"Choi Han."
Cale called out to Choi Han.
Bang!
Choi Han and the Elf clashed. Choi Han's sword and the Elf's fist met, unleashing a thunderous noise.
"Human!"
"I wonder if you're okay!"
"Are you okay?"
With the children's questions, Cale gestured that he was okay and then spoke.
"Stop."
Bang!
As soon as he said it, Choi Han pushed the Elf with his sword and stepped back. His eyes turned to Cale, full of questions.
"Didn't you say to eliminate it?"
Cale had clearly said.
‘Get rid of that first.’
Get rid of that first, and then we'll go to the World Tree.
"Yes, I did say that."
Cale nodded.
"Ha!"
The Elf, who had been silent, let out a sigh as if he couldn't believe it. He opened his mouth to say something, but Cale was a bit faster.
"Why are you fighting?"
He gestured to Choi Han and added.
"It's a waste of time."
Choi Han's eyes gleamed, and the Elf couldn't fully grasp those words. Anyway, Cale continued to speak calmly.
"He's not a strong guy, why waste time? It's annoying."
Ha.
The Elf let out another incredulous sigh. One corner of his lips lifted.
"I came because I was curious to meet the Human who saved the World Tree. You are very arrogant."
The Elf, despite being surrounded by flames, seemed unaffected by them, and his gaze became even fiercer.
"I came personally to take you-"
He couldn't finish his sentence.
"Ah, what a nuisance."
Cale exclaimed irritably and used his Ancient Power.
Swoosh--
It wasn't the Sky Eating Water.
Thud.
The Elf fell to his knees.
"Ack!"
He grabbed his neck with both hands. He could barely breathe. Although surrounded by fire, his whole body seemed to cool down. The air around him pressed down on him, giving him a sense of domination.
'What is this?'
He couldn't speak properly. He barely lifted his head. He saw the Human looking down at him.
A man with red hair.
The First Inquisitor had ordered him to be captured. The Sixth Inquisitor, who had come to capture him, couldn't say anything.
'Lord Dragon?'
No, he was definitely Human. How could he use an aura similar to the Lord Dragon's?
Tremors.
His body trembled involuntarily. Something, yes, some kind of inexplicable fear was crushing him. It was like when, as a child, he didn't listen to his parents and ventured alone into the forest, getting lost and facing the darkness of the night. It was that same terror, but worse.
'What is this?'
What's going on?
He didn't understand. However, being an existence that had transcended the Elves by devouring the Source of the World, he managed to open his mouth.
"You, you-"
But seeing the red-haired man's eyes, the Sixth Inquisitor couldn't say anything.
'Ah.'
He remembered the words the man had said a moment ago.
"He's not a strong guy, why waste time? It's annoying."
From present to past, his words echoed in the Sixth Inquisitor's mind.
"Why are you fighting?"
"Get rid of that first."
Annoying.
There was no need to fight.
Get rid of it.
'Ah.'
The Sixth Inquisitor understood what it meant to be eliminated. That Human had done it without even touching him, like prey caught in a spider's web, unable to move. No, actually, even prey in a spider's web could try to escape, but he could barely move his mouth.
Because...
'I'm scared.'
The Sixth Inquisitor averted his gaze from Cale's eyes. Cold eyes that looked at him as if he were nothing. Still, there was a hidden fury in them.
"Let's go."
At Cale's words, his companions followed him without saying anything.
"Ah."
But Cale soon stopped.
"Ron."
He couldn't leave the children in this hell, so he had left the Elf, who wasn't worth facing.
"What do you want to do?"
Ron's opinion was the most important.
Swoosh.
Choi Han drew his sword again. Ron responded with a calm smile.
"Go ahead first."
"Understood."
Cale gestured to Choi Han. Choi Han stood beside Ron.
"Let's go."
At Cale's words, the children reacted.
"Understood! Ron, don't forget to apply the potion."
"Nyaaa!"
"Nyaaa!"
Cale and the children left first.
"Cough!"
It was then that the Sixth Inquisitor, like someone who had just emerged from the water, could breathe deeply. His body trembled so violently that he could barely stand. Just regaining composure after escaping from that oppressive aura was exhausting. Just at that moment, a dagger flew towards him.
"!"
The Sixth Inquisitor's eyes widened, and Choi Han watched silently.
"I can't let anyone who threatened the young master live."
Ron wasn't someone who moved simply because he had been hit. He had stayed because he couldn't overlook the enemy's intention.
Choi Han didn't respond, just remained silent, thinking:
'He's become stronger.'
Cale's aura. It was no longer at the level of Dragons. Although he wasn't a God, he was sure there was no one on earth who could compare to him anymore. Choi Han was sure of that. Otherwise, he couldn't have subdued the Sixth Inquisitor so easily with just his aura.
"Let's go."
Ron approached.
Thump.
The Sixth Inquisitor lost consciousness and fell to the ground.
"It seems you no longer intend to be an assassin."
Ron chuckled lightly at Choi Han's comment and hurried to follow Cale.
"It seems I've been looking after the children for too long."
At Ron's words, Choi Han let out a brief laugh and followed him. Both moved quickly in the direction Cale had gone.
Exion.
The Three Star Dragon's mansion was being consumed by fire, which was spreading rapidly even to the backyard.
"What happened?"
Cale asked the children, specifically On.
Swoosh.
The water formed a protective barrier around him. Within the barrier were Cale and the children.
Whirlwind.
Raon's wind surrounded their feet, increasing their speed. On began to speak.
"About 30 minutes ago, there was a large explosion."
"By the way, human, you were unconscious for 10 hours, 24 minutes, and 23 seconds."
Cale, who had almost ignored Raon's words, stopped.
"It hasn't even been half a day, huh?"
Not even 12 hours had passed and all this had already happened.
"Exion said that an hour ago the Lord Dragon had returned. So the elders went to the World Tree for an emergency meeting."
"Goldie Gramps and Witira went as representatives."
Raon added his words from the side.
"…Witira?"
Cale reacted to that and then looked at On and Hong.
"How come you two are here?"
And Ron was here too, huh?
"Je-"
Hong looked at Cale and grinned mischievously. Cale stopped at seeing that. The look in Hong's eyes was the same as that of an older brother watching his mischievous younger brother, or perhaps that of a nephew looking at his irresponsible uncle.
'…Is Hong looking at me like that?'
Cale was a little surprised. It was more impactful than becoming a monster in a game. However, Hong spoke cheerfully.
"Clopeh Sekka sent a recording sphere to the Black Castle! Everyone saw it!"
"W-what did they see?"
Cale stuttered in asking, but the children didn't respond. On continued to speak calmly.
"That's why the entire Black Castle came here. They are currently hiding in the nearby forest."
...So, the entire Black Castle came here after seeing the recording sphere sent by Clopeh Sekka?
"Human, everyone in the Black Castle saw you save the World Tree."
Raon's words made Cale shudder. He cautiously looked at Raon, whose eyes were extremely severe. Cale simply closed his mouth. It was a wise decision.
"Ahem."
Though startled by On's sigh, On looked at him pityingly and continued speaking.
"We didn't see it. The elders didn't show us."
Oh.
Cale felt relieved discreetly, and upon seeing that expression, the children, especially Raon, turned severe. Cale averted his gaze again, and On shook her head as she continued speaking.
"The point of explosion was the building where the Inquisitors were."
With the explosion, a gap was created in the forces guarding the building where the Inquisitors were, and at that moment, the Inquisitors started to move.
"And it was said that other Dragons and the Ten Dragons were also trying to escape or attack Exion's Castle."
However, no sound of heavy impact or destruction was heard, only the noise of explosions caused by the fire.
"Human, Exion has raised a barrier around here. If other Dragons attack this mansion, they will be repelled, and a shield will form to protect against external attacks."
"It's said that weaker Dragons than Exion cannot overcome that barrier and are repelled."
At Raon and Hong's explanation, Cale nodded and looked back.
Choi Han and Ron had already arrived.
"Are we alone on this floor?"
He hadn't encountered anyone while walking down the hallway to the end. Choi Han responded to this.
"Yes. Exion reserved this room and didn't allow anyone else on this floor."
The Three-Star Dragon Exion had been quite accommodating to Cale. Even clearing out the top floor of the main mansion.
"But why don't they extinguish this fire?"
Cale looked at the scenery outside the window. Employees living in Exion's Castle were fleeing hurriedly, and soldiers, instead of attempting to put out the fire, were backing off trying to prevent it from spreading further.
Two people answered Cale's question.
"It's said that the First Inquisitor's attribute is an unquenchable fire."
Choi Han.
-It can be extinguished.
The Sky Eating Water.
Swoosh---
The sound of water around Cale intensified, and the water shield surrounding him thickened.
Choi Han continued speaking as he watched this.
"They said even if they bring water or use magic, the fire won't be extinguished, so they are withdrawing as much as possible and then will control the fire before it reaches the backyard."
The backyard was probably where the World Tree was.
"What do they mean by controlling the fire?"
Cale asked, and Choi Han replied.
"They said Exion's attribute is earth."
"Is he going to cover all the fire with earth?"
"Yes."
Meanwhile, Cale kept walking. He headed towards the window. Beyond the flames, he could finally see the outside clearly.
"The main mansion, the dependency, the garden. Everything is engulfed in flames. If he covers everything with earth…"
The elegant and orderly appearance of the castle had completely disappeared.
"Even if they extinguish the fire, will everything be ruined?"
Cale no longer looked at the mansion. His eyes turned upwards.
"Wow. It's a sight."
In reality, Cale wondered why the Black Castle was hiding now. And why Eruhaben or Witira needed to be by the World Tree. It was strange that they were there despite all the commotion in the mansion. But looking at the sky, he got his answer.
---!
--!
---! -!
No sound was heard. But around Exion's mansion, a huge semitransparent dome of dark brown was being attacked by more than ten Dragons in their original form.
And that dome, it was of a translucent brown color.
-It's earth.
Super Rock's voice sounded, and Cale could see the single figure floating in the sky, holding up the barrier.
"…Exion."
Exion was enduring the attacks of more than ten Dragons, alone, while holding up the barrier. He was said to be the sword of the Dragon Lord, but seeing this, it seemed more appropriate to call him the shield.
However,
"If a sword is used as a shield, it cannot show its true power."
Cale headed to the window in the backyard. There was another barrier wrapping around the garden and the sky above it.
"That's Eruhaben."
"Yes. That was the original plan to take you there, Cale."
Swoosh----
The sound of water intensified. Raon sighed and approached Cale.
"Human, will you do it?"
"I don't have another choice, do I?"
The Sky Eating Water spoke.
-This is easy. It's not like he's a God.
Not only had the Dominating Aura grown.
-It's quite terrifying now. I can't see its limit anymore.
Ignoring Fire of Destruction's complaints, Cale spoke calmly.
"This is easy."
And he added.
"It seems Exion is on our side."
Clearly, he had betrayed the Dragon Lord. He probably did it for his family. Anyway, if the other party showed sincerity,
"Then we must protect his home."
It was the principle of Cale repaying what he received.
Swoosh----
The sound of water intensified.
"…"
Exion, holding only the barrier, reacted and looked back.
"Wait a moment."
"Yes? Butler, should we evacuate-"
"No. Wait a moment."
And the butler, who had heard this sound of water before, stopped the knights and looked at the mansion.
"Haha. That kid. It seems he has awakened."
Feeling the enormous wave of power along with the sound of water, Eruhaben smiled and looked at Witira of the Whale Tribe.
"That pure and noble water can only be from that person."
Witira smiled and affirmed, while Eruhaben nodded.
-I can make clouds now!
Sky Eating Water's words made Cale stop.
'What?'
Make what?
-Oh. It seems I wasn't the only one who absorbed power.
-Be quiet. Pretentious.
-…
The Dominating Water (?) explained to Cale.
-You're not trying to destroy, right? And this isn't to devour the mansion, right? And you don't want people to be swept away by a tsunami, right?
Saving the World Tree.
After experiencing that extinction and rebirth, Sky Eating Water had understood another essence of water. That was life. The Ancient Power that understood life itself had grown.
No, she had understood the true power of water.
Perhaps it was thanks to freeing herself from the chains left by the God of War, by resolving some of the remaining anger.
-So let's just extinguish the fire.
Swoosh---
-Let's go outside. It's too cramped in here.
Following Sky Eating Water's words, Cale stepped out.
Passing through the window, he approached Exion.
"Hello."
He greeted.
"…What are you going to do?"
"What else? Help an ally."
After casually answering Exion's question, he spoke to the Sky Eating Water.
"Is this enough?"
-Yes.
With those words, the sound of water spread from Cale's feet.
Like a small leaf falling into a lake, creating ripples.
The air spread in waves, and from those waves formed clouds.
White clouds that evoked a clear sky.
Completely different from the gray rain-filled clouds.
-I don't want to resemble them.
-I'm different.
The water kept its promise.
Drip. Drip.
The drops of water began to fall gently to the ground. The rain started to pour. A warm and gentle rain, like the one that heralds the beginning of spring.
That rain, naturally, extinguished the fire that was trying to consume everything. And it became a cool stream that embraced the creatures trying to survive.
"…"
Exion, the Three-Star Dragon, silently observed the human in the center of the white cloud, which was like a clean and pure canvas. And the people on the ground looked in amazement at the warm and fresh raindrops falling from the white clouds.
The places consumed by fire revived. They didn't need to be consumed by fire. They didn't need to be swallowed by the earth.
Drip, drip.
These small drops of water saved everything on the land.
