Chapter 387 Battle



[Ace POV], 

The action the emperor took, once again reminiscent of what he did in the Earth Rat Den against the strongest rat, was asking me for help in the midst of a fight. 

I wouldn't have minded much, knowing that the emperor would compensate me. However, the fact remained that the emperor and I were not in the same league. 

Whatever opponent the emperor faced, one that even compelled him to seek my assistance, was capable of killing me with a simple slap. 

Even Blue, who was stronger than me, would only be able to withstand two slaps at most. Being asked to help against this formidable opponent was nothing short of a suicidal mission.

It was obviously dangerous for me to get involved in this matter when the other party had no business with me, only the emperor. Considering that the emperor knew I was nearby, it was likely that the Ogre King was also aware. However, the emperor was a shrewd man. He knew how to play the game of rewards and incentives well.

The emperor message was straightforward: "Help me in any way you can in this fight to minimize the loss of my men, and I'll reward you with a dragon-related item for your services."

The message, for someone like me who had already experienced the wonders of dragon-related items twice, was more than attractive. 

It was... tempting. 

As I reflect on it, the only times I've encountered significant dragon-related matters have been when the emperor was involved. 

Firstly, it was because of his dragon heart that I was given a quest by the Primordial Chronicle to prevent the Dragon Phantom from reviving, and the quest's reward granted me a dragon potion that purified my body. 

The second time was when the emperor bestowed upon me the dragon blood I used as my evolution catalyst. It was one of the most valuable treasures I had obtained since the apocalypse. It might even be more precious than my Epic Grade storage ring.

Though I couldn't prove it, I was certain that the reason I became part human and acquired a peculiar bloodline was because of the dragon blood. 

Whether this was a blessing or a curse remained unknown, but considering everything it had done for me thus far, I considered it a positive development. Apart from enhancing my strength, mana pool, and job, it was the reason I could even contemplate participating in a suicide mission, having saved me from harm inflicted by the Dark Elf. 

I wonder how she's doing now and how her race reacted to my actions against one of their own. I hope that if I ever encounter that particular elf or her race again in the future, I will be powerful enough to handle them easily.

I should at least possess the strength of an emperor, but even I know that I have a long way to go at this point. Nevertheless, the question still lingers: should I assist the emperor or not? 

The dragon-related item holds great allure, and from the emperor's message, it's evident that he's more concerned about his men, which means I have no direct involvement in his primary battle. Not that I desire to be part of the fight anyway. I relish engaging in good battles, not suicidal ones.

Lost in thought, I turned my gaze back to the battlefield and noticed that the ogres, who were sneaking up on the emperor's men, would soon converge with them in a matter of minutes. There was little time to waste contemplating whether to intervene or not, as the answer was already clear in my mind. In the true world, there was little to gain without taking appropriate risks.

With this conviction in mind, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Afterward, I caressed Blue's neck, my loyal companion, and spoke to him. "Do you see those enormous green monsters over there, Blue?" I said, adding, "We're going to attack them." 

It was a simple command for Blue. I didn't want to overcomplicate things for my tamed beast, so this would suffice. I just needed to ensure that the emperor's men didn't suffer excessive casualties. I could work with that.

With determination, Blue immediately dove down towards the emperor's men. Initially, no one noticed our approach, but as we descended to a certain height, a few changes became apparent on the battlefield. 

On the ogre side, the monsters grew louder, more restless than before. 

On the emperor's side, however, the men appeared strikingly calm, yet their posture indicated readiness for action. Not against me, though. I could sense that. It seemed that the emperor had issued them an instruction after messaging me. Regardless, it suited my purposes.

Apart from these observations, the ogres that had initially been sneaking up on the emperor's men accelerated their pace. But this was not the most significant change. The emperor and the ogre king ceased holding back, engaging in a true fight at a slow and deliberate pace.

As I prepared to carry out my task and make my exit without getting killed by some unknown force, a thought raced through my mind. I leaped from Blue's back when we were about a dozen meters above the ground. In mid-air, I began to channel mana within me with fervor, preparing to execute one of the most significant yet straightforward moves since awakening my elemental powers. 

With my strength, a dozen-meter fall would not harm me. As soon as I landed on the ground, I forcefully slammed both hands into the earth, channeling my earth mana into it with wild intensity. I was expending a quarter of my mana for this endeavor.

For a moment, nothing happened, but then, to everyone's surprise, a massive portion of the ground in front of me started to ascend. The speed of its ascent was so fast that by the time the earth wall I created to separate the emperor's men from the ogres reached a height of 20 meters, the ogres finally reacted. Their loud cries filled the air as the ground beneath me shook.

Realizing that the ogre army was now headed in my direction, I quickly turned around and shouted at the emperor's men, who were still in shock from the sight of the gigantic wall I had conjured. 

"Run!" I urged them, hoping to shake them out of their daze. They snapped out of their stupor upon hearing my command and, bowing to me in gratitude, hastily gathered the fallen comrades and made their escape.

"Fools," I muttered under my breath, observing them dragging the corpses along. I knew it would only slow them down, but I had done my part in assisting the emperor. With that in mind, I activated my origin ability and soared into the sky.

Reaching the top of the earth wall I had created, I landed gracefully upon it, overlooking the battlefield that had grown even more intense. On one side, the ogre king and the emperor engaged in a fierce battle. Mysterious tattoos appeared on the ogre king's body, while the emperor seemed to undergo a gradual transformation, with scales emerging on his arms.

Meanwhile, Blue, my faithful companion, continued to harass the ogre army with his powerful flames, keeping them at bay. I was relieved to see that he kept a safe distance from the enemy forces.

"Let me provide further assistance," I thought to myself, activating my origin ability once again to approach the ogre army. However, by "close," I meant maintaining a considerable distance above the army while observing the situation from the sky.

As I descended from above, the wind whipped around me, tousling my hair and garments. The ogres, now appearing like tiny ants from this height, still emanated a sense of menace. I focused my attention on the largest concentration of ogres, readying myself to unleash my transmutation ability.

Closing my eyes, I delved deep within myself, tapping into the essence of transmutation that flowed within my veins. The power surged through me, familiar and exhilarating. Opening my eyes, a radiant yellow glow enveloped my hands, signifying my readiness.

Extending my hands towards the ogre army, a surge of earth mana burst forth. The ground beneath them trembled, and before their astonished eyes, the earth erupted into a series of colossal spikes. These spikes shot up with incredible speed, impaling several ogres in their path.

But I did not stop there. Further manipulating the earth, I transmuted the spikes into massive boulders. With a flick of my wrist, these boulders hurtled towards the ogres, crashing into their ranks with devastating force. The impact sent shockwaves through their forces, sowing chaos and confusion.

As the dust settled, I observed the ogres struggling to regroup. Although their numbers hadn't diminished significantly, their caution was apparent in their more careful approach. Blue continued to rain down solarflare attacks from above, further disrupting the ogre army and keeping them on their toes.

As I pondered whether my efforts thus far were enough, a sudden pressure weighed down on me. It was followed by a majestic roar that echoed through the air, capturing the attention of both friend and foe alike.