Bear School Astartes

This is a kind of magic that inspires spirit and boosts morale.

Lann deduced as much.

And this magic must be unimaginably powerful and profound because, even now, Lann felt the courage and resolve bursting from the depths of his heart to be so natural.

This fervent feeling was so real, without a hint of forced discord.

His reason could clearly discern, yet emotions had already surged vigorously.

”What did you do, Gandalf?!”

The Demon Hunter shouted in surprise.

But the grey-robed Wizard standing on the city wall behind did not speak, only in the hand holding the magically raised Magic Staff, a finely crafted ring embedded with a Ruby subtly glowed.

Yet Gandalf did not respond. It was the Demon Wolf Zhao Ge Luyin, standing atop the mouthparts of the Earth-Swallowing Giant Worm, looking down mockingly and answering with a sinister laugh.

”That old man wants you to persist, Dragon Slayer. Are you too tired now to hear what others are saying?”

The wolf’s saliva, viscous, dripped downward, and the low, sinister laugh it emitted was chilling and terrifying in a tone impossible for human vocal cords.

The wolf eyes emitting a yellow light represented its mental control over the Earth-Swallowing Giant Worm.

”Having you persist in front of me...hah, look at him, old and ugly compared to you. Yet he can stand safely behind the city wall, amongst the embrace of guards, letting you fight bloodily with me.”

”Is this fair? Shouldn’t you be the one enjoying glory and privilege the most?”

The Demon Wolf’s evil nature made it naturally begin to provoke the inner darkness and contradictions within people.

But its current words made Lann thoughtfully raise an eyebrow.

It couldn’t sense Gandalf’s power.

Even at such a close distance, the Demon Wolf didn’t know Gandalf was casting some magic.

The profundity of this morale-boosting magic might be beyond Lann’s imagination.

”Just to clarify.” There was no embarrassment or impatience, nor any negative emotions provoked in the Demon Hunter’s voice.

In other words: the Demon Wolf’s words were completely futile.

”I’m not just fighting ’you’. If you didn’t have these four worms...hmm.”

At the end, Lann didn’t finish his sentence but just smiled with an expression that spoke volumes.

And that unspoken expression made the Demon Wolf’s sinister smile completely fall.

Like any angry wolf or dog, the twitching lips revealed sharp teeth and emitted a chilling low growl from the throat.

”You want to anger me?”

”Fine! Let’s see how long you can last!”

Zhao Ge Luyin’s blood-red tongue stuck out, licking the side of its mouth and fangs. Those yellow glowing wolf eyes mercilessly looked down at the Demon Hunter.

”Let’s see...how many pieces my claws can tear you into!”

The Demon Hunter showed no expression, only raised his left hand missing a piece of flesh, beckoning Zhao Ge Luyin.

”Boom!”

The Earth-Swallowing Giant Worm, like a massive mountain, crushed toward him!

Then, as before, Lann’s figure suddenly vanished like smoke, appearing again outside the attack range.

In the noise akin to an earthquake, the wasteland’s ground was shaken into vast areas of earthy yellow dust clouds.

The hazy dust clouds compressed the vision range greatly like a sandstorm.

The unknown and formless power of Gandalf made Lann’s spirit invigorated.

Driven by spirit, he only felt his perception become fiercer, and the body almost stretched to its limit seemed to have been supplemented anew.

However, the physical feedback was only an insignificant part of this power.

What’s more important: in the heart of the Demon Hunter at this moment, even the tiniest confusion, indecisive choices seemed to be relieved in this fervent and brave mindset.

He doubted no more, nor was he distracted.

If persistence could receive the response as Gandalf said, then keep going.

For the first time since the battle began, Lann sheathed the Lady of the Lake’s Sword with the greatest restraining effect against evil life.

With a ’whoosh’, the Demon Hunter’s body shot straight into the denser earthy yellow dust, his swift figure even mushed out a prominent path in the floating dust!

This was where the Earth-Swallowing Giant Worm crushed its body down, naturally the place with the heaviest dust and sand.

And such massive insects, wanting to move their bodies, couldn’t do it quickly!

Indeed, as Lann charged into the dust clouds, the gigantic worm was trying to retract its body amidst the rumbling sounds of a massive object rubbing against the ground.

But the Demon Hunter’s cold cat eyes stared dead at the thick giant worm’s body while his hand reached into the Alchemy Pouch at his rear waist.

A heavy, imposing Greatsword was drawn by Lann.

[Muddy Stream·Destruction] appeared, and Lann’s palm gripped the sword hilt tightly.

Amidst the ’Kara La’ sound of fracturing and cracking, the originally seamless sword hilt and blade began to crack from the grip of the Demon Hunter’s hand.

And in the depths of those cracks flowed, like lava, a scorching bright light.

Sparks emerged from the Greatsword’s blade and floated upward like drifting ashes.

[Battle Skill·Residual Fire]!

Inherited from the Flame World, the tiny embers left by the Kings of Cinders after the initial flame’s burning.

This flame has the power to burn souls. If it can be cut into the Earth-Swallowing Giant Worm’s body, then perhaps the soul within these not-too-intelligent wild creatures might burn out in no time!

’If it can indeed be cut in’ ...

Just as Lann’s enormous sword blade was about to touch the rough skin of the Earth-Swallowing Giant Worm, above him.

”Swoosh!”

A sound like air being torn apart burst out!

Zhao Ge Luyin, pouncing from the air, his powerful body and strength pressed out a hollow in the swirling sand and dust around!

The wolf eyes glowing yellow fiercely stared at the Demon Hunter.

When the Earth-Swallowing Giant Worm is attacked, it will also protect its ’meat shield’.

This situation has already appeared several times in the previous exchanges.

Although this time, the Dragon Slayer opposite pulled out a completely different weapon, just the heat from that peculiar flame being close was enough to make Zhao Ge Luyin feel something was awry.

But it’s nothing to be afraid of; the Light of Airendil is more frightening to Zhao Ge Luyin than this flame, but as long as it doesn’t touch him, doesn’t it also mean it doesn’t exist?

The Demon Wolf diving headfirst, a front paw howled as it swung at Lann’s body.

But the Demon Hunter seemed to have anticipated this, so when Zhao Ge Luyin pounced down, his left hand just raised up, aiming at the huge wolf head.

[Curse Technique · Jet Flame]!

The [Curse Fire] flickering in his palm suddenly surged into a blaze! Spewing forth a wave of fire ahead.

The Demon Wolf’s expression remained unchanged, as if it hadn’t seen the oncoming flame.

In fact, Zhao Ge Luyin had encountered this move in previous battles, but ordinary flames meant nothing to it.

So it didn’t care.

But as the flame touched him this time...

”Awoo!”

The Demon Wolf cried out instinctively in shock and pain!

Its initially smooth pouncing motion seemed to be punched by this flame, and the huge wolf head in midair even tilted back as if hit.

The flame scorched the azure blue wolf skin, and in response to the impact, the wolf eyes of Zhao Ge Luyin showed suspicion.

This impact force is... Dragon Flame!

Ordinary flame impact force is not even comparable to the Dragon Flame of a dragon like Smaug!

Damn! He still has this move! Did he dig out Smaug’s throat?!

Zhao Ge Luyin was momentarily uncertain, but the tense and urgent situation on the battlefield still made it quickly decide.

He wants to block me with Dragon Flame and then use that greatsword’s strange flame to swiftly kill the Earth-Swallowing Giant Worm!

After clarifying the opponent’s tactical intentions, Zhao Ge Luyin acted decisively.

It simply abandoned resisting the impact of the Dragon Flame, letting the flame blasting at its head release its full force.

Meanwhile, its body, following the force of being punched, its upper body leaning back, and its two hind legs drawing an arc as they lashed towards Lann!

The Demon Hunter frowned. Seeing the two hind claws of the demon wolf that could contend with the Lady of the Lake’s Sword slicing towards him, if he didn’t want to be sliced in two, he could only retreat.

[Muddy Stream·Destruction], whether cutting or retracting, is ultimately much slower and more troublesome than the Lady of the Lake’s Sword, which is the size of a hand-and-a-half sword.

So there’s only time for one action now.

Lann decisively abandoned the strike and withdrew.

Being rash and reckless is a form of ’giving up’, because it’s much easier than persevering.

At this moment, Lann, inspired by courage, had no intention of giving up.

The Demon Hunter resolutely retreated, and the Demon Wolf, having been blasted by Dragon Flame midair, plunged straight to the ground, rolled, and regained its balance, standing up again.

At this moment, its jaw region was already charred black; the previous impact from the Dragon Flame even scorched its eye corner.

Pain caused Zhao Ge Luyin to grimace, but also made it even more ferocious.

”Do you think I’d fear Dragon Flame? Do you think this can kill me?!”

”I’m not sure, I’m just trying.” Lann lowered his stance, cautiously observing the opponent’s every move. ”But it seems it’s not without effect, right?”

The Demon Hunter’s sneer made the eye corner of the Demon Wolf, which had just been scorched, twitch painfully.

But with a malicious mindset and cruel nature, it suppressed its inner fury.

In its confrontation with Lann, it has fully realized the strength of this opponent, and thus even more desires to gradually wear him down with the collaboration of the Earth-Swallowing Giant Worm while securing its safety.

Yet, developments always turn out unexpectedly.

”Boom!!!”

A prolonged bell chime echoed throughout the battlefield.

This was not the distinct striking sound of [Muddy Stream·Destruction], but a real grand bell!

The Golden Bell inside the Lonely Mountain!

This grand bell was cast during Thror’s era; whenever the King of Lonely Mountain rang it, the dwarves would rally around their King, protect the dwarves, and annihilate the enemy!

And at this moment, this magnificent and robust grand bell was like a battering ram, slamming outwards from within, flinging open the hastily repaired main gate of the Lonely Mountain!