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ArabicArknights: Soul Knights of Terra — Chapter 30
Chapter 30: Who Are You Fighting?
“Aroo—!”
Four blazing lava battle-axes descended like meteorites, slamming fiercely into the Ape King’s broad chest. Number Four let out an exaggerated, theatrical wail that echoed through the shattered cavern.
Yet, the performance lasted barely half a second before his voice dropped back to a casual, entirely unbothered pitch.
“Hmm… still doesn’t hurt!”
Seeing the towering Ape King still standing tall and completely unfazed, Number Two and Number Three, who were watching tensely from the sidelines, exhaled a simultaneous breath of relief.
Number Four’s confidence instantly skyrocketed. He puffed out the Ape King’s massive chest, his booming voice vibrating through the cave. “Come on, Boss! Don’t hold back! Let the storm rage even harder!”
“Roar—!!!”
The mindless Lava Troll answered with a crimson storm of destruction. The four heavy axes hammered down in a frenzied blur, striking like a master blacksmith’s hammer against an anvil, punishing every inch of the Ape King’s body.
Time ticked by, and the relentless barrage showed no signs of stopping.
Under the sheer kinetic force and blistering heat of the high-frequency strikes, the kinetic energy absorbed and converted by the [Immortal Body] reached a terrifying threshold. The Ape King’s physical form began to swell visibly, expanding outward like a balloon being force-fed pressurized air.
Noticing the dangerous shift, Number Two called out sharply, “Hold on a little longer! The Boss’s size is clearly shrinking!”
Number Four casually controlled the Ape King to turn its massive head, tossing a relaxed remark back at her. “Don’t worry~ I’m literally invincible right now!”
However, the moment those flag-raising words left Number Four’s mouth, an intensely ominous premonition flashed through Number Two’s calculating mind.
Almost in the exact same breath, Number Three’s dangerously weak voice drifted over. “Number Two…”
“Hm?” She instinctively turned to look at the druid.
Number Three’s tall frame was trembling violently. The ethereal, symbolic candle flames resting upon his antlers flickered erratically, dimming to mere sparks that threatened to extinguish at any second.
“My… my energy… is completely exhausted,” Number Three rasped, his voice hollowed out by the sheer strain of the magic. “I can’t… keep up this level of enhancement…”
Number Four blinked. “Eh?”
As if responding to the druid’s confession, the Ape King’s colossal body shuddered violently. Immediately after, that mountain-like physique began to rapidly deflate, hissing as if leaking air.
Fifty meters… forty meters… thirty meters…
In the span of a few ragged breaths, the Ape King reverted entirely to its original, baseline size. The thick layer of blood-red armor and the aura of berserk energy rapidly peeled away, leaving the beast completely exposed.
The Lava Troll paused its assault. Within its chaotic, instinct-driven mind, a simple conclusion formed: The prey has withered. My attacks are finally working!
“Roar—!!!”
Fueled by a triumphant bellow, the four molten axes descended once more, swinging with even greater velocity and crushing force than before.
Trapped inside the suddenly normal-sized Ape King, Number Four instantly felt the horrific backlash. The massive reservoir of kinetic energy that had been absorbed by the [Immortal Body]—but hadn’t yet been fully converted—was now violently overflowing. Without the massive structural capacity provided by Number Three’s enhancement, the Ape King’s physical vessel was tearing itself apart from the inside.
“Wait! Hold on a little longer! I haven’t gotten off the ride yet!”
Number Three slumped heavily against the cavern wall, sliding down to the icy floor. “I really don’t have any left… not a single drop of mana remains…”
Just as Number Four opened his mouth to scream in absolute despair—
Squelch—!
The sickening sound of a razor-sharp weapon cleaving through dense muscle and bone echoed sharply through the suddenly quiet cave.
“Aroo—!!!!!!!”
This time, Number Four’s scream was no theatrical performance. It was a raw, blood-curdling shriek of genuine, excruciating agony.
Hearing the authentic cry of pain, the Lava Troll’s movements paused for a fraction of a second… and then it began swinging the remaining three axes with a terrifying, manic glee.
“Wait! Wait! It’s me, Boss!”
Number Four collapsed into the dirt in a pathetic heap, desperately using his one uninjured arm to claw at the scorched earth, trying to drag his bleeding body away from the onslaught. But the Lava Troll had zero intention of letting its prey escape, relentlessly chasing him down and hacking away at the ground behind him.
“Hang in there! Number Four!” Number Two shouted from the sidelines, her voice tight with anxiety. “The Boss can only maintain this form for at most another minute! No, thirty seconds! He will definitely regain consciousness by then!”
“Easy for you to say!!!” Number Four rolled frantically through the dirt, narrowly dodging a molten blade that melted the stone inches from his face. “You’re not the one getting turned into minced meat!!!”
Seeing a giant axe rising high, perfectly aligned to strike his vital areas, Number Four’s very soul trembled. He forced the Ape King into an abrupt spin, holding his uninjured arm out in a desperate, trembling stop gesture.
“Stop, Boss—!!! Have you forgotten our precious friendship!? Have you forgotten the days we spent raiding dungeons, grinding mobs, and eating shared meals together!?”
Miraculously, the Lava Troll’s downward cleave paused abruptly. Seeing the hesitation, a wave of triumphant joy washed over Number Four’s heart.
The very next second, the giant axe blurred, swinging down with terrifying speed and mercilessly re-aiming for a new target—dead center between the Ape King’s legs.
“Yamero—!!!”
Number Four unleashed a primal, soul-tearing shriek of absolute terror.
“Anything but there! Absolutely not there!!!”
At the very last microsecond before the molten blade made contact, Number Four abandoned all dignity, threw his arms over his head, and screamed from the bottom of his lungs:
“Dad—!!! I was wrong—!!!!”
Boom—!!!
The giant axe smashed into the earth, sending a violent, explosive shockwave ripping outward, showering the cavern in a lethal mix of molten gravel and shattered ice.
However…
The heavy blades had shifted their angle at the absolute last moment, slamming violently into the solid rock just a hair’s breadth between the Ape King’s legs.
The Lava Troll remained frozen in that downward hacking posture, entirely motionless.
A long, suffocating silence settled over the cavern. Finally, a deeply suppressed, exhausted voice slowly echoed through their mental link.
“Is that so… what exactly were you wrong about?”
“Boss!” the three of them shouted in unison.
Hearing that familiar, steady presence return to the link, the heavy tension in the air shattered. The Boss, having finally regained his consciousness, stepped back heavily. He looked incredibly drained, his massive frame swaying before he simply sat down on the ruined earth as if all the strength had been siphoned from his bones. The intense lava glow illuminating his body flickered softly, no longer radiating that berserk, murderous heat.
“Phew…” The Boss let out a long, heavy sigh, his mental transmission carrying a distinct trace of lingering fear. “Why didn’t you stay further away from me? That was entirely too dangerous.”
Number Four immediately seized the golden opportunity to shift the blame. “It was Number Two! She said she wanted to test how to wake you up the fastest! I was forced to cooperate as the test dummy!”
The Boss’s molten gaze shifted slowly toward the necromancer.
Number Two didn’t bother defending herself, adjusting her posture and admitting it frankly. “It was my misjudgment. I still severely underestimated your raw power.”
The Boss looked over his brothers, verifying that despite the chaos, they were all still alive and relatively intact. His magma-composed face was incapable of showing physical expressions, but a warm sigh drifted through the link.
“Forget it… as long as everyone is okay.” He paused, his massive head swiveling to scan the ruined cavern. “Where is Ifrit?! Is the child unharmed!?”
Number Three pushed himself off the wall, his voice steadying. “She’s fine. Number Two used Time Stasis to pull her out of the blast radius in time. She’s currently being guarded by my Shadow Wolf. I’ll have it bring her over immediately.”
“That’s good…”
The Boss visibly relaxed, looking down at his own still-massive, molten hands. “So… did you manage to test any effective methods to drain the energy?”
Number Three nodded. With a mere thought, the giant wooden roots that had previously been soaked in Number Four’s blood slithered out from the surrounding shadows, gently climbing up and wrapping around the Boss’s searing body.
“This is…?”
“This is a combo skill that Number Three and I accidentally developed while you were out,” Number Four explained, finally pulling himself up from the dirt. “You could consider it… an otherworldly version of Wood Release.”
The Boss relaxed his guard entirely, allowing the thick, magical woods to coil around his limbs. He could feel the violent, restless energy boiling within his molten core being steadily and safely siphoned away.
“If this was already developed, why did things escalate into that mess just now?”
Number Four controlled the Ape King to sit down with a heavy thud, crossing his arms and complaining irritably. “It’s because you kept cheating, Boss! You self-destructed without any logical buildup, and then you inexplicably elementalized and reconstituted your entire body! You didn’t even eat a Devil Fruit, so why do you get to pull off Logia-type bullshit!?”
The group quickly chattered over the link, filling him in on the chaotic sequence of events. The Boss listened in quiet amazement, closing his eyes as he tried to recall and isolate the specific sensation Number Four was describing.
Suddenly, his lava-composed body fluctuated. The solid structure rapidly melted away as if losing its internal skeleton, collapsing into a bubbling, superheated pool of liquid magma that spread out across the scorched stone.
Number Three squatted down by the edge of the molten pool, his tone laced with academic curiosity. “How does it feel?”
“…It’s a bit strange. It feels… incredibly free.”
Within seconds, the liquid magma flowed backward, gathering and surging upward to reshape into his towering Troll form. The Boss was just about to ask Number Four what it felt like to possess the Ape King, but Number Three suddenly stood up, his head turning toward the cavern entrance.
“They’re back.”
The dark shadows at their feet rippled outward like disturbed water. A sleek wolf head forged entirely of living darkness emerged first, followed smoothly by its muscular body.
Resting gently upon the Shadow Wolf’s broad back, Ifrit lay completely motionless.
The group immediately rushed forward, but as they drew close, their movements stiffened.
Number Two reached her first. She carefully lifted the small Sarkaz girl down from the wolf’s back, her eyes widening as an unnaturally blistering heat seared through her gloves.
“What’s going on?! She’s burning up!”
Number Three immediately shot a questioning glare at his summon. The Shadow Wolf flattened its ears and let out a wronged, pitiful whine, clearly indicating it was entirely innocent.
Realization struck Number Two like a physical blow, cold sweat instantly beading on her forehead.
“Such a small child… forced to be controlled by a Flame Demon Fragment to fight a high-tier battle for so long. Her fragile body was repeatedly subjected to the whiplash of extreme freezing cold and intense, explosive heat. It’s already a miracle her internal organs haven’t completely shut down.”
Looking down at the deeply pained, flushed expression on the unconscious girl in her arms, a heavy, heart-wrenching anxiety gripped the four brothers.
“Right! The red potion!” Number Four shouted, slapping his thigh. “If the red potion can heal our fatal wounds, can it heal her Oripathy and fever?”
The group froze. Number Three’s expression darkened. “But where are we supposed to find one right now? We cleared out dozens of rooms on the way down here and didn’t see a single shadow of a potion drop!”
The Boss turned his massive head abruptly. His glowing eyes locked onto the massive, ornate treasure chest sitting quietly in the center of the ruined cavern—the only object that had miraculously survived the apocalyptic battle unscathed.
“No! There is exactly one place left!”
Number Four grimaced, holding up his hands. “My hands are cursed by the system. I’ve never pulled anything higher than common trash from opening chests…”
“You guys know my luck has always been abysmal,” the Boss added grimly over the link.
Number Two tightened her hold on the burning child. “I can’t. I’m stabilizing her.”
The three of them slowly turned their heads. The only remaining candidate stood quietly by the shadows.
Number Three remained silent for a long moment. He adjusted the bandages over his eyes, then walked with measured, heavy steps toward the treasure chest that would ultimately determine the little girl’s fate.
Creak—
A brilliant golden light flashed from beneath the heavy lid. The group held their collective breath.
“There is one!”
“Phew…” the three of them exhaled in unison, the suffocating tension finally snapping.
“Put the item away into your storage. We are returning to the Vitality Hall immediately!” Number Two ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument. “The ambient environment in this dungeon is far too harsh for her battered immune system. She needs a place that is absolutely safe and sterile to recuperate.”
The group didn’t waste a single second. They quickly gathered the remaining loot from the chest, which Number Three smoothly swept into his shadow space. Without looking back at the devastated cavern, they stepped directly into the swirling, deep blue return portal.
A blinding flash of teleportation light washed over them, and the chaotic noise of the dungeon was instantly replaced by the familiar, empty, yet deeply comforting silence of the Vitality Hall.
The cold, pristine stone walls and the smooth floor beneath their boots felt warmer and more welcoming than anywhere else in the world at this moment.
Number Four blinked, curiously patting his own chest. He was no longer trapped in the towering, muscular physique of the Ape King. He had smoothly reverted to the slender, adult male vampire form he possessed before entering the dungeon.
“Does the teleportation sequence come with automatic body correction?”
“Forget about your body for now! Number Three, where is the red potion?!”
Number Three reached into the shadows and pulled out the life-saving ‘red potion.’ However, as he presented it, the entire group fell into a stunned, deadpan silence.
The medicinal liquid was a vibrant, glowing crimson, contained within a perfectly transparent glass bottle. The mouth of the bottle was tightly sealed with a smooth, polished oak stopper. Everything about it was visually identical to the classic ‘Big Red Potion’ from their memory of the game that could instantly restore a character to full health.
Except for… the sheer scale of the thing.
Number Four reached out and poked the massive glass cylinder, which was so thick it required both of his arms to wrap around it.
“Is this a damn industrial thermos?! How are we supposed to administer this to a kid? Do we just waterboard her with it?!”
“We don’t have time to worry about the mechanics! We’ll monitor the dosage as we go!” Number Two snatched the massive bottle from Number Three’s grip, using her teeth and one hand to pop the heavy wooden stopper free.
She carefully elevated Ifrit’s head, resting it against her knee. Angling the massive rim of the bottle toward the girl’s chapped lips, she slowly, carefully tipped the glowing liquid forward.
An incredible, magical phenomenon occurred.
While a small portion of the potion flowed smoothly into Ifrit’s mouth, the excess liquid that spilled past her lips and dripped down her chin didn’t stain her clothes. The moment the red liquid made contact with her burning skin, it was instantly and rapidly absorbed directly into her pores.
“Wait, it can be applied externally too?” Number Four muttered in awe.
Under the group’s tense, unblinking gaze, the healing effects were almost instantaneous.
The deep, pained furrows on Ifrit’s brow gradually smoothed out. The dangerous, feverish flush burning across her cheeks faded, replaced by a healthy, natural rosy glow. Her rapid, ragged breathing slowed, settling into a steady, peaceful rhythm.
“It actually works!”
Number Two let out a shaky breath. She carefully lifted Ifrit and placed her onto a plush, soft cushion near the center of the room, carefully tucking a thick blanket around her small shoulders. She then sat cross-legged beside her, assuming the role of a silent guardian.
After ensuring the child was stable, she looked up at her brothers. “What about food? Did you manage to scavenge any earlier?”
Hearing the prompt, Number Three immediately reacted. The dark shadow pooled at his boots wriggled, and he reached his arm deep into the void, pulling out the woven basket Alina had given them before the chaos began.
The group couldn’t help but feel a brief wave of amazement at Number Three’s incredibly convenient ‘shadow storage’ ability, but they all knew now was not the time to interrogate him about his new magic.
Number Two quickly took the basket, lifting the white cloth to inspect the contents. “There’s fresh meat in here!”
The Boss immediately stood up, his towering Paladin armor clanking. “Isn’t there a fully equipped kitchen on the second floor of the Hall? I’ll go up and make some hot soup for her.”
Number Two quickly shot her hand out, stopping him in his tracks. “Wait! How exactly are you going to cook with that body? Do you want to accidentally set the kitchen on fire or melt the iron pots into slag?”
Number Four grinned, stepping up and clapping the Boss on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, Boss! You give the culinary instructions, tell me the exact steps, and I’ll be your hands! Let’s go!”
The two of them immediately bolted toward the staircase leading to the second floor, their bickering fading as they climbed.
This left only Number Two, who was diligently monitoring Ifrit’s vitals, and Number Three, who stood quietly in the center of the Hall.
Number Two glanced up at the druid. “You must be completely drained from burning through so much mana to maintain that enhancement. Go find a place to get some rest first.”
Number Three nodded slightly, his voice returning to its usual deep, calm cadence. “Hmm… I’m going to head over to the Forge and organize the rest of the materials we looted from the chest.”
Turning on his heel, he walked slowly toward the heavy iron doors of the Forge located on the far side of the Hall.
Stepping into the quiet, metallic sanctuary of the Forge, Number Three finally allowed his shoulders to drop, completely relaxing his guard.
With a mere thought, the Shadow Wolf silently materialized from the darkness beside his leg, affectionately rubbing its sleek, shadowy head against his open palm.
The immediate crisis had finally been resolved, but the heavy, lingering question that he had forcefully suppressed in his mind during the battle now surfaced with obvious clarity.
Number Three slowly stroked the Shadow Wolf’s neck. He vividly recalled the terrifying, instinctual attack motion the creature had flawlessly executed the moment he had summoned it back in the cavern.
He lowered his head. His eyes, completely obscured by the rune-inscribed cloth bandages, stared fixedly at the creature of darkness.
“Who… were you fighting earlier?”