'Whip?'
Leonardo watched ahead while carefully pulling Ero back. Having hidden their party's bodies among the downy reed beds, he asked quietly.
"You said he went up earlier?"
"I-I thought so too... but it seems that guy is still playing gatekeeper. Big brother, what should we do?"
Ero looked as if the world was collapsing. Just moments ago he had been boasting that 'that guy' would cry and cower before big brother, but his words and actions were completely different.
The participant identified as a 'sadist' by Ero's account wore a black cloak and silver mask. The long whip in his hand dangled down below the stamen tower like a fishing rod. But the length was so great that even a slight twist of his wrist caused the whip's recoil to sweep across the entire lake.
Sharp friction sounds tore through the air. Each time, water splashed across the lake's wide surface, and death-like screams echoed from the other side. Heavy sounds of something falling into the water followed in succession.
Ero's complexion paled like a herbivore facing an unbeatable predator. Leonardo stared quietly at his fear-filled eyes and asked.
"Are you scared?"
"He's standing there blocking everyone who approaches and whipping them all down! That whip is especially powerful enough to send you to your grave if you get hit!"
As if to support his claim, a timely whoosh of eerie wind sounded. Leonardo, who flinched momentarily, placed his palm on the back of Ero's head and pressed down hard.
"Whoa, big brother!"
Just as Ero was about to lose his balance and tumble, the surrounding down was cut down all at once as if reeds had been slashed with a long sword.
Leonardo, lying flat on the ground, stared at the surface of the neatly cut reed forest above his head.
"...."
The power was fierce enough to dilate the pupils in his golden eyes, even if briefly. If he had kept his head up, he might have been dragged away with his neck wrapped in the whip. Or cleanly severed.
"B-big brother. Did we get discovered?"
Ero, clutching his standing hair, asked fumblingly while crouched. The Great King Plarinerus's down that had been cut above them floated once, then settled down after 1-2 seconds. Though they didn't seem to be discovered thanks to being buried under the debris, the fact that they were within that guy's range despite the considerable distance was quite threatening.
Instead of answering, Leonardo removed his hand from the back of Ero's head and observed the situation.
The whip continued to sweep back and forth across an unspecified radius, appearing to be at least 30m long, maybe more. It was quite thick too, and its freely undulating appearance resembled a living snake.
Even when other participants jumped out to draw attention, it was only brief - the whip passed over their heads several times like a lighthouse beam surveying all directions. The action seemed both to keep multiple unknown emergence points in check and to be searching for someone. But having come this far, they couldn't just keep hiding.
Leonardo, rolling his eyes, grabbed the collar at the back of Ero's neck and half-raised him while saying:
"We weren't discovered. Hey, more importantly, are you good at climbing?"
"Huh? Climbing... what do you mean? Did I climb up to you, big brother?"
"No, are you good at climbing walls or trees and such?"
"Ah, yes, I'm good at it! You saw me climb that tree earlier!"
It had been quite high and considerably thick with no proper handholds. Ero had climbed that tree trunk quite well even while carrying the bag with crystals. Of course, the current target ahead was on a different dimension from that... but judging it would probably be fine, Leonardo nodded and continued.
"I'll explain the strategy from now on. Don't think about it complicatedly. Our strategy is frontal breakthrough."
"...Huh?"
No sooner had Ero asked back in a dazed tone than Leonardo gestured with his chin toward the upper part of the stamen.
"I'll fly carrying you up there. Even if not to the very top, I'll throw you somewhere around there, so you climb up the tower and find the entrance leading to where the pistil is."
"Me alone? What about you, big brother?"
"One person has to keep that guy occupied. Do you think he'll just sit idle meanwhile? Want to fight instead?"
Ero let out a short "Ah" sigh. Soon he shook his head wildly as if it was absurd.
"I'll leave it to big brother! Just trust me with the pistil!"
"...Just in case, if you open the portal alone and run, I'll chase you to the end and kill you."
"Come on, big brother! Because of the rest period, I can't open it right away anyway! I can't pass through alone either. And wouldn't the benefits of entering together be greater than what I'd gain by betraying you, big brother?"
At his temporary collaborator's response, waving his hands while retorting, Leonardo nodded once expressionlessly.
'His head certainly works well.'
Rather than words that unconditionally gave trust, he seemed to know that conditional statements about how passing through together would benefit him too could actually instill more trust.
Leonardo placed his palm on the ground and slowly stood up.
"Then get ready. I'll jump when I count to three."
"Uh... but are we going up already? There should be about 20 more minutes before the rest period ends. It won't be good to catch other guys' attention too early..."
"You said that guy is strong. We have to consider the time it takes to deal with him too."
Whether the sadist's purpose was to let only specific personnel pass or to eliminate many was unclear. However, what was certain was that guy was a strong person who could manipulate this match as he pleased. But the moment he blocked his path, even his self-appointed gatekeeper concept that wasn't in the game rules would be settled.
"Right now it seems no teams have gone up thanks to that guy, but if we get held up and the rest period ends while some other guy passes through by fishing in troubled waters, that would be a bigger problem. If I'm the only one among the remaining participants who can deal with that guy, wouldn't it be better to move quickly and wait in front of the pistil? We can check the structure of where the portal opens too."
"Ah, right. Then, should I... get on your back now, big brother?"
"Are you crazy? Just take care of the crystals. I'll throw you with the bag."
"Huh?"
Leonardo immediately grabbed the upper part of the bag Ero wore in front with one hand. As he exerted force and lifted, Ero's arms instinctively clung together.
"Going. One, two, three."
"Waaaah!"
With a count that might as well not have been made, the two leaped into the air in the blink of an eye. Ero, who had been lying prone desperately hugging his bag, had his spine bend in the opposite direction as if grabbed by the scruff due to the tremendous propulsion. In that state, he dangled from the bag and was dragged along by Leonardo.
"B-big brother! Wait, wait! My back is breaking!"
Due to air resistance, Ero's lips flapped. His cries, indistinguishable between complaints and life-or-death appeals, echoed loudly throughout the stamen tower area.
Though he had planned to compete with speed assuming discovery, drawing attention this way would bring pursuit before reaching the top.
As Leonardo had predicted, the sadist's head turned following the voice. At the same time, the whip that had been sweeping the lower part of the tower instantly shot up into the air. As a vicious sound vibrated the air nearby with a whoosh, Leonardo, who had been ascending vertically attached to the stamen tower pillar, instantly changed direction.
Swish—
A black streak was drawn where he had been just moments before, and unidentifiable fragments scattered in all directions from several protrusions of the stamen tower. Soon a bursting sound like tissue tearing rang out, and the precariously tilting protrusion broke with a crack like a tree struck by lightning. Transparent mucus dripped from the exposed cross-section.
Heavy tower fragments fell, creating splashing friction sounds and huge water sprays. Leonardo, rapidly charging toward the vicinity of his destination, casually looked down at the lake where fierce waves were rising.
He had thought it unusual when it passed over his head earlier, but a single whip swing could destroy terrain features. It was definitely not an opponent to ignore.
While he might be fine, if other participants took a direct hit from that, it would be at least broken bones or ruptured organs. His collaborator mustn't be eliminated unconscious.
Just then, the whip that had gained rebound from below came back up in hot pursuit of Leonardo. Leonardo, passing the 70% point of the stamen tower's upper section, felt the vivid sensation of something wrapping around his ankle around that time.
There wasn't even time to look down and check the situation. Gripping the bag and Ero's clothes with both hands, he spun his body to give rebound and shouted:
"Ero, go up—!"
Ero, who had curled up like a ball, didn't have the presence of mind to answer. He left Leonardo's hands and was thrown up into the darkening sky.
"Big brotheeeer—!"
Not knowing that "throwing" meant literally throwing, Ero flailed desperately for his life and flew up near the top of the tower with an echo. Then he collided hard several times with protrusions hidden beyond the clouds. Fortunately, his body caught on a reasonably flat and wide surface just before losing consciousness. Though he couldn't avoid bruises, he barely managed to land without major injury.
"Huff, gasp—"
However, setting aside his panting breath, his limbs trembled like aspen leaves. Ero, with his soul completely drained, moved his lower jaw and cautiously poked his head toward the lower part of the stamen tower.
The sun was setting and clouds surrounded the area, making it difficult to secure vision. So in addition to the tremendous height, the particularly cold highland temperature and strong winds made his spine shiver.
Swallowing saliva, Ero barely stood up while touching the tower's outer wall. When he raised his head, the blunt tip of the stamen was immediately visible, suggesting the summit wasn't far. As soon as he gauged his position, he began fitting his hands and feet into the uneven grooves and hurriedly climbing the pillar. Doing his best at assigned tasks was both the pride and destiny of an errand boy.
At the same moment, Leonardo, who had been watching the direction Ero flew, confirmed there was no falling figure below and slowly raised the corner of his mouth.
'He got up properly.'
Soon he lifted his leg caught by the whip as if kicking the air. The black whip pulled taut and squeezed his ankle with the force to break a branch, but he didn't mind.
He immediately wrapped the end of the whip around his hand and used his limbs' strength to pull the connected line toward himself with all his might. Then, as if the fisherman's position had reversed, the sadist who had been wielding the whip began being dragged through the air like a freshly caught large fish.
Not missing the opportunity, Leonardo stepped on the stamen tower and used the propulsion to close the distance with the guy. The strange thing was that the guy didn't seem to have any intention of avoiding either. Rather, he firmly gripped the whip and charged straight ahead.
The two strongest players of the F Group test match met in the air with the stamen tower at the center. Leonardo reached out as if to tear off the opponent's silver mask. Flames flickering from his fingertips and an eerie voice rippled around him.
"Things have been boring, but you're perfectly timed."
Just then, an announcement broadcast flowed from the amplification magic circle spread across the sky.
<4 hours have passed since the match began, 2 hours remaining until the end. The total number of passers so far is 22.>