Crafting, huh.
If it’s a doppelganger, it should look exactly like me, so is it a ‘mimic’?
It was quite notorious as a frustrating mob in the original story.
It could mimic any ability as a downgraded version, so if it copied just one skill properly, it would become a real headache to deal with.
But what’s with that appearance? It’s quite different from the mimics I know.
Could it be a chimera?
“Ah, you made a chimera out of a mimic.”
[You have quite a bit of knowledge for a human. Yes, I based it on a mimic and created a chimera. Learning from the genes you left behind led to this form.]
…Does the Quartz blood flow through bodybuilding or what? Is this the family trait?
“Interesting.”
[You seem completely unconcerned. Do you think you can win against my specially created hunting dogs made by mixing hellish monsters? If they combine their strength, even Harpas would struggle.]
“Did you come here to chat or to fight? Just pick one.”
It’s ridiculous that a high-ranking demon is being a know-it-all. It makes me think that maybe Harpas is the exception and the average for demons is like this.
Strong physically but dumb as a rock.
After all, Harpas is known as one of the smartest demons, so I can understand why Agares seems a bit dull.
The standards are just too high.
I mean, this guy can’t even control a mid-boss properly; I shouldn’t expect much more. Even if he’s the superior of a mid-boss, he probably won’t be much better.
The real threat is probably breathing in a volcano somewhere.
[I’ll pluck out your insolent eyes and make you see hell for eternity.]
“Save those lines for after you catch me.”
[…Kill him. Slowly and painfully. As for the saint behind you… yes. I could use her as a toy for the cult. I’ll make her the cult’s breeding device and let you watch her suffer for the rest of her life.]
That was a speech I couldn’t just ignore.
I ignored the monster charges rushing at me and glared at Agares’ speaker. To be honest, I thought it was just a creature I had to get rid of.
Crossing a line, huh?
“C…rafting…”
I was trying to gather information cautiously, but plans have changed.
You’re dead. You bastard.
I stomped the wriggling floor. The protruding pillar that was trying to pop out of the ground couldn’t do it and broke instead.
“Agares.”
I thrust the shovel blade into the chest of the monster in front. The wooden shovel blade sank into the creature’s body without resistance. I pushed down with my foot. Just that much fixed my body as if I was using the heavy weights technique.
Thanks to the power given through the world tree.
[Ha. The blessing of the world tree…]
“You seem to be mistaken… do you think just copying that one thing can kill me?”
To kill me, you’d need at least a hundred chimeras.
I pushed the power of the world tree into the shovel blade.
Using skills on these kinds of guys would simply be a luxury.
Like a scene from a movie featuring aliens, the creature’s body was consumed, and tree vines began to grow. The vines, growing up to a size that could easily crush an adult male, literally swept over the surrounding monsters.
They seemed to still have some survival instinct as living beings, trying to escape, but is there a way to run away in such a small space?
Only one way.
Five corpses appeared in the small chamber.
“Johann, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
I retrieved the vines and glared at the messenger head of Agares, which had turned into a chunk of meat except for its head.
“I’ll come for you soon and turn you into fertilizer for this land.”
[How arrogant!]
“You’ll find out who’s truly arrogant when we meet. Think of a witty last message to put on your gravestone.”
I took off my outer clothing and wrapped the messenger’s head in it.
I still had some use for the head.
“Cidri, if you don’t want to end up like those guys, you shouldn’t be hiding anything.”
“Ask me anything!”
Cidri nodded frantically like a broken doll.
“Open your mouth.”
“What?”
“Quickly.”
Was it the effect of public punishment? Cidri looked up at me, jaw dropped wide open. I immediately broke a branch from the world tree and shoved it into her mouth.
“I’ll break you if you keep moving!”
“Stay still.”
I pulled my hand out and wiped it on Cidri’s clothes.
“If you keep having foolish thoughts, that piece of wood will turn into vines and explode your body. If you don’t want to die painfully… you better follow my orders. Got it?”
“I’ll do whatever!”
“Johann, are you okay?”
“Don’t worry. I won’t get hurt by those random lowlifes.”
It wasn’t like I was defenseless before when I only had the phoenix’s blessing. With the blessing of the world tree now, it would be hard for outsiders or demons to inflict meaningful damage on me unless they come to attack me.
As long as I’m grounded, the world tree rooted in this continent provides me with terrifying vitality and magical power.
To be blessed by the world tree means that. As long as I’m grounded in this world where the world tree is rooted, I receive overwhelming support from it. Right now, I could withstand multiple hits even from Renny.
It would hurt a lot, though.
“Karina, I think we should start heading back.”
“Yeah…”
Karina nodded, looking somewhat melancholy. What’s up with her? I asked the lovely Karina, who had her head drooped.
“Did you get hurt anywhere?”
“…No. I just… wanted to enjoy a nice banquet with Johann, and now that we’re caught up in this mess, it’s disappointing.”
“We can enjoy what we missed out on at the garden party. There won’t be anyone to interrupt us there.”
“But having time just for the two of us… it’s hard, right?”
That might be true. Millia, Elisa, and Sif wouldn’t usually leave my side.
Being too popular is a problem too.
“As long as everything goes well, we’ll have plenty of time. For now, let’s turn Agares into ground meat and then relax.”
“I… I’m not going to die, right?”
Maybe overwhelmed with fear, Cidri lost her usual tone and looked up at me with pleading eyes. She might be a troublesome sinner, but she seems to have potential, so I couldn’t kill her yet.
“If you cooperate sincerely, I’ll guarantee some treatment for you.”
“I’ll cooperate!”
“Then we need to move to a new room. Karina, do your shoes fit well?”
“Yes. They fit perfectly.”
“Then let’s go up.”
“Okay!”
We need to check if it was just us that got attacked or if the banquet hall was also attacked.
We exited the blood-soaked chamber and headed for the banquet hall.
———————-
“You’re safe! I was worried!”
Martina, who was standing at the entrance of the banquet hall, approached us with a joyful face upon spotting us.
“What happened?”
“Some knights suddenly transformed into monsters and turned the banquet hall into chaos. The captain of the knights and the remaining knights fought back, but… the damage to the nobles and the knights is significant.”
“Martina, please take me to them.”
At Karina’s request from behind me, Martina nodded and immediately turned around to shout.
“Everyone! The saint is going to treat the knights, so please make way!”
“The saint?! We’re alive!”
“Sir Quartz is also fine!”
The path opens. I hesitated for a moment on what to do with Cidri, who was being dragged by the scruff of my neck, but I set her by the entrance and told Martina.
“Watch this one so she doesn’t escape. Feel free to use magic if needed.”
“Can I really use my magic?”
“In this situation, she’s practically only slightly sturdier than a regular person, so don’t worry.”
“Got it.”
Then let’s go.
I walked with Karina through the path created by the crowd retreating, heading towards the area where the patients are gathered.
As we approached the patients, the sound of moans began to fill our ears. It seems there are more patients than I thought. I took my gaze away from the few corpses in the corner of the banquet hall and stood behind Karina.
Just like before, there might still be assassins lurking.
Fortunately, until Karina finished treating the knights and nobles, there were no further attacks.
“Thank you, saint. You’ve saved my loyal knights from death.”
“I merely did what I had to do.”
“Is that so… do you happen to know how this situation came about?”
“It seems the Agares cult has placed its spies internally.”
“Spies from the Agares cult…? Some promising knights were mixed in among the knights. Even the children of high-ranking nobles were among them… does that mean they all betrayed us?”
“I’m not sure. But… it seems highly probable that they either struck a deal with demons or were used.”
The emperor’s face darkened at my response. He was likely saddened by the tragedy occurring on this joyous day. I spoke to the emperor again.
“Your Majesty, we must halt the banquet immediately and uproot the Agares cult from the capital. If we eliminate the Agares cult’s influence from the capital and hunt down Agares, everything will be resolved.”
“My loyal knights! The empire is in crisis! But! It is not too late! From now on, declare a state of emergency throughout the capital and let loose the soldiers to apprehend all who threaten the empire’s safety! Those who resist may be killed!”
“We will follow your command!”
Good. That should keep the cult from running wild for a while. I observed the knights rushing out and locked eyes with the emperor.
“Your Majesty, I will pursue Agares with full determination.”
“Alone? Isn’t that reckless?”
“Even more fearsome demons have met their end at my hands.”
From the looks of it, he wouldn’t be overwhelmingly strong compared to Harpas. Though that’s not considering the enhanced Harpas—if I confront him now, I’m confident he’d regret the moment he opened his mouth poorly.
“…If you need anything, say it. I will grant it.”
Support from the emperor. I can’t miss this opportunity. I knelt and expressed my gratitude.
“Please grant me immunity.”
“From this moment, I grant immunity to Baron Johann Quartz until he hunts down Agares!”
“Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!”
With the emperor’s declaration,
Let’s get started.
On the hunt for Agares.
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