Most people were dumbfounded at Eldin's appearance.
Eldin didn't come alone. She brought other elves with her, numbering more than five.
You might wonder why people would be surprised at just five, but when it comes to elves, it's a different story.
While elves lived in Tirna, their numbers weren't many.
Moreover, most elves lived together in District 21.
Compared to other districts, it was very small in size, but that's why the entire zone was covered by a massive glass barrier.
It was a space that wasn't affected by Tirna's pollution, forming a forest within the contaminated city.
Therefore, it was the elves' home ground, which they didn't want to leave.
It was natural to be surprised when such elves appeared here.
Moreover, wasn't this place a contaminated zone?
Regardless, Eldin quickly scanned the surroundings and widened her eyes upon spotting Osian.
"Oh, what's this? Rookie, you're here too."
"Didn't expect to meet you here. Is this your main job?"
"Let's talk about the details later. Right now, we need to deal with that first."
Eldin raised the hammer slung over her shoulder, gripping it with both hands.
The fire elemental that had been burning plants returned to sit on her shoulder.
Seeing the elemental stick out its fiery tongue with a hiss, it was hard to believe this was the same elemental that had been exploited in Eldin's workshop.
'So this is the power of an elemental.'
The mutant plant that had been losing to ordinary firepower now faced the fire elemental, its ultimate natural enemy.
Although much of its body had been turned to ash from the recent attack, the mutant plant still wouldn't back down.
Rather, as if enraged, it increased the number of its roots and stems, trying to dominate the entire passage.
That's when the elves who came with Eldin stepped forward.
One elf scattered seeds from their hand. The scattered seeds sprouted and grew explosively in an instant, as if expanding.
The explosively growing vine stems collided with the approaching mutant plant's stems.
Eldin seized this opportunity to step forward.
The fire elemental spewed flames from her shoulder, and Eldin threw herself into those flames.
It might have looked like a suicidal act, but Eldin was an elemental's master and those flames would never harm her.
With flames enveloping her entire body, Eldin swung the hammer in her hand. The hammer was also surrounded by the elemental's flames.
The forcefully swung hammer crushed and burned through the thick tree trunk.
-Swoosh swoosh swoosh!
Other stems shot like spears, targeting the gap after the hammer swing.
Eldin snorted and twisted the hammer she'd struck by 90 degrees. Her elastic muscles rippled.
When she pressed the button on the handle, hot flames shot out from one head of the hammer.
The hammer, carrying momentum, drew a red trajectory in the air as it swung.
-Bang bang bang bang!
The tree stems targeting Eldin burst like balloons when hit by the hammer.
With the elemental's flames covering it, fire erupted every time the hammer made contact.
'She combined a modified large hammer with elemental power.'
It was the ultimate form, adding destruction upon destruction.
Yet the plant didn't give up. The roots crawling like snakes on the floor suddenly rose up, trying to swallow Eldin.
"What futile resistance!"
Instead of the right-handed warhammer, Eldin reached to her waist with her left hand and drew another weapon.
It was a one-handed hammer different from the industrial hammer. It had a shorter handle and just a blunt head.
But it's a different story when that hammer spews sharp wind.
Following the one-handed hammer's trajectory, the plant roots were shredded as if put through a blender.
Eldin swung the warhammer and one-handed hammer alternately.
Wind elemental and fire elemental.
When the two elementals' powers combined, they filled the entire passage with hot flames.
The heat was so intense that even people at a safe distance had to squeeze their eyes shut.
It felt like all the hair on their skin was being scorched.
'This isn't the kind of display you'd expect from an elf who loves nature.'
Unlike elves who loved green vegetation, Eldin loved fire and iron.
Unlike elves who used bows or thin swords, she wielded modified hammers.
And the way she swung them as if enjoying herself seemed more fitting for a northern berserker than an elf.
'Still, it's definitely effective.'
To that mutant plant, Eldin herself was practically a natural enemy.
Eldin continued the fight as if very familiar with combat.
'They say those who make weapons should know how to use them, but seeing her , she must have built up quite a lot of combat experience over time.'
Since Eldin was a long-lived elf, it wouldn't be strange for her to have such a past.
You could tell just by looking at how the other elves who came with her watched without joining the fight.
"Ki-kill it! Kill that plant bastard!"
As the situation reversed, the previously frightened people cheered for Eldin but Osian's expression remained stiff.
That mutant plant still had something hidden.
The plant, desperately enduring Eldin's flames, extended and opened a huge flower bud.
Golden light gathered and shone brilliantly from the center of the petals.
It was that beam that had penetrated even Mist's reinforced fog wall in one shot.
Even Eldin hesitated at the sight. Despite being a mutation, it was a technique that seemed impossible for a plant to use.
During that moment, the fully gathered energy writhed. It looked like artificially created sunlight.
That yellow beam shot toward Eldin.
Knowing she couldn't dodge, Eldin tried to block the attack with elemental power.
That's when Osian brushed past Eldin and stood in front of her.
Eldin tried to shout for him to dodge, but it was already too late. The beam approached within arm's reach of Osian, and he emitted brilliant starlight from the sword in his hand.
Osian, wielding twin star swords, swung them with all his might toward the beam.
Power against power. Energy versus energy.
The collision of the two forces created a shockwave that made the entire underground shake as if hit by an earthquake.
Eldin defended with earth and wind elementals. Even so, the aftermath didn't subside, forcing her to step back several paces.
The same was true for people far away. They crouched down as if the underground might collapse.
The explosion ended and the light faded.
As the smoke cleared, Osian appeared. He was wearing snow-white armor that shone even in darkness.
Osian was fine. Then what about the mutant plant?
Eldin frowned at the faintly visible plant through the smoke. The mutant plant was also fine.
Come to think of it, it was that thing that had attacked first. Osian had merely deflected it.
"Hey, are you really okay? You took that power head-on."
"I redirected most of the force upward, so I'm fine."
"That's not the kind of force that's okay just because you redirected it... And that armor..."
Eldin tried to point something out but gave up.
There wasn't just one or two things to point out, and it wasn't the right situation.
"Let's talk later. First, let's deal with that thing. It seems quite tired after using that."
Indeed, it seemed to have consumed quite a lot of power. Unlike before, its stems had thinned and its movements were much slower.
In contrast, Osian seemed perfectly fine, making one wonder if he really had taken that impact. Though parts of his starlight armor were scorched, they quickly returned to their original color.
"Right. I've got some business with that thing now anyway."
Osian narrowed his eyes and glared at the mutant plant.
"It didn't target me just because I looked tasty. Rather, it targeted me because it sensed the power I possess."
"To put it simply, that thing possesses part of my power."
The high-heat beam that the mutant plant had just shot even for a mutation, it seemed strange for a plant to be able to use such a technique.
It wasn't its inherent power. Rather, it was closer to something taken from another.
That plant possessed part of that power.
"I don't know how that power ended up in something like that."
Osian's aura exploded outward. Even Eldin, standing beside him, unconsciously stepped back in shock.
"I'll have to take it back."
The light in his eyes shone intensely through his helmet.
Following the Star Light and Moon Scar, he had finally found the last piece, the power of the Sun Ring.
TLN: The original names of Osian’s power are Star Light, Moon Scar and Sun Ring but I used Starlight and Moonlight because they sound better.
I previously used Sun Wheel but after translating more ch I found out that the correct term it’s Sun Ring.
Osian had no intention of letting it escape.
Just as Osian was about to step forward, Eldin looked up and stopped him.
The ceiling, cracked from the earlier collision's impact, finally gave way and collapsed.
An enormous mass of mixed rocks and metal debris poured down.
Osian and Eldin retreated. They could only stare at the wall of debris blocking their path.
Receiving a water bottle from Eldin, Osian drank while observing the people.
The people who barely made it back alive were resting.
There were two guard casualties.
For facing such a monster, the casualties were few, but it didn't feel particularly good.
"What was that plant anyway?"
"If you came all the way here yourself, you must have some idea."
"...True. But that's not something I can explain."
"Need someone who can explain in more detail?"
"As it happens, they're coming over there."
Where Eldin's gaze pointed, there was an elf coming with Adela.
He was a male elf with long blonde hair that gave off an elvish impression.
He was one of the elves who had entered underground with Eldin.
He approached Osian and introduced himself.
"Pleased to meet you. I am Coruntio Silvamora. I serve as a lower house member in the city."
Coruntio frowned at Osian's introduction.
"I am 250 years old. From a human perspective, that's far older than even your grandfather's grandfather."
Osian listened curiously, wondering what this elf was getting at.
"In other words, I am far senior to you. To speak informally to such a senior, isn't this highly unethical and immoral?"
To make such a fuss about informal speech, even bringing up ethics.
Osian could immediately grasp what kind of personality this elf Coruntio had.
'This guy's an old fogey.'
A personality that adheres to principles and clearly maintains hierarchy.
Considering his title as a lower house member, he seemed like a very tiresome type to deal with.
"One should always listen to elders' words with respect, and when asked a question, one should answer clearly..."
"Hey you bastard, what are you doing when we have important matters at hand?"
It was Eldin who stepped in instead.
When Eldin glared at Coruntio with a frown, he cleared his throat with a 'ahem.'
"Hmm. Look here, Eldin, I am merely explaining some basic manners and etiquette to this human."
"Look here, Eldin? Coruntio, have you grown too big for your boots? Earlier you were practically crying, begging me for help."
"Wh-when did I ever do that? Don't make such groundless accusations!"
"What's with your way of speaking? Did you eat something wrong? Want to get beaten up like old times?"
Eldin didn't stop at words. Her thick boot kicked Coruntio right in the shin.
Coruntio grabbed his shin and hopped around, letting out a strange scream.
Adela and Osian watched this scene with half-amused looks.
"Ah, don't take his words too seriously. He's just trying to look important."
"Well, we are. He was a younger brother I knew from long ago."
Come to think of it, didn't Eldin say she had lived over 300 years? That was just how long she had been hammering iron, so her actual age must be even greater.
An elf who had lived longer than Coruntio, who introduced himself as 250 years old.
From their way of speaking, they seemed like sister and brother, but seeing how Coruntio couldn't hold a candle to Eldin, their relationship was closer to that of natural enemies.
"To resort to such violence! I am now a proper member of parliament!"
"Well, well. Feeling good about the position the city gave you? Think that'll make me bat even one eye?"
"Watch yourself. You know my personality, right?"
Coruntio had no choice but to surrender before Eldin.
"Now then, explain. Both why you requested my help and what that plant was."
"That was a special plant we had prepared this time."