Ch.138138. Black Mage

“Ha, that fucking bastard.”

With a rough curse, Findenai grits her teeth and steadies her breathing.

The blade of her first axe has already been completely severed, so she tosses it aside and draws another axe from her waist.

I should have brought some tobacco.

She has a pack in her possession, but it wasn’t something she wanted to put in her mouth in this situation.

It was a luxury item meant to be savored properly, enjoying its taste and aroma.

Finally, suppressing her urge, Findenai grits her teeth once more and takes a deep breath.

She was struggling more than expected, and her opponent’s attacks were fierce.

The difference between having a Great Warrior present or not was substantial.

However, Findenai realized this wasn’t simply due to the Great Warrior’s skill.

Kheung!

A beast resembling a black-skinned leopard lunges from the forest. Its fangs extend long, poised to completely shatter Findenai’s head.

But Findenai, having already sensed its presence before it attacked, brings down the axe she had raised high.

Kwajik!

The beast’s skull shatters, smashing into the ground as blood sprays out.

The Great Warrior’s power was certainly formidable.

But after what happened with Deus, he wasn’t displaying the kind of overwhelming power that could single-handedly sweep through a battlefield.

Now it was the opposite.

Instead of Horua lending power to the Great Warrior, the Great Warrior was lending his body to Horua, reversing their roles.

The monsters obey Horua, the master of the Marias Great Forest, protecting the Marias tribe and fighting alongside them.

Additionally, his flames possessed the mysterious power of not burning the forest indiscriminately.

No one else on this battlefield would have experienced it, but Findenai alone had fought against a guardian deity before.

The day she first met Deus Verdi while crossing the Norsweden mountains.

It was difficult to call it a fight, but when Findenai charged at Deus who was handling souls, she was immediately knocked to the ground by a single blow from the mountain guardian.

The giant’s power that could never be defeated. A noble figure that exuded greatness.

She understood that Horua was of the same kind as the mountain guardian of the Norsweden mountains, but if asked whether he was equally overwhelming, the answer would be no.

‘A god who has descended in human form.’

Findenai slightly turns her body to look at the clearing beyond the trees. The center of this battlefield.

The Great Warrior wielding a spear of flame, dominating the entire battlefield.

And facing him head-on, the only one in direct confrontation, Knight Commander Gloria.

Even for someone like Findenai, recklessly joining that battle now would be dangerous.

Before considering skill, her equipment itself was inferior.

Gloria was wielding a greatsword worthy of being called a sacred blade, clad in red full-body armor.

The Great Warrior Balkzar was practically bare-bodied, but he was receiving protection superior to any armor through the power of the guardian deity.

“Hoo.”

But even so.

If she were to remain still here, Findenai wouldn’t have fought for freedom under the oppression of the Republic of Clark.

Kneeling was never part of Findenai’s life. Perhaps only beyond death would she ever see it.

“Mr. Ghost. Are you there?”

In response to Findenai’s call, a wind mixed with mana blows in.

While Deus was in Mountain Path Village, the Dark Spiritmaster had been by Findenai’s side, helping her whenever she was in danger.

“I’m going in there now, can you help me?”

He isn’t visible.

But since they shared the same goal.

Findenai confirms the protective barrier surrounding her. As a Black Mage, her proficiency with magic that protects others is low, but it was better than nothing.

Seeing this, Findenai takes a deep breath, grips her axe, and draws a short staff hidden at her waist with her other hand.

Chwarrrruk!

“Master.”

As the staff extends, revealing an axe. She holds an axe in each hand, takes a deep breath, and steps out.

“Come out a little later.”

There’s no time to waste.

Even if they can’t end the war, Deus Verdi needs to emerge after they’ve at least rescued Illuania.

Hoping that the always calm and composed man wouldn’t become like other Black Mages.

“I’ll finish this quickly.”

Findenai and the Dark Spiritmaster charged toward the Great Warrior in an unexpected alliance.

* * *

“Flee now, you fools!”

Great Warrior Balkzar was becoming an entity that could no longer simply be called human.

A guardian deity cannot harm humans indiscriminately. For those who protect nature, even humans are part of nature.

But Horua had abandoned his position as a guardian deity.

He was losing power in exchange for abandoning responsibility, but the sheer magnitude of his power was still more than enough to handle humans.

Whether it was Balkzar’s or Horua’s, a roar echoed as the kingdom’s army had no choice but to retreat.

Monsters pouring in from all directions and warriors using the forest to strike and retreat, centered around the Great Warrior.

Unlike before when they could simply push forward, the kingdom’s forces were struggling, and the royal knights’ thick armor became a hindrance in the great forest.

The retreating kingdom’s army had no choice but to fall back to regroup.

“It feels like we’re fighting the entire Marias Great Forest, not just the tribe.”

Gloria, who had removed her red armor of the royal knights due to the heat and flames melting it, wore only bandages on her body.

Lucia, who was carefully treating her, also let out a bitter sigh.

“It’s no longer just about Balkzar, is it?”

“Yes, Horua was it? I wonder if there’s anyone who could defeat that entity within the great forest.”

“…That person said that since he abandoned his title as guardian deity, he would naturally disappear over time.”

“And when would that be?”

Gloria asked Lucia curtly, but naturally, Lucia couldn’t answer.

Even Deus Verdi probably wouldn’t know when that enormous reservoir of power would run out.

“He can freely use fire in the forest, yet the forest doesn’t burn. Even the Grand Mage couldn’t perform such a feat.”

The biggest problem was Horua’s flames.

They spread throughout the forest, transforming the battlefield as he wished, yet causing no damage to the forest itself.

Flames that seemed to burn eternally would disappear with just a gesture from the Great Warrior.

The fire was siding with the enemy.

It was beyond frustrating, to the point of anger.

With human limitations clearly evident, Gloria bit her lip hard while trying to think of another approach.

Even so, he was an enemy who had mercilessly slaughtered her countrymen.

She couldn’t just let him go like this.

As Gloria reviewed her battle with the Great Warrior, she swallowed the bitter taste rising in her tongue and asked Lucia.

“By the way, where is that person?”

“That person?”

“The necromancer’s maid.”

“Ah…”

Lucia’s expression darkened instantly. Gloria had anticipated this reaction, but she still needed to confirm.

The only person who had helped when Gloria was starting to be overwhelmed.

The maid who fought fiercely against the Great Warrior with her unique free-flowing movements and the Blood Claw on her hand.

Eventually, both her axes melted and she allowed a fatal wound, but Gloria was able to save her when she rejoined the battle.

“I finished treating her before you. But she won’t be able to participate in the next battle.”

“…That’s to be expected, but it’s a shame.”

She had seen her fight at the royal palace before, but finding such a warrior wasn’t easy.

Especially how her movements became faster as the battle continued, and her beast-like instincts gave even Gloria goosebumps.

Just then.

Chwaruk!

A man entered as the tent flap was pulled aside. His presence alone was enough to cool bodies heated by Horua’s flames.

His hair was matted down from the rain outside, giving him an ominously foreboding appearance.

And.

“Kyaaaak!”

Knight Commander Gloria hurriedly covered her body and screamed.

Having lived her entire life wielding only a sword and serving as the king’s greatest blade, the woman only knew about relationships between men and women from novels written by her friend Lucia.

She hastily covered her body, which was only wrapped in bandages, but the necromancer’s eyes didn’t change at all.

Unwavering eyes.

Where most men would have at least glanced away, his gaze remained fixed precisely on the Saintess.

“The farewell is over.”

A brief but concise statement.

With just that, Lucia ignored her friend’s semi-nudity and clasped her hands.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“My assistant Owen worked very hard. Please take care of his healing. Pay special attention to his fingers.”

“I understand.”

Owen had played continuously during the farewell ceremony for the dead over several days, with only brief rests.

He was now lying exhausted in a tent, resting.

“But the battle still hasn’t ended.”

Deus was surprised that the war, which he expected to end quickly after weakening the Great Warrior, had gone on longer than anticipated.

Hastily wrapping herself in a blanket, Gloria answered with apparent shame.

“It’s because of the guardian deity Horua. He escaped to the Marias Great Forest, and we’re having difficulty dealing with him.”

“So he ran away after all.”

Deus nodded, understanding the situation broadly, then asked another question.

“Where is Findenai?”

“…”

“…”

A moment of silence fell over the tent.

That alone was enough for Deus’s brow to furrow as he issued a sharp command.

“Guide me.”

* * *

“Shit, you came out way too early.”

Findenai greeted me with a hoarse voice, looking up. The ends of her white hair were burned, and her entire body was wrapped in bandages.

She seemed to have suffered burns, but Lucia’s holy power had worked, so there would likely be no scars.

But she appeared to have exhausted all her energy, looking too weak to stand.

[It’s over, isn’t it.]

The Dark Spiritmaster sitting silently beside her didn’t look good either. Since Horua could damage even souls, his body was not intact and looked dangerously faint.

“Master, I haven’t lost yet. If I go fight, I’ll win.”

[That’s right. So you stay put.]

Looking silently at the two of them, I slowly opened my mouth.

“Why did you fight so hard?”

“…”

[…]

The two remained silent, refusing to speak. In response to this rather blatant silence, I asked again.

“Tell me.”

Yet silence persisted.

I glanced briefly at the Saintess who had followed me, but she too lowered her head and chose silence.

I felt something knotted in my chest. The more I saw Findenai and the Dark Spiritmaster lying there so helplessly, the more something in my chest wanted to pour out, causing turmoil inside.

Since this emotion was new to me.

Not knowing how to resolve it, I slowly drew up my mana.

“Do I need to grab a corpse and ask it?”

The cold mana gradually took over the injured tent. Just as I was about to go outside and catch a corpse to question if they remained silent.

What I saw was.

A woman with half her body burned, appearing through the edge of the tent.

Having exhausted her strength, she was gradually disappearing, crawling toward me rather than walking with her usual confident stride.

“Illuania?”

Why is her guardian spirit here?

And simultaneously, the three other women flinched.

I felt my head getting hot.

It was the first time my body had been so swayed by emotions I had thought were faint.

“I won’t ask anymore. Just tell me.”

“Ah, alright! Just withdraw your mana! You’re scaring the other injured people!”

It was Saintess Lucia who spoke up, judging my state to be concerning.

Her explanation was very cautious, as if testing a stone bridge, but the core was simple.

The Great Warrior, who didn’t want me to enter the battlefield, had kidnapped Illuania.

“Master, just stay put for now. I’ll handle this…!”

Findenai urgently rose from her sickbed and grabbed my hand, but I shook it off.

“Wait a moment! Please wait! If you get involved, that person will be in danger!”

The Saintess blocked my path, but I grabbed her shoulders and pushed her aside.

[Deus, maintain your principles. Don’t become like Dante or me… like other Black Mages.]

The Dark Spiritmaster spoke to me in a tearful voice, but I ignored him too and walked outside.

Shwaaaaa.

Looking up at the pouring rain, I opened my mouth.

“Tell Gloria.”

My voice was surprisingly calm, even to myself.

“Tell her not to bring the army near the forest until I come out.”

There was no hesitation in my steps toward the distant Marias Great Forest.

Rather, I noticed my pace gradually quickening.

Tightly clenched fists.

I felt the emotional fluctuations fading as they touched the principles I held as a necromancer, not a Black Mage.

But I had no regrets.

“That forest now belongs to the dead.”

Alone, I headed into the great forest.