Chapter 15: Fear

“No, Lockes, we… I can’t leave you!”

Aurora tried to step forward to stand beside the young man, but the Captain stopped her.

“Let me go!”

“My apologies, Lady Aurora.”

The Captain struck the girl hard in the stomach, knocking her unconscious.

“Thank you, Captain. I’ll buy as much time for you as possible.”

“That won’t do.”

The Captain stood on the same front as Lockes, along with the other adventurers, and chuckled.

“With so many of us, we might not all escape. I saw those attacks just now…”

The Captain glanced at Qiaolin with a knowing look and continued, “Whether it’s speed or destructive power, this Magic Beast is far beyond us. If we work together, maybe we can ensure more people retreat safely.”

With that, the Captain had the younger adventurers take Aurora and leave, immediately reducing their numbers by half.

“This is a genuine Level 7 Magic Beast,” Qiaolin said with a smile.

“Haha, then I really want to see its true face!” The Captain let out a heroic laugh, though the hand holding his weapon trembled uncontrollably.

No one is immune to the fear of death.

Qiaolin smiled slightly. He had received their resolve and courage.

“Go ahead and do what you must. None of you will die.”

*Howl!*

A storm-like wolf howl shattered the white mist, revealing One-Eye’s true form. At the same time, ice spikes began to rain down from the sky.

The group scattered. Lockes swung his sword, creating a wall of red blood that radiated high heat, melting the ice spikes and blocking them.

Lockes charged out from behind the wall of blood, rushing toward One-Eye’s position while the others covered his charge.

Solid rock walls blocked ice thorns, agile spears swept through the wind and snow, and the Captain’s greatshield cleared the thick mist for Lockes.

One-Eye pressed its paw down, and the blue light on its back flared.

An ice spike as thick as an adult’s thigh materialized and shot out with bone-chilling killing intent, piercing through the Captain and his shield at the front of the line.

“Argh!”

At that moment, the shattered shield emitted a golden light. A latent skill enchanted upon the weapon had activated.

**[INDOMITABLE BODY]**

Even with a massive hole through his chest, his movements were unaffected. In fact, he became even faster!

“Die!”

The Captain slammed his shield toward One-Eye. The Magic Wolf spun around and swung its claw, batting him into the ground.

“Hah!”

**[BLOOD WAVE SLASH]**

At the same time, Lockes’s figure leaped over the Captain. He swung his sword down, but a hint of disdain appeared in One-Eye’s eyes.

*Splat!*

An ice spike, created at some unknown moment, pierced Lockes from behind.

Everyone present was horrified by the Magic Beast’s intelligence. It seemed to know all of its enemies’ attack patterns.

Qiaolin raised his hand. Golden light mixed with emerald vitality poured into the bodies of Lockes and the Captain.

Under One-Eye’s shocked gaze, the wounds of the two men healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Lockes, in particular, felt his aura grow even more powerful under the influence of that immense life force.

**[CRIMSON CYCLONE]**

A violent blood-red tornado surged toward One-Eye, unleashing countless small sword beams.

Every time a beam hit One-Eye, it drained the beast’s blood and Magic Power.

This was the terrifying strength of the Vampire race—becoming stronger as the battle progressed.

“However—”

*Boom!*

One-Eye’s claw strike instantly overwhelmed Lockes, tearing him in two!

“What?!”

Before pain could even register, Lockes watched as the Silverback Magic Wolf blurred past him. Immediately after, he lost all control over his lower body.

**[FOLDING WARP]**

Qiaolin’s expression darkened. His figure flashed to Lockes’s side, and he grabbed both halves of the boy’s body.

One-Eye swung another claw, but Qiaolin moved again, transferring himself and Lockes to a safe location.

“I didn’t expect to be taken out in one hit…”

“Phew. I’ve temporarily reattached your body using **[Soil Magic]**. With your Vampire recovery and the life energy I just injected into you, you should recover quickly.”

The **[Golden Book]** in Qiaolin’s hand flipped through pages incessantly, radiating a mysterious aura of the **[Law of Time]**.

Behind him, the others were being torn apart by One-Eye’s attacks over and over, only to be restored every single time.

‘Is this **[Holy Magic]**? And **[Soil Magic]**... Who exactly are you?’

Qiaolin did not answer the question. He turned his head as if sensing something, and Lockes quickly warned him of an attack from behind.

“Watch out!”

An ice spike lunged. If Qiaolin dodged, Lockes would surely be the one to suffer.

*Thwack!*

A lithe figure kicked the incoming ice spike away. The girl’s slender legs were a blur of motion.

She was the survivor who had previously lost her lower body; her armored legs were now her best weapons.

“Thanks, Miss.”

“I owe you one.”

Qiaolin took a second to realize what she meant.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

One-Eye slammed the ground heavily, and massive ice spikes erupted, sending everyone flying.

Its dark gold beastial eyes were now locked onto Qiaolin. One-Eye finally understood that the reason these ants wouldn’t die was all because of this guy’s interference!

“Protect Mr. Qiaolin!”

The group realized this as well and surrounded Qiaolin. They could clearly feel an invisible force pulling them back from the brink of death every time.

“Everyone, I think the time is about right.”

“Are we counterattacking? We’ll follow your orders,” the Captain said.

“Uh…”

Qiaolin’s gaze shifted guiltily.

“I mean, it’s time to run. Aurora and the others have completely left the Celtic Forest, so there’s no need for us to waste time here. You don’t actually want to hunt a Level 7 Magic Beast, do you? The strength it’s shown so far is just the tip of the iceberg.”

Qiaolin spoke the most terrifying words in a flippant tone, making everyone feel a chill down their spines.

“Lockes and I will cover the rear. Just run forward. Don’t worry about losing your way in the mist. Since we’re at the forest’s edge, any direction away from the beast will lead you out.”

Qiaolin hadn’t tried using **[Folding Warp]** on multiple people yet. The risk for that teleportation formula was too high, so he felt it was safer to carry only one person at a time.

“I’ll protect you.”

Lockes had recovered from his injuries. His blood aura radiated a fierce energy under the effect of **[BLOOD GOD’S FURY]**.

The Captain sighed and said, “Mr. Qiaolin, although we’ve only known you for one day, we are truly grateful. You saved all of us.”

“Save the talk for when we’re back,” Qiaolin smiled and said softly.

“Now, RUN!”

*Awoo—*

“Hah!!!”

Lockes raised his longsword. His blood surged, his Magic Power exploded, and the sword beam he swung clashed violently with One-Eye’s frost-laden howl!

***

After a period of desperate combat…

The once thick white mist had thinned. Where the cold air lingered, frost froze the earth. A ragged Vampire youth supported his body with his sword.

Though he looked like a mess, there wasn’t a single wound on him.

Lockes exhaled white vapor, his brow furrowed with exhaustion. **[Healing Magic]** could not restore his Magic Power, so his reserves were nearly depleted.

“Mr. Qiaolin, are you okay?!”

Lockes called out, but no one responded.

‘Mr. Qiaolin probably fell unconscious from consuming too much Magic Power. This battle was the limit for both of us.’

Lockes thought to himself.

‘I didn’t expect I’d actually die in battle here today…’

The blade condensed from blood and Magic Power dissipated. He slumped to the ground as the chill from ahead continued to draw closer.

Lockes used his last bit of strength to stand up and face One-Eye.

“Come on!”

The Vampire youth stared with crimson eyes, confronting the Magic Beast. Even without Magic Power, he would step forward and bite his enemy!

“COME ON!!!”

One-Eye stared at him warily. This boy was at his wit’s end; the beast only needed to close in and lightly swing a claw…

But it chose not to do so. The ice spikes on its back radiated a cold light that could pierce a heart in an instant.

The white mist behind the youth quietly dispersed.

“Come on! Come on!!!”

One-Eye’s dark gold pupils suddenly widened, and its body froze.

It wasn’t frightened by the Vampire youth’s desperate aura. Its gaze swept past Lockes, looking at the figure vaguely emerging from the mist behind him.

Familiar pale blue eyes were reflected in One-Eye’s pupils, seemingly dragging up terrifying memories that had been buried for a long time.

*Whimper…*

After a trembling low growl, One-Eye dispersed its Magic Power and fled into the depths of the forest without looking back.

“Heh… Coward.”

Lockes gave a cold laugh and promptly collapsed onto the ground. In his final moments of vision, a silver-white figure flashed by.

‘Is that… the mist…?’