Chapter 45.
The Great Tree of Ice Rock
“Huuh… haaah…!”
The backlash of mana depletion struck me.
My head rang, and all my strength drained away.
Through wavering vision, beyond the shimmering haze, I saw the disaster standing there perfectly unharmed.
I expected this, but isn’t it a little too unharmed?
Before I could even voice my complaint, my body staggered.
“Vice Captain!”
Hog, who had been guarding my side, caught me with one arm.
“A-are you okay?!”
“Don’t… make such a fuss…”
As I steadied my breath—
“Well done.”
Siruela passed by.
“Leave the rest to me.”
He urged his horse through the still-blazing flames of .
When Siruela thrust his sword forward, glowing with shimmering green aura—
Paaang—!
The flames split as if by miracle, and a path opened.
“Hyah!”
The white steed’s mane streamed like snow as it galloped forward like the wind.
Victory goes to the first strike.
We couldn’t hope to cut through thousands of Snow Worms one by one to reach the mountain disaster.
The plan was simple: open the way with high magic, deal damage to the calamity, and let Siruela finish it in a single strike.
That was the best strategy we had.
So we entrusted the disaster to Siruela, while we—
“Hold the line!”
I shouted to the troops.
“Even if you die, hold it!”
The ground trembled with the advance of countless Snow Worms.
“Until the Captain slays the disaster!”
The soldiers, still dazed by the power of , snapped back to their senses and formed ranks.
“If we hold, victory is ours!”
Flames roared to either side.
A wide-open path lay in between.
At its end stood the mountain disaster.
The beheaded dragon, Vibriont.
Siruela rode straight toward it.
At this moment, Siruela felt utterly satisfied.
“You still move so well, after all this.”
He tightened his grip on his sword.
“Our long enmity…”
As he entered striking distance, Siruela pulled his feet from the stirrups and stood upon the saddle.
“Let’s end it here.”
Wuuum.
The surrounding mana turned green, drawn to him.
At Siruela’s will, the mana became aura, enveloping his body and his sword.
Bang.
He kicked off the saddle and leapt, soaring above the calamity’s head.
Kiiiiek—! Kyaaak—!
From the severed neck sprouted dozens of gaping maws, opening wide to devour him as he fell.
Without hesitation, Siruela—
Shaaak—!
Descended into their midst, slashing downward.
Thud thud thud. Several heads fell, rolling to the ground.
Siruela stomped on a twitching head, crushing it beneath his boot as he regained his stance.
How long had he waited for this chance?
He gathered all his aura into his sword.
The green light sharpened into a deadly edge.
Hwoom.
A massive foreclaw descended upon him.
He slashed quickly, his aura streaking through the air.
Kaaang—!
A piercing metallic ring, and the foreclaw was deflected.
Not cut in one stroke, after all.
So many years had passed.
Though his swordsmanship had grown, his aura was not what it once was.
Strong aura required an unshaken will, and in turn drew greater mana.
But after years of faltering and hardship, Siruela’s aura was but a shadow of what it had been in the days of heroes like Elios Spelder.
Even so…
He could not show weakness before his men.
Crunch.
If one strike wouldn’t cut it, then he would cut with many.
“Hrrgh!”
He chased after the deflected foreclaw, slashing for the exposed armpit.
Even as a corpse, the calamity lived up to its name.
Ka-ga-gaak—!
Its body twisted, scales clattering to block his blade.
The beast sought to tear him apart, while Siruela countered with his sword, seeking an opening.
Dozens of exchanges later—
Shaaak—!
His sword finally cut into its hind leg.
Kiiieek—! Kyeeek—!
The spot had already been scorched by Esric’s magic.
Seizing the chance, Siruela pressed forward.
Wuuum—! His aura flared brighter.
Shiiing—!
He struck upward, his green aura soaring skyward.
Sha-sha-sha-shaak—!
Like a tree branching out, the aura split, slashing the beast apart.
Flesh tore, scales fell, several heads were cut clean.
It was as if a great tree grew, swallowing the disaster whole.
Could this be the end…?!
Siruela gathered what remained of his aura, aiming to cleave the entire body.
Kraaaagh—! Kyahhh—!
But the surviving heads lunged, jaws snapping.
“Tch—?!”
A snake-like strike from an unexpected angle disrupted his stance.
He twisted and parried the fangs, but was pushed out of range to finish the body.
Kaaang—!
As he deflected them, the calamity staggered.
Thud, thud.
It planted its foreclaws firmly into the ground.
Dozens of maws writhed like serpents, opening toward Siruela.
Its wings spread, scales bristling.
It looked like an impregnable fortress.
“Huuuh.”
“A sigh does not suit you, Captain.”
Gardner emerged behind him.
“My apologies. You were too fast—we needed time to catch up.”
“And to think you rode a horse as well…”
Dozens of elite soldiers joined, each drawing their swords and standing beside Siruela.
Mana shimmered along their blades, strengthened by Esric’s engravings.
“Do not let your guard down.”
Siruela looked at them proudly, then stepped forward.
“Focus your attacks on its grounded limbs. When it falters, I will finish it.”
“Yes, Captain!”
Memories of his first comrades of Ice Rock came to mind.
With a small smile, Siruela—
“Let’s go.”
Readied his sword.
The sealing with .
The massive reward granted for its duration.
All of that mana spent at once to reach 5th Circle and unleash high-tier magic.
Of course, none remained.
“Protect the Vice Captain!”
“Form ranks, raise shields!”
“We can hold! Don’t fear!”
Around me, the soldiers formed a shield wall.
Snow Worms, avoiding the flames of , charged toward us.
“Magic unit!”
Hagen took command in my stead.
“Fire at will!”
The mages rained and without restraint.
With enemies swarming from all directions, aiming was hardly necessary.
Boom, boom, boom! Fire erupted in sequence.
“Here they come!”
“Brace for impact!”
“Hold the liiiine!”
The Snow Worms crashed into us.
Kiiiieeek—!
The shrieks of the worms mingled with the clash of steel.
“Hog.”
I jerked my chin toward him.
“I’m fine… go, hold them…”
“But—”
“I didn’t say don’t protect me…”
I pushed his arm away.
“If the line breaks, we all die… protect everyone.”
“…!”
Understanding at last, Hog nodded.
“Understood!”
He dashed to the flank where the line was faltering, his heavy steps thundering away.
“Hagen…”
“Yes, Vice Captain!”
“Go to that idiot…”
I pointed at Ronan, hacking away wildly nearby.
Unable to use aura or imbue mana, Ronan had not joined Siruela.
Instead, he vented his frustration by charging into Snow Worms head-on.
“You know what to do?”
“, right? Understood! Come on!”
“W-wait, me?!”
Hagen dragged along Barent, who had been firing , and rushed to Ronan.
A wise decision.
Barent had versatile spells but lacked firepower.
Hagen’s raw damage was more crucial now.
And for recharging mana into engravings, was better handled by Barent.
“Huuuh…”
I steadied my breathing amid the chaos, slowly refilling my empty Circle with mana.
The battle would likely be decided over there.
But I had to be ready—for the sake of survival, for spreading my fame.
“Not getting through here!”
Hog roared, shoving worms back with his shield.
Ka-ga-ga-gaak—!
Ronan tore through worms with his blade, strengthened by Barent’s enchantments.
The shield bearers held firm, the mages unleashed spell after spell.
Everyone held strong.
The outcome of this battle rested on…
“…him.”
The elven knight of Ice Rock.
Siruela.
The end was in sight.
Gardner and the elites focused relentlessly on the beast’s legs.
Scales had fallen away in patches.
Its four limbs, once pristine, now hung ragged and torn.
The dozens of heads sprouting from its neck were reduced to a sparse few.
“Haaah!”
Gardner thrust his blade into its foreclaw.
He struck precisely at a spot where the scales had fallen away.
The silver-gray mana on his sword revealed his Quad Chain.
Enough to pierce, if not sever, the massive limb.
Kiiieeeek—!
The beast screamed and rose—
“Hrrgh!”
Siruela unleashed his aura in that instant, his blade soaring upward.
Shaaaah—!
A fierce aura burst once more to the skies.
Sha-sha-sha-shaak—!
Like a tree stretching its branches.
The green aura grew like a living tree, rending the calamity’s body.
Kiii—eeek! Kyaaaaah—!
The tree grew endlessly, branches splitting, leaves sprouting, flowers blooming, fruit forming.
From beneath it, new generations would live on.
Siruela’s aura grew like such a tree.
Shaaaak—!
The beast’s body, which had resisted one cut, was now torn into a hundred, a thousand pieces.
Scales fell like petals.
Its body split like a rotting tree trunk.
Paaang—!
The green aura blazed as the mountain disaster toppled backward.
“Haaah… haaah…”
Siruela exhaled heavily, sword raised.
Watching the calamity fall, he knew—he had kept his promise.
At last, the mountain disaster was slain.
With a twitch of his white beard, he smiled.
We’ve won, he thought.
But at that moment—
“Captaaaain!”
Gardner’s desperate cry rang out.
Crunch.
The sound of bones shattering followed.
