The Druid Who Swallowed Mother Nature - Chapter 78



Only Noblemtl

Episode 85. As Induced

“I received your greeting, so it’s my turn to return the favor.”

Cliff brushed his hand across my shoulder, his eyes glinting coldly.

In an instant, his shoulders glowed and sent out waves of strange magical energy.

It was an omen announcing the relic’s movement.

‘It’s coming off strong from the start.’

It was something that even those at the bottom would be reluctant to use even once, but Cliff did not hesitate.

After all, even the Thorson Expedition’s adjutant, Chelsea, used the relics for personal use.

It was only natural that Cliff, the leader of the expedition, would possess many relics.

Phagec!

I pulled the trigger immediately.

The M2 Maximum left a clear trajectory even when fired by surprise, but it was not very effective.

This was because a transparent barrier had already formed in a circular shape around the guy’s entire body.

“The shield that could survive being hit by a truck has a scratch on it. That’s pretty good for a musketeer. It looks like they’re using special bullets.”

“If that’s the only way you can protect yourself, then I’m very disappointed.”

“Don’t be so excited. I’ll show you some talent that will satisfy you soon.”

Cliff, who was whining, threw away the ring he was wearing on his finger.

Swish!

The debris of the building and the sand of the desert began to rise into the air and coalesce around the ring.

Thick timbers were used as pillars for the barracks, and compressed sand served as muscles and skin.

Soon the figure of a giant armored bull was completed.

“He is the guardian who guarded the tomb of the ancient king. He is the one who destroyed dozens of exploration teams.”

Phew!

The two horns absorbed the swirling whirlwind and vibrated, releasing a majestic sound.

The beast, the size of a house, gave weight to the atmosphere simply by being there.

“What a waste. If you had handed over that relic to the city’s powerful, you could have received a wagon filled with gold.”

“Isn’t this the privilege of being a member of a relic exploration team? You seem confident in your skills, so why don’t you try playing around?”

It was the moment Cliff beckoned.

Doo doo doo doo!

The bull, whose hooves had been kicking the sand, charged, kicking the ground.

A heavy weight that shakes the earth.

A terrible feeling of oppression transmitted by wind pressure.

I even had experience stopping a truck from the front, but it was nothing compared to the bull in front of me.

“The World Tree commands the spirits.”

The World Tree, which had gained a lot of combat experience with me, now acted like my hands and feet without any specific instructions.

The vines that grew thickly in the path of the charging bull entangled his feet.

Kwajik!

Since the opponent is the opponent, you can’t expect a huge benefit.

That was actually the case.

The guy was a tank.

The rush of overwhelming mass tore through all obstacles that could hinder its progress like a sheet of paper.

The vines did not stop the bull’s charge, but they did succeed in slowing it down.

The results were exactly as expected.

The pressure of the wind alone has brought the limbs to a bearable level where they would be torn off if you approached them.

“Synchronization is in progress!”

The light from the watchman’s tattoo spread throughout his body.

The blood in his body boiled with overflowing energy, and his sharp eagle vision pierced through the enemy’s gaps.

Thud!

I jumped into the air as if I was flying and let the wind take me.

The bull’s horns were wrapped around his palm as if being sucked in.

Toodoodoodoo!

“Kwaaak!”

“What, what is this monster!”

“It’s the captain’s relic! Sa, save me… … kekekeke!”

In a fierce sandstorm caused by the hooves of a bull.

The bull’s charge destroyed the rickety buildings and trampled all living things without regard for the ground.

The battlefield that had once been a wasteland turned into a battlefield of chaos.

Although the grandeur was great, it was only a half-success.

He never targeted the corpses he trampled over.

I was already on top of the guy’s head.

Phew!

After circling the battlefield once, the guy finally felt my presence and started roaring and rampaging even more violently.

Maintaining balance on top of a beast as big as a house was almost like an acrobatic feat, but there were many superhumans in this world who could do such feats.

And now I am qualified to add my name to that list.

Kwajik!

He pierced the back of the guy’s neck with the aura that grew above his fingernails and released his hand that was holding onto the horn.

I landed on the floor.

Choaack!

The claws dug deep into the sandy skin, drawing a line down the creature’s spine.

Instead of blood, sand gushed out like a fountain from the bull whose back had been dug up.

[… … !]

A silent scream swept through the area like a wave.

Yet the huge body did not collapse.

The guardian guarding the ancient king’s tomb boasted a formidable armor that matched its size.

For a moment, it seemed as if it was staggering on all fours, but then it straightened up again and turned sharply.

It was a cleaner turn than the drift of a nimble racing car.

I took a few steps back lightly.

“… … !”

The bull ran past me as if he didn’t see me this time.

At the end of that path was a cliff.

“Don’t return it. It wasn’t a gift I really liked.”

“how……!”

Cliff’s voice was devoid of the composure of the past.

The bull born from the relic is not the type of weapon that Cliff controls directly.

That’s why there was room to dig in.

Totem of illusion.

This totem is woven from the stem of the hypnos plant, which is used as a raw material for drugs.

The energy of the totem that was directly inserted into the spine that had been torn by the claws was reflected in the bull’s two eyes in a red light.

It’s the same principle as bullfighting.

The excited beast was unable to distinguish between the two and simply attacked the living creature in front of it.

Woohoo!

Cliff’s pupils constricted to a point.

An invisible energy gripped the bull’s entire body like a giant’s grip.

The ability to block the first bullet is telekinesis.

Of course, bullets and bulls were different.

The massive impact that destroyed buildings and exploded human bodies was too much of a shock to be blocked by psychic powers alone.

‘No, that’s not all.’

Thud!

It sounded like a piece of wood being split.

The bull’s forelegs were twisted, broken, and bent in the opposite direction at the joints.

The massive bull’s body was mangled and mangled, as if a child had been playing with a doll.

Kwaaaaah!

The bull lost control of his body and fell down.

His head was broken and his spine was broken.

The halved body of the bull slid in front of the cliff, carrying with it a cloud of sand that rose into the sky.

I discovered a faint, flickering light in the sand dust scattered in the hazy air.

“A distortion following telekinesis? What a threatening combination.”

Cliff’s two pupils were painted in contrasting colors, glowing eerily.

That harmonious yet threatening combination is more a matter of… … than of innate ability.

“Did you even transform your own body into a relic?”

“They’re smarter than those idiots who replace their natural bodies with machines.”

“I think there are quite a few people who would be saddened to hear that statement. Personally, I agree with that, though.”

Artifacts are better than machines.

Considering the value and capabilities of the relic, it was a worthwhile investment.

The success story was right before my eyes.

Cliff seemed to have read my mention as a frustrated mood and regained his composure.

I laughed at that guy.

I’m not finished talking yet.

“But it’s still the same as saying that it’s a mess.”

The bull’s sandy skin and muscles were scattered, and its wooden frame collapsed.

The ring lost its power and fell to the ground, becoming buried in the sand.

The ring would never again function as a relic.

“Relics are not omnipotent. They have limitations.”

It could be a tricky operation, a time limit, or a number of times.

Transplantation of the relic body.

I’ve put this into practice in countless of my gameplay rounds.

However, it wasn’t an attractive enough choice to repeat over and over again.

“Those eyes… … are they a glutton for life? The price you pay for using your abilities that are beyond your capabilities.”

“… … You’re a contractor with a lot of knowledge. Does your ability really match your connections with the Magic Tower? You’re really a beggar.”

Cliff’s complexion looked as if it had been stripped of some of its vitality.

Every word he spat out through gritting teeth proved my guess to be true.

“I guess it’s your nature to do things beyond your means.”

You won’t become invincible just by collecting a bunch of great relics and embedding them in your body.

If such expedients had been common, corporate leaders and city governments would not have had to frantically gather together people who could become more useful swords.

In the end, a shortcut was just a shortcut.

The destruction of Cliff and Thorson’s expedition may have been inevitable.

“It wasn’t just because of the achievements that he was so obsessed with the relics that he was prepared to go to war with the Magic Tower. He might have wanted something to alleviate the side effects, or he might have tried to find a new relic so that he wouldn’t have to use the eye.”

“… … .”

“You hit the nail on the head. You’re speechless. If you wanted to hide something, shouldn’t you at least make an excuse?”

“… … Contractor, there’s one more reason why I shouldn’t let you live.”

“That’s a satisfactory response. If I just get out of here and spread a rumor, it’ll be enough to screw you over.”

It’s an expedition where conflicts with colleagues are a daily occurrence.

What would happen if Cliff revealed to them his hidden weakness?

Even if it had not been a planned failure, the Thorson expedition’s continued success would have likely become a past glory.

“Your expedition was already destroyed while you were engaging in a petty fight with me.”

Even the situation was unfavorable to Cliff.

The battle reached a lull.

It would be an exaggeration to call what was left a cleanup of the remnants.

It would be okay to call it cleaning.

Cliff lost everything before he could even settle the score with me.

“If you surrender before you see anything worse, I will spare your life and lead you to the Magic Tower. Surrender.”

“… … .”

There was no future for Cliff anymore.

If the leader of an organization does not acknowledge this, then it is unqualified.

I don’t know if the Tower will treat him humanely, but at least he will be able to survive.

My offer of surrender was a reasonable one.

“That’s a very presumptuous suggestion, contractor.”

Cliff refused.

“You should say something like that after you cut off my arms and legs.”

He untied the belt around his waist.

A dozen or so relics that had been tied up there were freed from their restraints and floated into the air.

“If I can just get my hands on the ruins, I can reassemble the expedition team with stronger and more capable people. If I just kill you here! Everything will go back to normal!”

It was truly madness.

I don’t know where my confidence that everything will work out comes from.

Originally, I wasn’t going to listen to the stories of crazy people.

Woohoo!

A distorted wave felt from the right hand holding the gun.

Cliff’s eyes were dazzlingly bright like neon signs on a night street.

‘Woodgrass.’

Kkwaduk!

As the bark grew over the skin, the swirling pressure crushed it.

bang!

I thrust my gun into the muddled bark and fired.

Can react.

The combination of telekinesis and distortion may be tricky, but it’s not a panacea.

The means to deal with it were already after the estimate had been made.

Clang!

Cliff, unfazed, unfolded the sacred parchment.

The special bullets instantly melted into the holy light emanating from the parchment.

Then the parchment melted away, leaving behind only a halo of light that permeated Cliff’s entire body and glowed softly.

Judging from the fact that it contains melted special bullets, it seems to be an artifact with defensive properties.

No, that glow that has melted into the body is… … an enhancement of physical abilities.

Wedge!

The moment Cliff hit the ground, the guy’s new form turned into an arrow and shot out.

The distance between them converged to zero in the blink of an eye.

In the guy’s two hands he was holding a longsword that was emitting an ominous aura.

Take a big step, keep your center of gravity strong, twist your waist and bounce.

The pure white blade swung down like lightning, pulsing with a fierce murderous intent.

Whisper!

The totem of protection, the lignified trunk of the world tree, was torn like a piece of paper in front of the sword.

A speed that could barely be kept up with even with body vision synchronized with the sentinel’s.

The sharpness of a famous sword that nullifies all my defenses.

It didn’t end there.

Doo doo doo doo!

The stick that had risen into the sky split into eight pieces, which bounced off each other and stuck into the ground.

A hemispherical curtain was spread out around the stakes that marked the eight directions.

A type of barrier that separates the outside world from the inside.

Kkwarreung!

What fell into it was lightning.

The trunk of the World Tree, spread out like an umbrella, was roasted golden by lightning.

Cliff, on the other hand, appeared unfazed by the lightning strike.

Perhaps it’s another relic’s function.

“It’s not like you’re decorating a stage for a performance, but the preparations are quite splendid.”

Each and every one of these artifacts boasted an astronomical price, and he used them solely to deal with me.

Each ability, power, and combination.

None of it could be ignored.

“This is the grave you will be buried in. I am glad you like it.”

It’s a waste of power to deploy it all on just one contractor.

A fatal technique that the guy was probably hiding.

“This is a courtesy towards the enemy who set the stage for the great plan that would lead me to the top of this world. Die knowing it as an honor.”

“You have a long tongue, but you seem unfamiliar with lying.”

“… … ?”

“You should have said it right away. I was just worried that I might run away.”

Although he was pretending to be relaxed, he couldn’t hide his impatience when faced with the sharp eyes of an eagle.

“Is this all you have?”

What’s scary is not the open sword, but the hidden gun.

A sword that has already been revealed is not scary at all.

The guy was so anxious that he threw away all the cards he had.

It is because I was wary of the possibility of escape that I mentioned.

“I should thank you for following my lead.”

In reality, it was the opposite.

I was the one who was on guard, worried that he might run away.

As I was wary of what kind of extraordinary relic would lead me to desert the battlefield, he provided the perfect stage for me.

“… … !”

Cliff tried to move, as if he had a great intuition that something was wrong, but it was too late.

“Declare territory.”