300 chapters, hype.
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—
/ROAAARR!!/
"..."
'There wasn't much time left. He needed to make a choice. Before it was too late.'
'It was true he could continue to strike down at the beast... But eventually, time and time again, it would resurface. Healed from whatever injuries it suffered.'
'He could drink potions to recover, but no matter how much he tried to force his body to handle the side effects of continuous potion usage, he wouldn't be able to cope with both at the same time.'
'And then... At some point, he wouldn't be able to push it down anymore.'
'He had to make a choice.'
/Inhale…/
'Silver took a deep breath as he closed his eyes.'
/Shuffle…/
"...Hm?"
"...!"
/Smile/
"?"
'For Talvi's confusion, Silver suddenly smiled. An idea springing in his mind.'
"Hey." He said as he remained still, not turning around as he faced the Swamp King
"Wh… T-Th…"
'Conversely, Talvi trembled as she faced the monster.'
'Every cell in her body screamed in fear; they told her to run, but her mind told her to stay, even if reluctantly.'
'How was the man before her so calm? What drove him... No, an adventurer forward?'
"If you're here, it means you're ready to die, right?" He asked as he rested his halberd on his shoulder
"Huh?!"
"Heh... I like that." He mumbled to himself as he touched his chin
"HUH?!"
'Talvi's expression suddenly changed as her cheeks got slightly flushed.'
"It's not every day I see someone like you… So…"
/FWOOOOOOOOSH!/
'The Swamp King swung its claws at Silver, trying to squash him down!'
"KYA!!"
/BAAAM!/
'The claw slammed down on them!'
"!!...?..."
What happened?... I'm still…
'Talvi slowly opened her eyes, and what she saw startled her.'
'Opposite to her, Silver remained with one arm raised, holding the Swamp King's claw as he smiled.'
'Underneath them, the ground cracked and shattered, but it remained sturdy thanks to an invisible force...'
"... Let's make a gamble, you and I." Silver said as he pushed the claw aside momentarily before punching upward!
/BOOOOOM!/
/ROAAAARR!/
'With one strike, the entire arm of the Swamp King exploded, and the beast retreated to the Spring again.'
'This time, Silver did not even spare it a glance, fed up with its actions.'
"G-Gamble? What are you even…"
'But Silver wasn't paying attention to her anymore.'
"You three, how long do you all plan to watch? I can't keep this up forever."
'Against her expectations, Silver turned to the side, speaking to a bush near them…'
/Topple!/
'From within, a group of three girls awkwardly fell onto the cold, hard ground…'
/Sizzle…/
"KYA?! Get off me, Kaede! AHHH! T-TO-TOO CLOSE!!" Momiji exclaimed as she saw her hair corrode in a small puddle of poison
'Obviously, Momiji, Kaede, and Haruhime finally arrived after their small adventure!'
"Wh… Who are you three?" Talvi asked as a confused glare formed on her face
I don't remember seeing them before... They look pretty unique... They seem to know each other but I would've been notified of guests.
"I told you we shouldn't have hidden!" Kaede exclaimed as her arms trembled as cold sweat formed on her skin
'Her face was so close to a puddle of poison she could see her reflection in it… Its smell was so strong it made her faint... Wait... Maybe it was the toxins...'
"DON'T TRY TO MIX THE TRUTH AGAIN!! You were the one who didn't want to 'break the moment' again!" Momiji exclaimed as she grew even angrier
"T-Te hee..."
/Gulp.../
She's really angry this time...
'Kaede smiled helplessly as she slowly pushed herself out of harm's way. Swallowing dry as she avoided locking gaze with her friend.'
'Meanwhile, someone else began to run...'
"Sil… C-Captain!" Haruhime exclaimed as she ran towards him, only to stumble midway and be caught by him
"!"
/Red…/
/Whistle…/
'Because of the stone fragments on the ground, Haruhime quickly lost her balance and fell, it was obvious this would happen.'
'And the moment she fell onto his arms, she instantly got super red, hiding her face from everyone… On his chest.'
'Somehow, she felt less embarrassed doing that than getting away from him, which was certainly odd...'
"Sh-She's good…"
"Even in this situation…"
'At the same time, Kaede and Momiji watched in awe at Haruhime's "technique", baffled by her "courage" in making a move even in this chaotic and severe situation.'
'Of course, they couldn't fathom the boring truth that, in reality, she wasn't trying at all and was merely an airhead.'
"..."
'Talvi looked at them all with a hollow stare.'
'Smiling as he ignored Haruhime's blush, Silver tapped her head as he turned his head to face the Spring, saying:'
"You're right on time."
/SLAM!/
/CLANG!/
'The Swamp King was trying to attack them, but an invisible barrier blocked it whenever it tried.'
'So in its endless rage, it could only continue to slam its fillers on the air.'
/Sweat.../
'But this was taking its toll on Silver as even with each passing moment, his expression grew a little paler.'
"I can't keep this for long, so I'll keep this brief." He said as he grew serious, and so did the others
'Enough playing, time to work.'
'He turned back to face the girls, proud:'
"First... Good job leading her here, Momiji, Kaede... But this is enough from you two. Stay back, and I'll take care of the rest."
"I don't want to sound rude, but this is still too much for the both of you to handle."
"No problem!" Kaede exclaimed as she saluted
"... There were some complications on the way, but a report can wait, I imagine…" Momiji replied as she tried to regain her elegance
"Yeah, we can leave the celebrations to later…"
'Silver nodded as he pushed his hand down, and with it, the Swamp King was shoved onto the Spring.'
/ROAAAARRR!!/
/TREMBLE!/
'But soon enough, the Spring began to quake.'
"Huff... It's climbing again! Haruhime, please!" Silver said as he let go of her, turning around to shield them
I'm getting tired. What an annoying monster.
"Yes!" She said as she clasped her hands together
'That was everything she needed to hear.'
'Finally, it was time for her to show how much she had improved!'
"~Grow.~"
'Haruhime began to chant, her body shinning in golden, divine light.'
'She focused, breathing deeply between each chant as she gathered magical power onto herself.'
"What's going on…?" Talvi asked as she grew confused
"We're beating the Swamp King."
"I know it's a bit late and all… But I said it before. Are you willing to take a gamble?"
'Talvi's expression twisted, her tone firm and heavy as she stomped the ground:'
"A gamble?! Do you want me to gamble with everyone's life at stake?!"
"That's the fate of a leader... Of someone who puts someone else's life before theirs."
'He grasped his halberd tightly, adding:'
"But I believe there's a way for you to live, that doesn't sound that bad, does it?"
"WHAT?! I don't understand... JustWhat are you planning? What magic is she even casting?!"
/Chuckle.../
"You see… I'm not someone who enjoys being given options and told to choose one…"
"Huh? Where did that come from…"
"I'm very stubborn. That's what people usually tell me… So… Like always..."
"I choose the third option. The one I made myself."
/BOOOOOOOOOM!/
'Silver slammed his feet on the ground, jumping high towards the sky!'
/SPLASH!/
'At the same time, the Swamp King reemerged from the Spring, opening its jaw wide as it went after him, ignoring everyone else!'
"Haruhime! Cast your blessing on the girl!" Silver said with a smirk as he got ready to intercept the monster
"As for you!..."
"M-Me?" Talvi asked as she saw the Swamp King close its jaw around Silver
"You better…"
/SNAP!/
'The Swamp King closed its jaw around Silver, causing Momiji, Kaede, and Talvi's expressions to darken as their stomachs grew cold.'
'Things couldn't end like that… Right?'
/SLASH!/
'But of course they wouldn't!'
/BAM!/
/SPLATTER!/
"You better start chanting!" Silver exclaimed out loud as he used his halberd to cleave across the Swamp King's mouth
/PUSH!/
'With a powerful jolt, Silver pushed the Swamp King down the Spring with telekinesis once again, diving after it with a wide grin across his lips.'
'But before he fell, he exclaimed:'
"I'll give you a chance to prove yourself, to free your people, your own way."
"I'll hold it off, so start chanting!"
I wasn't intending to share the Excelia of this adventure, but things went too far.
Let's make some history today!
/SPLASH!/
'Like that, Silver dove onto the murky waters of the corrupted Swamp, leaving behind three girls with pale expressions as they witnessed his suicide firsthand.'
""...""
"D-Did he just…?" Talvi asked as a bead of sweat fell from her forehead, albeit it was hard to notice from all the rain falling around her
"He did." Kaede replied in a monotone as all emotion vanished from her body
How can he even... I feel like I'll turn to mush if I even as much touch it...
First Class adventurers are something else...
"..."
'Beside her, Momiji was so shocked she couldn't speak anymore.'
"... ~Grow. Confine divine offerings within this body…~"
'Meanwhile, Haruhime continued to chant, her body increasingly growing brighter as energy gathered around her.'
'Golden whisps began forming around her body, causing her golden hair and fun to shine even further, casting light onto this otherwise gruesome dark.'
"~This golden light bestowed from above. Into the hammer and into the ground, may it bestow good fortune upon you~..."
"..."
'The strange, ephemeral light coming from the Renaure caused Talvi to hesitate as she reconsidered her plans momentarily.'
'Yes, she understood… That at the end of the day, there was only one thing she could do now…'
/Inhale.../
"~Liberate, blood bonds. Come, winter's balance. Dance, snow queen…~"
Talvi began to chant, the rain seemingly converging on her as it spiraled down the ground.
/Twinkle…/
'Blue sparks of light began gathering around her with each verse, their power increasing with every word.'
"~Obey my true name. Be warned, close away. Go back to paradise. My dream, fasten. Into tomorrow's limit, thousand-year ice castle.~" Talvi exclaimed as her expression grew serene, power consolidating around her
"~Grow~" Haruhime said as she raised her hands high in the sky, her chant coming to its climax
"Uchide No Kozuchi!" She exclaimed as the golden light jumped from her to Talvi, illuminating the skies in its golden splendor as a spiral of magic descended upon her
"Bheltane Träumerei!"
'At the same time, Talvi finished her chant.'
'Empowered by the soothing golden light, her body glew ephemerally, a warm sensation spreading inside her…'
'Power like none before… The feeling of having her vessel evolving, growing beyond its limit.'
'The feeling of shedding her mortality.'
/FLASH!/
'A curtain of blue light exploded with her at the center, pushing the rain and everything around her aside except the girls beside her.'
'All the dirt and loose debris were flung aside, being cleansed by her poison barrier.'
/Bubble…/
/SPLASH!/
'At the same time, the Spring exploded with light, and the Swamp King was pushed onto the open air like a fish railed onto a boat.'
/ROAR!/
/FLASH!/
"?!"
/SIZZZLEE!!/
'The blue flash permeated onto the Swamp King's body, and for a moment, it grew still, confused, baffled…'
'Until…'
/ROAAAAAAAAAAARRR!/
'It cried in pain and distress!'
/SIZZLE!/
'From the inside out, its body began to burn and rot, and despite being submerged in the Spring, its body did not heal!'
'No matter how much it squirmed and drank, none of the Spring's endless vitality seemed to seep onto it.'
'Invisible and ever-present, it was as if a film enveloped its body!'
/Crackle.../
'Meanwhile, its gargantuan body began to collapse, one root at a time.'
'Without the support of the Spring's endless Vitality, the Swamp King could not sustain its own overgrown body and powers, causing it to regress to its original appearance.'
/Shine…/
'And paradoxically to its dying state, the Spring quickly recovered its luster as the leech corrupting it had been dealt with.'
'... "Soon to be" would be more correct.'
"Huff… Huff…"
/Thud!/
""Haruhime!""
'At the same time, Haruhime began gasping for air, almost falling to the ground as she grew pale and anemic.'
'In less than twenty minutes, she used her magic twice. And to her, despite her training, using it in such short succession still left her on the verge of Mind Zero as all blood seemed to drain from her face.'
'She grew so weak she needed someone to support her. Although even that seemed much as she was on the verge of losing consciousness.'
"…"
'Beside her, Talvi watched in a daze as she saw the Spring recover to its former glory, a color she had never seen or even heard of before…'
'No, she had heard of its splendor… From history books and her Goddess… Tales of a time long gone. A fable no less, made reality by none other than her...'
'A pure emerald green with a tint of blue and the transparency of a beautiful meadow, a lake within a small clearing in this ancient jungle.'
'A mystical place to be worshiped and respected... It was almost as if she could see heaven reflected on its surface. This was it, the true unadulterated form of the Mythical Spring of Life.'
/Baddum baddum.../
'She watched it all with open arms and a fast-beating heart...'
'Her magic did not affect her much; in the first place, it wasn't taxing to cast, and even though its effect had increased, it was still rather light on that department.'
'Regardless of the fact, her Stats had not changed at all.'
'Even if she had become Level 2, Talvi never had any Stats to begin with.'
'Her body may have grown slightly stronger, but the boost from Level 1 to 2 was only significant if there was something to increase in the first place.'
'Right now, she was still weak enough to be defeated by an ordinary, unblessed knight... No, even a farmer would take her down... Maybe even an old woman would win against her if they were to do a showdown...'
'Regardless...'
"..."
It's beautiful…
/SPLASH!/
'Of course… Even if the Spring had been cured, the fight was still not over.'
/ROAAR!/
'The Swamp King raged as its body fell apart, growing smaller by the second.'
'As its protective barrier made from vines and its strange ability shattered, its real body was revealed!'
'The shadows of its ancient appearance, hidden away from the sun for centuries...'
'Albeit… Not for long…'
/ROAAARR…/
/FLOOP!/
""?!?!""
'Suddenly, the rampaging beast was pulled underwater, vanishing amidst the chaotic waves and bubbles…'
'Everyone watched in horror and anticipation… But even as the minutes passed… Nothing happened…'
'Somehow, they all began to feel a rising sense of accomplishment... Victory and satisfaction.'
'They felt... Safe within this little heaven.'
"Is it… Is it over?..." Momiji asked as she tried to maintain her composure
"It's not resurfacing so it must be at least heavily injured, no?" Kaede replied as she looked at her reflection in one of the clear puddles of spring water
To think a place could change so much from merely one monster...
No wonder the elders said the outside world was dangerous. My trip to Orario was truly blessed.
Or instead, I should thank the Familias for clearing many of the dangerous monsters in the Ocean.
"O-Over?..." Talvi mumbled out loud, still unable to believe what had just happened
Is it really... Really over?
Everything...
/Shuffle…/
/SHA SHA!/
/JUMP!/
"TALVI! I'M HERE TO… Huh?"
"Urg... Can you speak any louder?..."
'Just when things couldn't get any less chaotic, Uskari and Lidari appeared from the woods, seemingly ready to fight as they held their blades with the determination to die here and now... Only to stay still in confusion as nothing seemed to be happening.'
"What's going on?..." Lidari asked as he realized something was off
'Unfortunately for him, even with his great senses and intelligence, he couldn't immediately understand what was happening, as it was hard to explain without witnessing it first hand.'
'Why was everyone standing still? The Spring also seemed a little… Odd…'
'For starters, this was his first time this deep in the Swamp, so he didn't know if this was normal... Was this even the Spring of Life?'
'But it had to be… Still, things seemed a little too peaceful for the nest of his arch nemesis.'
"The Swamp King…" Talvi said with emotion as she touched her chest
'She could feel it, her connection to the beast…'
'Everything with her barrier, friend or foe. She could feel them all.'
'And just a few moments ago, the feeling of her sole enemy, the Swamp King, disappeared.'
'But… So did Silver's.'
'However, it was likely not anything bad as he likely just dove deeper than her barrier could cover, yet, before she could feel anything else, her barrier returned to her, its effective time dissipating on its own.'
'In the first place, her poison barrier wasn't meant to last long. It was like a flash of energy, contaminating everything it passed through before vanishing on its own.'
'As its name suggested, it was still a barrier, so it did protect those within it, but such effect was so flimsical it was best removed from its description.'
'That was why, instead of a barrier, seeing it as a bomb was more accurate.'
'Still, even if the Swamp King had yet to fall, as long as her barrier reached its core, there was little to worry about as the beast would retreat to its nest and hibernate as planned.'
'In the end, Belthane was saved, and she kept her life, a feat she never thought possible in all her years growing to become a priestess.'
'There was always a first for everything.'
"It seems we're a bit late…" Uskari said with a frown as he looked around, somewhat understanding the situation
'... Alright, who was he trying to fool? Of course he understood nothing!'
"..."
'Meanwhile, Lidari remained stoic as he always did, looking around as he guarded for any possible signs of danger.'
'For now, Talvi was okay, and that was everything that mattered to him.'
"S-Silver…"
'Haruhime's words were weak and full of concern. Her eyes, darted around as she tried to stand straight on her own and look for him.'
""...""
'Neither Kaede nor Momiji said anything… They didn't know what to say; there was little to say in the first place.'
'Were they meant to announce the possible death of their Captain? AS IF!'
'There was no way that guy would die; at worse he…'
/Bubble…/
""!""
'As they waited patiently for Silver's return, their stomachs growing cold with each passing second, the Spring began to bubble, causing everyone to grow cautious.'
'Could it be that after everything they did… After gathering all of these impossible odds… That their efforts were futile?!'
'Lidari and Uskari got ready, and worse came to worse. They would sacrifice themselves here today. If it meant Belthane could live to see the light of day.'
'They didn't know of Talvi's poison barrier, but how could she explain when she herself did not understand what just transpired?'
/Splash…/
'But their worriers... Wouldn't be answered today.'
"Phew… Ahaaa… This feels great. What a day to be alive." Silver said out loud as he walked out of the Spring
""...""
'Like a movie heartthrob, Silver slowly climbed out of the edge of the Spring, his hands in his hair as the pure emerald water washed over his face, shoulders, and chest.'
'His bare chest now revealed to all, it was quite… Stimulating given everything that just happened before.'
'It was a complete turnover of all their perspectives!'
/Step…/
""?!""
'Before they could rejoice at his wellbeing and the triumphant return of their Hero… Silver stepped forward, climbing out of the Spring with a large smile...'
"Mufun…"
/Thud!/
""H-H-HA-HARUHIME-SAN?!"" Both Kaede and Momiji exclaimed as they saw Haruhime fall backward, her face flushed red
'Just like her's, their face was also equally red, and at that moment, Kaede blocked Momiji's view, causing the latter to frown.'
"You can't look! You're too young!" She exclaimed in deep embarrassment as she also closed her eyes, only to open both of them and stare intently without a single shred of hesitation
B-B-By the Heavens...
A-A-A-A... Amaterasu-Sama!!!
"YOU! WE'RE THE SAME EXACT AGE!!" Momiji exclaimed in anger as she tried to get out of her friend's firm grasp
'Alas, the difference in their Statuses made Momiji was utterly unable to even move Kaede off her spot.'
"Ahh… Ahh…"
'Meanwhile, Talvi's expression was a mix of embarrassment and shock as she didn't know how to react…'
/Block/
'But to save the day, both Uskari and Lidari approached her with the blink of an eye, each blocking one of her eyes quickly before she could take a deep glance at that... Thing.'
'Uskari shook his head from left to right, acting like the experienced elder he was, the 100-year old Elf said:'
"That's a no-no. You're not ready for that yet."
That son of a... Couldn't he be a bit more careful?!
I really want to give him a piece of my mind, but if I do that, I'll end up knocked out cold...
'Talvi felt betrayed in many ways, replying in a very low tone as she grew sheepish:'
"Y-Y-YOU! I-I-I'm… I'm an adult…"
'Despite that, she didn't try to take a peek, remaining still as steam seemingly came from her ears.'
'All of his stress scaping through his mouth, Lidari exhaled loudly, showing a rare emotion, helplessness as he realized his sister was already nearing that age.'
"Once this is over, it may be time for you to learn a thing or two from Lady Bhera..."
I feared this day would come... The Priestess bloodline must continue, even if their duty has been relinquished today...
I was afraid to relay the details of such to her... To the point, I feared if... It doesn't matter anymore.
Still... Looks like it's time.
'However, Uskari laughed drily, saying:'
"Really, man… I know you're helpless around women, but at least be a bit sensible… What could Bhera even teach her when it's been 1000 years she's had any action?"
"And out of everyone... Her? Really?..."
"... Please… Don't speak like that…" Lidari replied as he sighed in annoyance
Not when it's been over thirty since you had any 'action'... I wasn't even alive then...
'To preserve his friend's fragile ego, Lidari remained silent.'
…
/At the same time…/
"#!!!"
"W-W-Why's your expression like that?!" Hestia asked as she saw Bhera frown
'Bhera smiled as her expression twisted, saying:'
"How to put it... I suddenly feel like hitting something."
One of my children is cursing me... Who is it this time?
"?! WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME?!"
"Who knows?~..."
"KYAAA!"
…
/Glare…/
'... Obviously, Silver was butt naked.'
'Following his declaration of victory, he dove onto the corrosive waters of the Spring, ready to "sacrifice" himself to buy time for his companions to finish their chant and land the decisive blow against the Ancient Monster once and for all…'
'Or so it seemed to them, Silver had no such plans.'
'First and foremost, Silver challenged the Swamp King to gather High-quality Excelia, which is why he told Haruhime to use her Magic on Talvi and not himself.'
'His fancy words were mostly to justify his choices, although it would be a lie to say it was all an act.'
'He only needed a valid reason not to lose his Excelia, and he did have one. Otherwise, he would've empowered himself.'
'It was a gamble. He didn't know if by Leveling Up, Talvi's Spell would increase in power and effect. After all, not all Magic fell under that category. Haruhime's Spell is one such case.'
'It's not like her Spell would Level Up someone twice if she became Level 2. Maybe she could chant it without falling unconscious, but until she became Level 2, nothing could be proven nor would anything change... Nor was there any prediction for it doing so.'
'That was Silver's gamble.'
'If Talvi's Spell grew stronger, then there was no mystery. The Swamp King would lose the effects of the Spring, being effectively isolated from it.'
'The rest was self-explanatory.'
'Within the corroded waters, Silver fought the beast valiantly for the few arduous seconds that both Haruhime and Talvi chanted, and for those seconds, Silver grew rather close to fulfilling their fear and not returning.'
'His body was being destroyed, and his bones were close to dissolving when everything flipped upside down.'
'At that moment, when the barrier passed through him... His body was healed and filled with unending strength!'
'... At that moment… The tables had fliped.'
'He became the Swamp King!'
'So like the monster he had become… He pulled his foe towards his territory, ripping it apart until he found its magic stone, removing it from its chest without mercy.'
'Unfortunately, as he did so, the Swamp King's body turned into dust, leaving nothing behind.'
'A monster that borrowed power from somewhere had nothing of value on its body. It was a flimsy monster, like a soap bubble.'
'Even if massive, once it popped, it left nothing behind. Only air.'
'It wasn't a proficient fighter nor anything of the like. It was just a punching bag. A very satisfying one...'
'Then, his job finished, Silver enjoyed a few extra seconds within the Spring to heal before swimming upward, leading to that awkward situation.'
'His clothes had all corroded, and his body hair had also yet to grow again.'
'As for the hair on his head, wasn't it obvious? Silver knew exactly what was going on.'
'Maybe it was his way to tease the girl for doubting him before… Or his way to tease Haruhime as he found her reactions cute.'
'Either way, it was difficult to discern what went on inside his head… Maybe there was no reason at all.'
'Men often did things without logic for no reason other than… Feeling... It was funny.'
'In some way, relaxing in the spring naked felt divine…'
/SLAM!/
"GUHO?!"
"WHY ARE YOU NAKED YOU PERVERT?!" Artemis exclaimed as she kicked Silver back onto the Spring violently
/SPLASH!/
/Silence…/
""...""
'Just like that, 1000 years of suffering and sacrifices…'
'Was ended by a very unnordinary group of travelers who shouldn't be there.'
'A group of people who seemingly loved to put their nose where they did not belong...'
'Bhera was definitely not writing that down… Or maybe...'
'That was exactly how she would describe them for centuries to come.'
…
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Notes