Chapter 609
Well, I'm Always Fine. (1)
Suddenly, as mana converged in one place, the balance of the world seemed to collapse, distorting the very fabric of space.
Soon, incantations erupted from the mouths of the mages.
Kwaaaaaang!
The sky split apart with a terrifying roar of thunder. In that fleeting instant, the world was divided into light and darkness.
Paaaaaah!
From where the mages stood, multicolored magic exploded outward. Like a meteor shower, it rained down upon the monsters.
Kuuuuuuung!
Mana seeped into the earth and detonated, creating towering pillars of fire. The monsters caught in the searing heat were reduced to ashes in an instant.
Endless bolts of lightning crashed down from the sky. The ground split open, spewing forth lava, while massive chunks of ice plummeted from above.
The wind became blades, slicing through the monsters, and the land itself opened its maw to swallow them whole.
Kwaang! Kwaaaang! Kwaaaang!
It was as if the end of the world had arrived. Every element of nature had become one, unleashing its fury upon the monsters.
Kyaaaaaaaaak!
The monsters trapped between the massive barriers were utterly powerless before the overwhelming assault. Their roars and screams were drowned out by the deafening explosions of magic.
The battlefield was instantly consumed by a chaotic maelstrom of light and darkness, fire and ice, lightning and wind.
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaaaang!
Kyaaaak!
Over a thousand mages had unleashed their full power at once. The monsters stood no chance against such an onslaught.
Their agonized shrieks echoed across the battlefield as they were torn apart and obliterated.
“U-Uwaaaah…”
Even the fortress soldiers, who had been fighting fiercely, were left speechless at the sight.
The superhumans who had come to aid them had shown great prowess, but to see mages gather and wield their power so freely it was a spectacle that could rival the might of the gods.
Until now, the soldiers had seen mages as those who did little on the battlefield. More often than not, they focused their efforts on countering each other’s spells rather than launching direct attacks.
Even when they did attack, it was little more than an elaborate fireworks display. Successfully casting large-scale magic was a rarity.
But now, look.
With no interference and their power fully unleashed, the mage army was proving to be nothing short of extraordinary.
Ghislain dodged a Cyclops’ attack, a grin spreading across his face.
“Well, you made it here just fine. I was a bit worried you’d cause trouble.”
Among them, a staggering 800 mages had been forcibly conscripted. Though more than 300 mages from Ritania had voluntarily come, it wasn’t as if they were pleased about it.
They were all here because of Ghislain’s orders, not out of goodwill or their own volition.
If someone were to incite them, those mages could change their minds at any moment.
In fact, as Ghislain and the other powerful figures had taken the lead, the mages had begun exchanging uncertain glances.
‘Can’t we just run away?’
‘But if we run, we’ll just get caught and killed anyway, right?’
‘Wait, what if all of us attack the Duke of Fenris at once?’
It didn’t matter if he was said to be the strongest on the continent if this many mages attacked him simultaneously, even the Duke of Fenris would surely die.
But who would step forward to lead such an audacious act? It was the classic case of trying to bell the cat.
The mages hesitated, caught in their own thoughts.
‘The Ritania army is still stationed at other fortresses, isn’t it?’
‘If we kill the Duke of Fenris, both the Allied Forces and the Ritania army will hunt us down.’
‘Wouldn’t he just die on his own if we ran? If we all ran together, wouldn’t we be fine?’
Mages were naturally prone to overthinking. No one dared to act first, instead glancing around to gauge the others' reactions.
Moreover, their individualistic nature made them reluctant to incite rebellion or take responsibility for such a drastic move.
The one currently leading the mages was Hubert of the Kingdom of Ritania solely because he was the closest to Ghislain.
Truthfully, he had entertained the thought of fighting against Ghislain as well.
But he quickly shook his head, dismissing the idea.
‘If we mess with him and fail, we’re all dead.’
No one had suffered at Ghislain’s hands more than Hubert. The mages of Ritania knew exactly what kind of man Ghislain was.
Even the slightest suspicious movement of mana, and that monster would come flying at them in an instant.
Could they really handle his speed?
‘I don’t have that kind of confidence. Not at all.’
On top of that, Zwalter Ferdium, now the king of Ritania, was governing the kingdom with exceptional skill. Ritania had swiftly regained stability.
If they opposed Ghislain now, the already unified Kingdom of Ritania would never let them go.
And if they abandoned the fortress, only for it to be overrun by the monster horde?
‘That bastard would find a way to survive and hunt us down no matter what.’
Dragon or not, he was the type to personally seek them out and kill them all.
Whether they attacked Duke of Fenris, ran away, succeeded, or failed it would all end with their lives becoming miserable.
So, Hubert and the mages of Ritania quickly abandoned the idea.
However, there were always those with ambition.
Running beside Hubert, Alfoi leaned in and whispered slyly.
“Master.”
“What.”
“Right now, you’re leading the strongest mage corps on the continent.”
“…So?”
“That means, if you set your mind to it, no obstacle could stand in your way.”
Alfoi dragged his finger across his neck in a subtle gesture. It was obvious who he was suggesting they eliminate.
“……”
“If you don’t like that idea, how about we all just run away together? Honestly, I don’t feel great about attacking either. I’ve grown a little attached, and it pricks my conscience.”
“……”
“They’re too busy fighting the monsters to chase after us.”
“……And after that?”
“What do you mean, after that? We just hide in some corner of the continent and live happily ever after.”
Alfoi responded bluntly, wearing a look that asked, How could you not know this?
Hubert's face turned red with anger. When the hell is this brat going to grow up?
“You think I’m leading all these mages because I’m special?”
“That’s not it. Obviously, I’m the special one.”
“This authority was given to me by the Duke of Fenris. Do you really think these people will listen if I tell them what to do? Even if they did, do you honestly believe we’d be safe if we ran? Do you still not understand that man’s personality? You’ve spent even more time with him than I have!”
“I’m an indomitable man of fire and the mage who defied the gods.”
“Get your head on straight! If we fail, we all die! No dying would be a blessing! That man would turn us into slaves and torment us for the rest of our lives!”
At Hubert’s furious outburst, Alfoi pouted.
“Oh, come on, I was just throwing the idea out there. You’re such a coward. Who doesn’t know that? If we get caught, we’ll just be slaves together.”
He had already to spent over 300 years as a slave, so it didn’t really matter to him.
No, what actually irritated him was that other people weren’t slaves.
Hubert’s anger exploded at Alfoi’s insubordinate attitude.
“Why are you still like this?! Can’t you just behave for once? You pathetic fool!”
“What did you just say? Pathetic? I got dragged here and turned into a slave because of you, and you want me to stay quiet?! Why am I the only one suffering? Why don’t you care about my grievances?!”
“W-What?! You insolent brat! Is that any way to speak to your master?!”
“But I’m right! You sent me off to Fenris and completely abandoned me! What kind of teacher throws away their own disciple? All you ever cared about was hoarding gems since when have you ever cared about me?”
“Y-You bastard! How dare you talk back to me?!”
“You did abandon me! What did I do wrong?!”
Alfoi had a lot of pent-up resentment.
He was convinced that he had been born into a prestigious noble family only to be discarded due to political conflicts within his house.
Of course, this was all a delusion Alfoi had fabricated in his own mind. But he believed it to be the absolute truth.
How could someone of his noble lineage be forced to live like this? Of course, he was frustrated.
“I was definitely a marquis’s son at the very least! But I had the misfortune of getting dragged into the Magic Towers because of you, spent years as a mage, and ended up as a slave!”
“What a load of bullshit! Why would a marquis’s son be an orphan?! You were either a commoner or a beggar! You should be grateful that I made you a mage at all!”
Hubert had once heard directly that Maurice, the former Supreme Commander of the Royal Army, had lost a child.
But there was no way someone like Alfoi could be his son.
The world was full of orphans. As Hubert traveled, he would pick out the ones who showed talent and bring them to the Magic Towers.
Alfoi was one of those orphans but now, Hubert regretted ever taking him in.
Just looking at him gave him a headache.
“How the hell did I end up taking in a disciple like you?! You’re my greatest misfortune!”
At Hubert’s words, Alfoi became even more furious.
“If you were going to act like this, you shouldn’t have taken me in at all! What’s the point of being a mage?! I’m still a slave in the end!”
“How is that my fault?! That’s on you!”
As their argument escalated, the elders of the Crimson Flame Tower intervened. It was too embarrassing to let other mages witness their squabble.
Still fuming, Hubert finally voiced the thought he had been keeping to himself.
“You’re stripped of your successor title! Live out the rest of your life in Fenris!”
“What?! I’m the successor of the Magic Tower! You can’t just strip me of that!”
“You’re a slave anyway! You can’t even leave Fenris! You’re supposed to be a slave for over 300 years! How the hell is a slave supposed to become the Tower Master?!”
“You don’t get to decide that! The Magic Tower is mine!”
“What do you mean yours? It’s mine! I’m the Tower Master! I make the rules!”
Normally, revoking a successor’s title was a serious matter, requiring careful deliberation with the elders.
But Hubert had simply blurted it out.
He was done with Alfoi. He couldn’t stand him anymore.
To begin with, Hubert was one of the most childish figures in the North. Now, he deliberately provoked Alfoi.
“I have plenty of other disciples, you know? I don’t need you. That’s why I dumped you in Fenris in the first place.”
However, Alfoi was no pushover when it came to arguments.
When it came to infuriating people, he was on par with Claude, one of the biggest troublemakers in the territory.
“Oh, so just because you’re my teacher, you think you can do whatever you want? I didn’t even learn much from you! Vanessa taught me more! And guess what? That maid-born Vanessa is a better mage than you! You’re still stuck at 6th-Circle magic!”
“Have you lost your damn mind?!”
Both of them began drawing in mana, ready to fight.
It was complete chaos.
The elders struggled to break them apart, even warning them, If we’re late, the Duke of Fenris will punish us.
Only then did the fight barely come to an end.
Even Hubert, who had been the only one capable of holding the mages together, had given up at this point.
There was no longer anyone who could unite them.
Whether it was attacking the Duke of Fenris or escaping, there was simply no one fit to lead them.
So, after wasting time hesitating and fantasizing about running away, they arrived at the battlefield.
Now that they had arrived, there was no point in thinking too much.
Even the mages, who had been so preoccupied with escaping, were overwhelmed by the sheer number of monsters before them.
At the very front, Hubert shouted loudly. He needed something to vent his anger on.
“Just wipe them all out! Don’t hold back your mana!”
Vanessa promptly raised barriers in key locations, helping the mages focus their attacks with precision.
Kwaaaaaaang!
And so, every single mage unleashed their magic without reservation.
They finally understood if they didn’t push the monsters back, their own lives would be in danger.
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaaaang!
There were over 300 mages at the 5th-Circle and more than 50 at the 6th-Circle. On top of that, there were hundreds of lower-circle mages.
When all of them poured out their mana at once, the very landscape was reshaped.
The monsters were swept away in an instant.
Even the barriers Vanessa had constructed were reduced to dust under the sheer force of the unleashed magic.
Julien and Belinda quickly retreated to the fortress walls, while Jerome, horrified, hastily erected a new mana barrier.
Meanwhile, Vanessa repositioned herself, shielding the Fenris Knights from the residual shockwaves.
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaaaang!
The mages did not stop.
The whirlwind of overwhelming mana made it difficult for even their allies to breathe, let alone the monsters.
Only after an extended barrage did the mages, exhausted, finally lower their hands.
Saaaaaah...
The battlefield beyond the collapsed barriers was a scene of utter devastation.
The monsters that had been engulfed in flames had turned to ash, their remains scattered by the wind.
Those that had been buried underground were crushed beyond recognition, mixed with the dirt.
Fragments of bones and torn flesh were strewn all across the field.
Not a single intact corpse remained.
“Huff… huff…”
The mages, having depleted their mana in one massive outburst, collapsed where they stood.
Not one of them wasn’t gasping for breath.
The battlefield fell into an eerie silence.
Only the lingering traces of mana, still crackling in the air, bore testament to the ferocity of the battle.
It took a while before the fortress soldiers snapped out of their daze and erupted into cheers.
“Waaaaahhhh!”
“The monsters are gone!”
“We won!”
Of course, there were still monsters left, especially near Ghislain, where thousands remained at the rear.
However, the tide of battle had already shifted.
No more monsters were pouring in.
Julien and Belinda descended from the fortress walls, while Jerome gathered the last of his mana.
The soldiers atop the walls pushed forward, determined to finish off the remaining monsters.
Then, Ghislain’s voice thundered across the battlefield.
“Wipe out the rest of them!”
Drrrrrk!
At the same time, the greatsword in his hand began to tremble.