NOVPUB
Chapter 85: 025: Pyrrhic Victory
A few hours later, west of Crescent Bay.
The sky was laden and somber. On the gray, hazy sea, a solitary three-masted ship drifted aimlessly. The icy waves crashed against its hull one after another, producing rhythmic slapping sounds: "Pa! Pa! Pa!"
On the deck, men lay sprawled in disarray. Nearly all were injured, many missing limbs, with tattered armor and clothes drenched in blood. The air was heavy with their sighs and groans.
Compared to the vibrant vigor of their departure, the ship was now shrouded in a thick veil of sorrow and despair.
Hundreds of well-equipped soldiers, dozens of Apprentice Knights and Knights—this contingent had represented nearly two-thirds of the military force from Wind Extinguishing City. And now...
The soldiers they had brought were almost entirely dead or gravely injured. Only a handful of the 27 Apprentice Knights survived, and of the 8 Knights, only two were left. Even the Earl himself had perished in the caverns.
Though they had achieved victory, the cost had been unbearably steep.
"On behalf of the Shadow Tower, I express my deepest gratitude to all of you."
"I witnessed your bravery firsthand. I will report this day’s events to the Tower, and when we return to Wind Extinguishing City, all of you will receive the recognition and rewards you deserve..."
Avery stood on the deck, making an effort to rally morale. She seemed adept at this, and her speech managed to lift the soldiers’ spirits slightly. Their despondency lessened, and morale was restored, if only just a little.
Lynch stood off to the side, watching. He couldn’t help but be puzzled by Avery’s approach, expending spiritual energy to comfort the soldiers. Most other White Wizards would not have bothered.
The White Wizards, while not as detached as Black Wizards—who regarded Wizards and humans as separate species—still treated humans more as tools. After all, they had merely been employed for a task. By that logic, it was they, not the soldiers, who deserved consolation.
Perhaps noticing Lynch’s confusion, Avery offered a faint smile and explained, "No matter what, everyone gave their all in the battle just now. Without them, we might not have won."
She sighed, "Even though I had considered countless contingencies and calculated potential losses beforehand, the reality still exceeded my worst expectations..."
With a trace of uncertainty in her voice, she muttered, "Could it be that I’m truly unsuited for this..."
It seemed she intended to say more, but the words died on her lips.
Quickly composing herself, she turned to Lynch with a forced smile and said, "Thank you as well, Apprentice Lynch. Without you, we might not have survived. I will ensure the Tower is made aware of your contributions..."
As if suddenly remembering something, she added, "I’ll handle the matter with care to ensure you face no risks, and you’ll receive the rewards you’re due."
"Talents like yours must not be wasted. Heroic deeds such as this deserve recognition."
Lynch shrugged. "Let’s discuss it later."
Joining the battle hadn’t been about playing the hero for him. It was more about facing his fears and protecting himself. Under such circumstances, fighting and defeating the enemy had been the best route to survival.
After a pause, he scanned the area around him and said, "If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back to the cabin."
A string of battles had truly worn him out. The extensive expenditure of spiritual energy left his head hazy. Were it not for his familiarity with the feeling of spiritual depletion, he might’ve struggled to remain standing.
Avery nodded. "Go ahead."
After bidding Avery farewell, Lynch returned to his room.
Pulling out a chair, he sat down and gazed up at the swaying ceiling. A heavy sigh escaped his lips.
What a... completely unpredictable world!
Though he’d already anticipated setbacks on this mission, the final outcome had far exceeded Lynch’s worst fears. So many lives lost—he hadn’t seen it coming...
Lucas...
The spoiled noble brat had also perished, and in such a spectacularly devastating way...
Corpse Explosion had infused every cell of his body—skin, muscle, bone, blood, organs—with the Dark Element, detonating them simultaneously. There hadn’t even been any remains left behind, not a trace.
"Truly... the fragility of life is staggering."
Just yesterday morning, they’d been eating breakfast together. Lynch and Adam had shared a private laugh about Lucas’s peculiar habit of meticulously wiping his utensils with a handkerchief before dining. Now, in the blink of an eye, he had been obliterated, leaving nothing behind...
"This world is far too dangerous."
"No..."
"The truth is, I’m just too weak."
The so-called mighty Ausen Giant Python had merely been an Apprentice Level magic creature.
And beyond that?
There were beings at the Official Wizard Level—First Order—some even on par with Judges at the Second Tier, and the near-mythical Third Tier entities that were scarce even across the entirety of the Ancient Ruins.
This world was vast, unimaginably vast, teeming with unfathomably powerful forms of life.
Against these magic lives of immense strength, even the Ausen Giant Python was nothing more than an ant. No, perhaps not even worthy of being called an ant.
Yet it was this seemingly insignificant creature that had nearly brought about their complete annihilation.
"Still too weak. Need to push forward."
Lynch resolved that once he returned to the Tower, he would no longer venture out. He’d cloister himself there for years, even decades if necessary, until he advanced to High-level Apprentice, Wizard, or perhaps achieved power rivaling a Judge.
This world was simply far too terrifying!
...
By dusk, the ship docked at the very Crescent Bay they had departed from.
After disembarking, the surviving knight Rawls approached Avery and suggested they temporarily take shelter in Gray Town, a nearby settlement along Crescent Bay.
The ramifications of this incident were enormous. The forces they’d set out with represented two-thirds of Wind Extinguishing Territory’s military strength. Now, nearly all of it was obliterated, including the Earl himself.
Such news, once it reached the city, would undoubtedly incite massive upheaval.
To prevent panic and disorder, this matter needed to be handled with care. For now, they would avoid returning directly and instead send an envoy to coordinate with the city.
Lynch and the others didn’t particularly mind. To Transcendents like them, Wind Extinguishing City and a small town were practically indistinguishable. After the relentless series of battles, everyone was thoroughly drained. Resting somewhere nearby seemed like the best course of action.
After a brief discussion with Lynch, Avery agreed to Rawls’ proposal, and the group made their way toward the nearby Gray Town.
It was time for some much-needed rest...
The unsteady rocking of the ship made proper rest impossible. Lynch, already exhausted, now felt utterly drained. He needed a stable place to recuperate and recover...
