Chapter 87. Great Mage vs. God’s Proxy (1)
So that’s Ernst Romarn.
I had never seen Ernst before.
I’d wondered if I’d recognize him if I t him alone, but it was a needless worry.
I could tell at a glance he was a Great Mage.
Even with renowned mages already by my side.
“Ernst!”
“Ernst! It’s , Ron!”
Gaiard and Ron, who knew his face, couldn’t hide their excitent.
Gaiard looked ready to spread his wings and fly over, but I stopped him.
“Stay put for now. It’s an order. Let’s talk first.”
“You bastard. If you keep holding back, I’ll kill you even if it ans my death.”
Ignoring Gaiard’s umpteenth deadly threat, I stepped across the plank to the other ship.
“You’re Ernst Romarn… right?”
This could all be a trap.
The imposing figure before might be an illusion, and the hundreds of Crystal Soldiers lined up behind him could be the real threat.
Yet, I took another step forward.
He wouldn’t send only soldiers when his daughter might be here. Even if he did, we have formidable allies too.
And my guess was correct.
It was no longer a trick—Ernst himself had appeared.
“Where’s my daughter?”
Ernst slamd his staff into the deck.
Instantly, a barrier enveloped the area, intricate patterns shimring in the air.
“If you’ve lured here with lies, I won’t let it slide.”
His voice carried resolute determination.
To him, only his daughter mattered.
He didn’t care who I was
or why another living human was here.
Not even the presence of those who knew him.
As expected, the bait worked perfectly.
I glanced at Lilith on our warship, signaling her.
She understood and headed to the cabin.
Soon, holding her hand, a figure erged…
“Veroni!”
“Daddy?”
His previously expressionless face flooded with emotions in an instant.
“Veroni…”
His gaze was fixed solely on his daughter.
He seed to want to step closer, but I blocked him.
“You’ve confird your daughter’s presence. Now listen to .”
“What do you want?”
“To have you talk with the ruler of this place.”
Ernst’s expression subtly shifted.
“That’s as good as telling to die. Do you think I’d agree to that?”
“Your actions nearly caused a catastrophe. Isn’t this a small price to pay? You should be begging for rcy from a god willing to talk.”
A being drawing the attention of two gods, Hel and Ragnad—
and not in a positive way. Ernst’s fate was likely sealed.
Knowing this, he firmly refused.
“I admit I’m disrupting this world’s order. So let et my daughter first, and I’ll accept punishnt myself. Hand her over.”
His voice carried genuine sincerity.
But I didn’t trust him.
This guy can escape anyti he achieves his goal. And we’re the ones in a bind, not him.
I aid to gain the upper hand in negotiations.
“You go first. I’ll talk to the gods to arrange your reunion with your daughter. We’re here as their proxies.”
“So negotiations are off…”
“Were we negotiating? It feels like you were just making demands.”
Ernst’s eyes turned cold.
“I’ll show you what ‘one-sided’ truly ans. You’ll regret not listening to .”
He slamd his staff down again.
Thud!
The intricate patterns forming the barrier began moving,
quickly combining into a single rune.
From it, a barrage of attack spells erupted.
The target wasn’t but the mages on our warship.
The prepared mages raised barriers, assuming defensive stances.
Damn, I walked right into the Reaper’s jaws.
A barrier capable of both defense and attack.
Realizing the rune’s nature, I gritted my teeth.
“If you insist on bloodshed, so be it!”
I drew my sword, unleashing a sharp sword aura.
I didn’t intend to kill, but I aid to at least sever the arm holding the staff.
However—
Clang!
The aura was blocked by Crystal Soldiers before reaching Ernst.
The blue-glowing soldiers drew weapons, forming ranks.
Ernst stepped back, declaring in a low voice, “Your opponents are them.”
At his gesture, the Crystal Soldiers charged.
Simultaneously, spells poured relentlessly from the barrier.
“Gaiard! We need Ernst alive!”
“Got it!”
“Mages, just block the spells! I’ll keep these stoneheads from crossing!”
The warship and Ernst’s ship beca a battlefield.
Gaiard, who quickly crossed over, stood at the bow, blocking the Crystal Soldiers from reaching our ship.
The five mages ford a defensive formation to protect the warship and from Ernst’s magic.
“He’s a Great Mage. We’ll need to pour out every spell we’ve got!”
“Yes, Head!”
“To think Ernst is attacking …”
“Snap out of it, Ron! Subdue him first, think later!”
They were high-ranking mages in life.
Each cast double spells with different runes in both hands, and Lilith chanted relentlessly.
“Ignis! Fria Devora!”
As Lilith combined fire and ice magic, explosions erupted, clashing with the barrier’s spells.
The sea around the warship turned into utter hell.
Water pillars surged, thunder and flas intertwined, and calamity raged.
Splash! Boom!
Despite the violent shaking, Gaiard and I held our ground, fighting the relentless soldiers.
“Gaiard! Don’t let these stoneheads cross!”
“Worry about yourself! They’re not just relying on numbers!”
As Gaiard said, the Crystal Soldiers weren’t rely a nurical threat.
They were not only durable but intelligent summons, capable of independent thought.
Each one looks different. Their weapons too. That ans…
Indeed, each soldier’s attack pattern was unique.
Far from simple charges, they employed individual combat strategies.
These weren’t monotonous attacks but refined battle techniques.
“What are these things?”
Only then did Gaiard realize and warn .
“Evan! These are the elite unit that fell in the old Northern Tribes’ war.”
“As I suspected.”
The kingdom’s elite unit, resurrected in perfect form.
This is worse than necromancy! At least those aren’t this tough!
Fortunately, the Crystal Soldiers couldn’t wield aura.
But that didn’t make them easy opponents.
As undying beings, simply cutting them down was futile.
They didn’t collapse from wounds and kept advancing.
Ernst exploited this ruthlessly.
He’s trying to push Gaiard and off his ship.
I noticed their movents, aiming to spread out and gain advantageous positions.
I can’t cut through all these tough bastards. No matter how strong this sword is, it’ll break first. But I can’t just bypass them either.
As I thought, a soldier thrust a spear at .
An opening.
I grabbed and yanked the spear, disarming it.
Without hesitation, I stepped onto the railing and leaped downward.
“Hup!”
With all my strength, I drove the spear into the ship’s side.
Crunch!
I precariously landed on the spear’s handle, raising my sword and gathering strength.
If I can’t cut the soldiers… I’ll cut the ship.
The sword aura enveloping the blade shimred.
In a flash, I swung the sword downward.
Crunch!
The ship’s bow split in two instantly.
Black seawater surged like a tidal wave, swallowing the hull.
Whoosh.
I sprang off the spear handle, landing lightly back on the railing.
Looking down, I saw the Crystal Soldiers losing balance and falling into the deep sea.
Got it.
But then, the split ship began to nd itself.
Ernst was using magic to repair it in real-ti.
“Gaiard!”
“I know!”
Gaiard, who’d been watching for an opening, dove toward Ernst.
With nearly 70% of the Crystal Soldiers gone, a gap appeared.
“Ernst!”
As Gaiard’s claws neared him, a soldier appeared, smashing him away with a flail.
Thud!
The imnse force sent Gaiard crashing into the barrier.
The impact pushed him, nearly sending him into the sea.
“Damn it!”
As I moved to catch him, Ron used telekinesis to pull Gaiard back.
“We’ll support you, so take the front! Please!”
“Understood!”
I vaulted over the railing, dodging soldiers’ attacks, and charged at Ernst.
But the soldier who’d knocked Gaiard away blocked my path.
My instincts scread.
The pressure from this one was entirely different from the others.
“This is the trump card.”
Observing its stance, a scene from a book I’d read ca to mind.
“I’ve read about this. You created the one called Iron Fang.”
At that mont, Ernst’s eyebrow twitched slightly.
“You know Iron Fang? Then you must realize how impossible it is for you to reach .”
“We’ll see about that.”
But Ernst didn’t engage further.
He couldn’t.
He was focused on countering the five mages’ onslaught.
Iron Fang, master of the flail, was said to have no equal. If his flail techniques are perfectly replicated, I can’t rely on mistakes.
I’d studied flail techniques in a book before.
Even then, I’d deed Iron Fang’s skills near invincible.
Whoosh!
The heavy flail swung in an arc, approaching swiftly.
I used the distance to dive in closer.
Iron Fang pulled the flail’s handle, shortening its reach.
Caught off-guard, I lost balance montarily
and had to block the incoming flail with my sword.
Thud!
The imnse impact pushed to the railing.
“Ugh.”
A bone-rattling shock coursed through .
Iron Fang didn’t hesitate.
Whoosh!
The flail, linked by chains, moved freely, continuing its relentless assault.
The flail’s head struck the deck like a venomous snake.
He truly had no equal with a flail.
Overcoming the flail’s weaknesses, he wielded it with masterful control.
The attacks seed chaotic yet were tid and angled perfectly.
Flexible chain attacks and rapid, unpredictable movents pressured .
A single misstep, and the flail would crush my skull.
Thud!
But I wasn’t truly being overwheld.
I was waiting for one specific opening.
As Iron Fang drew back the flail for a powerful swing,
I seized the precise mont, grabbing the chain.
The unexpected move pulled the chain taut.
Thud!
The recoil sent the flail’s head smashing into Iron Fang’s face.
The trendous impact shattered his crystal head.
“If you were still alive, that is.”
I didn’t miss the mont Iron Fang stiffened.
Stepping on his shoulder, I leaped toward Ernst.
Look this way!
My goal was singular:
to draw Ernst’s attention.
And as expected, he reacted.
He swiftly waved his hand.
A powerful shockwave exploded, knocking back.
Boom!
My body lurched in midair, flung toward the railing.
The attack failed, but it was enough.
Ernst’s continuous spells paused for a fleeting mont.
Lilith didn’t miss that chance.
She cast another spell she’d only researched in the Citadel.
“Vespera Inferno Stinger!”
Black flas converged into a spear-like form.
A massive spear of dark fire shot straight at Ernst.
Sensing danger, Ernst extended his hand.
He rapidly created multiple barriers for defense.
The mages countered, deploying linked runes to neutralize his barriers.
“It’s our chance, Lilith!”
Lilith’s spear was about to strike Ernst.
At that mont, a golden spear flew in, deflecting the dark fla.
Clang!
The intense impact rocked both ships.
Simultaneously, the barrier covering the sky vanished.
In its place stood a single figure.
“Found you, the cause of this chaos.”
The true proxy of the gods, Nidra, had appeared.
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