65. Yield
A crucial moment was approaching.
Everyone needed to unite their strength.
The white ice bears, nearing their twenties.
Each one was a monster the size of a small freight truck.
They were formidable and dangerous opponents, but there was no escaping them.
This was a destined trial.
Even though it would be tough and perilous, they had to face them willingly.
Thwack.
Irina tightened her grip on the bow.
With a determined expression, she spoke, “If we fight within the World Tree’s domain, the forest will suffer. So, we must stop them before they enter.”
The forest they had nurtured with care.
To fight within it now meant jeopardizing the very foundation they lived on.
It was the right decision.
Before entering the square, they had to block them.
Even though there would be many difficulties fighting in the midst of the fierce snowstorm, there was no other choice.
“This is a fight for survival. If we win but leave wounds that cannot be washed away here, there will be no future for them.”
Fortunately, the battlefield that had been prepared in advance was already set up around them.
Obstacles blocking the streets of the city, wooden barricades, winter trees, and watchtowers were all there.
‘The structures erected all around the city would serve as excellent footholds and shields for the elves who fight with exceptional agility.’
Everyone had prepared for moments like this in advance.
Now was the time to confirm their strength.
At that moment, Zion raised his shield with all his might.
“I’ll take the front.”
“Be careful, Zion.”
“Don’t worry!”
There was no warrior as exceptional as Zion among them.
Even Han acknowledged that.
In the modern era, there were numerous hunter warriors, but even taking that into consideration, Zion was outstanding.
However, no matter how great he was, Zion alone couldn’t stop all the enemy forces.
“My golem will be with me then.”
Swoosh.
Han’s golem lifted Zion onto its shoulders.
“I trust only you, Zion.”
“Trust me and leave it to me, my Lord.”
At that moment, the reinforcements arrived.
“Everyone! I’m here!”
It was Yumina.
As she ran waving her staff vigorously, she tripped over a tree root that had grown nearby.
Ouch. That must hurt.
And behind her.
“…What’s that all about?”
Han, who had been watching, was witnessing a sight that left his mouth agape.
[Rumble!]
Bam-
Fully grown dire wolves and a swarm of mice and slow loris in their true monstrous forms.
Even baby nightstalkers.
They had brought them all lined up.
Han’s impression as he stared blankly at the sight was this.
“Wow, there seems to be no separate monstrous legion….”
***
Snowflakes blowing in pure white.
Amidst the frozen ruins, the group stood face to face.
Yumina hugged the leader of the mice and earnestly pleaded,
“Please, my dear ones. Your power is truly needed.”
[─!]
At those words, the mice, bristling with determination, raised their batons and emitted a silent resolve.
“To think those timid ones would be inspired to fight like that by just a single word from Yumina.”
The power to control the surrounding beasts.
That must be the true power of Yumina, the sorceress of retribution.
However, that alone was not the extent of the power Yumina possessed.
As Yumina tightly gripped her staff with both hands and focused her mind, a transformation began in the male leader of the mice.
“Oh, oh? Is he growing in size?”
The mouse’s physique seemed to inflate like a balloon, with prickly thorns starting to sprout all over his body.
Finally, as the violent transformation came to an end,
The elves who had witnessed this evolution in its entirety, and even one of them, had their mouths agape.
“Wow… he’s completely transformed in appearance.”
It was more than just a feeling of increased size.
The real change to pay attention to was not just that.
If the previous mouse leader had an image of simply looking bigger and more gentle, the newly transformed appearance was completely different from before.
It was like a charging tank solely for combat purposes.
Even the appearance was exactly like a tank.
The abundance of prickly thorns gave the impression that it wasn’t just about rushing power and destructiveness at first glance.
Clang!
“……?”
[Congratulations!]
[A new species that will be recorded in the long history of the cosmos is now born at this moment!]
[The mouse leader has temporarily evolved into a new species, the Thorn Tank Mouse Leader (Combat Type)!]
“A new species?”
[Grrr!!]
[Green Ally Target: Thorn Tank Mouse Leader (Evolved Form)]
The leader transformed into the Thorn Tank Mouse.
He looked up at the sky and let out a roar.
Thanks to Yumina’s abilities, a being never seen before was born in this moment.
From a young offspring to a fully grown adult.
If it was already a grown adult, Yumina’s unique trait of enhancing evolution to a more powerful grade, the Retribution Enhancement, was at play.
“I knew you could evolve a grown adult beast into a new grade, but I never thought I’d witness it firsthand like this.”
But that wasn’t the end of it.
“My dear ones, please!”
[Phee!]
At that moment, cries from the sky were accompanied by flying Night Buzzard Bees and Dire Wolves approaching the elves and bowing.
The Night Buzzard Bee approached Irina.
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“Irina, that child will carry you.”
“Th-then? Is there a chance of falling or…?”
“No need to worry. I’ve ridden it before.”
Yumina grinned.
It was a smile that seemed reassuring.
Yumina was always the one to try things first.
Whether with the mice or the wolf cubs, she was the same.
True to her nature, she had even climbed onto the back of a Nightbloom Rabbit Beetle to take a look.
[Phee!]
Indeed, the Nightbloom Rabbit Beetle seemed somewhat agitated.
As if inviting her up, it spread its delicate wings.
Yumina, now quietly concentrating with hands clasped together, said, “I’ll trust only you, Irina.”
“Got it. Leave it to me, Yumina.”
***
Kugukuguk-
They were visible in the distance.
Rushing towards them noisily, kicking up snow.
Especially the alpha male leading the pack charging straight at them was even larger than the others.
The aura was tremendously intimidating.
The real battle had begun.
“Fire!”
Ping!
Zion and Yumina shot their arrows.
Their sharp arrows hit two among the charging herd, drawing arcs through the air.
It was a perfect hit.
[Kyaaah?!]
Bang!
The divine power embedded in the arrow exploded, causing some of the Whitefrost Bison to stagger and fall.
Thud!
The fate of the remaining bison herd that fell in the snow was gruesome.
Trampled mercilessly by another herd passing over them.
Their gaze was solely fixed on the radiant Mana Tree.
As if having no interest in anything else, driven by a crazed instinct, they charged forward with a terrifying aura.
Bang!
Irina and Zion’s arrows flew one after another.
Despite their attacks reducing the herd by nearly half, the alpha leader at the forefront showed no sign of faltering, piercing through their bodies and exploding divine power without hesitation, continuing to charge unrelentingly.
Finally, their advance penetrated into the city.
[Kyaaah!]
Thud! Clang!
Part of the mouse deer herd was impaled on the barricade that Hani had prepared.
Those who got pierced by the thorny wooden obstacles died instantly.
“Nice!”
The obstacles were effective!
Watching this, Hani clenched his fist tightly.
However, there were still well over ten more to go.
Complacency was out of the question.
“Guys, block those fellows!”
[Growl!!]
With Yumina’s shout, the mouse deer herd slowly moved forward.
As the male leader of the herd roared vigorously, the rest of the mouse deer herd stood by his side.
They stood in a row, like a massive barrier, blocking the path of the charging cattle.
Goodness gracious. Blocking the way like a solid wall with their huge bodies.
It was no joke; it was suffocating.
There was no separate barrier like a wall of iron.
[Roar!!]
The charging white bison herd.
Rushing with their horns raised like spears, the mouse deer preparing to confront the leader inflated their strength in preparation.
And finally,
Crash!!
The bison herd and the charging cattle collided head-on.
A powerful sound erupted as if a shell had exploded.
The impact was so intense that the surrounding ruined buildings trembled and vibrated.
[Roar!!]
Even facing those sharp bison horns, the mouse deer were unharmed.
Their innate sturdy carapace, like armor, protected them, blocking the cattle.
However, it was clear that even for them, it was not an easy task.
Slowly, the mouse deer herd was being pushed back.
Hani, watching closely, bit his lip.
“Guh, are they retreating?”
Fortunately, the front line’s leader, the Thorn Chariot Mouse Deer, showed no sign of backing down no matter what happened, as if to prove its name.
However, the relatively smaller, younger ones on the flanks were not as resilient.
Ultimately, in essence, the upper hand belonged to the cattle.
The mouse deer herd was not inherently bred for fighting.
Their sturdy carapace and large bodies were solely for defense.
In reality, they were timid and gentle creatures who would not even think about fighting originally.
[─!]
“Haah!”
Taking advantage of this gap, Zion and Golray joined forces.
The two of them grabbed and confronted the cattle trying to break through the mouse deer’s gap.
In the meantime.
Eventually, a gap opened in the ranks.
[……!]
A hole appeared in the midst of the young mice and snails pushed back.
[Whoa!!]
Taking advantage of that gap, a herd of bison began to rush out in a torrent.
However, this was an outcome fully anticipated.
No, rather, it was what they had been waiting for.
By slipping through the gap and breaking free, the ranks of the bison herd were significantly weakened.
Muahmuah shouted.
“Now is the time!”
Kwaaang!
An explosion occurred.
It was Irina’s divine arrow.
[Pheeew!!]
Riding on a Nightbloom Hare Beetle, Irina chased after the herd of cattle running from above the sky.
Fwoosh! Pweong!!
Divine explosions followed one after another.
As if her hands never rested, Irina constantly loaded new arrows and attacked the foes.
Even if the arrows ran out quickly, it didn’t matter.
When Irina reached out her hand.
Pop!
Arrows emerged from the empty air.
If there was a price, the deity paid it instead.
“Thank you, my Lord!”
“You’re welcome. Focus on the situation at hand.”
Beside her, Muahmuah also gathered strength.
“Charge!”
As if throwing a spell, he hurled potatoes with all his might towards the direction the enemies were coming from, drawing lines in the air, and the potatoes flew into the sky, growing as they sprouted from the empty air.
It was his unique magic.