Chapter 42
Sometimes in games, for dramatic effect, the protagonist just watches the boss make its entrance. Even when there's a clear opening to strike a blow mid-entrance.
You can't say that's a bad thing. Because dramatic situations heighten tension, lead to immersion, and ultimately, there's a miraculous formula that turns it into profit.
However
That's only possible because it's a game.
If a boss slowly crawled out of a well, who would just stand there and watch? They'd pick up a nearby rock, or at least kick it back down.
Of course, there would surely be people who criticize it as cowardly or unfair.
But so what? Being 'fair' doesn't give you two lives.
So, in the end, the conclusion is this: Now is the perfect time to attack. That Gruwen, or whatever it is, needs to be struck before it fully emerges from the World Tree.
*CRACK*—
The tree trunk split open, and Gruwen's upper body burst out.
Franz immediately tried to use magic, but then
*Hera will be okay, right?*
That thought made him pause for a moment. It would be troublesome if he were to become a villain for killing Gruwen without permission.
But on second thought, it was a meaningless worry. Whether he died now or later, Gruwen was destined to die anyway.
*SNAP*—.
Franz, having cleared his thoughts, snapped his fingers, and a Magic Circle appeared before Gruwen.
“Th-this is...”
Just as Gruwen, upon seeing the Magic Circle, was about to utter something, his head was severed from his body.
*THUD*—
The head, falling to the ground, rolled and stopped at Hera’s feet.
“...Ugh.”
Hera grimaced in distress and turned her head away. Even though he had done such things, they had lived like family until recently. So, it seemed some affection still lingered.
So, is this settled for now...?
All the flowers were burned; there was no need to worry about the roots and stems, and Gruwen, the instigator of the incident, was killed.
All that remained was for Yustia to purify the World Tree.
Just as Franz was thinking this and about to relax, he paused.
*CRACK*—
Gruwen’s headless body began to move again. It seemed the fellow had no intention of letting things end easily.
And at the same time,
“Lady Hera, you’ve indeed joined hands with a Human.”
A voice came from Gruwen’s head, as he lay at Hera’s feet. Hera was startled, and Franz immediately blasted the head with magic, making it explode.
He hadn't expected a headless body to move, but he certainly hadn't expected a severed head to speak. No joke, he was as surprised as if a ghost had suddenly popped out in a horror movie. Only, before a scream, magic came out.
Just as Franz was calming his surprised mind. A red liquid seemed to boil from Gruwen’s neck, from the cleanly severed cross-section, and soon a head grew back.
Franz furrowed his brow at the bizarre sight.
His head fell off, but it grew back? Isn't that a bit much?
Why do you get multiple lives?
It was truly an absurd situation, but he couldn't just stand by. Does a farmer give up farming just because weeds grow? If the fellow's body regenerated, he'd just have to destroy it every time it did, like pulling weeds.
*SNAP*—.
Franz snapped his fingers, and as a Magic Circle appeared, Gruwen’s body exploded.
But the fellow regenerated as if nothing had happened.
“You... you did...”
*SNAP*—.
Just as the fellow was about to say something, Franz snapped his fingers again.
His body exploded, scattering flesh and red liquid everywhere.
“You...”
*SNAP*—.
He snapped his fingers,
*SNAP*—.
and snapped again, and again, and kept snapping.
Gruwen couldn't even utter a word, disappearing as soon as he regenerated.
While Franz endlessly repeated the boss's true entrance cutscene, Yustia knelt and diligently recited Incantations. Franz, still snapping his fingers, spoke to Yustia.
“Yustia, how much longer do you think it’ll take?”
“I think I’ve only finished about a fifth.”
“Got it.”
So, that means I just need to do this for four more times as long as the time that’s passed so far.
It won't be too difficult, but I'm worried my fingerprints will wear off.
Of course, magic can be used without an Activation Trigger. After all, magic is used with mana, not with fingers.
However, having done it this way for so long, suddenly stopping would have a psychological impact, ultimately leading to a decrease in the magic's power. So, there's no choice but to keep doing it.
It was a moment when he regretted having watched *Fullmetal Alchemist*. Snapping fingers and *WHOOSH*—fire looked cool when he saw it, but doing it himself was incredibly inconvenient.
*SNAP*—.
Franz snapped his fingers while sitting, while lying down, and even while yawning.
There were moments when he suspected flowers might grow again, but since no matter how much time passed none appeared, he decided not to worry about it anymore.
Anyway.
Doing this, he suddenly felt a little sorry for Gruwen. because he was in a situation where he couldn't die even if he wanted to. On the other hand, seeing that he still hadn't given up, he also found it impressive.
Come to think of it, he seemed to have heard similar stories from Clerics. They said they would torture them to the brink of death and then heal them with divine power. Then most Cultists would lose their minds and spill information.
How much time passed like that? The World Tree's appearance slowly began to change. The cracked trunks regained their original form, and the amount of red liquid flowing down decreased.
In contrast, sweat poured from Yustia’s body like a waterfall. It was only natural, as she was continuously using divine power.
Then, at one point. The moment the fellow regenerated and the moment Franz used magic became misaligned. It seemed Gruwen’s Regeneration had slowed as the World Tree recovered.
“St-stop, stop it...!”
The fellow pleaded desperately, but Franz ignored him and snapped his fingers. A Magic Circle appeared, and the fellow's body exploded.
One could feel pity for a villain, but there should be no forgiveness. Hera's sad expression and her silence were probably for that reason too.
Meanwhile, Yustia, who had been continuously reciting Incantations, paused briefly and drank an elixir from beside her. She must have been quite exhausted, as she gulped down at least a liter of it in an instant.
Still, her expression looked much better after drinking it, so it seemed to help.
As she began her Incantations again, how much more time passed?
The ominous aura covering the World Tree disappeared, and Divine Aura filled its place.
The cracked trunks had completely regained their original form, and the flowing red liquid was nowhere to be seen.
New buds began to sprout on the bare branches that had lost all their leaves.
And the fellow who seemed like he would regenerate forever no longer regenerated. However, the spot where he had been did not return to its original state, remaining as a scar.
“Phew—!”
Yustia let out a short exclamation and flopped backward. It had been an Incantation lasting several hours, so she must have been exhausted.
Franz looked down at her and said,
“Want an elixir?”
“No, thanks. It’s all over anyway.”
“Right, you really worked hard.”
Franz and Yustia were talking.
Hera, looking at the World Tree with an emotional expression, bowed to both of them.
“Thank you both so much. Truly, thank you.”
Tears flowed from her eyes and dripped onto the ground.
“Well, it’s a relief that it all worked out.”
“Yeah, it’s a relief.”
Yustia replied with her eyes closed, as if enjoying the pleasant breeze, and Franz, unaccustomed to receiving thanks, awkwardly scratched his head.
It’s finally over.
Franz’s gaze turned to the World Tree.
The World Tree was glowing softly with a blue light, not the ominous red. Its appearance was so mystical it naturally drew admiration.
“Franz...”
At Hera’s sudden voice, Franz, who had been looking at the World Tree, turned his head.
For some reason, Hera had come closer. Only his reflection was visible in her green eyes.
She took another step closer to Franz. And she stretched out both arms towards his waist.
“Wait.”
Franz grabbed Hera’s shoulders and pushed her back.
Something's being detected.
He felt an anomalous mana nearby.
Franz immediately expanded the range of his Mana Detection and found the anomalous mana.
It was a human. The fellow was running towards the outside of the Great Forest. Given his unhindered movements despite the dark night, he didn't seem to be just anyone.
“Wait a moment.”
“Fr-Franz?”
“Did something else happen...?”
Hera and Yustia showed their bewilderment, but there was no time to explain everything.
Franz immediately snapped his fingers, used Teleport, and appeared, blocking the fellow’s path.
“Damn it...!”
The fellow’s voice came from the darkness.
Soon, moonlight shone through the trees, and the fellow’s figure became faintly visible.
The emblem on his clothes belonged to the Cult.
It seemed the fellow was somehow connected to this incident.