Chapter 53
After a short and sweet rest, they began moving again. By dawn, they finally reached the barrier stone.
“I will now begin the ritual. During this time, we will be powerless.”
Awhin drew rune patterns on the ground as he spoke.
“So, we just need to protect you.”
“Yes. Please.”
They didn’t need to ask. Deonis already planned to guard them—especially since Melody was right at the front, near the corrupted land.
“Hah… hah… How many are left, really?”
“Stop counting and swing your sword!”
As the sun began to rise, the knights cried out in exhaustion. Half their numbers had fallen, and fear of how many more they’d have to fight weighed them down.
Grrrroar—
From beyond the darkness came a new monstrous cry.
“A different type…”
Thud! Thud! Heavy steps shook the ground.
“It’s a Grizzly… Peng!”
The monster burst through dry trees, its giant bear-like form covered in sharp, bony spikes along its spine like armor. Knights cursed at the sight.
“Hold formation!”
The Grizzly Peng crushed the grass and sent trees flying as it charged. The earth shook, and even the knights’ sword hands trembled.
“When will this ritual finally end?!”
The beast swung its arm, the air slicing with a deadly sound. One strike could shatter every bone in a body.
Deonis rushed forward and slashed its wrist. But the monster didn’t stop—it barreled straight toward the holy knights performing the ritual.
“We must stop it!”
Rohan leapt forward but was smacked away, crashing to the ground. Though he blocked with his sword, the impact crushed his body with pain. He spat blood onto the dirt.
Deonis climbed onto the monster’s back, aiming for its neck. But his blade was dull. He hacked at the same spot over and over, like chopping wood, yet it didn’t cut through.
Still, he clung desperately, but it wasn’t enough to keep the beast from disrupting the ritual.
“Just a little longer… please…!”
“Sir Awhin! You must get away!”
The holy knights scattered, fleeing the charging monster. But Awhin alone refused to leave the rune circle.
“That fool…!”
Deonis cursed and threw himself forward. The Grizzly Peng slammed its fist down where Awhin had been.
“Sir Awhin!!”
He dodged the blow, but the ground gave way beneath him. His footing vanished, and he tumbled into a deep ravine.
But he wasn’t alone.
Shunk—! A sword stabbed into the cliff wall. Deonis clutched Awhin’s hand before he could fall further.
“Thank you… What happened?”
“What do you think?”
Deonis jerked his head upward.
“It failed.”
In Awhin’s eyes, the faint light of the barrier stone above flickered out.
The two barely managed to take shelter in a gap within the cliff. Alive, but the crisis remained.
“It’s too deep to climb out. For now, we should rest and regain strength.”
Deonis dropped his ruined sword to the ground and sat. Survival was the only path left.
Awhin glanced at him, his body covered in dirt and blood.
“Let me treat your wounds.”
Blood dripped from Deonis’s shoulder where the beast had torn into him. But he dismissed it coldly.
“With those trembling hands? Save your strength.”
Awhin bit down on his lip. He had offered bravely, but in truth he wasn’t sure he could heal. His fingers shook from lack of divine power.
Deonis looked at the bracelet Melody had given him. If not for it blocking the Grizzly Peng’s strike, he’d be dead.
Or at least mortally wounded.
The shoulder wound came only from grabbing Awhin during the fall.
“If I’d had just a little more time, I could have finished the ritual…” Awhin muttered.
Deonis replied flatly, “But you didn’t. Forget it. Think about how we’ll get back.”
“You’re too simple. Don’t you worry how terrible things must be outside now?”
“And what would worrying do? We killed enough monsters. Those inside the corrupted land should be safe. As for the ones who went to the barrier stone… only the gods know.”
Awhin lowered his head, sighing. He knew Deonis was right. Now wasn’t the time to blame himself.
“They’ll be safe,” Deonis said again, gripping the broken bracelet.
“Was that… really a magic tool?”
“Incredible, wasn’t it? Like a miracle.”
“I thought I was watching divine power!”
The water-producing tool’s effect amazed everyone. After the monster horde passed and things calmed, the knights couldn’t stop talking about it—and about Melody.
“No wonder she came on the expedition. She’s been useful.”
“Useful? Without her water tool, we wouldn’t have bathed in ten days!”
“She’s kind of cute. Makes you want to protect her.”
“Protect yourself first. Still… why doesn’t the temple make tools like that?”
At those words, a priest treating the wounded glared sharply.
Magic tools—different from divine power or magic. To the knights, who had just realized their own weakness, they seemed like another kind of holy miracle.
But to the temple, this was dangerous. This was the very moment they feared most: when the barrier failed, their authority shaken, and people’s eyes turned elsewhere. If faith wavered now, their power would collapse.
“If I had one of those, I’d feel like a god myself.”
“Goddess, forgive us…”
A priest sighed. Melody felt the discomfort in his gaze.
She knew how much the temple distrusted magic tools, and she had to be careful. If not, even Deonis could be put in danger.
But with monsters right in front of her, she had no time to think of another way.
If I had more time, maybe I could find a different method…
But if she worried about the temple’s eyes even in such moments, she’d never accomplish anything. Survival came first.
“Cleaning up after this will be troublesome.”
Melody pulled off her work gloves. Her palms stung—cut and scraped from working through the night.
Not a serious injury, but she thought of wrapping them with bandages. As she dug through her bag, Anna spotted her and rushed over, startled.
