Chapter 44: Sacrifice
In the air, Rode lunged towards Tia, like a moth to a flame.
Time seemed to stretch on endlessly. Eluka could clearly see their figures drawing nearer, and the brewing thunderlight of the lake lord’s solitary horn became even more radiant.
Under the approaching footsteps of death, Rode’s actions seemed so absurd, yet so sigh-worthy.
“Rode, did you actually like Tia?” Eluka’s thoughts flashed through her mind, only to be quickly dismissed.
As Rode’s childhood friend, she understood what kind of person Rode was.
Brave, gentle, kind, always wearing a smile for everyone.
Just like the newborn morning sun.
Such a person easily attracts the gaze of others.
But when it comes to emotions, they are as foolish as a block of wood.
So at this moment, no matter who flies out, Rode will sacrifice himself to save them.
“This kind of warmth that radiates to everyone will make people jealous of madness.”
Yet even so, she still loves him.
So…
Eluka suddenly tightened her grip on the magic staff, ignoring the throbbing pain in her head, and infused the last of her magic into it.
“I never thought I’d have a day to save my love rival… Well, it does fit my kind and cute character, I suppose.”
“Fortunately, I accidentally learned this type of magic before.”
“Now, using it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Charm Magic!”
Eluka aimed the magic staff at the lake lord. Accompanied by what seemed like a gasp echoing, pink hearts emerged from her clear pupils.
This was Eluka’s first magic spell that didn’t require an incantation, and it was also the magic she mastered the quickest. The talent she displayed in this magic even frightened herself.
However, since the target was not human after all, she still felt a bit nervous, unsure if the lake lord would be affected.
Buzz…
Under Eluka’s hopeful gaze, the lake lord’s tense and ready-to-strike massive body visibly relaxed. Even the thunderlight, gathering to its peak on the horn, began to dissipate.
The lake lord turned its head, looking at Eluka.
In the lake lord’s fierce gaze, two pink hearts appeared as well!
“It worked!”
Eluka couldn’t help but clench her fists in excitement.
As long as the lake lord was attracted to her, Rode would be safe over there. He was a third-tier warrior; there was no way he could drown in the lake.
But…
“Roar!”
The lake lord let out a hoarse roar, its massive body twisting in the lake, displaying agility and speed that didn’t belong to its size.
It was charging towards them.
Despite everything, the lake lord’s eyes held pink hearts, but behind those pink hearts, it seemed to reflect its deceased companion!
In this moment, Eluka seemed to see a lovestruck woman, recklessly charging towards her husband, whom she had thought long dead, just to give him a loving embrace.
It was truly touching.
If only this lovestruck woman weren’t thirty meters long and capable of smashing a boat with a single tail swipe.
“Ice God, please…”
Eluka gritted her teeth and swung the magic staff again. But she couldn’t even complete the incantation; she nearly fainted from the stabbing pain in her head.
“It’s over…”
Eluka’s face turned pale, showing despair.
Her magic was completely depleted. Not even a shred remained.
She couldn’t even manipulate her levitation spell to evade the approaching lake lord.
“So this is it, the end of my fate?”
Facing death, Eluka surprisingly didn’t feel much fear.
She lifted her gaze, looking into the distance, trying to find something.
Unfortunately, everything was obscured by the large waves stirred up by the lake lord, and she couldn’t see anything clearly. But…
“Rode should have saved Tia by now.”
“In that case, my death wouldn’t be entirely meaningless.”
Eluka smiled contentedly, then slowly closed her eyes.
“I hope Tia can truly succeed in capturing Rode’s heart in the future and bring him happiness.”
If that happens, even in the afterlife, I’ll be happy.
…
“Ridiculous.
I’m not happy at all.
…
“Summon.”
A cold command echoed in Eluka’s ears.
Following that, there were countless sharp noises, like metal twisting and grinding, making one’s teeth ache, and hidden behind those sharp noises, the roar of the lake master.
Death did not come as expected.
Eluka opened her eyes in confusion.
She saw a figure shrouded in a windbreaker and hood standing in front of her.
The figure appeared delicate, like a fragile girl, but when she stood in front of Eluka, Eluka felt as if the whole world’s wind had quieted down.
The figure turned around, revealing a graceful and beautiful face.
“Are you alright?” An asked.
“I… I’m fine,” Eluka replied, like a startled kitten, nodding gently.
“That’s good then.”
An turned her head.
“Next, I’m going to kill it. You protect yourself.”
“O-okay…”
Eluka stared blankly.
It wasn’t until now that she finally saw the source of those sharp noises.
It was metal.
Countless metal.
Metal that came to life!
Silver, bronze, copper, and even many with rust, like dark red bloodstains, of various kinds.
A multitude of metallic objects, like writhing serpents, completely defying the laws of physics, intertwined and entangled with each other, rubbing against each other, combining, weaving into an impassable barrier.
But when this barrier blocked the lake master, it once again regained its rightful, metallic hardness and toughness!
The lake master, charging at full force, had no possibility of braking, inevitably colliding with the barrier.
And then…
It began to shriek in agony, as expected.
Even the seemingly impenetrable exoskeleton, difficult for magic to pierce through, paled in comparison to the high wall built of stacked metal.
In just the moment of contact, Eluka saw the lake master’s prominently featured, ferocious horn snap off.
“Really.”
An soared into the air, slowly flying over the lake master, which was struggling intensely due to pain.
She looked down at the lake master, her eyes filled with icy killing intent.
“With you causing such chaos, how am I supposed to bring back the fish the young master wanted?”
An raised her hand.
With both hands slightly curved, An suddenly clasped them above her head!
“Imprison.”
Her voice was cold and merciless.
Like a deity issuing a supreme decree.
In an instant, the metallic high wall disintegrated into debris.
And those debris, under some powerful rule, reassembled.
A thicket of metal emerged instantaneously!
Completely enveloping the lake master!
“Roar!”
The lake master thrashed wildly, twisting its body in madness.
Its terrifying power bent steel, and its hard scales resisted the sharpness of metal. But even so, it couldn’t stop its body from gradually “growing,” the thicket of thorns continuously sprouting new “branches” and gradually entangling it, dragging it out of the water!
Without water, the lake master’s struggles seemed even more futile.
“Just a fish in the end?”
A massive, menacing scythe appeared in An’s hand, reflecting a cold gleam. She stepped down the steel stairs, one step at a time, approaching the lake master.
“A dominator-level magical beast is just this level. It seems it won’t take long to bring back the dragon whip for the young master.”
