Meanwhile, the other half of the raid—fifty strong, led by the orange-haired warrior—faced the nine towering guardians.
Weapons were ready, staves crackled, and magic circles glowed around the casters.
Muscles tensed.
Eyes locked.
The battle began.
"AHOO!" Ludwig shouted as loud as he could, pushing his sword forward like a bright signal.
All the players rushed forward—boots pounding, swords swinging, and fireballs flying.
The Flora Enchanter Guardians charged back with growls and bone spears in hand.
Their heavy steps shook the ground as they rushed in, stabbing and swinging with wild strength.
Behind the melee damagers, players with staves raised their arms and cast fireballs. The burning spheres shot forward, slamming into the lizardmen.
It was an easy win—the fight ended in just 10 minutes. The nine towering guardians now lay in a massive pile, their bodies stacked one over the other.
At the very top stood the orange-haired warrior, his weapon resting on his shoulder, wind blowing through his hair.
He looked down at the fallen enemies, feeling—for a moment—like the hero of the day.
"Okay, pack it up. We still have one more enemy to kill. That guy over there," Ludwig said, raising his sword toward the center of the clearing.
The Flora Enchanter stood half-turned, silent. He moved his staff in slow, looping arcs, a thin thread of mana stretching from its tip—linking to Azakkin, still battling in the distance.
"So that's what Rywes meant—a thin, almost invisible thread floating above Azakkin. The boss was being controlled remotely… like some kind of mana string."
"We also used it to follow you guys." He added.
Ludwig gave a short laugh and stepped up beside Yor, draping an arm across his shoulder without warning.
"Yor thought of that first. That's why we're here!"
"Right,Yor?"
Yor flinched slightly under the weight of the gesture. Confused, he quickly turned to Ludwig, brows drawn together.
"Ludwig... it's not a competition..." he murmured.
"You've got sharp eyes. I couldn't even see the thread during the Azakkin fight," the orange-haired guy said, stretching with a sigh.
"If not for you, this quest would've been hard as f*ck."
A voice called out from behind them.
"Look guys."
Several heads turned.
"He has a tattoo on his palm—the one wielding a staff," the same voice added, pointing. Leaves crunched as the others shifted closer.
"That could be an insignia," someone said. "Like a guild mark or something. Maybe it's even a cultural thing in this world—to have a tattoo like that."
Yor hovered silently outside the conversation. The others tossed around guesses—wrong ones.
His face said it all.
"No," another cut in. "Look at him. That aura—he's definitely strange."
"Those black robes, that damaged hair—like a burned victim. He looks like someone who belongs in a cult."
"But isn't it weird?" another asked, stepping out from behind a twisted tree trunk. "We're fighting lizardmen. But he's human. Why would a human fight for the opposing race?"
"I'm telling you, he's hundred percent a traitor," the last voice cut in—sharp and accusing.
"No, I think a lizardman adopted him."
Yor shifted on his feet, his eyes fixed on the forest floor as the others kept talking—getting it wrong again.
He clenched his jaw, paused… then leaned slightly toward Ludwig, his voice low—not secret, just quiet.
"It's a biiiinding paaact~," Yor said in a sing-song tone.
Ludwig straightened, snapped his fingers twice, then gave a sharp whistle.
"Guys, guys,Hold on," his voice cut through the rising chatter.
"You guys are completely wrong. That tattoo... It's a binding pact."
"Makes sense."
"He looks vulnerable, and the link to Azakkin might need all his focus—though I'm not sure," the orange-haired man said with a nod.
"Then breaking that flow might tip the fight in Rywes's favor," someone else from the group said quietly.
"To put it simply, we have to interrupt it."
"Easy to say—if not for the barrier protecting him that knocked my dagger off course," Ludwig said.
Yor eyes furrowed.
So that was the reason.
They all fell silent for a moment; the soft rustle of leaves was the only sound around them.
Suddenly, a thud drew their attention.
They turned to see three comrades collapsed, unconscious.
Then their eyes shifted to the Flora Enchanter, still standing in a glowing magic circle.
His body moved strangely; the left side was awake and alert, while the right side waved a staff, his eyes sunken back.
"Buckle up," Yor said with a firm tone.
They immediately sprang into their fighting stances.
The Flora Enchanter raised a hand, summoning glowing green orbs. With a grunt, he hurled them at the players like missiles.
"Prioritize dodging!"
The orbs tore through the air, zipping between the gaps of trees at a swift, thunderous pace.
Then came the impact.
The orbs tore through trees like cannonballs—branches snapped, trunks split, and the forest shook with a deep boom. Birds burst from the canopy in a wild flurry.
Before the dust settled, the Flora Enchanter bent low and swept his hand upward, as if lifting the earth itself.
The ground trembled as roots and vines burst out like awakened serpents.
At his command, they lunged—wrapping around legs, throats, and weapons.
Yor darted through the chaos, sharp and focused, slipping past the thrashing vines.
The soil splattered beneath his shoes with every step.
Without breaking stride, he leapt onto a tree trunk, using it to launch himself forward—eyes fixed on the Flora Enchanter.
He struck the Flora Enchanter's hand, nicking the tattoo—then the air barrier activated again, blasting Yor back with a sudden shockwave.
He crashed hard into the ground, tumbling to a stop beside Ludwig, who had also been thrown away by the air barrier, losing 100 out of his 300 HP.
Ludwig rolled onto his side, then pushed himself up with a grunt, flashing a crooked grin.
"Now this… this is more like it."
He glanced at the Flora Enchanter.
"We seriously need to deal with that air barrier. Arrows veer off, fireballs don't even land right."
"I hit him." Yor grinned.
All of a sudden, the glowing magic circle beneath the Flora Enchanter vanished. The other half of his body, once dormant, twitched and came to life.
It was clear—Yor's strike had broken the connection, which meant Rywes and the rest of the raid party had defeated Azakkin.
The Flora Enchanter dropped to one knee and slammed his fist into the ground with a deep thud. Hair fell over his face, but his blue eyes lit up beneath it.
"Goddess of the Forest and Keeper of the Wild, Juraia... grant me the strength to vanquish the enemies before me."
He raised his staff, and a glowing emerald circle spun to life.
His hair swayed as the spell built power.
"Howl of the Forest!"