C352: Goblin vs. High Elf

Welp, things have escalated quickly and one-sidedly.

The elves, said to be invincible in the forest, were knocked out and fell from the trees one after another.
Gobukichi immediately determined their location from the arrows’ angle of incidence, approached the archers in a flash, and silenced them in a single blow.

“There you are.”
“Ooph!”

He stuns the enemy without inflicting injury and gently lowers them to the ground.
The rest of us tie them up in ropes.

“Hey… that goblin is doing all the offense! He’s going to wrap everything up by himself at this point!”
“Isn’t that why we brought him with us?”

Gobukichi effortlessly executed the difficult order of attacking the elves without damaging the forest.

“His daily work is paying off.”
“What do you mean?”
“Farm work.”

It’s the farm’s core work. Our goblins are in charge of growing the crops and caring for them so that they grow to their full potential and provide daily sustenance.
Day after day, they cut weeds, exterminate pests, and check the crops for diseases.

“Gobukichi, the goblins’ leader, is the only one who can accurately defeat the elves hiding in the forest. He gets rid of pests and weeds while avoiding our precious crops.”
“Hey, did you just categorize us elves as pests and weeds?!” protests Elzariel.

More and more elves are being incapacitated by Gobkichi.
At this rate, we’ll run out of rope to restrain them, so I hope this ends soon…

“It’s okay; we’re tying up some ivy to make a new rope.”
“Making improvised tools out of natural materials is an elf’s forte.”

Aileron and Elzariel are tying a rope.
Well, aren’t they reliable! I’m not that impressed, though.

In the meantime, there seems to have been a change in Gobukichi’s fight.

“Witty outsiders!”

Oh, an elf with a distinctly different vibe has appeared.
Actually, her aura feels completely different.

“Huh? Is she an elf too?”
“There she is, a High Elf…”

Is she famous or something?

So far, all the elves I’ve seen have dark complexions like the demons, but this High Elf has translucent, white skin, almost like white porcelain or marble.
Her hair color is a shimmering blonde, also different from normal elves.

The only thing she has in common with them is her long and pointy ears.

“…”

And her body.
I’ve never met an elf without a well-proportioned body. But her…

“Hm? What are you thinking?”
“Nothing!”

I was relieved Platy wasn’t here, but Aileron saw right through me!

“She’s a higher species of elf called a High Elf. Naturally, she’s stronger than normal elves,” says Elzariel with a shudder. “Elves like her have lived in the forest for a long time and have adapted to its pure mana and air. They have a much higher base magic and have a better command of it.”
“I’ve heard that their skin and hair color signify their complete unification with nature!”
“If I recall, she’s the head of the last remaining settlement in the Elven Forest. And her name… is Elelelelcy.”
“A name with four Els in it? You mean she’s that powerful?!”

But that’s just confusing.
If you repeat El that many times, it will definitely be misspelled.

Don’t do that.

“Anyway, it looks like she’s raring to settle this fight. I guess she can’t afford any more sacrifices.”

Well, yeah. We have restrained quite a number of them over there…

“How dare you insolent people harm my darling daughters?”
“Uh, but we killed no one, ma’am…”

They’re just unconscious.
No wounds whatsoever.

“Any more, and you’ll have to deal with me, the true chief of the elves, Elelelelcy.”

Yup, really confusing.
On the other hand, Gobukichi shows no signs of flinching!

“My Lord only wishes to be on friendly terms with you.”

A gentlemanly response!

“If you are willing to listen to us again, we could stop fighting now and talk things through.”
“What nonsense. You should be aware that you’re the aggressors here.”

This is bad. I don’t know what to reply.
We’re the aggressors, all right. But we needed to fight first for the sake of renegotiating, so…!

“You’re evil, and evil always loses. I will prove that to you with my power as High Elf.”

For a moment, her blonde hair seemed to float gently.
But it’s the magic she’s releasing, dense like an air current, blowing up her hair.

“High Elves can manipulate the forest by becoming one with it. Its strength is also mine. That is the power that transcends elves!”

At her declaration, a surprising phenomenon occurred.

The trees and grasses that form the forest began growing at an incredible rate as if we’re watching a timelapse video.

“The trees…”
“Surprised? This is my power as High Elf. The forest’s plants are like my arms and legs; you’ve wandered into my body.”

Wow.
If this forest moves according to her will, we’ve become rats in a bag.
Even the very ground we’re stepping on is an enemy.

I had no idea elves and High Elves were this different in their meaning of “having the forest as their ally.”

“It is too late for you to apologize. Succumb to your fate and sink into the earth as nourishment to the forest.”
“Unfortunately…” interrupts Gobukichi. “You cannot defeat me with your plants. Never. There’s a reason for that.”
“Oh? And what’s that? Tell me before you get swallowed up and disappear!”

In accordance with the High Elf’s will, the overgrown vegetation attacks Gobukichi in a serpentine wave.
It was like a green tsunami, but it failed to swallow him.

He chopped them up and scattered them.

“What?!” says the High Elf, surprised.

I won’t call her by name, no matter what!

“What did you do to my plants?!”
“I cut through them,” replies Gobukichi, holding up his sickle. “My team’s work is to manage the farmland. We keep cutting the persistent weeds, day after day…”

I see!
Fighting a High Elf that can control the plants is no different from his daily task.

“Fool! I will not accept a ridiculous reason to have repelled my magic! …Eek!”

Her protests were futile as Gobukichi slashes through the multiple waves, closing in on her point-blank range.

“You’re using your magic in vain. This sickle is meant to cut plants.”
“Ahhhhhhhh!”

He holds the blade at the High Elf’s throat.

Gobukichi successfully subdued the fearsome forest manhunter army alone.

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