Even after their defeat in battle, the Noktus did not leave the battlefield. They were still searching the area for something, and upon hearing the news, Rian and Ria led their companions toward the site. When they arrived, they witnessed Sadril preparing a magic circle.
Sadril smiled as he saw Rian and Ria's party approach, as if everything were going according to his plan.
Rian, feeling he could wait no longer, drew his sword and charged toward the Noktus soldiers. The sword whistled through the air, cleaving through a Noktus soldier's shield as if it were paper. A red line was drawn wherever the blade passed, and enemies fell without even a scream. Following him, Ria broke the enemy's formation with her magic, and Brunok subdued them with precise shots. The battle was tipping in Altechna's favor, but Sadril still wore a composed expression.
Brunok scowled at Sadril's leisurely smile. He gripped his bow so tightly the veins on his hand bulged, and he shouted, "Still smiling even when your defeat is certain! You must be mad!"
Sadril smiled mockingly and raised a hand. "Hahaha, you have not yet seen the entirety of my plan. Come, Elahar!"
At that moment, from one side of the battlefield, Elahar, Brakka, and Karon appeared. With their arrival, the atmosphere of the battle changed in an instant. Elahar swung his sword as he approached Rian, and Brakka wreaked havoc on the battlefield, swinging his giant axe. Karon was imbued with a heavy magical energy, and the magic emanating from his fingertips made the very air tremble.
Elahar approached Rian and spoke in a cynical voice. "It has been a while, Rian. This time, I shall see how much stronger you've become."
Rian raised his sword in a defensive stance and glared at Elahar. "I have grown stronger, and I will not be defeated so easily this time."
In that opening, Brakka swung his axe at Ria and shouted, "Let's have another fun fight! Let's see if your magic can stop my axe!"
Ria calmly erected a magic barrier, blocking Brakka's axe. "Let's find out, shall we, Brakka?"
Karon watched the battlefield from a distance and said quietly, "If everything proceeds according to plan, this battle is to our advantage. But we mustn't be careless."
The joint assault of Elahar, Brakka, and Karon put great pressure on Rian and Ria's party, and the tide of battle turned once more in the Noktus's favor. Faced with these unexpectedly powerful foes, Rian and Ria had no choice but to focus on defense.
Meanwhile, Sadril was preparing a giant magic circle on one side of the battlefield. As a red light flowed from it, dyeing the field, the foul stench of blood filled the air, which grew heavy and sank. A strange phenomenon occurred as the surrounding dust was sucked toward the circle, and the magic power that touched the skin felt like the pricking of cold needles. The magic circle was formed around the fragments of broken golems and the corpses of dead soldiers, and at its center, the Crystal Core began to glow.
Eris sensed the powerful flow of mana emanating from the magic circle and warned Rian. "Rian! You have to be careful of Sadril. This magic circle is no simple matter!"
Rian heard Eris's warning and fixed his gaze on Sadril's magic circle. At that moment, the circle activated, and the blood-soaked battlefield was bathed in a red light. The circle grew more and more powerful, drawing in the surrounding fragments. At the same time, the broken golems began to reassemble their pieces and rise. Their movements were unnatural, and they exuded an energy that was different from ordinary golems, as if they were alive.
Sadril shouted from the center of the magic circle, his voice filled with excitement. "Finally, what I desired is complete! This is no simple golem. It is a being imbued with ancient power and rage, and it will destroy this battlefield!"
As the golems began to move, they exerted a powerful force as if they had gained new life, pressing Rian and Ria's party. The golems simply ignored Rian's attacks, threatening the party by churning the earth with their giant hands.
Elahar stepped back, observing the golem's power. "Sadril, what in the world have you done? This is not the golem we know."
Brakka also looked at the golem with a surprised expression. "This is no simple battle. This golem is something different. It's as if it's alive."
Karon analyzed the golem with caution and said, "Sadril's plan goes beyond a simple battle. He's aiming for something greater through this golem."
Rian knew he couldn't back down. He shouted to his party, "We have to stop it! If this golem moves, the entire kingdom will be in danger."
Eris attempted a magical attack on the golem, but their power had almost no effect. The golem swung its giant arm, attacking Rian, and he barely dodged, looking for an opportunity to counter.
Rian said to Eris and Brunok, "Channel all your enhancement magic into me! If we don't stop this golem now, it's over."
Eris cast a spell on Rian, imbuing him with the power of the spirits, and Brunok also tried to assist Rian's attack with covering fire. Rian, using his enhanced strength, charged at the golem and delivered a powerful blow. With a sound that tore through the air, his sword struck the golem's body. A shockwave shook the battlefield, but only a small scratch was left on the golem.
The golem simply looked down at Rian in silence and raised its powerful hand to attack again. This was not a simple fight, but an unprecedented threat, a combination of Sadril's deep conspiracy and the golem's unnatural power.
Rian and Ria's party now had to stop this giant golem. They resolved to fight with their last bit of strength to foil Sadril's plan. The outcome of this battle would be a crucial moment that would decide the fate of the kingdom.
***
Episode : The Broken Giant
Thump! Thump!
The sound of giant footsteps shook the very earth. The golem that emerged from the dust cloud was no simple statue. A special bullet fired by Brunok hit its shoulder, but the golem paid it no mind. Instead, its massive head slowly turned, its gaze fixing not on Brunok, the source of the attack, but on Rian, who stood at the center of the battlefield. Like a predator that had chosen its prey.
"The dirty bastards, they all slipped away. Cowardly Elves!" Brunok spat a curse at the retreated Noktus soldiers, then cleared his throat, remembering Eris was beside him.
Eris looked beyond the ruined castle wall and said calmly, "It is true that they are vile. But right now, we must stop that thing first."
Cold and heat swirled at Ria's fingertips. The air around her seemed to freeze for a moment, and then a blazing flame bloomed in her palm, flying toward the golem's arm. The arm seemed to be momentarily entangled in ice and fire, but the creature shattered the magic with a single furious swing. A fragment of it grazed Ria's cheek. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead.
"Rian! That movement... it's not simple magic! They must have revived a 'Titan Guardian' from the ancient records! That Crystal Core must have breathed life into it!" Ria shouted desperately.
"Eris, please! Anything!"
Eris placed both hands on the ground, and with a sound like the earth tearing apart, giant tree roots shot up, wrapping around the golem's legs. The golem's massive body faltered for a moment. But only for a moment. The golem lifted its foot, tearing the roots apart with a splintering crack, and took another step forward.
"I will protect you!" With Marielle's cry, a warm, healing light enveloped her companions. A gentle warmth spread over a deep gash on Brunok's forearm, and the wound began to close.
Rian, dodging the golem's fist by a hair's breadth, thought. Brute force won't work. He threw the greatsword he was holding into the air. The greatsword glowed and split into two nimble twin blades, and Rian caught them in each hand. He kicked off the ground and closed in on the golem's side.
Kagang! Kang! Kang!
Rian's twin blades struck the golem's outer shell, creating sparks and a sharp metallic sound. He put his full weight into twisting the blades, and finally, with a terrible screech, a deep crack began to form in the shell.
"There's no end to this! Everyone, focus your fire on one point! We have to create a weak spot!"
His shout was the signal. Brunok aimed for the golem's crystal eye. Bang! The bullet struck the crystal eye, creating a spark with a pajik sound. For the first time, the golem let out a pained roar. Not missing the moment, Ria's powerful ice spear flew and lodged in the same spot.
"KRAAAAAK!"
As the golem screamed and staggered, Rian charged into the opening, plunged his twin blades into the cracked chest plate, and tore it open with force. Kiiik-! With a loud groan, the plate was ripped away, revealing the Crystal Core embedded within, pulsing with a sinister red light like a heart.
"There it is! Attack the Crystal Core!"
A spear of wind carrying all of Eris's magic power and Ria's arcane magic exploded. And Brunok's last remaining bullet pierced the very center of the Crystal Core with perfect accuracy.
Ting—!
A sharp shattering sound, like breaking glass, echoed across the battlefield. As a red light burst from the Crystal Core and scattered in all directions, the golem's movements came to an abrupt halt. The giant statue, having lost its life force, stood for a moment as if staring into space, and then, with a deafening roar of collapsing joints, it fell, shaking the earth. A giant cloud of dust rose.
Silence fell upon the battlefield. As the dust settled, the wreckage of the fallen giant was revealed.
Rian leaned on his twin blades, which were deeply embedded in the ground, and gasped for breath. The fatigue of the battle weighed heavily on his whole body. Ria approached and lightly patted his shoulder.
"We did it, Rian." Her voice was exhausted, but tinged with relief. "It was only possible because we were all together."
Rian nodded silently. "You're right. But... this isn't the end, is it? Sadril is still..."
Marielle approached and placed her hand over the deep wound on Rian's arm. With a soft light, the wound began to heal. "The wounds on your body will heal soon. But I'm sure the marks left on all our hearts are much deeper." A faint sadness was tinged in her gentle smile.
"Damn, every bone in my body is aching." Brunok grumbled as he slumped down on a rock. "To think we'd have so much trouble with one lump of metal. I'm just glad everyone's safe." Unlike his usual rough tone, he couldn't hide the relief in his eyes as he looked at his companions.
Eris averted her gaze from the wreckage of the fallen golem and said quietly, "We have become stronger. If we combine our strengths, we can stop any threat."
That evening, a comfortable silence flowed between the party as they sat around the campfire. Ria handed out cups of warm tea. The warmth of the steaming cups thawed their frozen bodies and minds.
Brunok broke a piece of hard bread in half and, with a casual air, handed it to Eris sitting beside him. Eris gave a small nod and accepted it. Marielle looked at each of her tired companions' faces and said with conviction, "If we stand as one, nothing will be impossible for us."
Rian took in the sight of his companions and steeled his heart once more. "Right... I could never have won that fight alone. It'll be the same from now on."
He raised his hot teacup. "We will get stronger. Together, we can definitely win."
They knew a long fight still lay ahead. But their firm trust in each other and their new resolve burned like the campfire, preparing them to face the coming darkness.