Chapter 105 : Chapter 105
Chapter 105
The wave of light was not composed solely of the Spirit of Light.
The Spirit of the Tree, the Spirit of the Flower, the Spirits of Water and Stone, and even the Spirit of Fire…….
The spirits that had long dwelled alongside this forest had united as one and come to aid them.
Though they bore wings brilliant enough to dazzle the eyes, the spirits were invisible to human sight, and so this tide had taken shape as a radiant surge.
At the splendid spectacle of light, some gasped in admiration, others exhaled in relief, and still others cried out in exultation.
As for Aquila Reschenhardt, he belonged to none of those.
‘They fled with their tails between their legs, and now that it looks winnable, they have come swarming back.’
He clicked his tongue inwardly.
Yet he did not bother voicing such words aloud.
It would have been better had they helped from the beginning, but now was hardly the time to refuse assistance. When one was desperate enough to borrow even a cat’s paw, how could he reject the aid of spirits?
If the forest were destroyed any further, it would not only be the Blue Scale Descendants who would lose their home.
Furrowing his brow, Aquila lifted the Spirit Tree Branch high into the air. Golden formulas climbed along his fingers and coiled tightly around the branch.
WHOOSH!
A wide-range Veil of Fire unfurled.
The spirits of the eastern region were not engraved with seals and would not be accustomed to this merciless cold; it was to allow them freer movement.
The Great Spirit darted swiftly around Aquila, as though expressing gratitude.
“You go and help as well. Do not hover around.”
Aquila spoke coolly.
If it was a Great Spirit, it should have been stronger than the others. He could not understand why it lingered idly near him.
Ding!
【Note from Joreumi: ÷…(Tch..)】
The Great Spirit bobbed up and down as though wilting, then flew off.
“Follow the spirits and cast binding magic! We must restrain it so it cannot destroy the forest any further!”
At Tesser’s shout, the descendants raised their staffs and activated their spells once more.
Blue formulas blossomed in clusters, and the tide of spirits pressed down upon Fenrir’s snout and limbs, pinning them firmly to the ground.
The gigantic demonic beast writhed violently, struggling to break free from their grasp.
Grrrrr…… Grrngh……!
A tree struck by the whipping tail shattered and toppled backward, and another snapped in the same manner.
As the dense canopy of branches and leaves that had obscured the sky vanished, bright sunlight poured down.
“Attack! Attack!”
Voices blended together in a chaotic roar as warriors cloaked in aura surged forward.
Heinen, who had taken upon himself the role of tank at the vanguard, joined them, suffusing both sword and shield with Divine Power.
Whenever the demonic beast twisted its massive body and attempted to lash out with its tail bristling with silver spines, Heinen intercepted it.
“Haaah!”
Porzelin wrapped her blade in shimmering silver aura and kicked off the ground.
She aimed for its head.
Several from the wave of light pushed against her feet, launching her upward.
With her body lifted lightly into the air, the silver-haired swordswoman had no time even to offer a proper word of thanks as she was nearly hurled forward.
She landed atop the beast’s swaying head and targeted the space between its brows—the very spot where Fiana’s arrow had struck directly.
CLANG!
The sound was too sharp and metallic to be that of blade striking fur.
That was precisely where Fenrir had scattered its frost and frozen the surface solid.
“……Tch! Even with aura, it is this hard!”
The top of its head was completely encased in ice.
Porzelin realized that her current skill was insufficient to pierce this frozen mass.
A shard hardened by the chill of the Frost Forest could only be broken by the aura of a Sword Master.
Yet she had no intention of giving up, nor of standing idle.
If not here, then elsewhere!
Gripping the silver fur tightly to keep from falling, Porzelin moved along the beast’s head.
“Damn that tail! Aaaagh……!”
At some point, several were cornered near the tail, unable to move.
Among them was Heinen, who had been aiding the others.
Seeing this, Aquila extended his free hand—the one not gripping the Spirit Tree Branch.
A different formula from the one entwined around the branch climbed along his left arm, flaring brilliantly in gold.
WHOOOOOM!
The binding magic Aquila activated pressed down upon the tail, halting its movement.
“Damn it, that tail…… it is absurdly huge……!”
He snapped irritably.
Yet his magic had once restrained even a Kraken, the movements of a Sword Master, and even a divine shadow.
Even if his current condition was unstable, there was no way such a mere mass of flesh could diminish his power.
The magic circle spreading from Aquila’s hand expanded further still.
It pressed not only the tail but also the beast’s back firmly to the ground.
Heinen glanced back at Aquila in shock, though only briefly.
“……Climb onto the beast!”
Having rescued the others, Heinen shouted at the top of his lungs, leading the descendants.
Fenrir growled and trembled, but its four limbs were nearly bound.
It was thanks to the efforts of the mages and the spirits.
Ding! 【Note from Joreumi: @~%&#!! tt}ㄱp(Hot!)】
To restrain the colossal body of the beast, everyone poured every ounce of strength into their efforts, pained groans escaping their lips.
“Hold on! No matter what, hold on!”
And in doing so, they created an opportunity for the warriors.
The swordsmen kicked off the ground. Careful not to touch the silver spines, the wave of light lifted them onto the beast’s body.
Spotting them, Porzelin shouted.
“The core— the top of the head is frozen and cannot be pierced! It will require the blade of a Sword Master!”
“……Then it is better to sever the neck! Everyone, aim for the nape!”
“Yes!”
THUD! THUD!
Spirits clung to the snout to prevent it from using its fangs, causing the head to shake violently.
Yet every warrior seized the sharp silver spines and secured their footing.
Though the brightness and intensity differed, each sword was enveloped in unmistakable aura.
“Haaah!”
With a battle cry, the swordsmen thrust their blades into Fenrir’s hide from their respective positions.
One strike was not enough to leave even a shallow wound, but they did not cease swinging their swords.
It was Tesser and Heinen, whose blades shone most distinctly, who first carved a scratch into the nape.
A shallow wound.
Yet once a gap had formed, the rest became easier.
SPLURT!
Blood burst forth.
“……Grrrk!”
Fenrir thrashed far more violently than before.
“Hngh……! The cold……!”
Sensing the threat, the beast began to spread frost even wider.
It was Fenrir’s unique skill.
Armor turned pure white as it froze, and someone whose hand had completely transformed into a block of ice screamed.
“……Tch! I will strengthen the Veil of Fire!”
Once, in a previous cycle, frost he had failed to contain had spread and blanketed the land in bitter cold.
The very spell he had devised then.
It consumed a tremendous amount of Mana, and he had not wished to use it now, but there was no time for hesitation.
The Spirit Tree Branch in Aquila’s hand flashed with radiant light.
WHOOSH!
Once more, fervent warmth surged from his hand like a blazing inferno, engulfing the entire space.
Ice fell away from the plants that had been frozen white with frost, water streaming down, and in an instant heat descended.
The heat of summer.
Ding!
【Note from Joreumi: W○￦(Cold)】
“C-cold— no, hot……!”
Though everyone was startled by the sudden shift from freezing cold to scorching heat, there was no time to dwell on it.
For them, it was merely hot enough to draw sweat.
But Fenrir’s movements grew noticeably sluggish, and the tips of its silver fur began to singe.
Seeing this, Tesser narrowed his eyes and shouted.
“It is slowing down! Spirits of Fire, please assist us!”
“……Good! Drive it in! Cut!”
“Aaaagh! It is damnably huge!”
Though ordinary blades could scarcely penetrate Fenrir, that was only an issue of the outer hide.
Once a wound began to widen, it could not easily be stopped.
FWOOSH!
Moreover, a group that had broken away from the wave of light swooped down and formed a pit of flames.
The blazing spirits of fire plunged into the gashes carved by the swordsmen and began to sear Fenrir’s flesh.
SSSSSSSS!
A foul, acrid stench filled the air.
“Kyaaak, gaaaah!”
Fenrir’s scream sounded almost like the cry of a child.
Everyone reflexively grimaced.
And instinctively, all realized that this was the end.
Fenrir slammed its head against the ground in agony.
The wave of light clung to its snout to keep it from opening wider, and soon the spirits of fire that had entered the wounds burst back out.
The swordsmen poured every ounce of aura into their blades.
As sharp as possible—sharp enough to cleave through anything!
“……Hup!”
A short battle cry.
And then…….
SHHK!
At last, their blades severed Fenrir’s neck.
***
THUD!
The colossal head of the demonic beast crashed heavily to the ground, sending a tremor through the area.
The silver wolf’s convulsing body gradually stilled.
Some blood flowed freely, while other portions remained frozen solid.
Retracting the binding magic, Aquila shouted quickly.
The blood had likely been frozen to prevent poison from spreading—avoid contact as much as possible.
The ice would soon shatter; they were to descend from the beast’s body immediately.
The swordsmen, who had miraculously avoided falling by clinging to its fur, turned pale and hurried down.
The wave of light aided them once more.
“Is it…… over?”
Carried toward Aquila and the mages by the spirits nudging her feet, Porzelin turned back.
The demonic beast was enormous.
Though trees had snapped and fallen, leaving devastation in its wake, the beast no longer moved.
Everyone, drenched in sweat, stared at the motionless Fenrir.
Without lowering the Spirit Tree Branch, Aquila widened his eyes.
Soon, a notification rang out.
Ding!
【Fenrir defeated!】
【CHAPTER 2. ‘The Silver Demonic Beast at the Forest’s Boundary’ scenario has ended!】
【Quest Clear!】
【The exclusive field ‘Forest Where Winter Has Arrived’ will be lifted!】
【Calculating rewards!】
“Whew…….”
As Aquila exhaled and lowered his hand, the summer heat filling the forest subsided instantly.
The Veil of Fire was released.
With the lifting of the exclusive field, the merciless cold that had saturated the space also began to recede.
Crackle…….
In areas the barrier had failed to shield, the white frost and Fenrir’s frozen fragments cracked with sharp sounds and began to melt away.
The forest was returning to its original state.
The quest completion notification had appeared. It was truly over.
Soaked more thoroughly in sweat than anyone else, Aquila turned to the others.
He declared,
“Yes. It seems to be over—”
No, he had been about to declare it.
Twitch!
Had the colossal corpse not suddenly moved, he would have.
“W-what……?!”
A scream of shock burst from those who witnessed the movement.
“It moved even after we cut off its head!”
“Unless the core is destroyed……?”
Everyone raised their weapons again, shouting, but that was not it.
The movement was not an attempt by the fallen body to rise.
It began from within the severed neck.
Twitch!
Something was inside the fallen beast.
“What in the world is that……?”
The black shape writhed as though attempting to force its way out.
Then…….
CRAAACK!
From the severed neck, something suddenly thrust outward.
It was…… a hand.
“Eek……!”
Two hands emerged, prying open the beast’s severed neck from within.
The first thing to come out was something round.
A head.
“Ah……?”
Before anyone could properly react—
BEEEEEP!
【Emergency Quest triggered!】
【You have encountered the Named Monster, ‘Corrupted ???’!】
“……Ghk, grrk, grrraaak!”
The corrupted soul let out a horrific scream.