There Is No World For ■■

…the World Tree is just… a big tree.

『Excerpt from the American-Elf War Document of Surrender 』

* * *

Dung Beetle stared at the remaining officials with a blank look on his face.

The pig-headed men who had just spat curses were closing their mouths, as if trying to grasp the situation, and the Branch Manager turned pale, his eyes darting around.

“Damn, with just two gestures of his hand the Shepherd…”

With the Branch Manager’s words as a signal, Dung Beetle stomped the ground. Seeing that, one of the pig-headed men stepped forward and shouted.

“Escort the Agent and escape!”

The pig-headed man’s eyes glowed red, and the mana in his voice began to fluctuate.

“Kyaaakkk!”

The invisible, formless curse struck his body, but Dung Beetle didn’t budge. The ground beneath him caved in, kicking up dust, but that was all.

“...Did you just withstand it using your bare body?”

Those were the pig-headed man’s final words. Charging at him instantly, Dung Beetle grabbed his neck, and twisted it.

A chilling cracking sound echoed, and with his neck twisted, Shepherd’s body slumped over.

As Dung Beetle turned around, the Branch Manager, who had just been carried by a Shepherd, stared at him with a stunned expression.

He tried to say something, but there was no need for words.

Step— Dung Beetle stomped the ground again. He executed the flying kick from the Flying Kick technique, which he was now well-versed in, combined with the Surging Wave technique.

It was a kick akin to that in a performance test. Without considering the opponent’s level, his mana surged to its limit, rippling from his thighs to his toes.

“EVADE!!!”

The Branch Manager yelled, but the pig-headed Shepherd had already assessed its power. The attack was impossible to evade.

Without hesitation, he tossed the Branch Manager aside and threw his own body to block the kick.

“Kugh!”

Hit directly by the kick, the pig-headed man floated into the air. A moment later, the shockwave of mana hit him belatedly, sending him soaring.

Thud!

He flew for quite the distance before he crashed into the van that fell off the bridge earlier. Even after crashing, he still had some strength left. However, the van tilted while spewing oil.

Seeing that, the Branch Manager groaned.

“This is insane…”

As he muttered in astonishment, the Shepherds behind him, who had just regained their senses, finally began to understand the situation. They turned around immediately and began to flee.

Seeing them fleeing in two different directions, it didn’t seem like they were fleeing blindly out of fear.

Are they trying to ensure that at least one of them manages to survive for long enough to call for help rather than being annihilated completely?

Watching their fleeing figures, Dung Beetle glanced at the Branch Manager before chasing after them.

Whoosh! As he extended his stride, the distance between him and the Shepherds diminished in an instant.

The first to be caught was the one fleeing to the right. He could not even resist before his head crushed.

The second one had his neck broken while drawing his gun, and the third was killed just before he could unleash his curse.

Convinced of his slim chances of escaping, the last one attempted to contact someone with his phone.

However, before the call could even connect, Dung Beetle’s kick smashed his phone and his head simultaneously.

It was an utterly futile end for the government’s carefully nurtured Shepherds.

However, their deaths did not stir any emotion in Dung Beetle. He simply shook off the flesh and blood splatters from his clothes before turning back to the Branch Manager.

“W-Who the hell send you here…? Australia? Japan? If not them, then perhaps the Magic Tower?”

The Branch Manager, who was making an awkward attempt to escape, asked. With trembling hands, he aimed his gun at Dung Beetle.

“Huh? You’re Korean, aren’t you? Tell me, you fucking traitor. Why are you targeting the government? Money? Is it because of money?”

Dung Beetle continued walking in silence until he reached right in front of the Branch Manager.

Only when they were close enough for their reflections to be seen in each other’s eyes did Dung Beetle remove his hat.

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“Branch Manager.”

“Damn, you… look familiar… Cough!”

Dung Beetle grabbed the Branch Manager by his neck. The poor man tried to pull the trigger of his pistol, but the weapon was wrenched from his hand, leaving him powerless.

“Branch Manager, it seems like you don’t remember who I am. That’s alright. But do you remember the Foreman?”

The moment ‘Foreman’ was mentioned, the Branch Manager’s face twisted noticeably, but his voice was unable to find its way out properly.

“You, ugh, don’t tell me, cough…”

“That’s fortunate. At least you’ll die knowing why.”

Dung Beetle tightened his grip. Or rather, he tried to.

Just as he was about to clench his hand, something flew from behind and struck his wrist.

…A rock?

Dung Beetle let go of the Branch Manager and turned his gaze in the direction the rock came from.

“It looks like there were other guests before me.”

From afar, he saw two figures in ponchos on the bridge.

The two figures didn’t hesitate as they jumped down from the bridge. And surprisingly, they made no sound when they landed.

Scrutinizing the intruders with narrowed eyes, Dung Beetle frowned immediately.

Hidden under the ponchos, the faces visible through the slightly raised hoods definitely did not belong to humans.

…Elves?

With glistening lips, large eyes, sharply arched eyebrows, a sculpture-like nose, long, pointed ears and an extraordinarily beautiful appearance, it was the face of an elf he had often seen in the news.

The two elves who landed on the ground looked at him with emotionless expressions.

“...Who are you? Are the elves undertaking mercenary work in Korea?”

Dung Beetle looked down at the ponchos the elves were wearing.

There was a symbol of a large tree with a red star on top of the ponchos.

World Tree Revolutionaries.

They were communist guerrilla elves from beyond the dimensional portal who served as the leader, Demerond Ipp Marx, the commie elf who had even impressed Stalin.

“Superhuman, this has nothing to do with you. The one we have business with is that man.”

The faint silver-haired elf gestured at the Branch Manager. The Branch Manager, still choking in Dung Beetle’s grip, looked confused.

“Business? What business?”

“It’s an elvish matter. Outsiders need not concern themselves with it.”

“Ah, I see.”

Dung Beetle grabbed the Branch Manager’s neck again. The silver-haired elf raised an eyebrow in response.

“Superhuman, it would be best if you let him go and leave while we are still speaking.”

“And if I refuse?”

“If you insist on getting punished, I will not stop you.”

The elf drew a sword from within the poncho. The sword emitted a chilling glow under the dim light of the streetlamp.

Facing the blatant threat, Dung Beetle hesitated for a moment.

Would it be better to just hand over the Branch Manager to those elves?

It was clear that the commie elves weren’t on good terms with the Branch Manager either. However, handing over a target of his revenge was a completely different matter.

“Do you intend to kill this person?”

Dung Beetle asked, just in case. As expected, the elf shook her head.

“As I said, it is none of your business.”

Hearing their reply, Dung Beetle looked back and forth between the Branch Manager, who was struggling for his life, and the silver-haired elf holding a sword.

He then assessed the blonde elf with green streaks behind the silver-haired elf, who was looking at him with an incomprehensible expression.

He could sense mana from both elves. He didn’t need any further explanation to guess that they were both High Elves.

Well, that was probably the reason these elves could roam freely in human cities.

If I don’t hand over the Branch Manager, I’ll have to fight against two high elves.

It was absurd, but was there anything in this world that ever went according to plan? Dung Beetle sighed and tightened his grip.

“No!”

Following a crunching sound, the Branch Manager’s body slumped, and the silver-haired elf’s eyes widened with a sharp look before she yelled.

“HOW DARE YOU!”

Dung Beetle flung the Branch Manager’s body at the silver-haired elf before stomping on the ground.

Just as they said, he didn’t need to know why the elves were chasing the Branch Manager or why they were here.

His only concern was to do what he had to do and then escape.

Whoosh!

As the fusion of the Flying Kick Technique and the true intention of the Surging Wave Technique unfolded, Dung Beetle’s body accelerated rapidly.

“You bastard!!”

The elf also chased after him at superhuman speeds, but Dung Beetle’s speed was superior.

As soon as the distance between the two increased by more than a dozen steps, the blonde elf at the back opened her mouth.

“Leon! Catch him!”

Catch? What? The moment Dung Beetle had that thought, something invisible grabbed his body mid-air.

What’s this?

The thing that grabbed him was a massive mass of energy shaped like a hand. It was invisible to the eyes but clearly felt through mana.

Press— the invisible hand tightened its grip around his body.

Dung Beetle didn’t wait to start channeling the mana within his body. Following the true intention of the Surging Wave Technique, the surging mana flowed through his muscles, pushing the invisible hand away.

And just as he managed to create enough room to move his hand, he punched at the invisible hand.

Boom!

The sound of a heavy impact resounded, and the force pressing on him diminished. Dung Beetle slipped through the gaps between the fingers and escaped the pressure.

By the time he landed on the ground, the silver-haired elf had already closed in. For a brief moment, silence hung between them.

And it was Dung Beetle who initiated the attack this time.

Thud!

He launched a kick at tremendous speeds, aiming for the silver-haired elf’s head. The elf leaned back lightly and swung her sword.

Whoosh!

Following a slash through the air, their bodies became entangled.

Whenever Dung Beetle’s kick aimed at her legs, her sword aimed at his waist. When he thrust out a punch, the returning sword targeted his shoulder, and when he tried to create some distance, the elf relentlessly exploited every opening.

The elf’s sword had neither a beginning nor an end. Sometimes it traced a straight line, sometimes a curve, but the attacks never ceased.

Just as she seemed to withdraw her sword and take a stance, she suddenly moved, aiming for an opening.

This is… the swordsmanship of a High Elf.

Be it human or elf, they were all creatures with limbs, but her muscles imbued with mana moved as if such limits did not exist.

The moment he let his guard down, the sword would strike a vital spot.

Admiring the sword's movements, Dung Beetle unconsciously took it in. At first, he simply observed the sword's path, and then he sensed the movement of the mana.

Flexible yet firm, it is like the roots of a tree.

Following the true intention of the Surging Wave technique, his surging mana began to mimic the flow of the elf’s swordsmanship.

Whether it was inspiration or enlightenment—An indescribable sensation filled his body. From the flow of the sword path, to the movements of the muscles wielding it and the mana supporting it, everything was extremely unfamiliar yet beautiful.

Taking the inspiration he had felt briefly, Dung Beetle applied it to his hand. Without a sword, he extended his fist to form a hand blade.

Swish!

The first attempt was awkward enough to allow the sword to slice through his left forearm. But Dung Beetle trusted his regeneration ability.

Ignoring the wound, he extended his other hand.

Unlike the first, the second attempt cut through the air sharply.

The third was enough to make the elf dodge, and the fourth allowed him to block the sword with his bare hand.

By his fifth try, his hand blade broke past a very narrow gap in the elf’s swordsmanship.

Although it only grazed the edge of the poncho, it was more than enough because the wave from the Surging Wave technique shredded the poncho.

Rrrrip!

“Huh?!”

The relentless wind of the sword stopped as the silver-haired elf halted her assault and stepped back.

Her expression twisted as she looked down at the torn poncho.

Taking a moment, Dung Beetle created some distance and spoke.

“What’s the name of your swordsmanship?”

“…”

“No name? To think that an unnamed swordsmanship could be this effective, what an impressive technique.”

Perhaps it sounded like provocation, but the silver-haired elf glared at him sharply before readying her sword.

An initial stance, with the hilt raised to the height of her ear — it was a different sword technique. The swirling mana felt unusual; this swordsmanship surely contained her true intention.

Just as Dung Beetle was unconsciously anticipating the moment, a voice came from behind.

Perhaps too engrossed in the swordsmanship, he had forgotten that the silver-haired elf wasn’t his only enemy.

“Lelrin! Suppress him with light!”

As soon as she confirmed that the silver-haired elf and Dung Beetle had distanced themselves, the blonde elf behind her began reciting another spell.

Unlike before, the magic was visible this time.

Flash!

A tremendous burst of light erupted right in front of Dung Beetle. His optic nerves were overwhelmed, and his vision went dark.

And that brief moment created a large opening.

Step!

Not wanting to let the opportunity slip by, the silver-haired elf charged at Dung Beetle.

And… that was what became her downfall.

She was unable to see either, but unlike her, Dung Beetle could sense her movements even without sight.

This was only made possible by his abnormally refined mana perception.

Through the darkness created by the burst of light, Dung Beetle extended both hands.

Slice, the elf’s sword, pierced his left hand. The mana within the sword clashed with the mana in his hand, causing his blood to splatter.

However, that was enough to restrict her movements.

Dung Beetle extended his right hand. The wave of mana flowed over his shoulder and gathered in his fist.

The Surging Wave technique—The wave contained in his hand became the Surging Wave Fist.

WHOOOSH!

The atmosphere fluctuated, and the winds roared.

The silver-haired elf belatedly tried to imbue more strength into her sword, but Dung Beetle’s Surging Wave Fist had already arrived right in front of her solar plexus.

!

However, even before the fist made contact, the mana had already struck her body, lifting the elf’s body into the air.

Thud!

As their vision cleared, the soaring elf crashed back to the ground.

“Cough!”

The delayed impact shook her body, and gastric juice mixed with saliva spilled from her mouth.

“Bleh… Ugh… Bleh…”

Pulling the sword embedded in his left hand and Dung Beetle gripped it with his right before approaching her.

“Comrade Rime! No! Leon! Lelrin! Protect Rime…”

Realizing what was happening a bit too late, the blonde elf tried to recite another spell, but Dung Beetle was quicker to point the sword at the silver-haired elf’s neck.

“Stop. If you finish reciting that, she /genesisforsaken