The chimera bean is so tasteless that even rats would curse it, but the nutrients contained within it are abundant enough to sustain both households and armies. In the Military Nation, the one thing they paid more attention to than weapons was military rations, and the chimera beans harvested from all over the Military Nation were gathered in large quantities at the headquarters....
Those nutrients exploded all at once.
The component called nutrients is green gunpowder. Humans put that fuel into their stomachs and slowly burn it, becoming slow furnaces that walk. They dress up eating and living as noble acts, but their essence is exactly the same as other beasts, crawling insects, or even much smaller... unseen vermin.
No matter whose stomach it is in, it burns the same firewood with the same flame. There is no difference other than scale.
Know thy origin.
Innate Demon Art, Tree of Origins (根源樹).
The tree of origins containing the root of life and birth.
To some, it is called the Tree of Transgression... a certain druid's Innate Demon Art.
Even though he named a god, because he was still alive, it could not belong to everyone. The great origin lends its ear only through him.
Green explosions erupted alongside screams everywhere. Devouring everything that would become nutrients, it creates a new axis and stretches out once more. It was as if an earth dragon was rising up everywhere and spawning.
Nebida, who had created a situation comparable to a disaster with merely a single move, dusted off his hands and took Maximilian. Having made his decision, he had no lingering attachments. Nebida strode into the wide-open knot hole.
Before the knot hole closed, Nebida gave a small bow toward me.
"Well then, farewell."
The regressor did his best until the very end. Shaking Cheon-aeng above his head, he shouted at the top of his lungs as if he were completely enraged.
"Don't run away!"
'Hurry up and get lost!'
Fortunately, Nebida listened to the regressor's inner thoughts. After the tree closed, Nebida disappeared deep into the ground.
'Is he gone? Did he leave? He really left, right? Let's see, Green Eye!'
The regressor surveyed his surroundings with the Green Eye among the Seven-Colored Eyes, the piercing Green Eye. Seeing him check thoroughly from the ground to the sky, he seemed quite frightened.
After checking multiple times, the regressor let out a sigh of relief.
"Huaaah...! For now, it's a relief...!"
That was when it happened.
Bang, an explosion was heard. It wasn't as sharp as gunpowder, but it was too intense a noise to have originated from a plant.
Isn't the sound itself strange for a relief, regressor?
"What do you mean relief? It's chaos right now!"
"Ah, it's fine. Those are bean pod bombs. They're annoying, but if Nebida himself isn't here, we can deal with them quickly. As long as the Tree of Origins doesn't form a Root Beast (根源獸), that is."
"Root Beast?"
"A beast made of wood. From the fruits of the Tree of Transgression, beasts are sometimes born. But it seems he couldn't make it that far this time. Fortunately..."
Right in the middle of the regressor's murmuring.
[Kyaaaaaaaah!]
In the distance, a giant snake with a tree trunk as its body writhed.
Explosions occurred in succession. The beans that bounced up emitting sparks embroidered the brightening sky. Like that, a chimera bean that flew in a parabola fell with a thud next to me.
For a moment, the regressor and I were at a loss for words. Screams began to pour in from all directions, piercing through the silence.
"A snake... made of wood?"
"What are you just standing there for! Attack!"
"The food! The military rations are exploding all at once!"
"Sir Quartermaster. If I get hurt by a bean, is it a work-related injury?"
"Cut the bullshit and catch that snake first!"
Gunshots rang out, and the officers and generals of the Military Nation leaped up with weapons and hacked the wooden snake to pieces. However, the wooden snake with a body as massive as an ancient tree writhed fiercely whether cut or slashed, continuously adding to the devastation.
The power of a Demon God overturns the environment. Even if there is no intention to attack, when mountains and forests move, the small bugs living within suffer fatal blows. Listening to the echoing screams, the regressor clicked his tongue.
"Tsk. Are you telling me to clean this up? The Military Nation isn't even on my side anyway!"
"No. From now on, they could very well become your side, Mr. Shay."
"What?"
"Go clean it up. I'll take care of Ria and get Aji out."
Only then did the regressor, whose gaze finally reached the others, look around.
"Ah, right. What about the others?"
"They're doing fine."
"Got it!"
The regressor grabbed Cheon-aeng and Ji-jan and dashed off. Leaping into the air cloaked in wind, the regressor swiftly swept the diagonally held Ji-jan with Cheon-aeng.
"Heaven and Earth Sword Sphere, Flint Strike!"
Friction sets the air on fire. Cheon-aeng embraced the flames and glowed bright red. The regressor bisected the wooden snake in a single strike with Cheon-aeng wreathed in flames. The burning wooden snake writhed its massive body in agony. Burning branches fell all over the headquarters, and the screams of rank-and-file soldiers could be heard.
"Platoon Leader! What do we do about that?"
"...An order from the headquarters, not to attack...! For now, burn the tree!"
The chaos intensified due to the spreading fire, but the regressor didn't care.
"Fire is better than exploding bean pods or wooden snakes. Even you guys can feel a sense of crisis! I'll set the fire, so you guys put it out!"
For a short while, a joint struggle with the Military Nation took place. The wooden snake was still writhing even as its branches were being severed one by one, but it seemed like it would be sorted out soon.
'The scale is large, but the effect is weak. Why on earth did Nebida use the Tree of Origins when he wasn't even going to fight? It's like he just wanted to show off his Demon God?'
Literally, regressor. Nebida used it to show off his Demon God.
To me.
I turned my head. The chimera bean that flew next to me had already taken root and began to sprout again. A large sprout reached my feet.
The stem, looking too fragile compared to the fruit it would bear, grew as if creeping along the ground. I walked slowly alongside the gradually lengthening chimera bean.
It's a stem originating from the chimera bean. It's only natural for chimera beans to bear on it.
However, the Demon God's providence is a little different from that.
Kidney beans, peas, chickpeas, red beans. Crops that fall under the legume family bore fruit one after another. It was as if a cheerful person had hung every kind of bean on a single tree.
But seeing its inner workings, one can't simply laugh.
The sprouted kudzu vines wrapped around the concrete. The clovers stretched their small leaves straight. Though they didn't bear beans, they proudly took up a spot on the stem. I walked past them.
If I continue walking with this... what will come out?
This is the essence of the Tree of Origins. The reason Nebida despises the Seonghwangcheong that named all things in the world.
Of course, it has absolutely nothing to do with me.
"Hmm. I can't make use of this."
This Demon God happens to be an extremely difficult type for me to use. Since Nebida himself is a druid, he uses it hundreds of times more powerfully, but if I try, at best I'd only be able to grow peanuts.
But wouldn't that be enough?
I took out the Spade deck. After picking and choosing, I pulled out the number 9 and fiddled with it a few times with my fingers.
The Spade is special. Diamonds consume alchemical fire, Clubs must contain magic power, and Hearts need to store the corresponding medicine, but Spades require none of that. If there is one thing needed at the very least, it's my faith?
Because the Spade is an idol that honors the Demon God.
Without Maximilian, I can't move the gears. I had no choice but to grab the side of the steel beetle and struggle to climb up. It's only about 4 meters, but seeing how I'm out of breath, I must be a bit tired. Ah, I crave a magic cigarette.
After barely climbing up, I saw Historia leaning against a gear, sitting with difficulty. Her sunken eyes turned to me. I smiled affectionately and said.
"Ria. Want a peanut?"
"Where are peanuts..."
I flicked my finger. A peanut had formed at the end of the bean vine that climbed up with me. Perhaps it exhausted its energy climbing up after me, it only bore a single peanut.
But if you peel one peanut, two kernels come out. I snapped the middle and handed one to Historia, who let out a hollow laugh.
"Since we're close enough to share even a single bean, I'm giving you this specially."
"Hmph."
Historia put the peanut in her mouth and chewed lightly. A crunching sound was heard. I also peeled and ate a peanut and sat down casually next to Historia.
As expected, peanuts. They make their presence known even when paired with a dish, but they're also the best on their own.
After the brief gastronomy ended, Historia muttered.
"Huey... are you the king of humans?"
"Yeah."
"I see."
And silence. I asked again.
"Is that all you wanted to ask?"
There should clearly be more. When I pressed, Historia opened and closed her mouth before speaking.
"...Do you have a magic cigarette?"
"I gave you all of them."
"The ones you hoarded."
"Tch. How did you know?"
Clicking my tongue, I took out the magic cigarette tucked in my bio-terminal. It was good to keep it there because I could feel some of the medicinal effects even without smoking it.
"That's so like you."
She smirked and held out her hand. She was definitely going to take it all. But reluctant to give away the whole magic cigarette, I took out a card to cut it instead of giving it all.
Historia scowled.
"Being so stingy over a single stick."
"Shut up. A cigarette isn't just a single stick. This one stick is my everything, so it's precious."
Historia raised her eyes slightly.
"...You can't give me the whole thing?"
"I'm giving you half."
Ah, it's not cutting well. Is it because I've exhausted my stamina?
While I was only scratching a mark on the magic cigarette, Historia stared at me with pity and then raised the edge of her hand.
Swish. Historia's hand grazed past the magic cigarette. Before the cut pieces could even fall apart, Historia arbitrarily chose the larger piece and took it. She quickly stuffed it in her mouth so I couldn't possibly snatch it back, and now without saying a word, naturally held the tip out to me.
'Fire.'
At least say it out loud. I raised my finger and brought it close to Historia's lips. The shortened magic cigarette drew near.
"Set, R. Fahrenheit."
Historia inhaled, and the magic cigarette soaked in the fire. Before the flame went out, I also lit my magic cigarette.