episode_0086

There’s an unwritten rule in battles within Acastos.

It’s that the side that ‘sucks’ better wins.

Of course, this doesn’t mean sucking like Yuri’s vacuum fellatio, with the mouth.

It’s the process of skillfully drawing the opponent’s forces into one’s own territory to create a tactical advantage.

There’s a reason this ‘sucking’ has become a remarkably attractive strategy.

It holds the key to reversing a numerical and qualitative disadvantage.

First, this strategy has the characteristic of shifting the overall position to one side as it draws in the opponent’s forces.

Naturally, friendly forces retreat, increasing the range the opponent needs to attack.

Also, the opponent advances, shortening the range the friendly forces need to attack.

In a single close-quarters combat, doesn’t reach significantly impact the fight?

Even in boxing, longer arms are advantageous, and when swords clash, the longer blade is better.

There’s also the insurmountable wall that is the spear.

Large-scale battles are no different.

Unless magic falls exactly where you want it or ignores the laws of physics to fly forever in the same direction.

To hit, you need accurate calculations and the range to launch the magic accordingly.

Isn’t it easier to hit an approaching enemy than a fleeing one?

That’s the principle.

“Stop chattering and help over here—!!”

Two-Kwaang—!!

The small flare Joey launched exploded above Gray Wolf 1’s head.

However, Gray Wolves 2 and 3 immediately leaped over the corpse.

One falls, two avenge.

An excellent mindset.

Clap clap-

I silently applauded in my heart.

“Kuek- There are too many…”

Swerkk—!

Terrance’s greatsword cleaved the heads of 2 and 3, who had demonstrated such a superb mindset, in half.

However, he was busy using the blade as a shield to block the teeth and claws of Gray Wolves 4-7 who immediately charged in.

Indeed.

With Lily’s support, Terrance was truly an impregnable fortress.

Boosted by magic amplification, he donned his upgraded innate defensive magic, his sturdy defense skillfully deflecting the enemy’s attacks with his greatsword.

And that’s not all.

The moment he showed any opening in his attack, he immediately shifted the direction of his blade, mercilessly bisecting them.

His swordsmanship, freely switching between attack and defense, made him excel as a vanguard.

As expected, a Unique-grade adventurer is different. I’m not trying to belittle Joey and Lily, but there’s a real difference in their combat capabilities.

However, everyone is holding on well.

Even if the Gray Wolf pack is skillfully drawn in strategically, it was the Four Saints who engaged in direct combat.

They were carrying out my plan perfectly.

A defensive position centered on one point, and the enemy’s fierce advance towards that point. Everyone knows which side has the advantage.

The flames spread by Joey’s magic bombardment.

The shattered rocks and sharp shards of ice.

Even the pile of Gray Wolf corpses that fell before.

Everything became a wall protecting us.

Driven by their hunting instinct, the wolves kept swarming in like moths to a flame,

making it even easier for us to attack.

With our condition fully recovered, a war of attrition favored us.

At least, so far.

We should never let our guard down even if the situation seems good.

This is a dungeon, and the opponent is a beast.

We never knew what factor might change the battle situation.

I steadily continued with the next phase of my plan.

“Aaack—!! My arm’s going to break, seriously!”

“I’m going crazy— This hag’s just lounging around!!”

But to those two pathetic spellcasters, it seemed like I just taking it easy.

Actually, I am resting.

While waiting for the right time to counterattack.

“Yuri, they seem to think I’m just playing around.”

“I’m Yuri…”

“Right? They’re probably too exhausted to think straight. They should mind their own business…”

So what if they grind their teeth and glare at me? What else can I do other than firing spells nonstop at the oncoming Gray Wolves?

Well, I’ll make them do this much work.

I rose from Yuri’s lap and stared at Nyx.

“How much longer?”

“Just… yes, I’ve analyzed everything! One minute.”

I had asked her to prepare a wide-area control spell.

Nyx, a high-rank spirit whose form was darkness itself, could utilize most dark magic.

Of course, it seems it takes a bit of time to interpret specific incantations and make them her own.

Mental domination was her specialty.

As long as they are living creatures, even beasts possess a psyche.

Moreover, their intellect is so simple that they are practically without resistance to mental dominance.

Nyx was practically a natural enemy to low-level beasts.

And now, the battlefield we were on was filled with ‘darkness,’ her favorite element.

It was time to get to work.

I stood up and drew more mana.

Enough to use Eve as well.

Unlike the first wave where I supported Joey and Yuri, this time it was my turn to mow them down.

What magic to use for the hunt?

Should I use fire magic and roast them whole, or earth magic and bury them underground?

Or should I mix the two elemental manas and unleash the hellfire I’d used before?

No no no-

I shook my head and forced myself to calm the rising excitement.

Kurreung-

The beast-blood stained walls and floor trembled slightly.

‘If I continue destroying the joint, I might affect the entire ruin…’

I thought a cleaner method would be better.

I wrapped the swirling mana around myself, once more invoking the Windless Armor, the wind attribute version.

I held a light, sharp short sword in each hand.

I glanced at Nyx who was concentrating on her magic.

“Ready, Nyx?”

“Of course, my lord!”

She immediately jumped up from her spot and leapt onto the battlefield.

The swaying black mist.

Melting into the deep darkness within the ruins, she gradually consumed the area.

Like the forest mist I’d seen when we first met.

She invited the enemies into her ‘domain’ created through dark mana.

She switched her innate magic, [Mental Domination], usually used on only a single target, to a wide area.

“Khuh-hut- As the Dark Overlord has attained truth-”

She covered one eye and struck a slightly impressive pose.

With a slightly cringe-worthy incantation, Nyx powerfully awakened the scattered dark mana.

The pinnacle of the magical arts, imbuing magic formations into her mana-created domain to achieve a higher level effect.

“Kih-hih- Taste the endless sweet and bittersweet dream—”

Sarurut-

Complete darkness rained down on the Gray Wolves’ heads.

[Nightmare]!

The beasts, who had been charging furiously, focused on a single point.

Stopped dead in their tracks in the middle of the joint.

…

…

…

Thud-

When a Gray Wolf that had lunged at him fell powerlessly to the ground, Terrance lowered his greatsword and blinked.

“What… what happened…”

“-Look over there.”

As expected, the one who noticed the situation first was the one skilled in magic.

Following where Joey pointed with his staff, he slowly shifted his gaze.

Above, my proud trump card continuously exhaled black mist.

“I just put them to sleep.”

“Even… even so…”

It’s their first time seeing such a large-scale mental domination magic, right? If used on humans, it could easily hypnotize or brainwash them… oh.

Putting those wicked thoughts aside, I began to step forward.

Tabak- Tabaktabak-

Step by step, I increased my pace.

Soon, the wind brushed against my skin.

Taat—!

Masterfully controlling the flow of air, an unusual form that efficiently reduces the drag of running.

The wind attribute version of [Windless Armor].

Naturally, even with the same strength per step, I could move faster.

Soon I reached speeds I could barely control myself.

But.

Kurreur- Kurreureureu—

Even while unconscious in the nightmare, those Grey Wolves leaked their mana.

I didn’t need to chase them with my eyes.

My sharpened senses allowed me to track the beasts even with my eyes closed.

Sreung-

Twisting my wrist, I sent the swords in my hands forward.

Without slowing my run, I poured all my strength into severing the Gray Wolves’ necks.

Swerkk- Swekk- Shuukekk-

Slicing up Grey Wolves who were tense with their eyes open was enough for me, but butchering those who stood still was easy enough for even Yuri.

One by one.

Severing spines, tearing hides, crushing skulls.

I dismembered every beast my blade touched.

When they huddled together, or if I was lucky, one strike could kill two or three, and my momentum grew to the point I used magic.

[Wind Cutter]!

A wind-mana-based sword ki magic I’d heard about many times in swordsmanship.

The way it cleanly cut down targets beyond my blade’s reach felt like using a back-scratcher.

The ‘cleaning’ became faster and faster.

Thuppuck-

The thick layer of beast blood on the ground seemed like it would cause a slip.

So I used [Windless Step] and ran in the air.

I marked two points on the battlefield.

With the largest number of beasts in-between them.

I then raised the sword, loaded with plenty of wind magic.

I connected the two points with a line.

Before their blood could even wet my hair,

I cleanly severed the necks of every beast from one end to the other.

“Haah- Haah-”

Unaware of my breathlessness, my style of ‘cleaning’ ended, quite different from Yuri’s.

Nyx, back in her physical form, approached me and said that not even a minute had passed since the start.