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Even if my body rots away, the reason I stubbornly faced him with this damned spear has finally revealed itself to the world.

<Kwaaaang—!>

An unbelievable explosion erupted from the long and sharp weapon. What happened amidst this thunderous sound was exactly what I, Edelin, and everyone in the Great Forest had longed for.

“They said it was blessed by the saintess and the holy king.”

Indeed, as Edelin stated, a legendary figure who had once thrived in an era, bearing a power that was like poison to demons, poured their strength into this spear.

Whether that statement was true or not, the spear infused with the mana of the World Tree and Eriantina unleashed an attack stronger than the very scream emanating from my grasp against the demon.

“The power is incredible.”

How much struggle our party endured to capture this one creature.

The countless efforts felt like one strike with this spear, leaving me somewhat deflated. However, it made sense, given that the one who forged this spear and the master of the mana within it had transcended the blessings. It wasn’t surprising that such an outrageous power did not manifest.

Yet, if there was a bigger problem beyond that…

“…Buck… Ugh! That’s…!”

“…Bwah!”

I wasn’t at all prepared to withstand that recoil.

To gather the raging powers of top-tier spirits within my body and control the mana of the World Tree that momentarily imbued me with a sense of omnipotence could only lead to a tremendous backlash.

Weak voices faintly reached my ears, and the overwhelming mana exhaustion left me utterly powerless. Additionally, the alarm signals from my damaged body meant that I could no longer stand firmly on my own legs.

I gazed at the demon ahead, my fading body and vision struggling to focus.

“…!”

The melting goat head. Its hideous eyes, wide-open, were chasing after me.

But perhaps because its heart had been pierced, its waist was bent, and thick, black blood flowed from its mouth.

“＃＠＃※!”

Even amidst its fading consciousness, it screamed sharply and loudly, a totally unintelligible sound.

Hence, it bled profusely in pain while pulling out the spear. The Divine Power stayed in its wounds, halting its regeneration.

‘It’s done.’

I had managed to render it unable to recover for a while.

That was my role.

What followed would be handled by Shione and all the spirits of the Great Forest.

—Throw yourself in! Create some time!

Edelin’s lips seemed to say that urgently, as if the elves, charging into the fire like moths, raised their weapons.

After confirming their departure with my fading body, I closed my eyes.

‘I will survive. This time too.’

Even after losing consciousness and collapsing under the spider in the Beltlin mountain range, I somehow survived. After all, I had earned a second chance to live again.

I would never be easily defeated by an enemy I had already killed once before.

‘Shione, even if it seems I’ll die in the morning, make sure to save me.’

No matter what, even if I had to pour money and potions into it again.

I shut my eyes.

Not the walking beast Shione, but the thin, fair-minded noble would surely come through for me.

I will live and taste victory again. Naturally—

Just as I thought that, a staggering pain overwhelmed my body, jolting my consciousness back.

It seemed Edelina’s arm bumped into something while she was carrying me.

I felt tears streaming down my face.

“Really…”

I’m going to die at this rate. This hurts so fucking much.

*

“…Focus.”

From a distance, Ray was not dead.

After landing a brilliant strike against the demon, he was rescued by Edelin without being gravely harmed.

As long as he was still breathing… He had promised that after this was over, he would surely save me, casting a vow in the name of that High Elf.

But right now, I only needed to concentrate on what I had to do.

“Haah…”

Exhaling, I nocked an arrow on the bowstring.

A dwarven-made bow. And an arrow crafted in a special way by Edelin, just like usual.

I drew it back and—

<Whoosh—!>

The bowstring felt stronger than ever.

In that moment, I poured all my strength into the shot, incorporating every experience I had gone through until now.

After leaving that confined room, I could not express my path as that of a mere criminal. Perhaps indulging in arrogance, my past deeds were merely a copy of the protagonists I had admired in novels I had gazed at daily.

Yet, despite that, I couldn’t shake off the worry that plagued my mind.

‘…No matter what Ray says, there’s a clear limit to someone like me and a bow.’

Ray was special compared to others.

Not only could he handle mana, but he also wielded spirit magic as skillfully as an elf. No, even more deftly than an elf.

For him, the bow might be an exceptional weapon, but for someone like me, wielding ordinary mana, a bow simply had limitations.

‘Knights wielding swords and spears will ultimately be able to avoid and deflect arrows shot by archers.’

Once they surpass a certain level, knights can intercept arrows flying from afar with their monstrous bodies, closing the distance in the blink of an eye to slay the archer.

Long-range advantages aren’t exclusive to bows. Sometimes, mages can unleash even quicker and stronger attacks with far lesser mana consumption than archers. They can strike even from greater distances.

Those who are somewhat adept at handling mana won’t primarily handle bows.

If someone capable of managing mana exclusively wields a bow, that would be either a bow-maniac or someone cursed who finds no talent in other weapons like swords and spears.

‘Just nocking the arrow and channeling mana into the arrowhead—how strong can that possibly be?’

Even I think that a typical archer has markedly lower potential compared to others.

‘However, for now…’

Despite Ray denying it and somewhat proving it, I couldn’t entirely banish the doubts I had held onto.

I would trust solely in my fingers nocking the arrow, in my ring and middle fingers, and the mana pouring forth.

There’s no enemy in this world I cannot pierce.

Just as Ray said in the past.

If the enemy appears like they won’t fall to my arrow, then I shall shoot faster and harder than they expected.

I declare that I will project a strike so powerful that even the demon before me cannot react.

Just as I thought that, a massive movement caught my eye.

‘…Spirits!’

All the spirits in the Great Forest began to rise up, forming a gathering in the sky.

The congregation of these colossal spiritual entities would amaze anyone who witnessed it.

To summon all spirits was indeed a task only the Divine Will could perform here. Edelin had laid Ray down in one spot while bleeding.

Furrowing her brow, Edelin accumulated the spirits, pouring their power into my bow and arrow as she gathered them.

“Ah.”

The power of my ancestors entwined with the potential of the spirits embedded in the bow.

The bow and arrow could no longer be described as mere weapons that shot sharp sticks with clear limitations.

“This is why—”

Ray had warned me not to presume limitations with such dread.

Just as Edelin’s incessant blood flow proved—power gathered into the arrow from the spirits. The coordination of that power was something I still could not bear, leaving it to her instead.

But the scale of the power emanating from the arrow was something I definitely felt.

“…To Ahjussi.”

A small spirit’s voice resonated at that moment.

It was a fire spirit that seemed to be particularly close to Ray.

“Where’s Ray?”

“Out cold. Pain. Got knocked out before he could be alert. The spear struck him in the chest.”

“How’s he holding up? What’s Ray like?”

“Shut up! You moron! Are you going to keep talking? If you take time, he might really die!”

…No wonder I could tell it was a spirit; its diction was rough. It seemed their speech was somewhat distorted by the unfamiliar language of this land.

Still, without thinking of arguing, I nodded, feeling the warm energy embrace my body. The little spirit, shaped like a child, had likely cast some magic.

I then focused solely on piercing the enemy as a way of returning the favor.

The enemy I had to pierce was the demon controlling poison.

Specifically, a massive blow aimed at the heart Ray had impaled.

As the spirits that had been engaged in battle gathered solely for my shot, once the considerable strength spread thin across the defenses, it was only natural that a huge gap opened.

This led to countless resentful cries and screams echoing around me.

I carefully took aim and adopted the Dead Release stance, holding onto the single chance I had.

‘Stay calm, and look where the arrowhead points.’

My hand trembles as I pull the bowstring.

Perhaps it was due to the sole gesture carrying the fate of the Great Forest and its people. Or was it still because of my lacking faith in myself? Or perhaps it was both?

The trembling fingertips.

When the target finally aligned perfectly onto the center of its heart.

The girl held her breath, shooting forth the weight of the time she had traversed.

“Hup—!”

The shot of hope.

Finally, the first massive fate of the girl who had transformed due to a singular man pierced through the fates of many.

More resplendent than anyone else on the continent.

 

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