Chapter 308: Insulted

About the same time, the demons began knocking harder, drawing away his attention.

They started rushing their plans, an act Zydrax could not comprehend, but he had to stop them either way.

He was embroiled in a tug of power constantly limiting the contact between humans and demons but was only able to do so much.

If he suppressed the portal, they simply used more soul strength to open it, with it, materials were passed from one world to another as soon after a demonic potion was created.

With it, they prompted the biggest beast tide in centuries, wiping out hundreds of thousands in the process.

While he kept watch, trying to decipher their end goal, the head of the demonic cult suddenly moved.

Zydrax was perplexed, Ziltris hadn't moved out of the cave for almost fifty years-why the sudden movement.

Following Ziltris as he speeds off, he's shocked when he realizes his target.

The best prospect of the current generation.

Ezra.

Zydrax's apprehensiveness grew in leaps.

How had they known of the boy? Ezra hadn't revealed himself to the world, yet the demonic cult was after him.

Not only that, they sent a grandmaster after him!

It was evident how much they prioritized his death.

Zydrax realized that he was once again a step behind these people.

Worse, he couldn't empower the boy while he was travelling through portals or clashing blades with a grandmaster, because Ezra would lose in his head before it could take effect.

Once again, Zydrax found himself being of no help, no more useful than straw fluttering in the wind.

Nevertheless, he would see things to the end.

Against all odds, Ezra managed to etch out a win against the grandmaster, but was left with an inch of life as a result.

With the importance the demons placed upon his demise, Zydrax had to make sure he didn't fall, so he began wrapping up essence to restore the boy back to peak condition.

In time it took to do that though, the siblings had forced a demon's hearts on him, effectively turning the boy into a demon

Soon after, other grandmasters arrived, denying Ezra a chance to escape and destroying his mana core, effectively crippling him.

The loss of such potential forced Zydrax to confront his act of reacting late, in efforts to look for a host, he'd lost the most promising candidate, rather, the only candidate.

It was a complete disaster...or so Zydrax thought.

He watched Ezra be escorted to Arcadia, and simply awaited the inevitable corruption as everyone else.

But no, the boy proved to be different even then.

Not only did he not get corrupted, but he also actively rejected it, bleeding out regularly.

Then, suddenly, he went silent and unmoving.

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His heart was still beating though, so he wasn't dead.

Unable to determine what was going on, Zydrax leaves him untouched, diverting attention to the demon cult that had begun making more aggressive moves.

As per limitations, he couldn't do anything to stop the war from beginning, but he did hinder their efforts to expand the magic circle across the rest of the continent.

He stalled them, stopping the advent multiple times, but each time he lost part of his essence and was unable to replenish it while they were progressed despite, replenishing the soul energy expended and after three months of doing this, Zydrax knew he couldn't keep at it-he was fighting a losing battle.

At most, he estimated, they'd breakthrough by the end of this year, and so, he was actually desperate, looking for a way that would at least provide a shot at winning.

He found no worthy host, for different reasons, but mostly because it would take too long for them to grow to a stage on par with the enemy.

In the meantime, he thought up multiple possible solutions.

At this time, Ezra's body lit up with energy and Zydrax was immediately alerted.

He watched apprehensively as Demonic energy gushed out the boy, already deeming it a disaster soon to occur.

The energy outburst was that of an incoming breakthrough.

It being demonic energy meant Ezra was about to ascend to grandmaster as a corrupted being.

Again, Zydrax could do nothing, else he might've, no, would've ended Ezra's life then and there.

But like everything else with the boy, something irregular occurred, the demonic essence was no longer gushing out, but being expunged.

His attention was held down as he watched the rest of it be expunged, and once all of it was gone, mana poured out, condensed to the purest level, it was of a level Zydrax didn't think could exist on Orion.

The boy's breakthrough to Grandmaster level provided the easiest way for him to integrate into his body.

Done wasting time, Zydrax didn't hesitate to clinch onto the boy's body, where he swiftly got to work moulding a power for the boy that might just see them through the crisis.

After many twists and turns, things could finally take a turn around.

But nope! The demons were one step ahead once again.

Zydrax didn't know how, but they'd detected his departure, and made haste with their plans.

With no one there to collapse the portal right at the start, the crystal built up enough energy and a portal connecting both worlds was shut open.

With quick thinking, he led the boy to put a stop to such precarious processions.

Alas, mustering all their might, they were a minute too late, and as such, demons came through.

Bad luck struck again, as an enemy beyond any Orion powerhouse emerged.

Understanding the situation, Zydrax swiftly advised a retreat, but like any self-made powerhouse, Ezra disobeyed.

In the minutes after, he was surely regretting that he did.

With his vast knowledge, Zydrax plotted a path to victory.

He realized that the path was inaccessible in the moment, as such, retreating was top priority.

But of course, when were things ever so easy.

Even using his subordinate as bait, Ezra failed to escape.

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Now, another golden opportunity had come their way, and yet...

'For someone claiming to be Orion's guardian, it is disappointing that all you propose is fleeing in front of the enemy'

What was this?!

Zydrax hadn't felt so angry in as long as he could remember.

His authority had never been so directly insulted.

Right after...

'It was my mistake hoping you'd be able to do something'

That popped the lid.

Zydrax's mind rewrote the scenario.

The original was optimized as the fastest way to victory against Alvarach.

Seeing Ezra so determined to die, the original plan became unfeasible, and Zydrax came up with a plan to actualize Ezra's goals.

It wasn't hard. Taking a total of one minute to do.

Even that was too long.

[There's a way]

Ezra's concentration was broken. 'What do you mean?'

[I can open the portal, but realize there will be consequences]

'I don't care'

[It will take a minute or two. During that time, you shouldn't move around much]

Ezra nodded, Zydrax went silent right after.

Watching the battle closer, he could see the attack of the grandmasters getting slower, more than just the poison, they were gradually giving in to despair.

So he shouted."Don't give up!" and his voice boomed. Calling their attention.

"You have a plan?" Fredrick asked aback.

Ezra nodded.

Tightening his grip around his massive hammer, the man fixed his lacking gait.

"Ezra has a plan. We need to buy him time" he said to the other two.

"How much time?" Raven asked.

"As much as possible"

"So..." Deneris's dry voice resounded. "...Three minutes?"

"...."

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"...."

Fredrick and Raven were speechless.

Of course, they placed their estimates about that long as well, but saying it like that...sigh...

Right then...

"Watch out!"

Raven snapped out of it, immediately noticing Alvarach's presence with his nails already drawing an arc in his direction.

'Shit!'

But then...

A ray of blue came along, Alvarach raised his hand by a few meters, dodging it, of which slammed into Raven.

*Creek!*

"Hm?!" Alvarach was flabbergasted.

'Huh?' Raven himself was panicked.

Why wouldn't he when his body was being encapsulated in ice.

Regardless, Alavarach drove his nails through, hoping to end one of the insects pestering him.

His nails crashed into Raven's iced skin.

Contrary to expectation, the ice proved to actually affect his speed, albeit by very little.

Cutting through Raven's remaining arm, something smashed into Alvarach, cancelling his attack.

His irritation peaked looking at the massive hammer in Fredrick's arms.

Breathing heavily and swaying nervously, Fredrick faced Alvarach, standing tall.

"Are you okay?" He asked Raven.

"Anything beats being dead. Thank you" Raven replied, breaking the ice formed on his skin. "Where did this come from?"

On cue...

Alvarach dodged another freeze ray, his eyes latching onto the attacker.

Ezra.

In front of his outstretched palm was a medium-sized magic circle, cerulean in colour and shimmering.

"Seriously?" Raven was in disbelief.

Ezra learnt it during his short stay at the Royal academy as a way of utilizing his ice affinity and modified it with rune knowledge.

It was his most neglected strength.

Thanks to that, the enemy was caught unaware.

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Else Raven would've been cut in half.

"Focus!" Fredrick yelled at Raven, blocking Alvarach's attack in the nick of time.