novelHis Decision (3)
| ← Ch.080 | Ch.082 → |
The beautiful coast was now covered with red lava. The troops that had been holding out against Dadenewt were now nowhere to be seen.
The result of this eruption phase was more than half of the vanguard being left incapable of combat. The vanguard had lost all semblance of control over Dadenewt. They retreated.
Priscilla had also over exerted herself and was left completely exhausted as a result.
At this point, Zod ordered all of the remaining soldiers to retreat.
Dadenewt had completely burnt the coast. Searing lava and blackened marks was all that remained.
Only Zod and Priscilla remained on the walls of
Deltaheim to confront Dadenewt and buy some time.
But this arrangement could not last long.
Despite the magic of Zod, Dadenewt gradually approached the city.
*Baaammmmm*
Zod was invoking Sixth-Circle magic. Up until now, he had been limiting himself to the
Fifth-Circle due to the potential of allies being caught up in the collateral damage.
Zod's formation of Sixth-Circle magic while continually invoking Fifth-Circle magic was enough to draw the admiration of many wizards.
Zod lifted his cane.
When Dadenewt reached the wall, Zod's Sixth-Circle spell was invoked.
[Time when all things fall asleep]
It was one of the highest level freezing magics.
A spell that brought about absolute sub-zero temperatures where all molecular activity stopped within a fixed area.
The flowing lava that covered Dadenewt's entire body was cooled down. In just a moment, the lava froze and hardened. Soon, the movement of Dadenewt slowed down and came to a complete stop. It now looked like a statue caught in the middle of winter.
It was the first time that Dadenewt's movement was significantly hindered.
The Saint looked back at Zod flashing a flirtatious look.
"This is great, Zod!"
Zod shook his head.
"No, I didn't defeat him, I've blocked its movement for a while."
*Crick*
The ice began to crack as if to disprove Zod's assertion. Eerie noises filled the air.
"How long can the magic last?"
"5 minutes? 10 minutes?"
Shortly afterwards, Dadenewt would break the ice and resume activity.
Even the Sixth-Circle magic was only enough to buy some time.
"How can I defeat him? No magic I know can beat it. I'm not sure but if it's the Seventh-Circle magic like 'Nuclear Stream Buster' it may work."
Zod checked his own state of wellness.
"I don't have enough magic power left."
After a series of fights, Zod didn't have much magic power left. And after everyone was evacuated, he also had to leave enough power in reserve to escape himself.
'It would have been better if I hadn't wasted power on Crow Mask...'
In addition, Zod's magic, which had been enhanced to an unprecedented level to push back against Dadenewt's advance and allow people to evacuate, was now showing its limits.
'So now...'
He glanced back and saw a Deltaheim that was so damaged and filled with collapsed buildings that it could no longer be called the capital of a nation.
It was a city full of vigor and abundance just a few hours ago.
The city which was still alive after the assault from the Outsiders was now completely destroyed by just a single monster.
"This defense has failed."
"Then..."
Zod calmly concluded.
Deltaheim was over.
At that moment he received a communication via magic. It was from the unit of the Avalon Army that had retreated first. When the communication magic ended Zod turned to Priscilla.
"The kings of the Western Kingdom Union, who had taken refuge in the air-raid shelter, have now safely escaped to the harbor. Most of the citizens have also escaped unharmed. It's our turn now."
That's right.
It was time to run away.
Priscilla confirmed that Zod was formulating teleportation magic.
"I know what you mean, but it's time to avoid it."
There was no way to stop Dadenewt now. With this experience, we need to be prepared.
"If all of the civilians have been evacuated... okay. Let's get out of here."
"Good idea."
*Crick*
There was a huge crack in the ice surrounding Dadenewt's body. The Sixth-Circle magic was now at its limit. Fortunately, it was enough to buy time to invoke teleportation magic.
"Huh?"
The situation had suddenly changed.
The ice surrounding Dadenewt started collapsing at an abnormal speed. The source was near the waist. After observing it casually, Zod was left surprised.
'Wings?'
*Rumble*
A new part was sprouting out from Dadenewt's body. It was a pair of wings with a span of tens of meters. The huge wings spread wide through the ice as if they had been in bondage until now. Lava splashed in all directions.
It began with cracks in the ice surrounding Dadenewt's body. Fragments were sent flying.
The ice melted in the heat and began to evaporate.
*Bump*
The next thing liberated was the face. When Dadenewt moved its neck, the hardened lava and ice shrapnel fell off and once again lava exploded outwards and encased its body like skin.
The Devil of Destruction, Dadenewt revealed itself.
It spread out its wings and howled toward the sky.
"Aaaaaaaaaah!"
"Huh!?"
"Ahhhh!"
The trapped heat exploded out. Even though the distance was still quite far between Dadenewt and the wall, in the intense heat, Zod covered his face subconsciously. His face flamed up, as if he was sunburnt. When he touched his face, he felt how irritated it was, now covered with minor burns.
He had magic covering his entire body to keep out the heat. While the ambient temperature had actually been quite hot so far, he had not sustained any damage from it.
But now, Dadenewt had raised the temperature with heat great enough to beat the ice magic with just a roar.
"Huh, you've become stronger...?"
Thoroughly appalled at this turn of situation,
Zod could only laugh in vain.
"It's... It's really beyond imagination."
It flapped its wings but still could not fly.
This was due to its lower body still being frozen. But the speed at which the ice was breaking showed that it was only a matter of time until it found its freedom.
And when that happened, Dadenewt would be flying destruction incarnate.
'The goal was...'
'The refugees...'
Dadenewt was no longer heading towards the collapsed city. Its gaze was now directed at the series of ships leaving the harbor port.
Dadenewt's goal was to kill humans, not just to cause mindless destruction.
There was no such thing as a mindless creature.
"If it does, all of the boats that have escaped the city will be within the range of Dadenewt."
Zod and Priscilla suddenly turned their heads to the voice that came from behind them.
It was Desir. His head was gray all over, lightly dusted with ash, and his body was covered with wounds from the battle with Crow Mask.
Priscilla approached him while invoking her magic. His wounds began to heal little by little as a result.
"Why are you here?" Priscilla dumbly enquired.
"Now that Dadenewt has revealed itself, we can't run away. If we don't stop it here, a lot of people will die."
If Dadenewt left here for his friends and the refugees, not only countless ordinary citizens but also the leaders of the Western Kingdom
Union Council would be condemned to a certain death.
If all of the kings who ruled the continent died here, the existing world order would fall and chaos would inevitably descend.
And that chaos was the aim of the Outsiders.
"I won't let it do that... Desir, take
Priscilla and leave in a hurry. I'm going to keep it occupied."
"Zod!"
Priscilla shouted at him after seeing Zod's determination.
"No, I have a way."
Zod tilted his head at Desir's words.
"How can you bring it down?"
He pointed at Dadenewt.
The devil that the Seventh-Circle wizard, Zod had struggled to defeat.
The being that had excellent defense against
Fifth-Circle magic, practically ignoring it due to the natural structure of its body.
Zod has never met an opponent of this level. It was such a powerful demon.
Even so, the Third-Circle wizard, Desir claimed to be able to beat it.
Desir responded.
"Give me all of the remaining mana on you." Do you know what doing that means?"
"I know."
Using all of his remaining mana. That meant Zod could no longer invoke magic to escape from the demon.
He had no idea what Desir was trying to do, but his death would be confirmed if he failed.
What is the guarantee that you will succeed?"
"I can't say for sure since it's my first time trying."
*Boooom*
There was no time. The time given to Zod was just too short.
"Even if I trust you and give you all of my mana, how are you going to hold on to that mana? Your magic circle won't last. Your body will collapse."
"There's a Saint."
If it's her recovery magic...
"I think you can survive it if you use all means."
Are you sure?"
"Of course."
Desir was sincere.
Zod turned his head towards Priscilla.
"Precilla, what's your opinion?"
Priscilla was also one of the people who would be sacrificed if Desir failed.
She spoke in a calm tone that gave off a feeling of invincibility.
"I saw this boy for the first time today. It makes no sense to leave my life to something I can't be sure about... but he seems to mean it.
So I'm going to follow Zod's decision that falls under his domain of experience."
"Is that so?"
Zod, who left a single phrase behind, grabbed his walking cane.
The cane of the best wizard in the world.
It was a cane with considerable power in of itself with a first class marquee magic stone inserted into it.
The internal mana was no longer shining because it had been completely exhausted, but when Zod grasped the cane, the mana stone at the end of the stick quickly regained its original light.
"If anyone saw this, they'd call me crazy."
And he handed it to Desir.
It was proof of his trust, to leave all future possibilities to Desir.
"Please."
Zod decided to believe in Desir.
All that was left now was the repayment of that faith.
"Thank you."
As soon as Desir took the cane, a great deal of mana began to fluctuate.
He raised it high towards Dadenewt.
| ← Ch. 080 | Ch. 082 → |