Numerous actions had to be taken in a short period of time.
Lee Ye-Eun quickly drew a conclusion as to why on earth there had been no report, and why the clans that had been placed all over the place stayed still until the streets burned like that.
Betrayal within the clan?No, this is too much of a leap forward.It's an outside attack.An opponent who was skilled enough to easily break through the security net.
She kicked in the terrace door, inhaled with all her might, and shouted loudly toward the increasingly noisy hall.
"As the next head of the clan, I will issue the order!"
At her words, the confused clans looked at her.Some of them were against her, but none were currently leading them.They immediately approached Lee Ye-Eun and waited for her order.
Lee Ye-Eun quickly checked the assembled clans with her eyes, pointing to each one of them and giving them an order.
"You check the contact network with people deployed on the street right now to get a grasp of the situation, and you wake up the clans who are resting in their residence, and summon the clans that have gone outside! Security team! You go out right now and add your hands, leaving only the minimum number of people needed for internal control!"
At her order, several people moved to do as she said, bowing their heads.
"The priority is saving lives, and finding the intruders and its cause should come next. If you encounter an intruder, immediately connect with the surrounding area... !"
"Sho, should we ask outside help…?"
Someone asked, to which Lee Ye-Eun fired out as if asking, why are you asking that?
"Are you kidding me? Is it time to take care of your pride in this situation? Ask for help wherever you can reach it right away!"
"Bu, but it could just be a small happening… If it is, we'll have to clean up the mess... ."
"Does this look like a small happening in your eyes?"
Lee Ye-Eun shoot back and pushed her finger roughly against his shoulder.
"Oh, come to think of it, your position is the highest here. Are you afraid of taking responsibility? Then I'll take full responsibility, so shut up and do as I say!"
"Yes, yes!"
Clearing up the chaos in an instant, she turned her head toward the crowd in the party hall.
"As you can see, there's a problem outside! However, nothing has been confirmed for sure yet, and panicking for no reason can be dangerous, so please move in an orderly and controlled manner!"
Surprisingly, her words instantly quieted the crowd and calmed their agitation.Her previous appearance may have given them faith, but it was also because Ahn Joo-Hyuk quickly used his ability to stabilize people's minds and bodies.
"Lee Ye-Eun-Nim."
He approached a girl who was ten years younger than him, politely.
"Even if I'm weak, I'll help. I'm sure some of my guild members are scattered across the streets. They're smart guys and probably do well."
"Thank you for the help."
The two of them began to exchange opinions.
"You don't need to care about the invited heroes and hunters. Most of them are skilled and familiar with what to do in situations like this. They are probably acting accordingly here and there to help."
"Yes, and more importantly, we don't have the extra capacity to reach out to them and control them right now. … Where the hell did they go at a time like this?"
Lee Ye-Eun tried to bite her nails as if she were nervous, but stopped.When the person in charge is nervous, it immediately spreads to the bottom like a contagious disease.Now she had to be more calm and rational than anyone else.
"You."
Although it was unavoidable, Lee Ye-Eun felt so deeply that her henchman, Shin Woo-Seok, was not here now.In the end, she looked at a woman from a clan she knew.
"Yes."
"First, contact the elders. I'm sure they will be of great help. If they say it's too much trouble and dilly-dally, yell at them that it's an order from the next head of the clan. … And just in case, go to my father, that is, the head of the clan, and check his condition... ."
"I don't think that's necessary, the next head of the clan."
The moment she heard the voice, Lee Ye-Eun literally felt like she was getting goosebumps all over her body.It was an unforgettable voice.
The very voice that always mocked her for running away like a coward that day.
"… No way."
Lee Ye-Eun involuntarily muttered in a trembling voice.When she lifted her head, a man was looking at her and waving his hand.
"You've grown a lot. Now that I look at you, you look just like my sister-in-law."
After muttering that, Lee Jae-Joon smiled softly and lifted something he was holding in his hand as if showing off.Something was woven into a rope like a dried yellow Corvina.
"Kkyaaaaaak!!!"
And the first person to realize what it was screamed at the top of their lungs to get out.
Anyone who saw the heads of those who were cut off hanging like bunches of grapes would have done it.Subsequently, people's screams erupted from here and there, and in an instant, the interior became a chaos.Lee Jae-Joon, who was giggling as if he was enjoying the scene, threw them away as if tossing them.
"Here're the grandfathers and grandmothers. Ye-Eun, I thought you might be looking for them, so I went ahead and brought them to you. But because they were old, their body was heavy."
He looked at Lee Ye-Eun with a curious expression on how she would react.
"So I just took their heads. How's it? Did this uncle help you?"
"…… ."
Lee Ye-Eun showed no reaction.People are now scrambling to get out.Even though the room was in chaos, she was calm.She just raised her head, looked at him, and muttered in a quiet voice.
"Someone, go get me a bow."
At these words, someone rushed somewhere.Lee Ye-En was still looking at him.
"You really want to die."
After thinking for a while, she opened her mouth.
"Did you come all the way here to die?"
"Who in the world wants to die?"
Lee Jae-Joon snorted as if that was nonsense.Then he looked at Lee Ye-Eun with eyes as if he were looking at his young niece playing cute tricks.
"Seeing as how your father, I mean my brother, also wants to live in that state, I think you know better."
"Very well." (Irony)
She muttered quietly.When someone came with a bow, she took it almost as if snatching.
"How dare the person who hurt him say that… !"
"Oh, right. Come to think of it, I forgot to tell you."
Lee Jae-Joon smiled proudly as he clapped.
"Congratulations, my niece. From today on, you are the real head of the clan."
Because my brother just died.At his whispering words, Lee Ye-Eun screamed and fired an arrow.Lee Jae-Joon avoided it while smiling, but when he saw Ahn Joo-Hyuk's fist that followed, he threw himself away in fright.
"Eug!"
Soon Nam Hyun-Hwa, who was floating above him, swung her sword at his neck.However, thorn rose as if it were blocking the gap between the two and easily shook off his death.
Choi Hyun-Woo and Ahn Do-Hoon, who were about to break into the battle between the two, who clearly were of different ranks, stopped moving.They realized that if they intervened without reason, they would be in the way.
Instead, Han Soo-Young raised her mana, looking for an opportunity to break in at any moment.Meanwhile, Jin Ye-Seul tilted her head and muttered.
"… What, why is that bast*rd like that?"
At those words, Yoo Ji-Hyuk's gaze shifted.With staggering steps, Na Il-Jun was heading toward Lee Ye-Eun's back.
And as soon as he saw the object he was holding in his hand, Yoo Ji-Hyuk shouted in an urgent voice.
"Ye-Seul, kill him!"
As soon as Jin Ye-Seul heard those words, she ran without hesitation.Yoo Ji-Hyuk also quickly moved Henir's shadow as if he had no time to care about other people's gaze.At this distance, moving the shadow itself is much faster than moving through the shadow.
Unfortunately, however, the faster one was not them, but Na Il-Jun.
He pushed what he held in his hand toward his own chest without hesitation, and Yoo Ji-Hyuk, seeing it, quickly split Henir's shadow in two.One wrapped around Jin Ye-Seul, who was rushing in, and dragged her back, while the other was shot towards Lee Ye-Eun.
Na Il-Jun's whole body began to burn and swelled up as if it were expanding.
Kwaaaang!Soon after, heat and flames shot out as if exploding, and just before Lee Ye-Eun got caught up, he was able to pull her out by a narrow margin.
"Ahh, uhh… !"
Lee Ye-Eun, who was in his arms, groaned painfully.Her back was covered with horrible burns, and someone was retching while watching it.
In front of Yoo Ji-Hyuk's eyes, a warning window was constantly rising.
[Warning!]
[You can feel the energy of the existence that has an absolute advantage over you!]
[Surt's flame has an unconditional advantage over those who have the power of the World Tree.]
[Be careful.]
"Ahn Joo-Hyuk-ssi!"
Surt.I couldn't understand how in the world Lee Jae-Jun had brought that, but now it was more important to heal Lee Ye-Eun's wounds.
It is the highest grade fire attack in the original story.And for Lee Ye-Eun, a member of the World Tree clan, it must have been such a pain that she literally wanted to die.It was when Yoo Ji-Hyuk, who was hugging her, shouted the name of the strongest healer in the Ten Strongest.
— ……!!!!!!
Surt, to be more precise, Na Il-Jun, whose body was covered with Surt's flames, screamed.At that strange sound, some people covered their ears as if in pain, but it was such a sharp roar that their eardrum ruptured and blood poured from between their fingers.
Its heat and sparks ignited the interior, and terrifying smoke began to rise, obscuring the view.And suddenly, it swung its fist at Yoo Ji-Hyuk.
"Heup!"
Han Soo-Young immediately twisted the space, turning the trajectory of its fist.Instantly, she got a nosebleed, but she didn't care at all.
Ivan and Lee Yu-Na respectively fired their magic arrows and weapons in the air and began to push it back.Lee Yu-Na pushed Surt with an overwhelming amount of weapon, and Ivan immediately pierced through the needle-like gap, piercing the area where Na Il-Jun's heart was located.
But he didn't stop.It meant that he had already gone beyond humanity.
"…… ."
There was the sound of pouring water from somewhere.Even without looking, Jin Ye-Seul could tell that it was the water attribute magic used by her older sister, Jin Ye-Jeong.
Instead of clicking her tongue, she rushed toward Lee Jae-Joon.She leaped at him with her unique footstep and extended her legs with sharp momentum.Lee Jae-Joon narrowly dodged her attack and quickly looked around.
Ahn Joo-Hyuk, Nam Hyun-Hwa, and Jin Ye-Seul were all rushing at him.There is no one next to Yoo Ji-Hyuk and Lee Ye-Eun anymore.
He grinned and raised his left arm.Then, in an instant, something like a tree vine engulfed Lee Jae-Joon's body.It was when the three of them were momentarily frozen by his instantaneous disappearance from the spot.
"No!"
At Han Soo-Young's urgent cry, everyone turned their attention in that direction.Lee Jae-Joon, who had moved in close to Yoo Ji-Hyuk before they knew it, quickly touched his and Lee Ye-Eun's body.
"Come on, let's go to a secret friend with uncle."
He giggled, and in an instant the vine swallowed them up.It was so quick that there was nothing to do.
All that was left was a screaming fire giant and a confused crowd.
* * *
When I felt that I was falling into an endless abyss, I first tied Lee Ye-Eun, who had lost consciousness, to my body using the branches of the World Tree.
Right beside me, Lee Jae-Joon was grinning and pulling out a spear woven from branches of the World Tree.And he shoved it away with the momentum to pierce the two of us at once without any shouts or sounds.
Without panicking, I gently pulled out the sword I had hidden in Henir's Shadow.Immediately after obtaining Margo's authority, I had kept a number of swords, spears, and bows in the shadow.
Lee Jae-Joon's spear technique was definitely beyond mastery.In the past, I would have penetrated helplessly while trying to block the tip of the shear shot toward my upper body.Without panicking, I gently swung the sword.
The spear, shot as if it were aiming at the upper body, bent immediately and turned toward my abdomen.Immediately afterward, the blade of the sword and the tip of the spear stuck, and the trajectory was immediately diverted into the air.I could feel him looking at me with surprised eyes.
"Keuh… !"
I immediately moved my sword naturally to wind it in a circular motion along the spear handle.His wrist was cut off helplessly, and in a panic, he immediately widened the distance.I followed him and tried to cut him down, but I saw him disappear as if melting in a shadow.
I was sure when I saw that.This was in Svengali's body.
"…… ."
Margo and Svengali were the Seven Evils with similar but different abilities.Perhaps that's why the description of the two being not on good terms had been mentioned several times.
The most decisive thing they had in common was that they both create their own realms.If Margo created an external one, Svengali created a dungeon-like space within his own body.Perhaps he came out expediently through Lee Jae-Joon and swallowed me and Lee Ye-Eun.
"… Tsk."
At some point, I thought the floating sensation had disappeared, so I looked around and saw that I was standing on the ground.
First, I carefully laid down Lee Ye-Eun, who was hanging on me.Her back was burnt black and her skin was sticking to my skin as if it had melted.
Surt.That guy must have been an event monster like Nidhogg.I had never even thought of trying to catch it because it was a very bad match for me, with the branches of the World Tree taking root in me.How the hell did he bring its flames?
"Huu… ."
But that fact was not important now.Her wounds were so serious that she might die if left like this.I stretched the branches of the World Tree and stuck them all over her wounds to connect her and me.
The branches of the World Tree rooted in my body naturally absorb the power of others, but conversely, they can send this energy to the other person.Originally, it would have ended with just delivering mana and energy, but she and I share the same power of the World Tree.That's why… .
"…… ."
Gradually her wounds healed and she began to return to normal.But the pace was slow.I applied the potions I had on her wound, leaving only one, but it was far from enough.It was when I was agonizing about whether there was another way.
"…… ."
"What, did you come with me?"
Mandragora, who had been hiding in my inner pocket, appeared.He looked at me and Lee Ye-Eun and tilted his head at me.As if asking if I wanted to save that person, I nodded my head.
"Help me. I'll do anything later."
Then he frowned slightly as if he didn't need anything in return.The guy who plodded along Lee Ye-Eun's opened mouth and looked at me.Then, without hesitation, he cut off his root and shook it toward me.
It couldn't be helped.Understanding what he meant, I took the root from him, put it in my mouth, and chewed it finely.Then I put some of the remaining potion in my mouth and hugged Lee Ye-Eun.
She had always been proud and imposing, but now she was hurt and even pitiful.I apologized in my heart and carefully kissed her on the mouth.Then, I pushed the potion and finely chewed Mandragora roots into her mouth.
It was when I was putting it in, little by little, so as not to spill.
"~~~~!?"
Lee Ye-Eun, who came to her senses, struggled in fright.
It really worked.I hugged her tightly once, just in case she spilled it.
Then she trembled and closed her eyes tightly.After a while, even after I put everything in her mouth, she kept her hands squeezed together and her eyes tightly closed.
"I'm sorry. The situation was too urgent."
I muttered, wiping my mouth.Mandragora had already dug back into my clothes.
"Mmm, moo… that thing earlier… What on earth… ."
"Actually… ."
I briefly explained the situation to her who was embarrassed.Her face was as red as a ripe persimmon, but she soon seemed to regain her composure at my explanation.… Her fingers were still twitching incessantly, but her expression was serious anyway.
"… I see. I'm indebted to you."
She nodded, touching her back with her hands.She probably remembered that she had been hurt.I pulled out a bow and arrows from the shadow and handed them to her.
Lee Ye-Eun stood up with her back clearly exposed.She looked as if she had been wearing an open-back dress from the beginning.And she quietly murmured to me.
"…Um, I'm shy, so please don't look at me too much."
"Oh, yes."
I nodded and looked forward.She took off her shoes and became barefoot, touched the bow a few times, and looked at me.
"So, what should I do now?"
"What can you do? You just have to die."
It was Lee Jae-Joon's voice.Before we knew it, he had appeared and was staring at us with cold eyes.I glanced at him, and the place where his right wrist was supposed to be was empty.
"Just in time. Since you're together, I can get rid of you at once."
As he snapped his fingers, five or six people appeared around him.And all of them were holding Sealing Stones that Na Il-Jun was holding, although they were smaller than the one he had.
"I've worked hard to prepare and even finish the arrangements to kill you and him. I hope you'd enjoy it."
"Ha, you wanted me to hold you hands but now you want me to die?"
"Of course, you b*stard."
Lee Jae-Joon now glared at us, not hiding his hostility.
"I will burn all the members of the World Tree clan to death. And it's the same for you too."
He snapped his finger once more, and the people who were waiting put it in their bodies like dolls.Their appearance didn't change much, but the same warning window as when Na Il-Jun changed earlier was popping up.
"Goodbye."
Lee Jae-Joon, convinced of his victory, muttered like that.Lee Ye-Eun pulled the string nervously.
The power of the World Tree wouldn't work on them.So, should I only fight with Henir's shadow?But even if it grazes... .
It was when I was agonizing about it.He touched me again.When I glanced at him, he opened his mouth wide, pointed to me and Lee Ye-Eun, and pretended to cover his ears.
I immediately rushed to Lee Ye-Eun and covered her ears with both hands.
"Eh, eh?! Wait, what's going on... !"
I immediately got out of there with Henir's shadow and covered her ears tightly.And I breathed mana into the Banshee's necklace hanging around my neck.
Banshee's Necklace (Rare)
(Limited to once a day / Choice)― When infused with mana, resistance to all 'instant death' conditions increases.― When infused with mana, most of the status abnormalities applied to the owner are removed.― When infused with mana, weakens a single opponent who is hostile to the owner.
I chose the instant death resistance that I chose for the first time.
"Okay. Just let it out!"
I immediately signaled to him that I was ready.And.
"―――――――――――!!!"
Mandragora opened his mouth as wide as he could and shouted.
