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Chapter 138: Come, Spring (3)
“*Take care of the body yourself.”
“What? Lord Itargand. The goal is to end the winter, it’d be best to try and keep her alive…”
The inquisitor’s face hardened. If they killed the witch rashly and the winter did not end, there would be a much more difficult situation. But Itargand paid no heed to what was being said.
“Noisy.”
Itargand raised his arm and aimed at the Winter Witch. Mana around him began to swirl and gather. People who had risen hastily made a desperate dash towards the corridor.
“G-Go quickly!”
“I-I’m going to die! Get away!”
There were no eloquent pleas. Before Itargand’s palm, a massive magic circle formed.
It was the moment the last challenger hurled themselves into the corridor. Kuaaaaah!! Crimson flames erupted like a torrent from the magic circle.
The power surpassed all expectations. Screams and cries erupted sporadically.
“Ugh!”
It felt like the chamber was collapsing, water bursting forth. The flowing fire was as dazzling as it was devastating. If hell’s rivers or streams flooded, this spectacle might resemble it.
“I-I can’t see…!”
“Damn it!”
For a moment, a blinding flash engulfed Judica. People hastily covered their eyes, but the light pierced through their hands. The fire that had hit a dead-end wall began to reverse towards the corridor.
“For heaven’s sake, erect a barrier!”
Elizabeth shouted urgently. A translucent barrier rose between the corridor and the open space. Simultaneously, the reversing flames attacked the barrier.
“Ugh…!”
Elizabeth gritted her teeth. The three-layered barrier began to melt away rapidly. The mages, belatedly regaining their composure, consecutively cast spells.
“S-Stone Wall!”
“Mana Barrier!”
Various defensive magics supplemented Elizabeth’s barrier. However, it was insufficient to completely block the flames. Elizabeth, chewing her lip, closed her eyes tightly.
“I-I didn’t want to use this if I could help it…”
It was a voice truly reluctant. Violet energy emanated from her hands, a type of mana unseen in nature.
‘Aura.’
Ronan raised an eyebrow. Now that he thought about it, it was his first time seeing Elizabeth’s Aura. The violet mana flowed smoothly, overlaying the barrier.
“This is…?”
“My god, the barrier is being strengthened.”
People’s eyes widened. The collapsing magic began to restore itself. New stones rose in the melted parts of the wall. The gaps in the mana barrier were seamlessly filled. No more flames surged forth. Ronan observed Elizabeth, who was concentrating intensely, and commented,
“That’s quite an ability. Pretty good, huh?”
“Don’t tease me. Ugh… I can’t believe supporting a bunch of sheep is my ability.”
It looked impressive at first glance, but she seemed rather discontented. Well, she was always eager to be the protagonist. Around a minute passed by. People who sensed the diminishing heat sighed.
“Is… is it over?”
“Seems like it.”
The situation was hard to assess due to the layers of barriers. Magicians exchanged glances and began to dispel one defensive spell after another.
The flames had subsided. It was the moment the thick walls crumbled down. Whoossh! Fierce heat swept through the corridor.
“Kyaaa…!”
“Damn it, you’ve made quite a mess.”
Ronan clicked his tongue. Fortunately, it wasn’t severe enough to cause burns. In the revealed area, there was no sense of cold. Faint embers were scattered here and there, akin to puddles after rain.
The hot and dry air felt like being in a desert. Icicles the size of people that had covered the walls and ceiling had disappeared without a trace. What happened to the witch? Ronan glanced around and chuckled wryly.
“Ha, what…”
There was not even a trace of melting visible on the blue ice pillar. The Winter Witch still slept within the ice, hunched over. Itargand stood motionless, gazing at the unscratched ice column.
“It-It didn’t melt?”
“No way. Even the dragon’s fire…”
People murmured. The temperature plummeted drastically again due to the chill seeping from the ice column. Itargand exhaled lightly.
“Quite impressive, for a mere mortal.”
Itargand raised his arms again. This time, both arms. People, pale with shock, began to cast defensive magic once more.
Kuaaaaah!! Once again, a rapid stream of flames poured out. Just hearing the sound was enough to suggest it matched the previous devastating scale.
Before long, as the heat subsided, people released the barriers. The scene before them wasn’t much different from before. Amidst the dwindling flames, Itargand’s voice resonated.
“This can’t be happening…”
The ice column had melted ever so slightly but still remained intact. Even that tiny bit promptly refroze. Itargand seemed to have overexerted himself as he breathed lightly.
Shock and despair grazed the pupils of the onlookers. There wasn’t anyone rejoicing about the chance to become a hero. Not even the flames of a Red Dragon could melt that ice. Ronan muttered under his breath, spitting out.
“Son of a bitch. All that boasting for nothing.”
With that, the people of the island had a higher chance of living their lives wearing a fur hat until they died. It was a moment when Ronan, with a contemptuous gaze, looked at Itargand. A familiar sensation caught his eye.
‘Is that…?’
It was very subtle, but unmistakable. Mana sparkled from where the ice had melted. Ronan’s brow furrowed.
‘What the hell. Why is that thing coming out of there?’
Certainly, it hadn’t been visible until now. The fact that something appeared after the ice melted meant that substance was present in the ice composition.
The fragments of memories floating in his mind began to stir. It couldn’t be a coincidence. Only Nebula Clazier could handle sparkling mana.
Moreover, engraved on the surface of the ice was the sword mark suspected to belong to the leader. Exquisitely imitated swordsmanship, almost taunting. The witch had already been trapped in the ice when discovered.
The outline of the event was gradually becoming clear. Bang! Itargand, unable to contain his anger, struck the ice with his fist.
“Damn it!”
But nothing changed. Glancing back at the interrogator, he spoke with frustration.
“It seems that being in my human form has affected my output. Move the witch outside.”
“Th-That’s impossible. The witch is sealed here in Judica, as a precaution. Releasing her requires either removing the ice or gathering the sealing sorcerers.”
“In that case, I’ll burn all of you here!”
Itargand’s face contorted viciously. His round pupils narrowed to thin diamond shapes. Chack! A pair of massive wings tore through his back. The interrogator screamed.
“No, don’t! Rodolan will collapse!”
“How dare you order me! I am Itargand, the Flowing Flame!”
Itargand roared. The entire space shook as if an earthquake had struck. People froze in place, unable even to think about fleeing. Quietly observing, Ronan flicked his fingers.
‘So that’s how it is.’
The puzzle pieces fell into place. He started walking straight towards the ice column. Aselle, puzzled, asked in a mixed voice,
“Ro-Ronan. Where are you going?”
“I’ve figured it all out now.”
“Wh-What…?”
“That ice. I think I can break it.”
Aselle’s eyes widened. Ignoring Itargand, Ronan passed by and stood in front of the ice column. He twisted his lips as he once again caressed the sword marks.
‘Those bastards got their hands on it first.’
It was strange that the Winter Witch, who would normally appear several years later, had appeared now. In the past, she committed crimes in a thoroughly planned and proactive manner.
However, the current witch had only brought winter to the island. Of course, this was also an incredibly evil act, but the way it was done was a little different. The crucial evidence was that when she was discovered, she was already trapped in that ice.
‘That kid’s also a victim.’
If Ronan’s speculation was correct, the witch herself might be unable to escape from that ice. She might have used some means to bring about the winter and then sealed herself inside.
Manipulating sparkling mana was one thing, but mixing it with other substances wasn’t something just anyone could do, even in Nebula Clazier.
‘I never would’ve thought it was really a provocation.’
The impression of provocation from the sword marks was also not a misconception. After careful observation, Ronan realized that the sword marks left on the surface were the answer to breaking the ice.
If cut exactly along those lines, the ice would undoubtedly shatter. However, there were not many people who could replicate those sword marks.
The ice column standing before him was a kind of message. If they wanted to save the island, they needed to reveal themselves. There was no need to explain who the letter was directed to.
‘The Savior is alive somewhere.’
With this conclusion, Ronan chuckled wryly. Now that he had found the answer, there was no intention of dragging it out. Swrrk! Drawing his sword, Ronan aimed the blade at the ice.
‘I don’t know if I can do it the same way.’
He vaguely remembered, but it was indeed insufficient to reproduce it accurately. But now it was different. The roughly drawn pattern on the sword transformed into a detailed image, intertwining with his memories.
‘All at once.’
With Itargand still causing a commotion, no one paid attention to him. It was better that way. Ronan’s arm disappeared from sight. The mana-infused, crimson blade slid across the ice as if dancing.
In a split second of a faint strike, a second of firing a comet from the sword’s tip, a storm-like barrage of strikes within three seconds. Hundreds of strikes, each with a different shape, happened in a moment.
“Hmm? Ronan?”
Only after noticing him belatedly, Karaka raised an eyebrow. By the time he blinked, everything had already ended. Ronan, finishing the strikes, sighed. Clack! It was the moment when the sheath swallowed Lamancha’s hilt.
Crack! A massive crack appeared atop the slick ice column. Sparkling mana burst out like blood. Itargand’s eyes bulged as if they were about to pop.
“What…!”
“She’s alive. How delightful.”
Ronan smirked. As the crack completely covered the surface, the ice column exploded.
Kwaaah! Neatly shattered fragments scattered in all directions. The witch, trapped all this time, slumped forward.
