Vol. 2 CH. 16 – The secret of the tree

PART # 1

The loud explosion caused by the landing, made buildings burn and collapsed as the magic airship landed terribly from the sky. Kyoushiro, who landed on his feet, got out from the rubbles of the broken down building where his ship crash landed.

Standing from the ruins, his eyes caught the large towering tree at the center of the city.

"We landed a but farther than expected. Edsel probably manipulated the trajectory of the fall as planned"

Edsel held the staff which was far greater of a weapon the the current heroes uses, used a spell to alter the course of the crash landing. The elf woman however, was nowhere to be seen but hopefully, she was safe.

Moments later after thinking so. the rubble a few steps away from him parted. Edsel and Elyria emerged from that ruins unharmed. Their equipment saved their lives apparently.

"T-That took years of my life away....." Elyria nervously said, shaken from the previous sky dive from a height of 15,000 feet. No one would have survived that fall but thanks to the equipment loaned by Kyoushiro and Edsel manipulating the landing, no one died.

"That was indeed terrifying, to say the least" 

But even Edsel couldn't help but show how shaken she was when the ship tilted suddenly.

Since the two of the were safe, Kyoushiro lead them to a safe place. Since standing in debris wasn't good, they had to get away from there. As they did however, Katsuto burst from under the debris with Koizumi, Minami and Durif beneath him.

It seems like the four protected each other from the fall. Though their equipment saved them as well, Durif was paler than a ghost since wasn't wearing anything grand.

"GRAAAAAH!! Kagami you bastard!! There are limits to your pranks you know that!!"

Katsuto roared as he made his way down the rubble. Koizumi and Minami followed suit with Durif recovering somehow thanks to Minami's skills however.

Kyoushiro shrugged at Katsuto's anger. Thinking that it didn't matter much since they were alright. Now that they have arrive, there was no need to get angry anyway.

"Don't ignore me!"

"Shut it. I don't have time to listen to you"

"Why you....!!"

Since Kyoushiro ignored Katsuto, the guy showing a demonic expression was about to send Kyoushiro flying. However, as he was about to do that intentionally, the ground suddenly quake and sharp root suddenly lunged at Kyoushiro's face.

"Tsk, so it really was alive huh?" Kyoushiro clicked his teeth as he caught the incoming root and crushed it. It wasn't long after another quake came and long 1 meter wide roots suddenly kept attacking him.

Everyone was surprised and taken aback. Immediately, however, they prepare for an attack coming for them. But none came and the roots ignored them as more of them came from the belowe the earth and attacked Kyoushiro.

Kyoushiro already know what the true form of the spirit tree. Shadow King Crats told him everything he need to know back in Limbo.

"But still.... that guys didn't say that it'd be this annoying"

Kyoushiro cursed as he cut down another set of root spears that attack him from behind. He took out a black broadsword from his magic necklace and cut down the roots from their base. But no matter how many he cuts down, they simply grew back from under the earth.

It was irritating for Kyoushiro since no one was helping him....

He then recalls his discussion with Shadow king Crats.

—

"In order to destroy the spirit tree, no the World eater tree, a demon lord must use their miasma to corrupt the tree"

Standing inside the dark space, Kyoushiro listened to Shadow king Crats' explanation quietly. 

Since he would get something in return after this, Kyoushiro decided to help. Even if he just wished that he could send the heroes instead, it seems that Kyoushiro bad to fight personally.

Shadow king Crats then motioned his hand like summoning something from underneath. At the center of the blackhole beneath Kyoushiro's feet, a holographic projection appeared.

There, it showed the monster, [World Eater] a parasitic tree like monster.

"Woah.... I didn't imagine something like that as a tree...." Kyoushiro showed a repulsed expression when he saw the true for of the Spirit tree.

It's a monster with a form of a tree. However, it was upsidedown rather than standing up. Its large round mouth was underneath the earth with its tendrils for a tongue acting as roots. Its trunk had similar texture as bark, like a normal tree, but upon closer inspection, it had tiny microscopic hairs growing out if it. The branches the produced green leaves were its excretion, the end of those branches had small exits were the anus was, a round red fruit like object. 

Rather than a normal tree, it was just a large worm in a form of a tree. It didn't had eyes but easy enough to guess, its feelers underground were enough to detect anything living.

Shadow king Crats then continued.

"It's name is [World Eater] a monster that came from the unknown reaches of the cosmos. It has the similarities to a demon lord but unlike us, it can't produce miasma as it eats the pure essence of magic of this world"

Moving his fingers, the projection changes from the [World Eater] to a third person perspective of the world. Unexpectedly, it was a complete globe form of this planet and showed continents that held similarities to earth. The elf nation was located around the wester side of Europe....

"There's even Japan's islands there...." Kyoushiro held his breathe while viewing the completed globe form of this planet. From where the [World eater] was, the projection showed how deep its feelers had reached underground.

"It's quite near to the core huh?"

"Yes, once it reaches deep enough, it will devour the world's core. Which then powers the Ascension of the elves spell"

The globe was suddenly cut in half. There, the feelers was reaching the mantle of the world's core. Probably because it was too hot to begin with, it hadn't touch its surface but the tips of those feelers was crawling around to search for a different entrance.

It truly held it's name as [World eater].

"I don't understand. If that came from space as you say, then isn't that an alien lifeform? I don't think that size can be considered as a monster, even by this world's standard"

"It is as you say but it's true size is just a mere worm. It had grown big by absorbing this world's magic power"

"Isn't this a world ending level of event? Why ask me?" Kyoushiro asked suspiciously. Since he was indifferent from being a hero from the start and neither did he wished to become a demon lord, there was no need to go out of his way to ask Kyoushiro for help. 

Kyoushiro felt like something was happening behind the scenes. Something terrible was bound to happen in the future.

Shadow king Crats slowly nodded, it appeared so by the movement of his silhouette, then replied back to Kyoushiro's Inquisition.

"I asked of you, neither because you wished to be a hero or a demon lord. But because of the skill you have obtained"

"My skill.....? What? You mean «Evolution»?"

"Yes, it is a rare skill that only few monsters have. But you appeared to have gained it, a power that let's you become a better version of yourself at the expense of your levels"

"What?!"

Shock by this revelation, Kyoushiro checked his stats. It didn't looks anything suspicious but when Kyoushiro used «Appraisal» on his skill «Evolution» it seems that he had used it twice already; using the first 250 levels before taking 500 levels for his second evolution.

Kyoushiro didn't know but his original level before obtaining «Evolution» was 250 but as he took on the effects of the drug and his skills to reform his human body by devouring the corpses of monsters, Kyoushiro's level climbed up to level 2000 until his skill took a quarter before taking half.

"I didn't know it had that kind of effect. My stats haven't decreased though?"

"It's experience is what it eats. Similar to how the [World Eater] eats magic essence in order to live. It's current level is just 1"

"I see.... so that's how it is...." Kyoushiro nods as he learns that he got a very amazing skill. Rather than being impressed, he was scared at how much inhuman his body had become.

"Then, how do I completely destroy it? It survived when you attack right?"

Shadow king Crats already told Kyoushiro how he meant to destroy the spirit tree. He did however, but the monster itself somehow survived. Elfianna knows nothing about the spirit tree's real form so it didn't think much of it as a monster, much less a living organism.

That's probably why it had grown considerably back to its original size.

"I do not have any clue as to how that thing survived but during that time, the Ascension of the elf spell was our priority so I did not even consider its chance of survival. It probably bore a its child on a plant or something"

"Well that's kind of irresponsible....." Kyoushiro thought as he gazed at the holographic projection of the [World Eater]. At a level where the world itself could end, why must he have to be the one that will save it the world?

"Haaaaah....." Kyoushiro sighed. "I hate being the hero"

"Will you accept then? Destroying the spirit tree and rescue Elfianna?"

"......." 

Saving Elfianna, his former lover, wasn't his top priority but saving the world was. For a demon lord, that goes differently from their usual world conquering nature. It was amazing to think a demon lord would even consider saving a world they were bound to destroy.

"Why save this world?" Kyoushiro asked, questioning Shadow king Crats' reason to destroy the [World Eater].

"You're a Demon Lord, there's no benefit in you saving this world"

"Hmmm...." Shadow king Crats' breathes out through his unseen nose "What reason there is to not save my own home? Would you like your world be destroyed just because you hate it?"

"Well...."

It's true that even if people wished the world's destruction in their worst days, it wasn't that they were willing to do it themselves. Shadow king Crats seemed have the same mind set, just that, it doesn't look like he was planning to destroy the world even as a Demon Lord.

"What about Queen Elfianna? Why save her?"

It was obvious that saving the world was important that Shadow king Crats placed his former lover as second. Was it truly just because he trust her or was it due to falling out of love?

Kyoushiro hadn't fallen in love until Lucinda came. Even at that point, he wasn't sure how to describe his relationship with her. But Shadow king Crats and Queen Elfianna were different. They had been lovers at some point in time. Surely, his wish to save Queen Elfianna was because he still held feelings for her.

Kyoushiro thought that, but Shadow king Crats seems to have thought differently. 

"Her existence is important. If she were to perish, then the elven race would lose a good leader"

"That's all there is too it" Shadow king Crats said, sounding like he was serious.

—

"I guess with how much this world had screw up, there are some would choose solidarity instead"

Brandishing his sword, cutting nonstop at the roots that was attacking him, Kyoushiro spoke softly. 

Thanks to his stats being on a higher plane, Kyoushiro could now properly defend himself. His former weakened self was now just a mere shadow of his past. Even if it only happened a few days ago, Kyoushiro felt he had gone through a long struggling adventure just to survive.

Now, Kyoushiro held the power to destroy his enemies with his might.

"Kagami!" Koizumi, Katsuto, Minami, Elyria, Edsel and then Durif tried to follow Kyoushiro, shouting his name worriedly. It seemed that they got worried due him getting swarmed by feelers that look like roots.

Kyoushiro then glanced at them, sweeping the roots surrounding him in one slash, he shouted.

"Get to the tree! Leave me here and go!!"

"What?!"

"Are you crazy?!"

"Kyou-san!!"

"H-Hero-dono!"

Koizumi, Katsuto, Edsel and Durif tried to call out to Kyoushiro. Looking at how much roots was attacking him while nothing was even trying to attack them, they were all confused as to what was happening.

Edsel casted a fire spell and burned the roots, saving Kyoushiro from getting swarmed once more. However, another set came and swarmed Kyoushiro once more. 

Once more.... I can— Edsel said to herself, chanting the spell once more to save Kyoushiro. However, root came from under her feet and attacked her leg. But thanks to her equipment, it was deflected by an invisible barrier and instantly burned.

Nothing came after however, Kyoushiro once more was getting swarmed. It was like their target was only him.

But....

"Jus where is that monster!!" Katsuto yelled, looking around the street and rubble. Yet, he didn't see any Shadow nor form of an enemy. 

"Shit...." Katsuto cursed, spitting the bitter taste in his mouth, unable to help Kyoushiro even when they received strong equipment from him.

Then, calm as he was when they landed, Kyoushiro spoke.

"Listen, I'll distract these things so make sure to go for the tree. Save the queen then get out. I'll take care of the rest"

Probably because some ordinary citizens were leaving their homes and checking the noise outside their houses, there were people gathering near Kyoushiro.

Thinking that it would be bad if he stayed there, Kyoushiro jumped onto a roof. Without saying anything after leaving those words to the rest of the heroes, Kyoushiro left.

The night sky however, was had 1 meter size bats flying around and was heading towards Kyoushiro. Those bats were a swarm that came from the [World eater], were following Kyoushiro's direction.

Everyone was left there, dumbfounded as they were left with nothing to do. For now, they decided to head to the Spirit tree.

"Halt! You intruders will pay for destroying our city!"

Just then, elven knights appearing droves as they heard the loud commotion and the falling airship. Seeing as they were somehow got recognized as intruders, Koizumi shrugged his shoulders.

"Haaaah.... Can't be help, we'll just deal with these guys first"

"Can't we just have Durif-san tell them about their queen getting kidnapped?"

Katsuto stated the obvious. Durif was standing behind them, albeit still sick, but was in a condition where he could orders swiftly. There was no reason to kill them.

But then, Durif shook his head.

"I'm sorry to say but.... it seems that they are not going to listen..."

"Looks like it huh?"

"I see.... they know what's happening.

Durif, Elyria and Edsel were all standing before the elven knights, with no mask or obscure hoods or mufflers. Their faces were laid bare, it was easy to recognized them like that.

However not one elf Knight was lowering their guards. More so when they already pulled out their swords from their scabbards.

Minami then said....

"I'll just heal them later so rough' em up!!" Eagerly, as if what she said was normal and not a hint of cruelty, Minami blow the elven knights away with her magic. Wind magic skill — «Air Blast».

Koizumi and Katsuto then glanced at each other then shrugged their shoulders as if saying "Well, it can't be help" and "Let's hurry since that guy will get mad" before readying their weapons and charged ahead.

On the side, Durif muttered while looking ghastly pale.

"Are all heroes like this?"

"I'm sure that it's only them" Elyria sighed while looking over her shoulder, gazing at the place a certain someone just left.

"Kyou-san's friends are..... wild?"

"Don't sugarcoat your words and just say their dangerous...."

Edsel tried to lighten the mood by praising the three heroes that was now wildly tossing and beating every elf Knight that was in their way. However, Elyria felt that calling that rampage "wild" was simply sugarcoating it.

The heroes were powerful by nature. It wouldn't be a joke if one of them every trued to take over their country. Like a certain hero who was willing to abandon them just because he doesn't feel like it.

"Wait, why am I even thinking about that monster? This is ridiculous" Elyria said to herself, drawing her sword then sent an incoming knight flying with one hit. 

Again, Elyria sigh at the sight of her overwhelming boost that her equipment was granted. Kyoushiro was truly a monster, he could make such items with such amazing enchantments.

It was unbelievable but Elyria was grateful.

"Well, I'll properly do my part and fight!!"

Like that, the rest of them charge and proceeded to make their way towards the Spirit tree.... The [World Eater].

PART # 2

Like how cities with harbors were, the nearest Magic Airship harbor was as tall as a skyscraper. Around there were large hangers on top of tall large trees, that act as buildings to serve as harbors. All of them were located around the west side of the city.

"That tree is persistent"

Kyoushiro was running. However, behind him was a trail of tendrils that look like roots that was attacking him from underground. The streets were getting turned inside-out  due to the large numbers of tendrils chasing after Kyoushiro.

There were elven people, young and old, all concerned about the commotion within their cities. Because of the loud noises the [World Tree] was making by wrecking houses and buildings, the streets and sidewalks, there were now people gathering everywhere.

It was annoying that Kyoushiro had to be concerned about the but he had no choice since they weren't even involved in Pernicious' thirst for power.

"I was planning to at least get in one of my ships and installed [Gate] on it, but looks like it'll take a while"

Kyoushiro was planning on using one of his battleship's [Gate] device. A magic artifact that connects Ambrosia to another location. Lessening the travel distance. Why would Kyoushiro used such device at this time? Simple, he was planning to visit his armoury back in Ambrosia in other take something.

A simple magic artifact that can level a whole country. A tactical bomb.....

"Who says that I had to kill a monster of that level using skills only? I'd rather not get near that thing"

Kyoushiro had seen what the [World Eater] looked like. In all honesty, there was no way he would touch such thing. Even if he had to use his miasma as a demon lord to destroy the [World Eater].

*Boom!!" Another building crumbles as large roots grew out from underground and tore through the tight buildings.

Kyoushiro used his construction skills to make the building sturdy enough to hold out for a few minutes to let the civilians escape. After that, Kyoushiro cut down the large root with his broadsword.

The root falls as it for severed from the base.

*Gagaaan......!!* The giant falls on an empty street, safely avoiding civilians. Kyoushiro sighed in relief but this time, he was attacked by human size bats.

*IIIIK!! IIIIIIKK!!!* Swarms of bats attack, blocking Kyoushiro's view. Holding his sword's hilt then taking a stance as if swinging his sword from the left side....

"Sword Skill revised — «Whirlwind Cut»!!"

Kyoushiro spun around and formed a whirlwind of sharp blades. The human size bats got sucked it from the pressure of the whirlwind that Kyoushiro generated, shredding almost of those bats in an instant.

"Now the—!?"

Just as Kyoushiro stopped his attack and was going to take one of his battleship, the hangers suddenly exploded and large roots grew our from underneath the trees, tearing them from the inside....

"Oh come on....."

His battleships were indeed strong but without people operating them, its shields wouldn't even activate to protect itself. As the large trees holding the hangars above was torn from the inside out, the hangars on top of them fell to the ground and exploded.

A majestic blast came one after the other, destroying the buildings beneath and mercilessly killing civilians.

Kyoushiro felt bad about them but felt even more horrible to watch his own creation get destroyed just like that.

*GRAAAUGAAAH!!* However, it did not end there. Coming from underground like moles, large dogs with know fur, with disgusting fleshy face and round gaping mouth with thin feelers wiggling around inside it came out.

There wasn't just one or two, they kept appearing until they covered the streets and the rooftops.

"KYAAAAAA!!!"

"H-HELP!!!"

It went to say that, the whole city became chaotic after that.

—

The crystal shined greatly before Pernicious. His plans to make the elves all high elves was nearing its completion. There was nothing more than he could he ever wished for. The elder elves that sided with him, all were waiting expectantly behind him.

"It's time!"

Pernicious raised both hands in grand gestures, as though welcoming a new era. His face, erratic and twisted. His maddening laughter as he was both to achieved his long standing dream to become not only a high elf but the ruler of the world.

It was only about time. The light contained within the tall monolith crystal shot up, beaming up to the sky. With the moon right above their heads, a gigantic magic circle slowly drawn itself in the sky.

"Finally!! I shall become the king of the world!!"

"Fern, you mad man! How could you do this! Our allies, the other races would not approve of this!"

Elfianna called out to Pernicious, reproaching him for his wrong doings. Pernicious was sacrificing the life of the other race. Only to provide him momentary pleasure. His dream won't last as a king, for everything would be destroyed first before he'd become king.

What's more, the humans, the beastmen, the demi-humans and the dwarves won't just stay quiet after doing this much destruction. 

Distraught, Elfianna pulled her chains as she tries to stop Pernicious. However, Pernicious merely smirked.

"Oh silly cousin of mine.... I don't care about such meager beings! Once I become a high elf king, not even demon lords would defeat me!!"

"Have you gone mad!? Don't you remember how our land was destroyed by the Shadow King?! Do you not recall how he—"

"Became a Demon Lord for your sake? That senseless man was stupid! He could have ruled us but instead he just destroyed the spirit tree! He is not a Demon Lord, he is but a coward!"

Elfianna was surprised that Pernicious knows about Shadow king Crats' reason to become a Demon Lord. It was a secret, only the two of them know. However, Pernicious knows it, that only meant that he was there when it happened.

Pernicious twisted grin grew more as he condemned Elfianna for her actions in the past. For if it not for her, Paracellumn wouldn't have suffered greatly. They would have became high elves if it weren't for Elfianna's machinations.

In order for Shadow king Crats to become a Demon Lord, she handed the secret treasure of the elves. The rarest stone in the world, A Moonstone.

"If you didn't used that Moonstone in the first place, I would never even have to use this drastic measure! I would have achieved becoming a high elf!"

"There is no way a male elf would become a high elf! It is transcribed in our sacred text that only the female elves can become high elves! Because only they can become Fairy—"

"Silence!!"

Pernicious shot up an icicle towards Elfianna, grazing her cheeks as she moved her head away. Unfortunately, strands of her long beautiful golden hair were cut, fluttering as they dropped down.

Fairy Queen. An existence only available for female elves. Because all elves came from spirits and elements, it was said that the first elf ever created was crowned as Fairy Queen.

The discrimination between the elves; unless one was a woman, they won't be able to get much treatment as them. Male elves were treated fairly in their society but even so, male elves weren't accepted equally by female elves; most elf women are haughty and very prideful.

Elfianna was raised to be a queen so she did not grew up learning such attitude from others. But nearly half of the elven female population treated male elves lower than them.

Pernicious, angered beyond belief spat out his deepest and most heartfelt feelings.

"Because of these differences, my mother did not loved me! My father lived like a pig under that woman's cruelty! I followed her every order just to protect my father... but what do I get!?"

Pausing for a moment, Pernicious created multiple spheres of wind and water around him. Fully intending to hurt his cousin, he was preparing to use his spells against her.

"Nothing! I became a governor of my own hardworking but that woman just chuck it up as her own doing! Saying that it was not my hardwork that I reached this far but her own manipulative power! Aunt Hildegarde, was no different!! That whore merely used men as her play things!"

In the past, far beyond when Elfianna became a high elf, it was the time when Pernicious was young. Born from the family of high elves, his mother only wished to bore a daughter not son. Because she wished for a successor to take the royal crown as the queen of elves, she married Pernicious' father, a normal fruit vendor at that time.

Because of the differences in stature at that time, their married life was difficult, especially for Pernicious' father. His mother's family treated him horribly. 

It was in fact, however, that his mother merely married his father because his mother already given up hope of marrying noble elven men because they pursue the love of the same gender. Disgusted, his mother didn't have much choice, picked some guy around the city and made love with him.

Successfully, she became pregnant. However, upon learning that what she gave birth to was a boy, she became mad.

The current Queen at that time, Queen Hildegarde, Elfianna's mother imprisoned Pernicious' father. Punishing him for driving the Queen's sister mad with grief. His father was tortured and played with until his sense as a living being disappeared.

Until the end of his father's life, the horrible sight of his father begging for pain to be pleasured, gave him nothing but nightmares.

"Because of you women loved to treat yourselves highly, we men became your playthings! You just don't know how many times your whore of a mother tried to break me.... those horrible experiences.... I'm truly happy that I killed that bitch!!"

During his time as student, the current Queen called upon him. She offered him to stay in the castle for a bit in order to be used as the Queen's doll. However, Pernicious refused because he wasn't fond of pain and much more so, he didn't like Queen Hildegarde as a partner even more.

But then, when he refused, Queen Hildegarde did the most horrific and twisted thing to him....

"She fed me to orcs..... high in aphrodisiacs.... and....and....!!!"

"Kyaaa!?" Elfianna's chest was hit by a wind sphere, tearing her clothes, making her scream in pain.

"I killed that woman.... the same way she tried to punished me! But yet....." Pernicious paused once more and threw the rest of the spheres towards Elfianna. Each it hit, her clothes would get torn and wet. Revealing her white smooth skin and grand mounds of a chest with pink tips.

Pernicious laugh, mad, as he recalls more of his torment. Having his attacks stopped momentarily, and spoke to Pernicious with voice aching with pain.

"You killed...... my mother..... because of that?"

"Just because of that?! I would have done even more!!"

"But.... I heard that my.... my father was....."

The story behind the Queen's death which lead Elfianna to become the heir to the throne. The king lost his life, because Pernicious' mother orchestrated everything in order to get the throne herself. However, as she was unable to become a high elf, she didn't got what she wished, but instead, died the same way the previous Queen lost her life.

"I'll become a high elf, I'll become the king of the world. I'll make all elves high elves, equal in standing.... No more discrimination! I'll be the ruler and this time, I will make sure to make everyone see how wrong it is for the goddess to choose women as the rulers of our race!!"

The earth rumbled as though sympathizing with Pernicious's woes. His cry was heard, his wished was granted, the magic circle above flashed, brightly lighting the night sky.

But, even when his body begun to change, even though power was entering his body...

"Wha—"

*Pishaa!* The monolith crystal broke.