Chapter 162: Elimination
As expected of those selected as advanced users of each magic, they effortlessly created Domes of the same shape after seeing the example.
The vice-captain, Muldann, watched with keen interest, but I had Eina-san fire Ice Lances into all the Domes.
Out of the ten Earth Magic and Barrier Magic Domes, four were pierced, and the rest barely held, looking like they could collapse at any moment.
“Colan, aim a little higher and crush them.”
He grinned and launched a series of small Fireballs.
A continuous series of loud booms echoed.
Since all the Domes broke, I ordered them to make stronger ones, had them further reinforce the completed Domes, and then had them attacked again.
This time, they withstood the Ice Lance and Fireball attacks.
Next, I had Ariela create an ice Shield, and then had Stone Lances fired at it.
Four people managed to pierce it. Then, only two managed to hit a 30cm diameter target about 35m away.
Two Earth Magic Users and three Barrier Magicians passed.
I told Muldann to assign the rest to support the Adventurers.
Similarly, the Ice Magic Users, Fire Magic Users, and Lightning Magic Users underwent target practice.
For the Fire Magic Users, all but one had explosive power and accuracy that were neither here nor there, so only one passed.
All the Lightning Magic Users failed to pass.
I announced that only one Ice Magic User passed as well, and the rest would be assigned to support the Adventurers.
Muldann, who was watching, looked disappointed, but magic is meaningless if it doesn’t hit.
I told him that while their power and accuracy might be sufficient for anti-personnel combat, against a Dragon, it’s useless if it lacks power even when hitting a vital spot.
When I returned to the Sub-Master, he told me he had gone to call the Sword and Fang party.
While waiting, I requested four tight-lipped and trustworthy Adventurer parties to escort the members of the Magic Squad we’d be taking.
I called Muldann and the leaders of each party and explained my plan.
I would act alone.
Sword of the Fire Festival + Barrier Magician.
Glacial Shield + Earth Magic User.
Tanza’s Shield.
Fran and Osius’s Fang.
Sword and Fang.
Fire Magic User + Barrier Magician + Adventurers.
Ice Magic User + Barrier Magician + Adventurers.
Earth Magic User + Adventurers.
Earth Magic User + Adventurers.
“Glacial Shield is worried about camping, so I think it’s better to take one Earth Magic User with them. I think it’ll be safe if they additionally reinforce the Domes for camping… probably. Otherwise, Ariela’s Dome should be able to withstand it,” I said.
“I think that’s fine,” she replied. “The Earth Magic User-san will have to train on the way, but who would be good?”
I pointed to two Earth Magic Users of similar skill, and one quickly volunteered, so it was decided.
“Does this mean we’ll be acting separately with these combinations?” one of the leaders asked.
“Until we reach the Dragon’s habitat, each party will act with the kingdom’s Magicians, and during that time, they’ll also practice subjugating Beasts. After entering the Dragon’s habitat, the kingdom’s Magic Squad members will be positioned between each party as we advance.”
“So each party will head west in a horizontal line formation?”
“We probably can’t leave too much space between them, but this is how it’ll be if we’re to search a wide area.”
“True. If we search separately, we’ll miss a lot.”
“Sub-Master, from now on we’ll be operating under a request from the kingdom, so the Dragons we currently have will be put up for auction under Tanza’s name, but we and the kingdom will take the rest. Also, I promise a satisfactory reward for the Adventurers who will be on escort duty.”
“Can’t be helped, huh. What kind of reward are you promising the escort parties?”
“I promise at least one bag of Gold Coins for each party.”
“Understood, I’ll tell them that.”
“Muldann, did you bring food and Magic Bags?”
“I’ve brought ten 12/180 Magic Bags. Each Magic Bag contains 60 days’ worth of food for 10 people, so please take care of them.”
Saying so, he offered ten Magic Bags.
The Magic Bags, bearing the Royal Family Crest, were unregistered and usable by anyone, which almost made me laugh.
Well, I think we can recoup the cost if we auction off a few Dragons, but I have a feeling the auction price for Dragons might deflate.
Though, this is about the small ones that fit into Magic Bags. It looks like I’ll have to test how much I can store.
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With all preparations complete, we set out. Since there were 62 of us in total, we decided to split into pairs of groups to avoid attracting attention, crossing the defense line from different locations and heading west.
After crossing the defense line and walking for several tens of minutes, we regrouped. With the kingdom’s Magician groups positioned between our parties, we headed into the Deep Forest in an echelon formation.
Even though it was an echelon formation, the adjacent parties were visible to each other, and when a Beast was found, we had the Magicians subjugate it.
During that time, the parties positioned diagonally in front and behind provided backup, teaching them various things like attack timing and positioning.
Here, it wasn’t so much a miscalculation as something I’d anticipated, but the Magicians’ fatigue was severe.
They had to confront and subjugate enormous Beasts that even Adventurers would fear, all while walking through an unfamiliar forest.
Terrified by a fear different from that of anti-personnel combat, they couldn’t run away, and if they headed into the Deep Forest, they would have to fight Dragons.
Our pace only slowed. On the third day, we gave up on advancing and decided to take a long rest, creating a large Dome and holding a banquet.
Forming two concentric circles facing each other, we provided Dragon meat for an all-you-can-eat yakiniku party.
We placed barrels of stockpiled ale and sake here and there, told them to drink as they pleased, and started a boisterous party.
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At the signal of a Fang Bear sighting, each party hid inside Domes or Barriers, and voices of encouragement flew towards the Fire Magician in charge of attacking.
“It’s just like aiming from an embrasure in the castle walls! Calm down and aim accurately!”
“Don’t stick your arm out of the hole. If you aim carefully and shoot, you can definitely defeat it.”
“You’re stronger than it, so take it easy.”
Even if they said so, the Magician couldn’t stop trembling at the ferocious sight of the Beast charging towards them through the Barrier.
“Whoa, that’s quite intense, isn’t it?”
“Being inside a sturdy Barrier gives a different sense of security, huh.”
“Yeah, maybe we should look for a Barrier Magician when we get back.”
“Mhm, Earth Magic Users are in high demand, so it’s pretty much impossible to recruit one.”
“Hey, your hands are shaking! Stop trying to shoot. At this rate, you’ll just anger it.”
“Close your eyes for a bit and take a deep breath.”
The Adventurer behind them covered their eyes, preventing them from shooting.
A loud thud echoed as the Fang Bear slammed into the Barrier, and the Magician’s body jolted.
“Alright, you can open your eyes now.”
The hand covering their eyes was removed, and when they timidly opened them, they saw the enraged Fang Bear right in front of them.
They instinctively tried to step back but were stopped by the man behind them.
“Look, it’s seriously pissed off.”
“Of course, it’s angry.”
“There’s a feast right in front of it, but it can’t eat. You’d be angry too if you couldn’t drink the ale right in front of you, wouldn’t ya?”
“Ain’t that the truth.”
“Ah, Shinya’s lost his patience.”
A man, who could pass for a small boy, casually stepped out of the Barrier.
They had been strictly warned by His Majesty the King not to speak of anything they saw or heard regarding this man and his companions.
It was unbelievable that such a man existed in the kingdom.
“Oh, looks like it’s gonna be a close-quarters fight.”
“It’s strange how he’s way stronger than the Beast.”
“He’s supposedly a Tamer, so what’s with that magic?”
“He’s the guy who’s supposed to go subjugate a Dragon all by himself.”
“But hey, they say he’ll take on a Dragon alone, but if you could use the same magic as him, would you go hunt a Dragon by yourself?”
“Hey, hey, don’t underestimate me. I absolutely wouldn’t go!”
How can they joke around at a time like this?
And then, in that brief moment, I struck the Fang Bear with my Short Spear, felled it with a single thrust, and before they knew it, it had disappeared into my Magic Bag.
“Alright, you can release the Barrier now,” I said.
The Barrier Magician, with a relieved expression, exhaled the breath they had been holding and released the Barrier.
“Kid, that was a pretty good Barrier. Have some confidence,” an Adventurer said.
Even if they said so, the Barrier Magician had never experienced such fear during training at the Royal Castle, making them truly doubt the nerves of Adventurers.
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The Magicians dispatched by the Royal Family somehow endured the unfamiliar Beast subjugation expedition and were achieving results.
Only one person, a Fire Magician, couldn’t suppress their fear. They followed the instructions of the escorting Adventurers but were unable to attack.
Following the advice of the accompanying men, I tried swapping them with the Earth Magic User who was paired with Glacial Shield, but this also proved ineffective.
When they saw the Beasts charging, even through the attack openings, their fear was uncontrollable, and they trembled so much their attacks wouldn’t hit.
I had them erect a thick pillar to serve as a landmark, and create a basement at its base to use as a stronghold.
I swapped the Earth Magic Users with the Barrier Magicians, left the Fire Magician group here, and told them we would come pick them up on our way back.
I promised the escorting Adventurers that their reward would be the same as the other Adventurer parties.
The Fire Magicians were apologizing, half in tears, so I consoled them, saying that the problem lay with the Royal Family’s training methods, which hadn’t included proper Beast subjugation training, and that I had no intention of blaming them.
Ariela, Linna, Eila, and the others started subjugating Beasts from a young age and gradually got used to it, which reminds me of the saying, “start small and work your way up steadily.”
When we return, I’ll order Muldann of the Magic Squad to have them start with Goblin subjugation training.
The results of having them subjugate Beasts in rotation were coming in, and though it was still precarious, they were beginning to show some progress. Past noon on the fifth day, Fran and her group, who were leading the echelon formation, gave a warning signal.
As all the groups halted and watched Fran and the others, a Dome enveloped Osius’s Fang, and Fran alone slowly floated upwards.
Once she was in a firing position atop a pillar—an application of the many stone pillars we had erected—she fired a Stone Lance diagonally downwards.
After firing Stone Lances two or three times, she observed the surroundings, confirmed it was safe, and then sent the all-clear signal.