Becoming Their Guiding Spirit

# Chapter 65: This is... Honoikazuchi no Kami~ The thick branches on the twisted tree monster’s trunk were as flexible as long whips, lashing down on the ground again and again. Even though the river water was shallow, the lashing branches still sent up tall splashes.

The vast cave echoed with constant booming sounds.

Lucas Reeve and the others were forced to dodge the incessant attacks of the branches while also avoiding sneak attacks from the thousands of surrounding skeleton monsters.

Fortunately, these skeleton monsters didn’t seem very bright. Otherwise, if they had laid in wait and ambushed them, it would have been much more troublesome.

Franka dodged various attacks while chatting with Liskarm and the others beside her.

”Have you guys ever played a certain game?”

”Fat Fox, what time is it for this? Can you focus on defending? What’s this about a game...”

Liskarm was speechless.

The burden of protecting Magallan, who was not a professional combatant, naturally fell on her. She had to pull the trigger to accurately headshot the incoming skeleton monsters while dodging the falling vines.

”What game? I’m a veteran gamer.”

Although Magallan wasn’t a combatant, she had traveled far and wide alone over the years. No one would believe she was completely defenseless.

After putting on her equipment, two drones flew high in the sky. From within the drones, countless smaller sub-drones flew out, swarming like mosquitoes to provide indiscriminate fire coverage on the ground. Moreover, the armed strike modules from the two main drones were also activated, continuously launching small Originium grenades for small-scale carpet bombing.

For a moment, it created the illusion that the thousands of enemies were being surrounded by the four of them.

”’Raiden’... it’s that game where you control a small plane to dodge bullet-hell-like attacks. It requires a lot of skill. Don’t you think this is a lot like it? If we make one mistake, we might be done for.”

”...”

”Fat Fox! Can’t you say something more auspicious...”

Liskarm muttered under her breath.

At first, thanks to the fire suppression from Magallan’s drones, it seemed easier. But over time, these skeleton monsters seemed endless. No matter how many were killed, more would just come up from behind to replace them. They had to dodge the tree monster’s attacks while fending off the skeletons’ bites. This was truly hell-level difficulty.

Gradually.

The group began to show signs of fatigue.

Franka’s breathing rhythm became slightly disordered, which was not a good sign.

In this environment, the effects of Lucas Reeve’s Transparent World were on full display. He could easily see the attacks of the whip-like branches. With the enhancement of Sun Breathing, Lucas’s footsteps were like a dance. His flaming longsword continuously parried the incoming branches, significantly reducing the pressure on Franka and the others.

This won’t do...

If this continues...

This was the enemy’s territory, after all. Maintaining a stalemate was no different from a slow death. They were human, not machines. Humans would eventually run out of stamina. After continuously using Sun Breathing to slash away countless branches, Lucas could feel a clear strain on ’Jessica’s’ body.

After a long period of Total Concentration Breathing.

A sharp pain appeared in her lungs. Not just her lungs, but the muscles all over her body were also showing clear signs of fatigue from the high-intensity exercise. Every muscle, every cell seemed to be urging Lucas to stop.

”Damn it!!”

”Mr. Reeve....”

Inside the necklace.

Jessica was filled with self-blame.

Of course, she could clearly perceive the change in Lucas’s condition. It was all because of her body! Her body was too weak, which was why Mr. Reeve was forced to fight with such a burden!

Just then.

A stream of fire shot out from the darkness nearby like a meteor tearing through the night sky, instantly striking the tree monster and accurately hitting its core. However...

The monster’s skin was simply too thick. This powerful attack didn’t pierce its core but stopped some distance away. Nevertheless, the attack still caused the tree monster immense pain. Its shrill screams echoed through the vast cave, as eerie as a baby crying in the middle of the night.

”Ceobe?!!”

An unexpectedly cute figure descended from the sky.

The mysteriously missing Ceobe had suddenly appeared.

”Ceobe?! Where have you been?”

Lucas took the opportunity to catch his breath and ask about Ceobe’s whereabouts.

Ceobe cutely twitched her ears and answered honestly.

”Ceobe... got lost for some reason while entering the cave with everyone... Then Ceobe met many monsters like these, and after clearing them out, Ceobe was looking for everyone.”

Ceobe’s tone was clearly a bit wronged.

Like a child who got separated from their parents, bravely holding back tears, and finally finding them through their own efforts. It was heart-wrenching.

”Good girl...”

Lucas gently patted Ceobe’s head.

He now finally understood why there were no enemies when they were trapped in the dream. The enemies that were supposed to attack them were likely held off by Ceobe, who had stumbled upon them by chance. This also forced the tree monster, which had been hiding in the shadows, to reveal itself.

Since the powerful Ceobe was here, the pressure on the front line should be relieved somewhat.

Lucas Reeve took a deep breath.

He prepared to end this battle with one final move.

”Ceobe, hold them off for me for a bit...”

”You got it!!”

Meanwhile, Franka and the others on the side were responsible for holding back the endless sea of skeletons, trying to create an absolutely safe zone for Lucas.

Lucas Reeve took a deep breath.

Jessica’s body was truly exhausted now, but only this move might be able to end it all...

He slowly closed his eyes, adjusting his body’s functions to their optimal state. He slowly sheathed his longsword, his hand gripping the hilt in a drawing stance.

*Huuuuu...*

A long sigh escaped Lucas’s lips.

Within the sigh, a faint crimson lightning could be seen, completely different from the pale blue lightning of the original Thunder Breathing.

Lucas didn’t move.

But he gave off the feeling of a beast ready to pounce, like the calm before a storm. The twisted tree monster, which could directly affect souls, naturally sensed the change in Lucas. Its attacks grew more frantic, and the more frantic the attacks, the more it revealed what kind of damage Lucas’s next strike would inflict.

Because everyone present was giving their all to block any interference for Lucas, even if it meant getting injured themselves.

”Huu~”

Suddenly.

[Noble Phantasm: Knight of Owner]

Black markings appeared on Lucas’s palm, spreading onto the longsword and instantly transforming the ordinary blade into a Noble Phantasm. Even from a distance, the sharp will contained within the transformed sword felt like it could cut a person just by looking at it.

”Sorry, Jessica. After this attack, you’ll have to rest for a while...”

”Don’t apologize, Mr. Reeve! You can use my body however you want!!”

Suddenly!

Lucas’s eyes snapped open.

And his originally deep black pupils now flickered with an incredibly dazzling lightning.

In an instant.

The vast, dark cave was brightly illuminated by the crimson lightning. Around Lucas’s body, crimson lightning erupted, and the resulting waves made everyone present gasp.

[Thunder Breathing, Seventh Form: Honoikazuchi no Kami!]

The moment Lucas drew his sword from its sheath.

The entire cave lit up.

Flames entwined with lightning, transforming into crimson bolts that danced around Lucas’s body.

The next moment.

Lucas vanished from his spot.

He disappeared so quickly that even the water’s surface didn’t have time to react, not a single splash was made.

A crimson ball of lightning shot across the entire cave.

No one could react in time.

Even the twisted tree monster, which was mentally prepared, couldn’t react at all.

The moment it saw the ball of lightning.

Its thick trunk had already been pierced through by it.

The sharpness contained within the Noble Phantasm-turned-sword easily cut through the monster’s confident outer shell, striking directly at the core gem.

At the same time.

’Jessica’s’ combat jacket was torn apart by the sheer, overwhelming speed of this attack, revealing the black short-sleeved shirt underneath.

*Plop...*

Lucas landed on the other side.

The moment he landed, an immense pain shot through his legs, and he immediately fell to a sitting position. It wasn’t just the pain in his legs; every inch of muscle in his body felt like it was screaming, the pain spreading throughout his entire body.

This was the limit...

First, he had used [Godspeed], then he had continuously used Sun Breathing for a long time, and finally, he had pushed beyond the limits of the flesh to unleash his strongest attack. Lucas had fused Sun Breathing into this move, truly perfecting it into the ultimate killing technique. Coupled with the sharpness attribute from the Noble Phantasm, he had finally finished off this monster...

The only drawback was perhaps...

After using it, with Jessica’s body, he would probably need to lie in bed for a few days.

Jessica’s current physical fitness was, after all, only that of an ordinary Operator. If it were someone stronger than Franka, a top-tier powerhouse, they would probably be completely fine.

*Huu~* It’s finally over.

The tree monster, cut in half by Lucas, lay limply on the ground.

A huge, clean-cut hole was left in the center of its trunk. Inside the cut, the monster’s core gem was shattered, and the surrounding skeleton monsters had all frozen in place.

Franka and the others ran over, overjoyed.

They patted Lucas on the back.

”You’re really something, Mr. Reeve. I refuse to believe someone like you could be killed by a dump truck.”

”...”

Lucas was a little speechless, saying weakly, ”That dump truck could transform...”

”Hahaha~”

Franka turned around, intending to carry the exhausted Lucas, who was sitting on the ground, and leave this place. Since the final boss was dealt with, it was safe now. They could go back.

Just then.

A sense of crisis suddenly welled up from the depths of Lucas’s soul, who had just been relaxing. His eyes widened and he shouted.

”Danger!!”

It wasn’t just Lucas.

Ceobe beside him also noticed it at the same time and immediately rushed over to push everyone away.

However, it was a step too late.

A soul-piercing roar came from within the tree monster’s body. Like a great hammer, it struck heavily in the minds of everyone present.

Franka and the others’ heads were buzzing. They stumbled and fell to the ground, and a trickle of blood even flowed from their ears.

Under everyone’s shocked gaze.

The supposedly killed tree monster suddenly stood up again. Its branches gradually withered and turned yellow, and from the huge gap that had been cut open, several semi-transparent white hands stretched out. A continuous stream of pus also flowed out from the cut.

”....”