Chapter 41: Monster Extermination Festival ③
I hurriedly chased after them, bashing Goblins out of the way as I advanced, and quickly managed to rendezvous with them.
Many injured people were lying on the cart, and some of them looked like they were on the verge of death.
“This is Kisaragi, leading the student unit. Requesting a situation report!”
While the instructor was asking about the situation, I took out Potions and gave small sips to those on the verge of death. They were unconscious, so I couldn’t tell if they’d fully recovered, but their wounds closed. I was relieved, thinking their lives were probably saved, but then I learned the current situation was even worse.
“We couldn’t hold back the Ogres, and the decision was made for the main camp to retreat. Right now, the Knights are buying time with a delaying action. Get the students to fall back as quickly as possible!”
Uwah. That’s bad.
A delaying action… basically, it’s a retreat battle, right? There must be considerable casualties…
I’ve only used three so far, but maybe I should have brought more Potions…
“No, wait. Call for a guy named Rui! It’s a request from Owen-dono!”
Eh, me?
No, no, this is an adult unit. Someone like me won’t be that useful.
Although I thought so, I announced myself anyway. I received instructions to advance as I was and rendezvous with Mr. Owen.
Wait. You want me to go alone?
I glanced towards the instructor, but he just nodded in return.
I see. So, I have to go…
I can’t really say no here, so it looks like I have no choice but to go. I have a bad feeling I’ll be forced to play my trump card. It’s weighing on me.
With that in mind, I cut down only the Goblins in my path and advanced.
It seemed they weren’t that far, as I soon saw another group. They were pretty battered. This was really bad.
Moreover, the higher-ranking Ogre species they were fighting looked quite strong. Even with enhanced Enhancement Magic, the vanguard could barely handle one, right?
Then my role must be healing, I figured. I went around giving sips of Potion to the fallen. Those who were conscious immediately stood up, expressed their thanks, and returned to the front lines. After repeating that a dozen or so times, I couldn’t see anyone nearby who still looked unable to move.
“Are there any more seriously injured people?”
“Over here, please!”
Ah, so there were still more.
“This is a top-grade item, so please just take a small sip. We’ll run out if you don’t share it.”
“Is this any time to be stingy! Just hand it over!”
I pushed aside the hand reaching out to snatch it. I put it to his mouth, let a little flow in, and pulled it away.
“You drank it… You’re healed, right?”
“Ah, yes… What in the world is this…”
His sharp gaze turned to bewilderment. He looked like he was about to ask a pointless question at a time like this, so I beat him to it and asked one myself.
“More importantly, where is Mr. Owen?”
“Owen-dono was fighting the Ogre King but suffered heavy injuries. He’s probably already…”
Huh, seriously?
No, first I need to confirm.
I climbed onto a large nearby rock and looked for people fighting in the distance. Then I saw a few people quite far away. There were no other signs of fighting, so I aimed for a path clear of equipped Ogres and ran towards them.
And the moment I arrived, I was forced to witness someone’s head being crushed.
“Damn it!! Hold on somehow! Buy time until his treatment is finished! If you can’t, we’ll all die anyway!”
Multiple Healing Magic spells were being activated. The one receiving that healing was Mr. Owen.
I rushed over and called out.
“I brought top-grade Potions. Please let him drink this too.”
“Oh, well done! Hurry. Force it down his throat if you have to!”
The moment I poured it in and forced his throat to move, Mr. Owen leaped up.
Mr. Owen looked around, and our eyes met.
“–?! Rui is already here?! What’s the situation!”
“Owen! If you’re up, join the fight! We’re gonna die, damn it!!”
At that voice, Mr. Owen instantly donned his exclusive armament and leaped out.
“I’ll leave this with you too. Please share it,” I said, handing one Potion to the Knights, and joined in on exterminating the small fry.
“What is this Potion?! My severed finger grew back with just one sip!?”
“Never mind that, fight now! You’ll lose your life this time!”
“Hey! Hurry and give some over here too! I’m about to lose consciousness!!”
They passed the Potion around while fighting and yelling at each other.
Being in the fiercest battle zone, they were all strong.
However, there were too many Ogre Generals. I’d heard there were a hundred, but even at this very moment, there were more.
Someone asked, “Are there no more?!” so I tossed one Potion each to the people nearby.
I still had half left, but our disadvantageous situation didn’t change. We’d recovered from the brink of annihilation to a point where we could barely manage a desperate defense.
If it weren’t for being overwhelmingly outnumbered, this might have been enough. But we couldn’t keep up this kind of defense forever. Many of them were probably low on Magical Power too.
Yeah, this won’t end unless I play a trump card.
Which one should I use? The Gun or Light Magic…
With the Gun, I can say that only I can produce the gunpowder, so no one else can replicate it. But if asked how I learned the manufacturing method, I can’t answer. With Light Magic, I can explain everything, but I’d probably have to teach it.
No, on second thought, it wouldn’t be so bad to teach it, would it? After all, if anyone questions me here, it’ll be the Lord of Oldam, right? He wouldn’t attack someone who tried to protect the town.
Yeah. I’ll go with Light Magic, which I can explain.
Whoops, before that.
“Excuse me! I’m going to use a trump card, so could you protect my surroundings?!”
“This guy isn’t just any student. Do as he says!”
The moment I shouted my request, Mr. Owen immediately backed me up, and Knights took positions to protect me.
“Thank you,” I said, while preparing a raised platform.
I prepared the raised platform because I needed a stable spot to look through the scope, and to avoid friendly fire. As expected, I can’t see all the way to where the piercing light beam will end, and both enemies and allies move quickly.
“Hey, Rui! If you’re using a trump card, use it on this guy! We can’t manage unless you create even a small opening. Do it quickly!”
Hearing that, I peered at the Ogre King.
A large, black, bipedal Monster with a sheep-like face and two large horns on its head. In terms of image, it might be more fitting to call it something like Baphomet.
Unlike the Ogre Generals, it wasn’t wearing any equipment at all, but it had visibly enormous, sharp claws that were already deadly weapons. It was completely unarmored, but common sense dictated it should have higher durability than a General.
It looked a bit dopey, but just looking at it, I felt an incredible pressure.
But there was no time to be intimidated. Mr. Owen was truly at his limit. He was barely managing even when focusing solely on evasion.
I quickly created a Laser Gun and looked through the scope. First, a test shot. I quickly checked if the focus was sharp on a nearby Monster, then aimed at the King.
I instantly poured about ten times the usual amount of Magical Power into my Enhancement Magic, and, activating it with a bit of prediction, fired at full power for about a second.
Sure enough, as I fired with a bit of foresight, it moved into the beam’s path, and the shot struck its shoulder.
At that moment, the Ogre King let out a shriek like a piercing scream. The Knights, excluding Mr. Owen, buckled to their knees under a pressure as if the voice itself had been converted into weight.
This is bad!
At this rate, the Knights protecting me will be taken down!
Thinking that, I immediately fired the laser at the surrounding Ogre Generals as if to slice them.
Then, after the laser passed through, the bodies of several Ogre Generals split in half and slid apart.
The King only had its shoulder slightly gouged, but it seemed to be quite effective against the Generals.
In that case, I swept the laser, prioritizing and finishing off the Generals, while also firing warning shots at the King to hinder its movements.
During that time, the Knights got back on their feet, and their battle resumed.
The Ogre King seemed quite wary of me, letting out growls intermittently. The intimidation directed at me was terrifying, but for now, they were maintaining their formation.
“Rui! You’re firing away, but you can still shoot more, right?!”
“At this pace, I’m good for about two hours! How about you, Mr. Owen? Are you close to your Magical Power limit?”
“Of course I’m not okay. I’m at about one-fifth. I’ve used up my Backpack too. Without support, I won’t last even half an hour.”
“Understood. From now on, I’ll switch to providing covering fire only for you, Mr. Owen. I’m leaving the defense below to you all.”
“””Yeah!”””
Having said that, it was difficult to sync up with Mr. Owen’s fight against the Ogre King. Even by strengthening my enhancements and boosting my abilities, it still wasn’t enough.
It reminded me of that Golem from the deep levels. That terrifying sensation where the moment I thought it moved, it was already right in front of me.
To be reminded anew in a place like this just how dangerous fighting in the depths of that pit was.
Mr. Owen is also really incredible. Is this the power of a high-ranking Knight?
There’s certainly a ridiculous difference compared to that Assassin Karls-san hired. It’s not on the level of an adult versus a child. The gap is greater than that between a baby and an elite soldier.
But still, I need to land a hit soon.
Focus. Concentrate.
The target point is the moment it steps back and lands. I’ve pretty much figured out the range of its backstep, so all that’s left is to aim at the predicted spot and prepare to fire.
“Mr. Owen, can you make it fall back?”
“Tch, you’re asking for the impossible! It’ll be the next timing. Don’t you dare miss!?”
Mmh, saying it like that puts pressure on me…
For now, I’ll spread my magical power thinly to enhance my perception.
This way, I should be able to detect its movements not just with sight but also through magical power perception. While keeping my eyes on it, I also focused my consciousness on my own magical power.
Then, I felt Mr. Owen make his move.
Such incredibly linear and clean movements.
I couldn’t see him, but I was relieved that I could likely feel his movements, and continued to aim at the Ogre King’s rear.
Ah, it’s moving.
The moment I sensed that, I began to fire, and then made micro-adjustments along the diagonal line of movement I perceived with my magical power.
Alright! Got it!
In my perception, I had completely caught its head.
Right in the center. The head.
The moment I thought that, the Ogre King, now missing an arm, was right in front of me.
Huh?
This is it. I’m done for.
Even as I thought that, I reflexively protected my face and heart with both arms, and was forming a wall in front of me with Maso at full power.
I don’t know if it was the fear from the Golem or the fear from the Ape, but I had already materialized my magical power before I was even conscious of it.
At the same time I thought “This is bad,” I praised myself for a job well done, but the moment my Maso shattered, my consciousness faded.
I woke up from the impact of hitting the ground, and just as I thought about taking out a Potion, I realized both my arms felt like they were bent backward.
“U-uaaaaaaaahhh!!”
As I screamed, a General stood before me.
I’d been blown away amidst scattered Monsters.
Of course it would be here…
I’m going to die. This is it, I’m going to die.
If I don’t get that Petal in my mouth right this instant, I won’t make it.
Even if I try to drink a Potion, my arms are completely broken and won’t obey.
Petal… The flower Monster…
The moment I thought that, I was drawing a Light Magic circle on the ground, centered on myself.
But, as expected, it probably wouldn’t be in time.
That’s what I thought, but perhaps the General thought it had me for sure; it twisted its lips into a smirk, showing its confidence as it prepared to swing down.
That momentary pause decided life and death.
A pillar of light, engulfing even myself, also caught the other Ogres rushing in and annihilated them.
My black long Coat made of Ape hide was also annihilated, but this wasn’t the time to worry about it.
I focused all my thoughts on breaking through the current situation.
“Brat! Are you alive!?”
“Somehow! But both my arms are broken, and I can’t drink a Potion!!”
A Knight came to my rescue, and I barely clung to life.
I hurriedly activated multiple Healing Magic spells, pouring all my magical power into healing just one arm, but one of the Knights held a Potion to my lips, and I quickly drank it.
“Thank you very much…”
“You idiot! That’s my line!
One more time! If you can do that one more time, we can make it back alive!”
At the words “one more time,” the Ogre King that had moved in an instant earlier flashed back in my mind, and my legs trembled, but if I don’t do it, I’ll die.
I can’t lose to fear, to despair, I told myself as I reached for my Backpack and drew out magical power.
When I climbed onto the high ground again and looked at the King, our eyes met once more.
Just by looking into its eyes, I understood. It was directing all its killing intent solely at me.
However, this time, Mr. Owen was faster to make his move.
The Ogre King tried to ignore Mr. Owen and leap towards me, but it was struck down by Mr. Owen’s sword attack and fell face down.
He immediately rushed in for a follow-up attack, and Mr. Owen’s sword pierced its neck.
“Uoooooooohhhh!!!”
Someone was raising a cheer of joy.
Naturally following suit, I also raised my voice.