For Sale. Fallen Lady. Never Used.

Chapter 348: Scales (4)

Yggdrasil was surrounded.

Just looking at this sentence, it might seem extremely dangerous and urgent, and no matter how much you think about it, it feels like we’re screwed.

But in reality, it wasn’t like that at all.

Why did we concentrate our forces at Yggdrasil in the first place? Wasn’t it to take advantage of our home ground to have a showdown with the Grotesque Proliferation’s forces?

So, the encirclement of Yggdrasil itself wasn’t that surprising.

…The problem was that the surrounding forces were beyond imagination.

“Righteous Radiance.”

“Did you call me?”

“Ah, while you’re here, lend me your ear for a moment.”

I looked at the Grotesque Proliferation’s forces spread out beyond the wall while playing with Solari’s ear, which she had peeked out.

First, what caught my eye was the numerous grotesque meat trees towering in the distance. They probably set one up for each buff range.

There were also creatures whose limbs had been replaced by tentacles, probably due to the power’s effect, others in revealing outfits dancing seductively towards us, and even those engaging in orgies without setting up tents.

There were succubi betting on who could make a giant goblin ejaculate further while servicing it, and goblins, with their pure lust, playing with and breaking captives.

The scene was so debauched that it was hard to believe we were on the brink of war.

I didn’t expect it to be this bad…

The quantity and quality of the forces were as expected. Or rather, slightly less than expected.

Thanks to our special operations reducing their numbers all this time. We never took a direct hit, but high-level magic was strong enough to be called siege magic.

However, the sight itself was beyond imagination, so much so that even touching Solari’s fluffy ear couldn’t easily calm me down.

“I understand the concept of divinity now. This is truly ‘grotesque’ proliferation.”

“…Yeah. Divinity isn’t something you assign to yourself; it’s born from the faith of followers. One can’t help but clearly represent their essence.”

At first glance, it might look very wild, but also like a joyous festival. But this was only for the followers of the Grotesque Proliferation.

Those who didn’t follow her… were being thoroughly trampled underfoot for a moment’s pleasure even now.

The meat trees were essentially consumables. They kept emitting buffs, and once their inherent power was depleted, they were done. Their erect heads wilted, and they rotted away in an instant.

But what could be more dangerous than having buffs cut off during battle? So, they decided to charge up with plenty of power.

How?

By killing women who had taken in an enormous amount of semen until their stomachs burst, then absorbing them into the meat tree.

Those monstrosities were the graves of those who were gang-raped and whose lives and afterlives were violated.

The ones with tentacles instead of limbs were dragging around people who looked drugged at the ends of their tentacles.

Those dancing in vulgar attire that even prostitutes wouldn’t wear were captives whose minds had been broken, begging anyone to “please do it to them.”

What about those captives who hadn’t been broken yet?

They were the ones being publicly violated by goblins right in front of us, to our eyes.

For elves who valued chastity, there was nothing more shameful than public violation.

What they might be thinking while looking up at the World Tree, what they might be mumbling, was too terrifying to fathom.

Lastly, the succubi servicing the giant goblins—with what did they service those enormous organs that couldn’t be grasped by hand?

It didn’t matter if the captive was male or female. They just forced people into any available orifice.

Obviously, there was no way the bodies would remain intact. Everyone’s lower half was shattered, screaming in agony as they died, but the succubi just increased their pace, uncaring.

For them, non-believers were nothing but disposable sex toys—tissues to use and discard.

“I knew about it… but seeing it in person feels different.”

H& A was an all-ages game. Although information was conveyed through Fafnir, there were parts that couldn’t be replicated.

Many scenes were toned down or skipped for rating purposes, and this scene was likely one of them.

Come to think of it, how could you put this in a game? The developers, whoever they were, did their best by describing it briefly in text.

“Yandel? Are you okay?”

A worried voice, and the sensation of a tail tickling my thigh like a pat on the back, snapped me out of my thoughts.

“Yeah. Well. I’m okay. It’s shocking, but I’ve recovered now. Just…”

“Just?”

“I’m a bit angry.”

Solari thought highly of me, but I’d never considered myself righteous.

However, the Grotesque Proliferation’s forces, showing their true colors rather than just being busy fighting, were infuriating even to someone like me.

Indeed, coexistence with Evil Gods was impossible. How could one live normally among such creatures?

Thus, the offer of apostleship from the Grotesque Proliferation was something I must never accept.

Even if the situation turned unfavorable, accepting the offer might save my life. Maybe even my companions could survive with me.

…But that would only mean surviving in body.

An apostle is virtually an avatar of the god, and whether you like it or not, you’ll slowly merge with that god.

If you have good chemistry from the start, like Helena and Solari, maybe it’s different, but what would happen to someone like me, who has no significant similarities with the Grotesque Proliferation aside from strong sexual desire?

It’s simple. I would be corrupted, and the nature of the Grotesque Proliferation would be far more disgusting than the scene before me.

Would you call that ‘surviving’? The answer was clear.

No.

…That was when I concluded.

The Grotesque Proliferation, who had only been surrounding and playing among themselves, started to speak to us.

This time, a cultist, whose identity was unknown, came trudging forward and stopped just in front of the barrier extended not far from Yggdrasil’s wall.

Then, with the familiar phenomenon of a cultist’s body melting due to the overwhelming divine power they couldn’t withstand, an overpowering presence descended upon the land.

[Ah, can you hear me well?]

Despite the soundproofing magic enveloping Yggdrasil to minimize the influence of their seductive power, the Grotesque Proliferation effortlessly bypassed both the barrier and the magic to convey their will.

The sweet voice didn’t come through the ears but resonated from within my mind.

Even from that far distance, how they sensed it, the Grotesque Proliferation, using the cultist’s body, looked straight at us and continued speaking.

[Seems like you can hear me well. Then, I’d like to hear your answer to my proposal.]

“…….”

Wondering what kind of trick this was, I stared at them intently as they began to speak on their own.

[Hm. Still hesitating? Do you really think you can win even after seeing this gap with your own eyes?]

[Of course, it’s the child’s freedom to think so… but I wonder if others share the same thought.]

[I promised, didn’t I? If you become mine, I’ll willingly withdraw from this world.]

[I even said I could take others with you if you wanted… Do you still refuse, then?]

[But it’s fine. I enjoy doing things by force. Of course, in that process, many elves might dwindle and become more honest with their desires.]

[That would all be your fault, Yandel. I did give you a chance, didn’t I?]

This damn bitch. Listening, they’re now trying to pin the blame on me.

They must have heard about the Boiling Silence’s scheme to isolate me and were following it to the letter.* I know, I understand, but… it still pisses me off.*

Instead of answering, while they were rambling on, I cast the magic I had prepared.

“[O you who walk the winding, dark path, you who hide in the gloomy valley. With the authority of the Sun, I command you. This is the flame of purification, the light of judgment. It’s time to be crushed by your own karma.]”

A spell that required a significantly longer preparation time and incantation, even with the use of verbal command. Naturally, the amount of mana consumed was beyond imagination.

For one reason alone.

Power. All other aspects were sacrificed to enhance the power.

As proof, the burning giant sword emerging from the magic circle drawn high in the sky carried immense intimidation.

If an ordinary high-level spell couldn’t pierce the Grotesque Proliferation’s defenses, then I just needed to cast an extraordinary spell.

A strike as strong as Iris’s Elemental Burst or Iona’s Chepesu. The strongest blow I could deliver at this moment.

I uttered the trigger word.

“[Punishment!]”

*The first strike wins…! *