Minjun turned to me and asked.
“Trnalpria?”
“I gathered it all.”
Whether he saw the bald patch on Pa-rongee’s head or not, Jinsu asked with a shocked expression.
“Whoa! Brother, why is Pa-rongee’s head… like that?”
Before Pa-rongee could get hurt, I answered quickly.
“Don’t be like that. It’s because he shared his Green Onion to treat your poisoning.”
“Ah, I see. Then what about Pa-rongee’s head?”
“It grows back quickly, so don’t worry.”
Since everyone seemed to have come to their senses, I told them the facts I had discovered.
“The air layer here is divided into two. Below has high-concentration oxygen, so if you breathe it continuously, you get dizzy and cough. Above, you guys know, right? Purple Poison Mist.”
Minjun nodded with a serious expression.
“Let’s get out of here first.”
Everyone’s eyes turned toward The Cave.
Since we couldn’t climb up the steep walls, we had to go through the cave, the only passage here.
We had gathered enough Trnalpria, so we just needed to go back.
“Maintain the formation.”
We hurried out of The Pit and headed for The Cave.
The inside of The Cave was more pleasant than expected.
Perhaps because it was a passage used by monsters, it was wide, but no other creatures were seen.
“Turn on the flashlights and move.”
The entrance area showed the structure of the passage well due to the leaking light, but as we entered further, there was nothing but pitch-black darkness.
I shined the flashlight around, but there was nothing.
Moreover, not even a small sound could be heard.
As we continued further, I saw light shining from far outside.
The exit was quite far, but we had passed through without anything happening.
Where did all the monsters go?
Minjun seemed to have the same thought, stopping the group before exiting.
“We don’t know how many monsters are ahead. Everyone, stay alert.”
When we reached the exit, Minjun raised his hand to stop the group, leaned against the wall, and listened to the sounds outside.
“….”
As if hearing nothing, Minjun turned and signaled us with his eyes, then slowly walked out.
“…What?”
“There’s nothing here?”
“What on earth is this… where did they all go?”
After groaning for a moment, Minjun made a decision.
“We should return like this. Kasia, please guide the way.”
Before long, a familiar path appeared.
Probably… the place we stopped by when we came to gather Porti.
Without even a chance to see Eliya’s beautiful appearance, we had just gathered Porti and returned as if being chased out.
Leaving Kasia behind in Eliya.
You really can’t predict how things will turn out in the world.
Back then, the Elves who strongly opposed me entering Eliya are now living on Earth.
Then Minjun raised his hand and stopped us.
“Wait. I smell something foul.”
Indeed, instead of the clean smell of Nature, there was a rotting smell.
Kasia also seemed to sense something strange and spoke with an anxious expression.
- There is no way it should smell like this. Eliya is just a bit further… it is strange.
We walked slowly and carefully, holding our breath as much as possible.
Then, between the trees, insect monsters were visible.
However, the number was unusual.
“…At a glance, there are dozens, or even more.”
The monsters in The Pit were also hard to count.
But this time, unlike the battle in The Pit where they hatched one by one, they were all in perfect condition.
“Ugh. I think I smell something strange?”
“Now that you mention it….”
- I smell rot from somewhere. There is no way it should smell like this in Eliya….
“Stop the chatter. Focus on the upcoming battle.”
Minjun warned the group.
“There shouldn’t even be Elves here anymore, so why are they gathered here? Kasia, do you know anything?”
- …I do not know. As far as I know, a Monster Wave is just monsters roaming around and attacking other living beings. I have never seen them attack with a set destination like this….
“Well, we might find out if we kill them all. Get ready.”
The preparation Minjun spoke of was their ultimate moves.
The most powerful Skill.
While the monsters haven’t discovered us yet, it takes a long time to prepare, but if we fire off a powerful Skill, we can easily win.
If there were a mage, they would be casting hard….
“Kasia, assist like you did above The Pit.”
“That’s right! Sister’s support was amazing! If my flame were just that strong, I think I could beat the leader.”
“What did you say, kid?”
“Haha, just kidding~”
Park Janghyeon, who had been watching silently, added a word as if he also liked it.
“I ask for the same. I felt like I had become an Ice Mage.”
I remembered the scene earlier where all the enemies in the spear’s path were frozen.
It was a technique that felt beautiful, as if they had become ice statues.
Though it was gross because the models were mutated insects.
- Understood. I will start preparing now, so Minho, protect me.
“Got it. Just trust us.”
I stroked Parong, who I had moved back to my shoulder.
Now Parong, who had recovered his Stamina, would take care of things.
If necessary, I could borrow his Force.
Minjun took a charging stance.
It seems he plans to collide with his body like before.
Then what Skills will the others use?
It seems Park Janghyeon’s ultimate Skill is the Judgment of Frost he showed earlier.
He must have already cast the Skill, as frost could be seen forming on the spear tip.
Then what about Jinsu?
Will he swing flames?
Now that I think about it, I’ve been living with Jinsu for a short while, but I don’t know much about him.
Just that he’s an A-Rank Hunter and uses a flaming sword like Little Pepper?
The difference is that Jinsu uses twin swords….
Huh?
Jinsu carefully grabbed the blade with his hand.
‘What is he trying to do?’
I watched his hand movements closely.
On the handle of one sword, there are tiny grooves and protrusions that wouldn’t be seen unless focusing.
And the moment he aligned the end of the other sword….
Click!
They connected naturally as if they had been one long sword from the start.
Doesn’t it look like the pole of a modular rack?
‘Wow! Something like that was possible?’
He was already using two long swords, but by combining them, the blade length became as long as a greatsword.
No, should I say it’s as tall as a person?
How is he going to fight with that?
Watching with curiosity, Jinsu finished his preparation and ignited the sword.
Whoosh!
The long sword was already long, but doubling it made the flaming appearance look even cooler.
Is it a Two-handed Sword?
Jinsu held the sword with both hands, passed through the trees, and stood before the monsters.
Then Kasia summoned a Fire Spirit to make the flames even stronger.
Roar!
It looked as if he were holding fire itself.
Kiek?
Kieeeek-!
It would be strange if the monsters didn’t notice the burning flames.
The monsters that discovered Jinsu rushed in frantically as if their eyes had flipped.
“Alright, here I go!”
“Blow them away.”
Jinsu pulled the Two-handed Sword behind his waist and, with a shout in a drawing-sword stance, swung it powerfully horizontally.
“Hyaaah-!”
Whoosh-!
With a piercing sound that seemed to tear the eardrums, a giant wave made of flames met the rushing monsters.
Keeek!
The burning wave easily sliced the monsters running in the front row in half, and then continued to slice through the second and third rows before vanishing.
No, tearing was a better word than slicing.
Because rather than a cut surface, the waist area of the monsters had completely disappeared.
“To kill that many at once. Jinsu, you’re amazing. The Skill is cool, too.”
I couldn’t help but praise him out of pure admiration.
Jinsu, who returned after coolly tearing through the monsters, staggered and slumped down.
It seems he poured all his Force into that attack.
“I’ll rest for a bit. I feel like I’m going to collapse.”
“Right. Join us when your Stamina is recovered. Let’s go!”
Minjun, who tapped Jinsu’s shoulder, rushed out alone against the monsters charging in like an awl.
Since I’ve seen him look fine so many times, I’m not worried.
Minjun, who was running forward, collided with the foremost monster.
Boom-!
What was that sound just now?
Did bodies really just collide?
Looking closely, the monster that collided with Minjun exploded without a trace, and Minjun was already wrestling with the monster behind it.
Monsters joining from both sides attacked Minjun with sharp teeth and claws.
Clang! Clang clang! Clang-ang-ang-ang!
But their attacks literally slipped off his body without leaving a single scratch.
Conversely, Minjun systematically neutralized them one by one, twisting necks and pulling off limbs.
At that moment, water droplets popped up around him.
Kasia had summoned Water Spirits.
But if Minjun is mixed with the monsters like that, how is Park Janghyeon supposed to attack?
Looking toward Park Janghyeon, he seemed to have finished his preparation and thrust his spear while stomping his foot forward.
“Huh? Uh?”
No matter how sturdy he is, team killing isn’t right, is it?!
Before I could stop him, the ice extending from the spear froze the moisture in the air like it was spreading, freezing all the monsters, including Minjun.
Without even giving Minjun time to escape, why…!
When I looked at Park Janghyeon with resentful eyes, he gestured for me to watch closely.
Sure enough, Minjun was frozen solid.
“Oh… no….”
Just as I was about to run and get Minjun, Jinsu stopped me.
“Minho, look closely. Our leader doesn’t die that easily.”
Crack, cra-crack.
Looking at Minjun with a glimmer of hope, the ice cracked and shattered into pieces with a pang! sound.
Then he beckoned to Jinsu and Park Janghyeon.
“Heave-ho. Janghyun, let’s go!”
Jinsu stood up, pushing off the ground, even though he still seemed tired, and ran forward.
His strength was drained, but actually, it’s easy from now on.
They just have to break the frozen monsters.
(…Enemies….)
“What?”
Parong spoke for the first time in a while, so I didn’t hear properly what he said.
Just then, Parong threw his Green Onion Spear toward the sky.
Then, a monster fell with a thud.
It was a flying Mutation monster.
And there were quite a lot of them.
I was so distracted by the many monsters in front of me that I was late to notice.
Looking to the side, Kasia’s already white face was even paler, perhaps because she used too much Spirit Arts.
The Hunters are already busy….
Parong and I have to stop them.
But how long would it take to kill all of them by throwing the spear one by one?
If only I had a wide-area Skill like Kasia….
‘That’s it! Let’s borrow Spirit Arts from Kasia.’
This is Eliya.
A world with far more Spirits than Earth.
If I borrow Kasia’s Spirit Arts on top of that, I should be able to handle it easily.
[ Requesting the lease of Spirit Arts from ‘Kasia’, the target of Sympathy. ]
“Kasia, please.”
- Huh? What is… I, I accept!
Then, I began to feel numerous Spirits flying around.
Right now, I feel an Earth Spirit under my feet, and a Wind Spirit and Water Spirit in the air.
While I was at it, I immediately asked the Spirits.
Following the incantation Kasia had used as much as possible.
“O Wind Spirits that exist everywhere! Knock those monsters flying in the sky down to the ground!”
Instantly, the surrounding air began to change.
It felt as if a hole had been poked in the air, like something was being sucked in.
Whooooooosh-!
The monsters flying toward us stopped in mid-air as if blocked by something.
And a powerful wind began to sweep them up and spin them in the air.
‘Is that… a hurricane?’
The gale was so powerful that I felt like I would get caught in it the moment I lost my balance.
I lowered my center of gravity by touching the ground and held Parong, who was dangling from my shoulder, tightly so he wouldn’t fly away.
‘Will the Wind Spirits throw the monsters to the ground?’
But contrary to expectations, the gale grew even stronger and began to tear their wings to shreds.
Then their limbs and torsos.
All the aerial monsters disappeared without a trace.
“W-wow? Wind Spirits are the best!”
The moment the surprise passed, the strength suddenly left my legs.
My eyelids closed before I could even scream.
Ah….
So this was why Kasia always struggled after using Spirit Arts.