Chapter 123: Crossing the Wilderness (3)

Hwaruruk!

The 3rd Circle Fireball was one of the most popular attack spells of war magicians. Five Fireballs lit up the area around Theo like the brightest day. The heat and light stung the eyes of the merchants and the mercenaries, who gave Theo a wide berth. However, Theo was looking up at the fireballs with a puzzled expression.

What’s going on? I’m sure I only used enough magic power to make three.?

But the circular scar on his left hand, the mark of the Ring of Muspelheim, throbbed like it was boasting of its own merits. The mark had the ability to dramatically increase the owner’s fire affinity and reduced fire magic consumption by half. It seemed like this power acted independently of Theo’s will. If so, Theo had to add that variable into his calculations.

Once he finished thinking, Theo gazed ahead of him.

“... Fast. Is it something like a camel?”

The aggressors were now close enough that he could distinguish the colors of the fluttering turbans. Camels were a rare sight on the northern continent, but they were one of the best animals for blitzkriegs. After all, they could reach around 65 km/hr in a single sprint.

At any rate, his targets were clear.

“Go,” Theo declared, and the five fireballs flew toward the vanguard. Blunting the initial offensive of a vanguard was standard practice in any engagement.

“?￠￠℃￡···?!”

“° C ￥￡￠!”

However, Theo’s instincts were alerted as the enemies acted unusually quickly. The majority scattered in all directions, but a select few raised their crescent shaped shamshirs and rode straight for the fireballs.

Theo scoffed coldly as he watched the one in front swing his blade and cut the fireballs. The fireballs exploded in a glorious show of light and heat, but the assailants were unscathed.

Puk!

Puuok!

Puk!

The brow, throat and mouth... Translucent arrows burrowed deeply into the vulnerable points that had been left unprotected by armor. The one who had destroyed the fireball was caught completely off guard, and leaped hastily off his camel.

They may have relied on the darkness to stage an attack, but the darkness was no one’s ally. It had hidden the wind arrows that Theo had silently cast after the fireballs.

This was battle magic, not a flashy display of magic power. It prioritized killing with the greatest efficiency. Theo’s two spells had eliminated five attackers, so it wasn’t too bad.

“￠?￠! ?\￡￠￥?℃―!”

However, the enemies weren’t stupid. Theo had exposed his position. Everyone knew that magicians were strongest when they were safe enough to cast spells. The enemy leader immediately charged toward Theo with a few of his men, aiming to eliminate the lone magician.

However, that only played into Theo’s hands.

The warrior who reached Theo first recklessly launched himself off the camel. Theo could tell that he was an aura user from the shimmering light around his curved blade. In other words, he was relying on his aura to cut through magic shields in a single blow.

“℃℃?(Die!)”

“... How simple.” Theo accepted the blade without any hesitation.

Swaeek!

It cut—no, it couldn’t cut anything. The warrior couldn’t understand what had just happened. His blade had passed through Theo, yet he hadn’t felt it cut anything. In that moment of confusion, Theo turned off Fluidization, and threw a single punch.

Battle Song. Rhapsody of Power. Mezzo Forte.

Theo’s fist, empowered by Battle Song, penetrated the armor and crushed the warrior’s heart in one blow.

Kwang!

The warrior’s corpse was sent flying back. The enemy leader’s face stiffened as he reevaluated the calm magician. He raised his left hand and gestured to his men. His men instantly moved to circle Theo.

An encirclement command? Moreover, was it done with hand signals? They seem more like soldiers than bandits?

Theo’s guesses solidified into a firm conviction.

The leader walked forward. “Young man, your skills are very good.”

Theo muttered, “... The north’s official language?”

The leader continued, “But I believe that this is the extent of your skills. If you continue to resist, I won’t be able to spare your life.”

Theo laughed at the threat. “Are you telling me to surrender now?”

“That’s right. Our goal is your surrender, and once we receive your ransom, you will be safely escorted to your homeland.”

Theo scoffed. “Do you even believe your own nonsense”

The warriors were openly provoked by Theo’s apparent disregard.

“-This guy!”

“This young man doesn’t want to live.”

The leader snapped, “Stop.”

“Let's just kill him, Boss! Even if the mage uses his fist, how can he deal with so many people at this distance?”

“I told you to stop!”

As they argued about his life, Theo’s lips curled cynically. How arrogant were they to think they could decide his life? There was a lot he wanted to teach them properly, but he needed to check something first.

He stared straight into the leader’s eyes and asked, “Should I even really call you bandits? Aren’t you Austen regulars led by a Janissary? Or a looting unit?”

The leader’s eyes narrowed. “... You.”

“Don't say that you’re not. The military discipline is blatant, and you all use the same sword style.” Theo cut off the leader before he could say anything. “Isn’t it said that the Janissaries are the Sultan’s sword? Then this plundering was ordered by the Sultan?”

The atmosphere froze. In the desert kingdom of Austen, the Sultan was the representative of the gods. Unlike other countries, Austen’s citizens believed that they were born to serve the Sultan. In particular, the Janissaries were fanatics who would bite off their tongue if ordered to do so by the Sultan.

The enemy’s leader—no, the Janissary, replied in an eerily cold voice, “No, we have no affiliation with him.”

“Hmm?”

“And I'm not a Janissary. My men aren’t soldiers of Austen.” A white sword emerged from the sheath hanging at his waist. “Stop the chatter, we are enemies. I destroyed my name and pride, and am just a regular bandit killing merchants on the roads!”

“... Is that so?”

“I will kill you here!”

The Janissary and his men approached Theo in formation. There were seven aura users and one at the expert level. Even experienced war magicians wouldn’t be able to escape from their encirclement. However, Theo didn’t panic at all. He had already figured out the caliber of his enemies before they had approached him.

Now for the final touch.?

The preparations were finished, and Theo counted their steps in the darkness. Thirty meters, twenty-five meters, twenty meters, and they were finally close enough.

[Pall dow!]

Mitra’s voice resonated loudly from under the ground.

“℃?￡￠?!”

“￡￠￥￥￡!!”

The firm ground collapsed beneath them to form a pit of loose sand. There was no way to escape, as every handhold crumbled beneath their grasping fingers, and their heavy armor only made them sink further.

Pusususu-...?

The sound of the sinking sand was creepy, as the sand hungrily swallowed its victims.

“This… guy!”

Only one person, the Janissary, was quick enough to respond. He was too late to save his men, but he escaped the sand pit, and brought his sword flashing down on Theo. If this landed, it might save his men and reverse the tides of battle.

However, he was greeted by Theo’s spell.

“[Gale, be my blade.]”

The first magic spell he had used from the Balcia Empire shattered the bodies of the warriors buried in the sand.

***

The ensuing battle was rather one-sided. The warriors that the Janissary had brought with him to attack Theo were elites, while the others were less powerful. Since the main force had disappeared from the battlefield, the mercenaries hired by Polonell were able to hold their own against the remaining bandits.

The six Living Armors shattered the balance though.

Kang!

Living Armors weren’t that rare. Nobles often purchased them as guards, despite being rather inferior copies of ancient relics. However, disciplined Living Armors who had more than basic defensive protocols were far and few between.

At that moment, another warrior lost his life to the gauntlets of a Living Armor.

“A-Amazing...” Bear was blown away as he watched.

He had seen Living Armors fight knights before, but they seemed like pale imitations compared to the ones in front of him. They were just like real knights as their swords slashed smoothly at the weaknesses of their opponents.

His merchant’s instincts wriggled as he was filled with the desire to buy them instantly.

Thanks to the Living Armors and the mercenaries, the assailants were killed without knowing their leader had already died. The Living Armors confirmed the lack of enemy life force signatures and dissipated.

In the end, Bear could only watch and drool. “Ah… Too bad.”

“Hmm? What is so unsatisfactory?”

“Ah, Theo!”

Bear looked over at the approaching Theo, who was wiping off the blood stuck to his robes.

Although Bear had complained that moving away from the party was suicide, the story was different now. He hadn’t been able to watch closely, but if Theo hadn’t lured the boss away, they may not have won.

Of course, the truth was different from that, but Theo didn’t say anything.

“It's nothing. Oh Theo, what happened to the leader?”

“... Dead.”

“Oh, by your hand?”

“... Yes.”

Bear’s words reminded him of the Janissary’s final moments. He had lost an arm, realized Theo was trying to capture him, and made the decision without the slightest hesitation.

He had exclaimed,“Glory to Austen’s sun, the Great Sultan!”

Theo didn’t understand the loyalty which had driven the Janissary to give up his life for the Sultan. Still, the great drought of the Austen Kingdom had driven a Janissary to looting. Filled with more complicated emotions than the joy born from victory, Theo looked at the starry sky, realizing once again just how much of a mortal he was.