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Chapter 309

309 – Aro vs Azalea 3 (side Azalea)

The gale-force winds pass through me, shredding my back as they do . I hear the screams of Hans and Jade from behind me . A moment later, I hear a thud as they’re slammed against the ground a short distance away . I don’t know if either of them are still alive, but I suppose I can no longer expect their assistance in this fight .

Thanks to the wind magic, the fog has cleared significantly . It was already thin from the undead faking her death and focusing on attack magic . The visibility of the area is now sufficient .

Even though it has been supplying itself with magic from another monster, she should be running low by now . There’s the magic power spent it on maintaining the fog over such a large area, as well as preparing the substitute and that wind attack magic . It’s probably safe to assume she can no longer use any powerful skills .

As I raise my head and open my eyes, I see in front of me a single large spider . An araenie… Merely a D rank monster . But if it can use its thread tactically, it won’t be a small matter . I may be holding back for the sake fighting the ouroboros later, but I am disgraced to have fallen for the trick of a young girl . Were Tolman-kakka watching, he would surely be disappointed in me .

As the araenie spits thread, I hear a similar sound from nearby . It seems I’m surrounded .

“I see… Did they plan on following up after I was sent flying? Magnificent . While thoroughly avoiding close combat, I was into a trap… Then the moment I showed an opening, they attacked . ”

More than planning it, the execution such a plan must be difficult . It’s not easy to maintain a medium distance fight without someone to take the role of a tank . She must be under tremendous pressure . A single mistake is enough for her to fall victim to my sword, so it’s impressive how well she’s pulled it off .

To manage without knowing hardly anything about my abilities takes considerable courage… Though from their perspective, that might be fortunate . Had they known I was a mage, they might never have tried such a plan .

“To descend into undeath and yet stake your existence on protecting your home… Such an attitude is worthy of honest praise . ”

Opening my eyes wide, I numb my mind to the pain and put strength into my arms to pull my sword out of the ground .

“But your choice of opponent was unfortunate!”

My wounds from the wind magic are quite deep . But considering that Hans and Jade were thrown high into the air then slammed into the ground, they are shallow by comparison . From the start, I have been confident in my superior physical ability . I can still move . I’m no longer in peak condition, but it’s not enough to stop me from fighting . I suspect that they think that I’ve been sufficiently weakened and are coming in close to finish me off, but that’s a terrible miscalculation on their part .

Upon hearing the sound of spitting from each direction, I cut each of the threads with my sword . The undead thrusts at me from behind as through to follow up on the thread . She raises her large, reinforced high .

Her plan was probably to kill me after I was rendered defenceless by the thread . I strike her enlarged arm with the flat of my blade, crushing it along with a portion of her body . Her balance collapsed, the undead lands haphazardly on the ground .

As I swing my sword to follow up, the undead raises her hand towards me .

“[Clay Wall]!”

She shouts . A wall of earth erupts between us .

“Haah!”

I stretch my arm straight forwards and pierce the wall with the tip of my blade . I feel resistance on the other side . The wall collapses, exposing the figure of the undead with her abdomen impaled by my sword .

Cracks start to appear in her skin, as it changes in quality from the supple skin of a young girl to what looks more like dried earth .

It’s not a fake this time . I never let her have the opportunity to switch out . As her vitality and magic power diminishes, her ability to maintain her body fades .

“I’ll won’t forget you . It wouldn’t have been strange had I lost this battle . I knew I didn’t have any guarantee of victory, but I never would have imagined I’d be driven into a corner to such an extent . ”

Now I will pull out my sword and cut her in two . With that as my plan, I put strength into my arm, but… The sword doesn’t come out . Shifting my attention to it, I notice the earth that I scattered when I pierced her abdomen is now clinging to my sword . After sticking it to the sword, it seems she has strengthened the earth with magic power .

“Nah!”

I’d never considered she’d be able to make such a move right after being run through . If only there hadn’t been a wall, I could have immediately extracted my sword and swung a second time . It wasn’t as though I was aiming for the undead, so rather I’m sure this was the result of her tenacity .

With her normal size arm, she grips the blade of my sword . As her hand touches it, it loses its fleshiness and hardens around the sword . Then her other, large arm swings down towards me .

I try to let go of the sword and step back, but I’m regrettably too close . As things are, I can’t evade . Combined with the damage I’ve already sustained, if I were to receive the hit directly, it would lead to my death, because, low-rank they may be, I’m surrounded by monsters .

Defeating the undead would be a simple matter, but I would have to leave myself open to attack her . If I did, it’s certain the spiders would swarm me before I had a chance to regain my stance .

If I were to fall here, Tolman-kakka would lose the majority of the 『Starved Hunters』 for nothing, and would be forced to flee the forest with only a few subordinates by his side . If that were to happen, the path for him to take the throne would be forever sealed . I can’t die here . I’m reluctant to use magic, but… I no longer have a choice .

“…In the end, I’m forced to use it . ”

I stretch my left hand towards the undead . At this distance, any magic I fire would blow off her head, even if it’s not flare . After that, I can take my time dealing with the spiders . The magic I use…is [Fire Sphere] .

The problem with using magic here is that the number, power, and timing of the [Dragoflares] that I can use in the coming battle with the ouroboros will be reduced . But there’s no other way . I must absolutely avoid dying .

“Fire Sphe…”

I cut off my chant part way through . At the edge of my vision, I see a figure wearing the uniform of the 『Starved Hunters』 .

The reinforcements I requested have made it in time . They must have been closer than I thought . And no matter how close they were… There’s only one person who could have arrived in such a short time . The first unit was acting alongside Tolman-kakka . As result, Nell, who had earned his displeasure, was instead deployed to a different unit and placed on standby .

From the start, the annihilation of the Lithovar tribe was an unsuitable task for him . That was why I wanted him to get first hand experience to become used to such things, but Tolman-kakak chose to prioritise preventing him from developing any worse habits . As a result, Nell was fortunately waiting nearby .

However… He won’t be in time for this blow . I’ll have to endure through my own power . I can’t dodge . Carelessly trying to attack back would only cause me to lose my life .

My left arm still extended, I thrust out my shoulder . The undead’s huge arm strikes it . My outstretched arm collides with her huge arm . Long sharp claws tear through my clothes and skin .

“Ungh!”

Dragged down by the force of the blow, I fall to my knees . Staggering, the undead slouches her shoulders . It seems she’s also reached her limit . The surrounding spiders jump towards me all at once .

I managed to survive the attack . Had it been aimed at my body, I would have sustained more serious damage . In that sense, this was a gamble . But now, it’s my victory .

Nell arrives, leaping in and spins to sweep the spiders away with his sheathed sword, then uses that momentum to launch a kick towards the undead . Unbalanced by her arm, the undead tumbles through the air and falls to the ground .

“Oww…”

Her deep crimson eyes, characteristic of undead, glare at me in frustration .

“A-Azalea-sama… Are you okay?”

“Ahh, I’m saved thanks to you . Well done, Nell . ”

Nell’s advantage . That is his overwhelming speed . In a sword contest, I would be no match for him . Among the clan of felis huma, Nell is known as 『God’s Foot』 .

“Y-your arm… With wounds that deep, healing magic might not be enough to fully recover…”

“It’s no problem . I’m a magic user . ”

It’s unlikely that my sword would ever be able to pierce that dragon’s hide . My attack ability and speed are far too insufficient . If it won’t help me in this critical juncture, I don’t need my arm .

“More importantly, that undead…”

Glancing towards her, I see spiders scuttering over to carry her away . The spiders who can’t get close enough to retrieve her are withdrawing too .

“Cheh! Nell, after them! It should be easy to finish them off now!”

“B-but, those wounds… It’s a race against time . We need to get you to the fourth battalion right away and get them treated . And if you were hit by an undead, you might have received some sort of curse… The others should get here soon, but… If it’s me, I can take you there faster . ”

“……”

Certainly… As long as there’s a risk being cursed, I need to move cautiously . There are many in the fourth battalion who excel at white magic . To be safe, it would be best to have them take a look at me as soon as possible . And seeing as Nell just saw the spiders run away with a child, he might be feeling reluctant to give chase .

Since the recovery ability of undead tends to be high, that young undead girl might challenge me again, but… I already have a grasp of most of her abilities . As long as I know what she’s capable of, I won’t fall for such tricks again . As long as I’m cautious, it won’t go as badly . The threat she poses is trifling compared to the ouroboros . I should retreat here .

More importantly… I’m concerned with how to raise Nell’s motivation . He looks towards the twisted bodies of Hans and Jade, who were sent flying from the wind magic, and Wayne, whose head was crushed, and closes his eyes .

“Earlier… Umm, were you, retreating…?”

“That’s right . The attack on the Lithovars has come to a stop . The battalions that were left behind are more or less destroyed . There was an unexpected development . ”

“I…see . ”

A complicated expression appears on his face . From the start, he was opposed to the slaughter of the Lithovars . In that sense, he might be feeling relief to some degree . But at the same time, the slaughter was only stopped as a result of the deaths of a great many members of the 『Starved Hunters』 . While he’s in front of me, he would never allow the relief show on his face .

“…But we can’t leave yet . The honour of Tolman-kakka and his path to the throne are hanging in the balance . But rest assured, Nell . I won’t ask you to kill any of the natives . ”