Chapter 299: Iron Fairy Subjugation (9)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 299: Iron Fairy Subjugation (9)
Above the iron sea that submerged Aldreque.
Those who had failed to reach the shelters fled to higher ground, desperate to escape the rising tide.
Thanatos the Ruination radiated waves of annihilation mana as he glared toward Aldreque. He possessed the raw ferocity of a predator that had finally cornered its prey.
“If only Charlotte were here...!”
If Charlotte, the Zelver Empire’s greatest magical authority and its premier archwizard, had been present, she might have found a way to shield Aldreque from these demons.
However, Emperor Carlos had brought only his elite forces to Aldreque. No one, save for those who had orchestrated this catastrophe, could have foreseen such a disaster.
In the distance, eerie mana began to coalesce within the mana stone atop Thanatos’s staff. Emperor Carlos swallowed hard, his throat tight with dread.
It was a magnificent, terrifying sight. A magic circle of unfathomable scale unfurled, prepared to unleash a spell of total destruction.
Thanatos leveled his staff toward Aldreque.
“Your Majesty, you must at least evacuate Princess Snow White! If only for her sake!”
“No... Stop. There is no other way.”
“But!”
“Relay this to everyone on the front lines of the Imperial Wizard Unit! Even if they exhaust every drop of their mana, they must pour it out at full power to protect Aldreque!”
“I... I will obey, Your Majesty...!”
The Imperial Wizard, who had barely regained his senses while casting an emergency healing spell on himself, replied. It was a crude treatment, but it was enough to force his broken body to move.
Struggling to his feet, the wizard threw himself through a breach in the outer wall, using wind magic to take flight and head toward the front.
And then.
[Graaaahhh!!!]
Thanatos let out a deafening roar.
The condensed mana within his staff looked ready to erupt at any second. It was a power that brought instant death upon contact, a force capable of incinerating the very soul.
The undeniable, terrifying mana tore through the earth and blanketed the sky, striking primal fear into the hearts of every human watching.
Aldreque held its collective breath.
Emperor Carlos felt it in that instant—this power could not be stopped. Even if every Imperial Wizard present deployed their barriers at maximum output, it wouldn't be enough.
...It was then that the anomaly occurred.
Rumbleeeeee!!
Boom!!!
A blinding flash of light tore through the gloom.
A vast expanse of purple lightning rained down upon Thanatos from the heavens like a stroke of divine judgment. Unlike common lightning that vanishes in a heartbeat, this blast raged like a persistent storm, relentlessly engulfing the demon.
The strike radiated a dazzling brilliance that could be seen from miles away.
Crackle!!
A man forged of lightning mana appeared before Thanatos, suspended in midair. His black coat billowed in the gale, and his purple hair crackled with energy.
From the distance of Aldreque, his exact features were obscured, but no one could mistake the identity of one who wielded such peerless lightning magic. His mana was palpable even from afar—he was a wizard who had long since transcended human comprehension.
“The Lightning Sovereign...?”
The Lightning Sovereign, Jaul Dragoniac.
The Elemental King of Lightning stood defiant against Thanatos.
Fwooooo!!!
A swirling vortex of vibrant water magic merged with the lightning. The crushing pressure of the deep sea weighed down on Thanatos, possessing enough power to devastate the entire region.
Another water vortex manifested around the demon, gracefully unfurling to reveal a beautiful woman within. Her blue hair flowed like waves as she smiled.
It was the Water Sovereign, Siren Silivian.
Whhooooooo!!!
A terrifying tornado joined the fray, intertwining with the lightning and water to amplify the momentum of the elemental magics.
This level of Mana Mastery was beyond imagination. In all the world, those capable of performing a joint spell with an Elemental King could be counted on one hand—with fingers to spare.
A petite woman enveloped in light green wind appeared. A massive arm, formed of dense wind mana, materialized above her head, gripping a colossal bow of gale. The string was drawn taut, and an arrow of pure wind aimed directly at Thanatos’s heart.
The woman blinked expressionlessly. She was Erin Campbell, the Wind Sovereign.
Whoooosh!!!!
Crimson flames surged, engulfing the combined elemental attacks. The ultra-high-temperature flames intertwined with the lightning, causing incessant explosions. As the fire and lightning evaporated the water, intense steam explosions followed. The tornado utilized the resulting shockwaves as part of its own attack, leaving nothing to waste.
Space itself warped under the weight of such astronomical mana. The layered joint attack was nothing short of a natural disaster.
An elderly wizard, wreathed in flames, walked forward slowly. His robes fluttered as he gripped his staff, and behind him, countless fire magic circles unfolded like a blooming garden of hellfire. Like a fine wine, his mana had been condensed over long years, and its sheer presence weighed heavily on the atmosphere.
The Elemental King with the long white beard: the Fire Sovereign, Andersen Versando.
“The Elemental Kings... All of them have joined the battle...”
Merlin spoke in a trembling voice.
“They must have judged that this demon is an immediate threat to the entire world.”
Emperor Carlos instantly understood why they had appeared. This was the Zelver Empire; naturally, any incident here fell under the Empire’s jurisdiction. However, regardless of borders, if a catastrophe threatened the entire world, the Elemental Kings would intervene of their own volition.
At that point, it was no longer a local matter; it was a crisis where the entire world had to unite.
Neither the Abyss nor Rachnil, the Iron Fairy, had been deemed immediate global threats. When the Abyss appeared, it had merely become the night sky, observing the world. Rachnil, so far, had only occupied Aldreque.
Thanatos, however, was different. He posed an immediate and immense threat to all of existence.
Paaaaah!!!
With a roar from Thanatos, the magic of the Elemental Kings was driven back and extinguished by dark green flames. The condensed annihilation mana in his massive staff dispersed, but the elemental mana lingering in the air was slowly being absorbed into his body.
Thanatos scanned the Elemental Kings surrounding him.
“Not a single wound? To absorb all this mana... What an intriguing demon,” the Lightning Sovereign, Jaul, remarked with grim admiration.
A demon that absorbed the mana of Elemental Kings to fuel its own growth—its potential was limitless.
“If we use magic, it absorbs the power and grows stronger. Hold it off until we figure out a way to kill it,” Wind Sovereign Erin Campbell said, her voice devoid of emotion as she infused her wind arrow with more mana.
“Is the absence of familiars due to the power of the fairy? For its influence to extend this far... that is impressive.” Water Sovereign Siren Silivian looked toward the distant Iron Sanctuary with a puzzled expression.
“It seems the Ice Sovereign is dealing with the fairy. The Ice Sovereign is powerful, but even he would find it difficult to defeat a fairy alone...”
No matter how strong the Ice Sovereign was, he was still just an ice wizard. To defeat a Fairy, one ultimately needed the power of a Fairy.
“If it’s the Ice Sovereign, he’ll manage. Do you think the strongest among us would face the Iron Fairy without a plan?”
As the Fire Sovereign swung his staff, an immense wave of flame spread out.
“We will deal with this demon.”
The Elemental Kings unleashed their mana, preparing for a true battle against Thanatos.
“Senior Isaac...”
“White? Can you move?”
As Snow White suddenly approached the edge of the broken wall, Emperor Carlos asked in a worried voice.
White understood that the Elemental Kings had appeared to stop a powerful demon, but she didn't have the mental capacity to focus on them. She looked outside, toward the dull, ashen sky and the sea of iron. The towering sanctuary stood in the distance.
A gust of heavy wind blew, making White’s hair and clothes flutter.
“Haa.”
White closed her eyes.
— The power of the fairy you possess will surge when the fairy disrupts the balance. Your body temperature will spike then. Keep a firm grip on your consciousness and try to master your mana. It will be difficult, but remember, that power is yours.
Isaac’s image, often seen by the beautiful lake at the corner of the Hydrangea Garden, filled her mind. Even when she was close to him, there were many times when he felt worlds away.
He was like someone gazing at a distant, unreachable place. White didn't know what he was looking at, or what kind of scenery he saw. All she knew was that Isaac often seemed lost in deep, heavy thought.
That face always looked so full of worry...
Even though he didn't show it, she could tell. She had learned to read people through years of facing assassination attempts. Lately, Isaac’s worries seemed to have deepened even further.
Isaac lived his life in pursuit of absolute efficiency, treating relaxation or idle chatter as luxuries he couldn't afford. A person like him wouldn't normally waste time meeting someone as "useless" as White had become.
Why, then, was Isaac so deeply troubled?
It was as if he were someone prepared to plunge into hellfire at any moment. Surely, there was a reason for his burden... something far scarier than anything White could imagine.
Senior Isaac. It’s only right that I repay you for all you’ve done for me... No, it’s not even about repayment...
You are selfless—a man who would sacrifice his own body to protect others.
Helping you means protecting the people. This is for the sake of the Zelver Empire...
No, it’s not even about that...
White shook her head. She realized the truth.
Had she really been making such self-serving calculations? No. She simply wanted to protect Isaac.
A violent headache throbbed in her skull. Her breathing became ragged, her mouth dry. She felt as if she might vomit at any moment. Merlin tried to support her, but White extended her arm to block her. She needed to focus.
“I’ll... help you...”
White extended her hand toward the Iron Sanctuary. Closing her eyes, she focused on the mana coursing through her veins.
Thanks to the grueling mana mastery training she had endured with Isaac, she could vividly feel the energy flowing through her circuits. The days of shedding sweat and blood under his guidance, combined with her resolve to protect him, pushed her concentration to its absolute peak.
Her racing heart began to steady. Her breathing calmed, and her mana finally submitted to her will.
White channeled a stream of mana from her core to her fingertips. Soon, a vivid glow gathered at her hand. The navy-blue mana held a white radiance, as if she had plucked a star from the night sky.
“White, what is that...?”
Emperor Carlos was astonished, but White didn't hear him. She could sense the presence of creatures spread across the world.
She opened her hand. Somehow, she felt as if she could physically grasp the iron mana floating in the air. Slowly, White was stepping into a new realm.
“If you’re going to protect the people...”
White’s eyes slowly opened. A strange, ethereal blue light flickered in her pupils.
“Then I will protect you...”
At last, White clenched her hand tight.
Fwoooosh!!!
Starting from White, gentle navy-blue mana fluttered outward like a butterfly’s wings, spreading with incredible speed. Startled, Emperor Carlos and Merlin stepped back.
The mana was imbued with the energy of the night—a blessing from the Fairy Nix.
The Iron Sea was steadily devoured, and the Iron Sanctuary was engulfed by the mana of the night.
The reclamation of the sanctuary had begun. It was the power of the Night Fairy.
From all directions, fairies transformed into colorful meteors, streaking across the sky as they converged on the Iron Sanctuary.
*
At the Iron Sanctuary, Noah had pushed himself to his absolute limit and was on the verge of collapse.
Before Noah fell, Isaac had activated the power of his obsidian blade: [Rock Sovereign’s Barbican]. Isaac’s party, including the gasping Noah, was now shielded behind the beautiful, reinforced rock fortress walls.
Kakakakakrak!!!
Rachnil’s iron magic was intensifying. There was no doubt he had recovered to the point where the previous damage was now meaningless. Unless certain conditions were met, it was impossible for a human to defeat a Fairy within their own sanctuary.
Rachnil, wielding a massive greatsword, charged toward the [Rock Sovereign’s Barbican]. A high concentration of iron mana surged through the blade.
[You’re merely a human brat!]
As Rachnil prepared to shatter the [Rock Sovereign’s Barbican] with a flurry of greatswords...
“Thank you, White.”
Isaac’s voice was a calm whisper.
Suddenly, Nix’s magic swallowed the Iron Sanctuary. Rachnil’s magic instantly lost its potency.
[Why... the sanctuary...?!]
Everyone present could feel it. Rachnil’s authority over the area was dwindling at an alarming rate.
The power of Nix, the Night Fairy. The reclamation of the sanctuary. Rachnil had lost his control.
Kwakakakang!!!
[Urgh!!]
The [Rock Sovereign’s Barbican] shattered outward. Simultaneously, Isaac lunged forward, swinging his obsidian blade at Rachnil.
Startled, Rachnil blocked the strike with his greatsword, but he couldn't negate the devastating shockwave.
[Stone Breathing, First Form: Yellow Wave Slash]
Rachnil was sent flying like a cannonball, smashing into the sanctuary wall. The greatswords floating in the air shattered into fragments from the impact of the rock mana.
“Now...”
Isaac directed a cold, predatory glare at the bewildered Rachnil.
“...It’s time for me to fight back.”