Chapter 332
Chapter 332
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 332
>Chapter Title: The Great Wave Rises
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Whoosh…
The sight of the spirits, shimmering in all colors of the rainbow, pouring into the bodies of the Frost Claws was a spectacle for the ages.
“My God…”
“What… what am I even seeing?”
It was a soul-stirring scene unlike anything they had ever witnessed.
Like the aurora descending to earth and dancing right before their eyes.
A completely alien experience.
“Kang Seol did it!”
“He pulled it off!”
If he had failed, this spectacle wouldn’t have unfolded at all.
Yeva and Ishii waited with utter conviction for them to awaken.
Bron was the same.
“……”
He simply furrowed his brow and observed their changes.
Whoosh…
The wave of light continued for a while.
Moments later, Bram was the first to open his eyes.
“Bram!”
“……”
“Did it work? Or…”
Crack…
Craaack…
Bram’s form began to change.
His fangs grew even sharper, his muscles packed densely without a single gap, and pure white fur bristled all over.
His size swelled to several times that of the other trolls.
His features shifted accordingly, making him look like a massive bear.
“Haaa… haaaa…”
“That form…”
“It seems the spirits intend to join the fray in earnest this time.”
“Ha… hahaha…”
Crack…
Craaaack…
The other tribe members were also transforming as they accepted the spirits’ power.
One became wolf-like.
Another owl-like.
One like an ermine.
And another like a fox.
Every one of them radiated an aura several times stronger than before.
Bron followed Bram’s gaze, which looked down on him from far above, to where it led.
There stood Kang Seol, arms crossed, eyes open.
Bron desperately waited for the answer he hoped to hear from Kang Seol’s lips.
“It worked.”
“……”
Bram grinned at Bron.
“We stand with the Glacier Claws.”
[Faction: Frost Claws and Faction: Seria Claws are now in close alliance.]
[Faction: Emon and Faction: Glacier Claws’ power structure has shifted.]
[Faction: Emon and Faction: Glacier Claws’ power structure is now asymmetrical.]
“That means…”
“No matter how much their numbers swell, we’ll crush every last one of them. Just like in the old days.”
Bron closed his eyes and trembled.
Not only had he achieved his goal in coming here, but the Seria Claws—now his allies—had grown far stronger than before.
“Gauge the timing, brother.”
“Ah… timing. Supplies won’t be an issue, then?”
Bram and Bron were of one mind.
The momentum had shifted their way, and if they let this chance slip, there wouldn’t be another.
They would throw everything they had at it.
“No need. This won’t be a prolonged war.”
Bron gazed north toward Hwigeltung, the Emon stronghold, and replied.
“Indeed. It’s time to set everything right.”
* * *
Kang Seol and Bron’s group set a time to rendezvous with the Seria Claws and returned to the fortress.
News of the successful negotiations with the Seria Claws spread through the fortress, eliciting polarized reactions.
The pro-alliance faction rejoiced that the war could finally end, while the anti-alliance faction insisted the Seria Claws’ past sins were too grave to forgive.
While Burtul and Bron fretted over the opposition’s complaints amid war preparations, Kang Seol made precious use of his spare time.
Swish…
Whoosh…
Screeech…
Screech…
“This isn’t it… Hmm…”
Zzzzt…
Kang Seol separated from Jamad.
He was now organizing the insights he’d gained from his previous fight with Crom.
“The sensation of moving the origin itself feels foreign before even attempting circulation. No, I can’t even sense it.”
- It’s a issue of multiple origins. With such distinct origins, there’s far more to consider than one or two things to make them circulate. Mess it up, and they’ll tangle and shatter. Not your fault.
For easier understanding, Kang Seol imagined the origin as a massive circle filled with diverse fragments.
‘But it doesn’t feel quite right…’
With ordinary methods, the attributes couldn’t mix. No—forcing circulation felt like it would shatter the balance and cause bigger problems.
“You’re here.”
As Kang Seol and Jamad discussed his training, Bron arrived.
Kang Seol was grateful to have a sorcerer nearby who could discuss origin circulation.
“Spot on. Just from contacting the moles, you devised a way to counter Irizard’s power… Impressive, as expected. You really are…”
Whoosh…
Bron placed an orb of water on his palm. Upon Kang Seol’s observation of his body, Bron’s origin was remarkably rotating.
The night raven had tried imitating him too, but its origin hadn’t budged.
“Mm, not easy.”
“Hahaha, of course not. I’m just circulating a single origin. Even this took an enormous amount of time.”
Bron emphasized the importance of origin circulation.
“Irizard’s power slowly freezes the origin, rendering sorcery unusable. Like freezing the heart… His very existence is a curse.”
“Circulation… circulation…”
“It won’t be easy. You might not grasp it until the moment you step into battle.”
“Strange. When I subdued Crom…”
“That’s precisely why I’m not worried. It’s far easier in actual combat.”
Kang Seol caught a clue from Bron’s words. Recalling his fight with Crom, something clicked.
“The sensation of moving the origin is hard to grasp at will, but when an enemy targets it relentlessly, power instinctively flows into it.”
“Mm… Not a circle?”
“…Circle?”
Bron probed at the word “circle,” and Kang Seol voiced his doubt.
“Hm…”
Bron seemed to grasp what Kang Seol was missing and elaborated.
“What’s a circle, then?”
“Well… round…”
“What does that mean to you?”
“…Mean?”
“What is a circle to you?”
“Just round… Hm?”
In the midst of his conversation with Bron, Kang Seol realized why origin circulation felt so elusive.
“Hard to picture.”
“Exactly. For me, I think of the origin as a wheel. I keep rolling it in my imagination.”
“Wheel… wheel…”
Before attempting as Bron advised, Kang Seol asked.
“But soon, right?”
“Yeah… Tomorrow. It’s unnerving. A blizzard’s coming soon.”
The weather was ominous.
Winds battered the fortress gates, and stockpiled food dwindled to levels that offered no guarantees.
“With more mouths to feed, we can’t afford a war of attrition without greater reserves. We can’t give the enemy time to prepare.”
“The anti-alliance faction?”
“We’ll have to settle it soon. If they don’t decide by mobilization…”
Bron gave an awkward smile.
“Can’t take them along.”
“Wait out the blizzard before marching?”
“We have too many issues. Rushing things after rising from the dead… unavoidable, maybe. But sitting idle through the blizzard will leave the tribe festering and immobile.”
“……”
“This is our only chance. We must all look forward. So we can… defeat Irizard.”
Watching Bron, Kang Seol had many thoughts. What if he hadn’t returned to the Glacier Claws? No, further back—what if he hadn’t pulled him from the dream? What if their paths hadn’t crossed in the dream at all?
As Kang Seol pondered this.
“Lord Bron!”
A soldier appeared and relayed a message to Bron.
Bron listened quietly, then said to Kang Seol.
“Come with me. The opposition demands an explanation.”
“Well, with mobilization tomorrow…”
Step…
Step…
Kang Seol and Bron headed back to the throne room.
The opposition had gathered, awaiting him.
More veterans who remembered the past than young hotheads.
“Bron, glad you’re back alive, but… we can’t agree with everything you’ve done.”
“We know ending this war matters! But… we can’t trust them.”
“They won’t keep their word.”
Nod…
Bron nodded faintly in response.
“I understand your anger.”
“Understand?”
“Anger is our fuel. It’s natural.”
“Hmph, shameless, dragging in the Seria Claws—the ugly truth of our tribe.”
Then Burtul, waiting at the side, stepped forward.
“Father, may I speak with them?”
Since joining the negotiations with the Seria Claws, Burtul seemed to have changed his mind. Having clashed verbally with his father, he understood their necessity in this war.
“…Go ahead.”
Burtul addressed the anti-alliance faction.
“I too lost my mother to those I trusted most. I still remember that day vividly. And I nurtured my rage.”
He smiled bitterly.
“Rage with a target is such a sweet thing.”
“……”
“But rage shows only one color. It dyes the whole world in that hue.”
Burtul understood the tribe’s feelings but wasn’t a great leader. Unlike Bron, he didn’t look ahead.
“What Father achieved, even my meager strength could have done. But… I didn’t. Such choices were invisible to me. My rage blinded me, erasing coexistence and understanding.”
“Don’t say our rage is wrong!”
“…Right now, we might hold the greatest power yet have the weakest bonds.”
Growls of defiance poured from the opposition.
“Erase our… our rage? How… how could we?”
“Temporarily redirect it.”
“…What?”
“Fill the world with rage toward Irizard.”
“Why should we?”
“Because this chance might never come again if not now.”
“……”
Burtul had been the most vocal opponent and a leader among them. His words shifted the mood.
The rage needed redirecting.
But then what?
To push in a new direction, they needed force equal to the old one.
Bron asked the opposition.
“…Ever seen a wave?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“The waterfall sorcerers all died, so I received no teachings.”
Bron’s birth and growth were filled with奇異. A forgotten power had resurfaced in the world, and he alone had grown masterfully.
His very existence bordered on miracle.
“I imagined every day. Myself adrift at sea. I’d only ever seen the calm polar sea, but I imagined all seas.”
Imagination.
“Shattering sunlight, stormy nights. And the seas moving thus.”
The origin of Bron’s power.
‘Ah… that’s why.’
Bron’s power uniquely came with sound first. Not a drop of water rose, yet the wave crashed in his ears.
“With time, things became visible.”
“Visible?”
“Waves.”
“……”
“The world has flows. I call them waves. They exist everywhere, even without water.”
The waves Bron spoke of tied deeply to this war.
“I see it—a massive wave crashing toward us.”
“Wave…”
“Ride it, and we reach land in one go. Get swept away, and it’s over.”
A tribe torn asunder.
No one wanted that future.
What the opposition truly craved might be a chance to unleash this festering rage.
“…Bron, then how do we ride that wave?”
“Face it. Don’t fear. Don’t flee. And… know the moment.”
Bron stood tall.
“I intend to ride it. Your thoughts are myriad stars, diverse as such. I’ll only guide. The choice is yours.”
“……”
“Lastly… to ride it, I need your strength.”
Mobilization tomorrow.
Failing to persuade meant losing troops without a fight.
Bron gave his all to convince them.
Point rage in the right direction.
Now, all must look one way.
Bron and the other trolls grimaced at the murmuring opposition. The outcome was uncertain.
Then, perhaps the discussion concluded—the lead warrior among them spoke to Bron.
“Bron.”
“……”
“That wave… it’ll be massive, right? Enough to pour out all this pain and rage.”
“Keuk… Ah… Of course. I stake everything on it.”
Bron shot to his feet and shouted.
“A colossal wave none of you have ever seen will rise and sweep away Irizard and his mole spawn in one go!”
“Then good! We’ll ride your wave!”
The day before mobilization.
At last, the Glacier Claws became a single mighty spear.
* * *
Boom… Boom…
Thrum… Thrum…
Boom…
Dawn of mobilization day broke, and the gates of the ice fortress Gargea opened as Glacier Claws poured out.
Such a massive force was rare; from the highlands, they’d look like swarming ants.
Thrum… Thrum…
Growl…
Kang Seol and Bron mounted tamed wolves.
The two great leaders were the Glacier Claws’ ultimate aces.
The battle with Irizard would be decided by them.
They marched north toward Hwigeltung, the Emon base.
Whiiiish…
On the third day of march.
“…Looks like we arrived first.”
No one was at the rendezvous with the Seria Claws.
A deflating situation, clearly.
Yeva whispered to Ishii.
“They didn’t betray us, did they?”
“Then what happens to us?”
“No idea… Feels like we scraped together everything we had…”
Their anxiety spread quickly.
“See! They never intended to keep their word!”
“Idiots for trusting the Seria Claws!”
As complaints erupted from those still distrusting the Seria Claws, Bron soothed them.
“We’re a bit early! Don’t waver!”
That was when.
Screech…
Screeeeech!
Instead of the Seria Claws, highly unwelcome guests arrived.
“Screeeeech… We’ve been waiting.”
From afar came a voice Kang Seol recognized.
“Failed to bring in the Seria Claws, I see. Keeekee…”
Great Sorcerer Crom and the Emon mocked from a distance.
“Zakcha sees farther! A blizzard comes! You’ll—”
Thrum… Thrum…
Doooom…
“Here…”
Dooom…
Drums.
A massive drum resounded.
Fuzzy shadows flickered in the distance.
Thrum… Thrum…
Roooaaar!
A gigantic bear caught the eye first.
Bram, leading it, shouted.
“Sorry for the wait, brother!”
Bron grinned.
“…A little late.”
The moles panicked at the Seria Claws’ appearance.
“Squeak… It’s them!”
“We must complete the mission and retreat…”
“Eeeng… Quiet! That’s the plan anyway!”
Whoosh…
Crom swung his staff and yelled.
“This staff bestowed by Lord Irizard commands even the weather! Now… behold!”
Whiiiiiing…
“Now… the blizzard…”
“Commands what?”
“Squeeeak! Wait—the blizzard will hit soon…”
With no reaction from the staff, Crom sweated even in midwinter.
“The blizzard… why…”
“How long must we wait?”
Crom paused, pressing his ear to the staff’s crystal orb.
Then tapped it with his finger.
Tap tap…
Tap tap…
Ear to it again.
This time, he tapped harder.
Clang!
Crackle…
The crystal shattered like ice.
A natural outcome.
It was ice.
Crom muttered in dismay.
“Irizard… deceived me…”