Leap (4)

Colin rummaged through the papers scattered on the table. He pulled out a roughly drawn map, marking the area around Paheln, and showed it to me.

“Those goddamn Drakes. They’ve taken the high ground. Why the hell are those bastards who live in the canyons up on the hills? It’s making it hard to break through. Monsters are everywhere, so we can’t even go around.”

I examined the paper carefully.

To enter the Barony of Paheln, we had to get over the hills, but the monsters had taken over. I heard that trade volume had decreased by over 70% in just five days. They were forcibly supplying food through detour trade routes, but the other paths were so dangerous that the loss of life and property was enormous.

With the meager domestic market cut off from trade routes, the worst-case scenario had arrived. Merchants were isolated. Prices were rising, and those with money were busy hoarding. The complaints against the lord were so loud that a riot wouldn’t be surprising.

The only good thing was that it had only been five days. They could still survive with their own production capacity for now. I didn’t know how long that would last, but all I had to do was solve it before then.

If I could solve it, that is.

That’s why they called us, right? Paheln didn’t have a wizard, let alone a knight, which every lord should have.

“What’s this red line?”

I said, looking at the red line drawn on the map. The black lines seemed to indicate ridges, and the blue dots seemed to indicate monsters. The red line was drawn straight through the blue dots toward the ridge.

“That’s the goddamn access road. Everywhere else is already oversaturated with monsters.”

“…That’s a headache.”

High-ground warfare and close combat wherever we go.

It was an operation that would have been rejected immediately if there were no knights or wizards.

“Anyway, our mission is annihilation, so we have to clean everything up…”

“…How do you break through the high ground against Drakes?”

Drakes are a subspecies of dragon.

They seemed to have inherited only the inferior traits of dragons, like their small size and degenerate wings.

Reflecting their ugly appearance, they could be easily caught if you just got close. However, their breath didn’t allow it. The reason they were tricky was because of their breath, which was over 10 meters long.

Colin nodded.

Thirty infantrymen.

There weren’t many strategies that could be used with this many troops. Especially against ferocious monsters. Monsters weren’t afraid, and they had to choose between killing or being killed, so mutual annihilation was forced. If not, it was just retreat.

At least a surprise attack was effective… but the road to Paheln had all the trees cleared, so there was no cover. We’d be discovered before we could even attack. We couldn’t split the unit to reduce the size…

“Still, it’s a relief that there’s a wizard, so I’m less worried. I heard you took down a Dragon Bug Kurumba all by yourself?”

“…The high ground is no problem. I can just blow it all away.”

“There’s no need to overdo it. If the situation isn’t favorable, we’re considering hitting and running. If we can secure a retreat route, we can always look for opportunities.”

The supplies were sufficient.

I nodded with a nonchalant face.

It’s all solved if I wipe them all out. Isn’t that why I raised my adventurer rank? Until now, I’ve been controlling my power because I didn’t want attention. But from today, that will be different.

With overwhelming power.

I will engrave myself on everyone.

Of course, I couldn’t show off city-destroying magic like Meteor. Excessive power only inspires fear. I didn’t want to become the ‘Master of Light’ that the White Magic Tower talked about. A strong person who crosses the line invites suspicion and caution. That would be troublesome in many ways.

I didn’t have a built-up history.

I couldn’t be trusted.

Unlike the agents who had dedicated themselves to the empire for generations. Like the paladins who sacrificed their bodies to serve God. Like the hero who defeated the Demon King and fell asleep. Without a built-up history, I was just an uncontrollable bomb.

Some might say I’m arrogant. Others might say I’m frustrating. I just wanted to be a part of this world. I didn’t want to be a bomb. Just, normally. From the moment I got this ability, normalcy was out of the question, but still.

…Someday, it will be.

It was enough if I could show my face to the world with dignity.

That would be enough not to be ashamed in front of Aileen.

That’s enough.

That’s enough.

“Haa…”

…I’ve never been a parent who wasn’t ashamed, though.

If I want normalcy, I have to change this masochistic constitution first. Maybe I’ll commit suicide when Aileen becomes independent and forgets about me. Living would only make me feel more ashamed. I hope she won’t be ashamed of me.

* * *

The battles in this world revolved entirely around knights and wizards. In other words, unlike Earth, the history of power games, where infantry and cavalry lined up in rows and columns and clashed by the hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands, wasn’t long.

Mana, which has been with the world since the beginning.

From the moment humans awakened Mana, the meaning of ordinary soldiers greatly diminished.

A skilled knight could easily take on hundreds of infantrymen and penetrate the enemy lines. An excellent wizard could easily overwhelm thousands of soldiers and turn them to dust. In the end, no matter how many soldiers there were, they would be helpless if they were outnumbered by knights and wizards.

The significance of ordinary soldiers was in supply and the seizure of occupied territories. Maintaining public order was a bonus. As if to prove it, ten of the troops I belonged to were supply soldiers.

“Everyone, lower your goggles!”

Colin commanded the thirty troops and crossed the Sierra rocky area. Sand flew like a storm. Colin and the soldiers added transparent cloths over their helmets to block the sandstorm.

I rode behind Colin. Thanks to that, I didn’t need to use goggles. His huge body, over 2 meters tall, covered everything.

It was dangerous to have two people on one horse, but my weight was so light that it didn’t strain the horse. It was said that I weighed less than the supplies the supply soldiers were carrying, so that said it all.

“Increase speed! Ignore the surrounding monsters until we reach our destination!”

Coming back again.

Then, is there really no way to use ordinary soldiers? Do we have to use all these troops as meat shields? Do we have to be pushed back in the power struggle just because we haven’t awakened Mana?

“Captain! Two Griffins spotted ahead! We can’t avoid them!”

It was too wasteful to do that. So, the lords looked for other ways. Even if they hadn’t awakened Mana, it didn’t mean they couldn’t use Mana itself.

“…Sir Colin! Shall I! Take care of them!”

Whirling wind, the sound of galloping hooves.

I shouted loudly so that my voice wouldn’t be buried in the chaos.

The body of a lion, and the face and wings of an eagle. It was a Griffin. As a single entity, the danger level was C, but because they lived in groups, the actual danger level was B, and if there were many, it reached A. Even if there were only two, if they were allowed to attack, there could be casualties.

“No! It’s okay!”

But I was rejected. Before I could ask why. Colin shouted as loudly as he could, even putting Aura in his voice.

“Everyone-!! Take it out-!!”

A loud voice commanding the sky. The Griffins hesitated at the spirited voice, and the soldiers took the opportunity to take out ‘it’ with a look of anticipation.

The unidentified object they took out was a bit large. It looked like a staff, but the end was excessively blunt. It was so blunt that I suspected it was a mace rather than a staff. But the soldiers held it like a spear and pointed it at the Griffin.

I couldn’t pay attention to their strange behavior. I would deploy a shield if necessary. The distance between the Griffins and the soldiers was only 25 meters. Considering the horse’s forward speed and the Griffin’s descent speed, even a few seconds late would mean being torn by claws.

But.

“-Fire!”

With Colin’s command.

The end of the staff separated and began to fly towards the Griffin.

-Pueong!!

The projectile directly hit the Griffin, exploding with an ear-splitting noise. Crimson flames burst and decorated the sky. At the same time, intense flames enveloped the Griffin.

-Kieeeeeek!!!!!

The Griffin was engulfed in flames and fell straight down, trampled to death by the hooves of the horses. Colin laughed heartily as he galloped over the Griffin’s corpse.

“Haha-!! Those Magic Tower bastards! They made a decent product this time-!!”

At first.

I didn’t understand when the Red Magic Tower said they would be in charge of this mission. That’s because I’m the only wizard in this unit. But after seeing that weapon, I understood.

We were guinea pigs.

“What is this?”

“They want us to use it in this expedition! What do you think, as a wizard?!”

What do I think.

I scrunched up my face and said.

“It’s crap, yo.”

“What-?!”

“I said it’s crap-!! Just ask me instead of using that crap-!!”

Why the hell are they making this?

The rod that becomes the propellant was a solid Mana Stone. At least a C-grade Mana Stone. Not only did they grind it thinly, but the sphere that acted as the explosive was the epitome of inefficiency. To detonate it, they had to absorb all the Mana from the rod. And then they just threw away the depleted rod. It was a waste.

“It’s trash, trash-!! How much did you buy this for-?!”

“Forty silver coins per unit!”

“…I’m going crazy.”

They bought this old-fashioned thing for forty silver coins? Well, it doesn’t matter if they have a lot of money… but I was offended that they were using such trash when they had me.

“Captain! A group of Griffins appearing ahead-!!”

Then. A group of Griffins, presumed to be the remaining group, appeared. There were seven of them. It was a number that was difficult to deal with head-on. Colin clicked his tongue and tried to turn the horse around. He would change direction, reduce speed, and then engage.

But.

“Don’t stop, just go-!!”

“What-?!”

“Go!!”

I was getting tired of shouting.

I demanded to move forward. Colin looked at me with a suspicious face. There weren’t many wizards who could use magic in this situation. That’s because magic requires concentration in almost every situation.

It was difficult for a wizard to show their true skills in a situation like riding a horse.

‘If they were an ordinary wizard.’

If they were an ordinary wizard.

“Everyone! Increase speed-!!”

“C, Captain?!”

“That’s an order-!”

Colin trusted me.

But the soldiers hesitated to grab the reins, as if they were afraid. But the words of the captain, especially a knight, were absolute. Judging from Colin’s personality, even if it didn’t lead to immediate execution, they wouldn’t be in a good state if they refused the order.

Now.

It’s time to instill faith in them.

I slowed down the perceived time and drew up the Mana in my whole body. I stretched out my hand, looking at the sun blazing in the sky. The target was the shadow of the Griffin in the distance. The shadow was as clear as the hot sun.

‘Be bound.’

Dark attribute magic. Shadow Binding.

-Kiek?!

Colin’s eyes widened as he watched the falling group of Griffins.

All seven of them. They lost speed and fell.

The descending Griffins made a sound like they had hit a wall, then crashed to the ground. I didn’t stop there. Even if they fell, they were still conscious. They could attack while passing by.

-Kieeeeeek!!!!!!

“Shut up. Be quiet.”

Using telekinesis, I gathered the fallen Griffins together and compressed them. Keugeuk, jeojeok. The sound of blood, flesh, and bones condensing and breaking struck the soldiers’ ears.

Usually, magic meant throwing fireballs and burning the surroundings, using the surrounding environment to attack. That’s what it actually was.

But the magic I showed didn’t match their common sense.

It wasn’t flashy or flamboyant.

‘Clean up the corpses neatly.’

I threw the Griffin cube into the sky with all my might. The soldiers’ heads turned. I crossed my hands and prepared cooling magic. A blue magic circle floated above my hand. The Griffin cube floating in the air froze blue-

-Paaang!

It shattered as it scattered snowflakes.

“How is it?”

Cold ice fragments fell through the raging sandstorm, hitting their helmets. Colin and the soldiers felt a chill down their spines and increased the speed of their horses.

“…”

Colin was silent.

I didn’t know if he didn’t hear me or couldn’t answer.