As Kaizen stood there, holding the magic dagger in his hand, a rush of realization washed over him. He now understood the source of the unexplainable strength and euphoria he had felt during the battle. It wasn't his own power; it was the magic dagger that had been influencing him all along.
The dagger seemed to have a mind of its own, injecting bloodlust into Kaizen's body and clouding his consciousness. It was trying to take control over him, making him lose focus on his actions and intentions. The revelation struck him with a mix of awe and fear. He couldn't believe that a mere weapon had such power over him.
As the dagger continued to vibrate violently, Kaizen knew he had to make a choice. If he didn't let go of the dagger now, its influence might consume him completely. But he couldn't deny the satisfaction of seeing the wound he had inflicted on the ogre with this very weapon.
Conflicted, he looked at his comrades fighting alongside him. They were struggling, giving their all to defeat the formidable monster. Kaizen knew he can't let go of the dagger in this situation , so he decided to subdue the Dagger with his will power to not become a liability or a threat to his own teammates .
As the battle continued, Kaizen knew he couldn't afford to let the dagger take control over him again. He had seen the devastating consequences of its influence, and he was determined not to let it harm his teammates, especially Vina. With sheer willpower, he focused on taking control of the magic dagger and resisting its sinister influence.
The fight raged on, and the team's exhaustion was evident. The 4th-year trainees had reached their limits and collapsed due to exhaustion. Now, it was up to Kaizen and Vina to face the wounded ogre alone. Vina, struggling to maintain her focus, had difficulty reacting to the ogre's attacks.
In a critical moment, Vina was unable to dodge in time, and the ogre struck her, causing her to cough up blood. The powerful blow sent her crashing into the nearby trees, rendering her unconscious. Kaizen's heart sank, witnessing his teammate's life hanging in the balance.
Filled with a mix of desperation and determination, Kaizen felt the longing for more power in his heart, which the magic dagger was quick to exploit. It took advantage of his vulnerability, successfully taking control of his body once again.
In the blink of an eye, Kaizen was no longer in control of his own actions. The dagger guided his movements, its thirst for bloodlust directing his attacks. The once-peaceful Kaizen had transformed into a relentless force, attacking the wounded ogre with relentless ferocity.
However, Kaizen's newfound strength was not without consequences. His attacks lacked precision, and the ogre used this opportunity to retaliate. Kaizen felt a sharp pain as the ogre struck him, sending him tumbling backward. Due to the immense pain Kaizen had gain partial Control of his Mind but Failed to gain control of his Body .
After being struck by the Ogre, Kaizen felt a few ribs broken. But he still stood ready to fight, under the control of the magic dagger. As Kaizen was about to jump at the Ogre again, he heard a soft female voice behind him, "What is all this? A mutant monster and a human under the influence of a mutant magic core."
Kaizen's body reacted to the voice, instinctively getting on the defense. It seemed as though the magic dagger recognized the owner of this soft voice as a bigger threat than the Ogre. Slowly, Kaizen turned around to face the speaker. The sight that greeted him was astonishing.
It was a female elf with a unique aura of elegance and authority. Her presence was both captivating and intimidating. The elf had an air of ancient wisdom about her, and her piercing blue eyes seemed to look right through Kaizen.
"I came because I felt the smell of an Elf, but it is just a human," the elf said with an air of nonchalance. Her gaze didn't waver from Kaizen as she spoke, leaving him feeling exposed and vulnerable.
The Ogre, bothered by the intrusion, ran towards the elf with a growl. Before anyone could react, the elf lifted her hand, and a golden arrow appeared in thin air. With astonishing speed and precision, the arrow went through the Ogre's skull, killing it instantly.
Kaizen's jaw dropped in awe at the elf's display of power. The Ogre, which had seemed invincible just moments ago, now lay lifeless on the ground. His mind raced with questions about the identity of this powerful elf and her connection to the magic core that controlled him.
Kaizen wanted to thank the Elf for taking care of the Ogre and saving them, but his body was still under the control of the Dagger. The body took a defensive stance against the Elf, ready to take offense but still hesitant. The Elf observed the struggle in Kaizen's body and remarked, "So the magic stone of a dead monster wants to fight against me."
Approaching Kaizen, the Elf deftly took the Dagger from his hand. With a wave of her hand and a surge of Mana, she purified the magic stone within the Dagger. As the influence of the Dagger faded, Kaizen fell to the ground in pain, now free from its control.
Slowly, Kaizen stood up, still recovering from the ordeal. He thanked the Elf sincerely for saving them. The Elf glanced at him and casually said, "Your body has the smell of a High Elf, which attracted me. But rest assured, I didn't save you; even if I hadn't arrived, you all would have survived anyway."
Kaizen was confused by the Elf's words and wanted to ask her about it, but before he could say anything, she continued, "Also, being the Guardian Elf of the Forest, it is my duty to take care of mutant monsters."
With that, the Elf suddenly disappeared before Kaizen's eyes, leaving him in a state of wonder. However, his thoughts were interrupted as a shadow approached them at high speed, landing right in front of Kaizen. It was Sir Gale, who had been informed of the situation and rushed to their rescue.
Relieved by the arrival of the instructor, Kaizen's tension eased, and a sense of safety washed over him. But the exhaustion from the intense battle was too much for Kaizen and his team to bear ,they had all gone unconscious with Kaizen being the last one to stumble at the arrival of Instructors .
As the rescue team took them back to the camp, Kaizen's mind was filled with questions about the mysterious Elf, the true nature of his abilities, and the significance of his encounter with her. He knew that this encounter was no mere coincidence; there was a deeper connection between him and the world of magic that he was just beginning to understand.
For now, though, he allowed himself to rest, knowing that he and his team had faced a life-threatening situation and come out of it alive, thanks to the unexpected intervention of the powerful Elf.