I Built a Divine Zoo in Another World

Chapter 131: Blessing (2)

The light vanished.

Everything returned to normal. The battlefield, which moments before had been bathed in a greenish-white glow, was once again shrouded in the gloom created by the King’s corrupted mana.

Except...

The mage.

Her body completely gave out. The blessing she had cast had consumed not only her mana, but something far deeper. Her eyes rolled back slightly, and her knees buckled beneath her own weight.

She fell to her knees. The staff she had been gripping so tightly slipped from her fingers and rolled across the ground. Her body leaned forward, and she began to collapse toward the earth.

Before her face could hit the ground...

Lukas appeared.

He did not know how he had moved so quickly. One moment he was watching from afar, the next he was already beside the mage, his arms reaching out to catch her by the shoulders before she could collapse completely.

"Are you alright?"

The mage was breathing with difficulty. Her skin, which moments ago had been flushed with the energy of the blessing, was now as pale as paper. Sweat poured down her face, and her eyes struggled to focus.

A weary smile appeared on her face.

"I’m..."

Her voice was weak, almost inaudible. Every word seemed to require tremendous effort.

"I just... don’t have enough energy left to even move..."

Lukas let out a relieved sigh. At least she was conscious. At least she was alive.

"You scared me."

She tried to laugh. Her lips curved into a smile, but she lacked even the strength for that. The sound that escaped her throat was more of a sigh than a laugh.

Lukas quickly looked around. The battle was not over yet. The Rat King was still growing, its transformation still underway. The soldiers were reorganizing, preparing for the next assault.

Then he called out.

"Tilbo."

The enormous ant immediately approached, its legs moving with surprising agility for its size. It lowered itself, bringing its body down so Lukas could reach its carapace.

Lukas carefully helped the mage lean against the creature’s sturdy shell, leaving her seated comfortably. He adjusted her position so she could support herself, making sure she would not fall even if she lost consciousness.

Prata remained beside them, watching closely for any threat that might approach. Her body was tense, ready to attack anything that dared come near the defenseless mage.

Astra continued flying overhead, her eyes scanning the battlefield for danger.

Lukas turned back to the mage.

"What was that light?"

She parted her lips to answer. But before a single word could leave her mouth, another voice rang out first.

"EVERYONE!"

It was Hark. His voice sounded even more powerful than before, empowered by the renewed mana flowing through his body.

"ADVANCE!"

He raised his spear, its golden tip shining with an intense light that pierced the darkness.

"LET’S DEFEAT THE RAT KING!"

The soldiers answered immediately.

"YES!"

The group’s morale exploded. The fear that had once gripped them was replaced by confidence. The blessing had not only healed their bodies, it had rekindled the hope that had begun to fade.

Clavor slowly rotated the arm holding his sword. His shoulder, which had been aching before, now moved perfectly. He opened and closed his hand several times, feeling his strength fully return with every finger that wrapped around the hilt.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"So..."

He looked toward the mage in the distance, still leaning against Tilbo.

"That’s her ability?"

Hark nodded.

"Yes."

He rested the spear on his shoulder, his eyes fixed on the Rat King.

"That’s exactly why I brought her."

His gaze returned to the enormous monster, which continued to grow as it absorbed thousands of creatures. Every passing second advanced its transformation, and its power increased exponentially.

"Now our strength has been restored."

He smiled, a smile carrying all the confidence of a warrior who had witnessed and survived countless battles.

"The soldiers have regained their ability to fight."

"Our mage has his mana back."

"The two of us as well."

He tightened his grip on the spear.

"With all of that..."

He pointed the weapon toward the monstrous creature in the distance.

"I don’t believe there’s even the slightest chance that we won’t be able to defeat it."

Clavor spent a few seconds watching the giant. The pressure radiating from the creature was terrifying, suffocating. Even from this distance, he could feel the weight of the corrupted mana, the raw power gathering within that transforming body.

Yet his gaze remained unwavering. There was no fear in his eyes. Only the same determination he had carried since the beginning of the battle.

Hark continued.

"It is an A-Rank monster."

He paused briefly, allowing the words to sink in.

"But it’s still far from reaching its true strength."

"If we wait..."

He did not even need to finish.

Everyone understood.

The more rats were absorbed... the more powerful the monster would become.

The longer they waited, the harder the battle would be. The King’s transformation was not merely a change in form but a process of growth, of accumulating power. And the further that process advanced, the more impossible it would become to stop it.

Clavor nodded slowly.

"Then we end this now."

The twenty soldiers quickly gathered. Their steps were firm and confident. The blessing had erased not only their wounds but also their doubts.

The formation automatically reorganized itself around Hark and Clavor. The most experienced soldiers took the front line with their shields raised. The younger ones remained behind them, their spears ready to charge when the moment came.

The wind mage returned to his position just behind the front line. His mana was flowing vigorously once more, and small currents of air danced around his fingers, ready to be unleashed.

The spears were raised. The shields locked together. The entire group was ready.

Lukas watched them all.

Then he looked at the mage, still leaning against Tilbo. She could not even lift her arms.

"You won’t be able to fight."

She gently shook her head, her eyes still half-closed.

"I can’t even stand..."

Lukas smiled, a smile meant to reassure her.

"Then leave the rest to them."

She returned a weary but sincere smile.

"Be careful..."

Lukas nodded. He would stay by her side. Someone had to protect her while she recovered. Besides, he was not a trained fighter like the soldiers. His place was here, watching.

Astra continued circling overhead, her eyes alert for any suspicious movement.

Tilbo remained perfectly still, shielding them both with his massive body.

In the distance...

The King’s enormous body finally stopped growing.

The stream of rats racing toward it gradually slowed until the last ones needed had been absorbed. The silence that followed was absolute, as though the forest itself were holding its breath.

The hundreds of eyes opened once again.

All at the same time.

And, for the first time...

The monstrosity began to move.