Chapter 103 : Chapter 103
Chapter 103
“…It came all the way to the eastern region just to sprawl out and sleep?”
A look of disbelief crossed Aquila’s face.
He had already thought it strange that the forest had remained so quiet for a creature summoned to the east a week ago. Had it truly been sleeping all this time?
“I missed the chance to ask earlier, but… can you understand the spirits?”
Zelik turned to him with astonished eyes.
From earlier, the human before him had been responding as though he had heard the spirits directly, even before their words were relayed.
“No, well. It is difficult to say that I understand them exactly…….”
Aquila trailed off.
He was merely deciphering notes filled with strange symbols and characters; to say he understood them outright would be misleading.
“This… no, this Great Spirit is unilaterally telling me something. It is hard to interpret, though.”
He pointed at the large cluster of light hovering persistently before him.
Over the past twenty-nine cycles, he had received the blessing of spirits and even conversed with them directly. But this was the first time a Great Spirit had sent him notes.
Given the circumstances, the only being nearby capable of sending such messages was this luminous mass.
A Great Spirit visible even to human eyes.
If it possessed such an intense form of light, then it must be an ancient entity of considerable power.
Of course, the revelation that Fenrir was in the east was far more shocking, so his reaction to the spirit had been comparatively muted.
“I could clearly read the gods’ notes, yet the ones from this spirit are much harder to decipher. It must be a difference in power.”
Even so, he still wondered how it was using the System’s function at all.
As Aquila fell briefly into thought, Fiana widened her already large eyes and turned toward the Great Spirit.
“I have never heard of a spirit attempting to speak to a human. And this—this one is…….”
She faltered.
The cluster of light circled her once.
Whatever it conveyed, Fiana’s face turned pale, and she shut her mouth immediately.
Zelik, sweating slightly, raised a hand as though to mediate between them.
“…Nothing is appearing.”
Aquila glanced sideways at the silent System window.
It seemed that notes only arrived when the Great Spirit intentionally chose to convey something to him.
“Ah, in any case…! It is unusual, but not a bad thing. Perhaps it spoke to you because it knows that you, an outsider to the forest, hold the key to resolving this problem. This one—no, rather—ah… is wise!”
Zelik hurriedly changed the subject, smiling awkwardly.
He looked every bit like someone who had just been threatened—human, or rather Blue Scale Descendant.
But Aquila had a different thought.
“The Great Spirit may have already met Ark Batchel and heard the story. It may have known I would come here…….”
Even so, he could not interrogate it in front of everyone.
Aquila gave a vague nod and, out of habit, brushed his fingertips over the center of his chest.
Though a mana explosion had occurred within him, there was no wound to feel.
“…If it is still asleep, striking now would not be a bad option.”
Heinen drew the conversation back on track.
Having expressed his resolve earlier, he returned the weapons in his hands to their proper positions.
“But did they not say it appeared a week ago? By the time we reach it, it may sense us and begin to move.”
Porzelin nodded but voiced her concern.
She was right. A week was more than enough time for activity to begin.
“Did it fall asleep immediately upon appearing a week ago?”
Ding!
【Note from Joreumi: ㅇ.gㅣㅇoㄴ?(The temperature?)】
“It seems to suggest that it may have been unable to adapt after being forcibly summoned here… perhaps because of the temperature.”
“That makes sense. It does not normally appear in the east. It may have been waiting for its body to adjust.”
“…A week would be enough time to finish adapting.”
A brief murmur passed through them.
A Fenrir that had acclimated to the climate would move faster—and be even stronger.
But had they not known from the beginning that this was a formidable opponent?
Aquila shook his head.
“If it has not awakened, that is fortunate. If it has, we will consider how to respond. It seems the chosen ones are arriving.”
He gestured with his chin toward the warriors approaching, including Tesser.
Those before him nodded solemnly.
“…It has been a while since I have fought in a large party.”
A faint smile curved Aquila’s lips.
***
“The spirits say they will open the path shortly.”
Zelik, now holding a staff instead of a lantern, turned to them.
“They say our plan is extremely dangerous… and that aside from opening the path, they will not assist.”
Trees, grass, and flowers rustled softly, as though whispering in the wind.
Fenrir’s eyes were sharp enough to see spirits.
Thus, they had extinguished the light where the beast lay and sealed the area as tightly as possible.
They must have feared the sudden appearance of such a being.
“If those cowards had not blocked it off beforehand, it might have been easier to deal with……”
The thought crossed Aquila’s mind, but what was done was done.
He had never expected the spirits’ help in the first place.
“Tell them that is fine… and more importantly, is it still asleep?”
The Great Spirit hovering beside him bobbed up and down as though nodding.
“And there are no other monsters with it?”
Another nod.
“As expected. The lesser monsters must have fled because of the demonic beast…….”
The Great Spirit circled him once more.
That seemed to confirm it.
“…I never thought I would see a spirit answer so directly—especially to a human.”
Tesser and the other Blue Scale Descendants whispered among themselves as they watched.
The Great Spirit seemed to answer Aquila readily enough, but judging by their reaction, its temperament was not particularly gentle.
The brilliant mass of light suddenly drifted toward them and began tapping the Blue Scale Descendants on their heads as though delivering knuckle raps.
Its behavior was outright violent.
Aquila cleared his throat softly.
“Then let us conduct a final check before entering.”
“…All roles are important, but yours is the most critical. Fiana.”
“Leave it to me. My archery is no worse than an elf’s.”
Fiana lifted the bow, nearly as tall as she was, and nodded.
He had checked earlier—her arm and leg strength were formidable.
“If you can strike between its eyes, that would be ideal. But if that proves difficult, any location will suffice. There should be a reaction near its core.”
“Understood. If it has adapted to the temperature, it will be faster, correct?”
“Almost certainly.”
“That only makes it more exciting.”
Fiana tapped the quiver containing the arrow tipped with Mithril Arrowheads and grinned.
There was tension in her expression—but it was the face of a warrior.
For some reason, Aquila felt no concern.
She would fulfill her role.
“I am confident in binding magic. I will restrain its jaws so it cannot use its fangs.”
Zelik and four other Blue Scale Descendants nodded.
Their task was to immobilize Fenrir once its mana was disrupted.
Even stripped of magic, Fenrir was enormous and possessed immense physical strength.
It would not be easy to halt its movements—but they nodded firmly nonetheless.
“I will draw its attention at the front. Move freely.”
Heinen adjusted his gauntlet as he spoke.
Having left his original gauntlets in Denimarad while treating Aquila, he now wore a blue pair given by the Blue Scale Descendants.
Unlike his previous silver gauntlets engraved with the symbol of the Sun God Raspalara, these were blue—but they suited him strangely well.
He planted his shield and readied his blunt holy lance.
“Fenrir’s fur is like silver spikes. Even if aura can pierce it, it will not be easy. Do not overlook even the smallest wound—pour your aura into it!”
“Yes!”
At Tesser’s shout, the Blue Scale Descendants raised their weapons in response.
All were capable of using aura.
The mages had been summoned for barriers and support.
There were twelve of them here.
Including Aquila’s group, fifteen in total.
The Blue Scale Descendants were few in number, and the rest remained in Senetalia to guard the village.
“Young Master Aquila, remain in the rear as much as possible. We will prevent Fenrir from approaching.”
Porzelin repeated her warning several times.
She had never seen Aquila cast magic and was deeply worried about him accompanying them.
“Support is necessary, but be careful not to suffer Mana Exhaustion.”
Heinen added bluntly.
He had seen Aquila collapse more than once.
“I know…….”
Aquila toyed briefly with the Spirit Tree Branch before finally nodding under the pressure of their gazes.
Even so, he looked ahead into the darkened path that still resembled a tunnel.
“If necessary, I will step in. It should be fine… but variables always arise.”
He touched the two necklaces hidden beneath his clothing.
One was the Eye of Igdrein.
The other was a blue gemstone necklace clearly crafted as its twin.
Thanks to the second necklace, stabilizing his mana had become far easier.
Using magic would not be difficult.
After a slow breath, he withdrew the two vials.
“…I will distribute the poison. It is safe unless it enters the body, but take care not to touch it.”
“Understood.”
Aquila retrieved an empty vial from his bag.
Half would be used on Fenrir.
The remaining half, on the Demonic Dragon.
“The spirits are opening the path now!”
At Zelik’s shout, light slowly returned to the forest path that had been pitch-black.
The forest beyond remained lush and green, yet eerily desolate—as though something had passed through and left only traces.
“This is our forest. Even if it is a demonic beast, no more! We will not let our forest—our home—be taken!”
Tesser’s voice rang out as he looked each of them in the eye.
All tightened their grip on their weapons.
They had come here to protect what was theirs.
“Please be careful.”
“Yes. Lady Porzelin, Lord Aquila—take care.”
“Both of you, stay safe.”
The three humans exchanged nods.
Then the first to move was Heinen, shield in hand.
He led the way.
“…May the radiance of the Sun God illuminate our path and grant us victory.”
After reciting a brief prayer, Heinen stepped forward.
Sunlight filtering through the forest glinted off his helmet and armor in golden hues.
The Blue Scale Descendants followed.
Then Porzelin.
Finally, Aquila.
And—
Ding!
【CHAPTER 2. The Silver Demonic Beast at the Forest’s Boundary】
With the System notification, a cry that shook the entire forest echoed through the air.
Like a scream.