Chapter 972 – 972. Gathering (1)
Two months have passed since the continental conference held at the Magic Tower.
For the first time in about 20 years, the continent once again entered an era of chaos.
The war from 20 years ago, in which they colluded with black magicians to summon demons to the continent and tried to seize hegemony over the continent with the power they gained through contracts, has begun again.
It was even more so than then, never less, but in the worst form.
“Shit! What on earth are these… !”
On the joint front formed by the combined efforts of many countries, the skirmish between the Allied Forces and the Demon Beasts continued for several days.
As the soldiers’ screams filled the battlefield as the endless waves of demonic beasts attacked, one adventurer who participated in the battle to subdue the demonic beasts through the guild’s request gritted his teeth.
The number of demonic beasts that continued to pour out like a waterfall was large, but what irritated the adventurers was the individual abilities that each demonic beast possessed.
They were not simply ordinary lower-world monsters like goblins or kobolds.
The Owl Bear, which tears apart human bodies as easily as a sheet of paper, and the Giant Worm, which chews up entire trees, including large trees.
Trolls that regenerate quickly and do not die no matter how much they cut, burn, or crush them.
Mid- to upper-level demonic beasts that are difficult for ordinary adventurers to deal with are flocking in like a swarm of goblins.
Since the front lines were being maintained, it was inevitable that desperate soldiers and adventurers would quickly reach their limits.
“Hold on just a little longer! “Help will come soon!”
An adventurer said as he dealt with an owlbear that rushed at him like a nimble animal despite its massive size.
“When on earth will that support come?”
For them, buying even a second of time is a risky task that requires risking their lives.
The moment was repeated over and over again, desperately trying to maintain this line, but as time passed, the limit was reached, which was a predetermined conclusion.
No matter how many times they were cut, stabbed, burned, or defeated, the adventurers and soldiers who fought with desperate resistance had their bodies torn and crushed one by one by the hands of the demonic beasts, and their numbers gradually decreased.
It was said that the alliance would send support to overcome this situation, but in this urgent situation, the adventurers and soldiers who participated in the front line were waiting desperately for that support.
“Plague… Am I going to die like this… ?”
One adventurer gritted his teeth and muttered.
Could it be because he was bleeding excessively due to the large demonic beast’s tooth being lodged in his abdomen?
I lost my mind.
Before that support could arrive, he was about to be torn limb from limb and eaten by the demonic beasts.
I no longer had the strength to stand up and my consciousness was fading away.
The adventurer felt so vain that his death was on this dirty field infested with demonic beasts.
Just as I was about to lose consciousness.
The adventurer listened.
“Come!”
“… ?”
“They came! “Jiwon!”
A voice cheering wildly as if it had seen hope.
It must have been no mistake that the surrounding area began to heat up as if in response to the cheers.
In his fading consciousness, which seemed as if it would break off at any moment, the adventurer saw blue flames filling his vision.
“The ‘Crazy Fire Fox’ has appeared!”
After hearing the words of the other adventurers cheering, the adventurer became convinced.
That it was she who participated in this front with her support.
The adventurer had seen these blue flames before.
“Shit… Lived…”
These were the adventurer’s last words before losing consciousness.
She was sure that if she showed up on this front, she would not be able to overturn this already decided defeat.
◆ ◆ ◆
[Barbarian witchcraft]
[Goblin Banquet]
It only took a moment for the intense heat of blue flame to cover the battlefield of demonic beasts and people.
The secret magic technique that Erin learned from the nine-tailed fox.
The blue flames gradually expanded in size by taking advantage of Erin’s magical power.
“What is this…”
As the people around them looked up blankly at the scene of the strange magic unfolding, Erin shouted and woke them up from their daze.
“If you don’t want to burn to death, come out now!”
“Uh, uh… ?”
“Hurry!”
At Erin’s urging, the adventurers and soldiers quickly came to their senses.
She helped her fallen comrades and hurriedly left the front lines.
Crrr!
The demonic beasts, who couldn’t stand to watch this quietly, started roaring all at once and chased after the people.
“Eight!”
Erin made her move first.
The fox fires that were burning brightly in the sky fell down at Erin’s gesture.
Like a harsh downpour, the blue flames radiating heat burned brightly regardless of the target.
Wow!
Giant owlbears that move quickly, giant worms that are strong enough to chew the ground, and trolls that regenerate without flinching from any attack.
The moment Erin’s fox fire touched her, she complained harshly of her pain, unable to withstand the overwhelming heat that never went away.
It was only in an instant that the battlefield, which had been filled with the screams of people and the cries of demonic beasts, was filled with a sea of blue fire.
No matter how agile you are, you cannot avoid it, and even if you have solid defense, it has overwhelming firepower that puts even your excellent regenerative ability to shame.
It was the power of just one person that instantly put an end to the hell that was thought to never end.
“Unbelievable…”
A soldier who had escaped from a battlefield blazing with fox fire muttered as if he had lost his soul upon seeing the sight of everything burning in the blue flame and being reduced to ashes.
Is this really a scene that just one person can create?
I was at a loss for words at the thought that it was only one man’s force that ended the battlefield that so many soldiers and adventurers had barely managed to hold on to.
It was natural that people’s attention was focused on Erin.
Nine silver-white fluttering tails and dark blue fox ears that blend in with the hair.
The mystery of the neat and clean magical power of the divine beast that surrounds her.
On the surface, Erin was not a person but a mysterious spirit creature.
Unlike herself, her slender figure and physique make it difficult to think that she is a gold-rank adventurer, one of the highest ranks recognized even among her adventurer guild.
What on earth is the difference between her and herself?
Her intense sense of helplessness and helplessness surged into her own heart in hindsight.
At the same time, the intense longing and cheer that pushed away her feelings.
And her joy and relief at her survival drew the hearts of her adventurers and soldiers.
Erin caught the attention of those people and quickly ran towards her somewhere.
For Erin, their emotions and gaze were already familiar.
“Okay, thank you…” .”
“Sorry! “I have important business to do right now!”
One soldier was thrilled by Erin’s intervention that turned the war situation around in a single moment and tried to express his gratitude, but Erin did not have the time to listen to him until the end.
After running through the battlefield, he found someone at the rear of the defense line with his arms crossed and looking towards him.
“Miho!”
Erin, who rushed forward and arrived in front of the nine-tailed fox, spoke with her eyes shining.
“How was it? “Did I do well!?”
“… Hmm.”
The nine-tailed fox did not answer Erin’s question right away.
“Oh my! Don’t hesitate and speak quickly! Pass? “You passed!?”
“Is it about 70 points?”
Just before her, she had been judged by Erin watching her perform her conjuring skills.
“Eck! What! Why is it so salty?”
“Hmph, isn’t it obvious? “If it were me, it wouldn’t have ended on that scale.”
The nine-tailed fox snorted.
By her own standards, her Erin’s magic still seemed immature and lacking in many ways.
“… Really?”
“Really.”
Erin’s eyes wavered at the nine-tailed fox’s cold, sharp words.
At this level, she thought she would definitely pass, but the nine-tailed fox’s standards were too high for Erin.
“Oh, how could it not work?”
She said, “I said I was lacking, so are you telling me to lie to you? Even if I lied and told him he passed, there’s no way he wouldn’t know that.”
“… “Hey.”
Erin’s fox ears and tail drooped after hearing the nine-tailed fox’s grumpy retort.
“… Hmm.”
The nine-tailed fox was very disappointed and looked down at Erin’s magical power.
‘What did you do?’
In fact, although he didn’t say it out loud, the nine-tailed fox was secretly a little surprised by Erin’s growth.
Even though she had taught her the secrets of her magic, she did not expect that she would be able to use it in such a short period of time.
‘Goblin Banquet’ is a secret technique that requires creating and controlling dozens of fox fires at the same time.
As it boasts an enormous range and firepower, it consumes a huge amount of magical power as well as mental power, so it is not a secret technique that Erin, whose concentration is essentially at the level of crawling on the floor, can master in a short period of time.
So she thought that it would be a long time later before Erin would be able to use the ‘Goblin Banquet’.
She achieved rapid growth through a special experience without her knowledge.
In any case, she was a good thing for Erin.
‘I guess it’s because of him.’
Erin’s motivation and desire for her growth was always due to Eunhyeon.
It was still like that now.
The reason Erin is so depressed right now is because if she doesn’t get her passing grade from her, she won’t be able to be with Eunhyun for a while.
Eunhyeon formed a new expedition team.
Her members include many of her colleagues from 20 years ago as well as new recruits.
Even if Erin was included as a member, far from being a hindrance, she could have shown skills that would not be overlooked, but this was purely due to Eunhyeon’s personal feelings.
Although she wanted to use Erin’s powers elsewhere, she didn’t want her wife to follow her into a dangerous place.
Illyana intervened and presented conditions to Eunhyeon, which led to the current situation.
[Once you can fully control the power of the Divine Beast, won’t it be of great help to you?]
So, how much Erin has grown, and how much she can handle the power of the Divine Beast.
Gumiho was chosen to set the standard and her passing score.
“… Tsk.”
Gumiho did not understand why he had to take on such a troublesome role.
“Follow me.”
“… “Where are you going?”
“Stop talking nonsense and follow me.”
Hearing a visibly depressed voice made me feel irritated for no reason.
She didn’t do anything wrong, she just revealed her honest feelings, but I can’t figure out why she feels so sad.
I couldn’t explain the irritation in my heart, it was just frustrating.
“Gumiho? “What’s going on?”
The place where the nine-tailed fox took Erin was Erin’s house.
At the same time, it was also the house where Eunhyeon and other wives lived.
“You left this guy in my care, and you’ve already forgotten about it?”
“… “It’s not like that.”
Eunhyun answered with a shy smile.
I’ve been busy recently making a lot of preparations to form a new expedition team.
I was so distracted that I couldn’t remember the business right away.
“How was it? “What about Erin?”
“It’s still poor compared to my magic.”
“… Is that so.”
Eunhyun, who was smiling bitterly, was unable to refute Erin’s evaluation given by the nine-tailed fox.
I wanted to defend her if possible, but I couldn’t help it because I didn’t have enough knowledge about her witchcraft to be able to defend her harsh criticism.
“But that doesn’t mean this inexperience is completely useless.”
“… Yes?”
“Huh?”
Eunhyeon looked surprised by Gumiho’s words that followed later.
This was the first time that the prickly nine-tailed fox defended Erin.
She was so surprised that her partner, Erin, also looked puzzled.
“Whatever your personal feelings are, I don’t care. I don’t even want to know. But in my opinion, even if this guy is immature, it is when she is by your side that she can demonstrate her capabilities beyond her limits. “That much is certain.”
His capabilities as a magician are not even half as good as those of the nine-tailed fox.
However, as a prosecutor, the evaluation of the comprehensive ability that covered the shortcomings and developed so far was absolutely not at a level that could be ignored.
This was also Gumiho’s honest opinion.
“Miho… !”
Perhaps it was because she had never thought that the nine-tailed fox would come to her defense, but Erin’s downcast expression instantly turned into emotion.
“Thank you! Really good… !”
“Don’t be obnoxious.”
Erin showed her annoyance by pushing Erin’s head away with her hand as she tried to hug her right away.
Gumiho pushed Erin away and continued talking to Eunhyeon.
“And I’ll participate too.”
“Yes?”
“Is there a problem?”
“It’s not like that, but… It was so unexpected… “I didn’t expect you to tell me first that you would help me.”
“Tsk. They included Gerard in that expedition. That guy is now my servant. “Why are you trying to take me away as you please?”
“… Sorry.”
Eunhyun apologized obediently.
“Uh? It’s Miho. If you’re worried about Gerard and want to join the expedition…”
“Was my judgment wrong? You’re just completely useless. It would be better to leave the expedition…”
“Ahh! Sorry! I’m sorry! “I was wrong!”
Erin hurriedly stopped her words and desperately apologized to the nine-tailed fox.
The nine-tailed fox pushed Erin away, who was annoyingly clinging to her like a leech, and spoke to Eunhyeon.
“Anyway, I will participate, so just know that.”
“… Yes. Thank you.”
Eunhyeon let out a small laugh and saw off the nine-tailed fox.
When the two of them were alone, Erin looked at Eunhyeon and asked.
“Hyuna. “Can I join the expedition too?”
“… It’s going to be very dangerous, are you sure you’ll be okay?”
“Of course! “I’ll work really hard to not be a distraction!”
Erin’s eyes were shining and her motivation was overflowing as she answered energetically.
She didn’t want Erin to be a hindrance to her, but out of concern, she didn’t want to admit to the expedition’s participation, but she was pushing for it so hard that it was hard for her to just refuse.
It was going to be just as hard as it was 20 years ago, maybe even more so, and she was worried that Erin would be able to handle it.
“Illyana said it was okay too! “I’m sure I can do well!”
Eunhyeon couldn’t help but laugh out loud, wondering where her confidence came from.
In the end, Eunhyeon nodded his head.
“… Okay. Okay.”
“Hehe, thank you! “I will train hard until I go on the road!”
