61

Around noon, a scout reported to Commander Richard of Count Perkins’ southern Ranger Unit, who had built a tight siege net instead of covering broad boundary.

“Five people are approaching here quickly from the north. Given their speed, they’ll be here in ten minutes.”

Commander Richard sent a signal. Rangers, who had built a siege at intervals of five meters from both sides, gathered to the center. More than a hundred Rangers centered on Commander Richard made a dense formation, while the remaining two hundred also narrowed the siege from both sides to the middle at high speed. After a while, Commander Richard saw five men rushing toward him. Dozens of Magic Arrows attacked both sides of the Rangers. Commander Richard was confused since the opponents’ operation was too unusual. They charged into the thickest central camp, attacking both sides as if they were trying to destroy three hundred Rangers with only five people. Rangers were vulnerable to large-scale, long-range attacks because they did not use large shields due to the characteristics of the unit. The formation of the Rangers, which had been disturbed by the rapid rally to the center, became dizzier as they avoided Magic Arrows followed by Magic Missiles and Wind Cutters. Casualties continued on both sides of the southern Ranger Unit.

Commander Richard ordered.

“Shoot the crossbows.”

While Rangers loaded the crossbow, Sasha’s quarrels and Selena’s arrows flew toward Rangers’ central camp and caused several casualties. Id, who approached Commander Richard’s ten meters ahead, shouted at his colleagues.

“Selena, Sasha, narrow the gap between you. Sasha, protect Selena. Lara, Spica, stick closer to me.”

As Id wielded his sword, the rest of his party, except Selena, also unsheathed their swords. Selena held a shortbow in her left hand, putting her longbow on her back. Id’s platemail shone silver, and Spica’s Magic Armor sparkled sky blue under the meridian sun. Dozens of quarrels shot by the Rangers flew toward Id’s party, but Id’s five-meter Aura Beam, stretched out of his sword, deflected most of them. Several quarrels shot from both sides avoided the reach of Id’s Aura Beam and flew toward his party. Lara blocked a couple of quarrels with her sword. A quarrel hit Spica’s magic armor but bounced out helplessly, not overcoming the Anti Physical Force engraved on her magic armor. Sasha swung his sword to strike away two quarrels flown into Selena. Selena shot her short bow consecutively while running and knocked down a few Rangers.

As Id wielded his Aura Beam at the central camp of the Rangers several times, more than twenty Rangers, including Commander Richard, collapsed momentarily and their camp split. Though several Rangers attacked Id’s party, wielding battle axes and maces, but were simply repelled by Sasha and Lara’s Aura Blades. Having broken through the Ranger’s ranks, Id turned around and said,

“Sasha, take the lead. The others follow Sasha closely. Run as fast as possible.”

Sasha ran past Id, and Spica, Lara and Selena followed him. Since the elf, Selena, was the fastest of the three when moving in the forest, Selena was located at the rear to maintain the group's speed. Id rushed face to face at the Rangers chasing his party. When a dozen Rangers were knocked down by Id’s Aura Beam, they stopped chasing. Id turned around and sprinted in the direction where his party disappeared. The Rangers stared blankly at Id’s back, disappearing into the forest.

Four hours after Id and his friends broke through the camp of Count Perkins’ southern Ranger Unit, the northern unit led by James Cronos arrived at the scene. Ron, the deputy of Commander Richard of the southern Ranger Unit, was still working on the site. Commander Harry of the northern Ranger Unit asked him.

“Where’s Commander Richard?”

“He was seriously injured and unconscious, so they took him to the Headquarters. The damage to the southern unit is seven dead, one hundred and five severely injured, and one hundred and twenty-eight wounded. All seriously injured Rangers need long-term care, and we cannot put more than half of the lightly wounded Rangers into an operation now, either. With the absence of the Commander, the southern unit is currently unable to carry out operations. The opponents were two boys and three girls, and they were not damaged at all.”

Ron reported to Commander Harry in a somber tone.

“You mean five young men unilaterally beat the three hundred Rangers?”

As Ron tried to answer, James held him back.

“We need to save time, so please report directly to the Duke.”

James took out his communication crystal and connected to Duke Cronos.

“The party of the man, who had stolen the Dragon Heart, broke through the siege of the Count Perkins’ southern Ranger Unit after defeating them in a full-scale battle. For more information, it would be better for the field commander to report you directly.”

Ron appeared on the Duke Cronos’ magic communication crystal.

“Are you the Commander of the southern Ranger Unit?”

“No, the Commander was seriously injured and taken to the headquarters. I’m Ron, his deputy.”

Ron gave Duke Cronos a detailed report of the battle four hours before. Duke Cronos questioned Ron.

“Did you say the young man in platemail used Aura Beam?”

“Yes, Duke. He used the Aura Beam several times, which was not something we could deal with. The southern Ranger Unit would probably have been wiped out if he continued the combat. The battle power of the other four was also beyond our control.”

Duke Cronos asked again.

“I’ve never heard the Mudria Wizard Tower had brought up such a young Aura Beam Owner. It is also new to me that an Aura Beam Owner wears full plate mail. How many Rangers were killed by his Aura Beam?”

At Duke Cronos’ questions, the mage Antares answered instead of Ron.

“It’s unusual for an Aura Beam Owner to wear full plate mail, but it’s not something you can’t understand if the young man wore magic armor with a Lightweight spell. According to the information we received from the Rangers, the party came from the Kingdom of Scandia. The Scandia Wizard Tower is more suspicious than the Mudria Wizard Tower, so I expect you to mobilize the intelligence organization in the Scandia Kingdom. Seven Rangers were killed in today’s battle; two by quarrels, one by an arrow, one by a Magic Missile, and three by Wind Cutters. Although the Aura Beam Owner injured some Rangers, he didn’t kill anyone. Given that his Aura Beam cut down the rocks and trees around here, I have no choice but to admit that he intentionally did not kill his enemies. As you know, his behavior contradicts the characteristics of Aura Beam Owners raised by the Mudria Wizard Tower, who don’t overcome the impulse for murder. Therefore, I don’t think the young man, who took the Dragon Heart, was brought up by the Mudria Wizard Tower. There are two sorceresses in his party. One is estimated a four-circle mage, but the other seems to be a six-circle-master mage. We need a mage, more potent than Fomalhaut and me, in the tracking board who can deal with the six-circle-master mage.”

The Aura Beam Owners raised by the Mudria Wizard Tower were so cruel that they rarely let their opponents live. It had been a rare exception that William Cronos had not killed Andrew Adelian. Duke Cronos also thought that the man, who took the Dragon Heart, was not an Aura Beam Owner brought up by the Mudria Wizard Tower. The Duke was confused since no Aura Beam Owners had been raised by other than the Mudria Wizard Tower yet.

“The reinforcements have already departed. The reinforcements, including six-circle-master mage Aldebaran and Aura Beam Owner Chris, will be able to deal with them. I’ll check the Scandia Wizard Tower. James, are you sure the Aura Beam Owner is the one who took the Dragon Heart?”

“Many people witnessed him here because he didn’t wear a helmet. I am sure he is the one I saw at the dragon’s lair.”

Duke Cronos ordered.

“Keep track of them, but avoid fighting them until the reinforcements arrive. Don’t miss their whereabouts. James, contact Aldebaran right after this communication and explain the current situation in detail.”