Mesugaki Tank Enters The Academy

Chapter 220

Luka's choice of this forest as the testing ground held no special significance.

It was simply the most appropriate location among the few remaining places after excluding the dungeon.

Some places seemed far too easy for someone named Lucy, while others appeared excessively difficult. Certain areas were too crowded, making it likely they'd be discovered, and others were simply too far away to meet the time constraints.

Considering all these factors, the only remaining option was this dead forest.

He started contemplating this morning, made the decision by lunchtime, and brought her here by evening. Thus, it was impossible to prepare in advance.

If this forest were a well-known location, it could have been explained that he already knew about it, but that was out of the question.

The dead forest was a place rife with bad rumors. Nobles saw no reason to approach here, while superstitious adventurers didn't even dare set foot inside.

The only ones who visited were the clergy, and even they were merely maintaining the area to ensure that various evil spirits didn’t escape.

To put it simply, the dead forest was a place that would not be known to people.

Therefore, it could be asserted that studying this forest in advance was impossible. How could one study what was unknown?

However, oddly enough, Lucy Alrn seemed to know this forest all too well.

Her steps through the pitch-black forest, where visibility was limited, were unhesitant.

If nothing had appeared at the end, one might have thought it was just baseless confidence, but it was not so.

At the end of Lucy Alrn's steps, there was always something waiting.

These were things that significantly influenced this forest. The very things that those who understood the forest warned against meeting.

When she first defeated an evil spirit, she thought it was a coincidence.

Upon encountering the second foe, she began to feel doubts.

By the time she faced the third opponent, a particular thought arose, and after defeating the fourth, she considered it highly likely. Now, standing before the true master of this forest, she was certain.

She understood what Lucy Alrn's purpose was. She aimed to purify this forest.

A place that no one had thought to resolve since the day the undead entered it.

They deemed it not worth the effort, believing maintaining the status quo was enough for this forest.

She was trying to return it to its past state.

But why?

It was likely not Lucy Alrn's own intent. Rather, it was the will of a being that existed above her, one that significantly influenced the creation of the current Lucy Alrn.

That which must have tainted this forest with death was undoubtedly immense.

It obscured the light of the moon and stars with dark magic. As the beings that once led the forest vanished, it filled the void with its own power, which was no lightweight entity.

Even Luka, a professor at the academy, felt a sense of intimidation from it.

If an ordinary citizen were to face it, they would kneel and call upon their god.

A seasoned adventurer encountering it would not draw their weapon but would quickly flee to report on the entity.

If the lord of the nearby region had seen it, they would have requested salvation from the church instead of confronting it directly.

This being, obscuring the sky and showcasing its existence, was not something a first-year academy student could face alone.

It was something that the church's knight order had to come and declare to hunt down.

If what stood before him now were merely a first-year student from the academy, Luka would have stepped in to deal with the undead in her place.

He was someone who tossed students into the boundary between life and death, not someone who threw them into death itself.

However, for this instance, Luka did not do that. He felt no reason to.

It was not unusual for Luka. Anyone who saw Lucy Alrn shining like the sun in the middle of the forest would think the same.

Luka witnessed it.

He saw Lucy walking toward the forbidden aura that would terrify anyone.

Instead of being frightened by the scene before him, she readied herself for battle.

She stood proudly as a beacon of light in the darkness, drawing all the undead's attention to herself.

She raised her voice toward the master of the forest.

And she continued to fight without taking even a step back against that vile being.

The curses spat by the nearby spirits were not even allowed to touch Lucy.

Likewise, the unholy power possessed by the master of the forest was the same. Normally, it would have rotted whatever it touched, but before Lucy, it merely dissipated like smoke.

The undead that rose from the earth were purified at the moment they touched her sanctity, and the magic wielded by the forest's master was not significantly different.

In contrast, Lucy's attacks were always threatening.

Each time she swung her mace, the massive unholy entity of the forest trembled, and a moan of pain spread throughout the entire forest.

Each time she ignited her sanctity, the surrounding spirits scattered.

It was not something that could be explained by the term "match-up."

An overwhelming strength not typical for someone her age.

Having worked on the field for a long time.

Having taught countless individuals at the academy.

Having engraved many stars in his eyes.

He knew better than anyone what the most brilliant star looked like.

Luka could not help but exclaim in admiration.

"Is that a first-year student at the academy?"

If the person standing there were the saint of the Church of the Holy Lord, Luka would have understood.

Having been chosen by the god and polished her sanctity since childhood, she had already performed miracles in several places.

However, the one standing there was not a saint.

Not long ago, she had been a childish girl who didn't hesitate to hurl insults at the gods.

Had it not been for the grandeur of the Alrn family, she would have been long erased for her blasphemy.

Yet here she was, possessing such sanctity.

"Is she someone favored by the gods?"

Luka, well-versed in the rumors within the academy, was aware of the recent nickname given to Lucy.

"Someone favored by the gods."

It was a silly nickname given due to her close relationship with Faybi, yet Luka felt that, for some reason, it aptly described Lucy.

Come to think of it, the reason she had changed was because she had listened to the words of the gods.

Luka did not like to use the phrase "favored by the gods" for those who had gained widespread renown. He believed it was a statement with the causal relationship reversed.

He thought that the gods did not grant talent because they were favored. Rather, they looked for talented individuals and chose them.

It was said that they caught the eye of the gods because they inherently possessed talent suitable for greatness.

In that sense, Lucy Alrn was indeed someone favored by the gods.

She was someone whom the great god deemed had talents worthy of favor.

"Wow. No matter how proud I am of my craftsmanship, I have to give way to the gods."

The great god was like a senior to Luka in this field.

How could Luka play around when that being, who had created countless suns over a long and extensive history, had set their sights on it first?

Admiring Lucy, who threatened the master of the forest with her mace, Luka soon let out a chuckle.

He had to admit it.

That Lucy had the touch of a greater craftsman upon her.

He realized that he would be a hindrance in crafting the star that was her.

"Hmm. I wonder if I should watch from the sidelines and learn."

"Let’s see how outstanding my senior truly is."

And perhaps occasionally inject my own preferences here and there.

Though I don’t know if I’ll be permitted to do so.

• You little bug!

“Ugh? Are you proud of your body, Auntie?? You have a unique taste. Are you perhaps half-human, half-orc?? You really go well together~?”

Hmm. Before that, I should probably worry if my magic will work on Lady Alrn.

That being is already far beyond the academy level.

Even if she were active in the field now, she would be regarded as an outstanding talent. To be honest, it makes me a bit anxious.

What if I fail in magic? How should I persuade her then? Would she be satisfied if I held onto her life string? That would be nice. Because I don’t feel like wanting to die just yet.

Even if I die, I want to see her fade away the light I had witnessed.

<The spirits are coming!>
‘I understand!’

Since the festival in the Partlan territory ended, I had been cooped up in the territory, but that period was marked by the word "training."

While awake during the day, I repeatedly trained with the Alrn family knights, and at night, I practiced handling sanctity with the elder in a practice mode.

Moreover, whenever I had time, Bishop Johan visited our mansion and taught me various things, so the me before the vacation and the me now are almost different people when it comes to handling sanctity.

One of the outcomes of that effort is this.

The Light of Purification.

This holy magic, which is the source of the miracle the elder showed when confronting the evil god of fire in Menestale, has the effect of purifying the surrounding unholy beings with the light of sanctity.

Like all such magic, its effectiveness is greatly influenced by the sanctity possessed by the user.

The sanctity I possess is one granted directly by the shabby god.

How could lowly spirits withstand this sanctity that even the evil gods feel threatened by?

The spirits summoned to the land could not endure the light and had to return to where they originally belonged.

• Will you block my path again, holy knight!

As the battle intensified, the necromancer lost her composure.

She no longer sought her daughter’s name.

She was merely moving to kill me, equating me with the holy knight she had seen in the past.

Hmm. For now, let’s weaken her after landing a few more hits...

<I cannot persuade her.> ‘...I never thought about that.’

<I know everything. Do you think I've only seen one or two people like you.>

In truth, I had thought about it. I wondered if I could head in a different direction from the game.

Maybe, just like I saved Karia, there might be a way.

But I had seen so many ordinary endings that I was bored. I wanted to see a different ending this time.

Yet the elder asserted to me.

"You’ve already crossed the path of no return. What you intend to do now is impossible."

<Do not harbor regrets. You must cut off what needs to be cut off.> ‘...I suppose so?’

I also knew the truth.

The reason I was able to save Karia was that she had not died and remained alive. The necromancer, who had already been consumed by spirits, would be beyond salvation.

<Finish it. That is the way to save her.>

I cast aside my regrets and imbued the head of my mace with sanctity.

The changes brought about by the evolution of the Holy Smash Art into the Holy Art were many.

First, it became easier to imbue my weapon with sanctity.

I could now unleash great power with less sanctity than before.

And one more thing. A technique that could be called a finishing move was born.

Taking a deep breath, I lifted my mace high.

As all the sanctity swirling within my body converged, a small sun formed above my mace.

As the warm and gentle light illuminated the forest, the necromancer gasped, gathering her magic.

However, the necromancer's power, depleted after a series of battles, could not withstand the god's sanctity.

As the mace swung, the sun fell from above, erasing all the unholy presences in the vicinity.

• Ding!

[You have successfully purified the dead forest!]
[You have passed one of Luka’s trials!]
[Rewards have been granted!]