Author: Resn	Original Source: Kakuyomu
Translator: Nomad	English Source: Re:Library

Da’at Criferd’s body remained motionless and silent, her open eyes appearing lifeless. The only movement came from the vines and thorns covering all the area around her.
The Underworld Tree Criferd’s seed, the catalyst that would invert the World Tree Seyfert’s power, and a natural disaster that should have happened a long time in the past.
On top of that…she was being protected by Absolute Defense, just like Ba‘al Zəbûl Aery in the past, not letting anyone close to her.

[Absolute Defense]
[1000000/1000000]

“A…A whole million..?”
“Can we really get through that..?”

Both members from Lua Cheia and Nord Glaciers looked stunned seeing that number. That was ten times higher than Aery’s during that fight, and there was no Legion fighting with them this time.
There was no set time limit here, but as the corruption kept spreading at a rapid pace, it was only a matter of time before the World Tree Seyfert was consumed, which was definitely not a good outcome..
The only positive aspect was that Da’at herself was not moving. All of the thorns and vines were moving by instinct, merely fighting back against anyone that approached her.
On top of that…

“I don’t care. Our goal isn’t to defeat her, it’s to drag her out of there! Isn’t that right, Demon Lord!!”
“Yes, well said… There’s nothing to fear, everyone! All we need to do is use our whole arsenal!”

Following the Hero (Suzaku) and the Demon Lord (Crim)’s lead, all the other players there got ready for a fight to wake up a sleeping princess.

And then they deployed all of their resources to make it happen, even if the effect would only last about ten minutes.

First everyone used their EX Drive, followed by huge magic spells that chugged MP, a variety of weapon arts… but even after all that, the Absolute Defense barrier still had more than half of its durability left.
It was really living up to its name of Absolute Defense. And while everyone had exhausted their skillsets, no one had died yet.
And that applied even more so to the person who had spent the longest next to that girl…the red haired hero.

…And so the battle that broke out so suddenly in the forest of the World Tree Seyfert, was also reaching its climax in no time.

***

[Warning: Pain dulling systems will be overloaded shortly. We recommend leaving any active combat zones and log out…]

“I already said I don’t care about that..!!”

For the umpteenth time he closed that system notification that no player would ever see in normal play, while preemptively striking the location where the NO in the next [YES/NO] pop up would be.
He was standing ahead of everyone else, only alive thanks to Dragonblood Hero Siegfried (approximation). His body was already riddled with thorns and vines, his HP constantly flickering between 0 and 1,

“Suzaku, that’s enough..!”

Seeing Suzaku throw himself forward mindlessly was starting to eat away at Haru’s consciousness, as she begged him to stop. But…

“No, keep going Suzaku!!”

Jumping high past his head, Crim said the opposite, instead motivating Suzaku to do it even more.

“This is something no one else but thou can do! It’s time to show that the time she spent together at thine side was not for naught, go and prove she can come back!!”

As she shouted, Crim swung her scythe down, sending out a glowing red wave that mowed the black vines in a straight line all the way to Da’at Criferd’s body.

“This is all we can do, you can finish the rest!”
“Go Suzaku, rescue Da’at!”

With the last of his MP, Frey erected an ice wall, which was reinforced by Freya’s glowing barrier, stopping the vines from regenerating in the path Crim opened.

“…Yeah, I’ll go and give that troublesome brat a good beating to bring her back!”

Suzaku rushed forward, moving straight through that opening and swinging down his sword.

“Who cares about that Underworld Tree seed garbage! Listen to me!!”

Absolute Defense made the attack bounce off, after which a torn pierced Suzaku’s body.
His right arm was torn off from the shoulder down, leaving the Demonic Sword Gram (Apocrypha) spinning in the air before falling to the ground.
Without any weapons left, he formed a fist with his left arm and began punching at the barrier instead.

“…You’re spoiled!”

Another thorn went for his left arm, piercing through his elbow.
He could no longer move that arm either, but that did not stop him from headbutting the barrier next.

“…And selfish!”

Further thorns shredded his right eye, his throat, and the rest of his body.
Those wounds would be fatal in any other situation, but nothing could stop Dragonblood Hero Siegfried (approximation) once activated.

[Dragonblood Hero Siegfried (approximation)’s number of deaths reverted has exceeded normal values]

He thought some notification had appeared, but he could not be bothered to turn his single usable eye to look at it. The only thing he had to focus on was to beat his head against the barrier to break through.

“…And a clueless brat who doesn’t understand anything and has too much fun!!”

His voice hurt to listen to, as more blood than words spurted from his throat. Meanwhile a strange light covered the area where his arms had been, reconstructing them and then remaining there like a glowing armor.

[Emotional distress has exceeded normal values]

He had no awareness of that notification either, or of the way that his arms had reappeared. He just knew he could use them again as he banged on the barrier with both of them.

“That’s who you are… So just stop all of this and come back to me already!!!”

As his arms pummeled the barrier, the glowing armor seemed to take the shape of gauntlets with claws, a whirling red glow on the sharp ends. And when those struck the barrier, there was a blinding flash.

…It would have been a stroke of luck if the resistance of Absolute Defense fell to 0 at that moment.
Obviously that did not happen, and yet…

“…Su…zaku..?”

That strike had somehow returned the glimmer of eyes, just slightly…and a singular tear rolled down her cheek as her weak voice called his name…

[All conditions have been met for the player Suzaku to evolve species] [Player Suzaku has acquired the Skill: Qliph1i Bacikal Level 1]