Chapter 25 Peace Returns To The Forest （2）
We worked tirelessly, heaving each block of polluted ice from the lake. The chunks were heavy, jagged, and reeked of corruption. Every time one hit the ground and began to melt, a foul stench filled the air—thick, acrid, and suffocating. It burned the nose and clung to the throat like smoke.
Villagers gagged and coughed as they worked beside us.
A few doubled over, retching helplessly.
Even I had to press my sleeve against my nose at times just to keep from vomiting.
The Stone Bears lumbered steadily back and forth, hauling away the worst of the frozen toxins, their thick hides protecting them from the stench.
The work dragged on. By the time the sun had shifted higher in the sky, we were drenched in sweat despite the chill in the air. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the last block of poisoned ice was hauled out.
Sylendra brushed her hands against her hips, her emerald hair damp with exertion. She let out a long sigh of relief. “Looks like we finally removed all of it.”
I wiped my forehead and straightened, feeling the stiffness in my back. “Yeah… we did.” Then I turned toward the still-frozen expanse of the lake. “So… should I start melting the ice now?”
From behind me, Darruk’s gruff voice rang out. “Go ahead, kid. The sooner we return this lake to its proper state, the better.”
I nodded. “All right.”
Stepping to the very edge of the shore, I gazed out across the vast sheet of white. The sunlight glimmered faintly on the frozen surface, but I could sense the life beneath—fish, plants, the soul of the lake itself—waiting to be freed. A small smile tugged at my lips.
I took a deep breath and summoned the Flare Sword into my right hand. The blade materialized with a burst of fiery light, heat rippling from it as if the very air recognized its hunger.
“Let’s finish this,” I murmured.
Planting my feet firmly, I raised the sword high, then drove it down into the icy shore. The ground shuddered at the impact, cracks splintering outward in jagged lines. Mana surged from deep within me, pouring into the blade, and fire roared to life.
“Cast—Heatwave!”
The moment the words left my lips, the sword ignited with a blinding crimson blaze. Waves of heat pulsed outward in concentric rings, sweeping across the frozen lake like the breath of a furnace. Steam hissed violently as the ice began to groan and fracture under the overwhelming heat.
Behind me, villagers shielded their eyes from the sudden brilliance. The Stone Bears let out low, rumbling growls, uneasy but standing firm. Sylendra’s eyes widened as she raised a hand to block the wind whipped up by the sudden clash of heat and frost.
The lake answered with a thunderous crack.
The roar of steam slowly faded, and the last of the flames died down as I pulled the Flare Sword free from the earth. Thick clouds of white vapor drifted across the surface of the water, curling upward like ghostly banners.
As the smoke cleared, the frozen sheet was gone—replaced by rippling water that shimmered under the sun.
The lake, once lifeless and sealed in ice, now stirred again.
Waves lapped gently against the shore as if breathing for the first time in days.
Tiny fish broke the surface, darting in silver flashes, and the distant cries of birds rang out as if nature itself had been waiting for this moment.
For a heartbeat, silence hung heavy—everyone staring, wide-eyed, at the sight before them.
Then, slowly at first, cheers erupted from the villagers.
They raised their arms, clapping and shouting in joy.
Some even dropped to their knees, scooping the fresh water into their hands, letting it run between their fingers as though touching something sacred. Their beloved lake had returned.
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding and allowed myself a small smile.
A heavy hand landed firmly on my shoulder. I glanced to the side and saw Darruk grinning beneath his thick beard, his amber eyes warm with pride. “Great job, kid,” he said, his voice carrying both approval and relief.
I chuckled softly, lowering the sword as its flames flickered out. “Don’t mention it,” I replied with a smile. “It was the least I could do.”
The cheers continued behind us, echoing through the village. For the first time since the attack, hope felt real again.
Moments later, with the sun dipping low on the horizon, the forest around me blurred into streaks of green and gold.
My feet barely touched the earth as I dashed forward at lightning speed, branches whipping past me and leaves scattering in my wake.
Each stride carried me faster, my heartbeat pounding like a war drum.
Then her voice rang out in my head, smooth and sharp all at once. “Hey—what’s going on? Why are you in such a hurry?”
I grit my teeth, pushing my body harder as the wind tore past me. “I just remembered something important.”
The goddess’s tone sharpened with curiosity. “And what would that be?”
I leapt over a fallen log, landing lightly before surging forward again. “Do you remember the first Groomcroak I killed? Back when I saved Sylendra?”
“Of course,” she replied without hesitation. “I was watching you then.”
“Yeah…” I exhaled through clenched teeth, my pace quickening. “I never collected its orb or its mana crystal.”
Her voice spiked into a furious shout that rattled in my skull. “You didn’t collect the orb?! What’s wrong with you, Eiji?!”
I winced but kept running. “Don’t blame me! I didn’t even know those things had orbs back then. And besides—Sylendra was in a hurry. We couldn’t waste time poking through corpses while the village was in danger.”
“Excuses!” she snapped. “Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to leave one of those things lying around?”
I smirked grimly, weaving between the trees as the shadows grew longer. “Well, don’t worry. At this speed, I’ll reach it before nightfall.”
The goddess huffed in irritation, but her voice softened just slightly. “You’d better. If that orb is still intact, others might already be drawn to it…”
Her words lingered in my mind, sending a cold chill through my chest even as my body burned with speed.
As I reached the clearing where I had slain the first Groomcroak, my steps slowed.
The once-bloody ground was now quiet, the swamp mist curling low across the lake’s surface.
But what froze me in place wasn’t the eerie silence—it was the cloaked figure standing beside the Groomcroak’s decaying corpse.
I narrowed my eyes, slipping behind a thick tree for cover. From there, I watched closely. The figure crouched, its movements deliberate, almost reverent. The corpse was still intact, though rotting—its massive frame slumped unnaturally against the water’s edge.
Then I saw it.
The stranger reached into the corpse’s chest cavity, his arm disappearing into the foul remains. My breath caught as he pulled something free. A faint purple glow pulsed in his hand.
The orb.
My eyes widened, shock quickly turning to fury. I didn’t waste another second. Mana surged through me as I whispered the trigger: “Mach One.”
The world slowed. My body blurred forward in an instant, cutting through the distance like a blade through silk. Before the cloaked figure even realized, I had torn the orb from his hand, landing with a skid across the dirt.
Dust settled between us as I glanced over my shoulder. The man stood frozen for only a moment, then slowly turned, his gaze locking on me.
I twisted to face him fully, raising my gard. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
The man chuckled darkly, his voice low and gravelly. “I could ask you the same thing.”
With a deliberate motion, he pulled back his hood. My stomach tightened. His face was etched with twisting, unnatural markings that glowed faintly beneath the moonlight. His eyes burned crimson, his pupils slitted and glowing like molten gold.
Before I could react, the goddess’s voice rang sharp in my mind. “Eiji—be careful! That’s a Demonoid.”
“Demonoid?” I asked back in thought.
“Yes,” she said, her tone urgent. “Humans who abandoned their humanity, swearing absolute loyalty to the Demon Lord in exchange for power.”
I gripped the orb tighter, my expression hardening. “I see. So do you think I can take him on?”
The goddess hesitated. “…I’m not sure. They are unpredictable.”
A smirk tugged at my lips. “Well then… how about we find out?”
I pointed at him and stared him down. “So—you’re a Demonoid.”
The man’s lips curled into a sharp grin. “Oh, so you recognize me for what I am. Tell me—are you one of the new so-called heroes summoned to this world?”
I chuckled, shaking my head. “Unfortunately, no. But what I want to know is—what were you planning to do with this orb?”
The Demonoid’s grin widened. His body flickered like a shadow, and in an instant he appeared right in front of me, blade drawn. His strike came down fast and heavy—but not fast enough.
“Too slow.”
I whispered the incantation, “Wind Dash,” and vanished from his path, reappearing behind him in the blink of an eye. My boots dug into the earth as I steadied myself, the air still rippling from my sudden movement.
The Demonoid froze, then turned his head, his red-gold eyes narrowing with amusement. “That was… interesting. Are you sure you’re not one of the summoned heroes?” He raised his sword again, licking his lips like a predator scenting prey. “Because I can feel it—you’re no ordinary human.”
The Demonoid tilted his head, his crimson eyes narrowing. Then he spoke in a calm, almost casual tone that dripped with menace.
“How about this?” he said, voice like a hiss. “Give me the orb, and I’ll forget everything that just happened here. You walk away alive, and I pretend we never crossed paths.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, gripping the glowing orb tighter. “I’ve heard enough about Demonoids to know the truth. You serve the Demon Lord, don’t you? There’s no way I’m handing this over.”
Without breaking eye contact, I opened my Item Box with a flick of thought. The orb shimmered before vanishing into the storage space, locked safely away. The Demonoid’s expression faltered for a moment before twisting into something darker.
“So…” he muttered, his voice vibrating with both surprise and amusement.
“You have the Item Box skill. That alone proves you’re no ordinary human.
” His grin widened, sharp teeth flashing.
Slowly, he lowered his body into a stance, sword angled and ready.
A black aura began to ripple off him like smoke, staining the air around us.
I exhaled steadily and let my own mana surge forth. In a flare of crimson light, my Flare Sword appeared in my right hand, its blade glowing with heat. Sparks licked the air as the ground beneath my feet trembled from the pressure of our clashing energies.
I raised my blade and smirked. “If you want it…” My voice cut through the tension like steel. “…then come and take it.”
The Demonoid’s grin sharpened. “Gladly.”
With a thunderous burst of motion, we both launched forward, our bodies little more than blurs cutting through the trees. In the span of a heartbeat, we closed the distance—steel met steel with a deafening crash.
The impact sent a violent shockwave rippling through the forest, kicking up dirt and scattering leaves like a storm. The sheer force of our clash howled through the trees, bending branches and rattling trunks as a heavy gust of wind tore outward from the point of impact.
Sparks erupted where our blades ground against each other, my Flare Sword glowing a molten red while his corrupted weapon pulsed with sickly black light.
For a brief moment, it was as if the world itself held its breath, our auras colliding and crackling in the air between us, each one trying to overwhelm the other.
The Demonoid’s lips curved into a sharp grin, his glowing yellow pupils locked on me. “Not bad… you’re stronger than you look.”
I pushed back, heat radiating from my sword in waves. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”