An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. A tentacle for a tentacle…!
The thinnest part of the World Tree’s root was thicker than any giant tree.
With this size, it should be more than capable of dealing with that mass of tentacles. Since the Circulating Life was confident, it should be fine.
While nodding inwardly, the thick tree roots and the bizarre tentacle hill began to clash.
Rumble!
The sound of impact, like the beating of a drum, ca from the collision of the slimy flesh and the hard roots.
Though different, these two, roots and tentacles, which looked sowhat alike, collided.
Long extremities hit, entwined, and even pulled each other hard, getting tangled up chaotically.
Since each tentacle moved independently, predicting their movents was extrely difficult, but the one controlling these roots was none other than the Circulating Life.
No matter how grotesque the movents, the World Tree’s roots followed every motion and easily blocked them.
Rumbleeee!
The more they exchanged moves, the closer they got. Soon, the roots and tentacles twisted together like a tangled ball of yarn, becoming one massive lump.
With this, the tentacle monster was effectively sealed. On the other hand, we still had usable roots left.
Since the World Tree was so vast, it wouldn’t work in this direction, but there were plenty of roots in other directions.
However, it seed the tentacle monster had a similar thought, or maybe one of the high-ranking cultists was observing and giving orders.
The huge mass of tentacles, while caught, squird and then began to break off its own flesh to form new clusters of tentacles.
It was trying to escape from the roots and regroup.
The roots of the World Tree were large and strong, but they couldn’t efficiently catch such small fragnts.
So, it was Faye’s turn to step in here.
“Agh, agh!”
Faye threw a potion bottle from atop the wall. Her arm strength wasn’t enough to send it far, but it was enough.
The clear liquid bubbled up amidst the shattered glass, quickly swelling up.
The sight of nurous cylindrical flesh lumps extending from one mass was quite familiar.
That was because it was the artificial tentacle Faye once accidentally created while experinting to make artificial muscles.
Unlike the followers of the Grotesque Proliferation, this was just a simple muscle mass, not even a living organism. It had no talent except for reflexively grabbing anything approaching.
“Yah! Hah! Hyah!”
*Shatter. Shatter. *
The successive breaking of potion bottles. Each one turned into artificial tentacles, lining up in a row, and the World Tree’s roots picked them up one by one, scattering them around the divided tentacle monster.
Even when filling the workshop, it was impressive, but now, with dozens moving simultaneously, it was disgustingly spectacular.
The tentacles of the Grotesque Proliferation, suddenly surrounded, flinched in confusion, but, thinking it was nothing serious due to the aimless flailing, they tried to escape first, and then…
Thunk.
They were imdiately grabbed by the artificial muscles reacting frantically to anything close.
“Kyieeeek!”
The tightly caught tentacle monsters began to scream and struggle in sharp voices.
They spat white liquid, trying to lt the artificial muscles, but… unlike the real failed experint from before, these were intentionally made like this.
Made for use as the muscles of a giant golem, they maintained their unbelievable strength.
Though organic, they were tougher and more durable than most tals. While the surface was slightly corroded by the solvent, no severe damage was done.
Rather, reacting to the slight irritation, the muscles started to wriggle even more fiercely.
Kkwaaak!
“Kieeek… kikikik…”
Now, it wasn’t just about grabbing but more like squeezing. The pressure applied to the captured tentacle monsters would be comparable to a hydraulic press.
As a result, they began trembling pitifully as if suffocating, and after a thin scream, one by one, the tentacles started to droop.
At first, I was skeptical if this would work, but the compatibility seed better than expected.
Just like before, I was ready to support if needed, but it seed unnecessary now.
After throwing the potion bottles, Faye dashed away to safety, and only after confirming she had reached safety did I look around further.
Unlike the knights of the Levantin Empire whose target was the succubus, Grimhill and his subordinates were fighting valiantly against the goblins.
Despite their lust surging due to the power of the Grotesque Proliferation, slowing their bodies, their movents were still agile.
Thanks to the inherent agility of elves, the domain of the World Tree, and the continuous blessings from priests behind them, this was possible.
No matter how nurous the goblins were or how many higher variants appeared… it seed impossible to defeat Grimhill and his subordinates now.
The large goblin, with its formidable endurance, managed to hit the barrier a few tis despite being cut by swords, but… each ti, Helena would jump out from behind with the priests of the Circulating Life supporting her.
“How dare you?! Instead of showing that ugly face, go back quietly to your mother’s side!”
“Keuk?”
The large goblin, tilting its head as if asking if she knew its mom, maintained such composure even while getting its legs cut by the swordsn. Its size really was its strength.
Well… it didn’t work on Helena, though.
“By the way, your mother’s head was crushed by my hands! Let’s send you to the afterlife together!”
Even after becoming a Saintess, Helena’s penchant for cursing Evil Gods didn’t change as she summoned her holy power.
Instead of the usual body enhancent, she concentrated her holy power for explosive power.
Shiiing.
Helena radiated an intense light like the sun descending upon the earth, making it hard to look directly at her. Now with only her silhouette visible, she swung her mace from below upwards.
“Haah!”
Boooooom!
With a sound like an exploding shell, the upper half of the giant goblin’s body flew off. Its massive body swayed and then collapsed.
The Elven swordsn, who were only slicing at the ankles, hurriedly moved out of the falling range to engage other goblins.
The subsequent scenario was similar to before. The minor goblins were handled by the Elven swordsn led by Grimhill, and when they got injured or their buffs faded, they received help from Helena.
However, when a formidable enemy or another giant goblin appeared, which the regular swordsn couldn’t handle, Helena would step in from the back, crushing their skulls.
Sotis, for enemies far away, she would summon only Solari’s front paws to deliver a “ow Punch.”
Helena, who had the most to do, tired the fastest, but whenever her concentration wavered, Solari would take over to continue the task.
When summoning Solari beca burdenso, Helena, having recovered during that ti, would regain control of her body and continue the fight.
The rest of the party was similar. Each was reducing the forces of Grotesque Proliferation by doing what they could in their positions.
…It was about ti I stepped up properly.
The circuits, which had been heating up to the point I could feel the burn, had cooled down sowhat, and the mana core, fused with my heart, was beating regularly.
It was definitely ti.
With a smirk, I continued a simple incantation, repeatedly adding the trigger word at the end.
“[Fire Phoenix, Fire Phoenix, Fire Phoenix, Fire Phoenix!]”
Four phoenixes of fire, born from the tip of my staff, flew through the sky.
The Fire Phoenixes, scattered to the east, west, south, and north, began spitting fire, creating gusts with their wingbeats, and directly ramming with their hot bodies.
Like real living phoenixes, they started autonomous combat.
The subtle power of this interdiate spell was compensated by the mana and the chanting of a high mage.
With this, there would be no way to block it unless they were at least an Archbishop-level high priest.
I knew this would co in handy soday. Ard drones are divine, and I am invincible!
With a satisfied smile inside, I started preparing for the next spell.
The biggest advantage of the Fire Phoenix was that once cast, it only required maintenance cost, so there was no need to pay attention, allowing the casting of other spells.
I was once unsure how this would turn out, but at this rate, we should manage to hold on without issues. Once the reinforcents from the Church of Righteous Radiance arrive, it would be possible to decimate the forces of Grotesque Proliferation.
Even with these thoughts, I didn’t let go of my tension.
The battle wasn’t over yet, and those cultists always had unexpected tricks up their sleeves.
One must fight cautiously until the very end.
… Perhaps it was because of this mindset that I felt sothing was out of place in the current situation.
“Huh?”
Isn’t the Boiling Silence too quiet?
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