Chapter 137

Were they provoked by Ardis’s action, the enemy cavalries surrounded him thrusted their lances . Before the lances reached, Ardis had dived into the bosom of an enemy cavalry ahead .

Feeding an open palm to the throat of the weird horse with his free left hand, the horse that couldn’t endure the pain threw off the rider . Mercilessly robbing the life of the one who fell, Ardis kicked the horse’s belly from the side .

The horse that had no rider on it that was kicked easily went out of control and ran wildly, causing chaos in the area . In the first place, cavalries that are better in orderly fights surrounding a single person isn’t the correct choice .

If they’re going to surround him, it might’ve been a better choice for them to get off their horses first . However, the reality is that they don’t even have the time to get off their horses in the battlefield .

In the crowded area, Ardis who had a smaller footprint and can move around swiftly is advantageous . Dodging the lances that came his way one after another, Ardis was able to make use of the blind spots of the cavalries on their horses easily and finished them off one after another .

He kicked against the side of a horse to change his direction of momentum, easily slicing off the cavalry soldier from behind, then as if on a rhythm, he jumped off the fallen cavalry’s horse to his next target .

The figure of Ardis changing directions in every moment looked as if a bird that lost its way into someone’s house . Except, it is no normal bird, its beak is a one-hit killer, a dangerous predator .

「Kuh! So annoying! 」

「Where is he!? 」

The cavalries that couldn’t keep up with Ardis’s movement had their unease passed through their reigns to their horses . The cavalries that have worse control over their horses easily fell prey to Ardis one after another .

「What are you all doing! He’s only one! 」

A loud scolding came from the suspected commander, but the fact that it wasn’t useful is proved by the situation . Ardis gained more weapons at his disposal as more enemy soldiers fall .

And those weapons assaulted more soldiers as Ardis saw fit, they sliced up their past comrades .

「The swords――! You’re telling me that they have a will!? 」

Not able to resist against the unknown sword magic calmly, it took their all just to keep themselves safe with the long sword on their waist .

Although they might’ve been able to put up a better fight if they faced Ardis face on, it’s already too late now that the situation is irrecoverable . Every time 『Skies of Myriad Colors』 wielded by Ardis swung, its blade reflected the sun, and blood splattered the next moment .

「Where are the units that went around! 」

There was a frustrated voice among the enemy cavalries .

「I can’t see them well but, they’re fighting with something! 」

「Kuh! There’re more enemies that can use this strange art! 」

Although they can see the units that split left and right are fighting with something, they can’t possibly see the swords that are too small at this distance .

Of course, they would think that there’re multiple users who are using the same magic as Ardis, and was keeping the units that spread out from advancing . Though, they would never imagine that it’s all done by Ardis alone .

While tossing the enemies around by himself, Ardis had controlled the flying weapons on the left and right to stop the enemy units from spreading out . Although Ardis is the same that he can’t see properly in the chaotic situation, he had the upper hand as he could use mana detection .

(Though I can’t aim for the gaps between their armor……)

Similar to the Whips in the Corsas Forest, even though he knows that the swords can’t easily bring down the enemies, he had the confidence to slowly shave at their health .

(In any case, even if they’re off a little, there’re only enemies around)

For Ardis, as long as he simply let the swords go wild in the center of where the enemies are concentrated at, it’ll be good enough . Adding on the weapons he would gain as more enemies go down, Ardis’s attack frequency only increased .

Of course, the more blades he has to control, his accuracy manipulating them would decrease . In fact, Ardis can only handle about twenty flying swords without deficiency . Anything more than that, the swords he controls can only do as much as an average swordsman barely .

But in this case, it’s more important to stop the enemy’s advances . Even though the enemies are many, they are forming a group and moving as one .

(It would be enough if I stop the front ones)

If the front runners can’t proceed, then they would be natural obstacles to the ones behind . It’s not like Ardis has to stop every individual in place to achieve his purpose .

Limiting the attack radius to just the front runners, they can’t possibly handle multiple tens of weapons coming at them at once . On top of that, their opponents aren’t human or beasts, they’re lump of metal that isn’t afraid of pain .

Facing against foes that come at them in a straight line without fear for their lives, though they’re soldiers――, no, it’s exactly because they’re soldiers that they don’t have the experience to handle it .

Even if they attacked the flying swords, it wouldn’t faze or get injured . Only their trajectory is disturbed for a moment .

Since the lances have handles made from wood, they could cut it apart if they swung their swords . But nothing is accomplished even if they did that .

Even if the handle is split, the sharp blade is still in good condition . Even if the lance lost its handle, the blade is still sharp, their fatality is still the same .

Even if they tried their best defending against the onslaught, it’s difficult to defend against all swords that come at them from different directions . No matter how trained the cavalries are, they only have two hands .

Overall, the enemy has more members . But from the perspective of the two groups of front leaders that had split up, it probably felt like they’re surrounded by many swords many times of their number .

Albeit a limited radius, Ardis had used his superior numbers and quelled enemies . The enemy cavalries would try to deflect the coming weapons with their longswords and try to evade the following attacks .

But that’s all they can do, they don’t have the method to deflect the remaining two attacks, or any room for them to evade but to sink into the cold dirt .

At the same time, Ardis would gain more weapons . More weapons are at Ardis’s disposal as more enemies fall . As he fought more, the enemies would lose their power, and Ardis’s would increase instead .

If the front runners of the cavalries are stuck in a combat state, then the cavalries behind will surely stop . The corpses of their comrades will become obstacles, on top of that, the weapons that were laid beside them will turn on them .

At the unknown opponent that kept on assaulting themselves, the enemy cavalries showed fatigue while their horses didn’t advance . The two sides that the enemies tried to expand to was blocked by the countless weapons flying in the air, and Ardis himself was in the middle .

Cavalries that aren’t moving are half as effective .

「Are we not encircling him!? 」

「Encircle!? Don’t say absurd things! There’s only one of him! 」

One cavalry yelled back angrily at another cavalry that spoke meaningless words . But those weren’t spoke without intentions . After all, although there’s only Ardis here, they are fighting against many more in another sense .

The front runners of the cavalries couldn’t advance and the other cavalries that tried to split into the left and right were blocked as well . The one who thought that they were encircling Ardis has perception that can’t be praised .

The weapons Ardis manipulates already exceeded five hundred, and is still increasing as more enemies fall . With that many weapons, they’re not even moving like how a sword would slash any more .

It took his all just to command a few flying swords and then just hurling the rest at the enemies at once . But that much is enough in this situation .

The cavalries’ biggest weapon, that is their speed was sealed, and more of them fell as they received attacks from the unknown spell . The tide had already turned .

***

A moment after getting out alive somehow . But fell into another desperate situation, Ellenoa had resolved herself to die this time .

「What is that」

But what is actually happening . Instead of fighting while drenched in blood and humiliation, she was stunned as one of the spectators at the absurd scenery unfolding ahead .

The first spell that the black-haired young man fired was a spell that’s said to be only used by a small fraction of magicians, 『Bow of Rainbow』 . Though that much alone is enough of a surprise, before the arrows of light were released, more than ten 『Flames of Purgatory』 were fired first .

Although she didn’t hear who casted it, at the very least, there wasn’t any student nor the messenger that chanted .

「What, is that」

If the black-haired young man, Ardis, who Kyrill describe as 『Someone he couldn’t match even if a hundred of himself attacked』, it’s natural to think that all of it is done by that person .

Then the 『Bow of Rainbow』 that was released the next moment .

『Bow of Rainbow』 is a spell that releases differing number of arrows depending on the user . Ellenoa knew that the average was about ten arrows . From the records, the greatest number of arrows that was released in a single spell that is confirmed is only twenty-eight .

But she could tell that there were more than a hundred arrows released at once in front of her eyes .

「What in the world is that……」

At the scenery that was covered in 『Flames of Purgatory』 as far as her field of vision stretched, more than hundred arrows born from 『Bow of Rainbow』 struck next .

Although it already exceeds Ellenoa’s common sense to have someone casting so many upper-grade spells at once, on top of that, with the abnormal control over his magic and timing of his attacks, it’s no longer a level to be shocked .

It was a skill that is so magnificent that it made what they learnt in the academy as child’s play . Though she thought that she might’ve been in a long dream, but the pain at her cheeks as she pinched it was real .

From seeing how Ardis handled with the thirty advanced cavalries before and what Kyrill said, Ellenoa came to knew that Ardis is the famous 『Sword Magic User』 and 『Three Great Demons Subjugator』 in the capital .

Certainly, Ellenoa heard before that the 『Three Great Demons Subjugator』 is a young mercenary, but she didn’t think that it’s a young man at her own age .

If he’s the 『Three Great Demons Subjugator』, then certainly Kyrill’s description weren’t overexaggerating . But now that she had clearly seen how he fought firsthand, the reality is he’s even more absurd than she imagined .

After understanding any magical attacks wouldn’t be effective, it was as if he only muttered 「No helping it」, and his fighting style of controlling the weapons of the enemies that were killed against themselves .

Standing against the enemy cavalries by himself head on, all while controlling the flying swords in the surroundings, he alone had stopped the cavalry unit numbering more than a thousand .

That was too much of a strange scenario . Just a lone magician was able to fight on the same level as a thousand-fold enemies――, no, in fact, he has the upper hand .

A fairytale, or something that happened in another world, is what the common consensus would be . Beside Ellenoa who pinched her own cheeks again, there were multiple other students that had the same thought .

「Ouch……」

Looking beside her, there was Rai pulling on his now red cheeks . It seems like he’s one of the many students that tried to verify whether it’s a reality .

「It’s not a dream huh . 」

Ellenoa asked Rai who was overlooking the bizarre fight .

「Hey, that’s really amazing right? 」

Of course, Ellenoa wasn’t asking about the magic . She was referring to Ardis’s swordsmanship that continuously flowed from one form to another even while surrounded by enemy cavalries in all directions .

Although it’s obvious Ardis’s magic is abnormal, Ellenoa couldn’t accurately judge Ardis’s strength with the sword as she wasn’t a swordsman . Of course, being able to continuously keep a good fight while surrounded by enemies, it proves that he has excellent skills .

But how amazing are those skills, Ellenoa couldn’t estimate as her experience with swordsmanship aren’t much .

「Amazing . 」

Rai’s answer was straight and simple . But he immediately corrected afterwards .

「No, it’s not just amazing, it’s on a monstrosity level . 」

Something different from fear was on Rai’s eyes . Ellenoa could see envy and jealousy, and also impatience in those eyes .

「As good as my uncle――no, he might be even better . 」

「Do you mean the abnormal uncle you mentioned before? 」

「Unn, it’s a little rude saying it that way but…… . Yeah, that uncle of mine . 」

Recalling his uncle that was just referred rudely, Rai had a slight bitter smile . Even while they are conversing, Ardis continued slaying more enemy cavalries . By the time they noticed, the weapons in the air had increased by multiple folds .

Countless swords flew in the air, they could only have a dry laugh as they see the trained soldiers played by the swords . The league is too different . Rai who was standing beside her seems to have the same thoughts .

「It’s really amazing . Rather, is he really a magician? I don’t think a true swordsman can even win against him……」

Responding to Rai’s softening words, Kyrill spoke, 「There’s a misunderstanding」 .

「Many people seems to believe that he’s a magician but, I never heard Ardis-san refers himself as a magician once . 」

Ellenoa immediately rebuked Kyrill’s unexpected words .

「Ha? W-Wait a moment! But he can use that much spell? If he’s not a magician, then what is he! 」

「Then is he a swordsman? ――No Kyrill, that’s strange . Leaving aside his magic, he’s not wearing any defensive equipment if he’s a swordsman? There’s no need to be defenseless right? 」

Rai’s question was next .

「Even if you asked…… . The best answer I have is, it’s because he’s Ardis-san……」

That was an answer that he thought was most fitting, but the one asked it wouldn’t possibly be convinced . Kyrill who answered seemed to have a given up expression on his face .

The same taken back expression were on all of them, the three looked at the chaotic battle where only a purple robe can be seen fluttering . As the robe fluttered in a big motion, more cavalries would cease to breath, and replacing them are more flying weapons .

It was an unnatural sight where one person is standing against an entire army . Although they’re seeing it with their eyes, they still have the illusion of whether they’re dreaming, and Ellenoa asked .

「Kyrill, is he really a human? 」

「Unn, I think he is . I know what you’re thinking, but he’s a human . ……Probably . 」

While adding on the trailing comment, Kyrill himself felt a complicated emotion . Of course, the unbelievable fight that was unfolding in front of them, it’s not just the three of them who are in disbelief . The other students were receiving if not bigger shock than them .

「Is he controlling that much swords by himself? 」

「It’s still increasing! How many more will there be! 」

「It’s not just a hundred or two already! 」

Overturning their common sense, and blowing it all away, they felt like they were witnessing a fight beyond their league of existence . At the overly detached from reality situation, even the students themselves had forgotten that they’re on a battlefield .

There’re probably an equal number of lances and swords that Ardis is controlling . But many of the lances already had its handle broken, and the remaining blades only showed a figure of a distorted sword .

The number of swords and the blades that looked like swords, there’re enough of them to engulf the entire enemy cavalry unit .

「Five hundred, no……even a thousand at this point is possible . 」

There’re naturally more unused weapons in a battlefield . Thinking if the enemy soldiers are wielding a lance and longsword each, calculating simply would make Ardis control twice the number of weapons he had defeated .

With already half of the cavalries defeated, beside Ardis were piles of red corpses of human and mounts . Of course, counting the number of swords in the sky is impossible, all they could do is to guess .

And so, Ellenoa caught ears of what one of the students muttered .

「A thousand, blades…… . Countless swords…… sorcerer」 .

Without regards to being in a corner of the battlefield, such strange words had remained in all the students’ ears .