Chapter 346: Teacher, Please!
A few days had passed since then, and the sporadic attacks from the monsters had increased to several times a day. It was around this time that monsters began to gather near the shallows of the Forest of Enchantment.
“It’s about time to launch a full-scale operation.”
The timing for deploying the TYPE Series had arrived, determined by the gathering of monsters. Until now, we had only sent out one or two squads to hunt the monsters in the Forest of Enchantment on a trial basis, but it was time to get serious. According to the surveillance from the Bird TYPE stationed in the Forest, over fifty thousand monsters had already congregated in the area near the town of shallows. Even now, they continued to pour in from the depths of the forest without any signs of stopping.
Beyond the wall we had constructed, now referred to as the Second Outer Wall, countless monster corpses lay scattered, hinting at the impending stampede. If they continued to gather like this, it would likely drag on, so we planned to start thinning their numbers discreetly. I thought of beginning with ten squads.
As I mentally commanded the deployment, the TYPE Series sprang into action. We created entrances to dungeons at three locations deep within the Forest of Enchantment, aiming to strike at the rear and flanks of the monster horde, primarily dealing with the monsters that were merging into the group.
“I hope this ends quickly,” Rio sighed deeply, watching the scene unfold as four squads set out from the central entrance.
“Yeah. We need to wrap this up quickly and have a chat with the Councilors in the Royal Capital,” I replied.
While it was uncertain if there would be future incidents, the frequent provocations were becoming a nuisance. We needed to cut off the problem at its root. Once the deployment was complete, we would teleport to the next entrance and watch as the TYPE Series launched their next assault. After confirming that a total of ten squads had set out, I returned to the town to resume our increasingly routine defensive tasks.
Days passed once more, and suddenly, the bells rang violently from the lookout towers scattered across the First Outer Wall.
“The main assault has begun!!”
At that shout, I turned my gaze toward the Forest of Enchantment. From between the trees, a dark mass began to seep out, gradually spreading. It wasn’t just a part of the forest; it was almost the entire area, extending all the way to the horizons in both the east and west. Monsters had breached the boundaries of the ten designated sectors, causing our defensive forces to panic.
“Everyone, retreat!”
At the sound of the unusual bell, the adventurers and soldiers who had been holding back the monsters beyond the Second Outer Wall began to fall back. The preemptive strike against the main assault was entrusted to us, so the retreating personnel included everyone on the front lines. While we had not refrained from deploying before, the time had come for the grand performance of the wide-area magic we had practiced for this very day.
“Shu-san, Rio-san, please!”
“Leave it to me!”
The messenger who had come was from the D Rank party, Kokushi Musou. D Rank was the minimum rank allowed to enter the Forest of Enchantment, so they wouldn’t be on the front lines during a stampede. Thus, they were primarily providing support from the rear.
“Got it.”
“Count on us.”
After waving my hand lightly in response, I glanced at Rio, who was brimming with enthusiasm and breathing heavily. It seemed she was eager to take part this time.
“Alright, I’m heading out.”
With expectant gazes upon us, Rio and I took our positions. Rio moved to the fourth sector of the Second Outer Wall, while I headed to the eighth sector, which was guarded by the national military. The top of the outer wall was narrow, so I had to descend before making my way up the designated stairs to the eighth sector.
“Are you the S Rank Adventurer, Shu?”
A middle-aged man clad in somewhat more impressive armor than the surrounding soldiers stepped forward. He was likely the officer in charge of this area.
“Yeah, I’m here to deliver a solid blow.”
“I see… My apologies. I am Haoran Oogubei, responsible for sectors eight through ten. I appreciate your assistance despite the circumstances.”
He let out a deep sigh and scratched the back of his head. It seemed he was a common-sense person, which was a relief; not everyone was confrontational.
“We have our share of fools in our ranks as well… Please make it as flashy as possible.”
“Understood.”
As I passed by the officer, I waved back at him. Now, it was time to respond to his expectations and unleash a spectacular display.
“We’re in position.”
“Got it. Let’s get started.”
“Right. They asked for something flashy, so let’s deploy our magic as grandly as possible to draw the enemy in before we strike.”
“Hehe, sounds good. Let’s make it flashy.”
From the top of the wall, I gazed ahead, watching as the monsters from the forest began to encroach upon the gentle slope. Quietly, I began to expand my magic power, spreading it further and further around me. I manifested the magic without firing it, allowing it to linger behind me.
Gasps of astonishment echoed from the surrounding soldiers, but I continued to expand my magic. Since they wanted something flashy, I decided to mix in some explosive-type spells. While this would shorten the range slightly, I could handle any areas that fell short individually.
“Is it about time?”
As the monsters approached within a kilometer of the Second Outer Wall, I called out to Rio.
“Yes, I’m all set here.”
“Alright, let’s do this. —Fire!”
Thus, the magic I had charged up unleashed itself in a torrent upon the monsters before us.