Chapter 372

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Just as the servant had mentioned, a druid had managed to infiltrate the temporary base of the paladins.

To be more precise, they initially suspected the presence of a druid, but that assumption required some clarification.

‘That’s the most logical explanation...’

Clad in a green cloak and donning a wooden mask, Oliver contemplated while employing druidic magic to subdue the servants.

By the way, the wooden mask and cloak had been supplied by the pharmacist who advised Oliver to assume the guise of a druid.

-It’s best to conceal one’s identity. The unknown is the best weapon and at the same time a shield.

He held the belief that simply by impersonating a druid, he could plunge the paladins into disarray.

Upon hearing this explanation, it didn’t seem like an implausible notion.

The mere presence of a druid, unaffected by the holy techniques, was sufficient to unsettle the paladins. The concept of “enjoyment” didn’t make it seem out of place either.

‘Above all, the biggest advantage is that I can hide my identity.’

While in the process of rescuing Marie, Oliver had anticipated the possibility of his identity being exposed. However, if he could keep it hidden, he was determined to do so. After all, he aspired to return to Landa discreetly.

“A druid?! Is he a mercenary for Enjoyment?!”

As Oliver was on the verge of subduing the servants in the corridor, a newcomer among them exclaimed.

Upon spotting Oliver, this servant promptly aimed a large cross-shaped gun in his direction.

Oliver had encountered a similar weapon in the past, wielded by one of Joanna’s servants.

‘A weapon of the Pater religion? If I remember correctly, its penetration power is-’

――――Bang!

A shot rang out while Oliver pondered. With reflexes heightened by the power of nature, Oliver swiftly dove to the ground, narrowly avoiding the bullet.

The stray bullet continued its trajectory, striking the allied servants on the opposite side.

As Oliver remembered, the gun possessed formidable firepower, piercing through the iron-clad armor of three servants.

“Arghhh...!”

“My arm! My arm...!”

“Don’t recklessly fire the Cross Gun!”

The narrow corridor echoed with screams and chaos. Severed limbs, fingers, and pools of blood littered the floor.

Fortunately, no fatalities occurred.

The servant with the Cross Gun once again took aim at Oliver, who remained on the ground. However, Oliver sprang up towards the ceiling, using it as a launching point to charge at the servant with the Cross Gun.

Taken by surprise by this unexpected maneuver, the servant hesitated, but three other servants, acting as a shield, stepped forward, brandishing shields and weapons to intercept Oliver.

It was a remarkable display of teamwork.

Crash!

Oliver conjured a green vine in his hand, allowing it to grow and coil around his arm. With this makeshift weapon, he delivered a devastating blow, sending all three servants flying.

Perhaps this outcome was to be expected. While the servants were skilled warriors, trained and equipped to maximize their combat abilities, they still didn’t possess the physical might of a paladin.

‘But I can’t let my guard down.’

While the allies bought the time, Oliver turned his attention to the servant who once again had the Cross Gun trained on him.

Instead of succumbing to panic at the sight of the gun’s barrel, Oliver manipulated the vine into a shield-like form.

Then, another gunshot reverberated.

Bang!

Flames erupted from the Cross Gun, shattering the vine wrapped around Oliver’s arm as if it had detonated. Its power was immense; it wasn’t merely a mundane vine but one infused with the forces of nature.

If the beanstalk had been even slightly thinner or lacked the power of nature, there’s a good chance his arm would have been blown away as well. It was a stark reminder of the importance of staying vigilant.

While striving to conceal his identity to the greatest extent possible, Oliver understood that he might need to resort to magic and even black magic if the situation demanded it. The consequences of being killed or captured would render all his efforts futile.

After assessing the abilities of the servants, Oliver produced another green bean. Harnessing the power of nature, he allowed it to grow and then wielded it like a whip, ensnaring the neck of the servant who was in the midst of reloading.

Although he never underestimated the paladins, he had believed that with the power of a druid, it would be a less formidable challenge. He had clearly misjudged the situation.

Despite being unaffected by holy techniques, the paladins retained their formidable physical prowess.

Initially trying to create some distance, Oliver found himself outpaced as the paladin swiftly struck him across the face, shattering Oliver’s wooden mask and sending him hurtling down the corridor.

“How dare a mere druid...!”

The paladin’s enraged shout echoed, but Oliver felt more relief than anything else.

Although the punch had been painful, the paladin still believed him to be a druid.

‘Also, he played right into my hands.’

With this thought in mind, Oliver staggered back, surreptitiously dropping a seed onto the floor.

“You can’t escape!”

Sensing an advantage, the paladin, showcasing his incredible physical prowess, rapidly closed the distance, raising his ax with the intent to deliver a finishing blow.

Just as the ax was about to descend upon Oliver’s head, he activated the seed he had planted earlier.

The seed, infused with the power of nature, sprouted instantly into a green vine, rapidly extending.

Starting from the paladin’s ankles, it wound around his legs, waist, torso, shoulders, and arms.

This intervention allowed Oliver to narrowly dodge the ax’s blade by a hair’s breadth.

“Just this kind of trick...!”

The paladin shouted, his attention on the green vines ensnaring him.

Employing his rigorous training and the physique enhanced by holy techniques, he commenced tearing apart the potent vine charged with nature’s power. It appeared as though he would free himself within seconds.

If he were given a few seconds.

Whack!

As the paladin struggled to break free, Oliver crafted a club from the wooden debris scattered on the floor. Firmly gripping it with both hands, he swung it with all his might into the paladin’s face.

A resounding boom resonated through the corridor, creating a shockwave. The paladin’s head snapped backward, and he lost consciousness instantly.

One could say that Oliver had been remarkably fortunate.

Creating the illusion of vulnerability by engaging in conversation with the captured individuals had led the paladin to recklessly attack, providing Oliver with the opening he needed.

‘Luck has been on my side continually. Meeting Celine right upon arriving here, getting help from the pharmacist...’

Feeling grateful for his continuous stroke of good fortune, Oliver bound the paladin with beanstalk vines and approached the individuals he had encountered earlier.

“Is everyone okay?”

Still cautious of Oliver, they slowly nodded in response.

“Um... are you the chosen ones?”

“...Yes.”

The captives hesitated briefly before nodding.

Oliver continued, “Oh, thank goodness. If it’s not too much to ask, could you assist me? We’re short on time, and there’s much to do. By any chance, do you know where Mr. Lawrence is? I need to ask him something.”

In response to Oliver’s repeated requests, they wore a bewildered expression and repeated their earlier unanswered question.

“Who... who are you?”

“Oh, my apologies. I forgot to introduce myself... Pleased to meet you. My name is Oliver.”

“...God?”

“No, just Oliver.”

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