Ch.198198. Finding Traces (4)

The crazed monster’s howl and the sound of allies’ attacks filled the forest.

A blood wind blew. The lingering scent of rusted iron spread like a hazy fog, seeping into the magia that was already disturbing my senses, creating an even greater stimulus.

I couldn’t help but furrow my brow at the instinctive discomfort on my skin and the scent of blood entering my nostrils.

—Myeong!

The wind blew.

The wind created by the moth… no, Orna began to assist Diolia’s movements.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

While watching the heroine swing her sword without hesitation, Sione pulled out another arrow.

She placed the arrow between her index and middle fingers, preparing to use the split finger technique with her ring finger on the bowstring—

“Lady Sione, please take care of the right side!”

“Got it!”

No, to more surely catch the creature approaching faster than expected.

Similar to the split finger technique Ray had taught her, but unlike the split, she used the Flemish Draw without hooking her ring finger on the bowstring.

Zwaaak!

While hearing the sound of the taut bowstring being pulled.

“Orna!”

As I pulled the bowstring, I called out the name of the spirit hovering gracefully above my head.

—Kung!

The wind path woven by Orna. Turbulent air gathered at the arrow’s tip, creating a definite gust, though weaker than Ray’s.

Paang—!

As the released arrow cleanly lodged in the enemy’s neck, Diolia quickly moved in to finish it off.

“…No matter how many we take down, there seems to be no end.”

“Still, I suppose we should be thankful. At least they’re not swarming like before.”

Behind Diolia, who nodded silently while readying herself again.

Sione also pulled another arrow from her quiver.

While scanning her surroundings. She could see that the number of monsters had definitely decreased compared to before, and the elves were still moving as nimbly as they had at the start.

How could they move so agilely? Perhaps it was because most of them were forest guardians who ranked among the best in the great forest. They seemed completely unaffected by the complex terrain, leaping between trees without hindrance as they slaughtered their enemies.

Not only that, but perhaps because they were all elves who had contracted with spirits at the upper end of intermediate level or high-level spirits. Their spirits were also busy moving around, supporting them, and sometimes directly eliminating monsters.

‘They’re monsters themselves.’

Sione could understand why elves were called the masters of the forest.

They were efficient.

Since spirit magic tends to be quite noisy. To minimize revealing their presence and position to the enemy, they continued fighting while restraining their power—the power of spirits that formed the core of elven might.

Their individual combat abilities were also impressive. Their unique swordsmanship, and especially their elegant archery skills, naturally captivated onlookers.

‘Especially Friel Arielt.’

Things had improved a bit lately, but…

Though she didn’t show it, this elf still didn’t sit well with her.

She possessed skills that stood out even among the forest guardians.

‘Her transitions are incredibly natural.’

Every movement, from shooting arrows to switching to swordsmanship, was refined. Her elegant footwork and smooth arm movements created a hint of beauty amidst the chaotic battle. It was impossible not to notice her.

As if her presence alone wasn’t remarkable enough, there was another woman who caught the eye just as much.

‘Kallia said I should be wary of that one.’

The combat style of Airine Ianet, the eldest daughter of the Ianet family, was extremely unique.

Unlike other elves, she never moved much from her position.

‘Spirits…’

She perfectly controlled the enemies around her with three spirits while, with her usual expressionless face, she was busy firing arrows.

Her movements and expressions were so stable that it seemed like she was merely performing a mundane, repetitive task. It was inevitable that magia-intoxicated monsters would charge at her since she stood still like a stationary target. Despite this, she had enough skill to keep them at bay and end their lives one by one.

Her alien hunting method, as if fighting a battle isolated from the rest of the battlefield, made her impossible to ignore for someone unfamiliar with her.

That’s when it happened.

—Kung!

“Ah…!”

As if scolding Sione for where her attention had wandered, Orna rushed toward her face with an irritated demeanor.

Though the collision wasn’t particularly strong, Orna had grown quite large lately, so it was somewhat painful…

—Kung kung!

“I know… I know…!”

Orna pressed down on her crown with its front paws. After shaking her head once to dislodge the spirit, Sione pulled the bowstring again.

While looking for an enemy she could hit now.

A man wearing armor engraved with a familiar family crest caught her eye.

Ray.

He was shooting his bow while moving as skillfully as any forest guardian.

The way he communicated with Tania through just a glance while conjuring flames made him seem like an elf with a deep connection to spirits. The arrows he shot, regardless of his sometimes awkward posture, were as sharp and precise as Friel’s.

However, unlike the elves, his movements were more passionate, relying on instinct and intuition, almost like an acrobatic performance.

Diolia also briefly looked at Ray and commented.

“He’s like a monster.”

That was exactly right.

“Can you see? Even now, with sharp claws passing right in front of him, he doesn’t even blink.”

The moment his position changed from ranged to close combat.

Ray avoided the monster’s attack by a hair’s breadth and unhesitatingly thrust the arrow in his hand into the underside of the monster’s jaw.

“Most male mercenaries with such fierce temperaments… most men wouldn’t even consider attempting such a technique even if it cost them their lives.”

Diolia was likely seeing the genius of someone who had transcended limits.

But Sione was different.

Rather than his genius, she thought about what he had told her about his original profession—that he made his living hunting such monsters daily. She could only vaguely imagine how much sweat and tears he must have shed to become so adept at dealing with enemies.

A secret that strengthened the bond between her and Ray, proving their trust.

As Sione was thinking about this, she turned her gaze to deal with monsters swarming toward Airine again.

“…?”

She had lowered her bow for a moment and was looking somewhere else, deeply absorbed in something.

This behavior was unlike her usual indifferent attitude toward everything.

After cleanly hitting an enemy with an arrow, when Sione shifted her gaze to what Airine was focusing on.

Sione could only look back at Airine with cold blue eyes while nocking another arrow.

“…Tch.”

Because Airine was looking at none other than Ray.

* * *

The battle was over.

The wave of monsters that had been pressing in was suppressed and now lay strewn across the ground.

Fortunately, thanks to the presence of skilled forest guardians, the situation had been resolved quite smoothly.

Though I was a bit tired from moving so vigorously after a long time.

“We move out immediately! Quickly gather any arrows that can be reused and get moving!”

The smell of blood would soon spread throughout the forest.

If we didn’t want to see more crazed monsters drawn by this sticky scent,

It would be best for us to hurry away from this place.

I moved to stay close to Sione again.

But I wondered if something had happened during the recent skirmish.

“Lady Sione.”

“Huh…what?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Geez…don’t be silly.”

I could see that Sione had begun to be subtly conscious of Airine, unlike before.

‘Airine clearly…’

Since she had just been shooting arrows at monsters that charged at her without moving from her spot, there shouldn’t have been much opportunity for her to clash with Sione.

It would be better to ask what happened when we get a break later.

As we followed Piel’s guidance again and ventured deeper into the forest.

“…It’s right in front of us.”

Sione whispered, her body trembling slightly.

It wasn’t a tremor of fear. She was just grimacing as if facing something unpleasant and disgusting while staring straight ahead.

“Let’s go.”

“I’ll follow you.”

At this moment, as the vanguard of the unit changed from Friel to Sione.

We were finally able to see the traces of the cultists we had been searching for.

“…This is horrible. These crazy bastards…”

Tania’s muttering was spot on.

The stench that had been gradually growing stronger as we approached. Just as I thought.

From animal carcasses stripped to the bone to traces of something just beginning to decay. Everything on the ground consisted of remains of former living beings.

And in the center, just like what we had seen in the Beltrin Mountains before. A black-stained jewel was corrupting the surroundings, making them more chaotic.

“It seems they intended to turn this area into a demon realm.”

Sione whispered quietly as she stood before the jewel.

“How many sacrifices must they have offered…”

Sione’s voice was cold with anger.

At this, Friel slowly approached and was about to place her hand on the jewel.

Sione stopped her action.

“Please don’t touch it. Demon power has the ability to bewitch people. Unless you have a priest’s divine power or special equipment, it’s best to avoid contact as much as possible. You might start hearing and seeing things.”

“Hallucinations and illusions, you say?”

“Yes, our county once dealt with something similar to this… Even after thoroughly purifying it with divine power, some of those who transported the jewel reported hearing demonic whispers.”

“Then what should we do with this…”

Sione looked down at the jewel and answered.

“The most certain method would be to purify it through a priest’s power… But for now, we should probably break the jewel or remove the magia from the altar, and first eliminate the cult’s spells that are contaminating the surroundings—”

At that moment.

Sione’s eyes widened, and she pressed her lips tightly together.

“…My spirit has been reverse-summoned!”

“Mine too…!”

Simultaneously, the spirits that the elves had sent out for reconnaissance began to be rapidly reverse-summoned one after another, and an ominous silence began to descend.

Sssss—

With an eerie wind, Sione turned her head, and as the awkward rustling of bushes reached my ears.

An incredibly gloomy voice was heard.

“That won’t do. Why would you interfere with an altar where the ritual is almost complete?”