◈ Episode 403. Equivalent Exchange (2)[Blessing of the First World Tree].
Its effect was tremendous, to the point that it dulled the cold even within [『Absolute Zero』]. But this time, it wasn’t only the chill—the visual stimulus was quite something, too.
It wasn’t as if my eyes were some demonic eye floating in the sky, nor could I see the vast landscape of Antonium at a glance. It was the senses of a demon hunter sharpened to the extreme. A system message had appeared.[Skill, ‘Natural Enemy,’ is activated.]
Northern Antonium.
A demonic aura felt from a distant place.
It was even somehow familiar.
I did not hesitate.
“I shall be away for a moment.”
Nash and Emilio.
After saying that to the two of them in Grandfel’s manner,
I immediately manifested a portal.
And then I faced it.
A gloomy sky.
A blizzard pouring down.
The owner of the presence I had found familiar.
The ice dragon, Froznax.
“Froznax.”
The bloodline of the World Tree.
I was someone who could call all dragons and elves my siblings. Yet the shock was as deep as it had been with Yunaxus. After all, Froznax and I had developed a kind of begrudging attachment.
At least several thousand years old.
But among dragons, he was young, a Froznax who had only just shed the air of a hatchling, wasn’t he? Perhaps that was why informal words came out naturally.
“You are crying sorrowfully.”
Words too gentle to be addressed to an evil dragon followed.
“However, there is no need for concern.”
The ones I was actually worried about were not Froznax, but our Holy War Alliance forces charging at him. Including Nam Taemin, Hisagi, and Leoni, there seemed to be only about twenty of them at most……
Dragons are the kings of all things.
At the same time, they are beings of the Strange.
Meaning that unless one is of the Strange, one cannot dare to stand against them.
Moreover, considering that demonized monsters became even stronger……. Considering that Froznax did not possess enough mental fortitude to show mercy like Yunaxus had…….
Before long, my gaze turned toward green hair.‘Even if Bellier has joined them, it is not enough.’In that fleeting instant, I thought of the best method.
Froznax was at a level even I, with [Natural Enemy]
activated, could not handle. I would have to activate the skill [Heaven Above and Below, I Alone Am Supreme]
and borrow Grandfel’s abilities from his prime in order to roughly stand against him.
However.‘Is hunting him truly the best option, Hoyeol?’As befitted the kings of all things,
I knew, thanks to having slain Yunaxus,
that dragons granted an immense amount of experience and spoils.
However, I did not find it pleasing in the slightest. Not the level that had risen at once by fifty, up to the limit, not the Dragon Heart, and not the new equipment made from dragon skin brought me any joy.
Whether that was the influence of Grandfel’s incorruptible integrity.
Whether it was the brotherly affection under the blessing of the World Tree.
Or if none of that was it, whether it was because of Lee Hoyeol’s own unease.
I did not know.
But there was one thing I did know.‘There is a valid reason for everything.’So I approached Bellier. There had to be a reasonable reason why none other than Marcelo had permitted Bellier to enter the Arcana Continent.
I could easily guess what that reason was.
“I ask you, Senior Mage Bellier Yusia.”
“……!”
“The principle behind purifying the Fruit of Evil, and the entirety of the process.”
Because that was something none other than I had instructed her to do.‘If the one who gave the order doesn’t know, wouldn’t that be dereliction of duty?’At my request, Bellier had continued researching how to purify the Fruit of Evil for several months. Yet for some reason, Bellier wore an expression as though I had struck the mark.
“Chief Lee Hoyeol……”
Only after facing Bellier did I realize it.
The great alliance.
The reason they were able to hold out against Froznax.
Crack—Bellier’s skin was slowly freezing over.
My shallow knowledge of healing magic passed through my mind.
“A high-level healing spell, 『Proof of Equivalent Exchange』.”
“……
As expected, you recognized it right away?”
“A spell in which the caster of 『Proof of Equivalent Exchange』 wholly bears the damage suffered by the target. Its effect of absolute damage reduction is considerable, but its mana consumption efficiency is not excellent to the same extent.”
Because of that, she had fallen into mana exhaustion.
Bellier was panting for breath.
I wanted to at least ask if she was all right, but my mouth asked the essential point.
“It would not be mana that is required in the purification process, then.”
“……
Hehe, how sharp.”
“What is needed, Bellier?”
At this point, it might feel obsessive.
But I had no choice but to be obsessive.
Because on the Arcana Continent, healing magic was not omnipotent.
Flame, lightning, water, transformation…….
As I was now, I had learned the majority of the magic that existed in the Magic Tower.
Even up to high-level magic.『His innate magical talent was such that he could imitate most magic simply by seeing it. Furthermore, he possessed physical potential that was no less extraordinary.』Yes, thanks to talent so embarrassing it made one’s face burn.
I could claim to have mastered magic simply by reading magical texts.
I was able to use it freely.
But the reason even I had only learned healing magic up to the middle level was simple. Healing magic was an exceedingly honest form of magic.‘To restore something, a price is required.’In most cases, the caster’s mana was that price.
And that was why I had asked Bellier the question. In a state of mana exhaustion, just what are you planning to offer as the sacrifice for equivalent exchange to purify the Fruit of Evil, Bellier?
“First, 『the Ultimate Principle of Healing Magic』 must precede it.”
The ultimate principle—what a grand name from the start.
But the principle behind it was simple.
The caster’s body becomes the sacrifice for the equivalent exchange of healing magic.
In other words, by offering one’s life, one manifests a semi-permanent healing spell.
Bellier said with a smile.
“Leras Til, after manifesting the Ultimate Principle of Healing Magic, turned into a shining sphere. They say that even now, he is carefully stored somewhere in the Magic Tower as a sphere……. Compared to that, wouldn’t my end be a little better? At the very least, I’ll be able to see plenty of the outside world.”
So you truly intended to stake your life, Bellier.
“I understand your resolve.”
It was not particularly surprising.
This was not the first time Bellier had resolved to risk her life, was it?
I recalled the time she entered the Arcana Continent to resolve Marcelo’s terminal curse. Bellier had said she would follow me then.‘At that time, the Arcana Continent was a land of ruin.’It was no exaggeration to say that even I had died once and returned, hadn’t I?
That was the meaning behind my words.
After all, even dying is something a man who has died before can do better.
“However, I shall not permit it.”
Now I was no longer a co-chief, but the sole chief. With no elder mages present, under Tower Master Marcelo, everyone had to follow my words—that was the strict rule of the Magic Tower.
Bellier asked in bewilderment.
“You will not permit it……? If you are worried about my safety, there is no need for concern. From the moment I entered the Arcana Continent, I was already prepared for this.”
Should I just tell her honestly?
I have a title with an extremely absurd effect called [The Last Adventurer].
On the Arcana Continent, it was an effect called the authority of resurrection, where I did not die even if I died.
So even if I manifested that so-called Ultimate Principle of Healing Magic, I could set foot on the Arcana Continent again after twenty-four hours in real time.
Even if time is gold to Grandfel, it is not more important than life.
Of course, the death penalty of experience loss was significant, but even considering that, nothing was more important than life.‘As if this mouth would kindly explain all that.’But I knew Grandfel’s way of speaking better than anyone.
As expected.
The words that flowed from my mouth were nothing if not concise.
“After Froznax, who comes next?”
“……
Pardon?”
“Bellier, after you, who comes next?”
Depending on how one heard it, it would sound colder than anything.
“Will it be Skilled Mage Klee Odia?”
“……!!”
At my words, ripples spread through Bellier’s green pupils.
Yes, she must have been out of her mind.
Even if Froznax, who had swallowed the Fruit of Evil, were purified through equivalent exchange, through the Ultimate Principle of Healing Magic bought with a life, Froznax was merely the second evil dragon.
It meant that whenever an evil dragon ran rampant, someone else would have no choice but to offer their life. Perhaps imagining Klee’s face, tears gathered at the corners of Bellier’s eyes.
“……
I…!”
Bellier tried to continue with difficulty.
Unfortunately, there was no time to allow her.
Froznax began to rampage even more fiercely.
Fastening my Jacket of Dawn, I opened my mouth.
“I shall do it.”
“……
Wh-what do you mean by that?”
“It is enough that you have shown your resolve.”
I asked once more.
“The Ultimate Principle of Healing Magic. Will you explain its manifestation process to me, Bellier?”
“No! Even if it is an order from you, Chief, I cannot obey it. Chief Lee Hoyeol, for the sake of the Arcana Continent, and for the sake of the adventurers’ world, you still have things you must do……!”……
This is why it would have been better to explain kindly from the start.
Even if I was the head of a great house that had fallen,
did the stubbornness of the nobility go nowhere?
This time, too, I answered in Grandfel’s manner.
“Do not doubt your intuition, Bellier.”
“……
My intuition?”
“Have you not already witnessed it?”
Yes, me, who had returned alive from the Arcana Continent.
Of course, I had not returned unscathed.
Though my body may have been intact.‘My suit was torn, my shirt was soaked in blood, and I was a complete mess.’However.
“……!”
Had she remembered?
Bellier flinched.
Then, with a serious face, she asked.
“……
As expected, Chief, do you possess the authority of resurrection?”
I did not answer.‘It’s similar, but strictly speaking, it isn’t resurrection.’To begin with, the people of Arcana had simply mistaken the death penalty for the authority of resurrection as they pleased. So this time, too, I had no choice but to answer honestly.
The time difference between reality and the Arcana Continent.
Let’s see, twenty-four hours in reality was four days on the Arcana Continent.
After finishing the calculation, I added.
“I shall see you in four days.”*-
“Have you not already witnessed it?”
What surfaced in her mind
was Hoyeol’s clothing, soaked in blood.
Bellier was an expert.
It meant she could assess the severity of an injury just by the amount of blood loss. Furthermore, she knew Hoyeol’s personality well. Regardless of the reason, he was not someone who would be drenched in another person’s blood.‘……
He truly had suffered a fatal wound.’However, Hoyeol’s body, which had returned to reality, had been perfectly fine. Bellier had considered that a miracle. Something that could not be explained, and could never happen again.
That was why his current words were all the more incomprehensible.
“……
Four days?”……
What on earth did he mean?
Was it the aftereffect of mana exhaustion?
Or was it because the words Hoyeol had left behind were difficult to understand?
Bellier, leaning her body against a tree,
lost consciousness....[‘Warmth’ disappears from you.]
A blinking message.
Most likely, Senior Bellier had reached her limit.
Hisagi looked at the situation coldly.‘But we haven’t dealt any proper damage.’Froznax was different from Yunaxus.
Above all, he had intact wings.
His speed was such that even Nam Taemin, no matter how much he activated [Berserk],
could not keep up with him.‘It’s impossible.’Even so, Nam Taemin somehow climbed onto Froznax’s tail.
He drove his greatsword into it and, with brute strength, clung to Froznax and endured.
But as stated.‘It’s nothing more than forcing the impossible.’[An uncontrollable chill assaults you.]
Crack, crack, crack—“Hoo.”
Even the breath he exhaled froze.
Even he, standing at a distance, could not endure that cold. Then what state was Nam Taemin in? If not for the effect of Wildness, it would not be strange if he collapsed right away.
However, Hisagi did not retreat.
“Running into walls……. I am sick and tired of it now.”
Colliding with a wall and falling into despair?
It had happened more than once or twice.
He no longer wanted to become accustomed to despair.
He did not want to kneel before the wall.
If they acknowledged the gap, from that point on, they would be weeded out.
“Because we have the Demon World as our……. goal.”
Grip.
He grasped his spear.
He aimed it at Froznax.
Demonic Spear Arts, Spear Throw.
The moment Hisagi clenched his teeth and prepared his final strike.
“You have certainly grown.”
“……!”
The Commander-in-Chief’s voice reached him.
The reason it was described not as Hoyeol’s voice, but as the Commander-in-Chief’s voice, was simple. At this moment, Hoyeol was looking over the battle situation through the eyes of the Commander-in-Chief.
What that meant was simple.
“In that case, from now on, this will be instruction.”
“……!”
“Keep this in mind. My guidance will not be lenient.”
The Holy War Alliance had finally gained its full strength.*Manifesting the Ultimate Principle of Healing Magic
was said to require no mana.
Then, until my mana ran dry,
I intended to face Froznax.‘From now on, I must make use of every opportunity given to me.’Let’s see. Quite some time had passed since we had competed at the 『Temple of the Dragon』, hadn’t it?
I’ll warn you in advance: it will be different from back then.
I, Lee Hoyeol.
Though I may not look it, I have struggled quite desperately.
Sword energy, magic, the Strange…….
None of them will be as light as they were back then.
More importantly, what is with this chilly atmosphere?
“Before instruction, I shall first create a proper environment.”
I brought my finger to my lips.
“First, be silent, hatchling.”
“Grraa……!”
Snap—And then the Dragon Fear was cut off.
Soon, the surroundings became as quiet as death.
I added again.
“Discipline for you is also scheduled.”
“……?”
“So there is no need to be sad anymore.”
In a way of speaking that was not wrong, but could easily cause misunderstanding.
“Fledgling Froznax.”
“……?!!”