ASDEF 26

Chapter 26

A village that had been reduced to ruins in an instant due to the sudden appearance of monsters.

In the midst of it all, I was running into a building to escape the monsters.

Just then, a massive pillar of fire came crashing down on me. Soon, indescribable pain began to assault my thigh.

Before I even had time to writhe in agony, a huge monster bared its teeth and charged at me.

I screamed.

—

*’D-don’t come any closer…!!’*

—

Just as I was struggling, drenched in sweat all over my body—

—

*’Hold Monster!’*

—

Someone cast a spell on the monster, and in an instant, the monster that had been closing in on me froze solid.

I hugged my trembling body and curled up on the ground.

At that moment, someone reached out a hand to me.

I only glanced up at the hand extended toward me. It was a very white and delicate hand.

—

*’Wh-who are you…?’*

—

I wanted to see the face of the person who had saved me, so I looked up. But my vision was hazy and I couldn’t see their face at all.

Just as I squinted my eyes as hard as I could, the dream’s development ended right there.

Eiral Village, located near the Ross Strait.

Due to the five days of continuous battle, civilians, soldiers, and even mages—the death toll had already exceeded a hundred.

It was a large-scale battle, with not only the military deployed but also nearby mercenaries recruited.

The overall operation commander was Division Commander Oliver Marlborough.

However, the actual commander of the monster subjugation operation was Daniel Benson, the head of the Royal Order.

Inside the ruined village, fierce battles continued endlessly between the countless monsters pouring out of the Dimension Gate and the soldiers.

Compared to fighting monsters in a large mountain, the coastline was a terrain more suitable for launching surprise attacks in many ways, but the problem was the civilians.

This was because Caph Island, where the nobles’ territories were concentrated, had a larger population than other nearby islands.

Accordingly, the property damage to civilians and nobles was severe.

For this reason, mages had long placed powerful defensive magic on Caph Island, but due to the dark mages’ successive surprise attacks, it was eventually breached.

In a situation where the number of casualties was increasing more rapidly than those healed by the Saintess’s treatment, all that remained now was to quickly end this battle.

Because the longer the battle dragged on, the more the number of casualties would continue to rise.

That’s how devoid of any mercy their attacks were.

Daniel, who had been observing the monsters’ movements from the command post, spoke to Oliver.

“Division Commander, move the troops to the left immediately.”

“Understood. Roper! Move the troops to the left at once! Rearrange the formation with riflemen in the front and cavalry in the rear!”

As Daniel confirmed the troops moving to the left following the kingdom’s flag, a mage hurriedly approached him from behind.

“We’ve finally located the dark mages’ position, Commander!”

“Location.”

“Easterborn.”

Easterborn—a massive coastal cliff on the western outskirts of Eiral Village.

Daniel quickly descended from the command post.

“I’ll go myself. The rest of you stay here and rescue the civilians first.”

“B-but, going alone…!”

“We’ve already lost over five mages in this battle. No more.”

“…Ah, understood.”

The mage had no choice but to accept the order.

Daniel’s eyes were filled with a fury rarely seen from him.

Watching Daniel’s back as he headed toward the epicenter, the Division Commander instinctively knew what he had to do and immediately shouted forward again.

“Soldiers of Phlithium! Destroy the enemy! We must end this great battle in victory today! Charge!”

Along with the massive sound of drums, the soldiers in formation began to advance forward.

At the edge of a coastal cliff where the wind blew fiercely.

By the time Daniel arrived, the surroundings had already been cloaked in thick darkness.

*’Detect Evil.’*

*Paff!*

A great wind swept across the cliff.

The mana that spread through the magic capable of detecting demonic energy began to search for magical signatures.

The range was vast, so mana consumption was considerable, but Daniel did not stop the spell.

That was when it happened.

A red shadow swooped down from above Daniel, entwining around him like a noose.

As Daniel dodged without hesitation, massive pillars of fire continuously rained down on him.

*’Wall of Ice.’*

A solid wall of ice rose from the ground. The incoming fireballs collided with the ice wall and shattered into pieces.

*KWA-A-A-A-NG!*

In the air that fell silent after the thunderous noise, Daniel once again felt a massive flow of mana.

Soon, multiple veils of flame flew toward him.

*’It’s Fire Charm. Judging by the spells being used, he’s just a brat who hasn’t even reached 6th class.’*

Daniel quickly deployed a defensive spell.

*’Fire Shield.’*

A cold shield lightly blocked the veils of flame.

Daniel murmured toward his surroundings.

“Don’t bother trying to run. Come out.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than someone’s laughter was heard.

“Puhahaha!”

“Keukheukheuk.”

Daniel turned toward where the voices were coming from.

At the end of the scorched path stood two mages.

On the left was a young man, and on the right was an old man holding a large staff.

Moreover, they were both wearing black robes engraved with serpentine patterns.

A serpent’s head biting its own tail—a Möbius strip.

That was the emblem of Baphomet, the dark mage organization.

*’Judging by the thick demonic energy emanating from the one on the left, he’s the one who was using attack spells just now.’*

As Daniel was making that assumption, the old man on the right smiled strangely.

“So I finally get to see the head of the Royal Order, whom I’ve only heard about in stories. To so easily evade magic of this level. Truly impressive.”

Daniel looked at him and laughed lightly.

“That sounds like you already knew I would come here.”

“I opened the Dimension Gate myself just to see you, yet you only used 5th-class magic. You’re making a fool of me.”

“I was just matching the level of that underling you brought along. Wasn’t it quite entertaining to watch?”

“…What? Puhahaha!!”

He stroked his chin with one hand and spoke.

“To think you used defensive magic matching my disciple’s skill. Then I’m relieved. Because I can evaluate your true abilities myself.”

“…You old man talk too much. You know very well I didn’t come here to chat with the likes of you.”

“Chatting. That’s harsh words.”

The old man let out a small laugh.

“Enough talk. Bring out the one hiding like a rat behind you.”

At Daniel’s cold voice, the old man’s face stiffened.

“Hiding? Who are you referring to besides us?”

“You already know who I’m talking about, don’t you?”

“H-how dare you insult the Dark Lord…!”

Instantly, a murderous glare shot toward Daniel. A thick tension hung between them.

“Arrogant bastard. Let’s see if you can block this too. *Prismatic Spray!*”

*Zeeeeeeng!*

A rainbow-colored ray burst forth from the tip of the staff.

A spell that burns flesh and bone with high-temperature rays. The enormous beam began to brightly illuminate the surroundings.

“So you were a 7th-class mage, which is why the Dimension Gate took longer… *Prismatic Wall.*”

A vertical, shimmering wall soon formed in front of Daniel.

*Woo-woong!*

As an enormous amount of mana poured out from Daniel, the old man gritted his teeth. This was because a magical showdown with a higher-class opponent was unwinnable.

But the old man, as if he had been waiting, pulled out a card he had prepared.

“Did you think I would back down this easily…! *Permanency!*”

A spell that extends duration. That was something only an 8th-class mage could do.

A crisis situation.

The air swelled as if about to explode.

*’How can a 7th-class mage use 8th-class magic…’*

Without even time to think, another dark mage who had approached behind Daniel cast a spell, forming an incantation.

*’Lightning Bolt!’*

Powerful bolts of lightning split into multiple branches, striking Daniel from ambush.

*’Shield!’*

*Clang! KWAANG!*

For Daniel, who was 8th-class, it wouldn’t have mattered how many novice mages attacked him, but fighting against a mage of the same class was a different matter.

Because Daniel’s powerful defensive formation was beginning to crumble little by little.