Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: The Flame #5
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Combat against a mage could be broadly divided into three scenarios.
First was a sudden encounter—a battle against an ordinary, unprepared mage.
Second was a battle against a prepared mage.
Third was a battle against a mage awaiting an enemy's attack from within their own magical domain.
The reason for this tripartite division was the enormous difference in the combat power a mage could display in each case.
Even a warrior who fought with their body grew stronger when prepared and fighting on their home turf.
For a mage, who understood and applied the forces of all creation, the gap was far greater. What’s more, the higher the mage’s level, the wider this gap became, sometimes resulting in a difference in combat power of several dozen times.
Felicia was a sufficiently capable mage, and she had half a day to prepare. Moreover, with a limited area to defend, this was arguably the best battlefield she had ever experienced in all her time with Ingong.
The opponent was not a single powerful entity, but a miscellaneous horde.
Gripping the magic staff Amita had made, Felicia sensed the flow of mana. As night fell, the power of the spirits intensified and illusions blanketed the surroundings, but the spells she had prepared remained intact.
Perceiving the world not only through her five senses but also through the spells she had set, she opened her eyes at a certain moment. She unleashed the great power of magic upon the world!
*CRACK-BOOM!*
Thunder roared and lightning struck. A bolt erupted from the ground, hitting the mad bear at the head of the earth-shaking stampede. The lightning, having instantly incinerated the bear's brain, split in two and shot toward its next targets. Multiplying exponentially, the bolts struck down nearly thirty beasts and monsters before finally dissipating.
As the monsters at the front collapsed to the ground, the charge naturally stalled. Some vaulted over the corpses of the dead and ran on, but Felicia denied them entry as well. Following the lightning, a great, raging torrent of flames surged toward the monsters.
The forest, intermingled with illusions, did not burn easily. Furthermore, the flames were being controlled by wind spirits. The fiery torrent swept over the monsters, and despite being manipulated by the spirit of madness, they felt a pang of fear.
But as Amita had warned, the monsters were incredibly numerous. Even though dozens had been struck down in an instant, the procession of red dots on the minimap was endless.
Some trampled the corpses of their fallen brethren and leaped over the torrent of flames. Others carved new paths by trampling and crushing the illusion-filled woods.
Felicia did not panic. She still had several prepared spells left.
A floor made slicker than ice by a wide-spread layer of grease welcomed the monsters. Their forward momentum was so great that their falls were just as spectacular. The ground rumbled repeatedly, and some landed headfirst, breaking their necks. Others were trampled by those running behind them, their bodies crushed.
The ground gave way, revealing a pitfall. Another volley of lightning bolts rained down, sweeping through the monsters.
Within minutes of the battle's start, over a hundred monsters had met a screaming end before the party’s camp.
Karak, his eyes wide, barely suppressed the urge to look behind him. Seira’s jaw dropped without her realizing it, and Delia wore a pleased smile.
The Sixth Princess, Felicia Doomblade.
She, too, was a child of the Demon King. A being who possessed strength befitting that title!
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*
A series of explosions erupted ahead. It was the result of Felicia’s final magical trap: a minefield.
“I’m counting on you for the rest!”
Felicia suddenly shouted. Ingong and Caitlin clenched their fists. They threw themselves toward the monsters charging through the smoke.
The mass of corpses Felicia had created could now be considered part of the terrain. The chaotically scattered bodies obstructed the monsters’ advance, limiting their attack routes.
Ingong and Caitlin each blocked a path. Though there was no physical contact between them now, a connection still remained. A thin, long strand of pure white aura and another of dark blue intertwined as if holding hands, becoming a single line.
Ingong steadied his breath. He focused his consciousness as he threw a punch at a wolf-like monster charging from the front.
Protagonist’s Body.
An ability that accelerated the growth of all physically learned arts.
Ingong grew during battle. Just as in all his fights until now, this very moment, every single punch thrown with each breath, made him stronger.
His movements were the same as before, yet different. A newly discovered way of fighting. A way of moving his body he hadn't known until now.
He didn't infuse much aura into his Fist of Explosion. He had moved beyond simply gathering and detonating it; he was now manipulating the aura’s properties.
He injected less than half the aura he used to. Yet the explosive power was even greater.
*So this is how it works. This is how you use this skill. This was the principle behind its creation.*
[The level of Fist of Explosion has increased.]
[The level of Lightning has increased.]
[The level of Mountain has increased.]
His skill proficiencies shot up in an instant. Understanding the techniques reduced the number of repetitions needed. A single punch, imbued with enlightenment, held the same value as dozens of strikes thrown in ignorance.
Ingong felt a sense of joy. It wasn't the simple pleasure of destruction that came from crushing and annihilating his foes.
It was the feeling of his own growth.
It was showcasing his honed skills.
It was the joy of becoming stronger itself.
Ingong could feel Caitlin. She, too, was exulting. Through the auras flowing between them, the two shared their elation. Before they knew it, they were back-to-back, performing a whirling dance as they protected each other.
It was a vortex. A sharp, raging whirlwind that pulverized everything in its path.
Karak, who remembered the day Ingong first held a wooden sword with an awkward stance, grinned like an idiot. Seira, who knew Caitlin’s usual prowess, also stared wide-eyed, torn between joy and bewilderment.
Both of them had become noticeably stronger. Their combination rivaled that of Chris and Caitlin, who had synchronized their movements for years. No, perhaps it was even better.
“Kuraha!”
Karak suddenly let out a battle cry. Snapping back to her senses, Seira looked at him. Karak grinned and raised the axe he had received from Amita. It was a fearsome magic weapon that summoned a lightning bolt with every swing.
Seira understood. This wasn't the time to just stand there in awe. Feeling a mix of shame for momentarily forgetting her duty as an attendant and fondness for Karak's reliability, she smiled fiercely and transformed. The golden-haired beauty with a reddish tint to her hair instantly became a fearsome leopard.
Karak and Seira dealt with the monsters that slipped past or broke away from Ingong and Caitlin's dance. The journey to this point had been arduous, leaving most of them exhausted and few in number, so not a single monster made it past the two of them.
Daphne, who had been watching over everyone fighting while occasionally casting healing and support spells, glanced at Amita. Instead of smiling or expressing admiration, Amita was watching Ingong and Caitlin with a serious gaze. In a low voice, Amita whispered.
“I want to make it for him.”
Daphne’s eyes widened. Amita continued.
“It needs tuning, too. His current gear doesn’t suit him.”
The Elder Dragon’s equipment certainly boasted incredible performance. But since it wasn't custom-made for Ingong, there was plenty of room for improvement.
“Lady Amita?”
Daphne called to Amita with a bright smile. She understood the intent behind the softly spoken words.
Amita glanced up at Daphne and grinned playfully. After patting the ground a few times with her tail, she looked ahead and said.
“Well, that’s a story for after this whole thing is over.”
“It will end well. I’ll look forward to the equipment you’ll make for me, too.”
As Daphne beamed with a hint of charm, Amita simply smirked in response. Felicia chanted an incantation, and beyond where Ingong and Caitlin fought, the power of a new spell exploded.
And how much time had passed?
Ingong, who had been fighting in a trance-like state, suddenly stopped his hands and feet. After facing nearly a hundred monsters for the second day in a row, he was on the verge of leveling up, even though this wasn't a boss fight.
But Ingong hadn't stopped to check his experience. The endless procession of monsters had ceased.
Ingong opened his minimap. There were almost no red dots left. Caitlin also stopped moving and let out a long breath, while Karak and Seira, looking utterly exhausted, let their arms hang limp.
“The white giant is appearing! Get back inside the barrier!”
Amita shouted loudly. Ingong and Caitlin quickly leaped back inside the barrier, with Karak and Seira following close behind. As soon as the four returned, Amita closed the opening she had deliberately left, making the barrier whole again.
“Is it over now?”
Felicia asked as she collapsed onto the ground. It was no exaggeration to say her entire body was drenched in sweat.
Amita nodded.
“Yes, now we just have to wait. There will be a bit of a shock when the giant pounds on the barrier, but it won’t be a problem. Well done, everyone.”
The party all looked up at the sky. A white light seemed to shimmer under the green moon, and then, as if sprouting from the earth, the white giant abruptly appeared.
It was right in front of the barrier, so the giant was incredibly close. Felicia swallowed dryly at its sheer size, and Daphne felt a primal fear.
The giant reached out into the empty air. A transparent wall blocked its path, making it look like it was performing pantomime.
Now, if it slammed its palm or fist into the air, it would be a repeat of yesterday.
The party members each prepared for the impending impact, covering their ears or lowering their stances.
But Ingong didn’t. He witnessed a blue energy radiating from amidst the white light that emanated from the giant’s entire body. He spoke without thinking.
“It’s different from yesterday.”
“Shutora?”
Caitlin asked. Ingong focused his senses. The gasp of shock came from behind him.
“The power of death?!”
It was Amita.
Ingong reflexively turned around to see Amita staring at the giant with a look of astonishment. Daphne let out a short scream.
*BOOM!*
A deafening roar shook the entire barrier. The white giant, having struck the barrier wall once as if testing it, took a couple of steps back. It clasped its hands together, extended them forward, and aimed its palms at the barrier wall. A powerful force of death shot out as a pillar of blue light!
*CRACK-BOOM!*
A tremor, incomparably stronger than the first, washed over the party. Karak, catching Seira by the waist as she lost her balance and started to fall, urgently looked toward Ingong. Ingong was looking at the sky. Cracks were forming across the night sky.
It wasn’t the sky that was cracking. It was the barrier.
“Lady Amita!”
Felicia cried out urgently, turning to Amita. But Amita didn’t look back at her. He was visibly flustered.
*BOOM!*
A second blast rocked the barrier. The cracks grew larger, and shattered fragments of blue energy scattered across its surface. The blue light spreading through the pitch-black night was enough to give one chills.
Anyone could see the barrier was on the verge of breaking. It was doubtful how many more attacks it could withstand.
“We have to stop it.”
Ingong said reflexively.
He had no idea how to face a giant that stood over twenty meters tall, but he knew they had to stop it.
His current level was 24.
It wasn't enough. If only he had a little more experience. If he could just reach level 25, a solution might present itself.
The white giant began to gather blue energy again. Daphne held Amita, who was still in a daze, while Karak and Caitlin looked around as if searching for an escape route.
Then Caitlin pointed to the sky.
“What… is that?”
The green moon and the white giant were more than enough to capture everyone’s attention. But in the starless night sky, something else stood out.
A light was approaching, positioned between the green moon and the white giant. It was silver, and it was growing larger.
Ingong instinctively reached into his pouch and pulled out the Dark Elf’s Tear. The violet gem was emitting a faint light.
It was a similar story for Felicia. She pulled out the necklace she had tucked into her cleavage. It, too, was glowing with a violet light.
Felicia stood up. The white giant’s third blast struck the barrier, and Ingong quickly caught Felicia as she lost her balance and started to fall. Leaning against Ingong, Felicia looked up at the cracked sky.
“A ship?”
Karak said. Seira rubbed her eyes. She thought she was seeing things.
As Karak said, it looked like a ship. A magnificent galleon, complete with silver sails.
Caitlin blinked. Even the white giant paused its preparations for a fourth blast and looked up at the sky.
Felicia was ecstatic. Delia threw her hands up and let out a cheer.
Ingong could recognize it, too.
A galleon that sailed the sky.
The treasured heirloom of the Dark Elves.
The one and only captain who roamed the heavens, the sword of the Dark Elves that parted the sky!
“Silvan!”
Felicia’s twin brother.
The fifth child of the Demon King, the 5th Prince, Silvan Doomblade!
As if responding to Felicia’s call, the silver-sailed galleon soared across the night sky. With its immense size and speed, it rammed straight into the white giant’s chest.