Chapter 1059: Shadow of the Star (5)
Slice!!
The Elder Druid, Azelan’s head, neatly severed, floated in the air.
A gruesome sight, as if the stag giant’s thick head had been forcibly ejected from its body.
Yet, the power imbued in its body continued unabated, thrusting its spear and spewing mana.
“Oh my.”
BOOM!!
A heavy shockwave, tens of meters wide, erupted where the young man had stood.
The druid’s tough body, moving violently, undiminished in power even after being decapitated.
But the young man, as if having anticipated such a counterattack, slowly twisted his body diagonally.
“Just how tenacious is one’s life force to still move like this after having their head severed, I wonder?”
The young man, clicking his tongue and dodging the spear blade, reached out his hand from behind Azelan.
Thwack!
As he caught the stag giant’s head falling from the air with one hand, blood trickled through his fingers.
From Azelan’s headless neck, blood gushed like a fountain, drenching the young man’s body in crimson.
Pshhh!!!
“Hmm…”
The young man, his entire body adorned with ancient script tattoos, slowly closed his eyes as if savoring the gushing blood.
The Western Front border zone, where monsters destroyed each other in a mutual massacre.
The young man, who had suddenly appeared in the aftermath of the battle and killed Azelan.
“Druid blood is also famous for being packed with good nutrients, you know.”
The Harvester Spell Master, eyes still closed, licked the blood trickling down his cheek.
“Perhaps because they’re friends who only live on vegetables and fruits, their bodily fluids aren’t very oily.”
“…”
“It’s said to trade for a high price among high-ranking vampires who desire healthy food, but honestly, I can’t help but think it’s just a marketing ploy.”
Instead of answering, Lennok stared at the Harvester Spell Master standing before him, his face devoid of expression.
Azelan was a druid with such a resilient body that he survived the impact of a falling battleship.
Yet, the Harvester Spell Master severed his neck in a single stroke, simply by placing a hand on Azelan’s body.
A killing ability so exceptional it could slay a druid, whose life force was sustained by a World Tree’s Leaf, with a single blow.
This was no mere illusion or phantom, unlike last time.
It would be impossible unless it was the Harvester Spell Master himself, the one the Leader had mentioned and Azelan had warned against.
‘There’s almost no precursor to his spellcraft activation. The mana movement is practically instantaneous.’
Even if he could freely wield severance spellcraft of such power, the fact that there was no precursor to its use was astonishing.
The moment he touched Azelan’s body, even Lennok’s senses only registered the result—Azelan’s neck already severed.
The instant the Harvester Spell Master began manipulating mana, the ‘slash’ constructed by his severance spellcraft had already reached its target.
If it had been a strike aimed at Lennok himself, he would have reacted somehow, but he never imagined the Harvester Spell Master would kill Azelan the moment he appeared.
‘It’s unlikely he’s the type who needs to make contact for spellcraft activation, like the Conjunction Spell Master. Is it simply a case where he adds conditions to enhance the power?’
If he needed to touch a target to use severance spellcraft, he wouldn’t have been able to unleash a slash when he sent an illusion to Lennok.
It’s more accurate to assume that touching Azelan’s body and severing his neck was a Geas to increase its power.
A Geas that enhances power as he closes the distance or gets closer to the target.
“I heard you were occupying a pass on one side of the Western Front and not moving.”
Lennok, having finished analyzing the Harvester Spell Master’s spellcraft in his mind, crossed his arms and spoke.
“Are you planning to take credit for killing the druid now?”
“That’s not entirely wrong. Originally, I had intended to personally clear the Western Front and manage the veil…”
The Harvester Spell Master, licking his lips, replied.
“Since a Grand Mage moved personally, there seemed no reason for me to intervene.”
“…”
“I apologize if you wished to enjoy this battle with the druid a little longer. However, even if he were kept alive, it would have been difficult to extract any meaningful information.”
The Harvester Spell Master, holding Azelan’s head in one hand, gave a cold smile.
“The members of Larabelli are extremely insensitive to external stimuli. Ordinary interrogations won’t open their mouths.”
“…”
“To make the plant city speak, a much more powerful truth serum is needed. Of course, a World Tree’s Leaf would have been enough to stimulate the druids, but—”
Crack!!
The Harvester Spell Master’s fingers dug into the stag giant’s skull, making a grotesque sound.
Bodily fluid seeped from between his densely tattooed fingers, dripping粘ily.
Azelan, still trembling with lingering life force, slowly rolled his eyes back.
The Harvester Spell Master shook his head, looking at Azelan.
“This kind of Elder Druid won’t do. Only an Arch-Druid, who directly receives the World Tree’s blessing, would hold useful information.”
“You have a long tongue.”
Lennok tilted his head, his face expressionless.
“If you wanted to say such things, you should have explained it before I dealt with the Headro Warlords and the druids.”
“…”
“Do you think that statement sounds convincing now that I’ve personally cleared the Western Front?”
CRACK!
Lennok, unleashing a massive lightning bolt as he flicked his hand, looked at the Harvester Spell Master and spoke.
“At least to my eyes, it simply looks like you arbitrarily killed the druid to silence him.”
Knowing Azelan had no intention of cooperating with interrogation, his death didn’t particularly matter.
However, Lennok had no intention of simply overlooking the Harvester Spell Master killing Azelan without his permission.
It would be stranger if the Harvester Spell Master, who had not intervened until now, suddenly appeared and killed the druid without any underlying motive.
“I have no words if that’s how it looks… but that’s a bit unfair to say.”
The Harvester Spell Master scratched his cheek with a troubled expression.
“In any case, Sir Van, you likely had no intention of keeping any other druids alive here anyway.”
“What do you mean?”
“Didn’t you massacre the druids of Larabelli and shatter the Headro Warlords’ legions the moment you arrived at the Central Front?”
In response to Lennok’s retort, the Harvester Spell Master offered a peculiar smile.
“I thought it was an utterly brilliant start to engrave Adamant Thunder’s reputation onto the Central Front, if you ask me.”
“…”
“Cheonbeon, who confronted you. His reputation soared to an irritating degree because of what he did to our Alliance at the first Gateway.”
The Harvester Spell Master nodded with a satisfied air, leaving a silent Lennok.
“If Sir Van intends to engrave his name onto the Central Front in a direction opposite to his, we are willing to lend a hand.”
“…That’s.”
Only then did Lennok understand the Harvester Spell Master’s words, lifting his gaze with a bewildered expression.
Meaning, the things Lennok had done in the Western Front would themselves further elevate Adamant Thunder’s notoriety.
The Harvester Spell Master, satisfied with Lennok’s methods, was offering to cooperate.
“Harvester Spell Master. There’s a limit to presuming thoughts arbitrarily.”
CRACKLE…!!!
Lennok, unleashing violent lightning as he stepped forward, spoke with a chilling expression.
“Did you think I would want you to concern yourself with and manage my reputation?”
Whether Adamant Thunder’s notoriety increased by killing the druids of Larabelli, or whether his reputation spread across the Central Front in a different way than Cheonbeon’s, didn’t matter to him.
As Adamant Thunder, Lennok had no intention of stopping or managing the accumulation of infamy himself now.
However, he was not particularly pleased that the Alliance was concerning itself with this aspect and trying to intervene.
Indeed, he suspected that the Harvester Spell Master’s words might actually be a hidden intention, rather than an attempt to conceal his true motives.
“It can’t be helped.”
Though he shook his head as if the reaction wasn’t what he expected, he naturally turned his body and faced him.
“It is also true that I, as a guide, did not seek Sir Van’s permission. If you wish, I shall indulge you.”
The Harvester Spell Master, one hand behind his back, opened his palm towards Lennok and spoke.
“I, too, am quite curious about the prowess of the Grand Mage whom the Leader wishes to borrow strength from.”
“Confident, aren’t you.”
Lennok chuckled.
“Shall we see if your skill matches your confidence?”
ROAR…!!
On the battlefield, where only the sounds of monsters tearing into each other’s flesh echoed.
Lennok and the Harvester Spell Master, facing each other, took a step sideways.
Just as the two spellcasters, having lightly raised their mana, simultaneously stretched their hands into the air—
WHOOSH!!!!
Cutting through the blood-red clouds, the War-Mage Tower, wreathed in intense lightning, appeared above Lennok’s head.
The War-Mage Tower, having swept through the Western Front battlefield, massacring monsters, and returning before the veil.
The Thorben War-Mage Tower, unleashing lightning and painting the sky an electric blue, paused before Lennok and the Harvester Spell Master.
[Sir Van.]
RUMBLE!!!
Following Lyraiel’s thunderous voice, the War-Mage Tower vibrated violently.
With each tremor, lightning bolts erupted from all sides of the colossal steel fortress, descending as vast pillars of light upon the ravaged battlefield.
[We have completely disbanded three legions of the Headro Warlords stationed in the Western Front border zone.]
Lyraiel’s calm voice echoed resonantly, carried by the tower’s lightning radiance.
[The currently surviving monsters could not maintain formation and fled into the veil. Considering the remaining power, we could pursue, but—]
CLICK!
The Orb Lightning Cannons installed on the tower’s deck simultaneously rotated their emplacements, looking down at the ground.
As if a giant slowly turned its gaze, they aimed their muzzles simultaneously at the Harvester Spell Master, who was confronting Lennok.
Lyraiel spoke with a chilling voice.
[It seems the battle here isn’t over yet.]
“…”
[We will join you immediately.]
“Oh dear. This wasn’t in the plan.”
The Harvester Spell Master, ceasing his mana manipulation, gave a wry smile and raised both hands.
“Would it be alright if I surrendered now?”
RUMBLE!!!
Pillars of lightning struck, fixing the War-Mage Tower in place, and mages began moving on its deck.
“Flight altitude fixed. Engine output stabilization in progress.”
“Remeasuring mana density, focusing on the lower hull.”
“Transmitting docking signals to surrounding city air traffic controllers…”
“Commencing deck cleaning and facility maintenance.”
They cleared the strewn monster corpses from the deck and serviced the smoking propulsion units.
Mages moved between staircases and turrets, preparing necessary documents, and a mage installing an antenna at the edge of the deck began transmitting signals.
Were they processing the procedures necessary to dock near the veil simultaneously with clearing the Western Front?
As Lennok thought so, looking up at the War-Mage Tower halting dozens of meters above, in that very moment—
CRACK!
Mages wreathed in blue lightning descended towards the ground at tremendous speed from dozens of meters up.
Around the Harvester Spell Master, who stood holding Azelan’s head, dozens of lightning bolts rotated in gentle curves.
They arced widely around the single spellmaster, spreading rings of lightning like ripples in all directions.
BOOM!!!
War-Mages, equipped with gleaming spell-armaments, watched the Harvester Spell Master from all directions with stern expressions.
Mages slowly advancing from a distance, carefully forming a perimeter around him.
Even facing a high-ranking Spell Master of the Order Alliance, they did not retreat from battle but overtly intended to exert strong pressure.
Proof that the War-Mage Tower’s mages were accustomed to battles between high-level superhumans.
“Hmm…”
But the Harvester Spell Master paid no mind to such pressure, raising his gaze towards the War-Mage Tower floating in the sky.
Shielding his eyes from the incessantly flashing lightning radiance, he narrowed his eyes and offered a peculiar smile.
“The Six Thunder Pillars’ operational rate is only 25%. About 80 Orb Lightning Cannons are active. Neither the exterior Guardian Spirit Beasts nor the interior Radiant Thunder Spirits have even shown their faces.”
“…”
“The War-Mage Tower, which should be commanding storms and lightning, looks a mess. Has it been getting beaten up somewhere?”
The Harvester Spell Master’s reaction suggested he knew more about the Thorben Magic Tower’s equipment than Lennok, who had fought it once and even boarded it.
Was he so deeply knowledgeable about Thorben that he could infer its condition merely by looking up at the tower’s form from the ground?
Just as Lennok was about to open his mouth to respond to the Harvester Spell Master, an unenthusiastic voice spoke from behind him.
“No matter how bad its condition, it’s not so bad that it can’t save face against the Order Alliance.”
THUD!!
A youthful-looking woman, bearing the Blunt Thunder hammer, had descended behind Lennok.
She trudged forward, carrying a hammer larger than herself on her shoulder.
Instantly, the Harvester Spell Master’s smiling expression subtly changed.
“You were here.”
The youthful-looking woman, called Ayuhtaya, replied.
She glanced back at Lennok and nodded.
“Lyraiel is waiting, so go on.”
“…”
Though it was their first direct conversation, Lennok remembered her as well.
One of the three mages who, along with Karnis, had not directly intervened until the very end during the battle with the War-Mage Tower in District 49.
Among them, she was the woman who used Akendrias El Thorben’s Blunt Thunder.
Though he hadn’t heard anything specific, if she received the same treatment as Karnis, she must be a formidable practitioner herself.
“You’re planning to go to Kundara, aren’t you?”
Ayuhtaya turned towards the Harvester Spell Master and asked.
“I’ll keep this creepy bastard occupied, so hurry up and finish your business.”
“It seems you know the Harvester Spell Master.”
“We used to.”
With those words, Ayuhtaya answered no more.
She simply, holding the Blunt Thunder hammer, slowly closed the distance to the Harvester Spell Master.
Lennok, seeing Ayuhtaya, immediately raised his mana and headed for the War-Mage Tower.
THUD!!
As he retrieved his Iron-Plated Wings and landed on the deck, a long corridor stretching below the stairs became visible.
Receiving silent salutes from the mages, he headed down the blue-lit corridor where Lyraiel was waiting.
“Adamant Thunder.”
“War-Mage Tower summoning spellcraft. You managed to get it here on time.”
Lyraiel nodded at Lennok’s words.
“With so many Arch-Wizards gathered, I believed it wouldn’t be impossible if we used the power of the Hall of the Thunder God as a medium.”
Drawing out the Lightning Emperor’s Key before summoning the War-Mage Tower wasn’t merely to amplify the power of lightning magic.
The Piercing Thunder Key, formed by the Lightning Emperor’s power, was both a force drawn from the Hall of the Thunder God’s sanctuary and a medium connecting the sanctuary to reality.
Therefore, Lennok had succeeded in summoning the War-Mage Tower, which used the Hall of the Thunder God’s power as an engine, by using the act of pulling the Piercing Thunder Key into reality as a catalyst.
“It wasn’t exactly as planned, but I’m glad things worked out. It wouldn’t have been possible without Ms. Maize’s help.”
“Is Olivera awake?”
A full day had passed since Olivera Ron Maize had asked for space to awaken her Mystic Eye.
In that time, they had been attacked by the Headro Warlords, crashed in the druid forest, and even fought a large-scale battle within the Western Front veil.
Subjectively, it wouldn’t be strange if a much longer time had passed for her.
Lyraiel nodded at Lennok’s question.
“She did help us, but she says she has no intention of meeting anyone except Sir Van.”
“…”
“You should go in.”
Lyraiel nodded knowingly, leaving Lennok in silence.
“You can deal with sorting out the Western Front and the druid business afterwards.”
“I will.”
Following Lyraiel’s direction, he headed to the VIP room where Olivera was waiting.
Walking down the dark, blue-lit corridor, the moment he opened the VIP room door and stepped inside—
Olivera, her hair unbound, sat alone and quietly by the window.
“…Olivera.”
“The intervention of the druids and the Order Alliance, then.”
Her own voice, ringing out directly, not the Six-Conjunction Telepathy that vibrated mana.
Olivera, pulling down a veil with one hand, slowly turned her gaze.
“We haven’t even arrived at the Outer Tribulation City, and it’s been nothing but commotion day after day.”
“…”
“But you are not a spellcaster to act so rashly over a mere one or two anomalies.”
Her eyes, gleaming beyond the veil, held a slightly different light than before.
The Seven Debts Jewels Mystic Eye, which had emitted a subtle rainbow hue, now radiated a harder, more inorganic brilliance.
A color so detached, it made one wonder if her eyes had truly transformed into jewels.
Just as Lennok was about to say something about it, she, with crossed arms, slowly tilted her head back.
“Explain what happened with your own mouth.”
“I met the Leader.”
“…”
Olivera, who had fallen silent, her inner gaze flashed intensely for a moment.
Lennok, observing her reaction, slowly sat down on the chair opposite the bed.
“I heard a proposal in his Glass Garden.”
Lennok then briefly explained the conversation that took place in the Glass Garden.
The Headro Warlords’ attack, the druids’ betrayal, and even the fact that the Harvester Spell Master had appeared belatedly under the Leader’s command.
“The Harvester Spell Master is a Spell Master highly regarded within the Order Alliance.”
Olivera, lost in thought, spoke.
“I heard he plays a role in maintaining balance within the Alliance. It’s no coincidence that such a Spell Master was deployed for this incident.”
“…”
“It’s highly probable that the Leader sending the Harvester Spell Master to you wasn’t a simple favor.”
Olivera glanced at Lennok and asked.
“By telling me this, you must also have some inkling, wouldn’t you?”
“It’s because of Celestial Spellcraft, isn’t it.”
“Yes.”
Olivera’s expression, looking down at the ground through the window, grew cold.
“If you intend to go to the Outer Tribulation City at this time, you must know that you absolutely need to twist the veil using Celestial Spellcraft…”
“…”
“The Order Alliance intended, from the start, to verify whether we possessed Celestial Spellcraft, under the pretext of helping us on our way to Kundara.”