Chapter 132

Chapter 132
## Chapter 132

Interlude (4)

Within the depths of his tranquil, submerged consciousness, he perceived the steady pulse of the cosmos.

Thump, thump—

The gentle radiance of the sun, the refreshing draft of wind, the grounding embrace of the earth, and the crisp fragrance drifting from the surrounding foliage.

The vibration emanating from every element of the natural world vibrated within him, merging effortlessly until he could no longer find where he ended and the world began.

A solitary blossom unfurling its petals with modest grace, a playful breeze brushing against it in Jest, a grand river carving its path with quiet majesty alongside them.

To his awareness, these were not isolated fragments of existence.

It was the complete dissolution of the self into the environment.

When the air stirred, he existed as the wind.

When a bough trembled, he existed as the tree.

When a stray leaf drifted along the current, he existed as the flowing river.

He manifested as nature in its purest form—.

—And ultimately, he manifested as the realm itself.

“Ugh—? Gah!”

Reclined beneath the sprawling canopy of a tree, Harris snapped out of a profound slumber, hastily wiping the saliva from his lip.

‘Ah… I only meant to close my eyes for a brief moment, yet I drifted off completely. What in the world was that absurd vision?’

Moving his neck with a bewildered air, he noted a heavy, languid exhaustion settling deep within his bones.

While he maintained a regular sleep schedule and occasionally experienced dreams, he had never encountered an illusion quite as surreal as this one.

Yet, the experience refused to fade as a mere trick of the mind…

《The criteria have been fulfilled by the subject, triggering advancement. The capability “Affinity with Nature” has progressed into the unique trait “Assimilation with Nature”.》

The moment his eyes opened, a glowing notification materialized directly in his field of vision.

“Huh?”

Harris blinked, trying to clear his hazy vision.

He had certainly been diligent in his daily routines, but he never anticipated that a simple afternoon rest would trigger a breakthrough in his capabilities.

The fortuity of the moment was almost comical.

‘Then again, ever since arriving in Drasha, the presence of the World Tree has been constantly acting upon me. My progression was bound to happen eventually.’

However, this sudden elevation of his trait carried a rather troublesome consequence.

‘…Good grief. My desire to do absolutely nothing has intensified. I was already quite content with idleness, but now the urge to remain completely stationary is overwhelming…!’

As his connection to the natural environment grew more profound, his baseline apathy scaled right along with it.

His internal reserves of natural vitality and attunement had expanded dramatically, yet it reached a point where a normal person would likely struggle to maintain a functional daily routine.

Had anyone else found themselves in this state, they would have happily dissolved into the landscape long before realizing the extent of the power they had inherited.

‘Would that be classified as passing away from natural causes? Well, that is hardly the priority at the moment.’

“Ngh—”

Fighting against his body’s overwhelming urge to collapse back onto the grass and dissolve into the soil, Harris forced himself to stand.

The mental energy required to override this lethargy had spiked, but compared to the burdens carried by his counterparts, it remained entirely manageable.

Consider Hans, who bore the burden of the Immortal King’s Heart alongside the bleak finality of the abyss.

Or Heinz the Second, who had drained the lifeblood of vampires across countless realities.

There was Heinrich, who perpetually served as a conduit for the divine essence of the Main God.

And Harley, who endured the volatile fusion of monstrous traits and abyssal madness.

In terms of sheer scale, the alternative versions of himself shouldered vastly superior strains on their consciousness.

He merely needed to exercise a touch more vigilance.

‘Let’s review the situation; a fair amount of time remains before the gathering commences. Perhaps a brief trial of these new capabilities is in order?’

Assessing the position of the sun, Harris lifted ‘Themis’, the specialized longbow carved from a limb of the World Tree, which remained clasped in his left hand.

This particular woodland served as an extension of the Drasha Academy’s training sectors. Since he had already been utilizing the area prior to his rest, there was no harm in resuming his exercises.

…Granted, he had inadvertently drifted off into a deep slumber, but given that the lapse resulted in a major breakthrough, no one could fairly accuse him of neglecting his duties.

He would validate his productivity through a direct demonstration of his current capabilities.

“Huuu—”

An abrupt swirl of air, responding to the depth of Harris’s exhalation, wound itself softly around his frame.

In stark contrast to the violent tempests Harley dragged into existence using the “Mad Dragon’s Heart”, this particular breeze manifested organically, completely devoid of forced intent.

Though an organic occurrence, it defied standard physical principles, yet such deviations constituted the foundational logic of this reality.

Furthermore, certain entities existed as the literal embodiment of those laws—beings that were indistinguishable from nature itself.

Sparks crackled! Air rushed—!

Whirring vibrations echoed through the clearing!

Spiritual entities materialized in the open air, each projecting their distinct elemental traits.

The Lightning Spirit Watt, the Fire Spirit Callie, the Wind Spirit Pascal, and the Sound Spirit Decibel.

These were his trusted allies. Despite the brief duration since their pact was established, their growth had been explosive, successfully elevating them to the Intermediate tier.

‘In that case, let us test the absolute threshold of this power.’

As he channeled his internal strength, the ambient energy of the environment began to converge rapidly upon Harris.

The elemental entities, brought forth via “Spirit Summoning”, feasted upon his internal reserves—which were further magnified by the passive effects of “Child of the World Tree”—thereby intensifying their physical manifestations.

The underlying mechanics mirrored his previous attempts, yet…

Hummmm—

The moment his right fingers drew back the unstrung bow cord, the surrounding environmental energy was forcefully drawn inward, consolidating into a luminous projectile.

The entire sequence occurred with vastly superior velocity and smoothness compared to his historical attempts.

‘Merging entirely with the landscape… the capacity to manipulate the surrounding atmosphere according to my whims.’

Under the guidance of “Assimilation with Nature”, the environmental forces pooled into the weapon without an apparent ceiling, though common sense dictated that a single trait upgrade could not entirely eliminate basic thresholds.

“Harris—! Are you—?”

A voice echoed from a distance, uttering his name, but he dismissed the interruption without a glance, recognizing the familiar presence immediately.

He could not afford a single lapse in concentration at this critical juncture.

Accumulate, solidify, and integrate the gathering forces into the existing projectile.

He executed the straightforward sequence iteratively.

Moments later, as the density of the energy made further accumulation immensely difficult and he considered halting the process,

A soothing pulse radiated from Themis in his left palm, initiating a perfect balance between Harris’s internal state and the external forces.

Simultaneously, the ‘High Elf’s Bracelet’ adorning his right wrist flared with a muted luminescence, aligning perfectly with the flow.

‘…This should suffice!’

The resulting projectile of condensed environmental energy far exceeded his initial prognostications.

He applied the concluding enhancements.

A crackle echoed!

The Lightning Spirit infused itself directly into the shaft of the arrow.

A sudden rush of heat followed—

The Fire Spirit embedded itself into the very tip of the weapon.

A violent whirring commenced!

The Wind Spirit and the Sound Spirit wrapped themselves around the entirety of the creation, sealing the volatile forces within.

“~~♪”

Accompanying Harris’s low, melodic hum and the precise execution of “Fairy Archery”, the projectile leapt forward—

———!

It cut through the atmosphere resembling a silent beam of pure radiance, producing no audible disturbance.

In a fraction of a second, it impacted the marker positioned well over a thousand meters away.

Boom—!

The concussive shockwave, developing a beat too late, caused the surrounding foliage to sway violently and tossed his hair across his face. Harris, however, paid no attention to the disturbance, keeping his focused gaze fixed on the distant marker with an intense look.

‘The outcome surpasses my calculations. Standard capabilities alone could never produce such a devastating impact; as expected, relying on high-tier equipment modifications yields the superior result.’

Furthermore, if he utilized the Wind Spirit to nullify the atmospheric displacement rather than amplifying the destructive force, it appeared highly feasible to execute a completely imperceptible and flawless long-range elimination.

Granted, masking the fluctuations of raw energy remained the paramount challenge when facing high-tier adversaries, but he felt confident that “Assimilation with Nature” could bridge that gap given time…

While Harris remained focused on the distant training marker, which had been reduced to absolute debris, evaluating the performance metrics of his enhanced capability,

“Harris! What in the world was that just now? Explain how you managed that!”

The sudden exclamation of a female companion shattered his concentration.

“When did your capabilities reach such a level? I was under the impression you spent all your hours sleeping, yet you were secretly engaged in rigorous training!”

The individual he had chosen to ignore while centering his focus on managing the energy had closed the distance during his execution and was now speaking rapidly.

Lowering his weapon with a subtle movement, Harris shifted his gaze toward the source of the familiar voice and experienced an involuntary twitch of surprise.

“Diligence is certainly commendable, but we must depart immediately if we wish to avoid arriving late for our scheduled gathering.”

Shapiron Silvesty, an Elven maiden distinguished by her vibrant blue hair and matching azure eyes.

She stood before him, observing his reaction with her characteristically wide, expressive eyes.

Yet, a stark transformation had occurred…

‘Good grief, nearly every aspect of her has shifted aside from her facial features.’

The visual presentation of his longtime acquaintance felt entirely foreign.

She wore durable, functional traveling attire and robust footwear designed for rugged terrain, her locks gathered securely to ensure unhindered movement. A massive pack rested upon her shoulders, complemented by assorted tools secured across her frame—all standard gear in theory.

It represented the textbook definition of an explorer’s equipment.

However…

“Uh, Shapiron? My understanding was that the administrative staff were arranging the standard logistical requirements for the diplomatic delegation, meaning we only required personal necessities. What is the meaning of all this extra weight…?”

He found himself at a complete loss for words regarding where to begin his critique.

Her garments, fortified with metallic plating at the heels and toes of her footwear alongside various structural points, possessed sufficient durability to serve in active warfare.

Furthermore, a bewildering assortment of containers and pouches dangled from the webbing secured around her midsection, shoulders, and legs.

Judging by the irregular contours visible across her outfit, it appeared she had incorporated a vast network of concealed compartments within the fabric itself.

This design choice was rendered entirely redundant by the fact that the bulges made the presence of the hidden items completely obvious to any observer.

‘And that container on her back, is that an integrated spatial expansion tool? The dimensions appear quite significant on their own, yet she still finds it necessary to carry that much external baggage?’

An immense rucksack, of sufficient scale to entirely eclipse her delicate frame, dominated her posture from behind.

She stood prepared as though she were embarking on an extended campaign into completely uncharted territories.

Harris cast a subtle look toward his own minimalist rucksack.

It remained a compact, unencumbered satchel containing nothing more than a spare change of garments and a handful of basic traveling necessities—offering a dramatic divergence from her setup.

“Hehehe, whatever do you mean? You were the very individual who emphasized that one must maintain absolute readiness for any conceivable crisis, Harris.”

Shapiron offered a self-satisfied grin, lightly brushing the tip of her nose with a finger.

Following her assignment to the diplomatic delegation, she had sought his counsel regarding the conditions of the Ion Continent.

In exchange for his insights, she had compensated him with premium tea leaves harvested directly from the boughs of the World Tree.

Consequently, observing her anxiety regarding a journey to an unfamiliar landmass, he had provided an extensive overview. However, because his perspective was shaped entirely by his background as a mercenary, his descriptions had clearly been taken far too literally.

He had naturally emphasized certain hazards to ensure her safety, but the outcome was excessive…

“Observe this! I went to great lengths to acquire this item. With this in our possession, even in the event that the ground gives way beneath us and we are entombed in the deep earth, our survival is guaranteed for an extended period…”

With her expression flushed from sheer animation, she proceeded to list the various functions of her safety gear.

Despite her enthusiastic demeanor, she could not entirely mask the heavy shadows darkening the skin beneath her eyes. She had clearly deprived herself of rest standard for the evening prior.

Her behavior mirrored that of a young child unable to sleep due to anticipation of an upcoming outing.

“And these comprise our survival rations. They are specially treated to remain perfectly preserved for multiple years…… Ah, are you experiencing apprehension regarding the total mass? Dismiss such thoughts! Not only the primary pack, but every single piece of gear has been enchanted with weight-reduction properties…”

Harris remained stationary, offering a silent stare as she continued her rapid explanation without pause.

Upon reflection, this journey marked Shapiron’s absolute first instance of departing from Drasha, the administrative hub.

Furthermore, this debut excursion did not merely entail leaving the capital city or crossing the boundaries of the Elven Kingdom; it constituted an official diplomatic crossing to an entirely separate continent.

‘Her level of anticipation must be through the roof.’

As he continued to observe her with a slightly dazed expression, she caught the nature of his gaze and let out a bright laugh.

“Ha, as expected of Harris. You recognize the quality of this preparation immediately, don’t you? I knew I could not catch an expert like you off guard.”

“…?”

“I even commissioned this specific set of clothing under special conditions! I repeatedly importuned my moth—I mean, the matriarch, until she relented and granted me a supply of Dryad Silk, which I subsequently delivered to a master artisan of the Dwarven race…”

Shapiron resumed her energetic commentary.

Perhaps due to the increased familiarity that had developed between them over recent days, she was displaying a candid, enthusiastic side that remained entirely hidden back when she maintained a defensive, prickly exterior.

“…Ah, look at the position of the sun! Come along, we must accelerate our pace! How long do you intend to remain frozen in place? Our movements are synchronized with the broader diplomatic delegation on this occasion, so arriving past the hour is absolutely unacceptable!”

Glancing at the time, she gasped in sudden realization and immediately began tugging at Harris’s sleeve to spur him forward.

Her gaze then dropped to the streamlined, compact traveling bag he held in his hand, causing her to tilt her head in confusion.

“Harris, is your equipment allocation not excessively minimal? Granted, you possess extensive field experience… Regardless, the discrepancy is irrelevant since I have prepared duplicates of every vital asset within my own kit to account for contingencies! Hehehe, you may rely entirely on my foresight should the need arise!”

With an air of supreme confidence, she turned and began directing her steps toward the designated staging area.

“Come along, let us make haste. We are fully equipped to manage any development, so there is absolutely no basis for anxiety!”

Faced with her display of simultaneous bravado and underlying nervousness—resembling someone departing for a leisurely holiday—Harris fell into step alongside her.

‘She went to the trouble of compiling that entire inventory for naught, given that our itinerary involves traversing Rapori’s ‘Forest Path’ before immediately utilizing the institutional transport array.’

Nevertheless, he chose to keep that observation to himself.

“Hmm, humm~♪”

Shapiron hummed a light melody, the massive pack shifting slightly against her back with each stride.

‘Well, there is no harm in letting her enjoy her sense of accomplishment for the time being. Such consideration is the hallmark of a mature companion.’

Such were the circumstances immediately preceding their departure for the Ion Continent.

As events unfolded,

Not a single scenario manifested that required the deployment of her specialized emergency inventory prior to their successful arrival at the Roselia Cathedral.