Fled Without Realizing I Had Prevented the Apocalypse

Dudadada-!
The sound of wolf footsteps echoes desolately across the dry snow field.
I stared at the White Wolf fleeing so fast that the eye couldn’t follow.
“That speed is still the same.”
The reason why the White Wolf was alive and well despite the injury I inflicted to the point of tearing off one of his arms.

Even back then, he fled like that using his torn-off arm as bait.
Whether he only ate and ran away, his speed exceeded the level of the Heavenly Thunder, so I couldn’t catch him at all back then.
Especially since the Khan was right in front of me.
“I didn’t think they’d put him in charge of the vanguard again after seeing that scene.”
These are Northern warriors who consider running away as dishonorable.
To think that the king of such warriors would re-employ a warrior who ran away in front of him.
It was a pettiness that didn’t suit the Northern warriors at all, who are determined to die on the battlefield even if they die.

That’s why I thought they had somehow corrected that habit when I learned that the Khan had re-employed him…
“Looking at that, it doesn’t seem to be the case.”

The White Wolf has long since crossed the mountain range, running hard on two legs.
If he crosses over like that, he’ll probably officially lead one of the Northern legions that were stationed in advance.
Since he called himself the vanguard, not simply coming for reconnaissance, it was safe to assume that preparations for the Northern invasion were already complete.
On top of that, the news that I had returned to the North would be added as a bonus.
“It’s going to get a bit tiring.”
I scratched my head and looked at the hill where the White Wolf had disappeared.
His speed of running away is still excellent.
Moreover, even his instantaneous judgment was accurate, so even I didn’t think he would run away at this timing.

Since he escaped in that way on the previous battlefield too, I could tell that his skill hadn’t rusted.
‘I could chase him if I wanted to, but…’
The alias Heavenly Thunder wasn’t given simply because I’m a magician who handles lightning.
The Lightning Humanization I unleashed in the battle with Elaine. The technique of turning one’s own body into lightning could even partially bring about the speed of lightning.
Since I couldn’t survive solely with overwhelming power against numerous warriors, it was naturally a mobility technique and means of attack I possessed.
Therefore, if I use this Lightning Humanization, I could probably catch up even with the White Wolf’s speed.
But.
“The cons outweigh the pros.”
I could certainly catch up with him, but that’s different from being able to stop him.

Although he’s running away because he has no chance of winning, he’s also a high-ranking superhuman.
It’s almost impossible to deal with a 7th rank superhuman who has completely abandoned the option of combat and is purely running away.
Even more so if that superhuman has physical abilities specialized for escape.
Maybe if I invest a lot of time, I could somehow catch him, but…
“He’d reach the North before that.”
Winter Forest is the gateway to the North.
A passage that prevents barbarians and monsters from coming down from the North.
Therefore, it was naturally the closest place to the North.

If he reaches the North like that, I’d have to face the Northern legion waiting there.
That’s a difficult task even for me.
“I don’t have the strength for that right now either.”
Jijik.
I glanced at my tingling hand.
It’s not simply static electricity gathering, but lightning created by magic power wrapping around my arm.
Then it rushes to burn the skin but gets repelled by my magic power.
Not satisfied with that, it seeps in along my magic circuits, filling my entire body with lightning energy and making it circulate.
This is how the price for unleashing a large-scale technique covering the entire battlefield approaches.
The original Heavenly Thunder could have unleashed this technique without any preparation process, but in the current state, it seemed I had to pay such a price.
“Still as picky as ever.”
Among the nature-altering elements, lightning is particularly tricky.
Of course, it’s not comparable to the manipulation techniques possessed by Beatrice or the Emperor, but lightning technicians are also sufficiently rare.
It was natural considering how countless magicians have turned to ash trying to tame lightning.
However, my problem doesn’t end with simply controlling the tricky lightning.
“Is the seal the problem after all?”
After briefly looking at the scene I created, I shook off my tingling hand once more and slowly headed towards Winter Forest.
**
When I arrived at Winter Forest, the sky was already dyed orange.
I clearly set out when the sun was blazing, but was it because I couldn’t use lightning at all due to side effects?
Anyway, it’s fine since I’ve arrived.

“…You’re back now.”
As I thought this and stepped inside the castle walls, a familiar voice was heard as if it had been waiting.
“Elaine.”

The lord of Winter Forest. Elaine Forest.
She was waiting for me in front of the door with her arms folded.
Behind her, members of the castle wall were busily carrying luggage.
“If you leave so suddenly like that, what am I supposed to do? You should at least tell me where you’re going.”
At Elaine’s words, I briefly felt doubtful.
Although the battle with them unfolded at a somewhat distant place, it wasn’t a distance that couldn’t be seen with her eyes.
Moreover, I unleashed quite a large technique, so she probably couldn’t have not known.
Despite that, is she pretending not to know by saying this?
Or is there another intention?
After pondering the answer for a moment, I soon chose one option.
“I’m sorry.”
Originally, I would have said, ‘Didn’t you already see where I went?’
However, this time I didn’t.
It’s because I realized through the previous conversation that the advice from the Emperor and Beatrice was valid.
All the conversations I had chosen so far had received poor evaluations, so it was natural to choose a better option.
“Ahem, please give me a little notice next time.”
Indeed, women seem to understand women’s hearts well, as the advice from the two people works this time too.
Elaine clears her throat a couple of times and turns her head.
Seeing her expression, I thought I could get through this safely this time as well.
“Then, shall we discuss other matters in the room?”
Other matters?
Before I could tilt my head, she grabbed my hand and headed to her room.
Elaine, who threw me into the lord’s office, ordered the knight that no one should come near here and then slammed the door shut.

Then she spoke with a trembling voice.
“…You saw that bastard, right?”
Even I, who’s not very perceptive, can understand who ‘that bastard’ Elaine is referring to here.

“Yes.”
“As I said, both his arms were fine.”
“That’s right. He said he received the Khan’s blessing directly and grew back.”
The White Wolf, Lycan.
The one who brought down Winter Forest last time and simultaneously exterminated Elaine’s tribe.
“Did you kill him?”
“No.”
I answered without hesitation to her question.
If not for other questions, I could answer this one clearly.
“Ah…”
At the news that he didn’t die, Elaine’s voice trembles faintly.
In the groan that escaped at the same time, a little relief and anxiety are dissolved.
Relief coming from the fact that there’s still a chance for revenge against the enemy who massacred her family and tribe.
And anxiety that will come from the fact that the warrior who brought down the previous Winter Forest could invade here again.
These two emotions weigh down on Elaine’s shoulders.
She’s not just a survivor of a fallen tribe but now the head of the huge gateway called Winter Forest, so that weight must be even greater.
“…That’s good. That I can cut off that bastard’s neck.”
However, the Elaine Forest I know doesn’t kneel to such weight.
To begin with, she’s the one who rebuilt the once-fallen castle walls, gathering the fragments.

This is proven by the thickness and size of the barrier, which has become even thicker than before.
It also meant that she couldn’t be subdued by mere shoulder-weighing pressure.
“Yes, I knew you’d say that.”
Confirming her feelings, I smiled slightly.
It’s because I confirmed that my choice not to forcibly catch the White Wolf was correct.

It’s when I receive confirmation that the choices I’ve made are right that I feel alive.
Falling into this world, I’ve made countless choices.
But no one told me whether those choices were really the right ones.
Maybe that’s why I’ve come to enjoy these moments even more.
Confirming that the choices I’ve made are correct answers, not wrong ones.
That was one of the reasons I lived.
As I smiled for the first time in a while looking at her like that, my hand naturally goes to her head.
Anyone would feel good seeing the girl I’ve watched for a long time standing on her own after enduring hardships and adversities.
I was about to naturally place my hand on her head as I had done before, but.
“So, why is your body condition like that?”
At her suddenly thrown question, I had to stop my hand that was about to be raised.
“Body condition? What do you mean?”
“It means exactly what I said.”
“…I’m not particularly injured anywhere though.”
“You may be so in the physical aspect. But you already know that’s not what I mean.”
I closed my mouth at Elaine’s words.
I knew her eyes were good, but I didn’t think she’d notice this too.
“It seems you’re determined not to answer if I ask like this.”
“……”
“Then, at the risk of being rude, I’ll ask directly.”
Elaine stared at me, who was silent with my mouth closed, and slowly opened her mouth.
“The root mental image, which is the center of rank that everyone who builds ranks comes to possess. And the mental image manifestation, which is called the symbol of the 7th rank.”
“…That.”
“Both of those seemed to be lacking in your lightning. More precisely, it seemed like the technique couldn’t keep up with the lightning.”
A logical explanation.
And deduction close to the answer.
It’s already touching the correct answer.
“I’ll ask again.”
The one who approached the correct answer.
Elaine Forest asked me, her blue eyes flashing.
“Since when has the Heavenly Thunder’s mental image been sealed?”