Chapter 206: The Elf Chief and the Dwarf Chief

“Is this… the World Tree!?”

Learning that the true identity of the Spirit Tree worshipped by the Elves was the World Tree, I raised a voice of astonishment.

“Eh!? By World Tree, you mean that legendary…!?”

“The one said in mythology to be the mother of all trees!?”

At my words, everyone else also realized that this tree was the World Tree and showed expressions of surprise.

And naturally so. Because the World Tree’s other name is ‘the world’s largest weed’!

Certainly, in mythology it was said to be the first tree planted by the Gods, and the various materials harvested from it could be processed into many high-quality materials… they could, but aside from that, it was also famous for being an extremely troublesome tree.

First of all, when it grows, it becomes incredibly huge.

Because it grows by pushing aside everything in its surroundings, building a town or facility near a World Tree results in a catastrophe, and depending on the situation, it can cause major disasters like damming up nearby rivers or causing mountains to collapse.

Furthermore, because it’s so huge, if a World Tree is nearby, the town falls under its shadow and laundry doesn’t dry at all.

Also, troubles caused by the World Tree were endless, such as monsters riding on its leaves being blown off by strong winds and falling to the ground, causing massive panic. Because of this, whenever a sprout or sapling of a World Tree was found, people would hurriedly cut it down or replant it to move it somewhere else.

It’s such a super-massive tree that even Elves, who value harmony with nature, had no choice but to adopt a policy of thinning it out when it came to the World Tree.

After all, with that massive body, the nutrients it required to grow were tremendous, and considering the growth of other trees, they couldn’t just leave it to multiply endlessly.

To think they are protecting the World Tree, a synonym for a nuisance plant—what on earth does this mean!?

“To think Lord Rex knew of the World Tree…!?”

However, for some reason, Sharaza-san was surprised that I knew about the World Tree.

“There’s no ‘to think’ about it; it’s obvious at a glance!”

After all, it’s the world’s largest weed. It’s so famous that it’s always visible no matter where you are, and it was known as the very first weed a young child learns the name of.

“No, that cannot be true. This World Tree is the final remaining specimen in the world, you know? To be able to tell just by looking at it…”

“Eh? The final one!?”

This World Tree is the final remaining specimen in the world!? That World Tree which was said to grow endlessly if left alone!?

Hm? Huh? …But now that I think about it, since being born in this life, I don’t think I have any memories of seeing a World Tree…

Because it existed so naturally, I never even paid attention to whether it was there or not.

That being said, it’s still incomprehensible that the World Tree has disappeared except for this single one.

What on earth happened!?

“Umu, that is the case. This World Tree is the last World Tree in the world. And the fruit that this tree has finally produced is what the monsters from earlier are aiming for.”

“I see. If it’s the fruit of that legendary World Tree, it’s no wonder monsters are aiming for it.”

“That’s right. If it’s a fruit grown on the legendary Great Tree, it surely possesses incredible power. After all, it’s the first tree created by the Gods.”

While I was looking back on my past memories, everyone raised voices of understanding, going “I see.”

No, no, the World Tree is certainly a troublesome tree that tries to suck up all the nutrients in its surroundings from the roots, so its fruit is correspondingly nutritious, but it’s still not something you’d call legendary!?

That being said, if there’s no one in this era who has seen a World Tree, I suppose it’s treated as something rare?

Ah, but maybe people in the past got sick of the World Tree’s reproduction and scattered something like a World-Tree-herbicide instead of a regular herbicide.

So that’s probably why there aren’t any World Trees in the countries around here?

The World Tree is the world’s largest weed. No matter how much World-Tree-herbicide was used, I can’t imagine it vanishing from the world completely. Just like this tree here.

So it’s only the people around here for whom the World Tree doesn’t exist, and if you look at the world, there are probably countries where the World Tree exists normally.

And in those countries, they’re probably troubled by the World Tree growing again.

At any rate, thinking about it that way, it makes sense why everyone doesn’t know about the World Tree.

If you drive away the pests, it’s natural that the number of children who don’t know the danger of the pests will increase.

Because they exterminated the World Tree, the need to pass down how troublesome the World Tree is probably disappeared as well.

That being said, the request we accepted this time isn’t to manage the World Tree.

It’s strictly to exterminate the monsters aiming for the World Tree’s fruit.

Adventurers do not meddle in unnecessary matters. We are professionals who strictly accomplish the requested tasks.

If the World Tree grows too much and causes a terrible situation, the Elves will probably manage it themselves at that time.

“Ah, could it be that the monsters aiming for the World Tree’s fruit are actually monsters someone brought in for the purpose of exterminating the World Tree?”

And maybe the descendants of those monsters, who turned wild after the World Tree disappeared, found this tree and gathered here.

Hmm, maybe that’s surprisingly not incorrect.

“What’s wrong, Rex-san?”

While I was deep in thought, Liliera-san called out to me wondering what was going on.

“No, I was just thinking a bit about the World Tree. Wondering how to protect it from the monsters.”

Yeah, the origin of the monsters is something we can’t do anything about even if we think about it.

Focus on the job, focus.

“Then I will introduce you to the chiefs. Please follow me.”

” ” ” ” ” “Okay~” ” ” ” ” “

“Kyuu!”

Guided by Sharaza-san, we headed towards the elders of the village.

“This way.”

“Eh?”

What Sharaza-san pointed at was not the fort covering the World Tree, but a path extending upwards from the base of the World Tree.

“Is this… a path carved into the trunk of the tree?”

The path was made by utilizing the wrinkles in the World Tree’s trunk, and in places where there were no wrinkles, it was carved out into a shape like a half-tunnel.

“Heh, making a pathway like this is interesting.”

While finding the unusual Great Tree path interesting, we climbed up the World Tree’s pathway, and an astonishing sight spread out atop the branches.

“This is… a town!?”

Yes, atop the branches of the World Tree, a giant town was spread out.

The top surfaces of the branches were carved flat to make roads, and numerous houses lined them.

“A-Amazing!”

“Amazing, there are houses built…”

Looking up, the shadows of artificial structures could be seen on the upper branches as well.

And the houses weren’t just on top of the branches. There were also houses made by carving into the trunk and attaching doors.

“To think they’d build a town on top of the World Tree…”

This is surprising. To think they’d build a town on top of that World Tree.

But maybe this is acceptable… I guess?

After all, the surroundings of the World Tree are in a situation where buildings cannot be carelessly constructed due to the World Tree growing larger every day.

Thinking about it that way, building the town on the World Tree itself, where it won’t receive damage from the World Tree, might surprisingly be a good idea.

“Someone really came up with an amazing idea.”

As expected, I have to take my hat off to this concept.

“The elders are in the meeting hall in the trunk up ahead.”

What Sharaza-san pointed at was a room—no, a meeting hall—carved into the trunk, located about halfway around the path on the trunk.

“That’s unexpected. Because you called them elders, I totally thought they would be somewhere higher up.”

Yeah, I thought the same thing.

To think they would be in the lower layers, not that far from the ground.

“In this Village of the Spirit Tree, the lower layers, which have become too hard to be processed ever again, are good locations. Therefore, the elderly elders live in the lower layers, and the youth live in the upper layers, which are easy to process.”

“Heh, interesting.”

Hm? The World Tree is too hard to be processed?

I feel like another strange statement just flew by…

I thought about asking about that doubt, but before I could, Sharaza-san opened the door and went inside.

“Elders, Sharaza has returned. Together with the strong warriors of the human race.”

As we entered slightly behind, past Sharaza-san, on the opposite side of the room, there were the figures of several elderly people sitting on chairs carved into the World Tree.

I see, those are the elders.

Since it’s dim inside the room, it’s hard to make out their expressions.

“You have returned, Sharaza. So where are the human warriors?”

“Right here.”

Sharaza-san introduced us.

“These are the strong warriors of the human race who accepted my request.”

“…What?”

However, upon seeing our figures, the elders’ voices clearly became displeased.

“Sharaza. Were you deceived by humans?”

“Huh?”

“Did we not teach you? Humans are a race whose lives are far shorter than ours. There is no way human children could be of any use in a battle against those monsters.”

“No, that is not true! They splendidly defeated the monsters attacking the village with their tremendous magic! Their ability is genuine!”

Ah, this is the scene I saw down below earlier.

As if to prove that, the argument between Sharaza-san and the elders continued… or so it seemed, but a loud noise echoing through the room stopped it.

“Shut up, you Elf geezers.”

The one who stopped them was an old man with a small, sturdy build and a rich beard.

Yeah, there’s no mistake, he’s a Dwarf.

The fact that he’s here probably means he’s the representative of the Dwarf tribe.

That sound just now seems to be the sound of him striking a shield propped against the wall with his axe.

And the fact that the Dwarf elder stopped the conversation means that what comes next is…

“If you don’t understand their ability, you’ll know immediately if you fight.”

Thought so.

“Take up your weapon, brat.”

The Dwarf chief readied the axe in his hand and challenged me to a battle without a moment’s delay.

“Understood.”

I also drew my sword and took a stance.

“Eh!? Wait a minute!? Why is it suddenly turning into a fight!?”

A panicked Liliera-san stepped in to stop it, but the Dwarf chief showed no sign of stopping because of that.

“Move aside, missy. You’ll get hurt.”

“Liliera-san, this is the way of the Dwarves.”

“I’ve never heard of such a way!?”

“Dwarves are a race that emphasizes ability, so their culture dictates that showing your power is the quickest way to persuade them.”

“What is that!?”

“Hoh, you understand quite well, brat.”

Hearing my explanation, the Dwarf chief widened his eyes in surprise.

“I heard it from an acquaintance who was a Dwarf a long time ago.”

“I see. That saves the trouble of explaining.”

Saying only that, the Dwarf chief stepped forward, so I also stepped forward in the same way.

The Dwarf chief’s weapon is a double-edged battle axe.

The battle axe has a long handle, twice his height, easily covering the racial difference in physique.

Rather, since he can swing it around lightly with a Dwarf’s physical strength, including the reach, I’m at a disadvantage.

In this situation, if I were to fight normally, I should use magic in conjunction, but when it comes to testing a Dwarf’s ability, I want to hold back on magic.

They’ll acknowledge my ability as a warrior including the strength of using magic, but a battle fully utilizing weapons and the physical body is better received by them, after all.

“Here I come!”

The Dwarf chief charged forward, thrusting the battle axe like a spear.

Because there’s a spike attached to the tip, if it pierces me, I won’t get off lightly.

“Hup.”

Instead of a last-second evasion, I evaded the Dwarf chief’s attack with a leap, leaving plenty of leeway.

Then, using his right hand as a fulcrum, the Dwarf chief pushed the battle axe with his left hand, spinning the axe a half-turn to follow up with an attack against me.

This right here. This is why Dwarves are scary: even with a heavy, powerful weapon, their fighting style doesn’t make you feel its weight at all.

At any rate, thanks to evading with leeway, I succeeded in avoiding the Dwarf chief’s follow-up attack.

However, it was quite a slow attack; was he checking to see if I’m a worthy opponent to fight seriously?

If so, the real thing probably starts now.

“Not bad.”

The Dwarf chief floated a smirk.

“You attack next.”

Saying that, the Dwarf chief readied his battle axe again.

That stance needed no evasion. It was filled with strong confidence, as if showing he would catch every attack.

I see. He understands that I can dodge his attacks. So next, he wants me to prove if I can unleash an attack sufficient to defeat the enemy.

“Then… here I come!”

“Come!”

I readied my sword at my hip, and swung it horizontally towards the side of the battle axe held by the Dwarf chief.

“Iron Severing!!”

Iron Severing. It is an attack passed down among Dwarves used to compare the performance of each other’s weapons.

A sword technique meant solely for a one-on-one trial, where you relax the power in your whole body and bet everything on a single strike utilizing every joint in your body, without thinking about what comes after.

Literally a technique that is the epitome of inefficiency.

◆ Liliera◆

I saw it.

“Iron Severing!!”

The moment I thought Rex-san’s body disappeared, a strange, high-pitched Hiiin sound was heard.

The next moment, a storm raged inside the room.

Goooooohh!!

“What!?”

The sound of the storm was so loud I couldn’t even hear my own voice.

The storm lasted for an instant.

The wind stopped immediately, but the sound was so tremendous it seemed to have deafened my ears; there was a ringing sound, making it hard to hear surrounding sounds.

And then, light shone into the dark room.

“Hmm?”

Looking closely, light was leaking from the wall behind the Dwarf chief.

Was there a window for lighting in a place like that?

The light was long and thin, as if cut by some kind of blade.

…As thin as if cut by a blade… Surely not… right?

I gently looked towards Rex-san, and Rex-san was looking at the light leaking from the wall with a face that seemed to say, ‘Oops!’.

Ah, yeah. I understand. No explanation is needed. Rather, please don’t explain, I beg of you.

“I-I’m sooorry! I overdid it~!”

Ah, he explained it! I wanted to ignore it as if nothing happened!

“I’m truly sorry! It cut much cleaner than I expected, so I ended up cutting the wall behind you as well!”

“…”

The Dwarf chief remained completely motionless in his stance, holding his battle axe, whose blade had been cleanly split in two.

“U-Umm…”

When Rex-san timidly looked at the Dwarf chief’s face…

“…Thud.”

The Dwarf chief had fainted.

Yeah, that’s what happens, doesn’t it.