Ending Maker

Chapter 96 - EPISODE 96 – PHOENIX (3)

While Cordelia oversaw Red Wind’s training, Jude went to meet Red Gale and Violent Avalanche.

He had to talk to them about the status of the Golden Dragon King and their plan to obtain the Phoenix.

“I see…”

Red Gale slowly nodded after hearing the whole story.

Perhaps due to Solari’s Necklace, his condition had improved than before.

“I can’t believe the Golden Dragon King was in that condition. Moreover, the demon followers have already taken the west…”

Violent Avalanche squatted on the floor as it held its head and groaned.

The fact that all of the western dragon veins had already been contaminated could only mean that all the wild gods in the west had turned into enemies.

“The Golden Dragon King said that its condition would improve if we blow up the western dragon veins.”

When Jude spoke as if he was consoling them, Violent Avalanche flinched and had a really complicated expression on its face.

“Y-yes.”

Violent Avalanche seemed to recall the scene of its own entire rocky mountain disappearing.

Red Gale said again.

“Jude, are you saying that Red Wind should obtain the Phoenix?”

“Yes, I think that’s our best option for now.”

A long time ago, an unknown spirit warrior sealed the Phoenix, an ancient spirit.

Red Gale hadn’t known that the sealing place of the Phoenix was near their village, but he didn’t doubt Jude’s words.

Jude was Red Wind’s benefactor, but he also personally met the Golden Dragon King and was recognized as a guardian of the wild lands.

“Hmm…I think I’ve heard of a similar story when I was young.”

A violent and evil bird of flame.

Violent Avalanche scratched its chin as it spoke, and Jude gazed at everyone again.

“Red Wind has the talent to be a spirit warrior. If she obtains the Phoenix, she’ll be able to win against Sun Song in the Karaval.”

That was actually their only option.

Red Gale closed his eyes and was in deep thought for a while. He soon nodded and agreed to Jude’s plan.

“I understand. It is as you said. In her current state, Red Wind cannot beat Sun Song. She needs the Phoenix’s power.”

It was a plan to unseal a violent ancient spirit. The dangers it posed if something went wrong were high, but Red Gale decided to trust Jude.

“Thank you.”

“Thank you too. If you need anything, just say it. I’ll do my best to help.”

If he was the Fairy Queen, Jude would have immediately jumped on his words and bleed him dry.

But Red Gale and the Fairy Queen were different.

Instead of smiling with sparkling eyes, Jude talked about the support he really needed for the plan to work.

“I see… If you say so. I understand. I will prepare it.”

Red Gale accepted his request and Jude was relieved. He then turned to Violent Avalanche.

“Violent Avalanche is going to help us, right?”

“Eh? Me too?”

“Yes, Violent Avalanche.”

“Uh…yes! That’s right. It’s for the wild lands, so I’ll help as much as I can.”

“Thank you.”

Violent Avalanche became even more anxious upon seeing Jude’s bright smile, but it couldn’t take back the words it had already spoken.

The wild god awkwardly smiled and lightly thumped its chest, as if putting up a bold front.

“I’m planning to capture the Phoenix tomorrow… Will the preparations be ready by then?”

“It will be possible. The preparations will be ready by tomorrow morning.”

“Me as well.”

Red Gale courteously answered and Violent Avalanche got up from its seat and replied too.

They now had the support of a wild god and the Great Storm tribe.

With this, it would be possible to implement a strategy that was not possible in the game.

“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

There were 7 days left until the Karaval.

Jude went out of Red Gale’s house.

***

“So it ended with us going there tomorrow?”

“We don’t have much time left until the day of the Karaval. Even if she obtained the Phoenix, she’ll need time to get used to it.”

Inside Jude and Cordelia’s lodging…

The two had spread out a bunch of magic items on the bed and were thinking about what items would suit Red Wind.

Jude glanced at the figure of Cordelia as she folded her arms and groaned in serious contemplation. He then asked while she picked up a ring with a freezing attribute.

“How is Red Wind?”

“She got used to it. She’s remarkably talented since she’s a playable character in the first place. It’s now possible for her to fight with <Haste> and <Strength> cast on her twice.”

Cordelia stretched out her hand and slightly lifted the tiara that had a freezing attribute.

“Hmm, do I have to take off my headband to wear this?”

She had worn the rabbit set ever since the time they stopped by the village of the Great Storm tribe.

Jude had removed his and changed into the saint’s clothes somewhere in the middle of their trip, but Cordelia had been wearing the rabbit ears and tail all the time.

“Hmm…it’s possible to wear it together.”

This was reality and not a game, so it was possible to wear equipment in the same area.

“Take this off first and try this one on…”

Cordelia tried to take off the rabbit ears headband while talking to herself, but her words trailed off. Because she had felt Jude staring at her.

“Why?”

“No, that…”

Jude’s words trailed off too for some reason and Cordelia tilted her head. But her eyes soon sparkled, and she giggled.

“What is it? Are you sad that I won’t be wearing the rabbit ears anymore? Would you like me to continue wearing it? Do you miss it?”

She said that because she wanted to see Jude be flustered.

As she triumphantly smiled inside her thoughts, Cordelia intentionally spoke in a cunning manner. Jude immediately responded to her.

“Uh, I want to continue seeing it.”

“If you say that you want to see it, then I’ll continue…eh?”

“I want to continue seeing it.”

Jude looked straight into Cordelia’s blue eyes and seriously spoke while Cordelia blinked her eyes with a stunned expression. And she began stuttering.

“N-no. That…what…”

“It’s cute, Cordelia.”

Jude spoke again and Cordelia’s face turned red.

No, what is he talking about now?

Did he eat some weird medicine?

Cordelia was at a loss and didn’t know what to do. Jude seriously looked at her and then said with a pleasant smile.

“The rabbit ears are cute, the rabbit ears. Oh, the rabbit tail is cute too.”

“You!”

Cordelia slapped the back of Jude who spoke shamelessly, but the physical abilities of the two already had a lot of differences.

Jude snickered and pretended to be hurt while Cordelia hit Jude even harder.

And the next morning…

“Wow, Unnie is so cute.”

Red Wind was wearing items with flame attributes all over her body and she then said in admiration as she gazed on Cordelia’s head.

A silver tiara with blue jewels was sitting atop Cordelia’s head together with the rabbit ears headband.

Cordelia, the second daughter of Count Chase, answered after making a ‘hmph’ sound.

“Because a certain mister desperately pleaded to me.”

“I didn’t plead though?”

“Should I take it off then?”

“No, Madam. You’re the cutest.”

Jude wily spoke and Cordelia turned away as she let out another ‘hmph’ but did not remove her headband.

Anyone who saw her would see that her cheeks were slightly red.

And Violent Avalanche said after seeing the two.

“Ha, how cheesy.”

As expected of the crazy couple.

The people related to them are crazy too.

“So cute.”

When Red Wind giggled and spoke, Cordelia’s face turned even redder and her lips twitched several times before she changed the topic.

“Anyway, we’re going now. Are you ready?”

“We’re ready.”

Red Wind was the first to answer energetically, followed by Violent Avalanche who reluctantly nodded its head.

“It seems that the Great Storm tribe is also ready.”

Jude said as he pointed out to them, so Cordelia nodded her head.

The shamans of the Great Storm tribe were fully equipped and prepared as they were approaching the group.

“Okay, let’s go then. JudeWiki, please take the lead.”

“Yes, Madam. I will lead the way.”

Jude politely answered and led the way with Cordelia behind him, followed immediately by Red Wind, Violent Avalanche, and the shamans of the Great Storm tribe who were lined up in a file.

And about an hour or so…

As he headed westward, Jude suddenly turned around and said.

“By the way, Cordelia.”

“Yes?”

“Shouldn’t we start practicing?”

“What practice?”

“Adelia Countermeasures practice.”

Jude’s words made Cordelia had a face that looked like she didn’t comprehend what he was talking about, but she soon understood it and said after saying a ‘hmph.’

“I don’t need to practice, okay? I’ll just do it when she arrives, okay?”

“No, you still have to practice. The opponent is none other than Adelia. My brother Ga?l will roughly let it pass but not Adelia, right?”

“Ugh.”

It was as Jude had said. A lot of Cordelia’s actions were basically suspicious, and her doubtful actions would grow deeper if she faced Adelia.

“Shouldn’t you at least be able to speak naturally?”

There was truth in his words.

But Cordelia wasn’t a fool either. Practicing was necessary, but she didn’t have to do it now. Besides, he seemed to have said that to tease her.

“I can’t, I won’t do it now here. Ah, come to think of it, it’s not just me who should practice. I’m not the only one who likes you… No, what am I saying. Anyway, aren’t we known to like each other in the first place?”

“Then, shall I go first?”

“Eh?”

“My beloved Lady Cordelia. You’re very beautiful today. No, you’re very lovely.”

The moment Jude said that with a charming smile, Cordelia had a brain fart.

She stood stupefied before she began hitting Jude at random.

“Don’t say it! Don’t!”

“No, I have to practice! Ah! It hurts! Hey! It really hurts!”

“I know that you’re not really hurt, okay?!”

“No! If you hit me like that, it hurts, okay?!”

Cordelia changed her method of attacking by slapping his skin like a whip.

She was indeed a battle genius.

Cordelia could find a way to do him damage somehow.

While Jude and Cordelia were moving forward while squawking with each other…

“This very lovey-dovey couple making a fuss…”

“Unnie is cute. Hehe.”

Violent Avalanche clicked its tongue while Red Wind’s eyes sparkled.

And about a dozen minutes later…

“Stop, stop hitting me. We’re almost there.”

“Haa…haa…we’re still far away…eh, seriously?”

They were in front of a huge tomb with rocks piled up on top of each other.

Down there was a hidden path that lead to the underground ruins where the Phoenix was sealed.

“All right, let’s get started then.”

The Phoenix would resurrect even if it dies, so it was unnecessary for them to use a capture – no, an annihilation strategy.

Jude and Cordelia exchanged glances while Violent Avalanche held a silent prayer for the Phoenix that they haven’t yet met.

***

In the original story, the entrance to the rock tomb was revealed due to a natural disaster, but that only happened when the wild lands were in chaos.

Therefore, Jude and Cordelia decided to use a different method.

“Is there a dragon vein here?”

“No, you demon.”

“Ei, why? It’s legal.”

Cordelia acted cute as she laughed and said, but Jude shook his head and turned to Violent Avalanche.

“Please help us.”

“Uh…my body isn’t that powerful.”

“But it’s better than nothing.”

He had brought Violent Avalanche for other things and not for strenuous work, but a wild god was still a wild god.

“Alright! I’ll use a little power!”

The rocks in the tomb shook as Violent Avalanche opened its arms and let out an ‘Uooh’ sound.

The rocks easily moved when Violent Avalanche slightly lifted the rocks with a telekinetic power.

“Me too then.”

Cordelia used Witch Transformation and showed off her telekinetic powers too.

Whenever her blue eyes shone, a large rock was moved to the side.

“Jude-oppa, what should we do?”

“We don’t have any telekinetic powers, so let’s just watch.”

Unfortunately, there was no popcorn here.

Jude stroked the head of Red Wind as they waited for a while. After five minutes or so, the rocks blocking the tomb were cleared, revealing a round entrance.

“This is definitely an ancient magic formula. I can see traces of the High Elves.”

Jude nodded at Violent Avalanche’s words.

Considering the situation, it was highly likely that the unknown spirit warrior was a high elf from the magic kingdom of Magellan.

“The inside of the sealing place isn’t big, but it’s still called a dungeon. There’s a defense system in place to protect the Phoenix’s seal.”

“Yes, I know. I’ve read the things you wrote down yesterday several times.”

“I have read it many times. It’s easy to read because it’s in our language.”

When Red Wind raised her hand and spoke, Jude happily smiled before looking at everyone.

“Only me, Cordelia, Red Wind, and Violent Avalanche will enter the sealing area. However, the real battle against the Phoenix will be outside the ruins, so please be prepared.”

“We understand, Guardian.”

On behalf of the Great Storm tribe’s shamans, the great shaman called Frost Wind spoke.

He was Red Gale’s friend and a powerful wind shaman.

“Okay, are you ready?”

“I’m ready.”

Cordelia said after drinking the potion bottle’s contents and wiping her lips, and Jude approached the seal’s entrance.

He had released the seal that was blocking the entrance by drawing a magic circle for unsealing.

“<Unseal.>”

The moment he said the word, the ground cracked and rumbled before the floor on which the seal was drawn had collapsed.

The diameter of the created hole was more than 2 meters.

As he glanced inside the hole, Jude nodded. Like in the original, the place was roughly 10 meters high.

“Cordelia.”

“Hmph.”

Cordelia snorted once before she moved to Jude’s side, and let herself be carried by Jude.

“Red Wind, please take care of Violent Avalanche.”

“Leave it to me.”

Red Wind smiled and raised her thumb before carrying Violent Avalanche who was in the form of a bear cub.

“Please be well prepared.”

“Please leave it to me.”

Jude lastly asked Frost Wind to prepare before he jumped inside the hole.