Ch.146Chapter 146: The Decisive Battle in the East (14).

*Thud!*

Balt’s foot steps on the platform created by Lilith as he dashes through the air.

Seeing this, Jerdin sticks out his tongue.

“Blood magic… What do you think, Lord Veron? Do you see potential in them?”

Unlike Jerdin, Veron knew exactly how Balt’s group had dealt with the Orc detachment targeting their supply route.

Among those events, what even Veron found hard to believe was the existence of the Meteor Strike that Balt had cast.

A super-massive area magic capable of annihilating an army with a single blow.

Veron’s eyes gleam as he answers Jerdin’s question.

“It’s hard to say for certain, but they must have a reason for stepping forward so confidently, don’t you think?”

In truth, there was calculation behind Jerdin’s decision to entrust this important mission to Balt.

Jerdin had already reached an agreement with Balt. However, he hadn’t sought consent from the people in his unit.

It was Jerdin’s unilateral decision to bring Balt into the unit.

There had been some grumbling about this, but that Gerong-tu had still managed to be recognized as a unit member, smiling as if to prove everyone wrong.

But that wasn’t all.

This was Jerdin’s independent decision.

If Balt proved unhelpful to the unit or only sought to claim achievements for himself, the resentment from Jerdin’s unit members would grow.

But what if the opposite happened?

The eastern region was still unfamiliar with Gerong-tu. If they could utilize these unproven beings in war and achieve significant results, it might be evaluated as Jerdin’s foresight and military prowess.

However, he hadn’t expected such a major role as this.

He had only hoped they would be of some help when fighting the Orc King.

“Hmm… I hope my instincts haven’t failed me.”

There are various types of powerful individuals. Among them, Jerdin could be classified as one with highly developed intuitive abilities.

It was this intuition that led Jerdin to entrust such a mission to Balt.

“Even if they fail, I hope they can at least bring about some change.”

Balt was Jerdin’s most flexible and unpredictable card to play.

Though his words suggested low expectations, Jerdin felt an inexplicable sense of reassurance as he watched Balt’s back as he leaped across the platforms.

“That’s certainly possible.”

“I hope your prediction is right. All unit members, listen up! Prepare to move out now! Our objective is to neutralize the enemy’s artifact attack! If that’s not feasible, we’ll charge straight at the Orc King!!”

Having played his card, he needed to prepare himself as well. Jerdin was the commander. He couldn’t just hope for Balt’s success.

If they failed, he needed to have another plan ready.

“Yes, sir!!”

The resounding shouts of Jerdin’s unit members echoed, and Jerdin himself began to heighten his tension in response to the unpredictable battlefield atmosphere.

“Let’s see. I’ll personally evaluate whether they’re a race strong enough to promote peace in the Empire.”

***

*Thud!*

*Whoosh!*

*Swoosh!*

Similar to before, Balt races through the sky with Arias on his left and Lilith on his right.

Arias asks Balt in a worried tone.

“Balt, do you have a plan? That artifact is incredibly powerful.”

Balt responds to Arias’s words.

“Hmm? Arias, do you know something about that weapon?”

“Yes, it’s similar to what we heard earlier—it’s said to be the tooth of an ancient Orc warrior from long ago. But from what I know, it has one more characteristic.”

The more information, the better. As expected of an elf who lives a long life, Arias knew about ancient artifacts.

“You know that each race has their artifacts, right?”

“Yes, I know that each race has objects they preciously protect and consider sacred. For elves, it was a bow, wasn’t it?”

Artifacts containing divine power weren’t exclusive to humans. In fact, other races often possessed more unique artifacts than humans.

“To be precise, it’s not exactly a bow, but it has often appeared in the form of a bow. It’s actually a branch called the Heart of the World Tree.”

Hearing Arias’s explanation, Lilith asks with interest.

“Just a branch? Can something like that become an artifact?”

Arias proudly nods at Lilith’s surprised tone.

“Yes, but it’s not just any branch. First, the World Tree is enormously large, so even a branch is huge. And it’s a branch with tremendous power, worthy of being called the Heart of the World Tree. It can transform into any weapon the user desires and is even harder than Lupenium, the divine metal!”

Balt also showed interest in Arias’s explanation.

“Ah, so that’s what it was. Elves are skilled with bows, so they just use it in the form of a bow.”

“That’s right, but this is a secret, okay? Though people who know probably already know this.”

“You mean a branch is harder than Lupenium?”

“Yes, amazing, right? Anyway, enough about the elven artifact. About Gauwel’s Fang, that artifact…”

After pondering for a moment, Arias tilts her head.

“What was it… Ah! Right! My great-grandmother said that artifact really hates elves.”

“What? What does that mean?”

But Arias seemed to have no further information.

“I don’t know? Isn’t it just what it sounds like? Hating elves means it reacts strongly to elves or something? From what I heard, the one who killed Gauwel was an ancient elf named Librias.”

Ancient history from an elf’s mouth.

Whether the fang truly transformed into an artifact was uncertain, but the fact that an Orc was killed by an elf in ancient times was important information.

“Hmm…? Gauwel was killed by an elf?”

“Yes, that’s why Orcs and elves don’t get along. Actually, the misconception that people have about Gerong-tu not getting along with others might stem from elves thinking Orcs and Gerong-tu are similar.”

Balt, leaping across platforms, looks down at the Orcs below.

Bulging muscles that seem about to burst through veins, massive bodies. Except for the Orcs’ green skin and their enormously developed lower tusks, one couldn’t deny that Gerong-tu and Orcs shared some physical similarities.

“Hmm, that could be. Orcs have quite the muscles too.”

“Ahem, no, no! In my opinion, Gerong-tu are much better!”

Lilith chuckles at Arias’s words, and Balt smiles too.

Embarrassed, Arias hurriedly asks Balt.

“A-Anyway!! That’s all I know. Do you have a plan?”

Looking at Arias, who was nestled in his left arm and flustered, Balt says seriously.

“I do. This time, your role is crucial, Arias.”

Hearing this unexpected statement, Arias opens her beautiful eyes wide.

“Huh? M-Me?”

“Yes, this operation can’t succeed without you, Arias. I’m going to stop that artifact because I believe in you.”

Arias’s face instantly turns red at Balt’s words. Watching this, Lilith mutters to Balt in a slightly cooler tone.

“Don’t forget that it’s thanks to me that we can leap through the air like this.”

This was true.

Creating platforms in the air isn’t particularly difficult magic.

But maintaining them and repeatedly casting them was the issue.

No magic could be as efficient as blood magic.

For an ordinary mage, it would be as taxing as continuously casting barriers, but for Lilith, who used blood as a medium, it wasn’t particularly challenging.

“Haha, of course I’m grateful for that. Thank you, Lilith. Both of you are indispensable to me.”

Both Arias and Lilith blush simultaneously at those words.

They lower their heads in embarrassment, but since they’re in Balt’s arms, this only makes them nestle closer to him, causing their faces to redden even more.

“I-I’m okay with Lilith too!”

“I-I’m okay with Miss Arias too!”

Balt, who hadn’t meant anything of the sort, was puzzled by the strange comments from the two women, but as he noticed they were getting closer to where Gauwel’s Fang had fallen, he heightened his tension.

“We’re almost there. I’ll explain what we’re going to do now. Listen carefully.”

Arias and Lilith, whose mood had momentarily lightened, changed their expressions at Balt’s words and responded.

“Y-Yes!!”

“Y-Yes!!”

When Balt stopped moving on Lilith’s platform, she also stopped creating more platforms.

“Good, it seems we’re still out of their range. Now, listen carefully to what I say. First, we’re going to enter the enemy’s range.”

As soon as they heard this, both women exclaimed simultaneously.

“That’s too dangerous!”

“That’s too dangerous!”

Gauwel’s Fang is an artifact.

And not just any artifact with strange abilities that Balt had seen before, but a direct offensive weapon-type artifact.

Arias and Lilith had witnessed firsthand its terrifying power—capable of repelling enemies and altering terrain with a single throw.

“It’s an artifact!! No matter how strong Balt is, I can’t guarantee safety if that thing comes flying at us!”

To Arias, who was saying this, Balt slightly raised his arm to show her.

What Balt showed was the Lupenium wrist guard he had received from the Emperor earlier.

“A Lupenium bracelet? It’s impressive, but…!!”

Anticipating what Arias was about to say, Balt interrupts her.

“Yes, I know. Even the World Tree’s branch is stronger than Lupenium, right? There’s no law saying that fang isn’t the same.”

“If you know that so well!!”

But Balt smiles at Arias instead.

“Yes, I know it well. That’s why your role is important, Arias.”

Arias is perplexed by Balt’s words.

“N-No! I couldn’t withstand that for even a second! I-If Balt wants, I’ll try to block it… but the outcome is too obvious…”

“That’s right, Balt. It’s too much for Arias. Rather, let me…”

But Balt’s expression suggests he thinks they’re talking nonsense.

“I’m not even sure if I could block it, so why would I ask you to do that? I have a different task for Arias.”

Finally somewhat relieved, Arias asks Balt.

“W-What is it?”