Chapter 251
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 251
Chapter Title: Rockwind Plains (8)
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Shwaaaaa…!!
A soldier formed of water amid the sound of crashing waves.
The two soldiers crossed their long spears, blocking the Knight Golem's greatsword.
Kieeeeng-!
The creature tried to fall back at the arrival of new foes, but it was already too late.
Water soldiers were surging up from all directions.
Their numbers surpassed one, then two, reaching ten before swelling to nearly a hundred in moments.
Jun leaned against the wall and muttered.
"Kill."
At the short, simple command, every spear tip turned toward the Knight Golem in unison.
The Knight Golem, in turn, swung its greatsword wildly as if to say, come at me if you dare.
What followed was a brutal melee.
It summoned a sword of its own to fend off the encroaching soldiers, but they endured at least once thanks to the mana from [Mana Siphon], refusing to die easily.
Like a swarm of ants, they mobbed it, stabbing relentlessly across its body.
Most inflicted no meaningful damage, but their sheer numbers—and the prior corrosion from Jun—meant breakthroughs were only a matter of time.
At last…
Kwachik!
One soldier's spear fully pierced its core, bringing the desperate battle to an end.
"Hah… hah…"
Confirming the Knight Golem dissolving into particles, Jun staggered to his feet.
"We won…"
Relief washed over him for surviving the brush with death, but he took stock of his condition.
Not a single inch of his body was unscathed, and the wound on his shoulder was by far the worst.
'Must've been that graze…'
His right shoulder hung limp. It was slashed so deeply the bone was visible.
The last of the four swords the Knight Golem had unleashed—that final strike.
'A little deeper, and my whole arm would've been gone.'
His vision shook as if he might collapse any second.
Only the God Potion's effects from before kept him upright. Even standing strained him amid the excessive blood loss.
But he couldn't afford to lie down and rest easy.
He chugged another potion.
"Let's go… to them…"
Into the impenetrable darkness.
He groped along the wall, shuffling forward. Toward his comrades, who had surely pressed on ahead.
"…Time's up."
Eleanor murmured flatly, gazing at her mana-powered clock.
It had been five days since Jun had split off from the group.
Yet there was still no sign of him. And thanks to the curse's aura, even the World Tree's energy couldn't reach him.
"Let's move."
"…Yessum."
"…"
As Maya and Eleanor packed their gear and rose, Aiden bit his lip.
He wanted to suggest waiting one more day, but Fenrir would revive by tomorrow—or even dawn.
From what he'd heard, Jun and Maya had barely slain it before, staking their lives.
Searching for Jun might be better, but without him, no one knew the terrain here.
No maps either. Roaming blindly risked missing each other entirely.
Yet why couldn't he take that step?
"…We're going, Aiden."
Maya's voice rang unusually cold, finally spurring Aiden to move.
'I know. Any longer would just be my selfishness.'
If it was truly for Jun's sake, they couldn't stop here. They had to trust he'd return safely and press on.
'But…'
His steps felt heavier than ever—far worse than the physical exhaustion of recent days.
Still, he walked.
The two ahead strode on indifferently, no doubt feeling the same weight.
In the heavy silence, the trio soon reached their destination.
"I've explained this countless times already… but just to be thorough, one more time. Up ahead, you absolutely cannot let 'it' land a hit."
Eleanor's voice brimmed with utmost gravity, her eyes fixed on Aiden especially.
"Don't rely on [Stone Shield] either. It won't hold even a second against that monster."
"…Understood."
Aiden had heard what lurked ahead.
A monster boasting strength enough to critically wound even a dragon—the apex predator of this forest, its king.
An ogre.
Charging head-on trusting only [Stone Shield]'s durability against such a beast would be folly.
To avoid death, direct confrontation was a must-avoid.
"Everyone ready?"
"Yessum."
"Ready."
"Good. Let's go."
Eleanor, with the most Blackout experience in Jun's absence, took command.
Without his support, she'd have to compensate—but luckily, she had a way to replicate his magic.
"This one's from the captain. And this is my own make."
She pulled two tomes from her bag.
One an enchant book of Jun's buffs, the other of her holy magic.
"Buffs first, before we head in."
Using [End of Lament] to mimic Jun's mana, she activated the books, casting support spells on Aiden and Maya.
'Hope this works.'
This holy magic was one even she needed a full month to inscribe into an enchant book.
Flawless in potency, but low proficiency from infrequent use.
[God of Blessing Life]
Enhances overall physical abilities, heals minor wounds instantly, invigorates the soul
Holy power enveloped Aiden and Maya—unlike any before, not mere physical enhancement.
"Somehow…"
"My mind feels at ease."
Their sagging morale, depressed by Jun's absence, began to lift.
Though inexplicable, it felt like someone was watching over them.
"Phew… Activated perfectly."
"What kind of magic is this?"
"Boosts all physical abilities, heals small injuries on the spot, and invigorates the soul. That ogre's intimidation is infamous, right?"
"Ah…"
None here would crumple to mere monster presence, but an ogre's was different.
They'd feel crushing pressure the instant they faced it.
"Ogres like that are born with potent souls. Those souls affect their surroundings, like it or not."
Ferocious monsters' mere existence exuded immense intimidation.
Especially now, with morale already low—it was to prevent even slight hesitation before the ogre.
"And this… is for me."
She drew another pristine-white enchant book from her bag.
Opening its luxurious cover etched with golden wings, the pages flipped on their own, dissolving into golden particles.
"Glad I wheedled it out of the old man."
The holy power absorbed into her, manifesting as radiant golden wings of particles behind her back.
"Wh-what's that?"
"Something to shore up my mobility. It's consumable, but reliable. Can't exactly have you two block the ogre's charge while guarding me."
"Good lord…"
"Beautiful, ma'am."
"Heh, I was always a looker. Anyway, time to head in."
With resolved expressions, the group opened the stone chamber door before them.
"Freakin' huge…"
The cavern interior, lit by golden holy power.
There loomed a 7-meter behemoth: an ogre—no, a Stone Ogre.
As if rousing from deep slumber, it slowly opened its eyes and spoke.
[Human.]
"…You can speak?"
It used not some alien tongue, but perfect Imperial.
[No. I cannot speak human words.]
Eleanor could scarcely tell if this was reality or dream amid the exchange.
Chatting with a monster? Unbelievable.
"Then how do we understand you?"
[Long ago, a mage taught me speech.]
She'd heard tales of high-tier monsters that could communicate with humans.
Dismissed as urban legends, mostly unverified.
Yet the trio, Eleanor included, kept their guards up.
No matter how conversational, blind trust was impossible.
[Fine resolve.]
The ogre nodded approvingly at their stance.
[Fear was humanity's greatest foe in the past. Yet you face it head-on.]
"Quite the battle-lover, huh?"
[All ogres are. Mine, more so.]
"Yours?"
[…I cannot say more.]
"Cutting off mid-chat? Did the mage teach you how to annoy people too?"
[Understand. I am made thus.]
What did one expect from monster talk anyway?
Eleanor, never expectant to begin with, assumed combat stance.
[Come. You who know fear. I, Toltan, shall test your courage.]
The battle was ferocious beyond "fierce."
How did this tunnel withstand such fury?
It quaked dozens of times per minute, like an earthquake.
Holes riddling floor and walls bespoke the ogre's might.
"Nngh…!"
Immense wind pressure forced Eleanor to deploy [Block of Light] and dodge aside.
But a boulder-sized stone fist shattered the holy barrier in one blow, lunging straight for her beyond.
Incredible speed for such bulk.
Escape seemed impossible.
Only Aiden's [Gale Burst] from below, uppercutting its wrist, saved her from being pulped like an insect.
"Damn bastard…!"
Eleanor retreated sharply, summoning a barrage of golden spears—but it swatted them aside with its rocky palm effortlessly.
No damage.
Aiden's prior strike had merely chipped some stone. It remained unscathed.
Absurd durability.
Even Maya's [Spectral Swarm] couldn't kill it—the gap too vast. Even expending stored mana from 'Mirath's Hubris' wouldn't one-shot it.
One hit from it, though, spelled doom for them.
Small mercy: early on, a gap from Eleanor and Maya let Aiden land a full-power [Gale Burst], drawing blood.
Frdddk—.
From the Stone Ogre Toltan's caved-in chest, stone fragments rained from that big motion.
'That fucker…!'
From then, it rampaged even wilder.
Turning peril to opportunity, Toltan obsessively targeted Eleanor.
[Humans facing fear. How will you overcome it?]
It had noticed Aiden's strong reactions to her peril.
Maya, too, had faltered several times, glancing their way amid failed mind control.
'Still, not hopeless!'
[Spectral Swarm] couldn't kill Toltan outright, but could cripple limbs.
Proof: its left leg, slashed repeatedly by Maya, was blackening.
"Maya, can you hold?"
"…Have to try, ma'am."
Just once more.
Create an opening for Aiden's full-power [Gale Burst] to its chest—they could win.
But failure meant their deaths.
All-in desperation, pouring everything into the fight.
Suddenly, Eleanor understood why Jun came here.
Had they fled to another 7th layer anytime?
They'd have broken at the entrance.
Faced with the overwhelming foe, deeming it an insurmountable wall, retreating to 6th or 5th layers.
'No escape, pushed to the limit—that's the choice. Is this truly best?'
Should they have heeded Aiden and awaited Jun's return?
Unknown.
Facing a strengthened Fenrir might've been quicker.
Worst case, he might not return at all.
Thoughts tangled, Eleanor steeled her resolve.
"Aiden, Maya. Get ready."
"…Yes."
"Got it, ma'am."
Failure means death.
No guarantee of survival even in success.
Yet.
Eleanor chose.
Fear failure, never try—0% chance.
Embrace it, try anyway—0.1% hope lives.
Jun surely would've done the same.