I Picked Up the Abandoned Hero

86. How to overcome adversity

“The outside is surrounded? “Then how do you get out?”

“How about breaking through head on? With the thought of giving up at least one arm. You have two arms anyway, right? “You don’t need at least one.”

“We are not demon lizards like you.”

“Not even a lizard can regenerate its head. Wouldn’t a snail be a more appropriate metaphor?”

“I don’t think there is any living creature similar to you. “If I had to choose something similar, it would be slime.”

Arsel looked outside and was troubled when he saw the elves gathered in a frightening manner.

It’s impossible to deal with that many elves.

If you fight from a distance, they will attack you the moment you leave the barrier.

If he did that, he would only end up being eaten alive by himself, Stella, and the elves.

“Alfred, can’t you escape into the air as soon as you leave the barrier?”

“I can’t do this with a body like this, right? “Right now, I am the only one who can be wealthy like this.”

“Hmm, at least if your body was normal…”

“Now that I think about it, I found a book that removes the curse. Can’t you just lift the curse here and leave?”

Stella looked at Arcel and asked.

If Arcelman returns to normal, I will not be afraid of those elves or shadows.

“That’s not possible with a body like this. “Because I am not omnipotent like God.”

But the problem was that Alfred was still young.

Magic power is essential for the foundation of all magic.

However, the current Alfred’s magical power is at the level of an ordinary wizard, so it seems to be lacking in absolute amount.

“Please know that to lift that curse, you will need the magic power of five well-worn, useless demons.”

It’s not that Alfred’s magical power is lacking, but because it is an ancient magic created by elves, it seems to be less effective.

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Because they are high elves with so much natural magic and talent, they don’t seem to have cared much about efficiency.

“5 High elves…”

Stella clicked her tongue in regret.

“Besides, this book won’t be able to completely lift the curse, because like my grandmother said, magic is passed down a little distorted over time.”

Perhaps the elves entered the human village, or this magic became known for some other reason.

Then, of course, it would have been modified to suit human tastes, and even if it followed the original book, it would inevitably be difficult to completely undo it.

Of course, even if we regain only half of our strength, it would be a great harvest.

“First of all, I’m trying to lure them in by throwing skeletons at them. It’s because they are disassembled by each part.”

Alfred pointed outside.

As several skeletons run out in desperation, the shadows shatter like ghosts.

Seeing as the distance between their arms and legs has increased by tens of meters, it probably won’t be much different even if Arcel or Stella go outside.

“Let’s go back inside first. There is no benefit in revealing the location here.”

Arsel decided to go back into the tomb.

This place was like a prison that you couldn’t escape from, but on the other hand, it was very safe behind the bars.

What concerns me, however, is the whereabouts and purpose of the crazy high elf.

‘I heard that the elf went crazy due to illness.’

What on earth does the high elf, the elder of all branches, want?

The elves have already been wiped out, and that doesn’t mean they’ll come back to the grave and chase after us.

For what reason did she come back to life like that?

†††

“As expected, grandma, even though it’s quite an old bed, it’s very soft. “I’ll ask later what material it’s made of.”

Alfred went back inside the tomb and settled into Zion’s room.

The reason is that since it was a private room used by an elder, the facilities were good and it was still kept clean even after hundreds of years.

“This is probably a bed made by weaving the branches and threads of the world tree. It is said that things made from the world tree help restore the body and magical energy and protect against nightmares.”

“You are such a nobleman that you made a bed out of a tree that you cared for like a parent.”

“It’s not like you’re damaging it or anything like that, right? “Please don’t misunderstand me because I’m making it from materials that fell on the floor.”

This also means that the elves care very much about the World Tree.

This world tree was the first tree planted by the ancestors of the elves when they came to this land, and as the tree grows, it enriches the land and bestows magical blessings.

In addition, the fruits of the World Tree were rich in nutrients to the point that the elves did not need any other food, so there was a reason why the elves became lazy.

For the elves, the World Tree was like a parent.

“It’s okay, I too have fought for my life with my mother and grandmother.”

“That’s just immoral.”

“Just stop doing what I did.”

The World Tree, like a parent, has surrounded and protected the elves for over thousands of years.

In fact, even now, only the status of the elves has changed, but they are still protected from the outside using a barrier along with the blessing of magical power.

It’s probably thanks to the World Tree that the elves outside are fine even if they don’t eat or drink for several years.

“…Whew, I need to clear my head first. “I don’t think I can get out of here just by worrying about it.”

Arsel lay down on the bed, complaining of a pain in his head.

At least by doing this, I felt a little more at ease.

Still, nothing has changed in the situation.

“We are too defensive to break through head on, and even if we try to find another way, we have no choice.”

“If we are pushed back, should we make it from within?”

“Well, what does that mean?”

“It just so happens that you and I are here. “It may take a little bit of time, but we can resolve being on the defensive, and victory is certain.”

“…I don’t know what that demon is planning whenever he talks.”

For a moment, a strange thought crossed Arcel’s mind, but he soon realized it was an illusion.

“After breaking the neck of that demon, we will resurrect it as an undead. It will take some time to mass-produce it with a body like this, but we will be able to prepare 10 of them in about 10 months.”

Alfred was confident that it was a really reliable and novel method.

It would be better to be mistaken.

“I will kill you first!”

“Why, if you are resurrected as an undead, you don’t have to worry about the dementia that demons get? Because aging stops. “It may only leave bones as a minor side effect.”

Of course, it was dismissed due to Stella’s extreme opposition.

Alfred was hiding behind Arcel’s back and sticking out his tongue, teasing Stella.

They both really looked like children.

Actually, Arcel was the youngest among the three.

“Now that I think about it, Alfred, you can’t go back at all within this barrier? Or, like before, summoning your mother… As a last resort, even though it is against the law.”

“The former is not possible unless there is a barrier, and the latter is completely impossible to control in this state, so there is a very high risk that we will turn into ash. The probability is probably about 99.99%. “If that doesn’t work out, I’ll have to choose the latter.”

“You want to risk your life on a 0.01% Chance? “You’re funny.”

“Well, I heard that some gamblers bet their lives on lower odds than that.”

Arcel closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them.

“Then can’t the barrier be lifted? “If you use my holy sword, you may be able to temporarily escape the sphere of influence.”

“Hmm… If I have your holy sword, I certainly won’t be affected, but then I will be purified.”

Previously, Alfred held the holy sword in his hand. In the end, he cut off his hand and threw it all away.

The flame that purifies demons was also used by Alfred.

“And it is impossible to lift this barrier. According to the stories of the elves, this barrier is maintained by the World Tree. No matter how much you cut the barrier with your holy sword, it will regenerate quickly.”

In addition, the barrier is not simply maintained by magic, but by the world tree.

In other words, no matter how many times the barrier is broken, it will be regenerated in an instant.

“…I’m sorry for interrupting your conversation.”

At that time, Morian, who was trapped in the cage, carefully opened his mouth.

“I don’t know the details, but in the end, it will be resolved if there is no barrier, right?”

“That’s right. “There is a great wizard in the group, but he is unable to use his power because of the barrier.”

If Alfred can return to normal, there is a way.

Arsel continued the story by first introducing Alfred as a wizard.

It seemed that Morian didn’t know Alfred’s identity, but there was nothing good about her finding out.

“Please call me not a great wizard, but an unprecedented genius archmage who is one of the few in the world.”

“…Your personality may be a little strange, but please understand.”

“It’s okay! “It’s like seeing a friend your own age, and I like it because it’s cute!”

“As a user of a holy sword, he speaks only the truth.”

Alfred laughed, saying that even though Morian was unpleasant, he spoke well.

Stella looked at Alfred with disdain.

“So, in the end, the elf barrier is maintained by the large world tree.”

“Just in case, don’t think that you can unlock it from here. That’s also how the World Tree exists beyond the realm of magic. Release is impossible.”

She drew a sharp line that it was impossible for Stella to lift the barrier of the World Tree.

As long as humans are alive, their hearts inevitably move.

Maintaining the barrier of the World Tree was like the beating of a human heart.

The barrier cannot be removed by someone else’s will.

Just as humans cannot control their heartbeat.

“Then would it be difficult to cut down the World Tree?”

But the way to stop the heart is simple.

It’s a story that would be enough to make that person alive.

“If you cut down the World Tree, the barrier will no longer be maintained. Then maybe things will be resolved…”

“…!”

Arsel seemed a little surprised, perhaps because it was a method he had never thought of.

“Ji, are you kidding me?! “You’re going to cut down the World Tree?!”

And Stella started foaming at the mouth as Alfred scratched her nerves next to her.

For elves, the World Tree is so precious that they cannot even compare it to their own lives.

But when Morian casually mentioned cutting down the world tree, she was ready to throw a fit.

“It’s a good idea, but I stopped thinking about it, because the old trees here are very strong. “Perhaps even if this entire elven land is destroyed, that tree will remain intact?”

“Is that so…”

However, Alfred said that unfortunately it was difficult to cut down the World Tree directly.

The World Tree was not just a magical realm, but was also incredibly strong physically.

Of course, it is not impossible to destroy, but it cannot produce such firepower right now, and if it is that powerful in the first place, of course this tomb with four people in it will be blown away as well.

“It’s a tree with a radius of several kilometers right now. “The stems and roots are so big that the elves’ areas are divided based on that.”

That’s not all.

Multiple layers of barriers were spread around the World Tree to protect itself, and its size itself was so large that cutting it down was like cutting down a mountain.

In other words, in order to cut down the World Tree, you need the power to break through multiple layers of top-level barriers and cut down an entire mountain range.

“…Huh, now that I think about it, I guess it’s possible?”

But surprisingly, that seemed to be possible now.

As if he understood what Alfred meant, Arcel took out his holy sword.

“If it’s a barrier, you don’t have to worry about it. “If it’s my sword, it can ultimately ignore the barrier.”

“Besides, you’ve cut down a few mountains with it. “Isn’t that why he was nicknamed ‘Nature Breaker’?”

“I’ve never had a nickname like that! …Anyway, my holy sword will be able to cut down the world tree.”

However, it is not yet possible.

In the end, it was necessary to get close to the World Tree in order to cut it down, but in the current situation, it was impossible to go outside the barrier.

If Arcel were healthy, he could try using a slash from a distance, but it would be impossible with his current body.

“Then, use your Holy Sword as a bullet and shoot it at the World Tree. If you have enough power, you can cut down the World Tree.”

Alfred said with a sinister smile.

Using the holy sword as ammunition is nothing short of crazy, but sometimes there are hardships that require crazy actions to overcome.

Arsel has overcome countless such hardships.

“For that, you’ll need a marksman who can shoot the holy sword.”

I naturally turned my head towards Stella.

What is needed now is a sharpshooter capable of accurately sniping targets tens of kilometers away.

“You both are so crazy…?”

Naturally, Stella looked like she was on the verge of losing her mind, to the point where her eyelids were trembling.

It’s not enough to look for a way to cut down the World Tree right in front of one’s face, now it’s the same as asking oneself to cut down the World Tree directly.

“I would rather die here than do something like that. I can never do something like that! No, I will never do it even if it means the world is destroyed!”

Stella firmly refused.

His will was as strong as the world tree, and he swore that he would never change his mind once he made it.

However.

“…Is it really not possible?”

Arcel approached Stella and asked her as if she was pleading with tears in her eyes.

“Never…!”

When Stella saw that, her voice began to tremble.

Alfred shook his head, saying he seemed worse than he was.

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