Nobody dared to open their mouths.
The early morning sky appeared once the black clouds that had created the thunderbolts had dispersed. Everybody could clearly see each other again.
"Cough!"
Cale coughed up blood once more and Choi Han supported him as he asked with concern.
"Are you okay?"
However, Choi Han heard something else instead of a response to his question.
"How disappointing. I could have hit properly if I had a little, just a little more power."
Cale's gaze was focused on the White Star who was breathing heavily with a pale expression. Choi Han could feel that Cale was significantly disappointed that they could not take care of the White Star.
He then recalled what Raon told him earlier.
'Choi Han! The human said that he was going to destroy the White Star! He said that the goal is to make him croak, but if that's not possible, he's going to significantly injure him!'
The goal was to kill him or leave a serious injury, but they ended up only being able to cut off his left arm.
Choi Han looked down at his hands.
The tips of his hands that were supporting Cale were shaking.
'We couldn't kill the White Star even with all these people.'
He started to frown. Two Dragons, a sword master, a necromancer, and Cale. This strong collection of people continued to attack, but only managed to cut off one arm.
Just how much did they need to do to defeat the White Star?
It was at that moment.
"Heh."
He noticed Cale was laughing. Cale was still staring at the White Star but quietly mumbling in between breaths.
"We just need to do a little more."
"Ah."
Choi Han gasped.
He had not been able to even approach the White Star when they first met him in the past. He couldn't even launch a proper attack before he was slammed into the Mogoru Palace's roof.
However, he was now able to hold the White Star down and fight him. He had gained enough power to shock the White Star.
He had grown stronger.
It really was true that there was no end to getting stronger as he was able to get strong enough to hold the White Star back for a moment.
Raon had grown stronger to be able to hold the White Star down for a moment as well.
'Eruhaben-nim and Cale-nim used too much of their powers before this fight.'
Cale had used a lot of ancient powers prior to this fight against the White Star because of the Lord's Castle and the fires surrounding the city. It was almost as if he only had one arm when he fought against the White Star.
Eruhaben had used some of his strength to destroy the mana disturbance tools.
'There's also something for Mary to do!'
Choi Han's eyes sparkled after having that thought.
Neither Mary nor Eruhaben had used their full strengths. They had limited themselves.
Choi Han's eyes that moved toward Cale were full of anticipation because he knew the reason they didn't go all out.
The White Star started to speak at that moment.
"It's been a while. I haven't lost a body part in a long time."
He blankly stared at the spot where his left arm was missing as if it was not even painful. He had a look of disbelief on his face. He lifted his head.
"It is already morning. Cale Henituse, what do you plan on doing now? Shall we fight some more?"
"Who knows?"
Cale smirked.
"Hey, White Star. Shouldn't you at least wipe the blood off your mouth before asking that question?"
"Ah, is that so?"
Blood was dripping from the corners of the smiling White Star's lips. His body was not normal right now.
He had used even more ancient powers than Cale had used. His body that was unbalanced because he did not have the earth attribute ancient power yet constantly bothered the White Star's insides.
Furthermore, the shock from losing his arm was putting his insides in serious pain.
"…What should we do now?"
He mumbled to himself as he looked around.
He couldn't see the invisible Dragon, but the others looked like shit. However, the White Star's mind was calmer than ever.
'The Dark Elves went to the desert.'
He suspected that the final earth attribute ancient power was in the desert. The Roan Kingdom was also a possibility, but as long as Choi Han who could fully read Nelan Barrow's memoir that was written in a special language was here…
He needed to find the earth attribute ancient power in this desert.
Whether it was here or not, whether it was a trap or not, the White Star who did not have much information had to at least find the earth attribute ancient power now that he didn't manage to destroy Cale's plate or capture Choi Han as he originally planned.
'The fact that the Dark Elves went to the desert means that Cale Henituse has a trap there too. How funny.'
The White Star could only laugh as he thought about how he could only move on top of Cale's palm.
'Should I just die?'
It would be better to just die and start fresh since he had already lost an arm. He was scared of the pain of death no matter how many times he experienced it, but at least he had the certainty that his life would not end with his death.
However, there was an issue.
It was possible to tie the other ancient powers to his soul and keep them with his reincarnation, but…
"Are you debating whether to die or not?"
Cale looked toward the cracking white mask as he asked.
"Yes, I am debating it."
"Just die."
The White Star started to smile even more after hearing Cale's blunt response. Cale continued to speak as if he knew what was on the White Star's mind.
"I'll find the earth attribute ancient power during that time and hide it somewhere you'll never find. Then maybe you'll have to live for another 1,000 years? Would it be easy because you've already done it once?"
Cale could see extremely angry eyes looking back at him. However, the owner of those eyes smiled as he responded.
"You think my 1,000 years are funny?"
Pfft.
Cale chuckled instead of responding. That action only angered the White Star even more.
However, he could see everything happening as he floated in the sky.
A large military was moving in from multiple directions in waves. Numerous soldiers were charging over from all over the Caro Kingdom after receiving the crown prince's urgent orders.
An endless number of soldiers whose morale was recharged thanks to winning the battle earlier in the year would soon fill the Dubori territory.
'Our side is a mess.'
Sayeru and the others were all messes right now.
Most importantly…
"Shouldn't you get some rest?"
The White Star needed to rest as Cale mentioned. He would be omnipotent once he got this final earth attribute ancient power. He couldn't die again when it was right in front of his face.
"You're the one who looks like you need to rest."
The White Star responded to Cale. Cale nodded his head.
Drip, drip.
He then looked toward the White Star's left shoulder that was dripping blood and responded.
"Yes. We need to rest. I need to rest temporarily while you need to rest for all eternity."
"You damn bastard!"
The White Star started to frown.
He then swung his right arm and dodged. A black arrow flew past where he had just been standing.
The invisible Raon's two front paws were shaking as he sent tens of arrows toward the White Star.
Mary snapped her fingers.
Snap!
The monster bones that the Dark Elves had hidden around the Lord's Castles started to rise in response. There were many flying monster corpses as well.
"I'm going."
That was the signal for the flying monster corpses to fly up into the air and cover the sky along with the arrows. The arrows and bones slowly tightened the encirclement and surrounded the White Star.
"Fire!"
Raon shouted and the arrows all started to fly toward the White Star.
"These stupid arrows!"
The White Star created a water wall again with a pale expression. There were people flying up into the air as if trying to help him as well.
"My liege!"
"Hey, I'm here too!"
It was Elisneh and the black mages who had used flight magic. Sayeru was on one of the black mage's backs as he sent a light arrow flying toward Mary.
The person who had been watching all of this quietly whispered at that moment.
"Let's go."
Choi Han immediately put Cale on his back as soon as he heard the order. The White Star's eyes opened wide as he noticed that sight through the rain of black arrows.
"Get them!"
Choi Han and Cale headed for the desert without paying any attention to that shout. The White Star tried to get them, but the flying monster skeletons that were charging at him like fireflies were blocking his way.
He could easily destroy them. Whether it was one at time or multiple at once, he just needed to destroy them.
However, that would take time to accomplish.
Nonetheless, the White Star continued to chase after Cale and Choi Han.
"Hey! Put me down in the desert!"
Bear King Sayeru noticed the situation earlier than the White Star and withdrew his light arrows before descending toward the desert.
It was at that moment.
"F*ck!"
The White Star who stomped on a skeleton that was on the ground before landing in the desert started to frown.
Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing. Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing.
The video communication device in his pocket was going off. His gaze made the black mages behind him look toward the video communication device as well.
A black mage was shaking in fear as the White Star and Sayeru who got off the other black mage's back looked toward him.
"It is urgent news from the Eastern continent."
No, the black mage was actually shaking from the contents of the message.
"There are intruders in Arm's first secret base's first boundary."
Each of Arm's secret bases had three boundaries to notice any intruders. The first boundary of the first secret base had been breached.
"Who?! Who are the intruders?!"
Sayeru started to frown. He glared at the desert. He was staring in the direction Cale Henituse disappeared.
"Cale Henituse, is it that bastard's doing? I'm sure it was the-"
"No, sir! Assassins!"
"…What?"
The black mage continued to speak. A message was still coming through the video communication device. He could feel the desperation in the other party's voice.
"Apparently, there are assassins and mercenaries! The assassins seemed to be from the Eastern continent's underworld households of the past! They are using their techniques!"
The intruders were using the assassin techniques used by the old assassin households that had been destroyed by Arm in the past.
"There is supposedly a highest-grade mage as well! Ah! That person is…!"
The black mage quickly received the next message.
"…That person is Glenn, the Mercenaries Guild's highest-grade mage!"
He was a pretty famous mage. He was famous for his abilities as well as for being the Mercenary King's close friend. Sayeru started to speak.
"If Glenn is there-"
The black mage shouted as if to finish his sentence.
"The person leading the intruders is said to be Mercenary King Bud!"
The White Star turned his head and looked back after hearing that message. He could see Mary and Eruhaben landing on the Dubori territory's city walls. The invisible Dragon should be there as well.
He could not see Raon nor the expression on the hooded Mary's face. However, he could see the smiling ancient Dragon. He had a gaze that seemed to be asking, 'what are you going to do about it?'
The White Star started to frown. Eruhaben cast a gold shield around the city walls before landing on the desert and asking the White Star a question.
"How does it feel to be surrounded on all sides?"
Clack. Clack.
Skeletons clacked as they surrounded the White Star and his subordinates. Archers who were pointing their bows, mages who were preparing spells and soldiers who were loading catapults appeared on the city walls as well.
The White Star closed his eyes.
* * *
Choi Han was running across the sand at that moment.
Chhhhhhh, chhhhhhhh.
Cale who was on the running Choi Han's back had to calmly close his eyes and start to think.
'What will you do?'
Cale was planning on cutting off three of the White Star's right arms.
Sayeru's right arm.
One of the White Star's arms.
And now, Arm was being attacked.
What would the White Star be thinking about right now?
Would he go to protect Arm in his current condition? Or would he go to look for the earth attribute ancient power?
– Human! Are we going to the Eastern continent now?
Raon was still launching black arrows as if he remained on the city walls but he was actually with Cale.
"What we do will change based on the White Star's action-"
Beeeeeeep- Beeeeeeep-
The video communication device's alarm started to go off. Raon took out the video communication device.
– Young master-nim.
He could hear Ron's benign voice.
– May I go hunting?
The Mercenary King had started to move to attack Arm but the true attack had yet to start.
Raon started to shout.
"Human! Gramps said the White Star headed toward the desert! Gramps and good Mary are chasing after him! Gramps said good Mary sent the Dark Elves a signal!"
Cale started to speak.
"Ron, is the Dragon half-blood next to you?"
– Yes, young master-nim.
"See you in five minutes."
Cale then started to speak to Choi Han and Raon.
"We will head near Arm's first secret base."
The first of Arm's two secret bases.
That was the location of the old Molan residence.