Chương 73: A Noose Made of Frost

The distant howls guided Sieghart and Ronan deeper into the forest, although the creatures themselves remained hidden among the closely packed trees. Only occasional tracks and patches of corrupted vegetation confirmed that they were still following the right trail. Ronan moved ahead with one hand resting near his knives, stopping whenever the prints split or vanished beneath roots. Sieghart followed while continuing to practice with the rope, repeatedly coating its braided surface with mana.

Maintaining that connection while walking over uneven ground was already difficult. Doing it while keeping watch for another ambush forced Sieghart to divide his concentration in ways that isolated training had never demanded. His mana supply might have been infinite, but the number of things his mind could handle simultaneously remained decidedly finite. Unfortunately, the system had neglected to include a skill called Thinking About Everything at Once. After nearly an hour, the smell reached them.

Rotting meat, damp fur, and something sour enough to sting the inside of Sieghart's nose drifted between the trees. Beneath those odors, he could detect the metallic scent of fresh blood. Ronan raised one fist, signaling for him to stop. He crouched beside a tree and carefully examined a wide depression in the soil.

"There are more tracks here."

"How many?"

"Enough to make this annoying."

"That is very precise."

"I'm a tracker, not a mathematician." Ronan pointed toward several smaller prints surrounding the larger trail. They resembled those of the ridge prowlers they had already killed, although many were considerably smaller. The sight confirmed that the monsters had established a nest rather than simply wandering through the area. If they were allowed to remain, their numbers would continue increasing until the nearby farm became only their first target. Ronan resumed moving, but his pace became slower.

He avoided dry leaves and loose branches, choosing every step with enough care that his boots barely disturbed the ground. Sieghart attempted to imitate him and failed within seconds. His shorter legs forced him to stretch between safe patches, and the rope hanging from his hand occasionally brushed against the undergrowth. The tracker looked over his shoulder after the third unnecessary rustle.

"You sound like a drunk boar."

"I spent the last year inside a basement."

"That isn't the defense you think it is." Sieghart restrained the urge to heat the surrounding air again. Starting a forest fire before encountering the monsters would have made this expedition end in a particularly embarrassing way. They eventually reached a rocky slope where the forest floor descended into a broad natural depression. Several enormous trees had fallen across the area, creating a tangled enclosure of roots, trunks, and disturbed earth.

Ronan motioned for Sieghart to lower himself before crawling toward the edge. They positioned themselves behind a moss-covered log and observed the hollow through several narrow gaps. The nest occupied most of the depression. Bones, torn hides, and blackened plants covered the ground, while strands of dark mucus stretched between the fallen trees. Five young ridge prowlers moved around the nest, fighting over pieces of meat or sleeping beneath the roots.

They were smaller than the monsters from the previous battle, but their veins already carried visible traces of corruption. Two larger prowlers guarded the outer edges. Their bodies had developed hardened black growths across their shoulders and backs, making them resemble wolves wearing uneven suits of armor. However, neither of those creatures had produced the howl that guided Ronan and Sieghart through the forest. The true source rested near the center of the nest.

It was almost as large as the wagon Sieghart had destroyed during the battle against the Firians. Its front legs were thicker than tree trunks, and patches of dark armor covered most of its body. Three crooked horns extended from its skull, with the longest emerging above its right eye. Every breath released smoke from between its teeth and made the growths along its back pulse with dull red light. Sieghart studied the enormous monster before shifting his attention toward the rear of the nest.

Several animals remained trapped inside a crude enclosure formed from fallen branches and thick roots. Two deerlike creatures huddled against each other beside an injured grayhorn calf. Smaller animals had been thrown into a nearby pit where they struggled to climb the steep walls.

"They are keeping food alive," Sieghart whispered.

"For the next batch of young." Ronan pointed toward a shallow cave beneath the exposed roots of the largest fallen tree. Several pairs of small red eyes watched from within its darkness. The creatures had captured enough animals to feed another generation of corrupted monsters. Whether they had developed that behavior naturally or learned it from a tamer remained unclear. Sieghart counted every visible enemy before considering his available spells.

Eliminating the entire nest would have been simple if he ignored the consequences. Several Giant Fireballs could turn the depression into a crater and erase every monster inside it. Unfortunately, the same attack would also destroy the captive animals and set most of the forest ablaze. Even ordinary Fireballs presented a serious risk. The surrounding vegetation had retained some moisture beneath the canopy, but dead branches and dry leaves covered enough ground to spread flames rapidly.

Sieghart could produce unlimited water afterward, although extinguishing a forest fire while it expanded in every direction would require more control than he currently possessed.

"I could bombard the nest with Giant Fireballs," Sieghart said.

"No."

"I haven't finished explaining."

"The answer is still no."

"I could put out the forest afterward."

"The animals would be dead, half the trees would be ash, and the farmers would probably murder us before the fire finished spreading." Sieghart looked at the enormous monster again.

"The smaller spells might work."

"If you want to fire hundreds of them before that thing reaches us." Ronan carefully studied the large prowler while tapping one finger against the handle of his knife. His usual confidence had faded into a thoughtful frown.

"I'm not particularly good at fighting big monsters." Sieghart glanced at him.

"You killed the others easily."

"The others were small enough for my knives to reach something important. My fighting style depends on speed, precise cuts, and ending things with one strike whenever possible."

"And that one is too large."

"I could cut its legs and make it bleed, but the corruption might close those wounds before I caused enough damage. If it catches me once, I become a stain on the ground." Sieghart returned his attention to the monster. The creature's skull alone was wide enough to make his Earth Bullets seem insignificant. An Ice Shuriken might penetrate its eyes, but reaching the brain through that much corrupted tissue would require far greater force. Missing would also reveal their position immediately.

If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. A barrage of Fireballs remained the most dependable option. He could continue attacking until repeated explosions overwhelmed the monster's regeneration, but burning fragments would scatter across the nest with every impact. Water Cannon could strike continuously and avoid igniting the forest.

Unfortunately, Sieghart would need to approach within his effective range, placing his ordinary child-sized body dangerously close to something capable of swallowing him whole. He could drench the monster first and combine Ice and Wind Magic to freeze the water around its limbs. That would make it easier for Ronan to approach and target vulnerable areas. However, such a large-scale drop in temperature would affect Ronan as well.

Freezing his only experienced fighter beside the monsters seemed strategically questionable and personally rude. Sieghart looked down at the rope in his hand. The braided fibers were difficult to control because their shape changed constantly. Yet that flexibility was also what allowed the rope to wrap around a target and tighten beneath tension. An idea gradually formed as he remembered how naturally his mana responded to the Ice Shurikens.

Those blades were constructs he had created, allowing him to control them more easily than ordinary objects.

"What if the rope became partly a construct?" Ronan looked at him.

"What?"

"I said I'll handle the large one." Ronan turned his entire body toward Sieghart.

"How?" Instead of answering immediately, Sieghart held the rope between both hands and activated Water Creation. Clear liquid flowed across the braided fibers, soaking deeply between them before forming a thick layer around the entire length. He prevented the excess water from dripping away by maintaining control through his mana. Once the rope had become completely saturated, he surrounded it with concentrated wind. The temperature dropped rapidly.

Frost appeared across the wet fibers, followed by a segmented coating of pale-blue ice that enclosed most of the rope. Sieghart deliberately left narrow gaps between the frozen sections. Those spaces allowed the rope to bend, transforming it into something resembling a flexible chain made from alternating ice and braided fibers. The additional weight pulled heavily against his hands. Something changed immediately. Every frozen section responded like a crude version of his Ice Shurikens.

Since his mana had created and shaped the ice, moving those sections felt far more natural than controlling the rope alone. The rope beneath them connected each piece into a single continuous structure. The combination gave Sieghart multiple stable points through which he could maintain his physical manipulation. He lifted one hand. The frozen rope rose several centimeters above the ground, bending unevenly while the weighted ends dragged behind it. Sieghart narrowed his eyes and increased his concentration.

The separate ice segments aligned, and the entire rope slowly floated between his hands. It remained heavy and awkward, but it no longer felt like dozens of independent fibers fighting against his control. The frozen sections gave his mana a structure it already understood. Ronan watched the rope sway through the air.

"That is surprisingly clever." Sieghart made the frozen rope curl around itself. The movement remained slower than he wanted, but his control improved whenever he focused on the ice instead of the fibers beneath it.

"I'll strangle the large monster. If it takes too long, I'll bombard its face with Ice Shurikens until something breaks." Ronan stared at him.

"What?"

"I explained the plan clearly."

"Yes, that's the concerning part." Sieghart tested the rope again, making it form a wide loop. The ice creaked beneath the pressure but remained intact because the flexible gaps distributed the strain. Ronan looked from the seven-year-old boy to the improvised frozen noose. His expression suggested that he was reconsidering several recent decisions.

"You said that far too casually."

"Would you prefer if I shouted it dramatically?"

"I would prefer if children your age didn't calmly discuss strangling monsters." Ronan pinched the bridge of his nose. Mira would almost certainly blame him if Sieghart returned to the guild with a new habit involving magically controlled nooses. Unfortunately, the plan possessed enough merit that rejecting it simply because it sounded disturbing would have been foolish. The large monster relied upon its size, durability, and regeneration.

A rope tightened around its neck could obstruct both breathing and blood flow without requiring Sieghart to pierce its reinforced hide. Even if strangulation failed, restraining its head would create openings for other attacks.

"All right," Ronan finally said.

"We'll try it." Sieghart nodded.

"But if the plan fails, you run with everything you have. Don't wait for me, don't turn around, and don't decide that you suddenly need to test another spell."

"I understand."

"I'm serious."

"So am I." Sieghart had no intention of pretending to be a hero. He possessed more mana than anyone he had met, but his physical body remained that of an ordinary seven-year-old child. Protection could reduce damage and prevent minor injuries. It could not guarantee that his bones would survive beneath the paw of a monster heavier than a wagon. If the creature escaped his control and reached him, retreating would be the only reasonable option.

Dying while attempting to prove his courage would not help him avenge his grandparents or accomplish anything else. Ronan pointed toward the two adult prowlers patrolling the nest.

"I'll eliminate those two first, then handle the young ones. Keep the big one occupied and avoid hitting the captive animals."

"What about the babies inside the cave?"

"We deal with them afterward. They haven't noticed us yet, and the adults will protect the entrance once the fight begins." Sieghart examined the distance between their position and the large monster. The frozen rope was long enough to reach its neck if he launched it from above, but the angle needed to be precise. Missing would drop the rope into the center of the nest. Retrieving it under those conditions would be difficult, especially after every monster knew where the attack originated.

He could have created more frozen ropes if he possessed additional material. His magic provided unlimited water and ice, but neither possessed the flexibility required to withstand violent movement without shattering. For now, he had one attempt. Sieghart slowly moved away from the log and climbed several meters up the rocky slope. The higher position gave him a clear line toward the nest while keeping most of his body concealed behind thick vegetation.

Ronan descended along the opposite side, moving between trees until he reached the edge of the hollow. None of the monsters noticed his approach. Sieghart loosened the frozen rope and began rotating it above his head. The first revolution was uneven, forcing him to use both physical strength and mana control to prevent the weighted end from striking the ground. The second rotation became smoother. By the fourth, the frozen rope spun fast enough to produce a low whistle as it cut through the surrounding air.

Its weight pulled against Sieghart's shoulders. His mana flowed through every segment, keeping the widening loop stable despite the increasing speed. He waited until the large monster lifted its head and exposed the thick neck beneath its jaw. Smoke poured from its mouth as it tested the air, perhaps sensing that something had changed. Sieghart released the rope. The frozen weapon sailed above the nest in a wide arc. Pale sunlight reflected from its icy surface while the weighted ends dragged the loop downward.

The rope struck the monster across the head with a crack loud enough to echo throughout the depression. The hardened ice added enough weight to make the impact resemble a club rather than a piece of farming equipment. The massive prowler staggered. Its front legs bent, and its horned skull struck the ground before it recovered from the unexpected blow. Every smaller monster immediately raised its head. Several growled toward the trees, searching for the source of the attack.

Sieghart did not give them enough time to find him. He extended both hands and seized the frozen sections with his mana. The rope slid across the monster's armored skull, bending around one horn before falling beneath its jaw. Sieghart twisted his wrists. The open loop contracted around the prowler's neck, and both weighted ends crossed behind its head. The monster roared as it realized something had wrapped around it.

One enormous paw rose toward the rope, but the position behind its horns prevented its claws from reaching the knot. Sieghart pulled with his mana. The frozen loop tightened violently. Ice cracked against the black growths while the underlying rope sank into the softer flesh between the armored plates. The monster thrashed hard enough to shake the surrounding ground. It slammed its head against a fallen tree, attempting to break the rope or dislodge whatever controlled it.

The impact sent a painful shock through Sieghart's mana connection. He nearly lost control, but the frozen segments allowed him to reestablish the structure before the rope loosened completely. He spread his feet and activated Protection with greater intensity. The spell reinforced his arms, shoulders, back, and legs while his mana continued pulling against the monster.

"Stay still, you oversized dog." The prowler answered by rising to its full height and releasing a roar that sent smoke through the entire hollow. Its younger offspring scrambled away while the two adult guards charged toward Sieghart's position. Ronan emerged from behind a tree before either monster crossed half the distance. Mana threads extended from his fingers, pulling both curved knives into his hands while he accelerated toward the first prowler.

He passed beneath its claws, opened a deep cut across its front leg, and changed direction before the second creature could surround him. Both monsters turned toward Ronan, exactly as he intended. He had drawn their attention away from Sieghart without giving them enough time to coordinate. The younger prowlers rushed forward as well, their snarls filling the hollow while the captive animals struggled against their enclosure in panic. Ronan dashed into the middle of them.

Sieghart tightened the frozen rope around the massive creature's neck while preparing a circle of Ice Shurikens above his shoulders. If strangling the beast took too long, he would ensure that every frozen blade entered its face. The pack mother clawed at the earth and began dragging him down the slope despite the distance between them. Its raw strength traveled through the rope and pulled relentlessly against his entire body. Sieghart's boots carved two lines through the soil.

Protection strained beneath his skin, and the frozen segments began cracking one after another. He stared into the creature's furious red eyes while cold mana gathered around him. The rope had found its neck. Now he only needed to prove that a seven-year-old mage could hold the other end.