"Will the elves be alright?"
Kasim, who had been gazing at the forest, shook his head as if troubled. The forest they had already entered was blocked so tightly that they couldn't even get out. Looking back, it was clear that the way the elves had come from was blocked in the same manner.
The man-eating trees seemed to have intentionally separated the party, causing him to break out in goosebumps unbidden.
"It won't be easy. These things move even if you cut through the vines or stems entirely.
So I don't think one or two arrows lodged in them will deal much damage."
"But elf bows are truly powerful."
"No matter how powerful a bow is, it is an extremely inefficient weapon against man-eating trees, you could say. In my opinion, there will definitely be casualties among the Sentinels."
A worried expression appeared on Mitchell's face. He was concerned for Illumina's safety.
"By the way, the elf captain's stubbornness is considerable. I expect many more conflicts going forward."
"Is that so? We'll have to work through it slowly, won't we?"
Smoke was still billowing up in plumes from the charred ashes.
But there were no additional attacks from the man-eating trees. Perhaps because a fifty-meter radius had been completely cleared, it seemed they couldn't reach within attack range. While surveying the surroundings on guard, suddenly one side of the forest collapsed without strength.
Crumble crumble crumble.
Delight appeared on Kasim's face as he turned his head.
"Here they come."
Captain Olivier appeared with a heavy expression where the man-eating trees had fallen. Behind him, the Sentinels staggered forward, but surprisingly, their numbers had drastically decreased.
Startled, Kasim hurried out to meet them.
"What happened?"
Olivier looked at Kasim but moved without saying a word. The Sentinels following behind were only half their original number. Fifteen Sentinels had vanished without a trace.
"Where are the rest?"
Olivier, who had been hesitating, finally began to explain the situation.
"We were attacked by tree vines. We couldn't fight against them with arrows.
We fought with all our might, but we couldn't stop several comrades from being taken."
Mitchell, discovering that Illumina was not among the Sentinels, spat out in an angry voice.
"So you're saying you left your comrades in mortal danger?"
Olivier's exhausted gaze turned toward Mitchell.
"It couldn't be helped. If we had tried to save them, we couldn't have even guaranteed the safety of the remaining Sentinels."
Mitchell's eyes turned icy.
"And you still think you're qualified to be captain?"
"......."
"We humans never abandon our comrades. Even if the entire party falls into danger."
At this unexpected reaction, Olivier's eyes widened as he looked at Mitchell. Mitchell unfastened the backpack he had been carrying on his back and set it on the ground. He also laid his shield to one side.
"I will go save them. I cannot stand by and watch them die."
Leaving those words behind, Mitchell dashed into the forest.
A blue Aura Blade surged up from his longsword.
Swish swish swish.
When he swung his sword, the trees blocking the way were cut down in droves. As if delighted by the prey that had jumped in unexpectedly, the vines of the man-eating trees stretched out one after another, but they were effortlessly cut down by Mitchell's longsword swinging every which way. Kasim was startled to see that sight, but he did not stop him.
"Hurry and rescue them. I'll go get Daemon."
Having finished speaking, Kasim looked at Olivier. In the meantime, Mitchell's figure had completely disappeared.
"Wait here. I will go call our comrades who are clearing a path."
Olivier, who had been looking around the clearing with curious eyes, started and shook his head.
"There is no need for that. They must already be dead, so I don't think there is any need to waste time."
This time, Kasim's face hardened stiffly.
"We never give up until we see a comrade's dead body.
Elves are also our comrades as long as we carry out a mission together, even if you are a different race.
I will not ask for your help, so just wait here."
Having finished speaking, Kasim shot off like the wind. Olivier watched his figure as if unable to understand.
He could not understand humans who would exert themselves to save elves, at least.
"Is this the end now?"
Illumina muttered silently as she looked at the tree vines constricting her entire body. She couldn't understand being attacked by trees she had always regarded as friends, but reality was cruel.
Several comrades had already lost their lives to the trees' attacks.
In a horrific state where all their bodily fluids had been sucked out, leaving only bones and skin. And one comrade was currently having her fluids sucked out by a tree.
The unfortunate victim thrashed repeatedly, but the tree vines wrapped firmly around her body were immovable. The blood color rapidly vanished from her exposed face and hands. Shortly after, the corpse of the elf whose life had completely faded fell limply. And then one Sentinel who had been bound right beside Illumina was lifted into the air. Now she too would meet the same fate as the comrade who had just been lifted up.
Swoosh.
Tree vines with three or four arrows lodged in them approached her. Several arrows had pierced through, and holes were dotted across the vines with black liquid flowing out. It was a sight that showed how fiercely the Sentinels had fought, but unfortunately, arrows were not a very efficient weapon against man-eating trees.
The body of the Sentinel, who had turned pale blue with the terror of death, was pierced by several strands of tree vines.
"Keuh."
Along with a short scream, the face of the Sentinel who had been lifted up rapidly began to lose color. Her lips gradually turned leaden, and the light faded from her pupils. She couldn't endure long and hung her head. Nevertheless, her bodily fluids continued to be sucked into the man-eating tree. Shortly after, her corpse, with only skin remaining, fell limply to the ground.
Crack.
Even her marrow seemed to have been sucked out, for her bones crumbled as soon as she fell. The survivors shuddered upon hearing that sound. A group of vines now stretched out toward Illumina as their target.
Illumina, having composed her mind, cast her gaze toward her comrades beside her.
"My sisters. I suppose we must say our farewells now. I'll go first and wait."
The two Sentinels, who had turned pale, faintly smiled.
They were the only survivors.
"May God's protection be with you…."
As Illumina nodded, her body shot up into the air with a whoosh. Then, as the vines that had taken the lives of many comrades approached closely, Illumina tightly closed her eyes. It was time to greet the end of her life. At that moment, a single shout reached her ears.
"Illumina!"
Realizing the voice belonged to the human knight who had accompanied her, Illumina opened her eyes in surprise. Illumina's pupils trembled as she looked down.
"Finally…."
A light of delight appeared in Mitchell's eyes as he mercilessly sliced through the reaching vines. He had finally found Illumina. The moment he confirmed she was alive, exhilaration welled up within him. But Mitchell's expression completely changed upon seeing the horrific sight of an elf sprawled beneath the tree trunk.
"Such abominable…."
Mitchell swung his sword like a windmill as he rushed toward Illumina. But the man-eating trees' counterattack immediately followed.
As if determined not to lose the prey they had finally acquired, the man-eating trees all stretched out their vines to bind Mitchell. But Mitchell was not one to fall easily.
"Hrah!"
An Aura Blade densely coated Mitchell's longsword as he swung it every which way. The reaching tree vines were cut down in droves. But the swarm of surging vines was endless.
Mitchell frantically cut down vines as he approached where Illumina was. But because there were so many rushing vines, he couldn't easily get close to the man-eating tree she was hanging from.
The two surviving elf Sentinels could offer no help even as they watched the scene. They were entangled in tree vines and couldn't move properly.
Flash.
When the blue Aura Blade emitted light, the tree vines were effortlessly cut down. The severed vines continued to move, trying to bind Mitchell's feet, but it was futile.
Mitchell, tempered by countless battles, continued to overcome crises with agile movements as he approached the man-eating tree.
Whether because his efforts were not in vain, Mitchell was finally able to approach his target tree. Upon reaching his destination, he poured mana into his sword as if he didn't need to think. The mana infused with all his might transformed within the blade. A dazzling Aura Blade incomparable to anything before shot up from the sword. Once the Aura Blade grew to nearly three meters, Mitchell swung his sword targeting the man-eating tree's trunk.
Kiiiieeeek.
The man-eating tree's trunk was cut clean through. Fluid similar to blood spurted like a fountain through the cut. The bodily fluids of the sacrificed elves were surely mixed within it. As the source of power was cut off, the vines coiled around Illumina lost their strength as well. When Mitchell swung his sword again and chopped the trunk into pieces, the vines completely lost their strength. Mitchell spread both arms and gently caught Illumina's falling body.
"Oof."
Mitchell, who had set Illumina down on the ground, turned his body as if he had eyes on his back and poured out attacks. Several vines that had reached out to exploit an opening were effortlessly cut down.
"Hah, hah."
Mitchell caught his breath and wiped the sweat flowing from his forehead. Because he had continuously used Aura Blade, Mitchell was in a severely exhausted state. He was even feeling mana depletion, but Mitchell didn't stop unleashing his sword aura. When he turned his head, Illumina's pupils came into view, filled with an indescribable light.
"Did you… come to save us?"
"Yes. Huff huff. Are you the only survivor?"
Illumina reflexively reached out her hand. In the direction she pointed, two elf Sentinels were bound by tree vines and trembling. As if determined not to have its prey stolen, the man-eating tree was just lifting their bodies into the air.
Mitchell shot that way without a second thought.
"Follow me."
Fortunately, Mitchell was able to reach them before the Sentinels rose high. If he had been even slightly late, they would have risen to a place beyond reach.
"Hrah!"
Mitchell swung his sword without hesitation.
An Aura Blade of roughly two meters in length was still emanating from his longsword.
Swish swish swish.
The tree vines scattered chaotically and let out bizarre screams. While he was at it, Mitchell mercilessly cut down the vines and stems of the nearby man-eating trees indiscriminately. Crimson fluid spurted out, and the vines binding the Sentinels gradually lost their strength.
Soon, the bodies of the Sentinels who had nearly lost consciousness began to fall helplessly. But Mitchell didn't have the presence of mind to catch them as well. A seemingly uncountable number of vines were reaching toward him.
Thud.
Fortunately, because they hadn't fallen from a high place, the Sentinels weren't particularly injured. Illumina hurriedly approached and supported them.
"Are you alright? Sisters?"
Perhaps because their tension had released after surviving death before their eyes, they couldn't say anything. Illumina's complexion hardened stiffly as she raised her head. It was because an overwhelming number of man-eating tree vines were swarming toward them.
"This doesn't look good."
Mitchell's expression darkened. He kept cutting through vines, but the swarming vines were endless. As if proving that his mana had nearly bottomed out, the Aura Blade emanating from his sword had significantly decreased in length. If things continued like this, he wouldn't make it out safely.
"If mana runs out, it's all over."
If rescue didn't reach them before then, Mitchell was also highly likely to fall. But because there was no other way, Mitchell continued to fight desperately. The two elf Sentinels, led by Illumina, stood pressed closely behind Mitchell, trembling.
Their comrades had already abandoned them. Seeing Captain Olivier leaving that place while they were being lifted by vines, they had already resigned themselves to death. Yet a human knight had walked into this hellish place of his own accord to save them…. They wanted to help somehow, but unfortunately, they could do nothing.