The violent Star Magic swirled around it, trying to assimilate the life within.
But the life inside the eggshell was resisting, using its ice magic to fight back and absorb the power. As a spirit of ice, how could it tolerate being corrupted by magic of another element?
The fierce struggle had reached its peak.
With the sound of something cracking, fissures began to spread from the trunk of the Ice Sculpture Tree.
Then, in an instant, it collapsed into icy dust.
Everything happened so suddenly that Aurelian and Jeanne, standing nearby, were caught off guard.
Their vision was swallowed by the glittering ice dust.
It drifted down quickly, then settled. Once all the ice dust had come to rest,
Aurelian finally reacted.
His face tense with worry, he began digging through the pile of ice dust at his feet.
A silver-white egg emerged from beneath the pile, and Aurelian let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness it didn't break. But what happened?"
Holding up the silver-white egg, Aurelian frowned in confusion.
He could feel the lively presence of a living creature inside the shell. It was still alive.
"The magic clashed. The body that nurtured it couldn't withstand the strain, so it cracked."
Jeanne explained with a serious expression.
"Uh, will that affect the life inside?"
Aurelian examined the egg in his hands, then asked.
"I don't know. It might hatch at any moment."
Jeanne gazed at the egg in Aurelian's hands with a strange look, answering uncertainly.
"In that case, let's take the egg and get out of here. Master and the others are still waiting outside."
"Okay."
Jeanne nodded.
Deep in Spruce Forest, the mist rippled. Aurelian emerged first, carrying an egg in his arms, followed by Jeanne.
George whinnied in the distance and ran over to Aurelian.
With Fire Dragon Beast blood in its veins, George was quite intelligent. It could tell that its master wasn't in good shape, so it came closer.
Aurelian tore off a piece of cloth and secured the egg in the safest place, against his chest. Then he climbed onto George's back.
"Good job, George. When we get back, I'll have our old butler, Will, give you an extra meal."
George whinnied again. It had clearly understood Aurelian and was delighted.
Another fierce clash sent Master stumbling backward a few steps, but he quickly steadied himself.
"You're no Lower Rank Knight. You won't be able to take many of my moves."
Kuro sneered, licking his lips a few times. He seemed to relish the feeling that he could take someone's life at any moment.
"Sir Knight Commander, run! You can only avenge us if you survive!"
Darwin shouted. He gripped his knight's sword tightly, wishing he could take Master's place and fight Kuro himself.
"My lord said to bring all of you back. I'm ashamed I couldn't protect the brothers who died, but you have to survive."
Master tightened his grip on Moonlight Pass and charged forward again.
"Hmph. Like an egg trying to smash a rock. I'll show you what true Lower Rank Magic looks like."
The greatsword in Kuro's hand blazed with ice magic, its brilliant blue light almost illuminating the darkness around them.
Darwin stared in a daze and murmured, "Is that magic projection?"
"Now, what are you going to use to fight me? Hahahahaha!"
Kuro raised his black greatsword and roared with laughter.
The warhorses beneath the barbarians trembled under the crushing pressure of his magic, their legs shaking. The barbarians stared wide-eyed, watching intently.
Dark's eyes, however, showed a trace of disgust. Was Kuro really planning to kill the Star Knight outright? He'd actually used magic projection.
"Damn it."
Dark clenched his fists, but he didn't dare let Kuro hear him. He feared that if the madman flew into a rage, he would attack him too.
"Looks like I'm going to die here today."
Master gazed at the blinding blue light, his hair whipped upward by the surging magic.
Even though he had surpassed the limits of the Source Gathering level, he was truly despairing in the face of a Lower Rank Knight's magic projection.
Yet he still charged toward Kuro, like a moth flying into a flame. There was no fear on his face.
"Die!"
Kuro sneered, raising his black greatsword high before bringing it down.
A deep-blue ray swept forward with devastating force, kicking up clouds of dust.
With unstoppable momentum, it swallowed Master as he charged toward him.
"Knight Commander!"
All the surviving knights roared. They knew what was about to happen, but the difference in their magic levels left them helpless.
"Hahahaha!"
Kuro laughed wildly. He no longer cared whether his opponent lived or died. All that mattered was his own pleasure, and he despised that Star Knight more than anything.
"Damn it!"
Dal cursed under his breath. Kuro had ruined his plans!
"Master, what should we do now?"
The man who seemed to be from the Star Kingdom asked from behind.
"Hold it in. We'll find a way to deal with him when we get back."
Dark replied bitterly through clenched teeth.
The raging, destructive ice magic swallowed the area, and Master had disappeared from sight completely.
Darwin and the others stared in anguish. Had the Knight Commander they admired so much really been killed in battle?
Who would avenge them now?
"Atonement!"
A clear female voice suddenly rang out in everyone's ears.
Blinding silver light descended, scattering the ice magic still running rampant. The dust settled.
A stunning blond girl in a black-and-white maid outfit appeared on the scene. The silver-white cross sword in her hand gleamed with a cold, sharp light, matching the chill in her expression.
"How can this be?!"
Kuro roared. His magic had been suppressed by the person who had suddenly appeared.
"Jeanne, kill him."
Aurelian's voice sounded from behind them, icy with menace.
"My lord!"
The knights all looked toward the voice, their faces alight with excitement.
The barbarians surrounding the knights turned around. Aurelian came into view, riding a warhorse out of the shadows of the forest behind them. His expression was cold, and his eyes were filled with killing intent.
If his stamina and magic hadn't been completely depleted, he would have wanted to kill every last barbarian himself.
"My lord? You're their leader?"
Dark sized up Aurelian as if he were prey, a mocking smile on his lips.
"Jeanne, take him out first."
Aurelian drew Innocent Starlight and pointed its azure blade at Dark, his voice cold.
"Okay."
Jeanne nodded and fixed her sharp gaze on Dark, killing intent glinting in her eyes.
"Heh. If you want to kill me, you'll have to get past Kuro first."
Though his face was hidden behind a mask, Dark wore a ferocious grin. He didn't believe that a beautiful girl who looked about his age could kill him.
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