Volume 23 Chapter 5 Confrontation
Al launched from the hilltop where Desmond and the others were, dropping into a low-'Fly' trajectory, heading southeast.
He needed to go around the squad with Marquis Prentis's Mages.
Al landed frequently, each time pressing his palm to the ground to pinpoint the enemy's position.
The enemy seemed to have dismounted from their carriages, the vibrations from the wheels gone.
Whether because of that, or because they'd located Desmond's group, their movement had clearly sped up.
They were heading straight for Desmond and the others.
Al's ideal scenario was to unleash his magic from behind just before the enemy squad and Desmond's group clashed, neutralizing the Mages.
The best spell for that would be 'Magic Tornado', but extending its range meant shrinking the tornado's effective area, which was determined by his skill.
It would become difficult to position the center of the effect perfectly.
If he cast it poorly, he'd only hit some of the Mages, and if he got too close, he'd be exposed to a direct attack after casting the spell.
Furthermore, given his skill with 'Magic Tornado', it was impossible to cast it from outside the 'Detect Magic' spell's 50-meter range.
Of course, he could extend the range of 'Magic Missile' beyond 50 meters, but that would only result in it being easily blocked by the enemy's 'Shield' spell.
The enemy squad was steadily closing in on the hill where Desmond's group was.
Al suppressed his growing anxiety and cautiously approached the enemy squad.
Finally, glimpses of the enemy squad moving through the trees became visible.
He emerged above the forest and glanced at the eastern sky.
It was beginning to brighten just a little.
But inside the forest, it was still dark.
Al switched the effects of 'Sensory Boost', which he'd enhanced to feel vibrations, to 'Telescopic Vision' and 'Night Sight'.
Hidden among the forest's dense foliage, the enemy unit moved 2 hundred meters ahead, their forms visible through the trees.
In the pitch-black forest, the enemy troops marched in a line 20 meters long, their lanterns casting the minimum of light, flickering across the ground as they hurried along.
The careful way they held the lanterns was likely an attempt to remain inconspicuous from a distance.
Cloaked in hoods, nearly everyone blended together, making it hard to pinpoint who was the Mage.
Yet, a faint bluish glow indicative of 'Magic Sense' emanated from the leader and a few stragglers at the rear.
'Mr. Desmond, can you hear me? I've reached the enemy's rear. About a kilometer from their vanguard to here.'
Al initiated 'Telepathy' while waiting for Glee to confirm their position, drawing closer to the hill where Desmond was in wait.
'Loud and clear. You made it? From here, I still can't get a fix on the enemy's position. How are they moving without lights in this darkness?'
Lights in the dark should be visible from afar, that was the common sense.
'They're crafty, only lighting the ground. Could be an effective tactic. Should be easier to spot from up high...'
'Roger that. Oh, looks like someone up a tree spotted us. Hang tight, I'll confirm and get back to you.'
The response cut off abruptly.
In that moment, the enemy's movement halted.
The unit did not bunch up but maintained a formation, stretched out over 20 meters.
The vanguard was perhaps 8 hundred meters from Desmond's hill.
Two figures at the back began sprinting towards the front of the line.
Could there be a commander at the rear?
'I can make out a dim light from here too. There's the enemy. Good, that helps.'
Contact from Desmond came through.
But to launch an attack now, there was too great a distance between them and Desmond's group.
Best to wait and observe a bit longer.
That thought had barely crossed his mind when the enemy unit started moving again.
Yet, about ten of them lingered in place.
Watching in puzzlement, these stragglers began to head north along a beast trail, diverging from the 50 or so continuing forward.
'The enemy's split into 2 groups. Roughly, 50 on one side and ten on the other. The 50 are heading south, and the ten are heading north.'
'Could they be planning to ambush us...? What's with the 50 and the ten?'
Desmond's 'Telepathy' replied.
'Not sure. But the original ten in the back have more "Magic Sense" reactions.'
'Could those be the ones who got off the carriages?'
Desmond's words settled heavily in his gut.
Yeah, maybe.
Originally, Orson had said there were about 50 on foot and 2 carriages.
It made sense that the ten in the back were originally on the carriages.
That meant the group of ten likely had a higher chance of having a mage.
But that was just a possibility.
There was also someone using magic at the front of the formation.
Maybe one of the mages had joined the other side as a commanding officer.
'Al, can you handle the group of ten for now? There's probably a tough mage or magician among them. It'll be rough, but I'm counting on you. I'll deal with the 50 here.'
And if he stirs up chaos over here, he can take down 3 with one strike, maybe? Let's wrap this up before it gets too dark.
Before he could ask if taking on 3 was really doable, he realized he was being asked to face ten alone.
It seemed like his side had a chance, but it looked like they'd just have to give it their all.
'Got it. I'll manage somehow.'
After replying like that, Al started chasing after the group heading north.
* * *
The opponents were ten, all wearing similarly deep hoods, making it hard to tell who the mage was.
Al prepared for battle as he closed in about a hundred meters.
First, he used the 'Transport' spell to summon a guard golem.
This guard golem, found in the Ancient Ruins of the Mehtabel Mountains, had been entrusted to Malachi for repairs.
They've managed to gather 6 of them, but after entrusting the repairs to Malachi, only one has returned to hand so far.
Just like the guardian golems at Tempest's tomb and the Research Tower, he can give commands to protect a specific place or target.
But he still haven't tested just how powerful they truly are.
Still, he has decided not to hold back this time.
His safety will be his priority.
Right now, he has prepared the Quick 'Shield' spell and the delayed magic of 'Magic Tornado'.
The delay spell was secretly gifted to him by Lord Zora──a forbidden magic from Count Senet's magician corps, kept under wraps.
Normally, you'd need about ten seconds of casting time, but by preloading the spell, it feels like he's casting it all at once──faster, sharper.
He plan to get as close as possible to the ten opponents left in the field and unleash 'Magic Tornado' in one massive attack.
Whether he get to act or not, this could be the secret weapon if our firepower falls short.
Distant voices and sounds hint that the battle has already started somewhere nearby.
It's probably Desmond and his team.
There's no room left for hesitation.
With hope for their fight, Al carefully places the guard golems onto the 'Carrier' flying disk and launches into the skies, heading straight for a group of ten or so enemies.
The enemies seem to notice Al's approach, and their spellcasting begins.
'Long-range Magic Missile'...
From 2 figures' hands, streaks of pale blue and white arrows──probably the spell used earlier against Prince Theodore──shot out.
It's surely the same spell that attacked us before.
They're outside their expected range, well beyond what he thought──yet still fewer than he feared.
Seven hexagons of light bloomed from the 'Shield', and the pale blue arrow vanished. Eight more to go.
'Magic Tornado'
Al chanted the spell as it reached 40 meters.
The enemy's reactions were varied.
Some wore sneers, as if Al was panicking despite the distance, but their expressions twisted when a beam of pale blue light erupted from Al's palm, whistling as it shot towards them.
'Erase Magic'
A man among the enemy chanted, and the pale blue light Al had unleashed vanished instantly.
A spell he'd never seen before.
Was it even possible to erase an attack spell?And its activation time was on par with a 'Spasm' spell.
"Don't let your guard down! That's just a little golden-haired brat! Close the distance!"
At the man's command, the ten-man group charged towards Al.
Should he use the delayed "'Magic Tornado'" spell?
No, some of the ten hadn't cast any spells yet.
He should hold back and prepare another spell.
Al closed the distance further, his mind racing.
Covering ten meters was a blink of an eye.
Of the ten enemies, 4 stopped about ten meters away, while the other 6 kept coming.
Al stopped his advance about 5 meters away.
Three of the 4 who'd stopped had used magic earlier.
Were they Mages?
'Magic Shockwave'
What about this spell?
Unlike 'Magic Tornado', this one unleashed a torrent of pale blue energy from his palm in a cone shape.
He didn't know what the 'Erase Magic' spell could do, but surely it couldn't handle this.
The torrent of pale blue energy from the 'Magic Shockwave' spell mowed down the 6 enemies charging towards Al.
'Quick Force Wall'
The man who had used the 'Erase Magic' spell unleashed another spell Al didn't recognize.
A white, semi-transparent wall appeared directly in front of the 4 who had stopped.
About 3 meters high.
The semi-transparent barrier intercepts the flow of pale blue debris.
'Magic Missile'
'Magic Missile'
As the stream of pale blue, magic-infused shockwave debris cut off, the semi-transparent wall vanished, and almost simultaneously, the two cast their 'Magic Missile' spells.
Al himself couldn't invoke the 'Spasm' spell right after using the magic 'Magic Shockwave.'
The thought crosses his mind that he should have prepared a delay spell for 'Spasm.'
Five arrows of pale blue light.
Four.
The hexagonal shield of light flashes 8 times, one persists, piercing Al's abdomen.
The armor barely holds, but Al is still blown backward.
A powerful impact chokes the breath from him.
The guard golem behind Al leaps forward, shielding the fallen mage.
Its hood slips, revealing the golem's face.
"A golem?"
The man who had cast the 'Dispel Magic' spell exclaimed in surprise.
Al, enduring the pain, somehow manages to kneel on one leg.
Indeed, it seems the 'Dispel Magic' spell could only handle a limited number at once.
And perhaps, only 3 of them could cast spells.
They wouldn't just repeat the same pattern, would they?
"Golem, fall back"
'Magic Shockwave'
Al commands the guard golem to step down and chants the spell once more.
'Quick Force Wall'
A momentary look of surprise crosses the enemy magician's face──is he going to do the same thing again?
His skill at precisely countering their spells is undeniable.
This one is definitely a Mage.
Are the other 2 who use magic also Mages, or apprentices?
And what about the one who hasn't used any spells?
A white, semi-transparent wall appears, defending against the magic 'Magic Shockwave.'
Seizing the moment as the Magic Shockwave spell's fury subsides, Al delays just long enough ── then unleashes his 'Magic Tornado'──aiming just above the translucent wall.
'Magic...'
'Magic...'
The semi-transparent barrier dissipates.
A pale blue-white glow flows from Al's palm, arching gracefully through the air.
It whistles──a sharp, piercing sound──then lands just behind the 4, hitting the ground with a soft thud.
The 4 stare, eyes wide in shock.
In that instant, centered on where the pale glow had been, a white light blooms like a radiant flower opening ── swirling rapidly, it spreads out in a vortex of brilliance.
The 4 are battered by the blast, thrown backward in a single, overwhelming surge.
If the Magic Shockwave spell ends, they'll probably just vanish the translucent wall and revive with a counterattack spell ── just as Al predicted.
Likely, those 3 coordinated perfectly: using 'Erase Magic' or a Quick-enhanced Force Wall, intercepting Al's spells.
Then, immediately launching counterattack spells to finish him off.
That the 4th ── the one who didn't cast at all ── didn't use (or couldn't use) Erase magic... that was the only fortunate break for Al.
Watching the 4 fall one after another, battered by the raging blue-white tornado, Al slowly rises to his feet.
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