“Ugh… Aaaah…!”
What greeted us upon arriving at the battlefield were dozens of mages lying prone on the ground. Their faces were all discolored a dark, bruised hue. They remained motionless, contorted in expressions of extreme agony.
Nearly twenty surviving mages kept their distance, observing the enemy with fearful expressions. They all wore white robes embroidered with golden coffins on their chests.
The Phantom Ark. Runealia Kingdom’s elite force, composed of only the most skilled mages.
“Scared, are we? Even the famed mages of the Illusionary Kingdom (Rungaria) are quite pathetic.”
The one who spoke was a middle-aged man in stark contrast to the Phantom Ark, clad in a jet-black robe.
“…A new opponent?”
The man glared at us. The wind lifted his hood, revealing his face. He sported a magnificent topknot and hairstyle reminiscent of a samurai from the Sengoku period.
“…Hmph. For men to go into battle accompanied by women and children. How spineless. How weak. It’s truly lamentable.”
The Empire’s mage scoffed in a booming voice.
“You lot are no match for me alone. I, one of the Elysion Octa, ‘Kagetora of God’s Rot’,”
I had heard there was an island nation in the East with a culture similar to Japan in this world. He was probably from there.
“Hm? That face—are you Abel, the scoundrel who opposes the great Magatsu Emperor?”
Kagetora’s expression changed.
“I know you alone are to be watched with caution. However, you are no match for Kagetora’s magic.”
With that, Kagetora began chanting.
“Crumble into dust! Dead Mist!”
A black mist seeped from the void, spreading around us.
“Gah…!”
“Guaaah…!”
The mages of the Phantom Ark, enveloped in the mist, cried out in pain. Their bodies rapidly decayed, turning into countless black particles and vanishing. Buildings touched by the mist likewise crumbled.
So *that* was what those black particles on the ground were—!
Even if he seemed like an eccentric character, he was one of the Elysion Octa. This was not an opponent to be taken lightly.
I tensed my expression and readied the Messiah Rod.
The black mist continued to spread, corrupting people and buildings one after another. If this continued, we would be caught in it.
“Lord Abel, we will protect you! Orb Wall!”
“Solid Shield!”
“Scarlet Shell!”
The Second Squad, led by the mustachioed captain, simultaneously cast defensive spells. However, the multiple layers of protective magic turned into black dust the moment they touched the mist and were scattered.
They then stood resolutely in front of me. True to their prior words, they intended to be my shield. But I had no intention of sacrificing my companions.
“Aegis—”
“Disperse.”
Just as I was attempting to cast a defensive spell, Kagetora’s voice echoed, and the black mist vanished. The phenomenon of decay halted accordingly. It seemed he could control the range of his effects.
“This is my power. It is easy to devastate an entire city in the blink of an eye. With this technique, which possesses a toxicity that corrupts all things.”
Kagetora laughed.
“To be clear, I myself have an immunity to poison. Naturally, I will not die from my own poison. You may take this as a reference for your strategy.”
The Empire’s mages always did love explaining their abilities.
“Next, I’ll go all out. Dead End Mist!”
With the incantation, the black mist spread with several times the previous intensity.
“Now, rot, all of you! The famed hero Abel will be struck down by this Kagetora—”
“Messiah Rod, Mode One—”
Interrupting Kagetora’s boisterous laughter, I transformed the Messiah Rod into its defensive form.
“Pegasus Flap!”
Then, I unleashed a wind-element spell. The sub-units (bits) circling around me glowed, amplifying my magic power manifold. The wind generated by this magic attained typhoon-level strength, albeit in a localized area.
Furthermore, it was a directional wind, responding to my will.
*Roar…!*
The gale entangled the poisonous mist, blowing it high into the sky.
“Impossi-ble! To generate such energy in such a confined space—what incredible magic control…!”
I gazed at Kagetora, who was in utter shock.
…Well, it’s thanks to the staff’s amplification. Alone, I couldn’t control my magic to this extent. If I trained for many more years, perhaps I could—but I need strength now.
This staff, which Veronica-san made for me, is truly a godsend.
Furthermore, my magic power had completely recovered. I could feel waves of magic power surging from the depths of my body, practically bursting forth. It was all thanks to Mariel-san, the Priestess from Almelis, and the selected beauties who indulged me thoroughly with erotic encounters two days ago.
That encounter was wild and intense. In the end, after a break, I came inside her a total of five times. It felt so good… But, now is not the time for such leisurely thoughts.
My opponent is one of the Elysion Octa. This is no time to let my guard down.
“B-but my technique is not limited to this! Receive it, Basilisk—”
I wasn’t so foolish as to play along for their convenience.
“Messiah Rod, Mode Two—Edge Shot!”
This time, using the staff transformed into its offensive form, I unleashed countless blades of magic power. The sheer number—truly thousands.
“Wh-what is this number—”
Each individual attack was not particularly powerful. It was a technique that could only be used for feints. However, as the saying goes, even dust can accumulate. When such a technique is deployed in the thousands, its power becomes considerable.
“You bastard…!”
Facing the barrage of magic bullets, Kagetora halted the offensive spell he was about to cast. Instead, he rapidly cast silent defensive spells.
“Too many…! I can’t launch an attack with this many…!”
“Wyvern Spear!”
Towards the immobilized Kagetora, I unleashed my finishing move.
“Gah…!? Argh… Aaaah… Aaah…”
The fire spell, shaped like a dragon, instantly incinerated the Empire’s mage with minimal collateral damage. Truly—instantaneous. I stared intently at the enemy reduced to charcoal.
To protect people, to protect a nation, I kill the enemy. This is the second time I’ve killed someone, following Forse and Lilmid. The shock is less than I expected. No, I am shaken, but there’s another part of me observing myself with a strange sense of calm. Of course, the guilt and unpleasant feelings aren’t completely gone. However—perhaps I am starting to get accustomed to killing people on the battlefield faster than I thought.
And now, above all guilt, protecting people must be my top priority. If I don’t do it, the lives of the people living peacefully will be threatened. They will be destroyed. It is my duty to protect them.
