Volume 6 Chapter 16 (1/2)

~Stolas's point of view~

The situation was worsening by the moment.

Stolas's fighting force was split into two main battlefronts: the one in the sky against the enemy flying monsters and the one on ground against the monsters that travelled through the path with narrow footholds.

The ones in the sky were doing well thanks to the low number of enemy flying monsters, the A rank monster Garuda's efforts, and the tornado made by several monsters. On the other hand, the ones against the enemies on the ground were in quite a bind.

”There's too many of them.”

Stolas unconsciously voiced out her complaint.

A great factor in why the enemy in the ground haven't dominated that battlefield yet was the A rank monster Windy.

Windy, who had strong wind abilities and also Transfer, employed a tactic wherein it would conceal itself—by using wind magic to refract the light—then hide its presence, creep up to an enemy A rank monster, and then use Transfer to whisk the target away to a far-off sky. It was an effective and deadly move, but there were several limiting factors.

The downsides of using Transfer on an unwilling target were that the magic consumption was extreme and that there was a requirement that the skill user had to be in direct contact with the target. Additionally, Transfer could only be used on one target at a time.

Windy has already used Transfer 12 times. Any further use seemed uncertain.

”Windy, fall back and recover a bit of magic power.”

Through the wind, Stolas relayed her command to her subordinate.

Windy replied that he would fight with his bare fist, but considering its combat proficiency outside of magic was rather low, it would just lead to a pointless death.

If Windy could only use Transfer one more time, it would be better to reserve that one final use as a trump card.

”You have done enough. Leave the rest to us.”

With words of reluctance, Windy retreated. Having killed 12 A rank monsters, in Stolas's opinion, Windy has already accomplished his part.

So far, in cooperation with other monsters, Garuda has killed 5 enemy A rank monsters.

Additionally, the Emerald Dragon had killed 3 A rank monsters earlier in the war.

All in all, their side has defeated 20 enemy A rank monsters.

”Everyone's really giving it their best.”

What made them succeed so far were the excellent performance of both Garuda and Windy, the army-wide strengthening skill of Rozelitte, and the support of all the other monsters.

Windy was able to launch multiple surprise attacks thanks to the many eyes that provided him with the appropriate targets and the appropriate timing to attack. Occasionally, they also provided him useful diversions.

As for Garuda's side of things, although the enemies were swept away by the tornado, had Rozelitte's strengthening not provided enough stat boosts, the enemies would have surely and quickly got out of the tornado.

By combining their powers together, Stolas's monsters were doing well despite the vast difference in numbers.

”Garuda!”, cried Stolas.

”Fret not. Battle continues.”

The red birdman Garuda was pierced by a spear. Even though he was coughing out blood, fighting spirit never left his eyes.

”I will be the one to kill this enemy commanderrrrrrrrrrrr!”

A monster with the horn of an Oni and the wings of a bird broke through the tornado and then pierced Garuda's belly while the latter was distracted with another monster.

The flying Oni then twisted its wrist which in turn twisted the spear in its hand, causing an awful amount of blood to spout from Garuda's belly.

”Defeat, I refuse”

Rather than try to pull out the spear, Garuda flapped his wings so that it could move toward the flying Oni and grab both of its wings. As he moved closer, the spear pierced deeper. The blood flowing out of him were increasing too, but miraculously, the weapon wasn't piercing through any vital organs. Like that, the two went into freefall, accelerating by each passing moment.

”Let go! Let go! If you're a warrior of honor, just die bravely!”

”Warrior of honor, nay. Guardian, aye.”

The flying Oni struggled to break free but to no avail.

On the last second, Garuda skillfully changed their trajectory. Instead of crashing flat on the ground, he made it so that only his enemy's head would be hit by the cliff's edge. As a result, the flying Oni's consciousness faded and its grip on its spear loosened.

When the two of them were near the bottom of the ravine, Garuda released his still unconscious enemy, flipped over, and then rose higher. Afterwards, he threw his own spear at the enemy, aiming for its heart. It hit accurately and pierced deeply. To further ensure the kill, he dove down and did a dropkick on the firmly lodged spear. Needless to say, the flying Oni's heart was crushed and that it was then no more.

With no enemies nearby, he then pulled out the spear stuck in his belly. To stop the bleeding, he cauterized the wound with his own flames. After that, he went back to the battlefield in search for his next kill. Or so he tried. His balance was off and that caused him to fall.

Just like Windy, his constitution and magic power were at their limits.

”Garuda, you fall back too.”

”Inadvisable. Holding frontlines, priority.”

”But you can't fight with that body!”

”A soldier, I am, ergo, undying, I am too. …your encouragement, I crave.”

Garuda's eyes were not those of someone dying.

Like that, the wounded birdman flew again.

Meanwhile, Stolas closed her fist so tight, blood was coming out.

As of the moment, should Garuda be out of commission, the battlefield in the sky would be completely lost.

Stolas knew that and therefore could not voice her concern as a [Command].

It pained her, but she had no other choice than to rely on his desperate efforts.

And so, the least she could do was do as he wanted and say to him do your best.

◇

With Windy out of magic power, stopping the enemy monsters advancing on the ground became much, much harder.

Not only that, other bad news were happening one after the other.

”Rozelitte, blood's-”

”It's alright. I'm not AT my limit yet; I'm just nearing it.”

Rozelitte, the angel-type monster, said so with a ghastly pale face. …And with blood running from her mouth.

Upon seeing that, Stolas surmised her circumstances: it was all too likely that Rozelitte used her army-wide strengthening ability to the limit.

Even though the battlefield that was the precipitous cliffs was very advantageous to the monsters of [Wind]—for one, they could bottleneck their enemies—the fact that their side was numerically inferior, specially in terms of A rank monsters, remained. The reason they could push back though was Rozelitte and her army-wide strengthening ability.

However, the burden on Rozelitte for using her ability was immense. Not only that, she has been using it for an unprecedented amount of time. Needless to say, Rozelitte has went beyond her limits a while ago. Having exhausted her magic power, she was now burning up her life force as fuel to keep the ability going.

”That's enough already, you can stop.”

”I'm sorry but I'd rather not. If I stop now, all our allies in the frontlines would be killed. This is where I must risk my life. …and I only have to hold on a little longer, right?”

The enemies were soon approaching the place where their great trap was.

If they could activate that trap, the battle would become much easier.

”Rozelitte, I [Command] you, once we've activated the trap, cancel your ability. Until then, don't die.”

Withholding her tears, Stolas gave that heartless order to her subordinate.

”With pleasure… my Demon Lord.”

Hearing the command given to her, Rozelitte wiped the blood in her mouth, smiled, and replied so.

After that, she activated her skill once more. Like a candle burning brightest before it goes out, her wings grew brighter than ever before.

While the monsters in the frontlines were inferior in ability, they fought bravely nonetheless. However, try as they might, they could not overcome the difference in strength and were thus forced to retreat. Being pushed back was no act but it was not all that was happening; they were also luring their enemies toward a certain open space.

If the battle was to continue in such a place, the enemy side would be able to make full use of their numbers and swarm Stolas's side. Seeing that, the enemy side rushed forward.

…just what Stolas was waiting for.

”Masamune!”

”Okay, princess!”

Stolas and Masamune communicated via the wind.

After that, Masamune, a Kamaitachi-type monster, jumped down from a cliff.

Despite only being a B rank monster, due to him being one of Stolas's [Monsters of the Covenant] and due to Rozelitte's skill, he fought continuously in the frontmost lines.

At any rate, the wide, open space where the enemies were lured into was actually supported by disproportionately slender pillars. Any further damage to those pillars would cause them to break.

And so, Masamune targeted the pillars and fired off blades of wind that Kamaitachi were known for.