"Is this… actually invincible?"
After combining the effects of [Super Crystal Turtle] and [Crystalline Construct], Kurose Akira came to a clear conclusion about Loserine's current combat power.
[Crystalline Construct] granted her immunity to elemental damage.[Super Crystal Turtle] ensured her body would endure forever—indestructible, unbreakable!
Even if… all that remained of her was a bare skeleton!
On top of that, as an undead, she was immune to mental magic and incapable of feeling pain.
Which meant that now, Loserine was immune to both physical and elemental damage.
Wasn't that… basically invincibility?
And then—
A system prompt suddenly appeared, making Akira's pupils widen once again.
[Notice! Your adventurer Loserine requires only one additional trait to advance to Mythical quality! Upon advancement, all attributes will be greatly enhanced!]
"…Huh?"
Akira froze, momentarily unable to process what he had just seen.
He knew that adventurer quality could be upgraded through certain methods.
But going from Legendary to Mythical… this was the first time he had ever encountered such a thing!
And now—
Loserine was only one additional trait away from reaching Mythical rank!
It didn't even have to be a super rare trait.A normal additional trait would suffice!
Which brought him to the critical question—
Should he assign [Holy Judgment Pact] to Loserine?
Push her directly into Mythical quality?
After careful consideration, Akira ultimately decided against it.
Because the moment he attempted to apply the trait, a warning appeared:
[This trait conflicts with the 'Undead' trait. Partial abilities may be lost.]
That was enough to make him stop immediately.
Forcing the trait onto her could easily result in a net loss.
"…So [Holy Judgment Pact] only works on holy-aligned adventurers?"
That narrowed things down—Lucia and Ivsha were the only viable candidates.
…Or perhaps, he could save it for a newly recruited adventurer.
"My body…"
After receiving the [Super Crystal Turtle] trait, Loserine immediately sensed the transformation within herself.
Her already radiant crystalline bones grew even more dazzling, as if coated in a layer of shimmering luminescence.
"Does the new power feel manageable?" Akira asked with a smile.
"I…"
Loserine slowly raised her hands, staring at them in disbelief.
There was no way she could adapt to such power instantly.
But she did know the fastest way to get used to it.
Her gaze shifted toward Marlé Rhine.
"Could I trouble you… to strike my body, Miss Rhine?"
"Oh?"
Marlé, who had been casually eating fruit, turned toward her with interest. After giving her a once-over, she grinned.
"You sure, little skeleton? My punches pack quite a punch."
"…Mm."
Loserine simply nodded, raising her arms and crossing them into a defensive stance.
"Alright then!"
Marlé flashed a sharp, toothy grin and strode forward, lifting her fist.
"Here I come!"
She swung her fist with full force, slamming it into Loserine's crossed arms.
Bang!
Her dragon-scaled fist collided heavily against the gleaming crystalline bones, producing a dull, reverberating impact.
But the moment of contact—
Marlé's playful expression instantly stiffened.
"…What?"
She stared at Loserine in shock.
Yes, Loserine was strong.Yes, her level was higher.
But Marlé was a dragon.
A dragon whose raw attributes completely outclassed Loserine's!
And yet—
Her punch hadn't budged Loserine even a fraction.
Worse still, a sharp pain shot through her fist, as if her own bones had cracked from the impact.
Before she could react—
A radiant, diamond-like shield suddenly formed over Loserine's right arm.
And then—
A perfect shield counter.
"Damn it!"
Marlé tried to brace herself—
But the shield flared with blinding brilliance.
A violent shockwave erupted, slamming into her and launching her several meters backward before she crashed heavily onto the ground.
"Human!"
Marlé scrambled to her feet, disheveled, glaring at Akira.
"What the hell did you do to the little skeleton?! How did she suddenly get this strong?!"
"…This…"
Akira blinked, equally surprised.
His gaze lingered on the shield that had manifested on Loserine's arm.
It wasn't a physical object.
It was something else—an energy construct.
No…
More precisely, it was a manifestation of her soul power.
That realization made his eyes narrow.
Was this… also an effect of [Super Crystal Turtle]?
While he was still puzzling over it, Loserine walked up to him.
Her tone remained calm, but within her soul, starlight shimmered brilliantly.
She was… extremely excited.
"I think I've gained a new ability," she reported.
"The shield just now?" Akira asked, pointing at where it had appeared.
"Mm."
She nodded.
"It's a special power. I can transform my soul into armor… or even into animals."
"…Animals?"
Akira froze for a second before immediately asking,
"What kind of animal?"
"I'll show you."
Loserine stepped back, closed her eyes, and focused.
Then—
Pop!
With a crisp sound, her form transformed.
In an instant, she became a creature formed entirely of radiant crystal.
But the type of animal was—
"…A turtle?"
Akira stared, stunned.
"Loserine! You turned into a giant turtle!"
He had imagined all sorts of possibilities—something agile, something elegant.
A rabbit. A cat. Something… fitting.
But a turtle?!
And not just any turtle—
A sparkling, diamond-like turtle!
"…Wait."
Maybe it wasn't exactly turning into a turtle.
Rather—
She had encased herself within a crystal-constructed barrier.
It just happened to resemble a turtle.
Her true body remained inside the shell.
And she could control the turtle's movements at will.
"Akira, look."
Loserine gently wiggled her shell, speaking in a perfectly serious tone.
"I can condense magic into crystals. It can block most threats."
"…Is that so?"
Akira's curiosity was fully piqued.
"Then… can I go inside?"
"Of course."
Loserine extended her hand from within the shell, grabbed his wrist, and pulled him inside.
Akira was startled.
The shell looked solid, but it was still an energy construct—intangible, permeable at her will.
Once inside—
A strange sense of security washed over him.
As if nothing could harm him here.
A perfect fortress.
Still…
Thinking back to the way Loserine had just wiggled her turtle shell so seriously—
He couldn't help but suppress a laugh.
An undead knight… turning into a turtle.
Yeah, that was definitely a mismatch.
"…Alright, that's enough. I think I understand your new ability," Akira said.
"Mm."
Loserine waved her hand, and the giant turtle instantly vanished.
Returning to her normal form, they found Marlé Rhine staring at them suspiciously.
"That shell's pretty tough… I wonder if it could withstand my Destruction Breath."
"…Maybe."
Akira wasn't entirely sure.
After all, destruction energy wasn't elemental magic. It might still be able to harm her.
As he thought this, his gaze drifted back to Loserine.
She was still immersed in her newfound power.
Her sapphire-like eyes shimmered as she examined her crystallized hands, filled with excitement.
Seeing that, Akira simply smiled and shrugged before glancing out the window.
Outside, elves passed by carrying wine and fruit, preparing for the victory banquet.
Then it hit him—
He still needed to help the Elf Queen unlock the function of the Elven Ruler…
This banquet might be the perfect opportunity.
…
Elsewhere, Pasloe lay quietly on her bed.
During the battle, she had assisted the Elf Queen in activating the Shadow Form of the World Tree, which had ultimately led to the defeat of the Undead Lord.
But the cost had been immense—her magic was nearly depleted.
As she rested, she suddenly sensed a familiar presence.
Her eyes opened.
"You may leave for now," she told the dark elves guarding the room.
"Yes."
They withdrew immediately, leaving her alone.
Pasloe slowly sat up.
"You can come out now."
As her voice fell—
The Dark Elf Queen emerged from the shadows.
"…You."
A flicker of amusement passed through Pasloe's eyes.
"I didn't expect the queen to actually succeed… separating you from her soul."
She had always known about the Elf Queen's darker half.
But she never imagined it would become an independent entity.
"I need your help, Pasloe," the Dark Elf Queen said seriously.
"Go on."
"I want…"
She began—
Then abruptly stopped.
Her golden eyes shifted sharply to the side.
At some point—
The Elf Queen had appeared beside her, completely unnoticed.
"May I listen in on your conversation?" the Elf Queen asked with a gentle smile.
"…Do as you wish," the Dark Elf Queen replied after a brief pause.
Then she turned back to Pasloe.
"I want to ask—can you entrust me with the second World Tree sapling?"
"I see. So that's what this is about."
Pasloe nodded.
"Unfortunately… I've already given it away."
"…Given it away?"
The Dark Elf Queen frowned.
"To whom?"
"To Guild Master Kurose Akira. As a reward… for certain matters."
As she spoke, her gaze briefly flicked toward the Elf Queen.
She noticed the faint shift in the queen's expression.
The Elf Queen, of course, knew Pasloe had taken a branch of the World Tree—with her permission.
But she hadn't expected Pasloe to succeed… or to cultivate an entire dark forest from it.
"…You gave it to him?"
The Dark Elf Queen's expression turned complicated.
So she would have to… go and ask him again.
She covered her face, falling into silence.
Seeing this, the Elf Queen asked softly,
"Have you been adjusting well over there?"
Though the Dark Elf Queen was her other half, she held no resentment toward her.
Now that they were separate, she regarded her more like… family.
"…Adjusting?"
The Dark Elf Queen paused.
Was she?
…Perhaps she was.
"You don't have to answer," the Elf Queen said with a smile, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Just don't be late for the banquet."
With that, she turned and left.
…
Night fell.
The Elf Kingdom was illuminated with lights, tables filled with exquisite food and wine prepared for the grand celebration.
Akira made sure not to leave anyone behind—he summoned Alice, Virola, Xue'er, and Fengdie from the guild.
"Wow! Look at all this food!"
Alice's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Though she didn't need to eat, as a creation of witchcraft, the beautifully crafted elven delicacies still fascinated her.
Meanwhile, Xue'er had already climbed onto the table, clutching a pink grape and happily munching away.
"So good! Love it!"
"Xue'er! It hasn't started yet!"
Akira laughed helplessly.
The Elf Queen hadn't even arrived to formally begin the feast.
"Geez, barely made it!"
At that moment, Ailina rushed in, removing her helmet, her hair damp with sweat.
"Finished cleaning up the battlefield?" Akira asked.
"More or less…"
She dropped into a chair, exhausted.
Though she was a princess, she wasn't hosting the banquet, so she could sit wherever she pleased.
"Ailina~"
The Elf Queen suddenly appeared behind her, her voice gentle.
"It's an important occasion. Shouldn't you go cleanse yourself first?"
"…Hah…"
Ailina sighed and stood.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Dragging her tired body, she headed back to her chambers.
"That child…"
The Elf Queen smiled faintly, then turned to Akira.
"Guild Master Akira, the banquet is about to begin. I hope you enjoy yourselves."
"Of course, Your Majesty."
But just as he finished speaking—
Her voice echoed directly in his mind.
"Don't forget what I asked of you. This banquet is a perfect opportunity. Don't waste it."
Akira immediately straightened, nodding solemnly.
"Understood. I won't fail!"
His Elven Ruler had long since been… eager.
With tens of thousands of elves gathered here—
There was no way he'd miss this golden opportunity.
Time to pull!