Chapter 327: How is it? I’m right, aren’t I? (1)
As Vanessa drew upon her mana, the bracelet on her arm began to emit a bright light.
The mana concentrated within the magic circle started to surge toward her, being drawn in like a vortex.
Layer upon layer of immense mana accumulated, spreading a powerful sense of pressure into the surroundings.
This magic circle had been steadily infused with mana by numerous mages over time. It held several times the amount of mana compared to what was used during the Ferdium Siege. Enduring such a force wasn’t easy.
“Ugh!”
Dark veins rose across Vanessa’s body as they had before, and blood began trickling from her nose.
However, she managed to endure the agony and maintain her composure with the understanding she had achieved at the 6th Circle.
Drdrdrdrdrdr!
The pressure from the overwhelming mana caused the air itself to tremble.
“Kiiiiieeeek!”
The Grexes, which had been pushed back by the fortress’s fierce counterattack, once again gathered in a crimson swarm. With Piote’s blessing fading, the soldiers sank further into extreme exhaustion.
Vanessa clenched her teeth and extended one arm forward.
“…CHAIN LIGHTNING!”
Fenris had gathered all the remaining runestones left in their territory for this operation. Each one had been inscribed with magic formulas and buried densely in the open field before the fortress.
Zap!
From afar, lightning crackled as it erupted from the ground where the enchanted runestones had been planted.
The arcs of electricity extended outward, connecting with nearby runestones.
Before long, hundreds of runestones were linked together, creating a sea of blue lightning.
Moments later…
Kra-kra-kra-kroom!
Bolts of lightning erupted from the ground, tearing through the crimson tide.
“Kiiiek?”
The Grexes momentarily froze at the sudden electric shock.
The 6th Circle magic, Chain Lightning.
It was a spell capable of striking multiple foes in succession, chaining from one to the next.
But no matter how skilled a 6th Circle mage was, attacking this many enemies at once was unprecedented. The chain of lightning would dissipate if the caster lacked sufficient mana.
Thus, Fenris had staked everything on this magic, mobilizing every available runestone.
“Kaaaagh!”
The numerous charging Grexes came to a halt as if paralyzed, their bodies twitching violently.
Soon, the intense blue light began to engulf all the Grexes.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Thunderous sounds echoed everywhere as the lightning flashed, resembling a storm raging through crimson clouds.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Kiiiieeeek!”
The Grexes screamed as their bodies exploded. The relentless arcs of blue light continued to snake through the horde, leaping from one Grex to the next.
The lightning didn’t stop at the Grexes gathered before the fortress. It extended to those emerging from the forest.
Kra-kra-koom! Crackle!
The electrifying power, charged with an immense amount of mana, relentlessly struck and annihilated the Grexes.
Cheers erupted from the onlookers.
“W-wowwwww!”
“They’re taking them down like this?!”
“This is incredible!”
The unending lightning fried the Grexes en masse. Those newly arriving were caught in the web of blue light, killed on the spot.
The air filled with an acrid smell, but no one cared. The sight was exhilarating enough to make them forget the stench.
Ghislain, too, watched the scene with a satisfied expression.
“It’s a relief that we have Vanessa.”
There’s a saying that great battles are decided by mages. Indeed, Vanessa, who had reached the 6th Circle, proved invaluable, delivering decisive blows at critical moments.
She could have used a massive fire barrier like during the Ferdium Siege. However, such large-scale fire-based attacks risked causing significant damage to their own side as well.
Thus, Ghislain had tasked Vanessa with preparing an electrical spell. He had witnessed firsthand how effective it was in large-scale battles like this one.
“That guy did excel at things like this.”
It was a tactic frequently employed by a mage friend he had bickered with in his previous life to deal with hordes of beasts.
As long as there was enough mana, the spell could chain endlessly, devastating clustered foes. It was an exceptionally effective method against massive waves of enemies.
Recalling his past experiences, he had instructed Vanessa to prepare a similar spell, and she had executed it flawlessly.
Without Vanessa’s extraordinary talent and control, the combined mana of the mages, and the runestones, the plan would have been impossible.
Kra-koom!
The mana of nearly thirty mages had been concentrated and amplified through the runestones. The amount was incomparable to what was used during the siege of Ferdium.
Thanks to this overwhelming mana, the lightning continued spreading, killing Grexes in droves.
Ghislain grinned as he watched.
“Excellent. Their numbers have already dwindled significantly. Unlike humans, monsters are so conveniently susceptible to traps.”
The dead Count Desmond had moved cautiously ever since he fell for a trap during the Ferdium battle.
However, the brainless Grexes had no way of understanding such tactics. Naturally, they fell helplessly into the pre-prepared traps, a predictable outcome.
The soldiers cheered as they attacked the remaining Grexes.
“They’ve been drastically reduced!”
“Let’s push a little more!”
“Hurraaaaah!”
The horde of Grexes that had been swarming them was reduced to less than half in an instant.
The bolts of lightning became weaker as a result, but they still continued to leap between the Grexes, killing them. No matter how much weaker it became, a 6th-circle spell was something the Grexes could never withstand with their bare bodies.
The area in front of the fortress was already no different from a massive magic circle. The Grexes were killed as soon as they stepped forward.
At this point, it would have been sufficient to stop, but Vanessa wasn’t satisfied just yet.
Ziiing!
Several magic circles appeared in front of her. However, as if her mana was insufficient, a few quickly began to dim and disappear.
“My mana is running out!”
At Vanessa’s cry, the reserve mages, who had been on standby, climbed up to the magic circle with tears in their eyes.
Meanwhile, Alfoi, who had been resting under the pretense of participating in the operation, sneakily crawled backward to hide himself.
Ziiing!
With their mana replenished, the magic circles regained their full form. Vanessa trembled as she extended both hands forward.
Kwaaaaaang!
Massive lightning bolts erupted from the magic circles.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Large holes were punched into the ranks of the Red Tide, and the remaining Grexes exploded into pieces.
The bolts of lightning showed no discrimination they obliterated everything in their path, corpses included.
The soldiers watching the scene cheered again.
“Wooooooah! Incredible!”
“Unbelievable! Absolutely amazing!”
“As expected of Lady Vanessa!”
The morale of the soldiers soared to its peak. Smiles spread across their faces as they swung their weapons with renewed vigor.
However, Vanessa, who had performed such a miraculous feat, did not remain unscathed. She had cast powerful magic using only the mages’ collective mana, without even relying on runestones. The repercussions were severe.
Drained of mana and unable to withstand the recoil, Vanessa collapsed unconscious.
Ghislain caught the falling Vanessa and spoke.
“Belinda, take care of Vanessa and the other mages.”
“Understood. What about you, Young Lord?”
“I’ll finish off the rest.”
Ghislain flashed a sharp smile as he turned his head.
The Grexes, though dying under the lightning bolts, were still approaching. With the spell’s power waning, the remaining enemies had to be dealt with directly.
Even so, their numbers had significantly dwindled compared to the beginning.
“Let’s see… About ten thousand left, give or take.”
Though still a large number, it was now manageable for the soldiers alone.
The Grexes continued to cling to the fortress, but the danger had already passed. Without strategy, tactics, or intelligence, the Grexes were simply rushing headlong into the fortress walls.
Ghislain surveyed the knights fighting on various fronts and shouted.
“Get down there and finish them off quickly!”
“Understood!”
The knights, who had gained breathing room thanks to Vanessa and the mages, gripped their weapons tightly.
Smiling, the knights wielding the specially crafted greatswords made by the dwarves gathered around Ghislain.
For most monsters, unless they were incredibly strong, a large sword was the best weapon to take them down. Monsters didn’t rely on complex techniques, after all.
With their numbers significantly cut down by the magic, the Grexes no longer posed any real threat. Victory was now a certainty.
With lighter hearts, the knights leaped back outside the fortress walls.
Screeeech!
Boom!
The remaining Grexes surged toward Ghislain and the knights, but they were no match now.
Arrows rained down from countless towers, and catapults targeted the Grexes at the rear.
Thud! Boom! Thud!
Screeech!
Until now, the Grexes’ only advantage had been their overwhelming numbers. With just ten thousand or so left, they could no longer withstand the onslaught from the fortress and the knights.
“Phew…”
At some point, Ghislain stopped swinging his sword and looked up at the sky.
A crimson sunset painted the horizon, much like the moment he had defeated the Blood Python.
The corpses of the crimson Grexes lay scattered, leaving no room to even take a step. The knights, drenched in blood, seemed even redder under the glow of the setting sun.
A red sky, red corpses, red people.
It felt as though the entire world had been dyed crimson.
‘Ah… This is just like back then.’
The final battle of his past life.
Back then, the world had been painted this same vivid red.
In that battlefield, the most out-of-place figure had been Aiden, clad in dazzlingly white armor, and the knights who followed him.
Recalling that memory, Ghislain bared his white teeth in a grin.
“I’ll meet you again someday, I’m sure of it.”
“Indeed, that bastard will have no choice but to reveal himself earlier than he did in my previous life.”
The thought sent a thrill coursing through my body. I couldn’t wait to meet him.
Before the surge of emotion subsided, cheers erupted from the fortress.
“Waahhhhh!”
Knights and soldiers, elves and dwarves, priests and laborers all shouted in unison.
“We have won!”
* * *
The Grexes were utterly annihilated, leaving not a single one alive.
From the moment Queen Grex had been cornered, they had no choice but to keep attacking. Now, only the Queen Grex remained.
“Kiaaaaak!”
At first, Queen Grex thrashed relentlessly, screeching in rage. But eventually, it seemed to realize that its underlings were no more. It ceased its futile struggling, breathing heavily.
The Forest of Beasts is a place where even monsters devour each other to survive, and death comes mercilessly to the defeated. Unlike the other Grexes, the Queen possessed a sliver of intelligence and seemed to accept its defeat.
Swish!
As soon as Ghislain slew the last Grex, he approached and dispatched Queen Grex with a single stroke.
Even as its head fell from its body, Queen Grex glared at only one person with the many eyes clustered on its severed head.
The recipient of that scorching gaze, Alfoi, spoke with a smug expression.
“It was this great me who lured it here.”
Clap, clap, clap.
The applause that followed was lukewarm at best. Although Alfoi’s contribution was acknowledged, the others had achieved such remarkable feats that his efforts were overshadowed.
“Hah…”
Ghislain stared at Queen Grex’s corpse with weary eyes.
The most dangerous monster along the journey to their goal had been dealt with. The remaining path would be relatively easier.
Queen Grex’s territory had been vast, granting them much-needed breathing room.
“It’s a relief we managed to handle it this time.”
If the only goal had been to retrieve the Runestone, they could have avoided Queen Grex’s domain by taking a longer, circuitous route. But that wasn’t an option. The monsters in this forest attacked all intruders on sight.
Even if they had bypassed Queen Grex’s territory, they would have eventually been assaulted by her forces. It was better to deal with her properly now and secure the territory.
Moreover, this time, there was more to gain than just the Runestone.
Ghislain praised the cheering soldiers before turning to organize the battlefield.
“For now, halt the advance and clean up the area. Summon as many laborers as possible from Ferdium. Offer them double their usual pay.”
The fortress and its surroundings were strewn with Grex corpses. Every single one had to be buried. The more hands they had, the faster it would go.
Digging the graves wasn’t an issue, thanks to the mages and dwarves, who were construction experts.
“Dig.”
With every incantation, the ground caved in, swallowing heaps of Grex bodies. To prevent the spread of disease or any mishap, they were buried exceptionally deep.
Laborers then stepped in to compact and level the ground.
With everyone working together, they managed to bury the staggering number of corpses in just three days.
But the cleanup didn’t end there. Grex flesh and blood stuck to the fortress walls had to be scrubbed clean, and weapons needed to be inspected and repaired.
Such tasks, however, could be left to the laborers. Ghislain led half the forces and the knights onward.
“There’s not much left.”
Despite the grueling battle against the Grexes, the soldiers showed no signs of fatigue, following Ghislain with eager smiles.
It was different from when they had first entered the forest. Back then, they had been wary. Now, they were brimming with confidence and pride.
Thanks to Queen Grex’s dominance over the area, no other monsters appeared. Ghislain easily reached their destination.
The sight that greeted them left everyone gasping in shock.
“Wow! What… what is all this?”
“Could it be…?”
“It’s Fairy’s Blessing! This has to be Fairy’s Blessing!”
Spread out across a portion of Queen Grex’s territory was a vast field of flowers.
Fairy’s Blessing flowers are as valuable as gold, sometimes even more. These rare flowers, used to cure Rachel, Gillian’s daughter, and as an ingredient in premium potions, grew here like weeds.
Belinda swallowed hard and asked, “W-We came here for the Runestone, right?”
Ghislain grinned and replied, “This is just a bonus. From now on, we’ll cultivate Fairy’s Blessing here. Let’s start building fortifications immediately.”
“And the Runestone?”
“That? It’s just a bit further from here. We came here for the Runestone in the first place, so, of course, we’ll take it too. There’s far more of it here than what we took before.”
At those words, everyone felt dizzy from the sheer scale of the bounty.