Rite Castle, Attack (3)

The wolf spirit Elkar is by no means a weak spirit.

He was a mid-rank spirit who had spent a thousand years in the Great Forest, the realm of spirits.

Though he was tricked by demon worshippers, bound in a crystal and brainwashed.

If he had been a common low-rank spirit, his very existence would have been damaged and he would have perished.

Elkar endured that and wasn’t addicted to their evil energy.

So he could pride himself on being sufficiently powerful.

-Awoooo~!!!

The red light that had been tinting the spirit’s eyes disappeared.

Thanks to Hwalin’s ‘Fascination’ overwriting the subjugation spell that had been cast on Elkar.

As a result, the wolf spirit Elkar, who regained his reason, howled in joy.

-Are you the one who liberated me from my bondage?

Where the energy that broke the spell flowed from, a red-haired woman was sitting down.

“Uh… yes?”

Since she had only thought of drawing the wolf spirit to her side.

Hwalin was flustered, not knowing the other party was a spirit old enough to communicate.

-You broke the filthy spell cast on me. I express my gratitude.

Spirits are benevolent beings.

Hwalin had learned that they don’t act aggressively unless humans provoke them first.

Rather, they pity poor humans.

‘As expected, the attack wasn’t of his own will.’

For some reason, part of Elkar’s memories flowed into her.

Elkar falling to the surprise attack of about 10 demon worshippers.

Then being imprisoned in a sealing device, tortured and brainwashed.

A corner of Hwalin’s heart heated up.

Was it because she was the heir of the Hwa clan, descendants of spirit beasts?

Hwalin, with her innate excellent spirit resonance, understood the pain and anger Elkar felt.

‘How could they do such a horrible thing!’

She came to deeply hate demon worshippers.

-Is that it?

“Yes, that woman emitting evil energy.”

Niel, not realizing the sudden change in the situation, was just busy persistently chasing Kenny.

-I see, understood.

Elkar rushed at Niel.

It was the moment the situation completely reversed.

“Hey!”

Kenny dodged very well, almost getting caught but slipping away.

Despite having an ordinary body not blessed by great otherworldly beings.

Niel was inwardly frustrated by this.

“Why won’t you get caught!”

“Because you’re slow, stupid!”

“You little-!!”

She tried condensing and firing evil energy in between, but.

Each time, the female mage next to Kenny blocked it with defensive magic circles, or.

Obstacles popping out when Kenny hit the wall with her hammer repeatedly blocked her.

The more she chased, the further away Kenny got.

“Elkar! You stupid mutt! Why is it taking so long to deal with these bastards… huh?”

-Crunch!

The sound of bones being crushed came from behind.

Turning her head, Niel only then realized it was the sound of her right ankle disappearing.

“You stupid dumb dog! How dare you attack me! Don’t you see the red-haired one over there?”

-Ptooey!

Elkar spat out Niel’s severed ankle without hesitation.

Then growled and prepared to rush in again.

“Elkar? Strange, Slaua said she trained him thoroughly.”

Niel pretended to ponder for a moment, then.

As soon as her ankle regrew, she changed her attitude.

“Oh well. Then die!”

She instantly rushed at Elkar and kicked his head.

Even a spirit’s ethereal body couldn’t withstand a kick imbued with evil energy… or so she thought.

-Boom!!

“Huh?”

It wasn’t the refreshing sensation of kicking a spirit away.

She naturally thought he would fly off, so she had already turned her gaze forward, but.

Elkar was still under Niel’s foot.

His forehead was a bit dented, but he endured.

“How?!”

-I am Elkar, gatekeeper of the Great Forest. Did you think I would fall to such a mere kick!

The following howl contained a shockwave.

Niel was slammed into the wall.

“Argh, really! Why is everyone so uncooperative! I just want to play!”

Niel whined while withstanding both Elkar’s attacks and the magic bullets.

The blacksmith helping Kenny by her side felt dizzy at this monstrous behavior, but.

“Mister, hurry!”

“O-Okay. Got it.”

Kenny was rather burning with competitive spirit.

She had a personality that absolutely hated losing if there was a challenge directed at her, and.

At the same time, she wasn’t satisfied unless she shared something fun with everyone.

‘Such a person needs to be taught a lesson!’

She couldn’t forgive Niel for hurting people for fun.

Three stone golems Kenny made on the spot.

Six automatic magic bullet launchers that had been repaired.

And the wolf spirit Elkar who had completely turned to their side thanks to Hwalin.

While all of these attacked incessantly to buy time.

Kenny created something big and sturdy.

She just put in bricks, wood, curtains, carpets, broken picture frames and flowerpots, iron bars from the fireplace as appropriate and hammered away.

Kenny succeeded in creating a ‘Large-caliber Magic Bullet Launcher’.

This was all thanks to <Sheilak’s Golden Hammer> which increased the success rate of crafting.

Of course, the magic bullet launcher needed a mana condenser.

It was difficult to create that on the spot too.

So she did borrow the relevant magic circle from Teacher Yuria.

But even considering that, Kenny’s output was truly astonishing.

“The stability is much lower, so one shot is the limit.”

Just one shot.

They had to subdue that thing with one shot.

“Alright, I’ll help too. Where was that freezing magic circle…”

“Mr. Elkar! Please stop that thing!”

-Understood!

Kenny’s large-caliber magic bullet launcher began preheating.

It took about 10 seconds for the golems to crumble and the automatic magic bullet launchers to be neutralized.

3 seconds for Elkar to bite Niel’s ankle and get hit on the opposite leg.

It took 2 seconds for Niel’s ankle to regenerate.

“<Frozen Wall>, <Ice Shield>!!!”

2 seconds for Teacher Yuria’s ice wall to shatter.

Another 1 second for Niel to not react immediately as ice shards obscured her vision.

-Kiiiiing!

“Just a little more!”

0.6 seconds to deflect the flowerpot thrown by the blacksmith.

2 seconds to slip on the frozen floor and get back up.

‘Too slow!’

Since they still needed more time.

Kenny ran forward holding her golden hammer herself.

“Are you going to play with me now?”

“No!”

-Clang!

Niel’s jaw spun around after being hit by the hammer, then.

Instantly restored to normal.

“Kyahahahaha! So you did want to play! Great!”

Even while continuously being hit by the hammer and bleeding from her head.

Niel didn’t stop her obsession with Kenny.

Finally, Niel’s nails touched Kenny’s side.

-Stab!

“Ugh!”

“How is it? Isn’t it fun?”

“How is this fun!”

She swung the hammer up with all her might.

The moment Niel’s jaw was thrown back.

-Chomp!

Elkar bit into Niel’s neck right then.

The body that lost its head staggered and then collapsed in the middle of the corridor.

“Kenny! Are you okay?”

“It huuurts…”

Yuria hurriedly took out a potion and fed it to Kenny while retreating behind the large-caliber magic bullet launcher.

“Loading complete! Shall I fire?”

“Ugh! Wait a moment!”

Even while her face was contorting in pain.

Kenny, determined to fire her first invention’s first shot herself.

“I’m going to shoot it!”

The main body must have been the torso, not the head, as the neck started regenerating.

It seemed to take quite a while, perhaps because the head was more complex in structure than the ankle.

Kenny quickly ran over and pulled the string while shouting.

“Take this!!!”

Highly condensed mana was fired as is.

It was so powerful that cracks formed on the barrel even before the firing was complete.

At that moment.

“That won’t do. We can’t lose Niel here.”

Along with a lively woman’s voice.

As someone pushed the large-caliber magic bullet launcher sideways, the muzzle twisted to the left.

-Booooom!!!

What evaporated due to the angle changing was not Niel, but half of Rite Castle.

“Horns and a tail. Demon worshipper! As expected, she wasn’t alone!”

“Hey, pretty black-haired sister, calm down. I didn’t come here to fight. I came to get her. Oof!”

She wrapped up Niel, whose neck was regrowing, and waved her hand with a smile.

“Well then, bye~”

“Where do you think-!”

Yuria’s magic flew straight at her, but.

The opponent instantly widened the distance and dodged.

A feeling of frustration washed over them.

Perhaps because the tension was released after driving away the demon worshippers, Yuria plopped down.

It was the same for Hwalin and the blacksmith Little Horn.

‘Even if we had hit, could we have stopped them from escaping?’

Probably not.

As demon worshippers with high magic resistance, they would have shaken it off and fled.

Yuria keenly felt her lack of ability.

‘Even though Ethan-ssi broke the curse for me, I’m still like this.’

Even though she was a teacher, far from protecting the children.

She had barely prolonged her life with Kenny and Hwalin’s help.

That was so pathetic.

‘This won’t do. At my current level, I’m at most 3rd circle at best.’

Yuria resolved to speed up her circuit rehabilitation training that was progressing slowly.

To regain her form as the 8th circle mage Yuria Riverside, an outstanding student of Kailros Academy’s Magic Department.

So as not to be a burden to the children.

A small number of riders galloped between the forest paths.

At the front was Ethan, riding with Borka sitting in front of him.

Behind them were the Douglan exploration team, Sir Rashid, Sir Stanley, as well as.

Levi, Hwaryon, and Ponya, each riding on adults’ horses.

It was because of a letter that had just flown in from Yuria.

[A demon worshipper has invaded the castle. Please come back quickly!]

‘So it wasn’t just one?’

Both Kenny and Hwalin are irreplaceable personnel, so they absolutely can’t be lost.

That’s why he had left them in the safe rear, but.

‘Damn those bastards!’

The main force was already withdrawing from the abandoned mine, leaving only a small number of personnel.

It would take at least another day for the long procession to reach Rite Castle.

So Ethan hurriedly borrowed horses and returned to Rite Castle with only a small number of people.

And what he witnessed upon arrival was.

A lord’s castle that had exactly half of it missing.

“What…”

“Ethan-ssi!”

Teacher Yuria, with clothes pierced by sparks in places and covered in black dust, walked out from the castle that was no different from ruins.

“Are you alright? What about Hwalin and Kenny?”

“Ah, we’re fine. But…”

Pointing at the countless corpses lying next to the relatively intact castle wall.

Yuria made a sorrowful expression.

“Many others were badly hurt.”

“Was destroying the castle also the work of that bastard?”

“No, that was…”

Her gaze trailed off towards.

A strange structure that looked like a cannon, half-collapsed.

“It was Kenny.”

“…Pardon?”

“Somehow while dealing with the demon worshipper, damage was done to the castle.”

Ethan was dumbfounded at the words that they had fought the demon worshipper haphazardly and survived.

For good reason.

Targan, whom they had encountered in the abandoned mine, was an incredibly strong opponent.

The entire subjugation team had nearly been annihilated on the spot.

‘Was it not someone of that level of skill?’

In any case, Ethan could breathe a sigh of relief at the words that everyone was safe.

When he entered the room to check on Hwalin and Kenny’s condition.

A wolf, no, a spirit that looked like a wolf appeared.

A wolf spirit with an impressive cross-shaped scar in the center of its forehead.

Ethan knew well who it was.

‘Could it be, Elkar the gatekeeper of the Great Forest?’

Elkar is an NPC spirit that guards the entrance to the eastern Great Forest, home of elves and spirits.

His strength is at a level that could easily defeat about five expert-level knights.

Such an Elkar was curled up asleep next to Hwalin.

“Ah, Ethan-nim!”

Hwalin, who jumped up and hugged him as soon as she saw him.

“Thank you.”

“Hmm?”

“You saw potential even in ordinary me, right? I worked hard.”

To Hwalin, who had tears in her eyes slightly while seeking praise.

Since he couldn’t ask for an explanation of the situation.

“…Yes, you did well.”

He could only pat her head and say she worked hard.

[The first root of the World Tree informs that ‘Hwalin’ has awakened as a ‘Spirit Tamer’.]

[It adds that the spirit Elkar has become ‘Hwalin’s’ first exclusive spirit.]

‘What on earth happened?’

Perhaps because the tension was released and fatigue rushed in, Hwalin fell asleep as if fainting while clinging to him.

Ethan carefully hugged Hwalin and laid her down on the sofa.

Then he checked on Kenny.

Seeing that her condition didn’t look good at all, he fed her the ‘Miracle Recovery Potion’ he had received as a special reward.

While doing so, he raised his head.

“Teacher Yuria.”

“Yes.”

“Please tell me in detail. What happened?”

Ethan’s expression gradually crumpled as he listened to the explanation.

“Puha!”

As if she had been underwater and just surfaced.

Niel exhaled forcefully as her head fully regenerated.

“Are you conscious?”

“Keli!”

Niel immediately buried her face in Keli’s chest.

“Hey, hey, you little brat. I won’t let you off if you stab me with your horns, okay?”

“It’ll regenerate anyway.”

“Sigh, alright alright. But you, do you remember what Targan ordered you to do?”

“…Don’t know!”

She smacked the head of the innocent-looking Niel.

“He told you to take care of the humans on the surface! I heard it too!”

“Oh right.”

“What do you mean ‘oh right’! I was on my way back to Etre as ordered, but I felt your energy and came. You nearly died too, you know?”

Keli was excluded from the exciting slaughter time.

-Keli, you go back to Etre and manage the sacrifices. If the scatterbrained Berda leaves her post for too long, all the sacrifices will starve to death again.

-What~? No way~ I’d rather have Niel…

-Have Niel manage the sacrifices? Why don’t you tell me to offer my neck to the priests and wait for disposal instead?

Hearing that, it seemed right, so Keli agreed.

After all, Niel was the type to kill people and rummage through their organs when bored.

But Targan’s judgment wasn’t very good either.

Niel’s order completion rate without a guardian was close to 0%.

As a result, Targan, whose plan went awry, was killed.

“Looks like Targan died in the colony. I saw his soul being ejected to the other world.”

“Wow! So?”

“The remaining leader is Berda, so we should go to Berda, right?”

“Where’s Berda?”

Keli pointed south with her index finger.

“If you go down there, you’ll reach the big city with that dark… Ah! Right. Remember the place where you ate live mice?”

“Uh-huh!”

“That’s the place, there.”

The underground of the royal capital Etre.

She was in the middle of managing the living sacrifices there.

“I like that place! The mice were delicious!”

“Yeah, I thought you would.”

The two demon worshippers walked through the forest hand in hand like sisters.

Their destination was the royal capital Etre.

Their minds were full of thoughts of causing a new bloodbath.