It was clear that the two giants were powerless against the tornt Graknar was enduring. They hesitated for several seconds, their massive fras tense with uncertainty, before stepping aside and allowing Ery to approach.
Ery cautiously advanced toward the suffering blue giant. Graknar's formidable body was being consud by eerie black flas, their dark embers crackling with a hunger that seed almost sentient. The air around him wavered with heat, and even with his formidable Tier 7 [Tidal Heart Healing], a potent water-based spell, Ery struggled to suppress the flas' relentless advance.
Gritting his teeth, he turned to Soltz for guidance, but the elderly giant simply shook his head solemnly. "Your water spell will have more impact than any of my earth-based spells. I cannot help."
Despite Ery's best efforts, the flas resisted, their ethereal nature making them difficult to extinguish entirely. His sweat mixed with the mist of evaporating water as the black fire lashed out, licking at his arms with sinister intent. He could feel the burn creeping into his skin, a sensation he hadn't felt in a long ti. But just as he was about to step back and reassess, a powerful surge pulsed from within his core.
The Elysian trees inside his domain had reacted. The sacred energy of his nature core surged through his veins, bolstering his strength and counteracting the deadly flas. With renewed determination, he channeled the full extent of his nature magic, and slowly, the ominous fire began to wane, dissipating like mist under the morning sun.
As the last embers flickered and died, the giant's natural regenerative abilities kicked in, and Graknar's ragged screams of agony turned into exhausted breaths. His massive chest heaved as his body began knitting itself back together, his scorched blue skin slowly regenerating.
While Ery continued his healing, VIA processed the residual energy left by the flas. Monts later, the AI provided him with a chilling revelation.
This was a Cosmic Fla, one of the primordial entities of destruction. As rare and powerfull as his Elysian Tree, Ery. Just like the one wielded by Agis, the Red Demon.
"No wonder it's so powerful, Even a re spark was enough to do this much damage."
With the crisis averted, Ery turned his attention toward the charred remains of Kukujin and his two unfortunate assistants. The once-formidable alchemist and his followers had been reduced to nothing but blackened husks. Taking a deep breath, Ery raised a hand and flicked his fingers. The earth trembled in response, shifting to form a proper burial mound above their remains. It was a simple gesture, but one of respect.
As he finished, Ery retrieved Kukujin's storage ring. As expected of an alchemist, it was filled with rare and valuable ingredients, many of which would be useful in his future endeavors. However, upon checking Kukujin's pouch, he found it disappointingly empty. As he finished, Ery retrieved Kukujin's storage ring. As expected of an alchemist, it was filled with rare and valuable ingredients, many of which would be useful in his future endeavors. However, upon checking Kukujin's pouch, he found it disappointingly empty. Minutes passed, and finally, Graknar regained full consciousness. The towering blue giant slowly sat up, still weak but alive. He looked at Ery with deep gratitude before solemnly bowing his head.
"I owe you my life" he rumbled. "And we giants never forget our debts."
Ery nodded, appreciating the sentint, but he was already shifting his focus to what lay ahead. To his surprise, Graknar insisted on showing his gratitude imdiately. He reached into his belongings and produced an ancient-looking parchnt—a map, one passed down from his ntor.
"This is a map of this realm," Graknar explained, unfolding the thick, weathered sheet. "It marks the locations of several places where rare plants and ingredients grow. Take it—it's yours."
Ery's eyes glead with interest as he examined the map. Dozens of markings littered the parchnt, indicating places of potential importance. He quickly realized that many of these locations aligned with the strict rules set by the Skyroot Faction—the prohibition against harvesting juvenile plants ant that many previous participants had likely taken note of the special ingredients' growth areas but had been unable to act upon them.
"Other alchemists most likely have similar maps. If you are going to use it, you need to move fast."
Ery glanced at the countdown—less than eight hours remained before the round ended. There was no ti to waste. He firmly accepted the map. Graknar, ever the chivalrous giant, offered to accompany him, eager to repay his debt. However, Ery politely declined. While he appreciated the giant's bravery, he knew that such a bold personality could just as easily attract trouble as repel it.
"Take care of yourself, and I hope we et again in a better situation," Ery said.
Without wasting another mont, Ery let VIA analyze the map, cross-referencing the marked locations with his current position. Within monts, a promising site appeared—the closest mark about 50 miles away, deep within a dense grove. He imdiately set off, weaving through thick foliage with practiced agility, his senses alert for any sign of danger.
Upon reaching the location, he found himself in front of an ancient tree, its massive roots tangled around a rocky outcrop. At first glance, the place seed unremarkable, but upon closer inspection, Ery spotted a delicate glow emanating from between the roots. With careful hands, he cleared away the dirt, revealing a cluster of translucent blue grass—the [Lunar Veil Mycelium], an incredibly rare tier 7 ingredient known to refine one spirit core.
His eyes widened in astonishnt. This plant alone was worth the entire trip. He carefully extracted a portion, ensuring he left enough for future growth, and stored it safely in the pouch. The discovery proved the map's value beyond any doubt.
Ery's excitent grew as he checked the next marked location—a hill 200 miles ahead. However, as he closed in on the site, his divine sense detected movent ahead. Turning his attention forward, he spotted a familiar figure entering a cave in the distance—Kaelyn Silverleaf, accompanied by her two fairy assistants.
"Hmmm," Ery muttered under his breath, watching them disappear into the cavern's depths. "Should I follow her… or find another place?"
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