Academy’s Genius Swordsman

#292

“Ahayute executes the sentence.”

A low, deep voice rang out. At the same time, the spear that had left his hand was stuck in the ground. Kwaaaaang-!! A huge explosion that had also destroyed Adren's Sky Tower swept through the area.

However, it happened on a distant empty space in the white land, not in the Allied formation that Ahayute had originally aimed for. A small dimensional gate had opened in the sky near where the spear should have originally fallen. Lorhorn, who had twisted space to deflect the attack, vomited blood.

“···Cool.”

“Your Majesty! Are you alright?”

“Yeah… Cool, that’s okay.”

Lorhone coughed heavily repeatedly. It was because he had used too many powerful spatial magics in succession. The soldiers who came to their senses late were shocked. Lorhone wiped the blood from his mouth with his sleeve and looked down at them and said.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would turn out like this.”

“Isn’t now the time to be discussing such things? Just run away.”

The stiff face of Lorhorn showed no sign of its usual composure. Only then did the commanders realize what they had to do and begin to put it into practice. The commander-in-chief shouted.

“All troops, retreat!”

(Retreat!!)

The other commanders repeated the retreat order over the voice. Even looking at it again, there was no chance of victory. The number of giants coming down through the sky seemed to be at least thirty.

I expected to fight giants, but I didn't expect there to be this many. The soldiers in the rear were about to turn around and retreat. Suddenly, several spears of light shot out in a somewhat unexpected direction.

Not towards the Allied Forces, but towards the empty space in the distance. Adeshan, who was the first to notice the intention, let out a scream.

“Oh, no!”

But it was already too late. Three spears of light struck the dimensional gate through which the Allied Forces had advanced. Kwaaaaang! With an explosion, a cloud of dust rose up, obscuring the sky. The carefully maintained magic distorted and the dimensional gate disappeared.

“iced coffee···!”

“This can’t be happening.”

Despair settled over the soldiers' faces. Their only hope, if not a glimmer of hope, was gone.

Now that Kratir was exhausted, there was no one left to repair the portal. People started to collapse or burst into tears. Suddenly, someone's laughter was heard from the top of the castle walls.

“Ahahahaha! Look at those expressions. Hey, did you really think you guys were going to win?”

The soldiers looked up. A woman they had never seen before appeared next to Letancier, holding her stomach and laughing. Her eyes were sharp and she seemed to be no ordinary crazy woman.

“That outfit···!”

Those who saw her wearing the same clothes as the other archbishops gasped. Letancier asked.

“Tieria. Keep your dignity. Is the ceremony over?”

“I’m still working on it. But I came because I thought it wouldn’t be necessary for me.”

“You really… no. It certainly could be the case.”

“It seems like it’s over anyway, so let’s not be so stiff. I don’t think we need to know if she’s a saint or something.”

Archbishop Tieria snickered. She snuck out of the descent ceremony that the archbishops were conducting because she thought it would be more fun this way.

Seeing the faces of people distorted by despair, she thought that her judgment was correct. The frozen adjutant finally opened his mouth.

“Commander. Um, what would you like us to do?”

“I, I···.”

The commander-in-chief fumbled. He couldn't remember anything. He had once been a general of the empire and had been through all sorts of things, but this was unprecedented.

Now the giants who had completely escaped the magic circle were preparing to throw their spears. The light particles that were gathering in their hands filled the sky. Unable to bear the frustration, the adjutant grabbed the commander-in-chief's shoulder and shook him hard.

“Commander! You must come to your senses!”

“That, that’s right… We need to spread out the damage so we all retreat in a scattered manner…”

Just as the commander was about to say something, spears of light shot out from the hands of all the giants. Dozens of beams of light reminiscent of lightning were pouring down, aimed squarely at the Allied Forces.

“Khuuuuum..!”

It was not something that could be blocked or sent away. Nevertheless, Lorhorn did not give up and continued to chant the spell. Dimensional gates opened in the air one after another, swallowing up the spears of light. Those that could not be blocked in time were intercepted by the two swordsmen and talented people like Schlieffen.

“Damn, what the hell is going on all of a sudden.”

“Everyone run away, what are you doing!”

Nabirose, who had just cut down four spears, shouted with a frown. Zaifa and himself cut down four spears each, and Schlieffen cut down five, disabling them, but the spears still remained.

Eventually, two spears of light broke through the air defenses and struck the center of the Allied forces’ formation. Boom-! Kwaaaaang-!!! A pillar of light shot up with a thunderous noise that shook the heavens and the earth. The soldiers who saw the spot where the flash had settled turned pale.

“Ah, ahhhh···!”

“This is… this is ridiculous.”

There was nothing left inside the huge, deep pit. It was hard to believe that just seconds ago, hundreds of people had been living and breathing there. At least five hundred people had evaporated.

“Ahhhhhhh! Huhhhhh!”

“Help me! My legs!”

The tragedy was rather unfolding at the edge of the pit. Those who had not been able to die immediately were screaming. Those who had lost part of their limbs or lower body were crawling around like insects.

Even if he was lucky enough to return alive, he would have to live the rest of his life as a cripple. But the misfortune did not end there. One of the officers who was looking around shouted in confusion.

“The commander has died!”

“All, the other commanders were there too···!”

It was a desperate situation. As they were counting the number of people, they found out that the high-ranking commanders who were supposed to be in charge of the Allied forces had just been evaporated in the bombing. However, they couldn't just sit there and do nothing. He looked back at Adeshan as he was organizing the chain of command in his head.

“4 Field Commander, please give your orders!”

“What, what did you say?”

“You are currently in supreme command. There are still higher-ups, but they are injured or in a state of panic and cannot communicate!”

“that···!”

“I have been watching over the months since the mop-up operation was carried out. Everyone recognizes your skills, Commander. Please give the order immediately!”

The officer shouted. The giants were preparing to throw their spears again. With each flap of their wings, shining feathers flew down. They were the seeds of the servants that would transform into monsters that would tear people apart the moment they touched the ground.

“I, I···.”

Adeshan trailed off. He knew there was no time, but he had nothing to say when she suddenly came out like this. Her head was quickly heating up. What should I do? What can I do now?

“Again, throw it again!”

At that moment, a soldier shouted, pointing to the sky. Adeshan hurriedly raised his head. The spears of light, which had taken full form, were about to leave the giants’ hands. Just as she was about to shout something, Swish! Dozens of lightning struck the ground again.

“···ah.”

Marja sighed. Braum, who was next to her, grabbed the handle of his shield. The two of them, as well as everyone else, instinctively sensed the impending doom.

Navardo was still nowhere to be seen. Only the cracking sound that he and Abel were supposedly making could be heard irregularly somewhere far away. There was no one left to save them now.

“Coolook! Coolook!”

However, he could not wait quietly. Just as Lorhone, who had been spitting out blood again, was about to chant a spell, a new voice rang out from the sky.

“Everyone, wake up!”

“uh···?”

It was a familiar voice. Blame! The owner of the voice landed in the middle of the Allied formation before people could turn their heads. Adeshan's eyes widened.

“Axel···?”

“Wake up! It’s not over yet!”

Asher was right in front of him. Orsay, who was with him, was performing acrobatic flights and drawing the attention of several giants. Asher had asked him to do this in order to reduce the number of spears even a little.

The spears of light were now right above his head. In a moment of life or death, Asher took a deep breath and raised his arms high into the sky.

“Haaaaaap!”

At the same time, sparkling mana swirled and gathered. Stars appeared in the sky where the clouds had disappeared. Woohoo! The storm of mana originating from the starlight soared into the air, forming a wide force field.

It was the protection of the stars, the giants' exclusive specialty. Kwakwakwakwang! The spears of light that had finally arrived struck the shield like heavy rain.

“Kahak!”

Assel felt like he had been kicked in the stomach. It was because he had consumed too much mana. The heavens and earth were shaking, but the protection of the stars was not destroyed. He barely raised his head and looked back at Adeshan and said.

“Huhhhhhh… You can’t give up.”

“Axel.”

“Everyone believes that… Commander, no, Senior, you can find the answer. You can save people.”

He, who carried the lives of the Allied Forces on his shoulders, did not stutter. His beautiful eyes were blazing with the same determination as when he saved the Dragon City. Lorhorn's face brightened when he saw that the defense barrier was still intact.

“If this is the case… all magicians, gather your strength under Mage Asel!”

The archmage's cry rang out. The protection of the stars that Asher wielded was the only hope in the current situation.

“That, that’s right… I can’t die like this.”

“Take my mana, little friend!”

The wizards who had barely come to their senses began to transfer their mana to Asher. Various mana enveloped his body. Asher, who had been staggering as if he was about to fall, straightened up.

“Whew… Thank you all.”

“You’re doing something strange.”

Archbishop Tieria frowned. He was annoyed at the thought of daring to use the power of the giants, but he was also displeased with the hope that was rising in his face. Axel, who had been catching his breath, spoke again.

“Senior. Come on.”

“···okay.”

Adeshan clenched his fists. His mind was finally cooling down. There was no way out, no chance of winning, but it was still the commander's job to find an answer.

Yes, I was supposed to be a general.

“Haaaaaah···.”

Adeshan closed her eyes and concentrated her mind. A black aura spread out like fog beneath her feet. It was the shadow mana that controlled the minds of living things. The shadow quickly spread and began to seep into the nearby Allied soldiers.

“Huh, huh?”

“What, something just happened…”

The soldiers under the influence of Mana shed a look of bewilderment. For some unknown reason, they were no longer afraid of fighting. An unfounded confidence was raising its head in their hearts.

“Ugh…ugh…!”

Adeshan gritted his teeth. Blood flowed down his high nose. Eliminating fear alone was a simple task compared to completely controlling the mind, but there were too many of them.

Of course, she couldn’t stop midway, so she ended up overlaying the entire force with shadow mana. Now, the giants were forming a formation and preparing to throw their spears. Adeshan’s voice echoed in the heads of the entire coalition forces.

(Listen! All troops, enter the headquarters at any cost!)

“What the···!”

Lorhon's eyes widened. It was the exact opposite of what he had been thinking. Adeshan continued, regardless.

(There is no escape! If we lose here, it's all over. Let the giants strike at their heart!)

“Waaaaaaaaaah-!!”

A thunderous roar erupted. None of the soldiers, whose morale had been forcibly raised, raised an objection. Zaipa raised the corners of his mouth upon hearing the order.

“Now it’s starting to make sense.”

“This much.”

Schlieffen grabbed the hilt. They had no intention of retreating. The final assault began as the giants' bombardment pounded the shield once more.