Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter Dreams of a Hero ~

Chapter 330.2: Random Number Adjustment ②

Time flies by in the blink of an eye. Yggdra is a much safer place than I had imagined, and I soon got used to the townscape, which was unfamiliar to me at first.

Spirit People endorse coexistence with nature. And the streets of Yggdra are the embodiment of that. Compared to the Imperial Capital, time flows calmly, the town is filled with fresh air and water, and the sight of bright greenery and blooming flowers may seem like a paradise on earth to some people. Even I, who usually enjoys the benefits of civilization's conveniences, feel that I can happily spend my vacation here.

It has been a week since I came to Yggdra. I rarely had the chance to meet the residents. Even on the rare occasions I see them, they would run away immediately, but according to Serene, it seems that Yggdra doesn't have that many residents in the first place.

Originally, the race of Spirit People is said to have a longer lifespan than humans, but has lower reproductive capacity and are fewer in number. Yggdra seems to have restricted entry and exit from the outside world and the number of people may have gradually decreased.

I thought the city would be a little boring for Hunters hungry for stimulation, but my friends' reactions weren't bad either. It is easily understandable for Starlight (Hoshi no Seirai) as they admire this place, but it seems that Liz and the others also have a lot to see, such as vegetation and magic technology.

And most of all, what I didn't expect was that Serene was very cooperative with us. It may be because I listened to the Spirits' request (Well, I didn't actually listen to it), but it seems that she was originally interested in the outside world herself. Serene's gaze didn't contain any kind of contempt for humans, like the gaze of a Spirit People we can meet outside.

A Treasure Shrine is the result of the accumulation of Mana Material. The World Tree originally had the ability to smooth the flow of Mana Material, but by using the approach of consuming the Mana Materials without letting it accumulateWe prevented the manifestation of Treasure Shrine and Phantoms. The Drifting Road of the Divine Tree that you have taken through is a spell constructed to block intruders from the outside while also at the same time consuming a vast amount of Mana Materials that the World Tree cannot handle. (Serene)

I listen to Serene's story while bathing in the sunlight in the central square of Yggdra. Anthem and I are just decorations, but Sytry and Lucia are listening with serious faces, so there is nothing I can say. Besides, it isn't like I am completely uninterested in what Serene is saying. I don't understand when it is about difficult subjects, but even I have a thirst for knowledge. And I heard that the magic technologies possessed by Spirit People far exceed those of humans, and it seems that it was true.

Lucia groans at what Serene says.

I see I did think That the scale of the spell wasn't normal. Leaving aside a simple road connecting to Yggdra, connecting it to forests all over the world would require a huge amount of Magic power to maintain it. (Lucia)

Fufu No matter how talented the Magi is, it is impossible to maintain the Drifting Road of the Divine Tree. The Drifting Road of the Divine Tree is connected to the World Tree through the earth's veins and is maintained by its power. Of course, even if we say they are connected, they are made so that you can't directly go to the World Tree without going through YggdraAlthough the other day I said that Yggdra was created to protect the World Tree, to be more precise, you could say that we have a symbiotic relationship. (Serene)

In a human country Research on the separation of Mana Materials is prohibited, isn't iiit It is because it is too dangerous and there are a lot of hard-headed people (Sytry)

Sytry frowns and shrugs her shoulders. I have heard that research and investigation into Mana Materials are considered to be semi-prohibited and are strictly supervised and bound by law. This is in light of all the Mana Materials-related accidents that have occurred around the world.

It is not unreasonable. Mana material is too much power even for us Spirit People. The formula that created the Drifting Road of the Divine Tree and Yggdra's superior magic technologies are all the result of desperate measures. It is said that the guardian Spirit of Yggdra, the one who swallowed me a week agoMilles didn't have that much power at first. It is said that she reached her current level as a result of continuously absorbing the energy flowing from the earth's veins. And according to our observations, the amount of Mana Materials flowing through the earth's veins is slowly but surely increasing. We do not know the cause, but it may be inevitable for this world to perish." (Serene)

In a hundred years? (Cry)

I unintentionally interrupt her. Serene *zokuri* shudders and looks at me, then says with a very serious expression.

Yes. In a hundred years. (Serene)

After all, it is indeed a hundred years from now on. A hundred years, huh It is so far away. I wonder what the world will be like in a hundred years. I don't think she is lying, but it is too far in the future to really feel it.

While I am sighing, Serene looks at me with a puzzled expression.

You people Humans are so strange. How can you not fear the imminent destruction that lies before youThere are quite a few people in Yggdra who have abandoned this country out of fear. Even if they abandon Yggdra, if the God of Destruction appears, there There would be no place to run to. (Serene)

Even I am afraid of the destruction. ButYeah, it is something that will come one day (Cry)

Although it is apparently far off in the future

You are very optimistic, aren't you? Are all humans like that? (Serene)

No, well, I am sure there will be a big fuss if I report back to my country, you know? (Cry)

Franz-san will definitely make a big fuss. I can picture the panic state he will have in my mind, so I can't help but smile.

It is not something I am proud to say, but after all, I, who is just a Hunter, and he, who is a noble of a large country, have a different sense of responsibility. When I return to the Imperial Capital, I will send a letter to Franz-san, yup. Not knowing what I am thinking in my mind, Serene speaks as if she is impressed.

I see I heard about it, but being a Hunter is amazing. (Serene)

It is because Cry-san is not just any simple Hunter! He didn't dive into so many battlefields just for show. He has solved many big cases (Sytry)

Umu. (Anthem)

Sytry answers with pride on my behalf. Well, it is true that I am definitely not just any simple Hunter, in a bad sense of the term that is.

However, with all that said, it is true I have dived into the battlefields and it was thanks to the power of my friends that every single case has been solved. Moreover, it is not as if everything has been resolved peacefully. But well, I think the people who bring those troublesome matters to me are at fault too

Lucia sighs deeply as I try to pass it by in silence with a smile on my face because it looks like another troublesome exchange will occur if I make an excuse.

Haaa Seriously, this Leader. So, when are we going to remove Luke-san's curse? It has already been One week. (Lucia)

I totally agree. It is not like I don't want to lift the curse either. I want to quickly lift the curse and return to the Imperial Capital.

However, although I have Eliza and the others scouting every day, so far there has been no sign of a decrease in the number of Phantoms in the Treasure Shrine. Eliza's estimate of a 50% success rate on the first day was the best she gave me, and since then it has been steadily declining. Apparently, far from decreasing, the number of Phantoms seems to be gradually increasing little by little.

If something like this was going to happen, I wish I had carried out the plan on the first day, but it is too late now.

Oh well, let's do it the next time the number of enemies decreases. It is not like it is going to keep increasing forever.

And there, I suddenly noticed something different about Lucia's appearance. Delightful white skin and long black hair, a characteristic to the profession of Magi. Her clothes are the same as usual, but.

Huh? Lucia, are you feeling kind of tired? (Cry)

I feel like her voice isn't as energetic as usual. Lucia has always been a hard-working girl who tends to put up with anything, so I can somehow understand her just with the atmosphere around her. Lucia's eyes widen when I say that and she hesitantly says.

Yes, well, my body, is just a little bit heavy. The Mana Material Intoxication My body is used to it, so if it is for a short period of time, there is no problem, but if I stay for a week, as expected that is (Lucia)

It is because even among everyone in Strange Grief (Nageki no Borei), Lucia-chan is one of the best to absorb Mana Materials. Mine is lower than Lucia, so I am still fine But I can feel a little bit of it. Well, there is no other way to get over Mana Materials Intoxication than to wait for your body to get accustomed to it. (Sytry)

Sytry rushes over to Lucia holding her forehead and peers into her eyes.

I see Mana Materials Intoxication, huh? I had been warned about it by Kruz, but since everyone seemed to be fine, I completely forgot about it.

It doesn't seem like the impact is that great yet, but staying in Yggdra for a long time might be bad. I am totally fine tho'.

Lucia makes a small cough, firmly looks at me, and says.

Leader, I can still move now. It would be helpful if you could execute the operation as soon as possible. (Lucia)

Right. (Cry)

As long as Luke is petrified, Lucia is the cornerstone of our attack. This time, we have strong allies like Starlight (Hoshi no Seirai) and Serene, but it is better to have more strength.

Yosh, if there are no major problems with today's reconnaissance, we will execute the operation tomorrow.

I have been waiting for a week for the number of enemies to decrease, but there is no sign that the Phantoms are decreasing, but rather they are increasing. There is even a time limit now. It is better to execute the operation while Lucia can still move, rather than waiting any longer and having the situation worsen.

Just as I made up my mind, Eliza, who has just returned from today's reconnaissance, enters the plaza.

Eliza, who is the main scout for recon, and Liz, who is the escort. Tino, who has been taken with them for study, looks exhausted. It is a group I have been seeing since I asked them to scout the area, but it seems that the situation is different this time.

When Liz approaches me with a short run, she looks me in the eye and says after lightly adjusting her disordered breathing.

Cry-chan, it's terrible! The number of Phantoms seems to be decreasing from yesterday! Did you do something? (Liz)

It's true. The number up until yesterday seems like a lie There may still be some inside, but there are only a few of them as far as I can see. With that number, it should be easy to buy some time Should be. (Eliza)

Eh? Seriously?

I unintentionally look again at them with my eyes blinking, but there is no way Eliza or Liz would joke about this. Lucia, Sytry, and Serene also have a *pokan* blank expressions. Anthem, who is sitting cross-leg on the ground, frowns.

I don't know why, but it seems that luck is on my side. My predictions have rarely been correct, but maybe it is thanks to my daily behavior? Have I done anything lately?

In any case, I cannot let this opportunity pass by. I clear my throat and look around.

It seems the time is ripe. Tomorrow, we will execute the operation to lift Luke's curse. (Cry)

Now all that's left is for the resurrected Luke to cut through the Treasure Shrine and it will be perfect.

Thanks for reading! When Cry smiles badassly without saying anything this is what everyone else thinks he is thinking: What just a 100 years before the end, ez! I got this!

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