Chapter 66: Moment of Victory

The knight paused, unsure of what he heard. Saving him, so that Ned could kill him later on. What a blunder! The knight thought. But if the kid was right, he could live and get to see his wife. There's no harm in believing. "Do as you wish, Ned. Make sure you're strong enough to do that," replied Sir Edwin. He smiled and said in a calm tone. "Let's see how you changed after ten years. Remember the deal." The knight went silent. Closed his eyes, learned peacefully on the soft cushion of the pod. And smiled once more.

Ned motion a push, signaling the pod to close and freeze the knight. With a gesture. The pod hissed, and the glass moved to cover the knight inside.

Moments of silence, the pod hissed once more, and sizzle of cold, unyielding, and peaceful cloud surrounded the knight. Ned saw how the wounds healed, bruises turned to life that gave life to the knight's war harden skin. His armor of steel gleamed from the light coming from the pod. Then it went off. Leaving the knight, alone, dark, and timeless inside.

[Notice: Subject may render to the unique form of recoveries conducted by the pod. This is to make sure the subject survives the Suspended Animation.]

[Notice: Maximum time the energy left within the pod to maintain Suspended Animation is ten years. Proceed with full Cryonics?]

"Proceed," Ned said. Making the pod dimmed. And obscured with mist inside. Seeing no more of the knight.

[Ned, would you like to activate the barrier?]

"No need to, with the technology they have here, no one, but I could open the pod," Ned said. "Not even magic could put a dent."

Ned turned to leave the cave and proceeded to the barren ground where he left his Butterfly.

Ned jumped from trees to trees with ease. The Platinum Armor he wore enhanced his strength and speed. Making him looked like a flying wingless beast above the trees.

Leisurely traveling above the trees made him travel faster, with no ghouls blocking his way. From time to time he saw a group of horde below, but Ned leaves them. Thinking it was a waste since he was almost near the town and leave the island.

Nearly an hour has passed, Ned was halted on his track noticing smoke in his direction. Ahead on the horizon, the forests that were booming with trees a while ago when he and the Knight passed were already burnt to a cinder.

"This wasn't here awhile ago," Ned mumbled. Analyzing the dark, smoke puffed surroundings.

Holding a branch above the tree. He dropped on the ground. Making ash spread away from his feet. The black line of smoke spread throughout the space.

Analyzing the surrounding, Ned saw trees burnt, ground then black, rocks cracked of too much heat.

Walking past the burnt trees, Ned leaped to his right, sensing danger behind. Smoke made its way passed Ned's head.

A trail of smoke and sparks spreads along with the figure. It stopped, turned around, and gazed at Ned. Armed with spikes behind his back, horns, and platings made the beasts intimidating.

Strength, speed, and agility curved the beast's legs. Standing in four, the beast breathes out fire.

[Freybugs, Ned be careful, their breath can melt metals.]

"You said my Mana is inclined towards fire?" asked Ned. "How about we test my Magic."

[Correct, your Master's magic influenced you.]

"Then we'll try Fire magic," Ned said. Lifting his hand, he spread open his palms, aimed towards the demonic-wolf, and invoke a fire spell. "I already have Mana stored, so no need to absorb, next, convert—think of fire, ignite, fuel. Then conjure."

Space on Ned's hand distorted, heat built up, Mana exited at the tip of his hands, collecting in the middle of his palm. Then a sphere made of fire turned and spiraled. Seconds past, a sphere almost the size of a normal human head, twirled in Ned's hands.

Aiming towards the Freybug, Ned released the magic with a flicker of his thought, coupled with a shout for a more dramatic effect. "Fireball!"

The speed at which the fireball traveled was fast, reaching almost ten meters in a matter of a second.

The Freybug opened its mouth instead of evading the attack. The beasts almost smirked at the attack, cause it knew that they were immune to fire and fire magic.

Seeing the gesture of the Freybug, it made Ned smiled with mockery. "Fool."

It was too late for the demonic-wolf to regret its actions. Swallowing the fireball. Mini explosions boomed inside its stomach, seconds later it bloated and its reddish-brown skin cracked. After which, it exploded. Making a shower of flesh, followed by a random line of smoke.

[Freybugs are immune to fire. Only if they are stronger than the fire itself. If not, then they will burn just like other magical beasts.]

"He must have thought the fire I made is weak," Ned said. "To think fighting Grade A monsters would be this easy."

[It's because of the suit. Enhancing your strength, speed, and defense is what the suit does.]

"I like to test more of my magic, but it seems there's only one Freybug," Ned said. "Let's find out, then."

Focusing, Ned remained standing. He felt his Mana inside his body coursing through his veins. He then converted it to energy and released. "Detect."

The spell made barrier-like energy that continually expanded until it reached a diameter of ten meters. Encircling Ned's body.

"No sign of life," Ned muttered. "Let's move on then."

[Sure. Just be careful. I don't sense any other beasts surrounding this area. Not even the Devourer.]

"Thanks."

Reaching the market, Ned was almost at the site where they last met the Devourer. He then heard a boom inside the depths of the forests. The forest was far from the market, yet the sound resounded so loud, it made its way to the market.

[Ned, the explosion is near the Gate.]

"Then we need to hurry. The barrier broke, that's the only explanation there."

Ned strode the market. Debris, woods, headless body, and beasts alike scattered the market.

Moments later, Ned heard rumbling coming from the forests. "That's our cue, I need to hurry, but I can't go faster than this."

Ned ran to the alleys, houses, and market until he reached his desired destination.

Reaching the site where he left the Butterfly. Ned saw a gleamed under the sun. Stuck between the rock, Ned reached to grab the Butterfly. Checking the sword, Ned raised an eyebrow to show it satisfied him.

Minutes after he stopped to pick the sword, Ned heard the rumbling getting closer. Then Ned saw a dotted figure moving towards him.

Thousands of figure stampede, following the path going to his location and going towards the port.

Ned brandished the Butterfly. No time to run, no choice to hide. He was determined to clash with thousands of ghouls.

Then thousands of figures entered his reach. With his strength, Ned moved to slice, stab, cut, and pulverized the incoming army.

Some made it past his range, but no time to run after them. He stood his ground, slashing everything within his range. He evaded, he parried, he slashed, and he killed.

Pile of ghouls and alghouls formed across Ned. Hundreds dead, yet their number never decreased. Minutes passed, Freybugs made their way out the Gate. Ned invoked fireballs after fireballs, killing mindless beasts, but even though their number kept on flowing.

Too many beasts to handle and Ned settled on killing Freybugs whenever he saw one. His plan is to reduce the number of beasts going towards the port. Making sure others survive.

Although his plan was solid. He realized their number has swollen every second passed. Ned killed one, only to be replaced by ten. They outnumbered him.

Too many to handle, Ned left his spot and head to the port.

Ned killed ghouls going to the port and dwindled their numbers along the way.

Exiting the gap between a small grassy hill. Ned saw the port. At the edge, fire envelopes a structure where they are used to inspect people. Headless bodies scattered along the cobblestone road, houses destroyed, structures flattened. In the middle, Ned saw two merchant ships. The other merchant ship was almost gone off the wind, while the other one remained at the coast. Not moving, obviously not sailing.

Beneath the port, Ned saw humans running for their life while being chased by the army of ghouls.

Close to the escaping humans, Ned saw a figure he well knew. Toni. Using her magic to block and attack dead the horde of ghouls. Eventually, Toni ran out of Mana. Ned saw that she gave up by freeing his hands with his Kiki'Dorra, and knelt on the ground. With her magic slowly disappearing.

Toni…. "Toni," Ned breathed. "I can't make it. ICE! Overclock!

[Overlclock activated.]

Proceed with maximum input. Ned started.

[Sure, Ned.]

[Overclock by 25% activated.]

Steaming-hot cloud oozed off Ned's figure. Making him shine with his Platinum Armor equipped.

Ned ran, jumped, and slide to reach Toni before her magic dissolves.

Reaching almost ten meters away from Toni, Ned jumped as strong as he could. Landing right in front of Toni, cracking the ground and attacking all the army of ghouls within the vicinity of the port. Killing hundreds and hundreds of ghouls and alghouls.

Witnessing the event happened in front of them, Xi, Naari, the Handlers, the escaping people, the ship's owner, merchants, and even the commons. They all fell to an eternity of stunned silence. For them, this was a golden moment of victory.

"Toni," Ned said softly.

"N… Ned?" stunned, Toni couldn't believe what she was seeing. Aside from his short and silver hair, in a full suit of whitish-grey armor, oozing with hot cloud, hands fuming with smoke and sparks, while the other hand hung with Butterfly, sharp and cold gaze. It was Ned. None other.

[Overclocking disabled.]

Feeling the joy of relief, Ned smiled inwardly. For making it in time. He looked at Toni, reached a hand, and smiled—faintly.