NOVEL WEB Chapter 136
The will of the volcano— as the Volcano Ceratops manifested, the once-collapsed volcano began to rise again, and lava started bubbling up as the ground gradually began to disappear.
‘……!’
All the effort to control the Great Magic and maintain the ground was for nothing. And the problem was far worse than that!
‘Avatar…!’
The waves emanating from the creature spread outwards. The rippling pulse in the air vibrated like waves on water, intensifying the already scorching atmosphere. The feeling was suffocating, like being trapped inside a blazing furnace.
In the stifling air, the Volcano Ceratops kneeled— and couldn’t leap. All it saw was the empty void. The Wolf was definitely nearby, most likely lurking somewhere close, but its exact position eluded detection.
If it had been true stealth, the Wolf would have been untraceable. It merely masked its presence, not its form. But now that it had crossed into a realm of invisibility, finding the Wolf wouldn’t be a piece of cake.
Even with Hong Yu-ri’s tracking magic, it was doubtful she could pinpoint it. Lacking detection skills meant the initiative was always with the Wolf.
Just as the Wolf found the Volcano Ceratops’s skills unreasonable, the Ceratops felt an equal sense of absurdity.
So, the Ceratops gave up on searching for the Wolf.
After all, it could just destroy everything in sight.
The will of the volcano would not tolerate any intruders on this land.
And with that, the wave grew, pounding against the atmosphere, causing it to boil further. Ultimately, something that should never have happened, happened.
The atmosphere itself, heated beyond limits, began to ignite. More and more. Lava surged with newfound strength as if unable to contain itself, erupting like a volcano, resembling a storm made of lava.
Sights worthy only of the world’s end were unfolding right in the volcanic area.
And it wasn’t over yet. Moments ago, the black mist had gnawed at the Ceratops’s vocal cords, but in that short time, they had regenerated, and the Ceratops took a breath.
—A breath intended to extinguish Marang.
It prepared to unleash its breath, but puzzlement filled its eyes as the magic power didn’t gather. The magic that should have been replenished was still absent… why? There was only one reason: it was losing more magic than it could recover.
The Wolf, hidden somewhere nearby, remained elusive. The cloaked Wolf couldn’t be found. But the Ceratops wasn’t dull; it would have felt the Wolf if it had climbed aboard. It was already aflame, so no way was it sitting on the Ceratops’s back.
No visibility— but that didn’t matter. Inhaling, the Ceratops’s body swelled to capacity, and as it let out its cry, the fire clinging to the atmosphere dispersed, spreading thin and wide, simultaneously revealing the hidden Wolf.
“……!”
It was barely able to evade being engulfed by the flames, but it was scorched by the heat. The black fur singed and seared, but the Wolf didn’t care. It could still move, and regeneration would kick in soon. The Volcano Ceratops was also aware of this fact.
The Ceratops swung its tail. That simple motion added strength and weight, forcefully tearing through the air’s walls. At that moment, borne along by the air current, the Wolf propelled itself dozens of meters forward, baring its teeth. The Ceratops opened its mouth and expelled the breath it had just inhaled.
Magic was lacking, but the compressed air shot forth like a cannon towards the Wolf. The Wolf used its tentacle to create a foothold, pulling itself back and dodging using the wind and momentum, but there was nothing it could do about the streams of lava surging from all sides.
—Because it was already using the Void.
‘Damn…’
As if on cue, the Ceratops began to move. Even if it seemed to have flown dozens of meters, the Wolf could close that distance in a single step.
It briefly raised its head. There was still time needed to fix the void.
Moreover, just buying time wouldn’t suffice. Running away from the Volcano Ceratops was not an option. Because of the Void steadily draining its magic, rapid regeneration and the breath attack were still unavailable, yet it struggled just keeping pace with the regeneration.
If the Ceratops regained its strength, even the Great Magic would surely be endured. That meant it needed to inflict damage that surpassed the Ceratops’s regeneration— but how?
With the Avatar blazing fiercely, there was no way to get close. Transformation couldn’t be used, and shadows or black magic couldn’t pierce through the fire. Even the wind would be mere gentle breezes to that beast.
As the storm of molten lava approached and raged, the Wolf clenched its jaws. Dodging wasn’t the issue. It wasn’t difficult…
‘For now.’
The Wolf unleashed the gust before escaping. —Not toward itself, but toward Hong Yu-ri who was chanting. Flying through the concealment, escaping the lava storm, Hong Yu-ri finally opened her eyes.
“……!”
Now realizing the situation, she banged on the barrier, shouting something incoherent. But the surrounding noise drowned her out. Clearly focused as she had requested time, the sight elicited a chuckle from the Wolf. It leapt onto a foothold. The incoming lava storm consumed the foothold, pursuing the Wolf. With dozens of lava streams and countless fragments of shattered ground approaching, it suddenly occurred to the Wolf.
—Was it too hasty?
Facing the raging flames and the surging lava, looking at the shattered land and the massive Volcano Ceratops, such thoughts couldn’t help but arise. In revealing the Avatar, the Wolf’s only edge was meager evasion.
Dodge, evade, dodge again… so what?
Could that be enough to take down the Ceratops? Would simply dodging bring forth opportunity? Could the flames engulfing its body be extinguished?
‘Once again, impossible.’
Defeating it head-on seemed far-fetched. Therefore, it came down to this.
In the face of death, the senses sharpened, and intuition clarified.
[The proficiency of Superior Intuition (D) Lv.9 has reached its max level. Superior Intuition (D) Lv.9 → Superior Intuition (D) Lv.10]
[Superior Intuition (D) Lv.10 has reached its max level. Superior Intuition (D) Lv.10 → Extra Sensory (C) Lv.1]
Raising its head, the Wolf saw Hong Yu-ri screaming from within the concealment. Banging on the barrier, she yelled frantically, asking if it had gone mad and to flee immediately. Watching that scene, the Wolf slowly closed its eyes.
***
It was swallowed by the Ceratops. Who? —The Alpha.
“……!”
In disbelief, Hong Yu-ri grit her teeth. Despite the chaotic situation, she was already thinking of the next plan. Was there a way to save it? How long until the magic is complete?
“―――.”
In despair, the skilled mage of the Square began to chant her incantation. Not out of certainty, but because it was all she could do.
—She had become a burden.
She had carelessly shifted the burden onto herself under the pretext of focusing on the magic. If only she had paid a little more attention. If only she had dodged on her own…!
Her complexion pale, Hong Yu-ri bit her lip.
The completion of her magic was quite near. It was already her third Great Magic. She had poured most of her remaining magic into this final spell, fully prepared to end things this time.
But the Alpha had been consumed…!
The faint hope that it might still be alive made her hesitate. But soon, Hong Yu-ri steadied her resolve. Instead of harboring useless hope, she had to focus on tangible opportunities. Judging as both a mage and a hunter, she raised her trembling arm with effort.
‘…No choice.’
As the scales of judgment tipped firmly, Hong Yu-ri mouthed the words of the incantation.
“Arzând în ab…?”
And at that moment, as the Volcano Ceratops thrashed, a glimmer lit up in her previously pale eyes.
“No way…?”
***
As its gigantic jaws snapped shut, teeth interlocking, the Wolf unleashed a gust and surged forth with a spring. Drawn by the hardened tentacles, Marang finally landed upon the red tongue, eyes sparkling.
Even being swallowed didn’t fluster the Wolf. It was a familiar situation. In fact, it was relieved to have entered safely. Battling from inside rather than outside would be more advantageous. The Ceratops had opened its mouth many times before— and it confirmed that its insides weren’t aflame with the Avatar.
‘And it probably can’t use its breath either.’
It hadn’t been left with that much magic. The magic consumed by the Void— the Wolf summoned the Void once more.
‘So, just need to deal enough damage to prevent the Ceratops from regenerating.’
Then there was no need to stay outside— spreading its magical essence, the Wolf subjugated every shadow within its body. Including transformation, since fire falling within its realm, the shadows were entirely under the Wolf’s control. As the shadows and black mist began to tear and devour the Ceratops from the inside, it seemed to suffer as it opened its mouth. As its consuming breath began to draw in the scorching air, the Wolf surrounded itself with wind and void.
—It couldn’t breach the Void from the outside. It was consumed into the mirage and faded away. In the Wolf’s detection, the presence of Hong Yu-ri hidden within the concealment felt vivid. Moreover, it sensed the magic was almost complete.
At that moment, the body of the Volcano Ceratops moved heavily. Its body tilted downwards. Its mouth opened— the scene was entirely filled with boiling red. If inhaling wouldn’t send the Wolf away, then it was set on consuming the molten lava and melting it.
As it gulped down the lava to its heart’s content— the Wolf was already gone.
Slipping into shadow, it exited through the Volcano Ceratops’s respiratory opening. With its body still ablaze— as the shadow was instantly consumed, the Wolf quickly sprang forth.
As their gazes met in that moment— the flames and lava combined, and the gust blew away while the Void swallowed it. The Wolf’s magical essence stretched forth and rapidly delved into the Ceratops’s eye. As the shadows severed the Ceratops’s optic nerve, it twisted its body and let out a tormented scream.
“―――!”
Meanwhile, the Wolf had already distanced itself. The magic was already complete. As the fiery crimson six-pointed star shone brightly, the Wolf stepped onto a foothold and leaped once more.
“Arzând în abis și transformându-se în cenușă―!”
And at that moment, the last incantation was unleashed, marking the culmination of all magic poured forth, finally detonating towards the Ceratops.