episode_0060

Ian swallowed hard, his eyes darting around as he suppressed the saliva. Cecilia maintained her composure, standing tall with a cold gaze fixed straight ahead.

Like a natural disaster, she faced the oncoming horde of monsters with a determination that seemed to swallow everything around her. From this, it was clear that she was not shaken at all. In that moment, she unmistakably displayed her expertise as a seasoned warrior and commander.

But why wait for them to come this far without charging in immediately?

If they ventured outside the cave, things would only get more troublesome. Even if they unleashed magic right now, the troops remained in formation, holding their shields steady instead of rushing into battle.

In this tense situation, a three-headed hydra raised its head, jaws wide open.

Thud, thud—the vile yet potent acid began pooling, melting the cave.

Beneath, monsters streamed in like an army of ants.

Leaving it unchecked would undoubtedly lead to the disruption of their formation.

“Our target is the hydra up front! All mages, prepare your spells!”

A familiar voice echoed loudly.

-Kigigigik!

Fifth-tier magic.

The current white noise, intensified by the priestess’s blessing, was the combined strike of reinforced mages.

White flames ignited from the tips of their arrowheads.

Gradually, dozens of mages infused power into the summoned ballista, aiming it at the hydra.

Cecilia, gazing intently at the front, shouted hoarsely, “Fire-!!!”

-!!!!!! With a thunderous sound as if something massive was about to explode, the prepared arrow of holy fire was released.

As precisely as drawing a straight line with a pen, the arrow flew straight towards the hydra.

And just as they prepared for the moment when monsters would rush out like starved wolves after a week. Ian’s pupils contracted, tension visible around his eyes.

-Kwagagagang!

Sharp, the shock made his eyes involuntarily shut as he stared sharply at the spot.

The creatures, over 500 in number, appeared to be exploding all over as if hit by a modern explosive, preventing their bodies from regenerating as the white flames continued to burn without ceasing.

There was no other way to describe it. Watching each wolf-like creature that needed to be decisively killed explode all at once was as satisfying as piercing through a frustrating feeling.

But that wasn’t the end.

The blazing holy fire, illuminating the dark cave, began clinging to other nearby monsters, not extinguishing but spreading further. The stench of decaying monster bodies started to permeate the air.

Until their magical essence was completely depleted.

The flaming entities, rolling around the cave with the white fire on their backs, gradually melted away, their breaths ceasing.

Waaaaah!

A resounding cheer erupted from the knights. Even cries of victory rang out loudly around the priestess.

“Excellent! Look at them, what a sight!”

“Ohh…! This is sixth-tier magic…!!”

Even the usually reserved knights raised their weapons, boosting morale, and Ian himself was slightly taken aback by the spectacle.

-Krrrrrrr!

Contrary to our cheers, the creatures still inside the cave were cursing as they tried to extinguish the white flames. It seemed sending hundreds of monsters first resulted in them burning to ashes without even touching a human being.

Soon after, a larger hydra emerged, opening its massive jaws and spewing crimson flames from within.

“It’s fire!!”

As Rachel quickly identified what it was, flames began to billow and shoot towards us.

With a burst of momentum, flames erupted unexpectedly, but thanks to Rachel’s quick thinking in deploying an ice barrier beforehand, the scorching breath that could have melted even their iron armor evaporated into nothingness before reaching their shields.

“Fire away-!!!”

No time for cheers over Rachel’s tremendous momentum as a familiar voice promptly issued the next command.

The second arrow wasn’t just one.

Instead, with the aim of clearing out the goblins entirely, the force was dispersed, causing a deluge of fiery arrows to rain down.

There was no place to hide between the paths leading out from the cave. The tactic of blasting firepower into the open hole, sweeping away the creatures, though highly efficient, was not without its risks.

Suddenly, despite the ease with which things were unfolding according to plan, a sense of unease crept in. Were the mercenaries personally noted by Yuria such formidable opponents to succumb so easily? However, now was not the time to dwell on such doubts.

Several villages were being decimated effortlessly by the hordes of monsters, akin to pests being exterminated with pesticide.

Any thoughts of defeat or negativity had already been firmly pushed aside.

With the prospect of vanquishing the monsters without any sacrifices, the morale of the knights soared, and hope of swiftly returning to their families gleamed in their eyes.

Meanwhile, inside the cave turned graveyard, a half-charred hydra spewed acid through its torn mouth. This sudden display caused the momentarily subdued monsters to resume flowing relentlessly through the never-ending hole. Creatures preyed upon the wounded, feasting on the already charred corpses, creating a scene where the term “monsters” truly fit.

It was then that a cold sound escaped Rachel’s lips.

“Tsk.”

Watching Rachel, fists clenched, gaze fixed on the ceaseless stream of monsters emerging, Ian inquired, “What’s happening?”

Rachel exhaled heavily, shoulders tensing slightly before adding, “…Roots.”

Ian’s expression twisted momentarily in confusion. “We’re still at the beginning of the cave… And there were no reports of roots from the scouts.”

“In the world of monsters, there are those who can mimic human behaviors,” Rachel explained. Despite double-checking, she was certain. Roots were already present near the cave.

She had confirmed the discrepancies between her scouts’ reports and what they were facing. The situation seemed to indicate that they had been deceived.

Roots were akin to a demon’s nest. As long as they persisted, the monsters would continue to spawn and regenerate, stacking buffs in their favor and debuffs against them. It was clear that if this continued, they would be at a severe disadvantage in a prolonged battle.

“Master, according to the reports from our scouts, there are three high-level roots and around seven mid-level roots inside.”

“Damn it.”

Rachel cursed under her breath upon hearing this from the side. “Dealing with even one is challenging enough. But three high-level ones, and seven mid-level ones…”

Numbers aside, reaching that location was an ordeal in itself. Even if they were to douse the area with sanctity from outside, directly confronting the high-level roots without physical contact posed a challenge.

Only Uriah and I, capable of moving freely among the shadows, could directly engage with them.

Reluctant to expose Yuria prematurely…

If left unattended, it could escalate into a full-blown conflict, making it impossible to endure here day and night.

Even as the decision is being made, the magic in this cave was already corrupting, gradually absorbing all surrounding magic like a demon’s nest, birthing new monsters.

Merely guarding the monsters results in reinforcement for allies, debuffs for enemies, and when the saint’s sanctity wanes, various diseases and psychic attacks occur. In other words, they were an irksome presence.

In dragging out fights, they were more persistent than the core demon’s nest.

Decisions like these are best made swiftly.

“For now… start with the shadows.”

That was the moment.

Brandishing her sword fiercely, Rachel charged ahead nervously, taking the lead.

“Ian, you shouldn’t bear too much alone.”

Rachel tightly gripped her white-gloved hands, spreading blue magic tendrils.

“Hurry! We must eliminate the roots before more emerge!!!”

As Rachel spoke, mages tried to restrain her.

-We’re not ready with the arrows yet! Please wait a bit longer until we finish reloading!

They continued casting 6th-tier magic spells. Given the scale of potential mishaps next to the saint, even the slightest error was unacceptable, making it challenging to keep casting such spells.

Nevertheless, Rachel rushed forward undeterred.

Whether she had discerned her goal or not, Cecilia aimed her sword towards that direction, shouting, “Clear a path for Rachel!!”

“Chargeeee!!!”

As Cecilia shouted, the knights also yelled and began rushing forward.

The moment her hand touched the ground,

Frost spread from Rachel’s fingertips, freezing the entrance where monsters were pouring out.

More accurately, she froze the monsters’ bodies before ‘blocking’ them.

Subsequently, holy arrows were shot, swiftly clearing out the monsters.

However, it wasn’t over.

The sensation I felt when entering the mountain was incomparable to this, making me realize there was something stronger inside.

Not just the roots. There was something more powerful within, causing my heart to race.

Due to an unconscious compulsion that time was of the essence, I realized I had been anxious internally despite not showing it outwardly since earlier.

Dealing with the roots should be manageable with Yuria’s lineage. However, considering the immediate plan to charge in and eradicate them, I sensed my judgment was significantly clouded.

Amidst this chaos,

“Master.”

Yuria placed her hand gently on Ian’s trembling hand, interlocking their fingers.

“Breathe slowly, Master.”

It was what I said to her when we first met, bleeding.

“…”

“Due to the sensitive senses partially granted by the vampire, mental aspects can be confusing in spaces infused with various magics. For other reasons as well. So… I understand your feelings. I’m not disappointed. But not relying on me at all… makes me a little sad. It’s not right for a married couple to lack such communication. Don’t think about anything, feel free to hold onto me. I trust you, Master.”

As her warm touch and gentle breath between his fingers calmed him down.

The cold air that had been escaping in various colors gradually became familiar, and I began to regain my composure.

“In battle, you can hold my hand if you want… but it’s probably more efficient to stick closely behind me.”

Hmm, let’s pretend I didn’t hear that.

“Still, it’s not our turn to take the lead. For now, it’s best to follow the advice of this lady.”

“…”

“Are you still feeling uneasy?”

Before my eyes, a large-scale bloody battle was taking place.

If you were to ask if I’m completely calm, that would be a lie. Still, I’ve improved a bit, so it doesn’t matter-

“It’s fine. If any irreversible harm comes to you, I will immediately tear them all apart without missing a single one and follow. If the afterlife truly exists… there, just the two of us, we’ll peacefully raise about three children together…”

Enough with the scary talk.