Chapter 158 : Chapter 158

Chapter 158 - The Test (3)

[…Huh?]

A dazed voice came from Queen Selpas as she confirmed the heads of the spirits scattering around her.

Hmm.

Well, if someone suddenly burst in and started blowing up the heads of her subjects while she was peacefully continuing a state meeting, I would have a similar reaction.

[Wh-what is this?]

“Well, I wanted to save some time.”

It’s the Spirit Realm anyway, so they won’t die. So let’s do it without any guilt.

Let’s see.

The ones I just blew up with my skill were roughly over half of them.

Due to the nature of spirits, they wouldn't die, but if they were crushed to the point where they couldn’t even maintain their form like this, it would still take a few months for them to return to their original form.

Then, this kind of silver-tongued talk becomes possible.

“So the agenda of the meeting is whether to open the Hero’s Test or not, right?”

[…Th-that’s right?]

“Then let’s just proceed like this.”

[…]

A look that said, ‘What is this crazy bastard?’ poured in from all sides, but there was no further hostile restraint.

It meant that the spirits looking at me with wide eyes around me were at least not ‘hostile’ to me.

If they were, their heads would have been blown off long ago. For reference, Eraser was still on. In case anyone tried any funny business, I’d subdue them in advance.

“…What is this person. Is he really a demon?”

I ignored Chang Meirin-ssi, who was muttering nonsense next to me.

“Anyway, the ones whose heads just blew up were probably the ones who were picking fights with you from the queen’s perspective. Honestly, it’s not that annoying, is it?”

[…No, I-I can’t say that in an official setting…]

All her efforts to maintain her dignity until now were gone, and the queen looked around in a fluster.

Well, this person did have a tendency to lower her guard a little in front of me.

But after hearing my next words, her mouth dropped open.

“So, since we’ve suppressed them all like this, let’s just get it over with.”

[…]

[…]

Once again.

A look that said, ‘What on earth is this crazy bastard?’ flew in from all directions.

***

“…Come to think of it, it’s absurd. How on earth did you do it?”

Lee Si-yeong, who was fiddling with her engraved shoulder, suddenly said.

“What.”

“No, come to think of it, isn’t it the same situation as an intruder from the outside suddenly raiding the palace and killing all the ministers?”

“Something like that.”

“Then what’s with this enthusiastic response?!”

She said, pointing her finger at the ‘stage’ in front of her.

There was even a spectator section set up nearby, and it was crowded with people who had come to watch. It was like a stadium, so to speak.

“…”

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t just a stadium.

Seeing the huge ‘tree’ planted in the center of the stage, I naturally had that thought.

“…I’m getting dizzy. That. From a mage’s perspective, it’s an absurd object.”

Lee Si-yeong, who seemed to have taken a look at it once, said with a voice drained of strength.

“I feel like I’ll be crushed by its presence just by breathing… what on earth is that?”

Hmm.

Seeing her slightly pale face.

It would be better not to say that you’ll be involved with that quite a bit soon.

“In some ways, it’s a more important ‘personality’ than Queen Selpas. The whole purpose of coming here is that.”

The Divine Tree of the Spirit Realm. A more accurate name is the ‘World Tree.’

It was something like the foundation that supported this entire world.

It was no exaggeration to say that the legitimacy and authority of the kingdom that supported the Spirit Realm all originated from its will.

And the Hero’s Test was a process of testing how much recognition you could get from it.

“…Is it okay to let a person who caused a coup-level incident in his own palace get in contact with something so important?”

“Wherever people with thinking functions gather, there will always be politicians.”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“Even in the seemingly harmonious Spirit Realm, there are always ‘villains’ who just bite first. The ones whose heads I blew off were all that type.”

“…Isn’t that just a villain from your perspective?”

So what?

I hate them too, and my close friend, the queen, is also on bad terms with them.

Then they can endure having their heads blown off once since they won’t die.

“Are you a gangster?”

“Shut up.”

I chided her and continued.

“And, on the contrary, because he’s a human who caused such an incident, he has to be in contact with that.”

“…Huh?”

“Now that I’ve caused such a major incident, the only way to resolve it is to get the recognition of the World Tree over there.”

In other words, thanks to the reckless brute force offensive to proceed with the quest, even the queen, who was going to proceed slowly while watching the situation, was forcibly dragged into my pace.

If this had been a normal game progression, I would never have been able to do it, but I tried it thinking it might work in a ‘game-like world,’ and it seemed to be going as well as I thought.

“No, then wouldn’t that queen start to hate you instead…?”

“As long as I pass the test, it doesn’t matter, does it?”

“…”

Lee Si-yeong mumbled, unable to find a suitable retort.

At least this one also knew that I had never failed to keep my word so far.

“Then, what’s the benefit of getting involved with that in the first place?”

“A guaranteed +10 enhancement ticket for equipment.”

“…What?”

Oops.

Unconsciously, my player-era nickname just came out.

Well, the benefit I would get from that one after clearing this Ordeal could be simply summarized as that.

“Well, then I’m off.”

“...You talk about an event that’s causing a nationwide commotion as if you’re going to a corner store, you bastard.”

“Ah. Right. Before I go.”

Saying that, I approached Lee Si-yeong.

And I pulled down her robe, revealing the bare skin of her shoulder.

“…?”

An expression as if her thoughts had momentarily stopped appeared on her face.

And she stayed in that state until I fumbled with her skin and confirmed the shape of the seal.

“Right. It’s just as I thought. Thanks for confirming.”

The ‘engraving’ was stamped differently depending on the character’s potential, but among them, this one’s engraving was a little different from the others.

It wasn’t simply for enhancing specs, but a crucial element that could be a branching point in the main scenario, so it was necessary to confirm.

“…Huh?”

“Thanks. For accepting it all.”

“…What?”

“I’ll take responsibility for you. So don’t worry too much.”

“…Pardon? What?”

“Ah, by the way. The ring will be ready soon, so get ready to wear it.”

“?????????????????”

Lee Si-yeong’s mouth just opened and she mumbled something.

It felt like something was so full up to the top of her head that even if she spoke properly, it wouldn’t form a proper sentence.

No, why is she stuttering like this?

Engraving something like an unknown seal on her shoulder could be unpleasant for a mage, so I was grateful that she followed along.

I would take responsibility for what I did.

I was telling her to charge the Jewel of Ruin with mana and hand it over.

Why was she understanding such a simple and straightforward conversation so slowly?

“Then see you later.”

Leaving those words behind, I fiddled with the Gnosis’s Heart hanging around my neck and stepped into the stadium.

Flames embroidered with mana exploded brilliantly along the path of my entrance, and I could feel the audience looking down at me with various expressions.

-…Seeker. Welcome to the test.

And a heavy voice echoing from inside the World Tree resounded everywhere.

Yes. It was just like the content of the cutscene I remembered from the game.

-To see if you are a suitable talent to raise your fame in the world of spirits, we will evaluate you on three items. Courage, fighting spirit, and strategy.

With those words, three seeds about the size of a human head floated up in front of the World Tree at the same time.

Then, an explanation of the test method followed.

To summarize briefly.

I had to face three guardians drawn from the World Tree in consecutive battles and defeat them all.

Surely, it was a system where an enemy was summoned every time I broke one of the seeds.

I already knew all the content, so I didn't need to listen any further, but the ones in the audience were nodding their heads with all sorts of mixed emotions at every word from the World Tree.

Well, the Hero’s Test was an important test that was related to the fate of their country, so it was understandable that they all had complicated thoughts.

“…”

But, I had no particular thoughts.

That was probably well revealed in my subsequent actions.

“Ah, wait. Wait a minute.”

-…

The World Tree fell silent for a moment at my light voice that shattered the solemn atmosphere, but it soon opened its mouth again with a slightly displeased voice.

-What is it, seeker?

“I understand the method, but. I have something I want to request.”

-…A request?

“If my performance, I mean… depending on ‘how well I pass this test,’ can you add something more?”

Well, it wasn't a system that was originally in the game.

It was worth a shot. If I was going to do something different anyway, I thought it wouldn't be bad to try something like this.

-…

Hmm.

Again, a gaze and silence as if looking at a madman.

It was a reaction I had been receiving particularly often since coming to the Spirit Realm. I was getting used to it.

-…If the seeker demonstrates such qualifications, a fitting reward will be given.

“Okay. Thank you.”

He’s doing it.

I smiled brightly and walked up to the three seeds floating in front of the World Tree.

-Choose a guardian to face. Those guardians are ancient war gods who have protected me for over a thousand years, and they are supreme warriors. Each one of them can match a legion, so they are suitable to test your limits.

That’s true.

In fact, in terms of combat difficulty, there were often opinions that this side was more difficult than the final boss, depending on the route.

The spirits I had instantly crushed to obtain the qualifications to participate in the test were also a degraded version of these guys, so that was also possible.

“…”

Well.

But.

I had just heard a promise of ‘if you do well, I’ll give you a better reward.’

Hey. Plant bastard.

If you incite the ‘fighting spirit’ of a top-tier veteran, the result is usually something like a catastrophe.

Mainly for the guys who face me.

So, this time, I was going to do something I had never done before.

A ‘route pioneering’ that I hadn’t done in a very long time.

-Now, who will you choose first? Courage? Fighting Spirit? Strategy?

“All in one.”

-…What?

At the same time as hearing the World Tree’s absurd voice.

I burst all three seeds at the same time.

-…?

“…?”

[…?]

A heavy silence as if everyone, human, spirit, and world tree, who was watching me had their brains shut down, fell.

I was the only one chuckling lightly.

-…

-…

-…!

-…!

-------------!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And that attitude.

Was maintained even when a huge amount of mana, which could compress even a huge natural disaster like a typhoon and a tsunami into the calm before the storm, burst out from inside the seeds.

Yes, this cool and heavy feeling.

It’s been a while.

The tyrant of the user message boards who changed the standard of speedruns.

The king of the Conqueror fossil and top-tier veteran players, commonly called the strongest on earth.

It’s time to go back to being ‘Super Gyu-sik.’

So, well.

Ancient war gods?

“Are you ready to be instantly killed?”

I smirked and muttered those words.

Mana exploded in the stadium.

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