Chapter 103
Translator: Kell Editor: Weasalopes
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Abilities Suited for Cleaning Up Hordes
From the top of the walls of Borderzard, adventurers fired arrows and spells at the approaching monsters .
「Second volley, hurry up!」
「Damn it! It doesn’t look like their numbers are decreasing . 」
「Stop complaining! We’ll just have to do what we can!」
Dark Night Wolves slipped through the rain of arrows . Forest Barbarians extinguished the fireballs with a swing of their arms . The adventurers’ attacks didn’t seem to be working . But there was nothing else they could do .
「Hang in there! We have to hold this place until dawn!」
The sun was slowly going down . In the evening glow, the citizens of Borderzard were beginning to evacuate . The adventurers’ task was to buy time for that . A lot of the residents preferred to stay, fixated on their properties . As a matter of fact, only half of the population agreed to evacuate . Even then, moving two thousand people overnight was a huge task . Right now, the other gate — the side facing away from the forest — was jammed with people .
「They’re climbing up!」
The first Green Wolf had finally climbed over the dry moat and slipped through the fences, its forelegs now on the wall .
「O-O-Over here too! Ahh!」
A Forest Barbarian destroyed the fences .
「It’s over…」
The plan was to reduce their numbers while they were still far away with long-range attacks . Adventurers would then take to the field to clean up the rest . But if they could manage to do that, they wouldn’t have had to retreat in the first place . If these were ordinary, weak monsters, the case would’ve long been closed inside the forest — they wouldn’t be in this mess right now .
It wasn’t as though they didn’t plan things thoroughly . But it was the only strategy they could come up with given their limited resources . They lacked time to prepare as well . After all, never before had swarms of monsters rushed out of the forest like this .
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「F-Fall back!」
Then just when the front lines were crumbling, a Mage appeared out of nowhere, standing on top of the wall . The girl, with her hood pulled over her eyes, started chanting .
「O’ Spirit, heed my call . A raging fire is what I desire . Fire to burn down all living things, all creation, even the laws of the universe!」
No one seemed to have noticed where she came from .
「Dance, Spirit!」
For a moment, the monsters stopped moving, perplexed by the swelling mass of mana .
「I offer you my mana, so sing, Spirit!」
An incredibly huge magic circle appeared in the air . From it, red raging flames, brighter than the setting sun, emerged .
「Take back our once pure world and burn everything down to ashes . 」
An ordinary Mage would collapse after expending such enormous amount of mana . They might not even finish the spell . Yet the girl continued her chant, her sonorous voice resounding through the battlefield .
「Flame Gospel!」
With a sound like glass breaking, the magic circle shattered to pieces . The heat from the raging ball of flame was so intense that it stung the cheeks of the gaping adventurers watching the scene at a distance . The fireball dropped in the middle of a group of ten Forest Barbarians . The moment it hit, the ground trembled, and a hot, gust of wind swept across the field .
「Waaaahhh?!」
「Oh, crap!」
「Wh-What’s going on?!」
The flames formed a vortex, burning monsters within its reach — humanoids, beasts, plant-type — every single kind set ablaze . When the flames died, a hint of fear resided in the eyes of the monsters .
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「N-Now’s our chance! Attack!」
The first to come to his senses was Borderzard’s guildmaster .
「Attack now while they’re still in shock! Anyone close to the Mage, protect them! After using that much mana, they should be—」
Everyone started moving, following the guildmaster’s instructions . But they froze in awe… and dread .
「O’ Spirit, heed my call . A raging fire is what I desire . Fire to burn down all living things, all creation, even the laws of the universe!」
The Mage began chanting her second shot . A huge magic circle emerged above her .
「Sh-She can still fire another one?」
「Who cares how many times they can shoot?!」An adventurer answered the guildmaster’s question . 「Let’s just let her do her thing! Anyone nearby should move right away! We need to drive away the monsters that made it to the wall!」
A young lady with rich, lustrous hair in pigtails gave the order . The first to recognize her were the adventurers from Ponsonia .
「It’s the Four Stars of the East! Rank B adventurers! We have a chance to win now!」
Life returned to the adventurers’ faces upon hearing the words “rank B” . But the black-haired girl, Selica Tanoue, frowned .
「Move! Now! We lose if even one of these things enter the town!」
The adventurers responded quickly . In the meantime, the second Flame Gospel was being lobbed to a cluster of monsters .
Who is that girl? Even I can’t use a spell that powerful!
Selica glanced at the mysterious Mage . With the hood pulled over their head, she couldn’t see their face . And for some strange reason, whenever she lost focus for a bit, when the Mage wasn’t using their spell, it felt like she would lose sight of the girl — despite the fact that she just stood there on top of the wall .
She must have a magic item that blocks perception! Selica guessed . I have to talk to her after this . Selica then searched for a place with few monsters so she could use her own spells as well .
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Her party leader, Selyse Lande, had already jumped down from the wall and charged straight into the horde of monsters . Supporting her was Sarah, shooting arrows at monsters in Selyse’s blindspot . Her skill with the bow was as splendid as always .
The last member of the Four Stars of the East, Sophie Bloomfield, was in town to treat the wounded .
「I won’t be bested!」
With the appearance of these key characters, the tide of battle was beginning to turn .
Nation of Jarazack, Forestia . Around the same time .
Claude Zahard Kirihal and Luka Lordgrad Ludancia were at the biggest manor located in a town that was formerly a metropolis . The manor itself was once a castle . Accompanying them were Mikhail and Ivan .
A huge door stood before them . Slowly, it opened .
「Guests from Scholarzard have arrived . 」a servant announced .
Claude scanned the room, which was once an audience chamber . Soft carpet covered the floor, and a large, yet plain chair sat at the center . Facing it were four chairs, where they would most likely be seated . The master of the manor was already sitting on the big chair .
「Mikhail! Long time no see! Ivan too! You’ve grown bigger!」
「Lord Alexis . I apologize I can’t visit often as I’m busy teaching . 」
「I’m not a kid anymore, Boss . I won’t grow any bigger . 」
Alexei grinned, probably happy to hear himself referred to as “Boss” . His rugged features gave him a villainous look .
Whoa… Professor Mikhail is just as strong as this guy? Yeah, right . This isn’t what I expected at all! Claude thought .
Alexei stood up and embraced Mikhail and Ivan . The man was over two meters tall, his chest wide . As expected from the nation of martial arts, I guess .
The most terrifying part was his face .
He looks like he eats kids for breakfast!
The man turned his attention towards Claude .
「I see . So this is the man you talked about, Ivan . 」
「Yes . 」
Ivan looked like an underling in Alexei’s gang . Claude gulped .
No matter . I will do what I came here to do .
Claude glanced at his fiancé standing by his side . Luka too looked at him .
「My name is Claude Zahard Kirihal . I came here to ask you, the strongest man in Jarazack, a favor . 」
Mustering all his courage, Claude walked forward . About a meter away from Alexei, he stopped and fixed his gaze on the face of the boss .
「We’ll have to see if you’re worthy enough to ask me a favor . 」
「I understand . 」
「Claude is strong . Right now, out of ten matches, I could barely win one fight . 」Mikhail said .
「Wow!」the boss exclaimed, looking even happier . 「Ever since you left, Mikhail, I trained even harder . As a result, no one in Jarazack could defeat me anymore . There’s no way you can beat me now!」he told the professor .
「I can sense the aura around you has changed . 」Mikhail said . 「Brace yourself, Claude . He’s not the Lord Alexei I know anymore . 」
Claude gulped once more .
This really isn’t what I was expecting!