of the opponent’s stature, it doesn’t change.

-Crack!

The bone in my right shoulder broke, and the muscles twisted.
As I relentlessly advanced, Bell belatedly retreated in alarm.

-Thud!

A blow to the forehead. Without magical power, its lethality was diminished compared to before.
The sensation of bones crumbling within my grasp.
Not stopping, I lunged forward, seizing the throat, just before thrusting it outward. A.B’s long spear targeted my left chest.

“Ugh, argh!”

Bell desperately tries not to be pushed out.

– Kwaaak!

– Kwadang!

Almost simultaneously, Bell’s body slammed onto the ground, and a spear pierced my lung.

“Kuh.”

Thorns emerged from the spear, tormenting every organ inside me.

Thorns erupted from his back, and a bloodstained iron spear jutted from his chest. After verifying Bell’s brief loss of consciousness, I cautiously retreated.

Grasping the spear shaft embedded in my lung, I didn’t hesitate –

– Quad deuk!

Anticipating the tearing of flesh, I yanked it out. Crimson clumps and blood splattered down.

The absence of mana implies that the wound isn’t particularly deep.

“Hoo.”

With a single deep breath, the bones’ joints and the flesh adhered. The protruding blood vessels retracted, and the organs found their way back to their proper positions.

Gaining the upper hand is easy.

I cannot ascertain how many times this strategy will succeed, but it has always yielded significant results, regardless of the opponent.

In a critical moment like this, its importance is magnified even more.

“Heh, tough little bastard,” Bell muttered, regaining consciousness swiftly and rising from the shattered earth, wiping the blood from his brow.

A.B grasped the blue spear, which was hanging on the wall, once more.

“A.B, what are you going to do?”

Treating his injuries had caused a slight delay.

Bell stood up, reassumed his fighting stance, and questioned A.B. In response, A.B gestured with his chin toward the marronnier tree.

“Doesn’t seem like a great idea. Are you sure?”

Bell hesitated, uncertain of A.B’s intentions. A.B decided to take matters into his own hands before making a move.

“Or we could try joining forces.”

As A.B spoke and began to move, Bell laughed heartily and tensed his arms. The blue veins bulged, and tree roots enveloped his eyes.

“Liberation.”

*Thump.*

– Kkugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugugu.

With a singular sound, a vibrating barrier emerged.
Golden trees began to envelop his body from the floor.

A golden emblem stretching down from the neck.

“Spolia opima”

[The most honorable emblem of Roman Britain]

The long hair hardened like branches. Hair protruding sharply from the back, akin to a lion’s mane.

Bel Arthur’s true form weighed heavily upon the surroundings.
The golden magical power surged above his shoulders.

‘…This.’

Within the Round Table, he was the only one, free to wield magical power.
Was there a connection between inherent abilities and lignification?

Fortunately, the power of the barrier itself began to weaken.
At this rate, it seemed that I, too, could exert some strength.

Then there was no reason not to fight.

– Quaang!

As I didn’t move, Bel took the initiative and lunged forward.

For a moment, he vanished from sight, returning with a massive gust of air.

*Thud!*

His mana-infused arm deflected the sword strike. The ground that had been supporting me crumbled, and my feet sank into the dirt.

*Argh!*

Suddenly, a burst of light seeped into the dark arena. Bell’s muscles swelled as he ferociously slammed my torso.

My body was pushed to the edge of the barrier.

The entire barrier shimmered as though a vast sun had descended upon it.

*Sigh.*

As I inhaled, the surrounding air exploded, and a delayed sound reached my ears.

*Paang!*

Bell’s body, soaring through the air, attempted to strike my torso once more. I contorted my body, narrowly deciphering Bell’s movements.

*Kwadeuk!*

A long tree branch impaled my entire body. Unbeknownst to me, the barrier had become impenetrable, and my back was pressed against its outer edge as I reeled from Bell’s onslaught.

“You might not understand.”

Bell, drawing near, murmured in a ghastly voice.

“I have tasks to complete. I carry a heavy burden. So-“

Ignoring her, I strike.

“Ugh!?”

Bell’s chin was thrust upwards as a surge of dark energy erupted.

Her outer layer peeled away, her body levitating about 5 centimeters above the ground. I clenched my fists and pulled my elbows back.

“One – White Peach.”

Following the brief resonant pause, a torrent of pure white energy rained down in a straight line.

– Thud, rrrumble.

The barrier cracked. The sun blazed, and light flickered.

“Two – Myriad Layered White Peach.”

– Snap!

Crash!

Bone fragments burst through the flesh. Vibrations rippled through the bright yellow barrier. In the midst of the attack, the sword Bell held pierced my cheek.

An unfamiliar hardness filled my mouth. As my jaw regenerated, I clenched my teeth, securing the sword in place.

Bell’s body, bound by the roots of the tree along with the sword and arms, remains within my reach, not flying away.

My fists become stained red.

“Three.”

The crimson flush.
The pupils in Bell’s eyes vanish.

– Quaang!

Struck twice across her body, she loses consciousness again from the agonizing pain of her melting muscles. If this had been an ordinary national tree, her entire body might have already burst apart at this moment. I bring my hands together.

“Four.”

The withering strike.

Just as I’m about to completely tear her apart, the sword that held both Bell and me in place shatters. Bell is pushed back. In the meantime, A.B infiltrates.

Ignoring it, I attempt to land the fourth blow.

-Eww?!

“!?”

My chest is torn open, blood surging out.

Though the attack shouldn’t have been allowed, my body weakens due to the untimely injury. The dark magical power wanes.

“What the…”

The attack rebounded upon me.
A.B retreated, dragging the unconscious Bell with him. Gradually deciphering the flow of magic, I began to understand.

‘Reflection.’

The launched barrage pierced my own body.

He had little magical power and his physical abilities were mediocre at best.
Was there a reason for his nonchalant demeanor until the end?

“Damn it…”

Cursing, I stumbled forward.
My internal injuries were severe.

To heal, I would need to expend a significant amount of power, and it would take a considerable amount of time.
Chasing the fleeing pair would be difficult.

“Lee Si-heon.”

A.B, standing in the midst of the barrier, looked at me.
His once open eyes were now closed, and he gasped, sweat pouring down his face.

“…No. King Mokryeong.”
“Are you escaping?”
“Ha ha.”

His face smiled, but his previous composure was nowhere to be seen.
There must be limits and potency in reflecting, after all.

Once able to move to a certain extent, I stirred my feet again. The barrier sealing the magic power strengthened once more as Bell’s constraint was lifted.

“Let’s meet again later. Hopefully, we’ll be on the same side by then.”

The power was stronger than anticipated. Having regained my strength, I prepared to move once more.

‘Now is the time.’

I could pursue. Just as that thought grazed my mind,

“Take care, then.”

-Kwaang!

A massive explosion resounded.

The entire arena was shattered. The colossal outer walls cracked and collapsed nearby, though the lack of a ceiling prevented it from caving in completely.

-Ku-gu-gu-gu!

Dust settled on the floor. A massive boulder descended, striking my foot. At the edge of my vision, I glimpsed Marronnier exposed amid the destruction.

‘Is this Lee Ji-sun’s doing?’

Not sure if they intend to withdraw after seeing me, I emotionally summoned all the magic power within the barrier.

Although the amount of mana extracted while defying Bell’s barrier was minimal, it was sufficient to create a single arrow.

– Quaaaaaagh!

An arrow aimed at A.B.
He couldn’t even see the moment it struck.

A shot fired with the mere hope of hitting its mark. There was still work to be done.

* * * * * *

He couldn’t utter a word.

He simply stared helplessly forward.
He couldn’t speak, as tears obscured his vision.
No, he wondered if he even deserved to.

The torment of merely grasping at his ankles overwhelmed him. A wave of desolation washed over him.
He couldn’t even muster a hollow laugh.

– Kwajik!

A massive spear blade pierced the man’s body.

A futile struggle. It was impossible for even that man to overcome.
…Even if he were King Mokryeong.

Marronnier squeezed her eyes shut.
She wanted to scream but couldn’t.

A burden.
In her family and here. There were many who needed her, but in the end, she could do nothing.
She was solely focused on her own well-being, unable to accept.
Would the outcome have been different if she had acted with more ambition?

‘A.B. Bell.’

Why?
Why did they betray her?

Her heart ached as if it were being constricted.
They weren’t like that.

They were all good, caring for others, always seeming to choose the right path.
She admired them.
She thought them admirable for being different from her, who was only half-hearted.

Destined for greatness from birth.
In contrast, she had led an ordinary life before late-blooming into someone of importance.

She had learned much from observing the two and had learned her duty from them.
Yet, those two now stood as her adversaries.

It was difficult to accept.

As time passed, her emotions intensified, and her heart grew heavy.

I must put an end to the conflict unfolding before me, but despair only seems to swell within me.

[You coward.]

A voice echoes in my mind.
Marronnier clenches her eyes shut and shakes her head.

“…Please. I’m, I’m just…”

-Marronnier, how about undertaking the role of the next sage?

“I’m not that kind of person…”

-Marronnier, I’ll ask one last time. Please help us.

“…Uh, s-suddenly, ugh.”

-Lady Marronnier, please guide our nation with wisdom. You must know the importance of your position.

A splitting headache torments her.
Marronnier’s gaze drifts upwards.

-Bang!

A fallen rock strikes her in the head. Hot liquid trickles down her forehead.

She belatedly grasps the precariousness of the situation.
The building is collapsing.
Deprived of her magic, she won’t be able to save herself if she’s trapped beneath the rubble.

Her eyes widened as her head grew cold.

“……”

She dashed forward, stepping on the collapsed rocks with all her might, arms outstretched.

Stones and steel beams fell in heaps upon the man. Marronnier murmured in surprise.

“Siheon–”

– Crash!

The debris of the building engulfed the two of them.