Gacha Addict in a Matriarchal World

Chapter 144: Betrayer (3)

“Kuhk!”

She probably didn’t expect arrows to be fired three times in quick succession from a crossbow, especially since it was a relatively weak Wrist Crossbow, and even more so that it could pierce through her shield.

Tuberose twisted her arrow-impaled neck and pouted, but I had no intention of waiting quietly.

I swiftly swung the Unicorn Dagger that had been freed as the shield shattered.

“Hup!”

“Ahhh!”

Tuberose, deeply cut in both eyes. As she closed her emerald-green shining eyes and began to shed bloody tears, only then did the people who had been frozen regain their movements.

With arrows stuck in her neck and the implanted power in her eyes lost, it seemed she was incapacitated...but I had to make sure of it.

“Utcha.”

Not stopping here just in case, I proceeded to sever the tendons of her limbs.

Slash.

“Kyaaak! You bastard! How dare you, human!!”

“Ha! The standard racist fucking elf. Aam!”

Do you know the term “Royal Road”? It refers to the conventional plot progression that everyone knows how the next part will unfold, yet they enjoy watching it despite knowing.

Tuberose rolling on the ground right before my eyes is a good example.

An elf who, unable to love her own race, despises other races, isn’t that a kind of stereotype?

In Pangrave, there was a time when they lost the World Tree and their confidence and status plummeted, so there are no such racist elves...

Seeing one like this is really satisfying. Even the process of being hit by the arrow didn’t deviate by a hair from my expectations, so that satisfaction has doubled.

When things in the world fall into place just how I want them to, there’s always a peculiar thrill, isn’t there?

I threw a few low-grade potions at Lemon and Apple, who were making blank expressions from behind me.

“Take it.”

“Hey? What is this....”

“No way, don’t tell us you want to save her, Sir Jonah?”

“We need to find the place where Miss Eve is, so she can’t die.”

I shrugged once and slyly lifted the corners of my mouth into a grin.

“So make sure she doesn’t die. Yeah. It’s fine as long as she doesn’t die.”

“As expected, Sir Jonah. You really thought this through.”

“I’ll keep her life on the line for you, so don’t worry.”

Lemon and Apple understood my words and smiled slyly. Tuberose’s face twisted in a snarl, but that’s not my concern.

With the sudden neutralization of the ringleader, silence spread over the battlefield. Receiving everyone’s concentrated gazes, I calmly adjusted my attire. ℟

I raised my collar, rolled up my sleeves for ease of movement, and loosened my tie appropriately.

I went all out to match the dress code and wear nice clothes, and what is this?

I let out a long sigh and then spread my arms wide as if to show off.

“Just in case, I’m asking, does anyone have a pact with One Who Devours the Twilight besides Tuberose?”

“Uh, no! I don’t know why Mother did that, but...at least neither I nor anyone else is involved!”

Rosemary refuted, shedding tears mixed with frustration and sorrow. The other elves nodded in agreement toward her.

I nodded approvingly at their expressions.

“Then you have to prove it.”

“...?”

“To be honest, it’s tough. If Shadow was okay...”

“Okay. Hold on.”

This time, I need to concentrate a bit more. I pause my breathing for a moment and fully immerse my consciousness inward.

My heart. Deeper than that, I gaze deeply into my soul, which resides even further within.

Among the Powers united with my soul, the currently active and thus brightest power. I extract the power of Basilieus to its fullest and concentrate it on a single point.

Towards the Ash Tree Crown placed on my head, not the surrounding trees nor my body.

I don’t know if it will succeed. Though it’s a manifestation of a Power, I chose it based on the vague feeling that if it’s a tree, then perhaps it’s possible.

Fortunately, I was right.

Thud-

A much louder sound than when I manipulated all the trees in the banquet hall, resounded. A far more threatening feeling, reminiscent of a gigantic oak tree collapsing.

At the same time, the crown worn on my head grows and covers my entire body.

Thus, the completed form strikingly resembles the King of Thorns, who was the Floor Guardian of the first floor.

Since this is an extension of Power, it is not a mere wooden armor. To put it precisely, it feels more like an armored suit that strengthens and protects the entire body.

“That appearance....”

Benny’s mouth dropped open, and I waved my hand towards her.

“That’s enough, so please focus on the battle. When the time comes, please counterattack immediately.”

Perhaps because I was also wearing a helmet made of thorns on my face. My voice resonates deeply. Thinking that it exuded a strange sense of intimidation, I nodded in satisfaction and pounded the ground.

Fuhong!

The sunken terrain and the rapidly accelerating landscape.

My leg strength hasn’t necessarily improved, nor has my agility grown a few levels.

I just directly manipulated the armor of thorns with Basilieus’s power to move more forcefully.

With just a few steps, I surged into the battlefield and arrived where Lydia, Shadow, and the iron-armed Mentor were clashing.

Shadow, engulfed in the flames of the Phoenix, had its regenerative ability sharply diminished, and therefore unable to fight properly or escape, while Lydia was in a situation where she couldn’t fully demonstrate her own abilities because she was protecting and fighting alongside Shadow.

In the meantime, I suddenly intervened and embraced Shadow.

–Grrrr?!

Shadow, realizing that the fire clinging to its body was dangerous, was startled and tried to move away, but.

“It’s okay.”

The thorny armor draped over my body may appear to be wood, but strictly speaking, it’s not genuine wood but a part of my Power.

In other words, it cannot be burned easily, and even if it does, it can regenerate endlessly.

“So, give it all to me.”

I scraped off all the outer parts of Shadow’s amorphous body with my thorns.

As the flesh ignited with fire fell away, Shadow regained its original form. At the same time, my body began to blaze fiercely while still wearing the armor of thorns.

Crackle!

The Phoenix flames transferred from Shadow to me will not extinguish until Tania dies or I remove this heavy armor.

Then, what I need to do is clear.

With my entire body ablaze, I charged towards the iron-armed Mentor that Lydia was handling alone.

Like pulling back a bowstring, I retracted my clenched fist. And then.

“Fire Punch!”

The burning fist was swung towards iron-armed heretic.