Chapter 23: The Third Trial (4)
Lava is a volcanic eruption, molten material that bursts through the surface and flows down…
This world is one where the common sense I learned on Earth doesn’t apply.
I thought I had come to terms with that after living in the Adjak Autonomous Region for so long, but it seems I was mistaken.
If the world itself is like this, the maze is even more so.
Mazes are treated as special places even in this world, so any mysterious phenomenon here feels plausible.
With my common sense, it was hard to comprehend how a lush forest could turn into a lava zone unfit for life in an instant.
But what was even more astonishing was the monstrous creature floating in the sky.
Even for a maze, this is just too much.
I could tell that killing or at least sealing that bird, which turned a verdant forest into a lava zone, was the key to clearing this maze.
The creature radiated intense hostility toward living beings, but I sensed no demonic energy. It wasn’t a magical beast, at least.
If anything, it exuded a mystical aura, which only added to the confusion in my mind.
I couldn’t recklessly charge in without understanding the enemy.
For now, I needed to dodge its attacks and find the five pillars depicted on the boss room’s door.
But for some reason, ever since facing the creature, the Branch of World Tree in my hand
began to tremble.
It was emitting an energy I hadn’t felt before.
[Ah… Aah…]
The voice from the Branch of World Tree was still incomprehensible, but somehow, I could tell it harbored hostility toward the bird.
Hwarrrk!
Each time the monster bird spewed fire, the vegetation burned away, and lava flowed over the cracked ground.
As a result, the safe ground to stand on was shrinking in real-time.
Despite this, Keldric and Blaze were performing their roles admirably.
“Hey, you chicken-head! Over here!”
Kiyooo!
After Keldric’s loud taunt, the monster bird focused on chasing him.
Whenever it was about to catch up, Blaze hurled stones with all his might, drawing its attention to himself.
Then, he skillfully navigated the treacherous terrain with no footholds.
Meanwhile, I was searching for the stone pillars with Soler.
The boss room was unexpectedly vast.
The maze itself was already large, but the boss room was so immense it could be considered a new field. This made locating the pillars difficult.
If the dense, towering trees all burned down, the pillars might become more visible, but I couldn’t guarantee Blaze and Keldric could hold out that long.
Where are they? Please, just show me one!
If I could find even a single pillar, I could seal its legs or wings, hindering its movements.
While scanning the surroundings for a pillar, Soler spoke in a calm voice.
“Polarin, I found one.”
Bringing Soler, whom I had considered leaving behind, was proving worthwhile.
* * *
The stone pillar resembled the columns of an ancient Greek temple.
It felt out of place in the dense jungle or the lava zone, carrying traces of civilization.
This was because the pillar was adorned with intricate carvings and stood impressively tall.
…How do I climb this?
Should I use the [Cutting] Tune to carve footholds into the pillar?
As I pondered my options, Soler approached. She clasped her hands together and knelt before me.
When I looked at her, puzzled, she spoke with a hint of irritation.
“Step on my hands and jump. I’ll lift you with all my strength, so you match my force.”
“Ah, got it. That’s probably easier.”
There was no time to say something like “excuse me.”
“Kaaaagh!”
Keldric’s scream echoed through the forest.
I immediately placed my foot on Soler’s small hands, and with a grunt, she launched me upward with tremendous force.
Shwooo!
Despite her slender frame, Soler’s strength was formidable.
I reached the top of the towering pillar in one go.
“Hup.”
I hooked my fingers onto the pillar’s top and pulled myself up.
There was a distorted circular groove in the pillar.
It took a moment to find the Golden Stone that matched the groove’s shape in my leather pouch, but I eventually found the perfect fit.
Without hesitation, I slotted the Golden Stone into the groove.
Charrk!
A white, glowing chain shot out from the Golden Stone, seizing the monster bird’s leg.
Kiiiiyoyoyooo!
The monster bird’s scream reverberated across the field.
It began thrashing, spewing fire in all directions.
Blaze’s screams and Keldric’s taunts carried on the wind.
With the bird’s movements now restricted, I hoped they’d get a moment to catch their breath.
But I had my own task to focus on.
Finding the next pillar was the priority. Standing atop the pillar, I surveyed the surroundings.
Being high up, I could immediately spot the locations of the other pillars.
Pat.
I leaped off the pillar in one swift motion, deploying [Intangible Armor] to cushion the impact of my landing.
“Hup…”
Soler, unprepared for my descent, flinched and stepped back in surprise.
“I’ve located the next pillar. Let’s move.”
* * *
Soler and I successfully placed Golden Stones in four of the pillars in succession.
Each time I climbed a pillar, I identified the next one’s location and rushed toward it, achieving these results.
Thanks to this, the monster bird’s wings and legs were all sealed.
It could no longer fly and crashed to the ground, just as we had hoped.
But that didn’t mean it became docile.
On the contrary, it thrashed even more violently, setting everything ablaze.
The situation had changed, but approaching the creature remained just as difficult.
Kiyoyo.
Its chilling cry persisted.
It had already burned most of the field’s vegetation, clearing the view. I could now clearly see
Blaze and Keldric, covered in wounds.
Kiyot and Jadin, while less injured, bore burn marks across their bodies.
I also located the final pillar.
Of course, it’s right next to where the monster bird landed.
The third and fourth pillars had been risky too. Despite Keldric and Blaze drawing aggro, the creature kept trying to reach us.
Even chained, it lunged at us, heedless of tearing its own body.
But we managed. This had to be the last one.
“Let’s go.”
“Yeah.”
Soler agreed calmly to my words.
Our figures shot forward.
The monster bird, as if knowing we were heading there, calmed its rampage and waited for us.
In the distance, I saw the exhausted Keldric and Blaze catching their breath.
“We’ll take care of it now!”
I shouted, but Keldric, too drained to respond, only gave a thumbs-up.
Just before reaching the pillar, a massive fireball was unleashed at Soler and me.
Perhaps because the monster bird had been conserving its energy instead of spewing fire, the fireball was incomparably larger and faster than before.
It was obvious we’d be hit directly without time to dodge.
I immediately deployed [Intangible Armor] and sent it toward the flames.
Chiiizik.
[Intangible Armor] barely slowed the fireball’s speed.
But if left unchecked, it would break through.
It was visibly tattered, even to the naked eye.
I recalled [Intangible Armor]. Though the fireball continued toward us, its speed was significantly reduced.
Soler and I kept moving, so dodging it wasn’t an issue.
We reached the final pillar.
“Come on, hurry!”
Soler knelt again, extending her hands.
Her hands were swollen from repeatedly launching me with all her strength.
I glanced at them briefly before stepping onto her hands.
Soler launched me upward.
I saw her body collapse backward, as if she’d squeezed out her last ounce of strength.
Even as I soared, I kept my eyes on the monster bird. Its gaze fixed on the pillar, but its pupils didn’t follow me as I ascended.
Is Soler the target? No, at this distance, it could engulf both of us.
But [Intangible Armor] was already at its limit.
In this state, protecting even one person would be a struggle.
As I reached the pillar’s top, the monster bird unleashed its flames.
Unlike before, it didn’t shoot a spherical fireball.
A massive column of fire surged toward the pillar, as if to incinerate it entirely.
Soler struggled to rise, but her reaction was too slow.
There was no time to hesitate.
Since the fire column would reach Soler before me, I thickened [Intangible Armor] and enveloped her entire body.
Chiiiiiizik.
The sound of [Intangible Armor] shielding Soler and blocking the monster bird’s flames rang out.
But the flames climbed the pillar toward me at a rapid pace.
“Polarin!”
Soler’s anguished cry reached me, but there was no time to look back.
I rummaged through my leather pouch, found the Golden Stone that matched the groove from the two remaining sealing stones, and slotted it in.
Charrk.
A white, glowing chain burst from the stone.
I immediately drew the Branch of World Tree from my waist.
[Iii… Iii…!]
The intense hostility from the Branch of World Tree coursed through my hand.
Squeezing out my remaining strength, I gripped it tightly.
Then, I swung my sword downward at the approaching fire column.
The Branch of World Tree [cut] through the fire column.
The flames, surging with ferocious momentum, split in two.
Heat, incomparably hotter than lava, enveloped my body.
“Captain!”
“…Polarin!”
My teammates’ voices echoed in my ears. I had fully cleaved the fire column.
Thud.
At the same time, I collapsed to the ground.
I felt no sensation.
Thump, thump. My Dragon Heart pulsed violently.
Soler, rushing to my side, fed me a potion. Jadin ran over, summoning a spirit.
Kiyot swung his axe at the monster bird, now with its beak sealed.
I could see it all, but I felt no pain.
The voices of my shouting comrades grew fainter until they faded entirely.
Then my hand trembled.
No, the Branch of World Tree in my grip trembled and a voice spoke.
[Rise, Polarin. With your own hand, slay my ancient enemy.]
Vividly depicts the intense battle against the monster bird, the strategic use of the Golden Stones, and the dramatic moment where Polarin risks himself to protect Soler, culminating in the Branch of World Tree’s call to action.