Chapter 70: Ice Tiger Subjugation
[space_man][space_man]The next day, it snowed a little.
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[space_man][space_man]”They say the weather in the mountains changes easily, but are we still going?”
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[space_man][space_man]Eld said, looking up at the sky.
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[space_man][space_man]”Our objective is to search for the Ice Tiger using this place as a base. If a blizzard comes, we can just return here.”
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[space_man][space_man]Orpha answered, seemingly reluctant. Eld nodded in understanding. When he suggested having Marie search using magic perception, Orpha said they had to do it themselves from this point onward. It seemed Eld and Marie had no choice but to follow behind.
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[space_man][space_man]The group, led by Yarolk, searched for the Ice Tiger. Eld and Marie followed a little distance behind. Eld relayed what he had discussed with Orpha last night to Marie.
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[space_man][space_man]”Hmm. Being kind to Moira, undergoing trials for the engagement……he has quite a few unexpected sides. It seems a bit pitiful that Moira doesn’t appear to like him, though.”
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[space_man][space_man]”That’s true. In the first place, why are they getting engaged? Orpha’s magic power is low, so they probably can’t expect children.”
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[space_man][space_man]Eld tilted his head in puzzlement.
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[space_man][space_man]”Maybe it’s like prestige for the church? You know, it seems like the Afdedi Church is the only one that worships the Goddess of Love. If they leave Moira single, she might be taken away by another church or something.”
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[space_man][space_man]”Ah, that would make sense. It’s just a shame that Moira seems unhappy about it.”
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[space_man][space_man]Just then, they heard a growl. When the two turned towards the source of the sound, they saw a tiger with bluish-white fur looking at them. It was the Ice Tiger they were looking for. Its height was about the same as an adult man, so it was probably still a child. The church group, who had also heard the growl, each took up their weapons. Eld and Marie moved back so as not to get in the way, wondering if they were really going to subjugate it at that size.
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[space_man][space_man]Moira chanted a spell, activating some kind of support magic. Taking that as a cue, Yarolk and Orpha took the lead and charged at the Ice Tiger. Yarolk with a sword, Orpha with a spear, each headed towards the Ice Tiger. The other priests chanted spells, supporting them with magical attacks. Moira continued to cast support magic and healed the two in the front lines when they were injured.
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[space_man][space_man]Their teamwork seemed to be fairly coordinated. The weather was the concern. Eld felt the snowfall getting heavier since the start of the battle.
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[space_man][space_man]After about an hour, they managed to subjugate the Ice Tiger. The two in the front lines were breathing heavily and collapsed onto the ground.
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[space_man][space_man]”Is this okay?”
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[space_man][space_man]Eld rushed over and said, looking at the Ice Tiger. It seemed Moira was casting recovery magic on the two to restore their stamina.
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[space_man][space_man]”Y-Yeah……there was no size specification……this should be enough……”
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[space_man][space_man]Orpha replied, gasping for breath.
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[space_man][space_man]”So, are we taking this back as is? Or are we skinning it?”
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[space_man][space_man]”We’ll skin it……so first, let’s return to the base……”
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[space_man][space_man]As Yarolk was about to answer, they heard a howl. Turning towards the direction of the sound, they saw an Ice Tiger of incomparable size to the one they had just defeated, staring at them.
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[space_man][space_man]”Whoa, whoa……what’s with that size……is that the Ice Tiger Derry was talking about?”
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[space_man][space_man]Eld expanded his subspace and retrieved the magic sword Tempera.
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[space_man][space_man]”It’s okay for us to handle that one, right?”
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[space_man][space_man]He asked without looking back.
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[space_man][space_man]”Y-Yes……at that size, we can’t handle it……please.”
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[space_man][space_man]Moira said, trembling.
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[space_man][space_man]”We’ll distract it, so you go back to the base in the meantime! Hurry!!”
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[space_man][space_man]As soon as Marie finished speaking, she leaped towards the giant Ice Tiger. She punched it between the eyes, but the giant Ice Tiger didn’t even flinch.
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[space_man][space_man]”I-It’s hard……”
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[space_man][space_man]Eld stabbed Tempera’s ice blade into the ground and tried to capture the Ice Tiger by manipulating the surrounding snow. The giant Ice Tiger leaped back a great distance to escape just as the snow was about to cover it.
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[space_man][space_man]”Now’s our chance!!”
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[space_man][space_man]At Eld’s words, the group dragged the subjugated Ice Tiger and returned the way they came. Eld thought to himself that the rough way they were dragging it might damage the fur.
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[space_man][space_man]The giant Ice Tiger roared from where it had landed. In response to its roar, the snow around the giant Ice Tiger rose and surged towards Eld and the others. Eld stood in front of Marie, stabbed the blade into the ground again, and melted the approaching snow with heat, preventing them from being engulfed.
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[space_man][space_man]”Isn’t the snow getting heavier and heavier?”
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[space_man][space_man]Marie had been thinking the same thing as Eld. The snow was getting worse every time the giant Ice Tiger growled or roared.
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[space_man][space_man]”It seems the Ice Tiger’s voice calls forth the snow.”
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[space_man][space_man]The two turned around at the sound of Moira’s voice, whom they thought had left.
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[space_man][space_man]”You didn’t go back with everyone?”
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[space_man][space_man]Eld said in exasperation.
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[space_man][space_man]”I’m a rear support type, so I’ll be assisting from a little distance away.”
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[space_man][space_man]Moira replied with a smile.
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[space_man][space_man]”I’m going to punch it again, so cover me.”
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[space_man][space_man]As soon as she said that, Marie leaped towards the giant Ice Tiger again. Seeing that, Moira chanted a spell and cast a support spell on Marie.
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[space_man][space_man]Marie punched the giant Ice Tiger between the eyes. Unlike before, the giant Ice Tiger was blown back by Marie’s fist and pushed further back.
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[space_man][space_man]”Amazing. How much magic power did you put into that?”
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[space_man][space_man]Eld rushed over, impressed.
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[space_man][space_man]”Huh……no……I put in about three times as much as before, but to this extent……”
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[space_man][space_man]Marie said, looking at her own fist. Based on the feeling of her first punch, she had expected it to only flinch momentarily even with three times the power, but contrary to her expectations, the giant Ice Tiger was blown away a considerable distance.
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[space_man][space_man]”This is the Saintess’ support magic……”
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[space_man][space_man]When they looked at Moira, she was approaching slowly, laughing.
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[space_man][space_man]”I see. With this, it looks like we can manage somehow.”
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[space_man][space_man]Eld changed Tempera’s blade to blue flames.
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[space_man][space_man]”I can handle the cold, but the visibility is getting worse, so let’s finish this quickly.”
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[space_man][space_man]As Eld said, the snowfall was getting heavier and heavier. It was becoming difficult to see the Ice Tiger with its bluish-white fur.
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[space_man][space_man]The giant Ice Tiger’s yellow eyes looked at them. And then it roared. The surrounding snow attacked Eld and the others.
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[space_man][space_man]Eld swung Tempera, melting the approaching snow. Marie rushed towards the giant Ice Tiger and tripped it with a leg sweep. Eld struck it with a flaming attack while it was down. However, it seemed to have resistance to flames, as its fur wasn’t even singed.
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[space_man][space_man]”No way. I thought it would be weak to flames because it’s an Ice Tiger.”
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[space_man][space_man]The giant Ice Tiger got up and swung its claws down at Eld. Eld dodged it and slashed at it again from under its belly. It seemed to be effective on its abdomen. The giant Ice Tiger rolled on the snow after receiving Eld’s blow.
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[space_man][space_man]While the giant Ice Tiger was rolling around on the snow, Marie jumped on it from above and punched its spine. Her fist hit the spine perfectly, and they heard the sound of bones cracking.
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[space_man][space_man]The giant Ice Tiger rolled around and groaned. Each time it did, the snow got worse, and visibility decreased.
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[space_man][space_man]Just as Eld extended the flaming blade of Tempera to try and sever the giant Ice Tiger, it roared particularly loudly. Thinking it was going to manipulate the snow again, Eld took a stance to protect Moira, who was behind him, but nothing happened. Just as he was relieved that it might have run out of energy to manipulate the snow, the ground began to shake.
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[space_man][space_man]”W-What’s that sound?”
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[space_man][space_man]He looked around, but there seemed to be no change.
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[space_man][space_man]”Eld! Above!!”
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[space_man][space_man]At Marie’s words, he looked up at the mountain and saw the snow approaching. Whether by chance or on purpose, the giant Ice Tiger had triggered an avalanche. There was a possibility that his magic power would be depleted if he tried to melt that much snow. Eld turned to Moira and urged her to run, but the giant Ice Tiger’s roar caused the snow beneath their feet to float, causing Eld and Moira to fall.
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[space_man][space_man]Marie tried to run to the two, but the giant Ice Tiger’s roar also manipulated the snow beneath her feet, preventing her from getting closer. The avalanche was approaching faster than expected, and the three were swallowed by it.
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[space_man][space_man]When the avalanche subsided and silence returned to the surroundings, the giant Ice Tiger dragged itself back towards the mountain.
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[space_man][space_man]After the giant Ice Tiger disappeared, Marie crawled out from the snow.
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[space_man][space_man]”Cough……I thought I was going to die……the two of them……”
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[space_man][space_man]She looked around and used magic perception. She couldn’t sense Eld and Moira’s magic power in the immediate vicinity. However, she sensed it in the distance. It wasn’t weakening. They were still alive.
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[space_man][space_man]She wanted to search for the two using that magic power as a guide, but she decided that she had no choice but to wait for the snow to stop due to the poor visibility and footing. She had no choice but to return to the cave that served as their base.