Chapter 95: Phoenix (2)
Chapter 95: Phoenix (2)
The wild god Blade Song and the barbarian warrior Sun Song.
Jude and Cordelia had in fact already knew of them.
‘Because they were the vanguards in the barbarian invasion event.’
Blade Song was a cruel and violent wild god, while Sun song was called ‘Bloody Hands’ because both of his hands were always soaked with the fresh blood of victims.
Both of them had the impression of being berserkers crazy for blood, but after listening to Gentle Snow Breeze’s story, they seemed to have an aggressive nature even before they had been corrupted.
‘I’m glad we know his fighting style.’
Not much was known about how he changed before and after he was corrupted, but he would not have completely and suddenly changed his way of fighting just because he got corrupted.
‘He used a blade and shamanic songs, right?’
Jude nodded at Cordelia’s gaze.
The warriors of the Blade Song tribe always sang while fighting even when they were corrupted. This was to strengthen themselves with songs full of shamanic power as well as to weaken the strength and morale of their enemies.
‘Do you remember his battle pattern?’
‘Yes.’
‘As expected of my Jude.’
A smile spread over Cordelia’s face, and that smile pleased Jude again.
‘But it’s really strange.’
‘What’s strange?’
‘How we can communicate with just the look of our eyes.’
‘You’re right.’
Perhaps they were both thinking different things and simply misunderstanding that the other was ‘communicating this and that with their eyes’.
‘Well, I suppose it isn’t to that extent .’
That extent might just be some subtle differences.
Regardless, Jude turned to Gentle Snow Breeze and asked again.
“O Gentle Snow Breeze, can you tell us when the Karaval would be held?”
“The fight was decided on the day of the coming sun, which is 8 days later.”
8 days later.
He had expected that the schedule would be quite tight.
Jude asked again.
“The reason why this is a problem…is also because Sun Song is stronger than Red Wind as of now, right?”
At the question he threw to clarify, Gentle Snow Breeze looked depressed and nodded her head.
“Sun Song is one of the best geniuses in battle in the Blade Song tribe which has many strong warriors. He was also born with the talent for shamanism. When he was born, Blade Song went around boasting about him… Sigh… In addition, they have quite an age difference. Red Wind is only sixteen years old, but Sun Song is already twenty-two years old.”
If the Red Wind now was just a sprout that was on the verge of becoming stronger, Sun Song was already a young tree that grown stronger and on its way to its prime.
Cordelia seriously cherished Red Wind so she had a depressed look like Gentle Snow Breeze, but she then raised her hand and asked again.
“Gentle Snow Breeze, does having Karaval make sense even though they have such an objective difference in power?”
It was quite a logical argument, which was unusual for Cordelia, but Gentle Snow Breeze nodded.
“Yes, it might be a bit unreasonable, but the wild land is basically the world of where the strong prey upon the weak. Moreover, this Karaval’s goal is to elect a representative for the alliance… There are many opinions that a strong warrior should naturally become the representative.”
In other words, a tribe that couldn’t send a strong warrior for the Karaval was not qualified to become a representative in the first place.
“As expected…the only way is for Red Wind to win against Sun Song.”
“Yes, that’s why I’m worried.”
Their objective difference in power was quite visible.
Gentle Snow Breeze’s shoulders fell as she became depressed, while Cordelia likewise drooped her shoulders before she turned to Jude.
Cordelia’s gaze was saying ‘What should we do?’ but in the eyes of Jude, it seemed to say, ‘Please do something,’ so Jude stepped forward and said.
“Okay. Cordelia and I will do something about it.”
“The two of you?”
Gentle Snow Breeze blinked her eyes and asked.
Because Gentle Snow Breeze had no expectations from the very beginning and had just brought up the story to share her worries.
However, Jude and Cordelia had already saved several wild gods and defeated demon followers one way or another.
Gentle Snow Breeze was delighted with a vague belief and expectation, and Cordelia also thumped on her chest.
“That’s right, Jude and I will do something. Don’t worry too much.”
“Aah… Thank you very much. You two are truly the saviors of the wild land.”
When Gentle Snow Breeze held her hands together as if she was praying, a thought suddenly came to ?Cordelia’s mind at that moment, so she raised her head up and looked at Jude.
“That’s right! We’re the guardians of the wild lands, right? We’ve been recognized by the Golden Dragon King. So wouldn’t it work if we asked Blade Song?”
Didn’t the Golden Dragon King say that all the wild gods in the wild land will support Jude and Cordelia?
But Jude shook his head.
“No, even if it works…Red Wind must beat Sun Song in order to properly establish an alliance.”
“Uuuugh…is that so…”
It wouldn’t be a proper alliance if they were united through force and authority.
“Uh… but you two, what did you mean by ‘guardians of the wild lands’?”
“Oh, that…”
Gentle Snow Breeze asked as she tilted her head, so Cordelia briefly explained what had happened after they arrived at Raptor Canyon.
“My goodness, such a thing happened.”
Her eyes were mixed with countless emotions such as confusion, anticipation, anger, joy, and so on. Gentle Snow Breeze then clapped her hands.
She was angry at the demon followers for trying to pollute the entire dragon vein and corrupt the wild lands but was also expectant of the Golden Dragon King to return and solve all their problems.
“I was originally thinking of accepting any request you two have, but it is even more so now that the Golden Dragon King had made you two as guardians. Tell me if there’s anything you need.”
Gentle Snow Breeze clenched her fist as she said that and Cordelia thought of various divine items, but Jude demanded something more urgent.
“O Gentle Snow Breeze, please send our luggage to the village of the Great Storm tribe.”
“Eh? Your luggage?”
“Yes, I think that we have to hurry.”
Having said that, Jude looked back at Cordelia and she blinked her eyes for a moment, wondering what he meant, but she understood at some point. So she nodded her head and said to Gentle Snow Breeze.
“We’ll head towards the village of the Great Storm tribe and meet Red Wind. I don’t think we can take our luggage with us because we have to hurry.”
“Ah, is that so. Leave that to me then.”
Gentle Snow Breeze clapped her hands in understanding, and Cordelia immediately looked back at Jude. He turned around without a word and showed his back to Cordelia.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes!”
Cordelia instantly replied before she jumped and clung on Jude’s back as if used to it.
“See you at Karaval then.”
“See you then!”
“Uh…yes.”
Gentle Snow Breeze waved her hand with a somewhat surprised face, and the two didn’t waste their time.
As soon as Jude left Gentle Snow Breeze’s residence, he created a golden whirlwind while Cordelia hugged Jude’s neck and said.
“Let’s go, JuDelia.”
Since Jude and Cordelia were unified as one, it became JuDelia.
Jude almost lost his composure at her sudden words, but he soon fixed Cordelia’s position and said as he kicked the ground.
“I’m glad it’s not CorDe.”
“Do you like that better?”
That was the end of their conversation.
Jude became the gale instead of answering, and Cordelia closed her eyes as he sprinted. She hugged Jude’s neck a little harder.
***
“Ah! Cordelia-unnie! Jude-oppa!”
At the village of the Great Storm tribe…
Jude and Cordelia arrived at the village of the Great Storm tribe before the day ended, having run and run again, though they took a few breaks in the middle. They were then greeted by Red Wind.
“It’s been a while, how have you been?”
“I’ve been doing well. Look at this. It’s my new friend.”
Red Wind spoke with a wide smile as she spread out her palm and a small flame sprang up.
It was Saria, a flame spirit belonging to the lowest grade.
“I followed Unnie’s words. I studied spirits.”
Both Jude and Cordelia smiled at Red Wind’s wide smile that was so bright and cheerful, but when the two looked at each other, they had a different look.
‘As expected…she hasn’t gotten much stronger, right?’
‘Because it hasn’t even been a month yet.’
It seemed like they had been going around here and there, but the time Jude and Cordelia had spent in the wild lands was actually less than a month.
Even if she was at her peak at the age of sixteen, she wouldn’t get that much stronger within a month.
‘Then, what about us?’
‘Uh…we’re abnormal?’
Because the two had gotten several times stronger in a month.
But what mattered now was Red Wind, not Jude and Cordelia.
Therefore, the two focused on Red Wind again.
“Red Wind, are you the one participating in Karaval this time?”
When Cordelia carefully asked, Red Wind’s face went stiff for a moment before she smiled again and nodded.
“Yes. I will do my best. I will fight for everyone.”
She clenched her fists and confidently spoke, but Cordelia instinctively felt it while Jude saw through Red Wind’s acting.
‘I’m scared.’
The fact that she had to fight against someone stronger than her was not scary.
What would happen if she was defeated?
She feared betraying everyone’s expectations.
Unlike a little while ago, her stiff smile revealed a lot of things.
So Cordelia clasped Red Wind’s trembling hands and said.
“It’s all right. Jude and I will help. You’ll be able to beat Sun Song.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
With a wide smile, Cordelia tightly hugged Red Wind who was on the verge of tears.
She didn’t cry, but it was visible how stressed she was.
‘Umm.’
Jude quietly waited and after a long hug, Cordelia said as she touched Red Wind’s cheek.
“It’s late today, so let’s rest for now and finish our conversation tomorrow. Okay?”
“Okay. Unnie, I like you so much.”
“I like you too.”
Cordelia coddled and tightly hugged Red Wind again, and Cordelia sent a glance to Jude, who then nodded.
***
“But what should we do?”
Inside the lodging that Red Wind guided them to…
Because it was already late at night, their talk with Red Gale and Violent Avalanche was delayed until tomorrow. Jude and Cordelia lied beside each other as they stared at the tent’s roof.
The remaining time was only a week.
Would it be possible for Red Wind to become strong enough to beat Sun Song in that time?
“Shall we have her follow Kaplan?”
Wouldn’t it be possible for her to be hugely strengthened if she defeated a bunch of named monsters?
“It’s possible, but we’re running out time. It’ll take a few days just to get to where Kaplan is.”
The remaining time was only 7 days.
They shouldn’t waste their time in traveling.
“Uuuuu…what should we do then? Should we temporarily lend her items?”
“That’s the basic plan…but that’s not enough, right?”
No matter how good the items were, there was a limit.
Jude and Cordelia were able to get full sets of items by attribute thanks to the benevolent Fairy Queen, so they had full sets that matched their level, but it wasn’t possible to assemble a set of legend-grade or myth-grade items.
“But items with basic specs will fit her.”
“We can also strengthen her attribute’s power.”
Red Wind had begun handling a flame spirit, so items with a fire attribute would be good for her.
“Haa…it’s not enough. There needs to be something more.”
Cordelia squirmed while lying down in her bed before she turned her head to the side. Jude was lying sideways on his bed a few steps away from her, and their gazes met.
“Jude?”
“I think we have no choice but to take a hard-line approach.”
“Hard-line approach?”
When Cordelia sat up and asked, Jude also sat up and replied.
“Let’s get the Phoenix.”
“What?”
“The Phoenix.”
“We’re getting the Phoenix at this point in time?”
“Yes, that’s the only way.”
Phoenix.
Or Reckless Fire to be exact.
In the original game, it was an essential spirit that Red Wind must obtain in her Spirit Warrior skill tree.
“If she gets the Phoenix, her potential as a Spirit Warrior would crazily grow, and the skills she could immediately use are also incredibly strong.”
The story of the Phoenix that appeared in the original game was as follows.
Reckless Fire, a powerful but evil flame spirit, committed all sorts of tyranny in the wild land, but an unknown spirit warrior became angry and subdued Reckless Fire before sealing it in an ancient temple.
“Everyone forgot about it after a long time, but Red Wind accidentally found the ruins.”
“Red Wind defeated Reckless Fire who woke up from its seal-”
“The Phoenix died and then resurrected. At its resurrection, its personality was reversed, and it became a good spirit.”
“It recognized Red Wind who defeated it and acknowledged her as its master.”
The way the story itself unfolded sounded easy to do too.
They had no problem in locating the ruins because of JudeWiki.
“Thank you for believing in me.”
“Do you not know it?”
“I know where it is.”
So the real problem now was the timing of the event.
“The northern barbarian event was over, so Red Wind who had already become quite strong, visited the village of the Great Storm tribe that was in ruins.”
In short, it was a story at a time when Red Wind was at least ten times stronger than she was now.
“No, it’s impossible. How will Red Wind defeat the Phoenix now?”
Cordelia said as her shoulders drooped, but Jude shook his head.
“Not, it’s possible. We can help her.”
“That’s good? No, even if the two of us joined forces right now, we may or may not be able to defeat the Phoenix, you know?”
“We have to try. And…it might be possible if she gets the last hit.”
It was also necessary for her to be recognized by the Phoenix.
“Will that work?”
“I hope it works.”
Because that was the only way they had right now.
“Uuuuuh… Okay, let’s do it. Yes, we can do it.”
“Yes, we can do it.”
“Yes, yes, we can.”
Cordelia cheerfully said before she lied down on her bed again, pulled up her blanket, and shut her eyes.
“Let’s sleep for tomorrow then. Good night, Jude.”
“Yes, dream of me.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Cordelia coyly replied before falling into sleep, and Jude who had a hard time today, also deeply fell asleep.
And the next morning…
“Wow…is this all for me?”
Red Wind widely opened her eyes and looked at herself as she asked.
She was really sparkling.
Red Wind was covered in magic items from head to toe.
And at her innocent question, Jude replied with a refreshing smile.
“No, we’re lending it to you.”
He had to say it to make sure that she knew.
“I’m sorry.”
When Cordelia smiled and spoke with an awkward expression, Red Wind’s shoulders dropped as if she was somewhat disappointed.
But for a while, she had a cheerful expression again because of her increased strength due to the magic items.
“I feel a lot stronger. Now I can fight Sun Song.”
“Yes, but it’s still not enough. So let’s practice now.”
“Practice?”
“Yes, practice for getting used to the faster speed and stronger power.”
Cordelia said before casting and magic on Red Wind.
“Now, run.”
“Eh? Run…?!”
Red Wind couldn’t adapt to the completely different speed and power than usual, so she splendidly fell. Jude and Cordelia looked at each other with relaxed expressions as they anticipated this situation.
“Will it take half a day?”
“That’s enough for her to adapt.”
For now, she had to become familiar with her enhanced state.
Jude and Cordelia sat down as they quietly watched the struggling Red Wind who couldn’t control her body.
And a few minutes passed.
Cordelia suddenly turned to Jude and said.
“But Jude.”
“Yes?”
“What if, seriously, what if?”
“Yes, what if?”
“What if the Phoenix thinks of you or me as its master?”
At Cordelia’s simple question, Jude paused for a moment before he replied with an awkward smile.
“Ei, no way.”
“Is that right? There’s no way that would happen?”
“Yes, no way.”
But why?
This ominous feeling.
After a brief silence, Jude and Cordelia looked at the front again as they saw Red Wind falling down on her butt again.