Making attack-based spells was their life's purpose, and it was impossible for others to understand their sacrifices for this cause, but it would also be foolish to think they did not know how to cast defense-based magic.
When the energy of the Tree of Life dispersed, the sprouts within the Druids that allowed them to cast magic had returned. Alator and his friends had also received their share of this event and joined the children who began training with the teachings of their ancestors.
The written records of the ancient techniques might not have survived to the present day, but they, the Druids, knew what to do. As the sprouts within them developed, new knowledge appeared in their minds.
Defense spells protecting a single target became easily usable by everyone over time. Orcs covered with Elemental Energies, orcs reflecting the damage they took into their attack power, could frequently be seen during operations on the Mercenaries' Home.
The people providing these privileges were only the Druid Warriors specializing in the defense spells of their ancestors, but there were also those with completely different goals. They left the task of killing the enemy to no one, walking their own path and gaining fame under the name of the Elemental Ten.
This was not something new; Alator and his friends were problematic children even while training on the Savage Swamp continent. Do not misunderstand; they were not bothering others with unnecessary arrogance or excessive actions to cover their incompetence. They were special from the beginning.
Alator had formed his first protective shield while his peers were making attempts to feel magic. His teachers understood then how valuable this child was because two types of element energy showed themselves upon the shield.
They clung to him like finding a jewel or an oasis in the desert; they might have gained a new guardian after Ainle, who grew stronger through heritage. In the beginning, Alator did whatever he was told; he worked day and night to live up to the special interest he received until he hit the barrier at the end of the road.
The time might have been different—some might have reached it early, some a bit later—but the barrier hit by all Elemental Ten members without exception was the same. They had reached the final point Druids could reach by only performing defense spells, and they were not even thirty years old yet.
There was nothing more natural than them being in a search, but the elders of the Druid society, especially the Five Roots, did not welcome this attitude. They had to keep their traditions alive; they could not disgrace their ancestors who had protected them for years.
Alator and his friends, however, adopted a different view; if they settled for the final point their ancestors reached, then they would truly be disgracing their ancestors. Time was passing and progress should not stop, otherwise it was inevitable for a disaster to knock on their doors again.
They left their home; once seen as new heroes, they were now labeled almost as traitors. The ten Druid Warriors, who would not yield no matter what, found Bookworm as the one who welcomed them with open arms when they knocked on the door of the Orc War Academy.
It was also him who found attack-oriented spells for them to learn, allocated resources for their training, and prevented them from being bullied by taking them under his protection. How could the members of the Elemental Ten abandon him to death by clinging to a bigoted thought and saying "we only perform attack-oriented spells"? How then would they differ from the elderly members of their society?
"Don't stay, run! We will hold this monster as long as we can!"
Alator was shouting toward the orc group that had not yet moved, but their gazes were entirely upon the Sixth Apostle, who was bearing down upon the barrier that separated the two sides like a transparent curtain.
The man wearing a blood-soaked silk shirt was charging by combining three separate elements in a single attack, and the intensity of his attack did not decrease even a bit. In fact, it was even possible to say it increased; the Sixth Apostle was determined to do what he said.
The moment the amount of water and fire elements overflowing from his palms doubled, the corners of the lips of four Elemental Ten members were soaked with blood. They had not given up on defending because it was easy; they knew well how hard a job it was, but they had never had to hold such a large-scale magical energy in their entire lives.
"We won't be able to endure much longer! Inform the camp, the lives of those remaining depend on you. Go!"
The ten druids, giving up on casting magic for the sake of protecting someone else, stood before death for the future of both the Druids and the Orcs. It is unknown if they ever thought they would fall into this situation one day, but judging by the radiance on their blood-soaked faces, there was not a single shred of doubt in their minds about the action they were performing.
"Number eight, use Orc Steps and inform those remaining. Others, prepare for battle!"
When Bookworm gave his order, the Elite Ten member who gripped his daggers tightly hesitated for the duration of a few breaths. He did not want to go upon hearing the others would stay here and continue the battle, but the orc warrior descending from the Dynasty Family lineage wanted no objections.
"Do what I tell you. This is an order!"
There was no turning back; he could not rush to his death by ignoring the order. He turned his back and began to move, leaving afterimages behind, to the thing he knew best. The orc group decided to stay here by choosing one person as a messenger; they were waiting behind the energy shield that could shatter at any moment.
These did not matter to the Sixth Apostle; why would they matter to someone who had sworn to kill billions of orcs and humans? He continued to charge as if he had an inexhaustible reserve, and seeing the first crack upon the energy barrier standing before him, he directed all of his attacks to that point.
The Elemental Ten members were on the ground; even their leader Alator could not withstand this destruction. The end of the road was appearing for the orc group; they met the waves and flames coming along with the wind by letting out war cries.
"My, my! What is this noise?"
The orc group was about to face the Sixth Apostle's attack when this time a blood-red energy barrier stepped between them and saved their lives. The three-element attack, reaching almost three times its initial strength, was completely stopped, and the shrill voice of the one responsible for the act rang in their ears.
"Being crushed could only be glorified this much. Your race to sacrifice your lives brought tears to my eyes. When we return, I will have to review the Orc War Academy curriculum because I don't need such fools!"
Since the clouds, receiving their share of the energy deluge on earth, entered every hole they could find, the moon was showing itself in all its magnificence, and Nafız, opening her blood-red wings and standing before them, was at least as impressive as it.
"Look at these; ten Druid brats who ran away from home and took refuge at our door saying we won't use protection spells, and then tried to sacrifice their lives for others. Orcs who gave themselves the name Elite but had to flee before a single person, and Bookworm, whom I accepted as my apprentice.
And his Power Animal King Cobra, who thinks he is arrogant. I suppose you received your first lesson, didn't you, little snakey? If you want to be arrogant, first you must get strong enough to maintain this attitude, otherwise you'll have to flee with your heels hitting your ass!"
The Blood God did not mince her words; there were those among the parties on the battlefield who were sharp-tongued or tried to appear so, but when the true arrogant one emerged, all of their paint peeled off.
"I will kill you too, I will kill all of you!"
The Sixth Apostle raised his left hand, and the flames rose toward the sky, turning into a fireball surrounding Nafız. The radiating heat reached all the way to the earth; the Sixth Apostle's element dominion was top-tier.