In a town called Dark Woods, the humans have finished fighting with the demons sent to take back the city. Unfortunately, thanks to the heroes sent there, Nessus soldiers were overwhelmed. Any of the Nessus soldiers still alive are running in the nearby forest ablaze.
"Commander! The demons have retreated into the forest. Pursuing them in the darkness is too dangerous, " a soldier reported.
"What are your orders, Commander?" asked another soldier.
After contemplating, the commander issued a decisive command, "Set fire to the trees. Burn down the forest to prevent those fiends from escaping."
And so, the soldiers set the forest ablaze, determined to eliminate the demons that sought refuge within its depths.
"Why must we do this?" questioned Himari, a high school girl and one of the summoned heroes in this world, as she watched her comrades bring down the forest. Back on Earth, camping trips with her nature-loving father instilled a deep appreciation for nature.
When Himari came to this world, she gained the power of a druid. She had the power to control and manipulate nature, it was like a dream come true to her, she always wanted to be part of the natural world. Back at the castle, Himari practiced her newfound powers for hours, trying to understand them, and then, one day, she found out that she could hear plants' voices. Whenever Himari was away from her friends or the soldiers, she would talk about all sorts of things with the plant life. She ground closer to the natural world.
Tears welled in her eyes, and Himari's power allowed her to hear the forest suffering. Despite her desire to stop the destruction, her duties as a hero bound her to inaction as she witnessed the forest burning.
Another hero, Eiko, navigated the burning forest within the raging inferno. "Sir Eiko, we spotted a couple of demons in that direction. However, the flames are hindering our progress," a soldier reported.
Commanded by the commander, Eiko ventured into the forest to hunt down any demons unaffected by the fire. Through battles with the monsters, the humans discovered that some possessed elemental abilities—water, earth, air, and fire. The realization dawned that their plan to burn down the forest would be ineffective against some demons, allowing a few to escape.
Eiko ventured into the forest, his unique ability rendering him vulnerable to all elemental forces. This made him the ideal scout to locate demons resistant to fire. Accompanied by soldiers whose enchanted armor could withstand the flames, they cautiously navigated through the burning forest.
"Proceed with caution and find an alternate path. The fire may not be our biggest threat, but falling tree branches could still pose a danger," ordered Eiko.
"Yes, sir!" The group responded in unison, seeking a different approach to the demons.
"Mickal, some of our men are struggling with the flames. Several have already collapsed," a soldier reported.
"I see! Quickly, have Funky's men, who are immune to fire, assist the incapacitated soldiers," commanded Mickal.
Infuriated by the enemy's disregard for nature, Mickal gritted his teeth in anger, but he wouldn't give up; he was determined to protect his comrades.
"Mickal! Enemies approaching from the southeast!" shouted a soldier.
Startled, Mickal quickly assessed the situation and spotted enemy soldiers advancing towards them. "Gather the fallen and retreat! Prepare for battle, and we will not let them defeat us!" he ordered, rallying his forces for the impending conflict.
"Yes, sir!" they chorused in response.
"Earth spear!"
"Rock bullet!"
"Water spear!"
To avoid exacerbating the flames, the demons focused on using magic that would not fuel the fire further.
"Aaaaaa!"
"Watch out! Fire back at those demons! Wind blade!"
"Fire arrow!"
"Light arrows!"
Both sides unleashed their spells and weapons, engaging in a fierce battle.
Eiko swiftly dispatched two demons that approached him. As he scanned the battlefield, he spotted a formidable demon with massive figures and four log-sized arms. With a single swing of its battle axes, the demon cut down two knights and then used its remaining hands to wound another grievously.
Consumed by fury, Eiko charged at the demon, slashing his sword with all his might. Unaware of his approach, the demon had one of its four arms severed in the fierce attack.
"Aha!" The demon Mickal screamed in pain as Michael found Eiko holding a bastard sword pointed at him, realizing Eiko had lopped off his arm. Mickal charged at Eiko, swinging his battle axes. Their blades clashed, sparks flying each time they met.
"Eiko thought, 'This guy is stronger than I thought.' Using his strength, Eiko defended against Mickal's attacks. After blocking every blow, Eiko cast a spell engulfing Mickal in flames. Mickal, resistant but unworthy, emerged from the fire with a punch that sent Eiko crashing into a burning tree.
Coughing, Eiko thought, 'He's tough. I should have expected this.' Seeing Mickal emerge unscathed from the flames, Eiko realized the demons were unaffected.
Eiko raised his hands and chanted, 'Oh, water around me, become a weapon to wash away my enemy. Water Seepage!' Mickal released a magic spell, unleashing a torrent of water at Eiko. The attack hit but had no effect."
"No way, he's resistant to water," Mickal realized as Eiko moved effortlessly through the burning forest. Trying an earth-type spell, Mickal found Eiko was also resistant to that element. The situation worsened; Mickal's opponent seemed impervious to all four elements.
Left with no choice, Mickal decided to engage in close combat. Charging at Eiko with incredible speed, Mickal swung his ax with tremendous force. Eiko blocked the attack with his bastard sword, causing cracks to form on both weapons. Mickal's ax even got dented upon impact.
Undeterred, Mickal continued his assault, swinging his axes at Eiko rapidly. After unleashing hundreds of strikes, Mickal paused to catch his breath. This move was meant to be lethal, a technique he reserved for finishing off his enemies – a move that always left him exhausted.
Usually, anyone struck by that attack would be left as meat, but to Mickey's surprise, Eiko stood firm, blocking every strike with his sword. Despite Eiko's weapon showing signs of wear, he remained standing, frustrating Mickal's expectations.
Casting a spell, Eiko's bastard sword began to repair itself, the blade gleaming as if a skilled blacksmith freshly forged it.
This miraculous restoration was thanks to Eiko's unique sword, Rocal. Once belonging to demons of ancient times, Rocal was lost when its former wielder, Shaltev, vanished on a mission. Mistaking Shaltev's fate, the demons abandoned Rocal. In reality, Shelter ended up in Albina, a human territory, where she was captured and killed. Since then, humans have kept the sword safe.
"Wind, empower my blade. Wind Slash Strike!" Eiko chanted, infusing his sword with swirling wind energy. Drawing near Mickal, he swiftly severed two more of the demon's arms on the right side.
With a howl of pain, Mickal lunged at Eiko, aiming a left-handed strike. Eiko dodged the attack, narrowly avoiding harm. Swinging his sword upward, Eiko cleanly severed Mickal's last remaining arm before swiftly dismembering both of the demon's legs.
"Are you not going to speak after all we've been through?" Eiko asked, met with silence.
"I curse you, devil. I pray that one day, someone in this world will…" Not able to understand the demon's words, Eiko server Mickal's head.
"It's finally over," Eiko sighed in relief after vanquishing the four-armed demon. Despite his appearance of composure, Eiko had pushed himself to his limits during the battle. His abilities required much mana, and even his beloved sword, the Bastard Sword, demanded constant energy.
As Eiko stood battle-weary but victorious, the remaining humans approached him to check on his well-being, signaling the end of the conflict with the demons who had fallen in battle.
"Sir Eiko, are you alright?"
"I am. How many casualties did we suffer?"
"We lost eight men, and three are suffering from third-degree burns. They underestimated the demons' resistance to fire."
"Can they receive treatment here?"
"No, sir. None of us possess healing magic. We must send a team to transport them from the forest to where our healers are stationed."
"Very well. Send men to escort the injured back. We cannot burden our allies further. Leave them until we deal with the remaining demons."
"Yes, sir!"
Following his orders, the knights accompanying Eiko split into groups. Some knights assisted the injured to safety, while the others remained with Eiko to continue hunting for the fleeing demons.
(The demons have lost their strongest commander. It shouldn't be too difficult to eliminate the remaining stragglers.) Eiko thought as they pressed on.
Eiko continued to advance with the other knights but halted as he felt a tap on his shoulder. He glanced to his side and saw a knight walking beside him.
"Is something the matter?" Eiko inquired.
Confusedly, the knight looked back at Eiko before responding, "No, sir."
"Very well," Eiko said, resuming his stride. However, he felt another tap on his shoulder. Irritated, he turned to the knight.
"What is it now?" Eiko asked.
The knight insisted that nothing was wrong. Eiko raised an eyebrow before refocusing on their path. Once again, he felt the tap on his shoulder.
"Alright, what do you need? If not, please refrain from tapping my shoulder for no reason," Eiko requested.
"Is everything alright, Sir Eiko?" one of the knights ahead turned back to inquire.
"It's nothing. This man here keeps tapping my shoulder but won't admit to it," Eiko explained.
"I did not tap your shoulder, Sir Eiko," the knight denied.
"No, I'm certain you tapped my shoulder while we were moving," Eiko insisted. Suddenly, he felt the same tapping sensation on different body parts and realized it was coming from above. Rain began to pour heavily, putting out the fair.
"Quickly, we must catch up with those demons who fled ahead," he ordered, urging the knights to pursue the escaping foes.
The heavy rain made visibility difficult, casting a veil of uncertainty over the surroundings.
"Aah!" A cry rang out as someone stumbled in front of the group.
"Michel! What happened?" Eiko inquired.
"My apologies, I tripped over this tree root," Michel explained, showing his leg tangled in the foliage.
"Sigh. Make sure you watch your steps, everyone."
"Understood!"
As they watched, some knights rushed to help their comrades.
"Hunnnn!"
"Eeeeeee!"
"What are you both doing?"
"These roots are tight. We can't seem to remove them."
"Let me see. It can't be that difficult to... Huh? No... What in the world is this?"
The roots seemed to be entangled in a chaotic order. The knight struggling with the roots began to scream in pain.
"Aah!"
"What's wrong, Michel!?" the other knight, caught off guard, called out.
"My... My leg! The roots are squeezing my leg!"
Looking at the area where the roots constricted the men's legs, they could see the skin turning blue. Seeing Micke's leg turning into a deep blue, the two men tried to free their comrade.
"Here!"
"We're doing our best, but it won't come off!"
"Aaa! It hurts!"
"Hang in there a bit longer; we'll remove it!"
"This isn't working." Mick grabbed one of his comrades. "Just cut it off."
"Mick, are you crazy!? You won't walk again if we do that!" The man thought his friend had lost his mind.
"Not if you cut it at the source in the ground."
"Oh, you meant the roots."
"What else could I have meant?"
"I thought you meant..."
"Cut the tree root!"
"Alright, got it," the man pulled out his knife and started cutting the root.
"I... I got it!" he said, severing the roots entangled around Micke's leg and freeing him.
"You did it! Great job."
"Thank you, buddy, you saved me."
"No problem, I'm just glad you're alright," the group sighed in relief, grateful they hadn't lost another comrade.
"I'm relieved Micke is okay, but we can't waste time," Eiko interjected. "The demons have likely covered a lot of ground. We won't catch up if we don't pursue them."
"That's true, Sir Eiko, but we need a moment to tend to Micke's leg. The root issue may happen again if we rush after the demons. Who knows if what Micke encountered was a demon's trap? There may be more dangers ahead," he said, contemplating their potential risks.
What he mentioned could indeed happen. Who knew if they might fall into the same trap again?
"I understand your point, but we have no choice. We must pursue these demons," Eiko insisted.
Both sides were committed, but Eiko remained adamant. Suddenly, a knight noticed movement around them. Alarmed, he alerted his comrades.
"Everyone, something is moving in the forest."
"What?" Startled by the news, the knights and Eiko turned to see what he had spotted. The fading light made it challenging to discern, but dark shadows were indeed shifting around them, either on the ground or atop the trees.
"Assume defense formation and illuminate the area," Eiko ordered as they circled Micke, the injured knight.
With the rain still pouring, fire magic was unusable, and no light magic users were among them. However, they did have magic items resembling glow sticks. The knights cracked them open and hurled them into the distance, but the rain hindered their visibility.
"Stay alert. The enemy could strike at any moment."
Suddenly, the so-called enemy launched an assault. Tree branches descended from above while roots surged towards them from the ground. The animated movements of the branches and roots gave the impression that the trees were alive.
The situation seemed dire from the outset. Some knights were impaled through their chests, while others barely managed to defend against the attacks before being trapped by the roots and dragged underground. A few avoided the assaults with swift maneuvers.
"What sorcery is this!?"
"This must be magic... How is this possible?"
"They must possess abilities similar to Lady Himari."
"It's similar, but not quite the same. Himari can control up to three trees, whereas these attacks seem to originate from all the trees around us."
"Sir Eiko, have you battled against Lady Himari's power before? Can you advise us on how to combat this enemy?"
Referring to trees as their enemies felt peculiar.
"No, I haven't. While I've faced Himari's power in the past, I have yet to devise strategies to counter it. Focus on evading their attacks and refrain from using your swords unless necessary."
With no means to fight back, Eiko could only instruct the knights to dodge the relentless assaults, but his orders offered little protection.
Some magic-wielding knights perished, attempting to cast spells, their bodies impaled by branches as if the trees anticipated their actions. Branches skewered the hearts of some knights, resembling a grim shish kebab, while roots snatched others by their legs, hoisting them into the air before hurling them at their comrades.
Eiko executed seven backflips, deflecting a branch aimed at his previous position each time. Suddenly, a tree root shot out of the ground towards him. Reacting swiftly, Eiko used his agility to position his blade in front of him and cleave the root in half.
"Damn it, this is relentless!" Eiko leaned on his trusty sword for support, his stamina waning from the relentless forest assaults.
Though it felt like hours, only ten minutes had elapsed. Nearly everyone lay fallen, with the few remaining knights fighting desperately to survive.
Witnessing his comrades fall one by one, Eiko's resolve crumbled. "Enough! I can't bear to lose any more of my comrades." With a surge of determination, he activated an ability he had devised—a cloak of hot, blue flames enveloped his bastard sword. Himaria advised his training until Eiko figured out how to enhance the flames' intensity and coat his weapon for a devastating attack. However, it drained Eiko's mana in a large amount, right now his stamina is near depletion; this would be his final strike.
"Go, warn the others! I'll guard your back!" Eilko rescued three knights, urging them to flee as he stood against the attacking forest. He swung his sword and felt the forest recoil despite its lack of sentience. The knights he saved quickly ran as fast as they could; unfortunately, they also got caught.
As he reached his limits, the attacks ceased momentarily. "I can't keep this up," Eilko thought as the flames on his sword faded and he knelt. The roots and branches entangled Eiko, lifting him off the ground.
Helpless, Eilko resigned himself to his fate. As he braced for the end, the branches began to loosen their restraints on him. A figure descended from the sky, clad in a trench coat resembling the starry night, emitting a pale white glow. Eilko thought this mysterious entity had come to his rescue.
Outside the forest, where Florian's forces were stationed, the forest fire was extinguished by rain. Then vegetation came alive, attacking the humans that tried to burn them.
"Help me!"
"They're all over me! Help!"
"I'll try to help you! Ahhh!"
The humans struggled in vain against the relentless vegetation. Florian's forces dwindled, forced to retreat.
Near a wagon, survivors gathered to escape back to Dark Woods. One of the heroes, Himari Sato, tried to keep the remaining knights alive, but her powers were ineffective.
"Lady Himari, we must leave soon, or we're doomed. Can you locate Sir Eiko with your power?"
"I can't! The plants are ignoring my commands. They won't stop attacking us," Himari replied. Despite her efforts to alleviate the plants, they only responded with hatred and anger.
"Get them! Don't let them escape!"
"Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill!"
"Ugh! Ugh!"
"We have to go now!"
"What!? We can't leave. Eiko is still out there."
"We have no choice. Help me get her on the wagon."
They were forced to depart the forest with the survivors they had. Himari resisted, requiring several knights to release her.
"Release me! Eiko is still out there; I can't leave!"
"Sorry, Lady Himari, we must go."
A new threat emerged as they placed her on the wagon: mud men rising from the ground. With a cry of "Ooooooo!" they charged at the knights trying to escape.
"What are you waiting for? Get the horses moving!"
"We can't. Mudmen are blocking our path."
Forbidden from logging in, the situation worsened as a roar echoed from the forest. Four giant wooden golems emerged, eliciting screams of terror.
"Oh my God!"
"Lady Himari, you must act!"
"I can't. My powers are ineffective."
The knights, mages, and Himari leaped from the wagon and shot spells at the enemies blocking their way and those coming at them.
"Wind Lance!"
"Water Shot!"
"Earth Bullet!"
"Lightning!"
"Ice Spear!"
"Oooooooo!"
"Aaaaaaaaa!"
The attacks struck the mud and wooden golems, causing some to scream in pain as they were affected by the spells.
"Keep firing! Don't let them get close!"
"Oooooooo!"
"Aaaaaaaa!"
In a rage, a wooden golem seized a mud man and hurled it at the humans, striking and killing several images. The cycle repeated with the other golems mimicking the attack. Himari swiftly cast a barrier to shield against the golems' assaults.
The mud man collided with the barrier, splattering like an insect hit by a car.
Splat! Splat! Splat!
"How are we faring against the golems blocking our escape?"
"We're clearing them out. Just hold on a few more minutes."
"Understood. But I can't maintain this barrier much longer. Their attacks are about to break through."
"Mages, assist Lady Himari with the barrier."
"Got it!"
As the mud golems' attacks faltered, the wood golems charged at the barrier, relentlessly pounding it. Himari and the mages focused all their energy on maintaining the barrier, struggling against the golems' overwhelming power.
"Commander, our escape route is clear. We're prepared to depart."
"Excellent. Get Himari and the mages back onto the carriage."
"Commander, Himari and the mages are holding off the wooden golems; they cannot leave their post."
Despite their best efforts, Himari and the mages were on the brink of collapse as the golems had almost broken through. Some mages, exhausted from their efforts, collapsed from mana depletion.
"Lady Himari, we can't hold them back much longer!"
"Just hold on a little longer! We must protect the survivors behind us."
"Aaaaaaaa!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Everyone, the escape route is clear of mud golems. Board the wagons and prepare to depart immediately."
The survivors who were not in combat quickly got on the wagon. The mages urged Himari to depart while they held off the golems.
"Lady Himari, you must go! We'll maintain the barrier until you're far enough away!"
"No, I won't leave! I will stay with all of you!"
"There's no choice. You must go!"
"I refuse! As a hero, I must be the last to retreat."
Bang! Bang! Cracks appeared in the barrier, signaling its weakening.
"Oh no!"
"Lady Himari, you must leave now!"
"I won't!"
Bang! Crack! Bang! Crack!
"Aaaaaa!"
With no other options, the mages called nearby knights to take Himari away.
"Knights, come here and get Lady Himari out of here."
A couple of knights quickly ran up to Himari and forcibly dragged her away as she protested. That decision was a mistake. Himari was supplying most of the barrier with her mana, and because of that, the barrier shrank.
As the barrier weakened, the wooden golems ceased their assault and retreated.
"What are they doing?"
"I don't know," he pondered.
"Maybe they're retreating?" she suggested.
"No, definitely not. If they were, why are these mud men still attacking us?"
He was right. The wooden golems had ceased assault and were now heading back into the forest.
Meanwhile, the mud golems and the living plants continued their siege on the barrier.
"Aaaaaaaa!" a lead shout pierced the chaos; it was the wooden golems. Four were sprinting towards the barrier, resembling football tacklers in their haste.
"Brace yourselves! Pour everything you've got into reinforcing the barrier," one of the mages commanded, realizing their efforts were insufficient to withstand the golems' assault.
"Kaaaaa!"
Shater! The barrier was easily shattered, and the mages who were keeping it up were trampled by the wooden golems.
"Run! Everyone, run!"
The soldiers fled in disarray, each striving to outpace the others in a frantic bid for survival.
Once more, the enemy took advantage of the humans' vulnerability, launching their attacks as the defenders turned their backs. The vegetation pursued the fleeing survivors, ensnaring the knights with roots coiled around their limbs, bodies, and throats, bringing them crashing down. The mud golems swiftly closed in, their movements resembling ice skaters as they transformed their limbs into spears and blades, striking down any soldier in their path.
"Kaaaa!"
"Aha!"
On a carriage that managed to escape, Himari watched helplessly as the knights fell. She blamed herself for the tragedy, wishing her powers were strong enough to command the plants to cease their assault. If only she could join Eiko in the search for the demons and guide them safely through the forest without burning it down. If her powers were more substantial, she could have controlled the forest, conducted the search, and prevented the need for destruction.
As the carriages sped by, knights attempted to leap aboard but failed. On other carriages, passengers extended hands to pull in those who drew near.
A wooden golem closed in on the carriages from afar, targeting knights in motion. With its long legs, the golem swiftly reached them, unleashing devastating strikes. Amid the chaos, Himari's carriage became a target, but she managed to leap off safely.
Watching the carnage unfold, Himari witnessed the carriages being destroyed, forcing everyone to continue on foot. She observed the wooden golem-crushing knights who had escaped the carriages, including the unit's commander.
"This can't be happening. I can't meet my end like this. I still have so much left to do..." The commander's voice trailed off as the golem stomped down.
Sighing heavily, Himari took in the grim scene before her.
Himari was frozen in shock, unable to move as the wooden golem approached her.
"No, stop this," she pleaded, attempting to exert her powers to control the attacking golem.
Just as the golem was about to strike her, another wooden golem intervened, halting the attack.
"Why can't we?" Himari questioned. She sent a connection to the living tree that made the golem. However, it seemed like they were receiving orders from someone else.
The golems acknowledged their directive to spare her and redirected their focus elsewhere, following their orders to bring her to their master.
"You're coming with us," the golem declared, lifting Himari gently and carrying her towards the forest.
"Where exactly are you taking me?" Himari inquired.
"To the forest. The savior is waiting for you there," the golem replied.
"Savior!? Who is that? Is it a demon?" Himari questioned.
"The savior is not a demon; the savior is the savior," the golem cryptically answered.
"Why does the Savior want to see me? Does he know where my friend Eiko is?" Himari asked.
"The human named Eiko is with the savior; Eiko has returned what belongs to the savior. The savior also wishes you to return what he bestowed upon you," the golem explained.
"But I don't know about this savior you speak of, and I don't have anything that could belong to them," Himari protested.
"The savior has shown us what he seeks. In exchange for saving and granting us this ability, he desires what is within your soul," the golem clarified.
Arriving at their destination in the forest, the golem transformed back into regular trees, holding Himari in their branches.
Alone and apprehensive, Himari waited as a source of light approached. Was it the elusive savior, knights coming to her aid, or perhaps Eiko? As the figure drew closer, she realized it was a mysterious being clad in a trench coat resembling the starry sky. Its face looked to be a glowing white mask with two eye holes, and its hands and feet regulated the same wight pale light.