Volume 5 Chapter 115 – Reinforcements (5)

"Although I do not want to fight you, I cannot let it stain my clan's name."

Boom!

Another explosion. This time, Talaris reacted in time with another ice crystal. She frowned in disapproval.

At this point, Midor thought that it was possible to win.

However, that was a delusion.

"Hmph. Spatial Explosion, you say. You are too rambunctious with Kelliark's power at hand."

Thump!

Talaris stomped on the ground.

Rumble, rumble…!

The Zipfel magicians' barrier began to freeze. Thirty magicians contributed to the barrier, and it only took one person to take it down. Only three seconds were needed to shatter it.

"Wh-What is this?!"

All of the Seventh Tower's magicians knew Talaris's face, but none of them really had any experience fighting her.

If anyone actually knew her true strength, they never would've challenged her.

The magicians' faces turned red. The dragons let out low, quiet whimpers.

Talaris started to use her true power; her long hair flew in the wind.

Many snowflake-shaped particles flew around her. Each crystal glowed, illuminating their surroundings.

"Maybe I was too inactive recently. Oh my, and you pathetic peons attacking… It feels a little off. It seems you have never heard anything about me from your little patriarch?"

Crackle-crackle-crackle!

The ice crystals gathered on Talaris's right hand and formed a long silhouette.

A sword.

With the name 'Myriad Ice'.

"I'll teach you a lesson."

Swoosh…!

Talaris swung Myriad Ice once, and a sharp, skin-piercing wind flew.

The bitter cold was visible in the form of white particles. The wind rushed forward, and the magicians began to cast their defensive spells.

However, as long as Talaris held her sword, her opponents were powerless.

"Urgh!"

Midor let out a short groan, and soon, the magicians behind him screamed.

It was as if thousands of knives rushed towards them instead of a gust of wind. As it penetrated their barrier, blood splattered on the magicians.

Their bloodstained robes were ripped and torn apart. Wands and staves broke. Their flesh and bones were brutally being carved away.

Talaris scoffed at the pitiful sight.

"I don't mean to kill you completely."

It wasn't an attack where she needed to concentrate or muster a lot of aura.

It was nothing beyond a swing of a sword, and still, the magicians took severe damage.

In fact, there were five casualties despite them being 7-stars.

'Is this really the power of a human…?!'

Midor—who was barely holding onto consciousness—shook in fear.

The woman before him was unbelievably powerful.

With the difference in power, the Zipfel magicians would be done for before they could even get the chance to cast the next spell. Moreover, the only attack he could do was Spatial Explosion.

"Oh, and you're Midor? Darling, you made a grave mistake. I really hate Spatial Explosion. It's that very annoying spell when I fought against Kelliark a while back."

Talaris quickly closed the gap between them and towered over Midor.

"Urk!"

"Why so surprised? You didn't even notice that your right hand is already gone."

Midor instinctively looked down to his hands. Indeed, the right was cleanly cut off and laid on the ground.

Additionally, his wound was already frozen, which explained why he didn't feel anything.

"This is why I really, really don't like magicians. You had the gumption to check your hand? When I'm right in front of you? Trained knights wouldn't dare to look away from their enemy. Or else, the next thing you know, you've been decapitated."

Gasp!

Midor grabbed his neck and stepped backwards. Seeing his fear, Talaris clicked her tongue. Midor felt his heart stop.

He couldn't do anything.

"Vice Pillar!"

"Protect the vice pillar!"

"You background characters still have quite the loyalty. But how will you protect him when your conditions are like that? You guys would be better off running away. Your leader is a fool. Fighting without acknowledging the opponent's power."

Talaris gave a cold smile, and the magicians gritted their teeth.

She wasn't wrong. Midor had to accept the truth as well as his grave mistake.

'Shit. I expected this, but even with the patriarch's Spatial Explosion…! At this rate, even if the other reinforcements arrive…'

They would not win.

Either Kelliark Zipfel needed to show up or top Twilight Magicians had to arrive.

"I have no words for you—What the hell is that?"

As Midor fell into despair, beams of light pierced through the clouds of the morning sky. The light's source was a massive ship flying through the sky.

And Talaris knew what the arrival of the ship meant.

'That's the Twilights' ship. That Kashimir bastard. He didn't tell me that these guys were gonna come.'

Talaris's expression tensed up for the first time.

Midor and the other magicians also stared in disbelief, but for a different reason. They never would've thought that the Zipfel main house would send such reinforcements.

Woooom…!

The one ship that flew in the sky—the Kozak.

As soon as the airship came into view, Jin stood up.

'What the hell? Why is that here?'

The Kozak was the Zipfel Clan's ship that only moved in times of war. Jin heard about it many times, but it was his first time seeing it in person.

Poof.

Murakan changed back into his human form and stared at the massive airship. Syris's eyes widened.

"Ah, wait. The Kozak would be difficult for that woman to deal with. Was that Myuron guy that important in the Zipfel Clan?"

"…I think the Zipfels got a little sensitive after Andrei's death. And since another pureblood Zipfel was attacked, they're probably sending adequate reinforcements. In fact, this area has the relic that they've been searching for thousands of years."

Jin shook his head.

'Even if it's Madame Talaris, fighting the Twilight Magicians will be tough… At this rate, saving the natives and recovering the relic would be impossible.'

With the entrance of the Kozak, the battle stopped. The natives, however, continued their ritual.

It was still four in the morning when the Kozak came in, and there were eight hours until the ritual finished. Executing Laosa's request would be impossible.

'Even if Talaris can fight the Twilight Magicians, she doesn't even need to. She could just take me and Murakan and escape.'

Kashimir explicitly requested Jin and Murakan's rescue.

He didn't say anything about saving the natives or their ritual. After all, dealing with the natives was Jin's business.

Despite all this, Jin didn't want to give up. He wanted to save everyone and everything.

Not because he wanted to have the ancient masterpiece, but because he wanted to save the Kollon natives who had suffered for centuries.

However, if they could escape the area while riding Snow Toad Mort, then he would have an eternal burden on his mind.

"Where are you going, kid?!"

"I'm gonna go see the natives."

Jin activated Myulta's Rune and ran towards the natives. Seeing this, Talaris lowered the ice barrier. Tika then grabbed Jin's hands, looking very desperate.

She—and all the other Kollon natives—didn't want to burden him.

"This doesn't look too good. We know what that ship is. Please escape, Jin. I am really sorry. You have done so much for us… but we cannot return the favor. I am sad that we will meet a bitter end."

"Tika."

"…After centuries of torture and oppression, the only ones who lent a hand were you and Dino. Our saviors, please. Please get to safety."

Truly, the events that unfolded the past few hours had been a miracle.

Jin's party coming to the Kollon Ruins, the death of Myuron, creating a grave for all who had been killed, Talaris's appearance at the sight of the magicians…

They couldn't wish for more miracles.

"I don't want to give up on you guys. Can you speed up the ritual process? If I persuade Madame Talaris, we can stall for time before a fight against the Twilight ensues."

"That would be possible if Lady Laosa didn't lose her divinity. But since she has, it's impossible. Please leave. They will not kill us until they get their hands on the relic. Maybe."

Maybe.

Her words pierced Jin's heart. He had felt the same emotions when he created almost two hundred graves for the deceased Kollon natives.

"Lady Laosa didn't lose all of the divinity. She used it when we first met her."

"But…"

"I will bring her here. If that still doesn't work, then we will give up."

"No! There isn't enough time. Please, run away. You don't need to do so much for us. You have already done more than enough. We cannot let a person like you die."

Vwoooooooom!

To Jin's left, a pale-white dimensional portal opened, and Snow Toad Mort jumped out.

Syris had summoned it.

"Come on."

Already riding Mort, Syris lent out a hand to Jin.

"Huh?"

"Get on here. I felt like I should aid an entitled Runcandel in helping someone in need. However, I can't buy you much time."

Jin nodded with a grim expression.

"I will never forget this favor, Lady Syris."

"A 'thank you' is enough. It's nothing hard. Let's go."

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