Raising the Elf’s Genius Slayer

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Chapter

The journey to find the Sword God’s emotions was progressing smoothly.

After a week, a total of 4 fragments had been collected. Combined with the previous ones, that made 8.

“Guess I was lucky on the first day.”

Setting everything else aside, the first challenge was finding the fragments.

Enok sighed as he pushed aside the dense undergrowth that filled his view.

“Son-in-law, just a bit more, we’re definitely close,” Roxanna encouraged.

Like Roxanna said, Enok did feel something amiss nearby.

However, just like the first day, pinpointing the exact location was proving to be quite challenging. Each fragment seemed to respond to the spiritual sensation differently.

{Enok, can you hear me?}

At that moment, Enok lifted his head at the voice echoing in his mind.

{Yes, Rionne.}

{You can see it too, right? The scar in the sky.}

As she mentioned, a corner of the distant sky was tinged with an unpleasant purple hue.

{I see it. Is that it?}

{Yes. It seems like it’s really trying to connect to the Demon Realm.}

Enok’s lips twitched upon hearing that. Seeing this, Tsukiyo asked.

“Is it that Elf?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow, that’s impressive. Even though you’re partners, you can communicate from this distance.”

“The distance doesn’t really matter. It might even work across dimensions.”

It was a communication using the half-shared souls. Theoretically similar to quantum entanglement…

Though he didn’t fully understand it. They just used it because it worked.

{Anyway, Enok, I think we need to hurry.}

{We need to find one here and one more on Rionne’s side, right?}

{Yes. I’ll find them quickly and then head that way.}

{Got it.}

Enok nodded, gathering his strength. It would be best to finish up before Rionne arrived.

Rumble-!

With a thunderous sound, Enok’s eyes lit up brightly as he ascended to the heavens. Although he didn’t know the exact location, he was sure it was somewhere nearby. If that was the case, it could be resolved easily.

[Everyone, be careful.]

With a brief warning, a lightning bolt descended into Enok’s hand.

Flash──────────!!!

The spear that left his hand incinerated the jungle. Once the dazzling light faded, all that remained was a large pit and a cloud of ash swirling in the air.

Calmly landing on the ground, Enok nodded in satisfaction.

[Looks like I found it.]

There was an area that remained strangely unaffected despite being struck by the lightning spear. Perhaps the emotion fragment of the Sword God was there.

“S-Son-in-law…? If you do this, the monsters…”

But this was one of the magic regions. Naturally, doing something like this would cause all the monsters in the vicinity to come rushing in excitedly.

[It’s fine.]

Shaking off his hands lightly, Enok crackled with lightning above his eyes.

[Mother, please recover the emotion fragments. I’ll deal with the monsters.]

As he finished speaking, Enok transformed into lightning once more. With a rumbling sound, his gaze turned toward the ground.

[Where….]

The five elements unfolded. The sky was his domain. Even the approaching monsters were nothing but insignificant creatures crawling on the ground.

Crackle──────────!

As the purple lightning filled the sky, monsters began pouring in from all directions.

– Kyaaaak!

– Grrr…!

The sight of them charging through the jungle looked like a black wave. Faced with this, Enok calmly extended his hand downward.

[Get back.]

Rumble──────────!!!!

A rain of lightning fell.

*

“…You really have a remarkable son-in-law.”

Roxanna looked up dumbfounded at the continuously flashing magic region.

From this moment on, this place would no longer be called a magic region. After all, all the monsters would be fried to a crisp from the lightning.

“Well, it’s only natural for my dad to be amazing. Shinhou, let’s hurry too.”

“Of course.”

Approaching the place presumed to have the Sword God’s clone, Roxanna placed her hand on the ground and closed her eyes.

Rumble-!

The booming thunder made her head spin, but Roxanna, being the warrior called Shinhou, quickly focused, summoning the powers of her firmly established spiritual foundation.

[We probably don’t need to rush. Dad looks pretty relaxed.]

“Huh?”

Hearing the voice next to her, Tsukiyo turned her head.

“What…! Eri, why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to assist Dad?!”

[Eh, I don’t really need to be there for this.]

“What…? Just a short while ago, you weren’t at that level…?”

While Tsukiyo was bewildered, Roxanna succeeded in awakening the emotion fragment.

“I got it!”

With her words, at some point, the figure of the Sword God appeared in the air. A familiar sight. As always, Roxanna reached out her hand.

“Beloved.”

Swish-, the Sword God’s sword was drawn. Roxanna was startled.

“Be careful!”

The sword that approached with fluid motions raised itself to strike down.

──────────────

A long void stretching from the ground to the sky broke apart, revealing something hazy in the air.

[Sword….]

It seemed dazed, as if the consciousness was clouded, then it stiffly turned its neck like a broken doll.

[She is….]

[Hmm? Well, if you ask the Sword God, you’d know, right?]

Tsukiyo, with her ears perked up, opened her eyes wide.

“That, that girl…!”

[Oh my, calling her a girl is a bit harsh, don’t you think?]

The ghost chuckled. It was the ghostly lady they had seen in Demisto.

“I should have killed her back then…!”

[Telling a ghost who died to be quiet?]

The ghost, lightly floating in the air, whispered into the ear of its faint outline.

[Hurry up. The one you’re looking for is over there.]

At that moment, the world turned entirely hazy. Both Tsukiyo and Roxanna widened their eyes. Everything that looked hazy was a legion of phantoms. The God of Life and Death’s legion.

“Shanak Magicion.”

The Sword God’s clone opened its eyes wide once again. After staring at the air for a moment, he looked at the still hovering Enok above.

“You’ve changed. Rionne’s mark. Yes, that child has mustered her courage.”

Taking a deep breath, he drew his sword and sent a telepathic message to Enok.

– Son-in-law, I’ll clear the path, so help that guy regain consciousness.

‘How can a clone do that?’

Enok looked at the Sword God in surprise. But instead of responding, he extended his sword.

Swish-

With a small sound, a distortion appeared where the sword pierced.

A pure void where neither space, time, nor mana could exist. Enok’s hair stood on end.

– Now.

At the Sword God’s voice, Enok reflexively transformed into electric energy and launched himself.

Rumble-!

Following the path of the void, Enok reached the faint shape in front of him, clearly seeing its form.

‘This is the God of Life and Death.’

Its entire body was a pure white. Like something that doesn’t exist in reality, his hazy shape gave off no sign of life whatsoever.

Something existing between life and death.

After catching a brief glance at its empty gaze, Enok condensed the void above his hand.

The non-existence converges into existence. The impossible contradiction crumbles the laws of the world, and Enok, who captured the blurred truth beyond, twisted his waist.

Kiiiii-!

The Ki Eye spoke. The God of Life and Death is a ghost existing in the hierarchy of souls. It cannot be damaged in a usual manner.

The eye gained from Tugi contained the Flow of Fate. The Ki Eye reflected the somewhat clearer appearance of the God of Life and Death and slammed the contradiction he held onto its head.

Grrrr──────────

An unknown vibration spread out. Enok, swallowing the rising blood, looked forward to check the outcome.

[……!]

The moment he lifted his head, his gaze met that of the God of Life and Death. The figure that had been quietly watching him suddenly let out a short lament.

[Aah… Why is it….]

The demigod’s lament twisted the laws. The times that flowed differently in each splintered space intertwined like tangled threads and collapsed.

But in an instant. As if the scene was stitched back together, his vision shifted.

“Cough…!”

When Enok spat out blood and looked around, he could no longer find the figure of the God of Life and Death.

Instead, there was one thing left.

[Oh…?]

The ghostly lady, looking puzzled, spread her palm wide.

[Tada~! It was a surprise!]

Having never expected Shanak to back down so easily. He was only curious to see what would happen if the Sword God and the God of Life and Death fought, but—

As the ghostly lady tried to slip away, Tsukiyo appeared behind her.

“I won’t let you escape this time.”

She pulled out a small pottery jar covered in talismans from her pocket. A cursed item she had prepared for when they would meet the ghostly lady again.

Tsukiyo’s golden eyes elongated as she cast her spell.

[急急如律令!]

The cat spell was unleashed, fueled by the effectiveness of the prepared cursed item.

[Ugh…!]

Surprised by the sudden turn of events, the ghostly lady was sucked into the jar in an instant.

“Phew….”

Breathing a sigh of relief, Tsukiyo landed and walked over to her companions.

“S-sorry…. If I had dealt with it last time….”

“It’s fine. No one’s hurt, right?”

As Enok gently patted Tsukiyo’s head, he subtly shifted his gaze to the Sword God and Roxanna.

The Sword God, who had been looking at Roxanna with indecipherable eyes, bent down to meet her gaze.

“Thank you. I didn’t expect to see such a day.”

“…You should prepare for a spanking.”

“Well, that’s inconvenient.”

The Sword God, smiling faintly, kissed Roxanna on the lips.

“I’ll be waiting.”

The figure of the Sword God faded, and one fragment settled onto Roxanna’s hand.

Tightly grasping the fragment in her palm, there was a glimmer of moisture in Roxanna’s eyes.

“Finally…. Soon….”

But at that moment, a strange sound broke through the atmosphere like a blow.

– Grrrrr…!

– Kaaak…!

The monstrous roars. The expressions of those who realized it was a sound made by humans stiffened.

“What is….”

[What else? It’s the aftermath of Shanak’s appearance.]

“Nyaah…!”

Startled by the voice from the jar, Tsukiyo jumped up in place.

[Oh dear. Aren’t you quite old to be scared of ghosts?]