Ending Maker Chapter 95
Ending Maker Chapter 95
Chapter 33 - Phoenix #2
The Wild God Blade Song and the barbarian warrior Sun Song.
In fact, both Yuder and Cordelia already knew these names.
'They're the ones who serve as the vanguard commanders during the Great Barbarian Invasion event.'
The cruel and violent Wild God Blade Song, and Sun Song, who was known as Bloody Hand because his hands were always stained with the blood of fresh victims.
Both gave off the impression of blood-crazed berserkers, but from Gentle Snow Breeze’s story, it seemed they had been quite warlike even before their corruption.
'At least we know their combat styles.'
There was no telling how much their abilities had changed after their corruption, but corruption alone would not have completely changed the way they fought.
'They used incantation songs and swords, right?'
Yuder met Cordelia’s gaze and nodded.
Even after their corruption, the warriors of the Blade Song Tribe always fought while singing. Their incantation songs strengthened themselves while weakening their enemies’ strength and morale.
'Do you have their combat patterns memorized?'
'Yeah.'
'As expected of my Yuder.'
A smile spread across Cordelia's face, and that smile made Yuder happy in turn.
'But it's really uncanny.'
'What is?'
'That we can communicate like this just through our eyes.'
'Right?'
Perhaps they were actually thinking completely different things and only assuming the other was sending a particular look.
'Well, it's probably not that bad.'
There might have been slight differences in nuance, though.
In any case, Yuder looked at Gentle Snow Breeze again and asked.
"Gentle Snow Breeze, could you tell us when the Karaval ritual will be held?"
"We agreed to fight on the coming Day of the Sun, so it's eight days from now."
Eight days from now.
He had expected as much, but it was still a very tight schedule.
Yuder asked again.
"The reason this has become a problem...... is because Sun Song is stronger than Red Wind in the current situation, right?"
Gentle Snow Breeze’s expression darkened at the confirming question, and she nodded.
"Sun Song is one of the finest combat talents even in the Blade Song Tribe, which has many strong warriors. He’s naturally gifted in shamanism too. When he was born, Blade Song went around boasting about him endlessly... haah... And there’s a considerable age gap. Red Wind is only sixteen, while Sun Song is already twenty-two."
If Red Wind was a sprout just beginning to grow strong, then Blade Song was a young tree that had already grown strong and was advancing toward his prime.
Cordelia, who was very fond of Red Wind, grew just as gloomy as Gentle Snow Breeze and tentatively raised her hand again.
"Gentle Snow Breeze, does Karaval still have meaning even when the objective difference in power is so great?"
It was an unusually logical argument for Cordelia, but Gentle Snow Breeze nodded.
"Yes. It is somewhat unreasonable, but the Wild Lands are fundamentally a place where the weak are prey to the strong and strength commands respect. And since this Karaval will choose the alliance’s representative... many people argue that it is only natural for the strongest warrior to represent them."
In other words, a tribe that could not send a strong warrior to the Karaval was considered unqualified to represent the alliance.
"As expected...... Red Wind defeating Sun Song is the only way, then."
"Yes, and that's why I'm troubled."
The difference in their strength was obvious at a glance.
Gentle Snow Breeze drooped her shoulders and looked gloomy, and Cordelia likewise drooped her shoulders and then turned to look at Yuder.
Cordelia’s look was closer to “What do we do?” but Yuder read it as “Do something about it,” so he stepped forward and spoke.
"Understood. Cordelia and I will figure something out."
"The two of you?"
Gentle Snow Breeze blinked and asked.
That was understandable. Gentle Snow Breeze had only brought it up to share her worries and had not expected much from them in the first place.
But either way, Yuder and Cordelia had already saved several Wild Gods and defeated demon worshippers.
Gentle Snow Breeze brightened with hope and expectation, and Cordelia thumped her chest and said,
"That's right, Yuder and I will figure something out. Don't worry too much."
"Aah...... thank you so much. The two of you are surely the saviors of the Wild Lands."
When Gentle Snow Breeze clasped her hands together as if in prayer and said that, Cordelia suddenly perked up her head and turned to look at Yuder.
"Right! We’re the guardians of the Wild Lands, aren’t we? The Golden Dragon King acknowledged us. So if we ask Blade Song ourselves, couldn’t we get somewhere?"
Hadn't the Golden Dragon King said that all the Wild Gods of the Wild Lands would support Yuder and Cordelia?
But Yuder shook his head.
"No, even if that worked...... to build a proper alliance, Red Wind still has to defeat Sun Song."
"Ugh...... I guess so."
After all, forcing everyone to cooperate through sheer authority would never create a proper alliance.
"Uh...... but you two, what do you mean by guardians of the Wild Lands?"
"Ah, well......."
To Gentle Snow Breeze, who tilted her head and asked, Cordelia briefly explained the events that had occurred since they arrived at Bladebeak Canyon.
"Good heavens... I can’t believe all that happened."
Confusion, hope, anger, joy, and countless other emotions swirled in Gentle Snow Breeze’s eyes as she repeatedly clapped her hands.
She was furious at the demon worshippers who had tried to corrupt the entire Dragon Vein and plunge all of the Wild Lands into corruption, while also hoping that the Golden Dragon King might return and resolve the crisis.
"Originally, I intended to grant any request from the two of you, but if the Golden Dragon King has made you guardians, then even more so. Please tell me anything you need."
When Gentle Snow Breeze clenched her fist and said that, Cordelia thought of various divine artifacts, but Yuder first requested something more urgent.
"Gentle Snow Breeze, we'd like you to send our luggage to the Great Storm tribe's village."
"Huh? Your luggage?"
"Yes, since it seems we need to hurry."
Yuder turned to Cordelia after saying that. Cordelia blinked for a moment, wondering what he meant, before realization dawned. She nodded and said to Gentle Snow Breeze,
"First, we'll go to the Great Storm tribe's village and meet Red Wind. Since we need to hurry, I don't think we can take our luggage with us."
"Ah, yes. If that's the case, leave it to me."
When Gentle Snow Breeze clapped her hands as if she understood, Cordelia immediately turned back to Yuder, and Yuder turned around without a word and showed his back to Cordelia.
"Let's go."
"Yeah!"
Cordelia answered at once, sprang up, and settled onto Yuder’s back with practiced ease.
"Then we'll see you at the Karaval."
"See you then!"
"Uh...... yes."
Gentle Snow Breeze waved with a slightly surprised look. There was nothing else to wait for.
As soon as Yuder left Gentle Snow Breeze's dwelling, he stirred up a golden whirlwind, and Cordelia hugged Yuder's neck tightly and said.
"Let's go, Yudelia."
Since Yuder and Cordelia had combined, it was Yudelia.
The out-of-nowhere remark nearly threw Yuder’s qi out of rhythm, but he quickly adjusted Cordelia on his back, kicked off the ground, and said,
"At least it's not Coder."
"You like that one better?"
That was as far as it went.
Instead of answering, Yuder became the wind, and amid the gale-like sprint, Cordelia closed her eyes. Then she hugged Yuder's neck a little tighter.
* * *
"Wow! Cordelia! Yuder!"
The Great Storm tribe's village.
They rested a few times along the way, but after running nearly nonstop, Yuder and Cordelia reached the Great Storm Tribe’s village before a full day had passed, where Red Wind welcomed them.
"It's been a while. Have you been well?"
"I've been well. Look at this. It's a new friend."
Red Wind smiled brightly and opened her palm. A small flame popped into existence.
It was Saria, a lowest-grade fire spirit.
"I did what you said, Cordelia. I’m studying spirit arts."
Her carefree smile was so bright and cheerful that both Yuder and Cordelia smiled, but when they looked at each other, their expressions changed.
'As expected...... she doesn't seem to have gotten much stronger, right?'
'It hasn't even been a month yet.'
It seemed like they had been poking around here and there, but in reality, Yuder and Cordelia had not yet spent a full month in the Wild Lands.
Even at sixteen, when she was still growing rapidly, how much stronger could she really become in a single month?
'Then what about us?'
'Uh...... abnormal?'
After all, the two of them had become several times stronger in only a month.
In any case, what mattered now was Red Wind, not Yuder and Cordelia.
So the two of them focused on Red Wind again.
"Red Wind, you're going to participate in the Karaval this time?"
When Cordelia asked carefully, Red Wind's face stiffened for a moment, but she soon smiled again and nodded.
"That's right. I'll do my best. I'll fight for everyone."
She clenched her fist and spoke bravely, but Cordelia sensed the truth instinctively, while Yuder saw straight through Red Wind’s act.
'She's scared.'
She was not simply afraid of having to fight someone stronger than herself.
The things that would happen if she lost.
The fear of betraying everyone's expectations.
Unlike her carefree smile earlier, the strained smile on her face revealed a great deal.
So Cordelia firmly held Red Wind's trembling hand and said.
"It's okay, Yuder and I will help you. You'll be able to beat Sun Song."
"Really?"
"Really."
Cordelia smiled brightly and hugged Red Wind tightly. Red Wind looked close to tears in her arms.
She did not cry, but it was obvious how much she had been suffering in silence.
'Hmm.'
Yuder waited quietly, and after ending the fairly long embrace, Cordelia stroked Red Wind's cheek and said.
"It's late today, so let's rest first and talk more tomorrow. Okay?"
"Okay. I really like you, Cordelia."
"I like you too."
Cordelia hugged Red Wind again as she clung to her for comfort, then looked at Yuder. He nodded back.
* * *
"But seriously, what do we do?"
Inside the lodging that Red Wind had guided them to.
Because it was already so late, Yuder and Cordelia postponed talking with Red Gale and Rough Avalanche until the next day and lay side by side, staring up at the tent roof.
The remaining time was now barely a week.
Could Red Wind become strong enough to defeat Sun Song in that time?
"Should we have her stick with Kaplan?"
If they hunted a ton of named monsters, wouldn't she be able to power-level?
"That makes sense, but there's not enough time. It would take days just to get to where Kaplan is."
The remaining time was only 7 days.
There was no time to waste on travel.
"Ugh...... then what do we do. Should we gear her up like crazy?"
"That's a given, but...... that alone won't be enough, right?"
No matter how good gear was, there were limits.
Moreover, thanks to the benevolent Fairy Queen, Yuder and Cordelia could now assemble full elemental sets, but only sets appropriate to their current level—not legendary or mythic sets.
"Still, we can somehow get her basic specs up."
"And strengthen her elemental power too."
Since Red Wind had started handling fire spirits, it would be good to set her up with fire-attribute gear.
"Haah...... it's still not enough. We need something more."
Cordelia, who had been squirming while lying down, turned her head to the side, and Yuder, who was lying on his side on a bed a few steps away, met her gaze.
"Yuder?"
"I think we have no choice but to take drastic measures."
"Drastic measures?"
When Cordelia sat up and asked, Yuder also sat up and answered.
"Let’s hunt the phoenix."
"What?"
"The phoenix."
"You want to hunt the phoenix this early?"
"Yeah, there's no other way."
The phoenix.
To be precise, Reckless Fire.
In the original story, Reckless Fire was an essential spirit that Red Wind had to obtain if she went down the Spirit Warrior build.
"If she gets the phoenix, her potential as a Spirit Warrior will skyrocket, and the techniques she can use immediately will become much stronger too."
The story of the phoenix that appeared in the original work was as follows.
Reckless Fire had been a powerful but wicked fire spirit that ran rampant throughout the Wild Lands. Enraged, an unnamed spirit warrior defeated it and sealed it inside an ancient temple.
"After that, a long time passed and everyone forgot about it, but Red Wind happened to discover the ruins."
"Red Wind defeated Reckless Fire, which had awakened from its seal-"
"The phoenix died and revived. When it came back, its nature had completely changed and it became a benevolent spirit."
"It also acknowledged Red Wind for defeating it and accepted her as its master."
The story itself was straightforward.
There was no problem finding the ruins. They had Yuder Wiki.
"I’m glad you trust me, but..."
"You don't know?"
"I know."
The real problem was when the event was supposed to occur.
"It happens after the entire northern barbarian event is over, when a much stronger Red Wind returns to the ruined Great Storm Tribe village."
In short, it was a story from much later than now, from a time when Red Wind was at least ten times stronger than she was now.
"No way, that's impossible. How is Red Wind supposed to catch the phoenix right now?"
When Cordelia drooped her shoulders and said that, Yuder shook his head.
"No, she can do it. We just need to help her."
"You mean carry her? Against a phoenix that even the two of us might not be able to beat right now, even working together?"
"We have to try. And... if we can just let her land the finishing blow, it should work somehow."
She still needed to earn the phoenix’s recognition, after all.
"Will that work?"
"We have to hope it does."
For now, this was the only option they had.
"Ugh...... fine, let's just do it. Yeah, let's do it."
"Yeah, let's do it."
"Yeah, yeah, we can do it."
Cordelia spoke with deliberately forced enthusiasm, then immediately lay back down, pulled the blanket over herself, and squeezed her eyes shut.
"Then let's sleep for tomorrow. Good night, Yuder."
"Yeah, dream of me."
"I'll think about it."
Cordelia answered coyly and quickly fell into a deep sleep. Yuder, who had pushed himself hard that day, soon did the same.
And the next morning.
"Wow...... are you giving all of this to me?"
Red Wind’s eyes widened as she looked herself over.
She was truly sparkling.
Red Wind was practically plastered with magic tools from head to toe.
Yuder answered her innocent question with a bright smile.
"No, we're lending them to you."
He had to make that point clear.
"Sorry."
Cordelia also managed an awkward smile as she apologized, and Red Wind’s shoulders drooped in disappointment.
But only for a moment. The extra strength granted by the magic items soon put the energy back into her expression.
"I've gotten much stronger. Now I can fight Sun Song."
"Yeah, yeah, but it's still not enough. So let's practice a bit now."
"Practice?"
"Yeah. Practice getting used to moving faster and hitting harder."
With that, Cordelia abruptly cast both Haste and Strength on Red Wind, stacking the two spells.
"Now try running."
"Huh? Run...... eek?!"
Unable to adjust to her suddenly increased strength and speed, Red Wind tumbled spectacularly. Yuder and Cordelia exchanged relaxed looks at the entirely expected result.
"Half a day should be enough, right?"
"That should be enough time for her to adjust."
First, they had to get her accustomed to fighting while enhanced.
Yuder and Cordelia settled down comfortably and watched Red Wind flounder as she struggled to control her own body.
A few more minutes passed.
Cordelia suddenly turned to Yuder and said.
"But Yuder."
"Hm?"
"Just hypothetically—really, really hypothetically."
"Yeah, really hypothetically."
"What if the phoenix thinks of you or me as its master?"
Yuder paused at Cordelia’s innocent question, then gave an awkward smile and answered.
"Hey, no way."
"Right? No way, right?"
"Yeah, no way."
But why was it.
This ominous feeling.
After sharing a brief silence, Yuder and Cordelia looked forward again and frowned as Red Wind spectacularly landed on her backside.