The area beneath the World Tree was as dark as night. Even looking up at the sky, the tree was so incomprehensibly massive that it was hard to make anything out — the dense canopy of branches and leaves must have been completely blocking the sunlight.
With Elisa in the lead, we pressed forward, trampling through layers of accumulated fallen leaves. A cold wind blew, making Astol shiver.
The ceaselessly falling leaves seemed to reject intruders like a barrier. When you heard "World Tree," you'd imagine something sacred and holy, but looking at this, you couldn't write off the Black World Tree as a joke.
For starters, the tree's size was anything but normal. I'd understood its immensity since first seeing it from a distance, but to think that a tree so enormous its trunk looked like a wall actually existed in this world...
"It's... grown even larger. Just a few days ago, it wasn't this big... This is all because of the excess Mana Material," Selen said in a small voice. If it had grown this large from absorbing Mana Material, would Anthem eventually grow to this size too?
The estimated Level 10 Treasure Hall — the [Source God Temple] — had manifested as though concealing the World Tree itself.
In the dim darkness, what appeared to be crumbling black walls surrounded the World Tree, with black pillars sprouting up everywhere. High-level Treasure Halls were always surrounded by powerful Monsters, but at the very least, nothing was moving outside the walls.
The distance made it hard to make out fine details, but the sight was indescribably unsettling. There was something in the air reminiscent of the [Lost Inn]. Perhaps my biological instincts were screaming about how dangerous this Treasure Hall was.
Members of the veteran [Star's Holy Thunder] — who had conquered countless dungeons — stared at the Treasure Hall with tense expressions.
"It has likely manifested in a form that integrates with the World Tree. This is still just the overture. Beyond those walls lies the 'entrance' to the World Tree. That is probably where the core is," Elisa said in her usual calm manner. Was her composure because she lacked a sense of danger, or because she'd scouted this place multiple times already?
Even without any Phantoms in sight, the atmosphere near the entrance alone reeked of danger. On top of that, this vast expanse of grounds... If dozens of large Phantoms appeared, there'd still be plenty of room to maneuver.
The only saving grace was that we didn't need to conquer it this time.
Selen, who had been squinting at the World Tree, caught her breath before speaking in a trembling voice.
"I received the report, but... what incredible power... If we can push at least to the inside of those walls, that should be sufficient for the curse breaking."
We'd have to go inside the walls? If it wasn't comfortable in there, I might throw up.
The walls had crumbling sections here and there. We'd probably enter through one of those.
"...The inside of the walls is quite spacious. The walls are likely ceremonial rather than defensive. There are murals as well."
"Hmph... I doubt anything good will come of it."
Would you believe it — for once, Lapis and I were in agreement.
Just then, Elisa, who had been gazing blankly at the walls, furrowed her brow.
"...Just as I suspected, there's no trace of Phantoms... There were so many just a few days ago."
Good, good, excellent. I'd been worried about how this would go, but our luck was finally turning. No matter how terrifying the Treasure Hall, if there were no Phantoms, it didn't matter. That was assuming there were no traps, of course...
"This couldn't be better timing, could it? We're really getting lucky this time..."
"Weakling, don't say things that make people nervous! I mean it!!"
Huh!? I didn't even say anything...
Anyway, let's just achieve our objective quickly and head back to Zebuldia. Riizu and the others were collapsed, so the shorter our stay, the better.
That was when Lapis seemed to notice something, his eyes widening as he looked at Krus.
"If there are no Phantoms, then there's no need to split the escort either. This is it, Krus — the 'interesting thing' you spoke of?"
"It's hard to believe that the number of Phantoms could be predicted in advance... but yes, it is virtually impossible for Phantoms to vanish from a Treasure Hall of this level. How curious."
What kind of conversation had they been having? Astol nodded as though impressed.
It was frankly shocking — Phantoms decreasing at a Treasure Hall of this level was supposed to be impossible... So this time it really was just my good luck? How rare.
"Hmm... Interesting... certainly interesting, but are you sure this is really okay?" Krus asked, regarding me with the eyes of someone examining something suspicious.
I had no idea what he was asking about, but... it was probably fine?
In a fickle twist, the absence of Phantoms had put me in a better mood.
Elisa moved ahead to the walls and peered inside, then waved us over with small gestures. Normally we'd have split the escort, but with no one around, there was no need.
"A few of them appearing would've at least given us something to work with. No challenge at all."
"Hmph... overconfident. But there is some truth to it. It would serve as reference for enemy strength in the next battle."
"Mm-hmm, exactly."
You're really fired up, Lapis. Was it a sense of duty? When it came time to fight Ark's group, I'd really appreciate you giving it your all.
In any case, I jogged over to Elisa with Lapis and the others, pressed my hand against the wall, and peeked inside.
I'd heard from Elisa beforehand, but the interior was like the inside of ruins.
The massive rubble and stone pillars scattered everywhere were all black, and just looking at them made my chest tighten with unease.
And at the far end of that inexplicable ruin stood the World Tree.
"The [Source God Temple] has... manifested in a form integrated with the World Tree," Selen said, gripping her staff tightly, her voice barely above a whisper.
What stood before us was a temple. Carved directly from the enormous trunk of the World Tree, exquisitely crafted — a temple.
The ground was covered in a thick carpet of leaves, lending the whole place an indescribably eerie atmosphere.
The god born from this temple-type Treasure Hall was almost certainly something wretched.
Let's just finish this and go home.
I was about to step through the gap between the walls when Elisa suddenly grabbed my arm and yanked it hard.
"!?"
"..."
Our eyes met. Elisa's face — usually so blank and dreamy — was rigid. She said nothing, but the urgency in her silence spoke volumes.
What in the world...? As I blinked in confusion, Elisa trembled and spoke.
"Coo... my legs want to run away."
"Huh? Wait... y-you can't run, okay?"
I didn't understand what was going on, but I had to make sure she didn't bolt, just in case.
Elisa tightened her grip on my arm — and then a powerful wind blew.
"!?"
For a moment, my breath caught. It was a sight so mystical and unfathomable that it defied description.
A swirling wind had risen from nowhere, lifting every leaf off the surrounding trees.
It was like an attack spell. I instinctively glanced at my companions, but they were all staring at the spectacle, dumbfounded.
Before our confused eyes, the leaves that had been swept up transformed into particles of light and rained down.
Elisa grabbed my arm and pulled me back. In that instant, I was reminded of a Treasure Hall that had once appeared before me due to an accidental seismic event — the [White Marble Garden].
The particles of light gathered, flared brightly for an instant, and took shape. Where there had been nothing, where there had been a force without weight, it gained form, gained gravity, and shook the earth.
"!?" "W-What... is this?"
"So that's how it goes... interesting."
New World Tree leaves were falling from the sky.
Come to think of it — now that I noticed — with leaves falling at this rate, it was unnatural that the ground never seemed to get buried.
It seemed the spectacle unfolding before my eyes was the reason.
Generally speaking, Phantoms did not manifest right in front of you. When living beings were present, Mana Material was absorbed by them instead.
But exceptions existed.
When I thought about it calmly, the World Tree had been unable to process all the Mana Material, which was why the leaves were falling. Those leaves must have been like lumps of concentrated Mana Material.
And now, right before our eyes, they had reached a quantity sufficient to become Phantoms. At the worst possible timing.
"That's... impossible. Phantoms manifesting!?" Astol's voice trembled as he looked at me. "There aren't just Spiritfolk here — there are humans too! And one of them is a Level 8 Hunter!"
Sorry — I can barely absorb any Mana Material... But even if it weren't me, I don't think it would have made a difference.
In the space that had been empty moments ago, Phantoms were appearing. Phantoms wearing golden masks.
And not just... one.
"...The Phantoms that appear in this Treasure Hall all wear masks," Elisa added. The ruins that had been deserted moments ago were now overflowing with all manner of Phantoms.
Masked lizards, masked dogs. Masked snakes, and — masked knights. Their number was now beyond counting.
The designs on the masks covering each face differed in detail but were broadly uniform.
I didn't have a skill that could accurately measure each one's power, but the fact that Elisa — usually so absent — had a strained expression on her face made it abundantly clear that this situation was not good.
Fortunately, the Phantoms hadn't noticed us yet — perhaps because they'd just manifested — but at this rate, it was only a matter of time.
I wonder if they'd let me join their ranks if I wore a mask too...
I asked Selen, who was staring with her eyes widened as far as they could go, as though trying to burn the image into her brain.
"So, um... can you break the curse?"
"N-No, of course not! Even I can't handle that many! This isn't a matter of a few appearing — it's beyond anything I can deal with! Weakling, you think too highly of me!!"
Krus answered in Selen's place, shouting in a surprisingly adept whisper.
Right. If we'd arrived even a few dozen minutes earlier, we might have been able to break the curse before the Phantoms manifested...
"I see, I see... So this is the 'interesting thing.' Hmph... I've certainly never seen anything like this myself, even I—"
Lapis spoke with an air of admiration, but his feet had already taken several steps backward. It seemed everyone was in agreement.
And please stop phrasing it as though I was the one who created this situation. I'm in no position to respond to that right now, so I'll hold my tongue for the time being.
"...Even [Star's Holy Thunder] can't handle this? They haven't noticed us yet, but is it still impossible?"
"...I don't possess a crude spell capable of wiping out that many Phantoms in one fell swoop. I'll leave this one to you."
I'd clung to that last sliver of hope with my question, but Lapis just shrugged. "I'll leave this one to you"... Right now I'm just some flashy guy wrapped in a half-baked storm. What exactly am I supposed to do?
I let out a deep sigh and managed a half-hearted smile — "hard-boiled" would be a stretch.
"I guess there's no choice..."
"...Wait, Weakling, what are you going to do?!"
Krus blurted out as if startled. You think too highly of me too, you know.
What am I going to do? Well, obviously — we're leaving. Now, while they haven't noticed us, is our chance.
Haste makes waste. We'll come back when the number of Phantoms has gone down again.
With that thought, I turned around. And at the sight that awaited me, I was rendered speechless.
Lapis, Selen, and even Elisa were completely frozen.
— In the air where there had been nothing moments before, a massive rift had torn open.
I knew of the magic Lucia used, but I'd never seen magic that could create a rift in space.
Magic that affected space and time was of a super-high difficulty that exceeded even Gravity Magic, and I'd heard that only a handful of modern Mages could wield it.
Before my stunned eyes, a colossal head emerged from the rift.
A giant centipede with a crimson shell, rivaling any Phantom in sheer menace — and then a human voice spoke.
"Damn it, who would've thought the source of power was a dead end?"
"I told you we should've turned back, didn't I? That space is slightly offset from the real world! Who knows what would've happened without my 'Ripper'!"
From the rift descended a girl who had once come seeking my guidance.
She wasn't wearing her hood now, but I recognized her voice. Perched on her head was a doll wielding enormous scissors.
Following her, a black-haired young man with a sword at his hip descended, and lastly — a black-haired woman carrying a great spear appeared.
Tanned skin, sharp eyes. She looked about as strong as Riizu.
The woman caught sight of me, and her eyes widened for an instant before she nodded knowingly and smiled.
"It seems... we've kept you waiting, Thousand Transformations."
Um... who... exactly are you?
As if in response to her words, the giant centipede behind her let out a deafening roar.