The Pruning Ceremony.

　All the tribes living in the Great Sea of Trees gather at the sacred tree called the "Great Tree" and compete for valor under the protection of the spirit of the Great Tree.
　As members of the Lauri tribe, we will participate in this competition and aim to become the "Tree King's Tribe" if we survive.
　The pruning ceremony itself is said to be over in three days, so it's fine. Else and Hilda wanted to fight, for example. It's also a bit of a test of skill. And, if things go well, there's also the possibility of connecting with the "Tree King's Tribe" that controls the tribes of the Great Sea of Trees.
　Oh, and for the time being, I've been given a break on the cross-dressing thing. It's enough for me to dress up as a woman in Mirage. If they touched me, they might notice me, Linze bit back, but I'm not going to wear the ethnic clothes of the Lauri tribe that are just too revealing!
　I have already sent Pam back to the Lauri village using the "Gate".
　I thought it would make conversation inconvenient, so I learned the non-attribute magic "Translation". It's a translation magic. I'm not going to be able to get my hands on any of them.
　It's not a good idea to have a good time, but it's a good idea to have a good time.
　In the meantime, Pam, Yae, Else, Hilda and Lou are the representative members. I thought there would be an alternate or something in case someone was injured, but it seems those five are the only ones who will win out.
　I would have been happy to participate, but the Lauri people, including Pam, strongly opposed my participation. The Lauri could not allow a man to represent them in the sacred Pruning Ceremony. They may approve of his helpers, but that seems to be a non-negotiable.
　I guess that the man should keep silent and watch. I can't help it. I envied the Barum tribe for a moment.
　One month later, we had a "pruning ceremony".
　We arrived at the root of the great divine tree where the "pruning ceremony" was to take place.




''Fuaaaah....

　That's a big tree.... That's the only thing I can think of when I look at the Giant God Tree.
　How many tens of meters in diameter was it? Lush branches and leaves were growing in all directions from the incredibly thick trunk. Compared to the size of the trunk, the height of the tree may not be that high. It looks like a parasol handle that has been cut extremely short.
　Sunlight pours through the branches and leaves, illuminating the ground with a fantastic light. In this light, the various tribes of the Great Sea of Trees were all present.
　At the root of the Great Sacred Tree were stumps of various sizes, even the smallest one was twenty meters in diameter. Each one of them was a stage of battle and a part of the Great Divine Tree.
　The total number of tribes in the Great Sea of Trees is about 240, and one of them, the Jaja, also known as the 'Tribe of Judgment', is said to perform this 'pruning ceremony'. They are the only tribe that has been allowed by the spirits to live in the 'divine tree area', the root of the great divine tree. Instead, they are not allowed to participate in the 'Pruning Ritual'. They must be like priests who convey the spirit's will to the tribes.

''But there are so many different tribes...''

　Scurrying around, I look around. A large tribe, a small tribe. One tribe has a strange decoration on its head, another has a jangling bracelet. The oddest part is that for some reason there is a tribe with a very long beard, and another tribe covered in green robes with a hood.
　There are a few exceptions, but in general, both men and women are highly exposed. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

It's a bit of a relief that we won't be so inconspicuous, that we won't have to worry about it...
'Master Wintery? I don't think you should stare at women too much. They'll think you're weird because you're outwardly of the same s*x.

　I felt a slight spike in Lou's words, and I coughed deliberately to straighten up my residence.
　Everyone around me was in the form of Lauri. In short, they were wearing chest coverings and sashes. It's not as if they are embarrassed by this, but they are wrapped around their waists in what looks like a pareo and have a short poncho on top.
　I'm the only "Mirage" and outwardly I'm disguised as a Lauri woman. I'm wearing short-sleeved shorts, just in case it's hard to tell if I'm touched. It would be a bad idea if he grabbed my arm and I could feel my clothes there.
　Soo is also in Lauri style, but this one is still pretty, and I don't feel like it's s*xy. However, she is quite nervous about everyone else's appearance, and she can't help but turn her gaze elsewhere.
　Well, it's hard to say, since the tribes around me are more extreme.

'So, you're going to fight on that stump?
''That's right. There's a spirit blessing at work there, and all life-destroying attacks are reduced. Even if you are serious about beheading them. It's a deadly attack, so of course the attacker will be stunned.

　I don't know what kind of magic it is, but I'm sure it's spirit power. Is it like my "shield"? I'm not sure if it's different because even though it doesn't kill you, damage still passes through it. If I were to say in a game, it would mean that I would be stopped in an instant at 1 HP.
　Basically, it seems that it's not possible to die, but it's not impossible to die from the impact of falling or other factors, so I can't relax. The stump is about two meters off the ground, and if you fall from it, you lose outside the field, but if you hit the spot where you fell, you could die.

''You can't even use magic, right?
Yeah. That will be disabled too. Also, you shouldn't use even a small amount of fire here. If you're going to use it, go outside the God Tree Region. The Tribesmen of Judgment will stare at you.

　Does it also nullify magic? That means Else's "boost" can't be used on that thing. I heard that the magic grant on weapons is also disabled, so everyone has a normal weapon this time.
　You know that fire is banned. It would be a terrible idea if there was a fire. There's a large clear stream right outside of the divine tree area, so it's said that meals are made there.
　The tribe's friends who came to support the fight had come to watch it from the spectator seats set up on top of the other trees.

'When does the fight start?'
It's about to begin. We must defeat the three tribes today and it's over. Then we can move on to tomorrow's battle.

　 Today is the preliminary round, and tomorrow is the final round.
　The sound of a bell can be heard from somewhere. The noise in the area that had been buzzing around the place disappeared, and a cheerful voice rose.

''It's time. All but the contestants should leave this place. Everything else will be under the guidance of the spirits.''

　A man from the Tribe of Judgment, dressed in a white piercing headdress, announced solemnly, "You are going to be the judge. At the same time, the other tribesmen moved in a lumbering stream to the treehouse-like bleachers, the suspension bridge between the trees, or even to the branches of a large tree.
　Shall we go too?

Well, good luck, everyone. Take it easy.
I understand.
I'll be fine.
We'll take care of it!
I'll do my best.
Let's go.

　Pam takes us to the stump where Yae, Else, Hilda, and Lou walk towards the stump where the battle will take place.
　We, too, move to the spectator seats set up on top of the tree. We climbed the stairs attached to the side of a large tree many meters in diameter to keep a good vantage point.

'What's exciting.

　Soo leaned over the railing and looked out at the match venue below. The bleachers in this large tree were occupied by all of the Lauri tribe.
　There were about 50 people in total, but I felt uncomfortable because I was the only man in the group of women. The Lauri people also know that I am a man, although I look like a woman. Hmm, after thinking it over, I should have gone invisible in Invisible.
　But that would make it hard to intervene in a time of need. Even if it's a hassle, it's better to take the stance of the 'Lauri' tribe.

''...Oh, look, Fuyao-san. Huh?
"Oh?

　At the end of Linze's point, the light of sunlight shone through the trees like a spotlight on each of the tribal representatives. Eventually, it began to move slowly, leading the representatives to their respective stages.
　Surprised, I looked at the branches above me and saw that the branches and leaves were freely transforming and adjusting the light through the trees. Seriously.......... That big divine tree really does have a will, doesn't it? Does that guidance determine the opponent?
　I didn't need to think about it, but the battle had begun immediately. That's it, there's no opening ceremony speech.

''The format of the match will be one-on-one for all of us?
'If you win three first, that means the other two don't have to fight to win.

　So if you have one superior warrior, but the other four are not, you lose when you lose three. If it's a winner-take-all battle, I suppose it's possible for one person to defeat five people.
　You lose if you can't fight, or if you surrender. You also lose by falling out of the field. Basically, there is no such thing as a foul, but anyone who acts in a way that significantly stains their pride as a tribe living in the Great Sea of Trees will be disqualified.
　In one of the matches on the stage, it looked like a big man swung an axe and cracked his opponent's head in two. But the reality is that it didn't shatter his head, and as it was, the other man slowly crumbled down on the spot.
　Is that the blessing of a spirit? The countless wounds and bruises on the fallen opponent's body show that it doesn't erase all the damage. Does it mean that it will be activated when a fatal blow is struck? The opponent seems to be completely stunned though.

''Oh, it looks like the Lauri tribe's match is about to begin.

　The place Yumina pointed to was in a location that was difficult to see from here. So I used 'Mirage' and 'Long Sense' to project an image of the stage in the air.
　Oh," the other Lauri people exclaimed in amazement. I knew I could use magic if I wasn't on stage.
　I change the screen size to a larger size so that everyone can watch the game. It seems that Lou will be the first one out.
　His opponent is a tall man, holding an aged spear in his hand. The difference in height is about 40cm. The other side of the coin is a short sword with a blade length of about 30 centimeters, held in both hands on either side.

''Begin!''

　Lou moved at the same time as the referee's white coat swung his arm down. He rushed straight into the bosom of the man with the spear. In response, the spear that the man unleashed to skewer, the spear is played by Lou's sword and goes in a different direction.
　Lou's left hand flashed as he approached his opponent as if to slide in and catch the man's side.
　Thud! There was a dull sound and the spearman collapsed. Less than a minute had passed.
　Whoa, whoa, whoa! And a cheer from all the Lauri behind me.
　It's not like he's training with me or Yae. It's not surprising that Lou would be able to see through a move like that.
　It's important to note that agility is the key to being a swordsman. They use their movements to play with their opponents and attack from a variety of angles. They do not have the heavy power of axes and swords, but they use their hands to attack.
　But that doesn't mean that you can't kill your opponent in one hit. If you aim at a vital point like that, it's possible. Of course, in addition to agility, accuracy is also required.
　Lou is waving a big hand towards us.
　This is how the curtain has fallen on our battle.