Chapter 79

Crunch.

It wasn’t actually audible, but it felt like it was. The sound of mental fortitude shattering mercilessly. Especially among the men. They were looking at me with pupils so shaky it made onlookers anxious. Vice President Wayne was no exception. Although he was not usually mentally fragile, in fact quite the opposite, this time even his strong mentality seemed useless. Once in the first year, once in the second, once in the third— three times he had been rejected by Hiresia. It seemed he found it difficult to accept the reality unfolding before him.

“That… I see. So you’re Max Celtrine. But I didn’t catch that, what did you just say?”

“Is there a problem?”

“The, the thing before that.”

“That I have a good senior-junior relationship with senior.”

“Ummm…”

Wayne, seemingly hit by a confirmation shot, pressed his forehead with his hand. It seemed inconceivable to him that someone like me could have a good senior-junior relationship with Hiresia. He glanced at Hiresia, perhaps hoping for some mistake. But…

“That’s right.”

With her straightforward confirmation, Wayne’s expression crumbled. It was almost laughable to see such a rare sight of the man who would succeed Regina as the next student council president and the unparalleled sword mage looking so defeated. Love, what a thing.

“That’s… I see.”

Though he probably wanted to vehemently object to such a relationship, he couldn’t say so openly in front of her, so Wayne awkwardly conceded. Meanwhile, I felt a burning sensation on my forehead. A strong gaze filled with the hope that I would not cause any trouble and would just disappear from her side. But what to do? I’m not someone who succumbs to such looks. In fact, I rather enjoy them.

“I decided to take the opportunity to learn a lot from senior today. Right, senior?”

“Yes.”

Hiresia nodded with an innocent expression. A nice response. It seemed like the stares directed at me became even more scorching. As expected, I seemed to have become public enemy number one. Being by her side is indeed a dangerous place. But I was prepared for that, so it’s fine.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

Just then, a powerful drumbeat sounded. A signal for the final preparations. It was good timing. Dealing with these love-struck men was tiring, even for me.

“Shall we move, senior?”

The students and faculty from the academy came out in a kind of support formation, along with the mages from the Tower of Light. They were not at the forefront. The most dangerous and crucial front was manned by the soldiers of the capital. It’s unfortunate for them, but that’s the role of soldiers. That’s why they train thoroughly in group combat. Nevertheless, our role was not minor. Combat is not just about close combat. Essential long-range firepower. That’s what we and the mages were responsible for.

“This seems like a good spot.”

Archers and mages took their positions on advantageous high ground in advance. It was the basics of battle preparation. I deliberately chose a spot not among the academy students but where the mages from the Tower were. It’s more comfortable to be among complete strangers.

“Suit yourself.”

Hiresia seemed indifferent. It didn’t matter to her where we were.

“Thanks for earlier.”

I said in a low voice.

“Huh? For what?”

“For playing along.”

“Of course.”

Hiresia chuckled. A good senior-junior relationship. She seemed pleased that such words had come from my mouth. It seemed she never considered revealing our relationship to be a burden in the first place. I appreciated that sentiment.

“Are you aiming for first place?”

“Why bother with something so tiring? I’ll just fulfill the quota.”

“I see. I was thinking of getting a reward.”

I intended to aim for the middle ranks. The rewards for those ranks weren’t extraordinary. But still, this opportunity could stamp my mark in the eyes of outsiders. A chance to gain real fame, not just infamy.

“Really? Do your best.”

Her brief words somehow felt encouraging.

“Yes, I’ll give it my all.”

***

“What’s that noise?”

Rex, the captain of the First Squad of the First Paladin Corps. An experienced paladin of Expert rank and the overall commander of this monster hunting competition. He furrowed his brows. He had received a strange report.

“The scouts have been out of contact since a while ago.”

“That can’t be. Weren’t we just communicating with them?”

“We were, but… there’s no response from the magic communicators.”

“No response?”

Rex’s face hardened as he pondered. This wasn’t a situation to be taken lightly. He considered various possibilities in his head. But that was as far as he got. Time was not on his side.

Thump thump thump thump thump!

The drumbeat quickened, signaling an approaching enemy.

“We’ll look into that later. Combat comes first.”

Rex stood up.

“It’s starting.”

A mage in front muttered. There was no need to listen to his words; the loud drumbeat already announced the enemy’s arrival. I checked my arrows one last time. There was no need for any special markings on them. Everything around here would be recorded by visual magic anyway.

Thud thud thud thud thud!

The heavy footsteps shook the ground. It was the sound of a large number of monsters rushing in all at once.

“Ugh.”

The tension was visible among the mages who were new to such a battlefield. Of course, I was calm. I had more than enough combat experience from dungeons and underground spaces.

“They’re coming!”

Someone shouted. True to their words, a mixed group of mongrel monsters was rapidly approaching. Goblins, kobolds, orcs, and even monsters resembling monkeys and wild boars.

“Defensive line!”

A resounding voice filled with mana. It must have been the commander’s order.

Click! Click! Click! Click! Click!

As soon as the order was given, the soldiers raised their large shields. A wall of shields that felt impenetrably solid.

Click! Click! Click! Click! Click!

Following that, they held their long spears horizontally. The formidable sight was truly magnificent. Indeed, these were the soldiers of the capital, the heart of the Order.

“Their spirit is impressive.”

Hiresia commented.

“Right?”

“But we need to move forward.”

“Huh?”

“Mages can’t do much if they’re caught up close.”

I had no idea at the time that this statement would mark the beginning of a tough journey.

***

“…Where are those Red Orcs?”

Rex, sensing something was off, voiced his concern. The Red Orcs, the core force of the monsters emphasized by the higher-ups. They should definitely stand out on the battlefield. Yet, not a single one was in sight, only ordinary orcs were everywhere.

“Could they be in the rear…?”

A colleague suggested cautiously.

“That fierce and ferocious combat race?”

“But what else could it be…”

“No, something smells fishy. Prepare the reserves to move at any moment.”

Though something was bothering him, that was all the preparation they could make for now.

“Understood, Captain.”

The colleague hurried off.

***

“Tsk, tsk, you shouldn’t be trying to suck honey from up there. It’s too unfair.”

A skinny man covered in piercings and tattoos. The mastermind behind all this, a member of Red Rain named Shadow. What he wanted was not a battle where one side had an overwhelming advantage. Something hotter, more intense. That’s what makes the blood boil. And it was a chance to gauge the strength of those disgusting city dwellers of the divine city.

“Keh, I don’t like you as a person, but I should be thankful for your timely help.”

Shadow spoke, looking somewhere. Soon, someone appeared like an apparition. A middle-aged man with glasses. It was Professor Lapit.

“Leaving such a crude strategy unchecked is just irritating.”

Lapit. He was supposed to be at the rear of the battlefield right now. But here he was. How was that possible? It was the power of sorcery. Creating a perfect dummy with sorcery, while the real body came here.

“Keh, you’re always so unpleasant. But I admit, it’s a more interesting method.”

Shadow let out an unpleasant laugh. His original plan was to just push forward bluntly from the front. But Lapit, knowing this, strongly pushed for a change. An ambush. The core force, the Red Orcs, were to be ambushed near the high ground in advance. It was a reckless plan that would have been impossible for anyone else, but it was possible with the power of Lapit, the only sorcerer in the world. Sorcery to blur their presence to the extreme. Combined with the dark terrain, no scout could possibly discover them. An ambush from the high ground. Once the high ground was taken, they could sweep down and take the rear. That would create a situation of being surrounded from both sides. If that could be achieved, victory was certain. However.

‘It’s not going to happen.’

Lapit was skeptical. He knew what kind of people were swarming the high ground right now. Yet, why? Because it was a much more elegant strategy.

“Alright, let’s start.”

Shadow took out a communicator.

“Charge. Charge. Charge. Keh.”

***

“Wait, where are you going?”

“Don’t you feel it?”

“No.”

“Then just shut up and follow.”

Hiresia grabbed my hand and pulled me along. Normally, this would be an embarrassing situation, but now wasn’t the time for that. We ended up standing together at the narrow path connected to the high ground.

“Isn’t it narrow here?”

“Yes, it’s narrow.”

But it wasn’t just narrow. It was wide enough for about six people to pass through side by side.

“With me here, we can definitely hold them off, right?”

“Well… no, but are the enemies coming?”

“They’re coming over there.”

“Huh? What?”

I was dumbfounded. Indeed, from the other side of the path, Red Orcs with their red skin were furiously climbing up.

“Why are they coming from there?”

It was baffling. What were the scouts doing not to notice them? Were they blind?

“That’s not important right now. I’ll leave that side to you.”

“Ah, yes. Of course. I’ll earn my keep.”

It was truly fortunate. That Hiresia was by my side. Even if it had been Camian instead of Allen, I would have just backed off. Why? Because if the side gets breached, I’m done for. But as long as there’s no worry about the side being breached, I just need to hold my ground.

…Of course, it’s going to be tough.

‘Oh, good thing I brought this.’

I took out a skull decoration from my pocket and put it on my wrist. The Skull Decoration of Karkar. An item obtained after defeating the boss of monsters on the 10th floor underground. An item that makes the owner perceived as an Orc Slayer, causing orcs to instinctively fear them. With this, even the fierce Red Orcs wouldn’t be able to move properly.

“What are you doing? Shoot.”

Saying that, Hiresia loaded five arrows onto her bow at once.

Ping ping ping ping ping!

The spectacle of five arrows flying simultaneously.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

Gah! Ack! Grr! Ugh! Gak!

What was even more astonishing was that all those arrows precisely pierced the orcs’ vital spots.

‘…She’s insane every time I see it.’

Multiple Arrows.

A technique almost synonymous with Hiresia.

When she used that technique, she was a veritable arrow bomber.

‘Ah, I feel so insignificant, but here I go.’

I also prepared my rapid-fire technique that I had diligently practiced.

I just needed to do my best with what I could.

“Take this, you bastards.”

Ping! Ping!

My arrows flew.