Chapter 245

"But the resistance remains fierce. Every time I try to focus elsewhere, they aim to devour me whole. Wretched pests."

The voice was laced with irritation, as though it couldn’t fathom why anyone would continue such a futile fight.

Farell pressed his lips tightly together.

He knew speaking up now would be pointless.

‘That girl… she was one of Julius’s cherished ones, wasn’t she? Theo held her in genuine regard too.’

Hilda’s failure during the first Sublimation Ritual had rendered her original body unusable.

Her flesh had begun to collapse.

So she made a different choice.

To her, the body was merely a tool, one that could be replaced.

And the tool she selected was none other than Evelyn.

The same gender, a finely honed physique—Evelyn had stood out as the ideal candidate.

But transplanting her soul wasn’t as simple as picking a new vessel.

Evelyn’s soul would need to be absorbed or expelled, a task far more complex than it sounded. Moreover, the mismatch between Hilda’s soul and Evelyn’s body introduced severe penalties to Hilda’s existence.

To mitigate this, she had begun absorbing even more vitality.

The attacks on the four units that had ventured into the forest?

They were part of this scheme.

The lifeforce of such formidable beings would not only stabilize her new vessel but also serve as critical material for reactivating the Sublimation Gate.

But Farell couldn’t shake the growing sense that this path was wrong.

Yes, they were desperate to meet the conditions required to achieve her goals.

Yet, in doing so, they had turned numerous factions, and now Ragnar itself, into enemies.

"I must continue suppressing the resistance. Keep watch outside. I sensed something a moment ago. It could be Ragnar."

"Understood."

"When Ragnar and the Electors pour all their forces into a chaotic battle… that moment will be when the Sublimation Gate opens again."

Hilda’s voice grew quiet, and Farell turned to leave.

As he moved, he muttered under his breath:

"My time in this world grows short…"

At least he wanted his remaining days to be free of regret.

But the future seemed impossibly dim.

***

The group fell silent after hearing where Hilda was located.

The very center of the Naga's forest.

The deepest part of what was now known as the Land of Death.

It was originally the site of the Naga’s sacred altar, but approaching it now would drain the life from anyone who tried.

Only the Naga themselves could survive there. For anyone else, venturing in was tantamount to suicide.

“In its current state, it would be unwise to attempt entry,” Wellington said firmly.

“But we cannot simply sit idle and do nothing!” Julius protested.

“Indeed. That is why I am searching for a solution. Please bear with me for a moment.”

Frustrated, Julius struck his chest with a fist.

He wanted to charge in immediately, but doing so would only endanger Evelyn further.

“It’s like a cheese trap,” Theo muttered.

To him, this felt like Hilda’s taunt—daring them to act.

But leading an army into the cursed zone was out of the question.

As he mulled over the problem, a thought surfaced in his mind.

“You mentioned earlier that the Naga are immune to the curse, correct?”

“That is correct. Hilda herself relies on the Naga slaves to procure the necessary materials.”

“A curse that spares the Naga...”

As Theo pondered, a bold idea began to form. He transmitted his thoughts to Lodbrok.

‘Loddy.’

『What is it?』

‘Would it be possible for me to learn the Polymorph spell?’

『Polymorph? Why... Oh, you can’t be serious.』

‘I am.’

If the curse didn’t affect the Naga, why not become one?

Dragons, fortunately, possessed a particularly useful ability: Polymorph.

A spell devised by ancient dragons to transform into other species for leisure.

Lodbrok, initially exasperated, found herself impressed by the cleverness of the idea.

If direct entry wasn’t feasible, why not create a workaround?

A surge of magical knowledge flooded Theo’s mind as Lodbrok shared the incantation.

With a whisper, Theo cast the spell.

Fwoosh!

His body shimmered with radiant light as his form began to shift.

Scales appeared on his skin, his chest expanded, and his stature grew significantly taller.

“Wha- What in the world?”

Julius and the others stared in shock as Theo transformed into a Naga.

Even Wellington and the native Naga looked equally astonished.

“The human is gone!”

“A new companion has appeared!”

“Polymorph! It’s Polymorph magic!”

“I knew it! He wasn’t human at all—he carries the scent of an ancient dragon!”

Testing his voice, Theo flexed his new form.

“It’s not as uncomfortable as I expected,” he remarked casually.

“Is this... magic?” Julius asked, still wide-eyed.

“Something close to it,” Theo replied.

Wellington looked utterly dumbfounded.

For days, he had wracked his brain trying to figure out how to rescue Evelyn and the remaining Naga, only for Theo to solve it in an instant.

“Could I use that spell too?”

“Teach me as well.”

“With a form like that, even my brother Robert would be envious,” mused the Plum Blossom Palace Lord.

“There’s enough for everyone. Just don’t resist the spell,” Theo assured them.

One by one, Theo cast Polymorph on his companions.

Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!

Each of them experienced the strange sensation of their bodies shifting.

When Wellington completed his transformation, the native Naga grew even more excited.

“The humans have all become Naga!”

“They smell like our kin!”

“Perhaps they can pass through the sacred pond!”

Theo tilted his head.

“Pass through the pond? What do you mean?”

“Exactly what it sounds like!”

“Details, please.”

At that moment, an elderly Naga emerged from the water.

Standing at least a meter taller than the others, his presence was both imposing and wise.

“Elder! The Elder has come to negotiate with the humans!”

“He is our acting leader, filling the void left by our fallen chief. This is Elder Terepun Bionsta Gerescunidium. You may call him Tere for short.”

“Theo Ragnar,” Theo introduced himself.

Tere’s Imperial speech was smooth and fluent.

Nodding solemnly, he spoke:

“This ‘Pond of Life’ connects directly to the central region where the Sublimation Gate resides. If you traverse it, you can reach the center in no time. But the waters are deep, and they are only accessible to us Naga. That is why Wellington has never attempted it.”

Theo gazed at the pond, its vast expanse stretching endlessly before him.

It was clear now why Hilda had not tried to seize this place—it was well-hidden and inaccessible to anyone but the Naga.

“I will guide you personally. Please... help us.”

“Of course. Your people have helped us first; it is only right that we repay the favor.”

Tere’s eyes glistened with tears as he bowed. For the first time, there was hope for his people.

***

Traversing the Pond of Life was far from an easy task.

First, the group needed to fully acclimate to their new Naga bodies, including learning how to swim effectively with their tails.

Fortunately, their experience as seasoned warriors made adaptation relatively swift. Within a single day, they had a basic grasp of movement, and by the third day, they could clumsily paddle and navigate through the water.

Splash!

“What the hell, you idiot! Why are you diving like that? I just swallowed a mouthful of water!”

“Pfft! Hey, it’s not my fault you swallowed it, not me!”

“Oh, you’re dead meat!”

Erika, glaring daggers at Holcus as he laughed at her, suddenly dove underwater, grabbing his tail. Holcus, still laughing, found himself yanked into the depths, flailing helplessly as Erika dragged him further down.

Meanwhile, Ray shook his head, refusing to get caught up in the sibling squabble. Instead, he focused intently on his swimming technique, gliding as smoothly as possible.

On the other side, Kincarnon and Lezé swam leisurely, discussing what they had observed below the surface.

“That’s definitely a city, right?”

“It seems so. The Naga were said to have built a civilization on par with ours, after all.”

“So this must be one of their ancient ruins.”

Beneath the shimmering water lay the remnants of a submerged city.

Buildings, eerily intact, stood silently at the bottom of the pond. Though they had been abandoned for centuries, their structure and detail suggested they could still be used if the water were somehow drained.

“The legends say that beneath this city lies the remains of an ancient Guardian,” Wellington remarked.

“A Guardian’s corpse?” Theo raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

“Yes. Although, the Naga here don’t seem to know much more about it. Perhaps they simply didn’t feel the need to.”

Theo, peering into the depths, allowed a faint smile to cross his face.

The scene reminded him of Kriemhilt’s statue from his past encounters.

“Does that mean there’s another piece of Mystery down there?”

The thought lingered in his mind. If so, it might prove useful in their confrontation with Hilda.

“I’ll make sure to take a closer look as we pass by,” he resolved silently.

***

Theo's group finally decided to cross the Pond of Life after two additional days of preparation.

As promised, Terre, the elder Naga, took the lead. Behind him stood several robust Nagas, all volunteers determined to rescue their kin.

“I’ll lead the way. But remember, if you experience any discomfort or feel your stamina waning while swimming, signal immediately. Our people are following behind and will assist you right away.”

“How long will it take to cross?” Theo asked.

“At least a full day,” Terre replied, his expression grim. “The pond is vast, and to avoid drawing attention, we’ll have to take a longer route.”

Theo nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. The journey ahead would not be easy.

“Let’s begin.”

With that, Terre slowly sank into the water. Theo and Wellington followed closely behind, their movements deliberate and cautious.

Splash.

The water was colder than expected, sending a sharp chill through Theo's transformed body.

At the same time, an indescribable energy seeped into his skin, enveloping him in an unfamiliar yet invigorating sensation.

‘This is what they meant to embrace,’ Theo reminded himself.

The reason so many other species failed to cross the pond was simple: this mysterious energy.

Without the ability to absorb and harmonize with it, the energy became a lethal toxin, poisoning the body.

However, for those who could integrate it, the energy was nothing short of a miraculous elixir. The Nagas called it “The Water of Life,” a sacred gift said to be the blood of the ancient Guardian who had sacrificed itself for their kind.

The delay in the group's preparations had been due in large part to learning the breathing techniques necessary to adapt to the pond's unique energy.

Exhale.

Theo closed his eyes, recalling the lessons and insights he had gained over the past few days. He slowly released a deep breath, steadying his focus.

Gurgle.

Then, he began his descent, submerging into the pond with graceful determination.