Chapter 320: Trial of Yggdrasil

“We’re here.”

“Yes…”

Dairon and I finally arrived at the base of Yggdrasil.

We hadn’t been attacked by monsters until we reached this place.

“Alright, what sort of test —”

(( You’ve done well coming all the way here. You guys want my fruit too?))

A voice resounded inside my head.

It wasn’t Sylph’s.

It was an irritating kind of voice.

I knew Sylph is Yggdrasil personified, but did Yggdrasil have its own consciousness too?

“Y-Yggdrasil!?”

((That’s right.))

“Yggdrasil, won’t you give me your fruit? I beg you. My dear son is ridden with illness.”

((Those who wish to obtain my fruit need to pass the test I will give them. Do you understand that?))

“Yeah. I will do anything to save my son!!”

((Very well. There are three phases of the trial.))

A tiny crystal fell from who knows where to Dairon’s feet while he talked with Yggdrasil (?).

((Fill that crystal with your mana.))

“... This?”

Dairon picked the crystal up.

I realized it would be impossible to pass the test while watching him do that.

That was an Infinite Magic Crystal — it was a God-tier magical tool that could store infinite amounts of mana.

***((What now? Hurry up. Can’t do it? If you can’t do it, then I’m going to take your memories in return for pointlessly wasting my time.)) ***

“I, I got it. Wait for a bit!”

Dairon transferred his mana into the crystal.

However, no matter how much mana he poured in, it didn’t seem like it was being stored inside the crystal.

This… I could only borrow the power of that esteemed person.

“Dairon, wait.”

“W-What are you up to?”

I went to a spot that Dairon couldn't see before putting my hand on the ground. I uttered the name of Soryuu.

　──＊＊＊──

“Looks like you’re doing well, Halt.”

It felt as if it had been ages since somebody called my name.

“Yes. This is the last round.”

I went to Soryuu’s place.

“It’s you, after all. I have an idea what’s going on. That Yggdrasil —”

“Yes. It’s alright.”

Soryuu-sama grinned when I said that.

“I will send you as much mana as you need as long as your feet are on the ground.”

“I understand. I’ll be in your care.”

“Take these too.”

A huge sword that was almost as tall as me and a blood red gemstone appeared.

Both of them were familiar to me.

It was my beloved sword [Hakoku] and [Dragon’s Eye], an item that could absorb infinite amounts of mana.

I see.

So I got them from Soryuu-sama, huh.

Soryuu-sama could see the future, and he’s telling me to bring these with me, so that meant I would need them later on.

“Soryuu-sama, thank you very much.”

“Yeah. Come visit me from time to time even after you return to your original era, alright. And… if it’s possible, bring my descendants with you.”

Eons ago, Soryuu-sama used to bestow blessings to all the dragons that were born, and he was the one who taught them how to live as dragons, the highest ranking monsters of the demon tribe.

However, there was a dragon king who spoke against it because he thought Soryuu-sama was being too meddlesome.

Soryuu-sama was so shocked after being called out as [just a nagging old codger] that he went into seclusion in the Demon Realm from then on.

“It would be nice if you can. If there are dragons and dragonoids that don’t dislike me, then take them with you.”

So even the amazing dragon who circulated his mana throughout the world wanted to see his grandchildren, huh.

“Alright!”

Let’s bring Hakua, Ryuushin and Ryuka with me.

And if possible…with my child with Ryuka, too.

“H-Hmm! I won’t be expecting much, but I’ll wait. I’ll be waiting, alright!! I won’t… expect much, though.”

Soryuu gramps was super adorable for wanting to see his grandkids, so I decided to take them along.

Well, Soryuu-sama could see the future, so he probably knew that I would bring them to him in the future, for sure.

He probably said that as a guarantee.

“Alright, then we’ll come again. Soryuu-sama, thank you so much!!”

“Yeah. Do your best, Halt. Oh, and by the way, when you punch Evil God, go a tiny bit easy on him.”

“I’m sorry. Even if it’s you, Soryuu-sama, I cannot promise that, but… I’ll try.”

I had to do it so that he’s just on the verge of being obliterated.

“That’s fine. Later, then —”

　──＊＊＊──

I returned to Yggdrasil’s roots.

Dairon was still pouring mana into the crystal.

“Sorry for the wait, Dairon.”

“Ernol!? Your presence completely vanished, you know? Where did you go!?”

Did he think I ran away?

I made him a bit anxious, it seemed.

“Ahahaha, I won’t run away, I told you. You’re already at your limit, right? Let’s switch.”

“Oh, Y-Yeah. Thanks — Eh, what’s with that huge sword!?”

Dairon was taken aback when he saw Hakoku on my back.

“Well, something happened.”

I forcibly pulled him away from the Infinite Crystal.

“It’s fine even if I put my mana, right?”

((Yeah, I don’t care who does it.))

Alrighty, then, lezzgo!!

Gramps Soryuu-sama, I’m counting on you!!

A huge amount of mana flowed into me from the ground beneath me.

I poured it directly into the crystal as I received it.

((((Nice. You got a lot more mana than that old guy before you, huh.))

“Thanks.”

I earnestly transferred mana.

((A-Amazing… It’s already about half-full. But you’re already at your limit, aren’t you?))

“No, not at all?”

That’s because Soryuu-sama, the one who cycles mana in this world, got my back, after all.

“I got a whole lot more for youuu!!”

((!! W-Wait! That much is —))

The magic crystal shattered, and the breaking sound of glass echoed.

“Whoa!”

“What!?”

((I-Impossible…))

“Oh dear, it broke. But with this, we completed the mission to fill this crystal, right?”

“T-That’s amazing, Ernol. The amount of you mana… Just what the heck is going on with it?”

Well, I jsut cheated, that’s all.

But then, the same thing can be said to this ‘Yggdrasil’, after all.

((Argh. What a waste… Tsk, next, next!!))

Oy, oy, your true colors are showing up.

While I was thinking of that, a lump of metal suddenly fell, much like how the crystal did earlier.

((Next, break that.))

“N-No way….Isn’t this Oricalchum!? It’s absolutely impossible to break a lump this size —”

“It’s already done, though?”

I crushed it with Hakoku.

((Eh!?))

“ — Huh?”

I’m glad I could still use Hakoku with this body.

((Eh, eh, what? What in the world are you!?))

“Well, well. The next one should be the last, right?”

(( — Tsk. F-Fine. But the next test will be far more difficult.))

“For the last task, we had to catch and stop the highest grade of magic — something like that?”

((W-Why did you…))

“Oh, it’s just a gut feeling. Alright, let’s do this. I’m ready anytime, okay?”

Go ahead, come at me!

((...No.))

“Huh?”

((For the last test, Mister, you kill that elf with the huge sword.))