153 Sea of Trees

White flames flickered around his body as Roy, his brow furrowed, transformed into a streak of light, darting through the air at high speed. Behind him, Arcueid mimicked the form of a bird, manifesting a pair of massive wings to keep pace. As they approached the vicinity of the witch's manor, both noticed the peculiar barrier that enveloped the area.

Something was definitely wrong.

It was this very barrier that had severed the communication signals between them, effectively masking the disturbances and magical fluctuations in the vicinity. This clever ruse had allowed the enemy to operate undetected, even under the watchful eyes of Arcueid and Merem.

"Annoying obstacle, don't block my way."

Landing near the barrier, Roy, concerned for the safety of Shiki and Touko, wasted no time. He pressed his palm against the barrier, his magical circuits surging with energy. A torrent of magical power erupted from his hand, shattering the barrier that stood in his path.

"Not just a diversion, but a three-pronged assault. You've done well, Roa."

As Roy approached the manor, the true nature of the immense magical source became clear.

A lush, verdant forest exuded an aura of malevolence. Countless twisted branches coiled around each other, and atop each tree hung crimson, gem-like fruits that were both eerie and alluring.

What a bizarre existence...

With such a monstrosity lurking in the forest, it was no wonder Aoko and the others had been delayed.

Roy quickly grasped the situation and began to piece together the true nature of the writhing forest beneath him.

Arcueid, who had followed closely behind, was equally stunned by the horrifying sight. She hesitated for a moment before exclaiming, "This sea of trees... it's the Forest of Einnashe! But why is it here?!"

"So, it's that monster after all."

Hearing Arcueid's confirmation, Roy's concern deepened.

He was familiar with the Forest of Einnashe—a creature that preyed on all life. Any living being that entered its domain would become its next meal.

Shiki, Aoko, Touko, and Alice were undoubtedly trapped within this terrifying, man-eating forest.

While he trusted Aoko to protect Shiki and Alice, the forest's sinister nature and the passage of time left him deeply worried. If anything had happened to them...

Roy dared not dwell on the thought. Activating his Mystic Eyes, he unleashed his most powerful attack, determined to obliterate the forest blocking his path as quickly as possible.

"Get out of my way, you monster!!"

A black flame sword materialized in his hand, and with a swift motion, he brought it down.

The fiery blade, radiating intense heat and energy, effortlessly tore through the thicket of vines. However, the Forest of Einnashe, with its tenacious vitality, quickly regenerated the gaps. The forest's will directed its vines toward Roy, seeking to ensnare him and turn him into nourishment.

"Back off!!"

A burst of white flames erupted around him, effortlessly crushing the encroaching trees and vines.

"Calm down, Roy. Indiscriminate attacks like this won't get you to the core of the Forest of Einnashe."

As Roy and Arcueid paused to clear the twisted forest before them, Merem arrived on the scene, riding his mechanical puppet, the King of the Sky. Observing the writhing forest, he quickly deduced the situation.

"Ortenrosse must have gone all out, entrusting something like this to Roa."

Indeed, while Roa couldn't control the true Forest of Einnashe or determine its location, he could manipulate its offspring—the Children of Einnashe.

Legend had it that from the ripened fruits of the Forest of Einnashe, drops of blood would occasionally fall. Some of these drops would transform into seeds, lying dormant underground before evolving differently from their parent—thus, the Children of Einnashe were born.

With just a drop of blood from the crimson fruit and sufficient magical energy to accelerate growth, this forest could rapidly take root and expand across the land.

The fact that this Child of Einnashe had grown to such a size in such a short time indicated that it had tapped into the local leyline, voraciously consuming the life force of the forest.

The numerous Dead Apostles Roa had left in this forest weren't meant to fight Aoko and Alice—they were merely fodder, nourishment to accelerate the forest's growth.

The leyline's magical energy, combined with the flesh and blood of the Dead Apostles and other forest creatures, had allowed the forest to reach this scale in such a short time.

This realization brought Merem some relief.

The true Forest of Einnashe was a formidable foe, a monster that even the Holy Church struggled to counter. It was akin to an overwhelming Reality Marble.

While the Children of Einnashe shared similarities with their parent, they consumed their stored magical energy in one go, disappearing after a single appearance.

Mages within the true Forest of Einnashe would find it impossible to draw upon the greater source of magical energy, but within this Child of Einnashe, though difficult, it was still possible.

The difference in strength between the two was like night and day, which is why Merem felt a sense of relief.

If this had been the true Forest of Einnashe, not only would this forest be a problem, but the entire city of Misaki would have been sacrificed to the endless sea of trees.

"Do you have any ideas, Merem?"

Seeing Merem arrive, Arcueid immediately sought his advice on how to deal with the forest.

"The method is simple. Cut off the Child of Einnashe's supply of magical energy, then attack it from a distance with long-range spells. Once its energy is depleted, it will vanish on its own."

"But this method would take several days. It's the simplest and safest approach. By containing its movements here, we can achieve victory without direct confrontation."

Merem proposed the safest course of action.

"I can summon Executors to seal off the forest and use fire to gradually deplete its energy. It won't take long—"

Before Merem could finish, Roy interrupted.

"No. Shiki and Aoko are trapped inside. Whether they can hold out for several days is uncertain, and I can't stand by while they fight alone."

"But... other methods..."

"No need to trouble yourself, Father Merem. I'll handle the rest."

Roy turned to Merem and Arcueid. "I'll go in alone to rescue them. You two stay here and contain the forest, preventing it from expanding toward the city."

"Understood. I'll keep it in check."

Merem nodded without hesitation, and the King of the Sky behind him echoed the sentiment.

[Leave it to me.]

[Command: Halt the expansion of the Forest of Einnashe. Executing immediately.]

"Thank you. I'll leave it to you."

"No! I'm coming too. Shiki is my friend. I can't just stay here—"

Arcueid began to protest, but Roy gently placed a hand over her mouth, leaning in to whisper something in her ear.

"..."

After a few seconds, Arcueid's expression softened. Though still conflicted, she lowered her hand and nodded.

"Alright, but please be careful, Roy."

"I will. I'm counting on you."

With that, Roy prepared to force his way into the forest, no longer willing to waste time on its twisted defenses.

It was time to get a little reckless...

Magical energy surged—

Condensed, collapsed, compressed, then expanded...

A bubble-like sphere formed at his fingertips.

The ultimate offensive spell, prepared and ready, was unleashed at an extreme distance.

In the next instant, the twisted forest before him began to melt away.

The light was like a comet piercing the night sky, or a crescent moon soaring into the heavens.

A blinding white light, carrying immense magical energy and heat, effortlessly tore through all obstacles in its path.

A wide, clear path was carved through the writhing forest.

"Magical Energy Conversion - Full Power: Annihilation Mode!"

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