Chapter 364
Acorella’s descent carried weight in more ways than one.
It signaled that a mage had directly intervened in the war between Burgos and Clipford, instantly tipping the scales of morale beyond control.
When beings wielding godlike power enter the battlefield, it’s obvious which side the balance will favor.
Amidst a battlefield that had seemed doomed to rot away under the onslaught of synthetic monsters, a faint but unmistakable aura of holiness began to bloom. It was small, yet undeniable—an energy that could be felt coursing through one’s entire body.
“Kyaaaah!”
“Captain Acorella, watch out!”
“Yeah, don’t mess around! That thing’s got a ridiculously long tongue!”
“Wow, hearing ‘don’t mess with the little pup’—never thought I’d hear that in my life.”
Ziiing. Ziiing.
Acorella’s eyes flashed as she unleashed her magic.
Her irises glowed golden. Though she was primarily assigned to research within the Magic Department and wasn’t as magically strong as other captains, nor particularly robust physically, she had one trump card.
“Hyaah!”
That trump card was her magic stone. Just as a swordsman wields a sword and an archer a bow, she gripped a dagger embedded with a magic stone and darted swiftly toward the monster.
Tief’s jaws split open, its long tongue lashing out toward Acorella’s chest.
“Don’t you dare wag that tongue around!”
Swish!
With a clean slash, Acorella severed Tief’s tongue completely. Though she had drawn on magic to boost her physical strength, that was all there was to it.
The lizard’s tongue sliced like paper thanks to the magic-sealing stone embedded in her dagger. The blade’s enchantment not only cut but also disrupted the monster’s regenerative abilities and its very essence, reducing it to a mere lump.
Acorella’s eyes sparkled as she looked down at the twitching tongue on the ground.
“Ah, this is killing me!”
“Captain, won’t it regenerate?”
“Nope, it won’t. It’s already dead, so regeneration’s out of the question. Let’s see if the skin can be cut too. Pick it up and hold on tight—we’ll need it for experiments.”
“Huh? You want me to hold this?”
“Lose it, and you’re in trouble!”
Shouting that, Acorella lowered her body and charged toward Bergman’s flank.
But before she could reach him, Beric swooped in and kicked the monster’s belly. The heavy weight sent it tumbling backward.
“Hey, stop butting in!”
“Let me have a go. I want to cut it too.”
“No way, man. Wait until supplies arrive.”
“Come on, hurry! I know where its core is. I’ll slice it quick and clean.”
“Nope! Get lost!”
As Acorella and Beric bickered, the synthetic monster staggered to its feet. Thick, unpleasant liquid dripped from the severed tongue’s end. If it were human, it would be blood—but since it was a rotting corpse, the slime was grotesquely unnatural.
Acorella scratched her nose and handed the dagger to Beric.
“Never mind. Our little pup can take this one.”
“You just don’t want to get your hands dirty, huh?”
“It’s more efficient this way. Go! And be as neat as possible—I want to take this back and run some tests.”
“Got it. I’m a pro at slicing meat.”
What a joke. Since when did he get so cocky about cutting meat?
Acorella brushed off her collar and glanced around. Her eyes met those of the Burgos soldiers surrounding them with spears. Their faces were tense and fearful—they knew that someone like Beric, who had broken through the synthetic monster, was no match for them.
Who would want to throw themselves against a wall? Even if they did, they’d want to be the last in line, causing only a ripple.
The soldiers moved in unison, maintaining a steady distance as they encircled Acorella.
“Hahaha! Is this a threat? Looks more like a protective escort.”
“G-Get the mage out of here! She’s not even from Clipford!”
“Yeah. This is a war between Burgos and Clipford—why is Bariel’s mage involved?”
The sergeants behind the soldiers muttered under their breath. If they couldn’t subdue her by force, they’d try to persuade her to leave.
Acorella’s golden eyes flickered as she tilted her head.
“Funny. Then why did you drag in the minority tribes?”
Mei squeezed her eyes shut. Soon, the enemy’s blade would slice through her neck, stealing her breath away.
They say memories flash before your eyes when you die. She recalled the day Noah first cried and confessed his curse, the moment she embraced him, and the many events that had unfolded in the royal palace—all like fleeting visions.
Bang!
But then she realized something was wrong—her body was unharmed. Peeking open her eyes, she saw the synthetic monster twisting and shaking erratically.
The soldiers stepped back, startled by the sudden change, and Mei crawled toward the corpse of a fallen comrade. Taking advantage of the growing darkness that blurred friend from foe, she seized the opportunity.
‘What’s going on?’
Though it was her chance, she couldn’t understand why the creature, which had moved so smoothly before, now convulsed as if out of control.
Ziiing. Ziiing.
“A mage! A mage has made it this far!”
“What do we do, Captain?”
“Draw your bows! Keep formation and don’t scatter! We’ll fire simultaneously—aim for the sky and shoot without gaps! Fire!”
The news that a mage had reached the rear threw the area into chaos. Strictly speaking, Ian was merely flying overhead to survey the situation.
“Ian, they’re about to shoot arrows.”
“Understood.”
Kwahak!
Pew! Ping!
The soldiers pulled their bowstrings with all their might, aiming near Ian. It wasn’t about hitting him directly but overwhelming him with sheer numbers to drive him off or keep him in check.
Ziiing. Ziiing.
“Ian!”
As the arrows rained down, Ian casually gestured and conjured a protective shield with a single motion.
Unlike ordinary mages who inscribe runes on the ground to erect barriers, Ian created his shield in midair as effortlessly as swatting flies.
Ting! Ting!
Idgal-tipped arrows poured down like rain. The more they struck his shield, the more cracks appeared, but Ian quickly summoned a new one each time.
“Are you alright, Ian?”
“If I get hit by a stray arrow, that’d be a problem.”
He nodded, signaling it was time to retreat. Just then—
Sshhiiik!
The synthetic monster’s tongue sliced through the arrows, darting swiftly toward Ian. The startled mage unleashed a magic orb to intercept it, but the tongue kept rising relentlessly.
“Ian, it’s dangerous. Head toward Beric and Captain Acorella.”
“Wait.”
Though urged on, Ian only frowned and remained still, even as arrows continued to batter his shield.
‘What’s going on?’
His movements seemed like mere feints, lacking any real will. Slowly, he looked down and spotted a curious figure.
Amidst the chaos of armed fighters darting everywhere, someone stood still with a hand raised. A necklace was wrapped around their hand, a red gem dangling from their wrist.
“Ian?”
“Oh no.”
“Ian!”
Ziiing! Ziiing!
Ian descended toward the outstretched hand. The closer he got, the more arrows threatened him, but he paid them no mind. Protected by his ever-replenishing shield, he swiftly approached the one holding the gem.
“A mage is close! This is our chance!”
“Don’t let him slip away!”
“Captain, I think the mage has recognized the necromancer!”
“What? How is that possible?”
“I don’t know, but—”
“Protect the necromancer!”
The officers mistook Ian’s approach as an attempt to kill the necromancer. Understandable, since if he died, the synthetic monsters would be nothing but rotten husks.
At the new command, soldiers surrounded the necromancer, pinning him down and shielding him with their bodies. Through the gap, the necromancer’s hand still displayed the glowing gem.
“What are you doing? Hide down there!”
“Take cover!”
But he stood firm. Even as he was knocked down and his vision obscured, he was determined to keep the gem visible.
Ian was now just meters away. Not only archers but infantry wielding swords and spears charged at him. The mage fought them off like a guardian, but magic has its limits.
“Ian! Come up here—”
Ziiing. Ziiing.
Kwahang! Bang!
“Recollection.”
In an instant, a massive flame erupted from Ian’s back, coalescing into the shape of a towering woman who stretched and twisted like waking from a long slumber.
Unlike the scorching blaze, the figure itself did not burn. Instead, it radiated a heat that instinctively pushed back human fear.
The fiery silhouette swirled like the wind, carving out a space around Ian.
“Ahhh!”
“Fall back! Fall back!”
“Fire! Fire!”
Was he losing his mind? Some soldiers clutched their own uninjured hands and writhed in agony, while others frantically scooped up handfuls of dirt to throw at those convulsing men.
The phantom flames blazed up with the wind. The mage stood dazed, staring blankly at Ian’s retreating figure.
What had he just witnessed? The shield was one thing, but how could Ian summon and control such an advanced spell in an instant?
They said only a grand mage who had sworn the Mage’s Oath could reach that level. Was Ian really walking the same timeline as him?
Snap!
Like snatching a jewel from thin air, Ian grabbed the man’s wrist. Soldiers clung to him, trying to stop him, but how could they hold back someone who floated up as if gravity no longer applied?
Ian examined the jewel closely, then declared loudly, as if making an official announcement.
“I’ve captured the necromancer. If you want to negotiate, cease all hostilities immediately and enter a ceasefire. Otherwise, I will find and kill every last one of the remaining necromancers.”
A composite monster began pounding its way toward the direction Ian had disappeared. But soon, perhaps because the distance was too great, it stopped dead in its tracks, sitting quietly like a lost dog. It had truly returned as if dead.
Shiiik.
“Ian! I-Is that really a necromancer? What are you doing bringing him here? You should have just killed him on the spot!”
The mage trailed after Ian, shouting nervously, but Ian only lowered his head and met the man’s eyes.
The unmistakable features of an Astanean, with striking blue hair.
And—
“Hasha, you’ve changed a lot since I last saw you.”
The one who bore the Bratz family brooch, reforged and worn proudly.
“Long time no see, Sir Ian.”
It was Hasha. As a descendant of a minority tribe who had joined the Vargas campaign, there had to be a special reason for his presence. Ian understood that Hasha’s actions were meant to avoid putting him in a difficult position.
“You’re always the one helping me.”
“Don’t worry. Now I’ve learned how to accept help too.”
Ian had no doubt that Hasha would reveal the hidden truths of Vargas—things that Clifford and Bariel didn’t know—and explain why even the minority tribes had been mobilized.