Frieren: Attribute Hero Chapter 99: The Feeling of Being Protected

"Mr. Shane!"

Fern's cry was swallowed by the raging blizzard.

Bang—

The other party's palm struck rcilessly toward Shane's forehead.

An invisible shockwave exploded outward, blasting away all the surrounding snow and exposing the frozen ground beneath.

Everything had happened too fast. Fern and Stark hadn't even had ti to react.

Only Frieren moved.

The instant the other party raised his fist, her staff shot forward. Chains of mana ford from Binding Magic instantly wrapped around the attacker's arm, tightening firmly around it.

At the center of everyone's gaze, Shane slowly let out a breath.

How should he put it?

He really had to thank Eisen for that special training.

After already experiencing one completely unreasonable "forced awakening," Shane's reaction speed had undergone a qualitative leap.

[Nurical Mirroring] activated instantly. [Dual Blade Style · Ominous Change] followed imdiately.

At the exact mont the palm was about to strike him, their positions switched in a bizarre exchange.

One lunged forward. One appeared behind.

Shane shook his head. Even with the passive defense from the Iron Head attribute, and despite only being brushed by the edge of the palm wind, a red mark instantly swelled at the center of his forehead.

That alone showed how terrifyingly solid that strike had been.

"Hm?"

The cloaked figure let out a puzzled sound after missing the attack, clearly not expecting his strike to be avoided so cleanly.

Still, he didn't imdiately launch a second attack.

Because Shane's sword was already pressed against his lower back.

"What exactly is the aning of this?" Shane asked coldly.

The figure visibly paused after hearing the question.

"You didn't seize the opportunity to kill imdiately... Did I make a mistake? You're not a demon?"

As he spoke, the figure pulled away the blanket covering his head.

A pair of long elven ears was revealed.

Shane froze for a mont.

Elven ears. Green buzz-cut hair.

This couldn't be...

He circled around to the front for a better look, then blurted out a na.

"Kraft?!"

"You know ?"

Kraft sounded surprised.

"It's already been several hundred years since anyone last called by na. Then perhaps you truly are a demon. Only long-lived demons would still rember ."

As he spoke, the fist he had lowered clenched once more at his waist.

"If you're a demon, then even dying together with you would still be worth it."

Shane was speechless.

'What's with this obsession with fighting the mont you et soone... Seriously, that's a terrible habit.'

At that mont, the others finally reacted.

Fern and Stark rushed to Shane's side, shielding him tightly in the center while remaining fully alert.

Frieren also didn't release her magic. The chains still coiled around Kraft's arm, and the mont he showed signs of attacking again, they tightened imdiately.

Seeing this, Kraft tried to reason with them.

"That person is a demon. Don't stop ."

Fern frowned the mont she heard that.

"There's no way Mr. Shane is a demon. Please stop saying nonsense."

"My instincts are never wrong, little girl. He carries the aura of a demon. And two hundred years ago, I once encountered soone capable of perfectly hiding their horns."

Kraft's words caused everyone present to freeze for a mont.

Soone who could perfectly hide their demon horns?

But very quickly, Fern shook her head firmly.

"Don't think saying strange things will drive us apart. We've been together for many years. Without question, he's human."

Then she narrowed her eyes slightly.

"On the other hand, you attacked the mont we t. You don't look like a good person at all."

Frieren's tone also turned cold.

"Don't try anything. You won't get a second chance to attack."

Though Stark said nothing, the battle axe in his hands made his stance perfectly clear.

The atmosphere instantly beca tense.

Kraft frowned and carefully looked Shane over again.

That demonic aura was still there.

But then why were these people protecting him so fiercely?

Had they been deceived?

At that mont, however, Shane—still protected at the center—raised a hand awkwardly.

"Um... About that demonic aura... I actually do have one."

As he spoke, Shane pulled a large jar wrapped in layers of waterproof cloth out of his backpack.

Inside was the Black Tar, filled with venom that still couldn't be purified.

"See if this is the aura you're sensing?"

Kraft took the jar.

Indeed, it was overflowing with demonic aura.

He fell into thought.

So this was what he had sensed earlier?

Thinking that, he raised his head and carefully examined Shane again.

Shane calmly t his gaze.

A mont later, Kraft finally lowered his guard and bowed his head apologetically toward Shane.

"My apologies. It seems I made a mistake. Please forgive the instinctive reaction of an adventurer."

To show goodwill, he even pulled away the blanket covering his body, revealing the monk robes underneath.

"As you can see, I am a monk. This impressive young man already called out my na earlier. I am Kraft."

Shane rubbed his nose and casually answered, "I saw your statue before. I'm Shane, a sage."

"A sage..."

Kraft sighed softly.

"It's been a very long ti since I've heard that profession ntioned. Then it's no surprise you recognized . Sages know everything, after all."

The misunderstanding was finally resolved.

After talking further, they learned that Kraft, like them, was also trying to cross the Schwer Mountains, though his destination was different.

He had already been lost in the mountains for an entire day. His supplies had scattered across the ground and frozen solid into chunks of ice. He had originally planned to abandon everything and continue forward on luck alone, only to coincidentally run into Shane's group.

The blizzard only grew fiercer.

The temperature plumted further.

Darkness slowly began creeping across the sky.

With the tension gone, everyone focused once more on searching for the hunter's cabin.

Shane stuffed all the scattered supplies into his backpack, causing Kraft to stare in amazent.

"Has Spatial Expansion Magic already reached this level?"

"Not really. Only Shane can do this," Frieren replied.

The magic constructed within her suitcase was also [Spatial Expansion (Blue/Rare)], but it rely made the interior slightly larger.

It couldn't achieve anything remotely close to Shane's version, which expanded massively while almost completely ignoring weight.

Only after Frieren spoke did Kraft finally realize she was also an elf.

The group trudged forward behind Shane with difficulty.

The footprints they left behind in the snow were quickly swallowed by the roaring storm.

As they walked, Kraft attempted to strike up a conversation with Frieren.

"It's probably been around three hundred years since I last t another elf. I thought our race had already gone extinct."

"Sa here."

Kraft chuckled softly.

For a very long ti, he had believed he was the only elf left in the world.

eting another one here truly was an unexpected delight.

"How old are you? A thousand yet?"

"Fern said that if a stranger casually asks a girl's age, I shouldn't respond."

"..."

Kraft choked on his words for a mont before bursting into laughter.

"Just by looking at you, I can already tell you're still just a little baby."

As the two continued talking, Stark suddenly collapsed face-first into the snow ahead.

Shane hurried over to check on him.

The mont he pressed a hand against Stark's forehead, his heart sank.