The 31st Piece Overturns the Game Board

Chapter 333

Krom had been tasked with making sure the Frostmaw were hit with a blizzard in the middle of the snowy plains.

He had an unwavering confidence in any mission as long as he possessed the staff that had been bestowed to him by Irizard. But the sight of the crystal orb shattering left him utterly devastated.

"Wh-why..."

"Kiik! Run! Run!"

"Why did Irizard..."

"Kiik! Don't pass out! You're heavy!

"Lift him! Lift there too!"

Several moles hurriedly carried Krom on their backs and began retreating.

"Why are those guys..."

Yeva and Ishi grumbled amongst themselves.

BOOM...

BOOM...

As the Icemaw drew closer, the Frostmaw were shocked by their drastically changed appearance.

"Wh-what kind of power..."

"What on earth happened?"

Thinking back to when the Icemaw were banished from the tribe, it was hard to imagine their current form.

After their rampage, their teeth became separated, and their hair sparse from their intense pain. Their final appearance, which resembled a well-dried mummy, could no longer be seen.

They grew three times larger and exuded an overwhelming presence as if they had become giants.

"Kahaha! I wished for this day to come, but who would have thought it would come from the hands of my brother, who returned from death?"

"Brother, are you ready to fight?"

Bram grinned at Bron's words.

"Yes, let's march."

Everyone looked in one direction.

While looking at the snowy plains, the massive army started heading slowly toward the North, where the mole base was.

* * *

Whir...

The blizzard would soon arrive.

Those familiar with the weather claimed this storm wouldn't be particularly fierce. Even so, it was a Hwigeltong strom.

It was an unfavorable environment for combat.

Creak...

Creak...

Kikiki...

Given the moles being mostly underground, their base had rarely been attacked. No one was willing to risk fighting them in their underground domain.

To make things worse, the one leading them was Irizard, a fragment of an Old God. That's why, after the Frostmaw’s fall from grace, the Emon had risen to dominate the power hierarchy.

Kiiiik!

"They're coming! Coming!"

Whir...

Boom...

Boom...

Boom...

The rumbling of drums filled the air.

Resonating from a distance, it instilled unprecedented fear in the Emon—a fear deeply etched into their unconscious.

"They're here...!"

Even though the Emon had gained intelligence, their history was extremely short, leaving them far from possessing knowledge that spanned all aspects of society.

They compensated for their lack of knowledge with their sheer numbers and aggressive expansion, which turned into a fatal weakness in such situations.

"There are so many!"

"What should we do!"

"Zakcha, what should we do?!"

Zakcha's gaze was locked on someone far across the snowy plains—Seol, who didn't shy away from his stare.

'We can win...'

Seol noticed the unease in Zakcha's eyes and realized that he was wavering.

'The battle will ignite in an instant.'

Everyone gathered there most likely shared the same thought. This fight was poised to burst into flames as quickly as dry straw, creating a massive wildfire.

In Hwigeltong, the land of death, it wasn't a fight for survival but how many enemies you could kill.

Seol's heart began to race.

The eerie stillness before war dulled everyone's senses.

'I must focus on what I have to do.'

Everyone had a distinct role in this war. Some had to take the vanguard and draw the enemy's attention, while others had to infiltrate enemy lines and reduce their numbers.

Seol and Bron's roles were more specific.

'Hunt Irizard.'

They needed to take Irizard, a fragment of an Old God, down. It was the most dangerous and, perhaps, nearly impossible task.

No salvation awaited them, and they faced immense obstacles. It was a battle where they could rely only on themselves.

"Oof... Oof..."

Boom...

Boom…

[The drums of war inspire you!]

[You feel less pain.]

[Your thirst for vengeance grows clearer.]

Boom...

Boom...

Bron stepped to the front of the formation and turned to face everyone.

"Now, there's no place to retreat."

"..."

"..."

Everyone became silent at his voice.

"Don't expect anything grand. We've always struggled to survive."

"Oof... Oof..."

Mist rose from their breaths and became clouds.

"We struggled to survive when Madria fled to the polar regions, seeking a different path from the other Old Gods."

"Oof... Oof..."

"We still struggled to survive when Hwigeltong's victors refused to acknowledge us."

Perhaps their lives had been a history of defeats.

"And now, the pain Madria bore is trying to seize our land. So once again, we have to struggle to survive."

"Oof... Oof... Haa..."

Bron's eyes widened, and he firmly said.

"Then, let us struggle to the very end."

Swoosh...

His wolf turned back to face forward.

The Emon gripped their weapons and glared at them.

Bron raised his hand slightly, feeling the wind.

Whir—!

The strong winds made arrows nearly useless. It was the same for the other side. But, the Frostmaw would not fall to mere arrows.

Bron shouted.

"Crush them all!"

It was their signal for war.

As if they had been waiting for this command, the wolf riders and the Frostmaw charged forward with their shields and weapons in hand.

"WOAH!"

"KHAHAHA!"

"I'm going to kill you all!"

WHOOM...

It almost felt as if the ground was shaking.

Seol shook his reins and moved alongside Bron.

Paf—!

Whoom!

The Frostmaw's front line collided with the Emon’s formation.

Crash!

The Frostmaw trampled through, advancing relentlessly.

"Ahahaha!"

"Take their heads!"

Kiik!

"Surround them! Kill them all!"

Fwooosh!

"Argh!"

"Aim for their legs!"

Orders were lost amidst the chaos.

Skola led the charge, directing the troops from the front.

"Break through the right!"

Crack...

Ice spikes erupted from the ground, piercing the bodies of the Frostmaw.

"Argh..."

"Counterattack!"

Whir...

The Frostmaw had far more skilled shamans than the Emon.

Whoosh...

"Dodge!"

BOOM—!

Dozens of Emon were sent flying as a snow giant swung its fist at a formation of moles.

Beep...

For a moment, Seol's mind blurred.

The battlefield was pure chaos.

The wars in the central lands were characterized by finesse and precision. However, the wars in the polar regions were clashes of sheer, raw power.

Crack!

Kiik...

A mole soldier's head was crushed under a blunt weapon.

"Deploy the armored moles!"

WHOOM...

The ground split open, and a swarm of armored moles emerged.

'There are more than I expected.'

Looking at their numbers, Seol worried about the main force. His gaze shifted from the moles to Bron's back.

Bron didn't look back. It was an act that could be seen as either ruthless or wise, depending on one's perspective.

"Khahaha!'

Bram leaped over the head of an armored mole.

Crack!

Crack!

His claws tore through the armored mole's flesh.

"I'll make sure every last of you die today, so just wait."

Crack...

With a monstrous strength, Bram snapped the thick neck of the big mole.

Having recovered the power of the heroic spirits, the Icemaw recreated the nightmare-like strength that once brought terror to the Frostmaw.

Kiiiik!

Whoom...

BOOM—!

It was then…

'The ground is collapsing...!'

Whether they had been preemptively prepared or not, a trap Seol hadn't foreseen was triggered.

'Damn it... Even the moles will get swept away...'

The trap that triggered had swept away not only the Frostmaw but also the moles in its radius.

Crack!

Crack!

The entire ground caved in, and no one could escape being dragged into the collapse.

The fall wasn't particularly high; with a bit of luck, some might survive with minimal injuries.

However, for those unlucky...

'Focus!'

He was shaken for a moment.

The uncertainty about roles.

Doubts began appearing in his head. What was the purpose that brought them here? Was it truly right to prioritize anything over the lives of his comrades?

Ironically, in moments like this, no clear choices emerged. Even knowing what options were available might have provided him peace of mind.

Seol looked at Bron.

Bron was doing his best to avoid falling. That's right. He was trying his hardest to protect himself so he could face Irizard in peak condition.

Crunch...

Paf—!

Paf!

Seol quickly joined Bron.

"Ugh..."

Groans filled the air all around them.

"Kiik! The ground has collapsed!"

"This is our chance! Our chance!"

"Irizard! Irizard!"

Amidst the chaos, Seol turned his gaze toward a striking structure. An exquisite ice structure was built underground. It didn't seem related to the Emon.

'That has to be...'

Irizard…

That had to be where the fragment of the Old God, Irizard, lived.

Tss...

"Damn..."

"Why did we stop?"

"Look up."

An immense force was gathering at where Bron pointed.

'Oh my God...'

It was unmistakably Irizard's power—the curse of extreme cold itself.

It seemed as if Frost was gathering while trying to bury the chaotic battlefield.

"Ugh..."

It was such an immense strength that it made even Bron hesitate.

'I have to stop it...'

Even if they managed to defeat Irizard, it wouldn't have been a victory if the Emon annihilated their main forces.

Splash...

A colossal pillar of water erupted as Seol and Bron turned to their comrades, clashing against the Frost power that Irizard had unleashed.

SPLASH!

BOOM!

The two forces collided midair and dissipated, neutralizing the attack by a narrow margin.

"KYAK!"

Bron screamed upon seeing the one who intercepted Irizard's attack.

"Madria!"

"Go! Bron!"

"But..."

"You promised not to look back! Go now!"

"Ugh..."

"You're the only one who can do it... This is the last chance! Go!"

Paf—!

Forcing himself to look forward, Bron headed toward the underground ice fortress along with Seol.

"Stop them! Stop them!"

"Kiik!"

"They mustn't reach Irizard..."

Paf! Paf!

Water arrows came flying and pierced the necks of the Emon blocking their way.

Paf—!

Seol and Bron swiftly advanced through their ranks.

But then, Seol shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Bron! Stop!"

Crack!

The head of the wolf Bron was riding was cleanly severed.

Seol dismounted his wolf and sent it away to slow down their pace. They were now just a few steps away from Irizard's lair.

"You aren't getting past here..."

Seol turned his gaze to the mole exuding menacing energy, the one who beheaded Bron's wolf.

"Zakcha..."

"This is the end. Your rebellion stops here."

Although Irizard's lair was so close, they were now being held up.

"..."

"How dare you try to step into Irizard's sanctuary with your filthy feet..."

Zakcha's chilling words, which he delivered with his sword pointing forward, were abruptly interrupted.

"Khaha! I knew this would happen, Bron!"

A blue-eyed troll appeared while riding the wolf Seol had sent back.

"Skola..."

"HAHAHAHA!"

After leaping off the wolf, Skola charged at Zakcha like a missile.

CLANG—!

Kiik...

Kiik...

"Go, Bron," Skola smirked. "Don't fail this time."

"I won’t..."

"Ugh... Stop there!"

"You won't!"

Clang!

"Hey, mole, stay here and play with me."

"Ugh... You bastard..."

Clang...

Clang...

As the two fiercely clashed, Seol and Bron slipped into Irizard's lair.

[You enter Hall of the Shattered Frost.]

[Intermediate Insight activates.]

[A tremendous danger is awaiting.]

An ominous energy was flowing from within.

"Haa... Ha..."

"..."

"Oof.."

Seol glanced at Bron, whose breaths were heavy and uneven. The deeper they went, the more Bron's body trembled.

"Damn it... I can't calm down..."

"What's wrong? We've come this far..."

"Haha... That's why... I'm afraid of failure."

"..."

"I'm terrified of failing again. This fight... is very important. What if... I fail again?"

"It's probably over."

"Khaha! You're right. It'll all be over..."

Bron stared at Seol's back, who was confidently marching ahead.

"Hey..."

"What?"

"Aren't you afraid? Of all this?"

"Afraid?"

"Yes. Our opponent is Irizard. The..."

At that moment…

Thud...

Something came rolling across the ground—it was the skull of an Emon.

A massive mound of bones came into view. And atop of it, there was a being gazing down upon them.

Whoosh...

A transcendent existence, who had absurdly borrowed the form of a troll, looked down at Bron and Seol.

- Welcome...

It was the fragment of an Old God, Irizard.

- One who has returned from death and wanderer.

Whir...

The wind howled fiercer than any blizzard or flame. It carried a cold that seemed like it could freeze everything in its path.

Thud...

Bron fell to one knee.

"Haa... Haa..."

It wasn't an act of submission or respect before battle—it was fear. The existence of Irizard herself overwhelmed him.

Irizard looked at him with pity.

"I... I..."

"Bron, stand up. You aren't thinking of fighting in that state, right?"

Bron forced himself to stand, suppressing his trembling.

He couldn't help but wonder upon looking at Seol. How could he face Irizard without fear?

The answer was surprisingly simple. Seol had always walked the razor's edge, fighting countless battles with everything on the line. To him, this was just another step in that unyielding process.

Perhaps the most extraordinary being in Hwigeltong wasn't Irizard but Seol.

Crunch...

Irizard stood atop the mound of bones and clad herself in an armor forged from Frost.

Crack...

- I'm cold itself.

Bron's fear grew as Irizard revealed more of her power, but it didn't break him because his comrade was someone who could stand against that fear.

"Bron, how much do I need to wait?"

"Haha... Khahaha! I'm sorry! I was just reminiscing a bit."

"Shall we start?"

"Of course..."

Bron's trembling had ceased.

Irizard also questioned Seol. After all, it was the first time someone hadn't shown any reaction before her.

- What are you...?

[You have entered a raid battle with the Old God's Fragment, 'Irizard of the Glacier.']

[A certain amount of Era's Might can be gained in this Adventure.]

[The outcome of this Adventure will be recorded in history.]

[The results of this Adventure will influence Pandea.]

[This is an extremely dangerous battle.]

[Current raid members: 2.]

[Rewards will significantly increase upon successful subjugation.]

[Difficulty is near impossible.]

…

BZZ—!

Seol fused with Jamad and took their stance. His arms were spread slightly, not in the position usually required for casting a Shamanic Spell, but in a posture more suited for clapping.

The Night Crow smiled at Irizard's question.

"I'm a Shaman."

CLAP—!