Chapter 50
Chapter 50
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: The Flame #4
-----------------------------------------------------------------
&
As the morning sun rose, the world transformed.
The Spider Forest, which had expanded greatly under the light of the green moon, returned to its original state, and the beasts and monsters that had rampaged throughout its grounds either let out low growls instead of crazed roars or fell into a deep slumber.
After their meeting with Amita, the beasts' attacks had ceased, allowing the party to rest in shifts.
Daphne, who had the last watch, woke Felicia, who had been on watch before her, then explained the situation to the three Lycanthropes who had been unconscious all night.
Caitlin and Seira were embarrassed about their disgraceful behavior the previous night. Felicia comforted them with kind words before calling over Roben, who had been keeping to himself, and giving him additional orders. The situation had become more serious than when she had sent Karma, so she judged it necessary to send another update.
After sending off Roben in his beast form, the group had a simple breakfast and headed for the center of the Spider Forest.
As if in reward for the frenzied night, they encountered almost no beasts or monsters. The few they did come across were half-exhausted and asleep, so no situation arose that could be called a battle.
Ingong led the way for about an hour, observing the now-functional mini-map.
Passing through the transparent barrier Amita had erected, the party came face to face with a raccoon standing on a rock, its arms crossed and a displeased look on its face.
"What's this? Why are there more people?"
Amita's sharp gaze fell on Green Wind, who was standing beside Ingong. Having materialized for a rare occasion, Green Wind was clinging to Ingong's arm and stood proudly, reciting the line Karak had given her that morning.
"O talking raccoon, I was by my master's side yesterday as well. You must not forget my share."
It was the same lofty and elegant tone she had used when they first met on the Anger Plains. But Amita, displeased with the content, scowled.
"You're a guardian spirit. What use would you have for equipment even if I made it for you!"
At Amita's roar, Green Wind didn't so much as shake her head. She replied with a serene expression.
"I belong to my master, so what is mine is my master's. Hmm, yes, that is correct. Therefore, you should make something for my master so that I may be praised. I wish for my master to grow stronger so that he will not be harmed."
As she finished, she beamed and looked back at Ingong. Her eyes seemed to be asking for praise.
With everyone watching, Ingong awkwardly stroked Green Wind's head, a sight that left Amita speechless once more.
Karak, who had been quietly observing, cautiously spoke up.
"Just in case, I should mention that one of our companions left the forest to call for reinforcements. He was with us yesterday, too."
He was talking about Roben.
Instead of answering, Amita simply growled once before turning to those they hadn't formally met yesterday.
"The 8th Princess and her aide?"
"I am Seira."
"A talking raccoon is amazing!"
The first was, of course, Seira, and the second was Caitlin. Having shouted in excitement without thinking, Caitlin realized her mistake as all eyes turned to her and she began to fluster.
Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, she belatedly offered a proper greeting.
"I am the 8th Princess, Caitlin Moonlight. It is an honor to meet the Last Blacksmith."
In appearance alone, she was the spitting image of the 4th Queen, Elaine, so when Caitlin made a point to be formal, she exuded a sense of calm rather than her usual vivacity.
But this time, with her cheeks flushed and her eyes, after her greeting, filled with an indescribable yearning, she was a world away from her usual self.
Amita tilted their head and asked.
"What is it? Do you have something you wish to say?"
"M-May I pet you?"
Caitlin asked cautiously, and at her unexpected behavior, Felicia's eyes widened in surprise. Seira, however, let out a troubled yet clumsy laugh, as if she had known this would happen.
Chris was Caitlin's spiritual anchor and, in a way, the reins that controlled her. Without him, Caitlin was bound to be different.
Amita blinked, bewildered, but soon nodded readily.
"I permit it."
"Thank you."
After bowing with a bright face, Caitlin scurried over to Amita and carefully extended her hand. Since Amita was standing, her hand naturally went to their head, and Amita closed their eyes with a smile, as if enjoying the touch.
At the sight, Green Wind narrowed her eyes and asked.
"Master, am I like that when I receive praise?"
"No, you're much worse."
Green Wind's eyes widened as if to ask what he meant, but instead of answering, Ingong just stroked her head a few more times. Green Wind's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but soon her expression softened into its usual languor, and she smiled with pleasure.
As if to restore order to the strange atmosphere, Felicia spoke up.
"Ahem, that's enough. Let's get to the main point."
Amita was now nestled completely in Caitlin's arms. They laughed heartily and spoke magnanimously.
"You may hold me as well. I permit it."
"I must decline."
Felicia, who seemed slightly tempted for a moment, refused, fanning herself open.
But perhaps thanks to Caitlin putting them in a good mood, Amita paid it no mind and moved on to the main topic.
"Tonight, they will attack the barrier again. So I've come up with a plan."
Leaping from Caitlin's arms, Amita produced a large sheet of paper from thin air. Whether it was inventory magic like Ingong's or some kind of magical tool was unclear, but for now, Ingong focused only on the paper.
On it was a rough map of the surrounding terrain, centered on the blue flame.
"So far, the enemy's pattern can be divided into two major phases. First, beasts and monsters, driven mad by the Spirit of Madness, will launch a physical assault on the perimeter. A literal, mindless body slam. You all saw the monsters' momentum yesterday."
Their single-minded charge was certainly proof of their madness.
Amita glanced at Caitlin and Seira before speaking to Ingong.
"Lycanthropes, due to the wildness latent in their instincts, are easily swayed by the Spirit of Madness. I hope you have countermeasures in place."
"We've prepared them."
The party had discussed this very matter last night. As Ingong answered coolly, Amita continued with a satisfied expression.
"Once the barrier is sufficiently weakened, a White Giant appears and destroys it. Did you see the White Giant last night?"
"Yes, its entire body was emitting a white light."
"It is the fused form of guardian spirits that have gone mad. A monster created by combining them with those shrouded in purple malevolence."
The White Giant was roughly twenty meters tall. Its eye level was far higher than even the Zombie Dragon's, making it a perplexing foe to face.
"Just as they have for the past few days, they will likely follow the same pattern tonight. So, here is my plan."
Amita placed several red, coin-sized metal discs on the paper, seemingly to mark the enemies' path.
"I will intentionally create an opening in the barrier to lure the first wave of enemies to a single point. You will then destroy them, preventing the barrier from weakening."
Amita placed a blue metal disc in front of the red ones. They then took out a large, white disc and continued.
"If the barrier-weakening phase is eliminated, the White Giant won't be able to destroy it either. I say this because I have been continuously measuring its power as it destroyed the barrier these past few days. From what I've observed, they can't maintain that White Giant state for long. I have a rough idea of its limits."
With a dainty hand, Amita pushed aside the red discs and tapped the line marking the barrier's perimeter several times with the white disc.
"If the barrier remains intact until morning, they will retreat. We will restore the weakened barrier during the day and repeat the process. If we can hold out for two days like this, victory is ours."
Finishing the explanation, Amita looked up. Felicia, who was kneeling on the ground to be at eye level with Amita, asked.
"Are you referring to when our reinforcements arrive?"
The reinforcements Karma had gone to summon were expected to arrive in two days at the earliest. But Amita shook their head.
"I am counting on the reinforcements you've called, but there's a more... self-reliant reason."
Grinning at the end, Amita slapped the center of the paper with their palm.
"A weapon of my creation is charging its power at the center of the Final Flame. Once fully charged, that weapon will be able to defeat the White Giant."
Amita's voice seemed far more excited than usual, likely due to their pride in the weapon. Felicia's eyes also lit up with interest. Karak, however, had a different take.
"You should've kept it charged."
Then they could have just used it right away.
At Karak's fatal point, everyone turned to Amita, who thumped the ground with their tail and said.
"It's not the kind of weapon that can store power continuously, so I couldn't. In any case, do you understand the plan?"
"For the most part. The gist is that we just need to hold out for two days, correct?"
When Felicia asked again, Amita nodded.
"That's right. If my calculations are correct, you won't even have to fight the White Giant at all."
It sounded quite idealistic. Ingong picked up a few of the red discs and asked.
"Lord Amita, what do we do if they don't follow our lure?"
"They will. They're possessed by the Spirit of Madness and incapable of proper thought. Even those shrouded in purple malevolence, influenced by their fusion with the crazed spirits, haven't shown any intelligent behavior beyond separating the monsters and the White Giant. So you don't need to worry about that."
After stating this definitively, Amita suddenly looked at Felicia, Caitlin, and Ingong with a worried expression.
"The bigger problem is whether you can withstand the attack. A truly immense number will swarm you."
For Amita to say something so uncharacteristic, it seemed a truly staggering number was on its way. Felicia, as if to soothe them, spoke in a confident voice.
"If we can decide on a defense point in advance, we should be able to fortify it to some extent, right? Then we can do it. Shutora and Caitlin are strong."
Though she secretly wished the two wouldn't be put in danger, her trust in them was also genuine.
Amita looked at Ingong and Caitlin again, then nodded.
"Hmm, good. Then for now, get some rest... What's with that look?"
Amita's gaze landed on Karak. Karak spoke in a suggestive tone.
"Hey, aren't you going to provide some support?"
"Support?"
"This is your castle, Mr. Raccoon, and we're fighting in it. You must have plenty of defensive armaments and such."
As Karak said, this barrier was Amita's fortress and workshop. Had they not just said a special weapon was charging in the heart of the Final Flame?
Amita's eyes narrowed.
"Are you talking about the arms I've made?"
"Oh, that's the stuff."
Karak clapped his hands together and continued without missing a beat.
"If you lend them to us during the battle, we'll be stronger, and we'll be able to defend better. If we can't hold them back, we can just run, but you can't, right, Mr. Raccoon?"
It was a cheap shot, but it was true. Instead of retorting, Amita looked at Ingong.
"That one, is he really an Orc?"
"He's a pure-blooded Orc. Though I don't have his pedigree papers."
To be honest, even Ingong sometimes had his doubts about Karak's identity.
Amita let out a long sigh and sat down on their tail.
"Fine, I will lend you my creations. Consider it an honor. You're the first to ever rent, not purchase, Amita's arms."
"It's an honor."
When Karak replied with a grin, Amita scowled again, but only for a moment.
"You're really amazing."
Caitlin swooped Amita into her arms with admiration. Their expression instantly softened, and Amita grinned, just like Karak.
"Ahem, well, it's nothing."
They looked like a cute baby raccoon, but I wondered if a perverted old man was hiding inside. Then again, their actions also seemed childish.
"What? You want to hold me too?"
At Amita's question, Felicia shook her head and snapped open her fan.
"I must decline. Please show us the equipment you're lending us."
"Alright, let's get ready."
Leaping from Caitlin's arms again, Amita wagged their tail and led the way.
&
Night was falling once more on the Spider Forest.
The position Amita had prepared was nothing short of a small fortress. There was a single passage between walls of stacked rocks and trees, and within that passage were two barricades, also made of stacked wood.
Ingong and Caitlin stood side by side at the entrance to the passage. Behind them were Karak and Seira, fully armed with Amita's creations. And behind them, stationed at a barricade, were Felicia and Delia. Daphne, in charge of supporting the party, was positioned with Amita at the rearmost barricade.
Caitlin and Seira wore crowns woven from tree branches. Daphne had improvised them; they had the effect of repelling the Spirit of Madness.
Standing side by side, Ingong and Caitlin held hands. Ingong wore Earthquaker and Caitlin wore the gauntlets Amita had made, but Quad Core activated as if their bare hands were touching.
Closing their eyes to focus on their aura, Ingong and Caitlin opened them at the same moment. Instead of looking at each other, whom they could feel so clearly through their aura, they stared straight ahead.
The world was bathed in orange light. Soon it turned purple, and in an instant, darkness fell.
The two of them, Ingong and Caitlin, slowly released their hands and took the stance of the Sura Divine Fist.
White Eagle rose into the air, and Daphne's Spirit Infusion empowered the entire party.
"They're coming."
It was impossible to tell who spoke first.
With a violent tremor, the night began.
&
< Chapter 14 - The Flame #4 > End