Chapter 478: The Weight of Paternal Love
The terrifying stone colossus swept across the earth amid thunderous tremors, hurling skyward torrents of shattered rock and endless clouds of dust.
Earth-brown shockwaves continuously battered the heavens, transforming the once-pristine obsidian night sky into a chaotic tapestry of hazy gray-brown.
Confronting the charging stone giant, knights clutched their weapons with white-knuckled determination.
Though terror flickered in their eyes, unwavering resolve anchored them firmly in place.
Behind them stood the central district's residents—even trembling with fear, retreat was absolutely impossible.
Demon hunters burst from the crowd with feline grace, nimbly vaulting onto surrounding streetlamps that cast flickering light.
They brandished their specialized weapons, bodies coiled like springs ready to strike.
As that horrifying giant drew inexorably closer, perspiration drenched the knights' armor.
They wheeled toward the civilians behind them, voices ringing with desperate authority:
"Everyone fall back!"
"Protect the residents at all costs!"
With those words, they raised their weapons and charged courageously toward the massive, terrifying stone behemoth.
Instantly, the giant that had been steadily traversing the earth erupted fully from the ground, its colossal form rising like a mountain being born.
Its towering presence utterly shattered the peace in every heart, massive stone arms swinging down to pummel the earth with devastating force.
In that moment, violent shockwaves rippled outward in all directions as the ground split with thunderous cracks.
Countless chunks of soil and debris rocketed skyward while devastating impact forces tore the earth asunder, surging toward the square like a tsunami of destruction.
The giant struck again and again, each blow unleashing fresh waves of annihilation.
Within moments, countless fragments filled the air as even the heavens themselves were stained deep earth-brown.
Knights charging at the vanguard were launched skyward by the violent tremors, tumbling in every direction.
Rear-guard knights, feeling the vibrations from ahead, found even standing nearly impossible.
Under wave after wave of knightly defeats, the giant's fury intensified.
Massive boulders in its grasp crashed down like meteors, repeatedly cratering the earth with profound gouges.
But suddenly, the giant's arms froze mid-swing.
Its six earth-brown eyes flickered with confusion.
Gazing downward, it discovered an impossibly thick, flourishing tree wrapped around both its massive stone fists.
Even the destructive waves continuously battering the earth were firmly held at bay by a wall of vines erupting from the ground.
Luxuriant vines spiraled upward in graceful helixes, gradually blooming with delicate pink buds.
The tendrils bent and twisted under the shockwaves' assault, yet stubbornly maintained their protective barrier.
Extended vine shoots wrapped and ensnared every piece of flying debris.
Every knight stood transfixed by this miraculous spectacle.
Feeling a gentle breeze caress their faces, they turned in wonder.
There sat a maiden-like elf upon billowing clouds, one slender arm raised in spellcasting.
Shimmering emerald radiance danced around her form as the earth beneath her cloud-throne sprouted entangling vines.
Vibrant flowers burst through the soil, encircling the central square and breathing life into this battlefield of despair.
The capital's gloom was suddenly draped in rich verdant green, creating a stunning contrast against the earth-yellow sky—like nature's own masterpiece palette.
Witnessing Cocotte's magic, the knights' faces blazed with hope as they cried out in jubilation:
"It's... it's the Councilor!"
"Thank the heavens—the Elf Queen has intervened!"
Cocotte merely gestured with elegant simplicity.
Suddenly, massive thorns that churned and twisted soil erupted from the square's perimeter.
Like hollow prison cages, they rolled inexorably toward the stone giant.
Vines swiftly coiled around the giant's legs like primordial earth-bonds, securing its limbs with unbreakable grip.
With its mobility constrained, even the giant's movements became sluggish and labored.
Tree trunks and vines worked in perfect harmony, striving to topple this enormous earth-brown monstrosity.
Under their combined might, the sky-reaching colossus crashed thunderously to the ground.
The earth erupted in even more massive upheaval than before.
In an instant, the ground convulsed with such violence that the entire world seemed to tremble.
The overwhelming tremors sent every knight sprawling, unable to maintain their footing.
Fortunately, Cocotte swiftly carpeted the ground with cushioning vines, creating patches of soft landing that caught the falling warriors.
As the tremors gradually subsided and dust settled, Cocotte studied the fallen stone giant with intense scrutiny.
Her expression grew deeply troubled.
The damage she could inflict remained frustratingly minimal.
Though she was a fifth-tier mage, the giant's immense size and her wood magic's limitations prevented any truly effective direct assault.
Its greatest injury had been merely that tumbling fall.
More critically still...
She couldn't directly engage the battlefield's epicenter—only conduct clever flanking maneuvers from the square's safety.
Otherwise, she couldn't guarantee Lia's absolute protection.
With this thought, Cocotte glanced down at Lia sleeping peacefully upon the clouds.
Moreover...
Her gaze swept toward the terror-stricken elves nearby.
Then upward toward that stone giant lying motionless upon the ground.
From the earth giant's passive behavior, Cocotte understood.
The creature harbored no malice toward elves—even when facing her attacks, it neither retaliated nor evaded.
"People often speak of elves being protected by nature... now I finally comprehend what that truly means."
Cocotte murmured softly, her tone carrying profound melancholy.
Yet this protection felt overwhelmingly... heavy.
At that moment, Cocotte observed the knights and demon hunters raising their weapons once more, surging forward in renewed assault.
Seizing opportunities, demon hunters scaled the giant's rocky form.
Knights swung their blades in rapid strikes against the giant's joints, hammering away with desperate determination.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
However, after that storm of attacks subsided, the giant remained completely unscathed.
Several knights' swords now bore multiple chips and notches.
Useless—absolutely ineffective.
Witnessing this futility, Cocotte rested her chin in her palm, lost in contemplation upon her cloud-throne.
What could possibly be done?
But suddenly, as if sensing something profound, her gaze shifted toward the First Prince ahead.
Elves possessed natural sensitivity to others' emotional fluctuations.
At this moment, the First Prince was breathing in rapid, shallow gasps, his entire body trembling as dilated pupils betrayed his terror—frozen completely in place by overwhelming fear.
Cocotte captured every detail of this scene.
Observing the First Prince's reaction, Cocotte stared in stunned disbelief.
This golden prince... he was afraid? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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