The Forbidden Technique

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"Persistent."

The Forest Spirit King Kokoririon must have taken considerable damage from Emi's full-power blow.

And yet, the fighting spirit burning in his eyes has not waned.

Sighing inwardly with exasperation, Emi advised him.

"You are not weak... but I am stronger. It's useless to fight. Surrender."

<<<As if I! Would bend my knee to a mere lower creature!>>>

However, Kokoririon did not heed Emi's words.

His face red with anger, he rejected her!

<<<I know your aim! You attacked at this timing, it must be for my beloved child, Mishtille, right!? My defeat means the death of my beloved child... I will NEVER, EVER ALLOW SUCH A THING!!>>>

And he screamed that!

Kokoririon, a spirit through and through, does not consider that his own thinking might be mistaken.

That is why he believes without a doubt that Emi is an assassin from the gods, aiming for Mishtille.

Emi's abnormal strength also serves as a confirmation of that belief.

But in reality, although Emi is ridiculously strong, she is just a traveler, so... she tilted her head at Kokoririon's assumption.

"Who's Mishtille?"

<<<Behold! The power of my love for Mishtille!!>>>

The next moment!

Ignoring Emi's question, Kokoririon, while floating—fuwafuwa—, lunged at Emi to strike her!

If this story were in the world of the human novels that Kokoririon devoured, this would surely be the scene where a miraculous "power of love" dwells in his fist, and he should destroy the evil enemy, Emi, in a single blow!

But, however!

"............"

<<<GUHAAAA!?>>>

Kokoririon's current body is only his upper half, from the chest up.

In such a state, and with his fists having no momentum as he simply floats—fuwafuwa—by manipulating magical power.

Emi, without a word, manipulated her 【Black Tentacles】 and carelessly swatted Kokoririon away.

Kokoririon was sent flying and struck his body against the giant tree once more.

"Is that 'the power of love'...? How trivial... and who is Mishtille?"

Emi, while watching Kokoririon's pathetic state with an expressionless face, sighed as if exasperated... and clenched her fist.

To crush Kokoririon.

Even after advising him to surrender, this is his attitude.

If she lets him live, she doesn't know what kind of trouble will remain.

She must kill him completely.

Magical power from her dark black soul poured into Emi's fist.

What she is about to release is a single blow of 【Magic Strike】.

And its power is incomparable to the one that Luctoria accidentally released against Falweasel earlier.

It is a powerful and unparalleled right straight that can finish off even a Spirit King, an apostle of a god.

(This is bad... bad, bad!!)

The Forest Spirit King Kokoririon, while glaring at Emi's right fist, which continued to increase its pressure while clad in a dark black haze, gritted his teeth and broke out in a heavy sweat.

Even for a Spirit King, being punched with that fist is bad.

Kokoririon, who has lost a lot of magical power and a large part of his body, would be blown away without a trace!

However, his pride as a spirit would not allow him to surrender!

He cannot flee, leaving Mishtille in his chamber in the hollow!

What should he do!?

How can he destroy the evil before him!?

Kokoririon continued to think at high speed, to the point where Emi's movements seemed slow.

He thought and thought and thought...

At the very least, although it was vexing, he understood that the enemy was not an opponent he could win against with his own power alone...

But there was no time to ask for help from the Spirit God Pirisuyu...

Something.

Is there something?

Is there nothing that can be used as a weapon to destroy the evil, he thought.

<<<Ah>>>

Kokoririon had an idea.

<<<Ku... HAHAHA!!!>>>

A move to turn the tables!

That move was, in a way, a forbidden technique.

If the Spirit God Pirisuyu were to find out, it would be a means that would not end with just a scolding!

But, however, Kokoririon was so cornered that he did not hesitate to take that move!

"...!!"

Emi, feeling a bad premonition upon seeing Kokoririon, who suddenly smiled and laughed, immediately swung her fist to crush him.

However, she was a moment too late!

Kokoririon's body turned into countless fallen leaves and disappeared from the spot, and Emi's fist ended up hitting the sturdy trunk of the giant tree.

"............"

Emi immediately jumped away from the giant tree and stood in the flower garden, paying attention to her surroundings.

Kokoririon had used such a teleportation-like surprise attack earlier.

She was wary of that.

However, one second, two seconds... after several seconds, there was no surprise attack.

"............?"

Emi, confused by the enemy's intention, was unable to move from the spot and continued to hold her combat stance.

It was not a very long time.

However.

It was more than enough time for Kokoririon to move on to his next action!

Therefore, the next moment!

GOGOGOGOGOGOH!!

A great tremor... occurred in the sanctuary of the spirits and its surroundings!

"!!"

It was a tremor so great that even Emi staggered and lost her balance.

The source of that tremor... was the giant tree towering in the center of the sanctuary.

The Spirit King's dwelling!

The giant tree swayed—wasawasa—and while dropping its brightly colored, shining leaves—dosadosa... towards the star-filled night sky, it was rapidly increasing its height.

At the same time, its trunk was also getting thicker and thicker...!

In other words, the great tremor was caused by this rapid growth of the giant tree!

"Rah... rah!"

And what fell from above was not just fallen leaves.

Branches that were small from the perspective of the entire giant tree... but large from Emi's perspective, broke with a cracking sound and began to fall!

Unable to bear it, Emi had no choice but to retreat outside the sanctuary of the spirits... into the Spirit Forest.

"...!!"

And Emi, who jumped onto a branch of a suitable tree and looked back at the giant tree from there, lost her voice in surprise.

It seems that the rapid growth had ended, but the giant tree, which was still extending its branches little by little against the night sky... should have been nearly 300 meters tall originally... but it had grown so much that it was incomparable to its former self!

A giant tree so tall that even when looking up from a distance, its top could not be seen!

Such a giant tree stood there, making its leaves shine with magical power... where the sanctuary of the spirits had been until just a moment ago.

The flowers of the flower garden, which had been shining in various colors, seemed to have been completely destroyed, pushed aside by the thickening trunk of the giant tree.

<<<Hahaha... Haaahhahahaha!! Wonderful... a wonderful power...!!>>>

Now, Kokoririon's triumphant laughter reached Emi, who was staring at the giant tree in a daze.

At the same time, in the middle of the giant tree's trunk, a lump began to swell with a cracking sound.

In that lump, eyes, a nose, and a mouth gradually appeared... and formed the face of Kokoririon.

<<<What, I see, so that's what it was... the reason why Pirisuyu-sama... no, Pirisuyu forbade this, was for this reason!>>>

The face of Kokoririon that appeared in the middle of the giant tree's trunk, with a twisted smile, opened its eyes wide and shone brightly.

From its mouth, amber-colored sap dripped down like drool... in any case, its expression was gruesome, and clearly not sane!

<<<I am no longer a Spirit King subservient to a Spirit God!! This! This vast! Power! Hahaha!! My power... no longer recognizes that!! I am no longer a spirit, but it is no exaggeration to say that I am a god!! Once more, using the ancient and venerable words of the age of gods, I shall introduce myself!! I am, I am...!!>>>

And Kokoririon, with a rapturous expression, arrogantly... declared!

<<<I am the new god of trees, who supports the world and distributes its power!!>>

Kokoririon, having abandoned the role given to him by the Spirit God Pirisuyu by using a forbidden technique, and having become something else... himself!

<<My name is... the World Tree Odokato Se Kokoririon!!>>>

He defined himself as such!

【World Tree Odokato Se Kokoririon】

The name that Kokoririon gave himself, using the words of the age of gods in the world of the story.

However, Kokoririon himself, although he has lived for a long time due to his species, is not a survivor from the age of gods.

He only knew it as a necessary education for a Spirit King.

The meaning of "Odokato Se" in Odokato Se Kokoririon is... unknown, but a character with a similar name has already appeared.