Chapter 49

Spirit beasts that fly in the sky, and spirit beasts that crawl on the ground.

Which of the two would be easier to block?

“S-Sorry. Grandma…”

Even as Demona thought about it, blocking the sky would be much harder, and the amount swarming in would likely be greater on that side.

“Since you guys are freshmen, you don’t necessarily have to catch them; just chasing them away is enough! Well, good luck!”

With those words, Arne swooped up into the air.

She was so fast that she soon blended in with the spirits between the branches, making it impossible to find her.

While Sion and Demona were blankly looking up at the Divine Tree.

Rumbleeee──!

Roan began to raise the Abyss with an ominous momentum.

“W-What are you doing now?”

Sion asked in surprise.

Roan replied lightly as if asking why she was questioning something so obvious.

“I need to prepare now. The spirit beasts will swarm in soon.”

“But Lady Arne just said to chase them away…”

No matter how she looked at it, it didn’t seem like he was preparing to simply chase them away, but rather to prepare for a major battle.

At Sion’s innocent question, Roan merely chuckled.

“Do you still trust Akerandir?”

“???”

And as if on cue with Roan’s words.

Buzzing─── Hummmm──

From all directions, the ominous sound of flapping wings began to echo.

Turning their heads, Sion and Demona were horrified.

Even without this, the night sky was already black.

Countless insect spirit beasts, turning that night sky even blacker, were swarming from all directions.

***

Zap— Zap—!

Of course, the majestic presence of the overwhelming insect spirit beast army was mostly for show.

Most of them were blocked from approaching by the golden barrier Arne had placed around the Divine Tree.

‘It really looks like insects swarming around a mosquito zapper.’

Even while looking at that wondrous sight, Roan felt a very realistic sentiment.

In any case, the share of work left for the students was strictly to chase away the few insect spirit beasts that breached Arne’s barrier.

‘The problem is that the spirit beasts that enter like this…’

Roan kept his mouth shut.

‘Are the elite that have been filtered through!’

Crackle!

“Over there, one is coming in!”

Roan pointed to one side and shouted.

Sure enough, an insect spirit beast that had slipped through a weakened hole in the barrier was crawling slowly toward the Divine Tree.

“A Wolf Mantis!”

Recognizing the spirit beast, Sion was startled.

A Wolf Mantis, which belonged to the category between large and medium-sized spirit beasts.

With a body length of a whopping 3 meters and excellent combat power, it was a species whose performance in holy wars was immense compared to others in the same weight class.

No matter how favorably one looked at it, it wasn’t an opponent three newly enrolled freshmen could handle.

Unless they were three third or fourth-year students.

Swish—

But Roan ran toward the Wolf Mantis, emitting strands of bright gray holy power from both arms.

“D-Darc!”

Sion didn’t even have time to grab him.

In Sion’s mind, this wasn’t a level where they should step forward to fight, but rather a level where they should immediately report to the professors and evacuate.

No matter how well wounds healed and fused in Akerandir, if your neck was cut off, you just died.

‘What on earth is Darc planning to do!’

Sion felt like screaming.

Of course, Roan knew better than anyone else how powerful a Wolf Mantis was.

He had a reliable corner to lean on as well.

‘First of all, since its mind is focused on the sap, its combat power is compromised.’

No matter how much of a hell service the Divine Tree management was, it was ultimately just an event, not the main quest.

As long as one didn’t get consumed by fear, the difficulty itself wasn’t that high.

‘Besides, there are additional rewards depending on the performance.’

Roan was already eyeing the hidden rewards!

Of course, to achieve that, he needed the help of the False Divinity.

‘You saw the blood magic I used in the future, right?’

Hummm—!

The False Divinity affirmed.

‘Can you translate it? If it’s too hard, just do blood fragments.’

Vrooom—!

At Roan’s insolent thought, the authority threw a tantrum like a heavy motorcycle.

What do you take me for! Draw the magic circle quickly!

Roan chuckled.

“Just what I wanted.”

He then opened the cap of the water bottle at his waist, while simultaneously using the raised Abyss to draw a blood magic circle.

The magic circle itself wasn’t very complex, but because it had to be operated with the Abyss rather than ordinary black mana, it was a magic he could only use now.

Rather, spells utilizing the Abyss had relatively simple magic circles compared to other spells of the same grade.

‘Blood Spear of the Abyss!’

Upon activation, three gray spears were summoned around Roan.

They weren’t ornately decorated, but their solid and heavy texture was enough to pressure the beholder.

‘What kind of holy magic is that again!’

Leaving Sion’s shock behind.

“Go!”

At Roan’s shout, the three blood spears shot toward the Wolf Mantis.

Thud— Thud—

— !!!

The three spears struck the ground close to the front and both sides of the Wolf Mantis.

Since it was a spirit beast, not a monster, he had to avoid a direct attack.

It was because Arne hadn’t told them to chase them away for no reason.

The triangular head of the Wolf Mantis turned in surprise to find the attacker.

Soon, hundreds of compound eyes glared at Roan.

As if it would attack at any moment, the Wolf Mantis spread its wings!

But.

‘Blood Spear of the Abyss, Blood Spear of the Abyss, Blood Spear of the Abyss, Blood Spear of…’

Although he couldn’t use high-level magic, Roan, who was confident in his mana capacity alone, had planned to push through with numbers from the start.

In an instant, dozens of blood spears densely filled the space behind Roan.

He didn’t stop there and added the full release of his black mana.

Roarrr!

Like the roar of a wild beast, a terrifying energy exploded from Roan’s body, which was infinitely small compared to the Wolf Mantis.

In an instant, the scale of their presence was reversed.

— ?!!?!!

The Wolf Mantis reared up as if it hadn’t expected this situation.

If it weren’t for the physical structure of a mantis that couldn’t walk backward, it would have retreated by that much already.

Roan curled up one corner of his mouth and spoke.

“I said we only needed to chase it away, but I didn’t say we couldn’t kill it.”

Meaning, try it if you dare!

Flutter—!

The Wolf Mantis fluttered its wings, utterly terrified.

I came to eat, not to die!

A gesture that clearly conveyed that meaning.

It had never dreamed it would encounter such a demonic human while coming for a sip of sap.

“Get lost.”

Ultimately, in response to Roan’s murderous warning, the Wolf Mantis fled in a hurry through the gap it had entered.

“What on earth is this…”

Sion looked back and forth between the fleeing Wolf Mantis and Roan in a daze.

In other words, a freshman had just chased away a Wolf Mantis by himself?

‘…And that too, with just momentum?’

A novel-like event was unfolding before her eyes.

Just then, Demona approached behind Sion and spoke triumphantly.

“What did I tell you? Didn’t I say Roan can do everything?”

Sion was so dumbfounded that she yelled without realizing it.

“I-I knew that too!”

“???”

Before Demona could even grasp the sudden situation, Roan shouted again.

“Over there!”

Far away, another hole was appearing in Arne’s barrier.

“I’ll handle it this time!”

Sion gritted her teeth and ran.

Because if she stayed like this, she would definitely be completely overshadowed by Roan.

‘I can’t lose!’

“What is wrong with her?”

Roan also felt a strange energy from Sion and approached Demona to ask.

Demona frowned and tattled to Roan.

“It seems the Saintess candidate has a pretty bad personality.”

“What?”

There was no way…

***

Meanwhile, Harden, who was focused on his work in the Principal’s office, suddenly looked east.

“…I’m worried after all.”

Although he had laughed it off, managing the Divine Tree was an activity too taxing for three freshmen to handle.

“Even with Darc and Sion, it will be hard.”

A wise Holy Spirit who boldly excluded Demona from the fighting force!

Harden rose from his seat and moved to the Divine Tree.

Moving as a Holy Spirit was easy.

Although he had to go through a tedious descent process to go outside Akerandir.

Within Akerandir, he could arrive in an instant, just like teleportation.

Arriving below the Divine Tree, Harden chuckled and scanned the surroundings.

‘Now, let’s see how much that arrogant guy is struggling.’

No doubt medium and large-sized spirit beasts had breached the gaps here and there, turning it into a mess.

If the freshmen were in danger, he was willing to use a tiny bit of his power to help.

How thrilling it would be to think of the arrogant Darc looking at him with eyes full of gratitude and respect.

However.

The situation inside the Divine Tree site was completely different from Harden’s expectations.

‘…What is this?’

Chirp— Chirp—

“Yes, go find some other sap besides the Divine Tree. Sorry!”

Sion was sending back a massive number of small spirit beasts while emitting a gentle holy power fitting for a Saintess candidate.

Harden could understand that much.

‘If it weren’t for Darc overshadowing her, she would have easily taken the top of the class.’

Furthermore, the quality of her holy power and her affinity with spirit beasts were at a level even Harden had to acknowledge.

But the problem was that Darc.

Within Arne’s golden barrier, medium and large spirit beasts the size of houses had indeed entered.

Normally, the students would be holding onto the legs of the spirit beasts trying to approach the Divine Tree to stop them.

Boom! Swoosh! Splash──!

With loud explosions, holy magic—or black magic—flew here and there.

Shriek— Flutter—!

The spirit beasts fled with all their might to avoid the terrifying holy magic—or black magic!

Naturally, the one chasing the spirit beasts while firing spears like a hunter was Roan.

The small spirit beasts were handled by Sion, who had an immense affinity for spirit beasts.

The medium and large spirit beasts were handled by Roan, who exploded with savage power.

They could truly be called a dream team.

“What on earth is this!”

It was a situation even Harden was seeing for the first time.

Normally, managing the Divine Tree, especially the night work, was a high-difficulty task that even third and fourth-year students shuddered at.

Just then, a casual voice came from behind Harden.

“Principal, you came?”

“…?”

Harden glanced back.

There sat Demona, perched on a root of the Divine Tree that was exposed above the ground.

“…Why on earth are you sitting there?”

Harden asked with an annoyed expression.

“Roan and the Saintess candidate are handling everything.”

Vein popping—

As a Holy Spirit, Harden held back once.

“Shouldn’t you do something to help your friends too?”

“Hey, I worked so hard. Clearing branches and all.”

“Oh, then did you clear that largest pile over there?”

“No.”

Demona pointed to the smallest pile, which was barely noticeable.

Vein popping—

But a Holy Spirit was a Holy Spirit.

“…Why don’t you go quickly and add at least one attack holy magic?”

“I’m a freshman, though? I haven’t learned a single one yet.”

Well, that was true.

But regardless of that, Harden could no longer hold back.

“Then go swing a branch or throw a rock at least!”

“Yikes! The Principal is angry! Roan!”

Demona quickly ran toward Roan as if his butt were on fire.

“Sigh, what is to become of the Holy Empire… then again, Wicronon was always like that.”

Harden shook his head.

Anyway, not long after Harden arrived, the spirit beasts were mostly cleared out.

Although there were still many swarming, attracted by the Divine Tree, it seemed Arne’s barrier would manage to hold out somehow.

A little later, Roan, Sion, and Demona gathered around Harden.

“…I thought you would suffer quite a bit, but you did decently.”

His tone was clearly full of regret and displeasure.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Roan grinned.

Harden glared at Roan, clicked his tongue, and said.

“Since the freshmen did an excellent job, I must reward you. I will return tomorrow around the time the work ends.”

“Oh yeah!”

“Thank you!”

Demona and Sion rejoiced.

There was indeed nothing as glorious as a reward directly bestowed by the Holy Spirit.

Harden looked at Demona with a benevolent face and said.

“Wicronon, you really have no conscience.”

To be so shameless when he cleared the fewest branches and watched the spirit beast clearing with folded arms…

Of course, Harden had a different reason for giving a reward even to Demona.

“However, Darc, you are excluded.”

Because he had no intention of giving it to Roan!

It was certain that Roan would be furious if even Demona received a reward but he didn’t.

“Why is that!”

As Harden expected, Roan immediately protested.

I did the most work!

Harden chuckled, narrowed his eyes, and chided.

“You shouldn’t be in a position to say that right now, though?”

Saying so, he glanced at the lucky pouch hanging at Roan’s waist.

At that, Roan also backed off quietly.

“I am happy just to see my friends receive the Principal’s grace.”

If Harden took away the lucky pouch instead of giving a reward, Roan would have nothing to say.

Although Harden had roughly expected it, Roan changed his attitude much more slyly.

‘What kind of guy is this really?’

Harden clicked his tongue without realizing it.