Chapter 418 – Save Me! (3)

Someone broke a branch.

"… What the!"

However, the person who broke that branch could not help but be shocked and afraid.
The black mage looked down and shouted in shock.

"How the hell is this a tree branch?!"

He could see a large tree branch wrapping around the golem's leg and heading for the body.

Pss-

The black mage flinched and looked up after hearing the rustling of leaves.

"…Shit..."

He could see many more branches reaching toward the golem and the cockpit.
Underneath the night sky… The trees that were the quietest existences here but filled up most of this area, no, the entire forest was attacking the golems.

Screech, screech-

The golem could not move its foot forward.
It was wrapped out by a silent enemy.

Baaaaang! Bang! Bang!

Axe, sword, spear, and fist.
The golems attacked the branches with their respective weapons.

"Oh come on, please!"

The people in the cockpit turned from calm to slowly desperate before it turned into looks of disgust.

"Why is there no end to them?!"

Baaaaang!

A branch crumbled after being hit by an axe.
However, a new branch grew out and filled its spot.

Even after the golems broke them and broke them again…
This weak existence was persistent as it prevented the golems from moving.

"…This-"

An allied soldier who came with Saint Jack was at loss for words. It was as if the trees had turned into monsters to attack the golems.
It felt as if the forest had turned into a swamp of sorts.

"What are you all doing? Hurry up and retreat to the rear!"

The soldier quickly snapped out of it and started to retreat after hearing his superior scold him.
All soldiers were retreating after hearing Saint Jack and the knights ordering them to move back.

Shhhhhhh- Shhhhhh-

The soldier who was running away from the tower felt fear as well as relief as he watched the large tree trunks brushing past him.

Baaaaang!

He could see the tree trunk wrap around a golem that was right behind him.

The soldier turned his head around once more.

The center of the forest…
There was a pillar of fire supporting the black wall at the Northern Alchemists' Tower located in the center of the forest.
Lion King Dorph started to laugh as he watched the fire.

"Ha, haha-"

His gaze was focused at the center of the pillar of fire.

Cale Henituse.
Cale was smiling as he looked at Dorph. Dorph could see the pair of eyes that seemed to be looking down at him.

"You sure say some funny things."

Cale continued to speak while looking at Dorph as if he was a joke.

"You want fair and square after you've done all that terrible crap until now? Does something like that work on the battlefield?"

Cale slowly raised the hands that he had lowered.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

His heart was beating wildly.

– I'm hungry, I'm hungry, I'm so hungry.

He could hear the glutton priestess's mumblings.

'Yes, I'm sure you are hungry.
It's completely understandable.'

– Do not overdo it.

He could also hear the Super Rock.

'Yes, I don't plan on overdoing it.'

That was why Cale started to speak.

"Rise."

Shhhhhhh- Shhhhhh-

The tree trunks that were not binding the golems started to move.
The shot up into the air.

Boom, boom!

They crashed into each other.
Then they started to wrap around together.

All allied soldiers retreated to the rear.
At the center of the tower… Cale who was floating higher than the forest could see the new appearance of the forest.

"…Us."

Dorph took in the sight of the forest.

"Are you trying to capture us?"

The forest created a large dome around them.
This was not created to protect the inside from the dangers of the outside.
It was a trap made so that the people inside could not escape.

Dorph could see Cale tilting his head.

"Who knows?"

Cale's body then shot down to the ground.
Dorph started to frown at the same time.

"Just what?!"

The pillar of fire disappeared.
It had gone out in an instant.
Cale chuckled as he responded.

"Things will get complicated if I overdo it."

The Fire of Destruction and the Indestructible Shield.
The large pillar of fire and the growing trees of the forest.
Using both would definitely put a burden on his body.

"Get him!"

Cale could see the black mages and mages launching attacks toward him after hearing Dorph's orders as he descended toward the dead mana lake.

"Mary."

He called for someone.

"Tasha."

He called for a Dark Elf as well.
A person who was wearing a robe and standing between the Dark Elf warriors charged toward the dead mana lake.

Swooooooosh-

A breeze blew by.
The hood of the robe came off, revealing Tasha's face.
The black magic and magic attacks were flying toward Cale.

Baaaaang!

There was a loud explosion right above the dead mana lake.
A dust cloud made it hard for them to see.

"Young master Cale, you look even skinnier than before."

However, Tasha had Cale dangling on her side as she charged out of the dust cloud.

"…Ah… isn't it too much to have me dangling like this?"

Cale sighed as Tasha carried him by her side.
He would have usually used the Sound of the Wind at this point, but the chances of fainting were quite high if he was to use any other power right now. Then they might really create some gochujang in this world.

It was at that moment.
Cale could hear the voices of the black mages standing at the top of the tower.

"Now! Go procure the dead mana!"

The black mages started to use flight magic to fly down.
He heard a GPS-like voice at that moment.
The owner of the calm voice rushed past Tasha and Cale who were moving away from the tower.

"Thank you for the meal."

The hands of the person in a black robe that were covered in spiderweb-like scars appeared from underneath the robe.

"Me too!"
"Awesome!"

The Dark Elves followed behind her.

"No!"
"Stop them!"

The black mages were shocked.

Screech, screech.

It was the same for the mages sitting in the golems' cockpits who could not move because of the branches holding them down.
The Dark Elves started to smile as they watched.

"It definitely feels different to have a cake disappear on its own versus having someone taking it from you and eating it."
"Yes, yes indeed. That is why we need to take it and eat it!"

Cale could see some of the Dark Elves smiling wickedly as they jumped into the dead mana lake while others hindered the mages coming down from the tower.
They seemed to be enjoying themselves.

"Hehe, doesn't it look like we are the villains?"

Tasha laughed at the black mages who looked as if they were being robbed. However, that smile soon disappeared.

– Human! This thing is weird!

Cale heard Raon's voice and looked toward the black wall.

"What is that?"

Oooooo-

The black wall let out an eerie noise before it started to fluctuate like a wave.

– It's spreading! The black wall is aiming for something other than the tower now!

The black wall spread out to the side.
It created a large circle as if it wanted to envelop the forest.
Cale looked toward Dorph.

Tasha's sharp gaze focused on the black wall at that moment.

"It is the power of an Elemental, but which Elemental is it?"

She started to frown.
Something was moving within the transparent black wall. Once her eyes reach Dorph…

"Tasha."

She heard Cale's quiet voice.

"Put me down."

'Ah.'

Cale was still dangling on Tasha's side until she let him down. She placed him next to Clopeh.

"Cale-nim, it has been a while since I have seen you in person. I have seen a page in your legend today. Ah, the sight of the beautiful pillar of fire and the trees starting to grow. I am moved, no, I am deeply moved and amazed."

Cale ignored Clopeh's comments and started to speak to Tasha.

"Do it as you are thinking."
"Shall I?"

Tasha didn't even ask if Cale knew what she was thinking before smiling and heading toward the battlefield. She didn't look back as she started to move.

Baaaaang!

Then there was a loud explosion in the air.
Choi Han swung his sword toward Dorph.

"As I expected."

Choi Han's expression had turned cold.

Crack!

He could see a hand that was holding onto his sword, no, the aura around it.
It was the large hand of a Beast person who had gone berserk.

"You really had not gone berserk yet."

Choi Han observed the owner of the hand who was holding onto his aura-covered sword.

"Haha, this much is basic."

Dorph was smiling with only his right arm that was holding onto the sword having entered the berserk transformation.

Riiiiiip.

The clothes covering his right arm ripped because of the transformation.
Choi Han could estimate Dorph's strength just by looking at the right arm.

"I can tell that you are probably the strongest Lion in your berserk transformation."
"Of course."

He wondered if others could achieve this partial berserk transformation as well, however, seeing this berserk right arm was enough to tell that this feeble-looking Lion Dorph was strong enough to defeat the Tigers, other Lions, and Bears.

Choi Han's foot started to move.

Baaaaang!

Dorph easily blocked the kick and let go of the sword.
He then started to speak.

"Look at this darkness."

Ooooooo-

The eerie noise came to an end.
The black wall covered the entire forest.

"Roooooar!"

Choi Han heard the golems roar for the first time at that moment.

'The golems!'

The golems were looking up at the black wall.
Then they started to roar.

Crumble.

The tree trunks were easily destroyed.
Black smoke started to rise from the golems' bodies.

"What the-"

It seemed as if the golems had entered berserk transformations.
The moment Choi Han's eyes moved toward Dorph…

"You can't live alone in the world, you need to overcome things together."

He could see Dorph gently speaking with a relaxed expression.

"Don't you agree?"

The moment he asked the question…

Boom!

Choi Han heard another noise.
It was the sound of the ground rumbling. He lowered his head.

"Oh my. This is why we needed the Dark Elves to be gone."

Dorph sighed while Choi Han watched a whirlwind being created at the center of the dead mana lake.
People were shooting into the air through the black liquid whirlwind.

It was Tasha and the Dark Elf warriors.
The people who knew Elemental Arts were heading toward Dorph.

– Choi Han! The Dark Elves are going to you! I'm going to go to the human for a moment!

Tasha who was covered in grey appeared after Raon said that.
She licked her lips with her tongue. The dead mana entered into her mouth.

Swiiiiiish- Swiiiiiiiish-

Wind started to appear around Tasha. It was a Wind Elemental.
The Dark Elves around her started to use fire and water powers as well.

"What Elemental is it?"

Tasha's body shot forward toward Dorph without giving him any moment to respond.
Choi Han followed behind her as if he was there to back her up.

"Shit!"

Dorph looked troubled.
It was at that moment.

"Why are you not responding to my question?"

Choi Han looked confused after hearing Dorph's question.
He recalled what Dorph had just said.

'You can't live alone in the world, you need to overcome things together. Don't you agree?'

Was Dorph asking why he had not answered that question?
Choi Han let out a snort.

It was inconsistent to hear one of the White Star's lackeys say that you can't live alone in the world and need to overcome things together.
They were people who selfishly cared only about themselves.

– This is bad!

He heard Raon's voice at that moment.

– How could the great Raon not notice it!

Choi Han turned his head after feeling the vibrations of a strong power.
Then he saw a light.

"What the!"

Choi Han started to move toward Cale.
It was a large spear of light.

The bright light was beautiful and holier than Saint Jack's light.
It also looked violent at the same time.
It truly resembled the sun that seemed to want to burn everything down.
That spear of light suddenly shot out from the forest and charged toward Cale.

"Cale-nim!"

Choi Han quickly started to move.

Baaaaaang!

However, the explosion was one step faster.
A loud noise could be heard.

"Ah."

Choi Han could then see the silver shield with its wings opened wide.

"Damn it!"

Cale was standing in front of Clopeh with a frown on his face.

"Cale-nim, this shield truly is legendary."

Cale ignored Clopeh's comment.
He turned his head to the side. Eruhaben was standing there.

Craaaaaaack.

The white gold shield in front of the silver shield was slowly starting to crack.

Clopeh, Ron, Cale, and Eruhaben all started to look past the shield.

Craaaaaaack. Clang!

The white gold shield broke in the end.

He had cast it urgently, but a Dragon's shield was destroyed in one attack.

"…Light..."

Jack looked astonished.
It was a bright spear of light that had attacked Cale.

From inside the darkness of the forest…
Someone slowly walked out of the darkness.

"Is that a good enough response for you?"

Choi Han turned around and looked toward Dorph after hearing the person's question. Dorph was descending to the ground as well.

The question earlier was not for Choi Han.
Dorph was asking this person who had just appeared.
No, he might not have just appeared. He might have been there from the beginning.

Choi Han's stiff gaze met Dorph's eyes as Dorph started to speak.

"Looks like someone on my side is here."

He was smiling.

"He's the Bear King."

The Bear King.

The Bear tribe was one of the major factions along with Arm and the Lion tribe that followed the White Star. However, the Bear tribe had received the most damage through multiple battles until now.

Cale heard the voice of a Wind Elemental in his ear.

– Cale, Cale! I heard what Dorph just said! It's the Bear King! That guy is the Bear King!

It was someone that even ancient Dragon Eruhaben and Raon did not notice.
The person that was slowly walking out of the forest seemed weak.

Cale heard the Scary Giant Cobblestone's voice at that moment.

– Most of the people with powers during ancient times sided with us. But there were a few who followed the White Star.

The Sky Eating Water who had been quiet started to speak.

– The sky is a changing existence. It changes day by day, moment by moment. However, it still remains the same.

The sky was different every moment, but it never changed.

– That is because of the existence of night and day.

The Super Rock continued to speak.

– Darkness and light. They were the ones with the strongest and most important powers that followed the ancient White Star.

The wall of darkness that Dorph had created.
The Bear King who had created the spear of light that just attacked Cale.

Cale became shocked at that moment.

"Cough, cough!"

'That supposed Bear King bastard-, I mean person.'

"Cough, cough, ugh!"

Cale started to frown after seeing someone who nobody had noticed suddenly appear.
He then heard Raon's voice.

– Human! He has a bloody nose! He's bleeding like you! He has blood in his mouth like you too!

The Bear King was stopping his bloody nose with a handkerchief as he let out a sigh.

"So annoying."

The mumbling Bear King seemed very annoyed.

– Human! Is he going to faint like you soon?

'Right?
He looks like he's almost dead.'

Cale found this situation to be odd.

– Let's go punch him and make him faint! Let's smack him from behind!

Raon shouted with excitement.
Cale looked down at his palm.

'Smack him on the back with these things?'

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]