Chapter 353
Chapter 353
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 353
Chapter Title: No Retreat
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"From now on, prioritize survival above all else, but no retreats will be permitted. 91st Batch A Manuela Kapel, 98th Batch A Erich Reichenau—you are granted authority to autonomously evacuate the wounded outside and return."
I declared this as I sliced through the Vitriol.
Four of the six bishops were here, the other two elsewhere. After the lightning strike, they'd broken free from Leo's plant restraints and rushed off in haste, so those four likely hadn't coordinated with the pair. They'd probably just grabbed whoever was nearest and warped away.
"Command center strategy room, do you read? Merge Bavaria's 91st Batch C and 98th Batch B into Corvignano 794:354:495 and 91st Batch B, respectively."
Slash—
A thick Vitriol vine was severed right in front of Mecklenburg.
Over twenty of our mages were here alone, facing just four bishops. That hopeful thought proved premature as screams already echoed from somewhere. I channeled mana into my sword and transferred it into the oncoming Vitriol, shouting as I did.
"Farnese! Anyone here thinking, 'If we keep this up right here, our stamina resets'?"
[What?! Hahaha...]
My phrasing must've been off—I thought so too—as Farnese chuckled while swinging his sword. Thwack—the sound of Vitriol hitting the ground rang out clearly.
[—Enter through the narrow gate.]
[Crunch—]
A beat after Farnese's incantation came the Vitriol's response. The sound of sword slicing flesh was followed by an agonized scream from an ancient human bishop. Then, snake-like Vitriol surged toward our mages but was purified and repelled. In the darkness, the light Farnese created flashed past my peripheral vision. What flew toward me and Mecklenburg were mere Vitriol branches, which we batted away as we awaited Farnese's reply.
[Hmm... The one who made this field isn't here.]
"..."
Got it. Their hope lay elsewhere, so these four wouldn't let us go even in death. If they fled, we'd scour the entire area. They knew Leo's abilities, and now we no longer needed to hide ours, so Leo could unleash even more than before. They could predict that much, meaning a space mage elsewhere would cast spells only after these ones bought time directly. I deflected Vitriol with the flat of my blade, pressed it to the ground, and slashed it apart.
Boom—!
The brittle surface split, and Vitriol erupted like ink with a roar. I stomped, shoving it back with a barrier, and said to Mecklenburg.
"Senior, the four bishops aren't clustered—they're scattered among our twenty. They're trying to prevent us from encircling them."
[One at 6 o'clock—amplifier.]
Boom—!
"Why do you only call me 'senior'?"
After Farnese's unique ability alert came an attack from somewhere, blocked by Mecklenburg, who made some pointless remark. That amplifier was the one who'd led his three comrades here. I fell silent, eyeing the bishop glimpsed faintly through the gushing Vitriol beside him.
[Aaaagh!]
[...Next to him, the 8 o'clock bishop can nullify mana emerging in the air. One bishop inside moves with stealth, the other...?]
Couldn't identify the last one? Noted. The stealth user was likely behind the barrage of screams among us. But that wasn't priority one. High difficulty made it even less so.
I eyed the nullifier at 8 o'clock, that bearded ancient human bishop.
"Let's handle 8 o'clock first. Farnese, Papal team two."
[Yes. ...Ah~ Confirmed. Requesting support.]
Hearing that, I was glad we hadn't enlisted. And I hoped we never would. Either way, with Farnese piercing my strategies, things were far easier.
"Senior. Break to 2 o'clock!"
Mana surged into Mecklenburg's legs as he spun his sword into a wand, grabbed my arm, and kicked off the ground. Three leaps landed us behind the target bishop. Light exploded from Mecklenburg's wand. The bishop's pale blue eyes turned toward us slowly, filled with killing intent. As if someone flipped a switch, the light from Mecklenburg's wand vanished instantly, and in the same frame, Farnese—standing opposite, with the bishop as the pivot—aimed his wand.
[...—Enter through the narrow gate.]
A whisper, and pitch-black Vitriol spun ferociously toward the target bishop and beyond—to us.
Kabaam—!
"...!"
The target's wand, extended toward us, whipped around toward Farnese in an instant. Impressive reaction speed, but...
'Too late.'
The bishop's face stiffened for a split second upon failing friend-foe identification. That split second was always the hurdle—and the mark of victory. Vitriol touched the bishop's body, turned white, and detonated with a boom. Nearly caught in mental manipulation, the bishop staggered, eyes bulging, as a spine-chillingly thick plant vine shot toward his throat. Farnese's white sword—now drawn—traced an arc closing in. And behind us came the 'real' Vitriol.
[—Enter through the narrow gate.]
[—Unless the Lord guards the city...]
I felt time dilate on everything, dropped low, and spun around. Flesh tearing, the ancient human bishop's scream, Vitriol surging in to replace flesh and overflowing. Solemn chants from the divine mages, light bursting behind...
Clang—screech—
Amber mana swirling on my blue blade flashed against the Vitriol. Mecklenburg's sword was faster. A horrific sound like fabric corroding in acid rose from my waist, jacket outer layer melting. Vitriol flew from something invisible. As it passed us, I grabbed Mecklenburg's arm—mana in my legs—and landed before Leo. Plants invading the bishop's mouth, him thrashing to tear the vine from his throat—it chilled my neck. It was infiltrating his trachea, heading to his lungs. Killing him. Literally. And...
[Fear not, for I am with you.]
Kaboom—!
If we didn't kill now, we'd be beyond recovery. We had to eliminate one bishop, reduce them to three. Black mud blanketed my red barrier. Even at full power, its glow faded steadily. I gritted my teeth and thrust my wand hard. Meanwhile, python-like Vitriol flew from behind; Mecklenburg swatted it away with a grimace. I glanced at Leo—fixated beyond the exploding light on the bishop—and shouted.
"91st Batch A! Divine protection!"
[—Thus says the Lord: Behold, they prophesy false dreams and...]
[Guh, krahk, guk...!]
"Senior. Hit the target with your unique ability!"
Meanwhile, massive Vitriol tore through the crowd straight at us. Stealth attack. I dropped low, slammed a hand to the ground behind, and pinned Leo—who manipulated plants—with mana. Leo's gaze remained fixed not on me but the bishop rolling far off. Mecklenburg scowled furiously, extending his wand toward the tumbling bishop. I batted away the blurring Vitriol before Leo and Mecklenburg, counting seconds.
Kabooma—boom—!
Overwhelming attacks poured in alone. As Mecklenburg dipped his wand low, blood drained from the bishop's face—swollen red from pressure like it might burst.
Boom—
I slashed Vitriol flying at Mecklenburg. Black mud grazed my left arm, pain surging. Seconds later, the bishop's arm hit the ground; his movements ceased entirely. Under our cover, Leo finally exhaled, face coldly set.
"...One down. Three left."
[Uwaaaagh! Aagh! Uwaaaagh!]
With that, a pained scream from one of ours. They'd be heading to Bavaria's hospital now.
[98th Batch A Nina Mackensen returned to Bavaria. 17 remaining.]
[91st Batch C arrived.]
"..."
From twenty-one, we were down to seventeen, plus six from 91st Batch C and one divine mage per team—seven more. Twenty-four now. Foes left: amplifier, unknown, stealth...
"Disperse!"
Not my call.
Boom—!
The final Vitriol slash. Silence followed. The bishop squad, having taken one loss, fled.
'Hmm... No good.'
I eyed a small blaze at vision's edge, far off. East fire grew steadily. South forest, struck only by lightning without oxygen fuel, showed smoke but no flames visible here yet.
"We need a strategy shift. Alexandra Schumacher, Julia Cheringen—move to the four corners of this coordinate grid. Set fire to every dense tree cluster. We'll drive them to the center."
They acknowledged briefly and warped.
Even driven, the 'center' was vast. Surveying the expansive plain, I spoke.
"Wittelsbach, scouting please."
Thud—
Leo rolled his wand into a staff and struck the ground. Earth pulsed with life like waves. Plants—no, the ground itself—shimmered with his faint mana, rippling against the wind toward the distance. A night sky transposed to earth unfolded.
Leo was ideal for scouting and pinning bishops. Cheringen ignited the forest, Schumacher expanded the flames, Leo blocked bishop escapes amid the blaze—killing four at once. Nature's variables everywhere, close calls, blurred priorities, carbon monoxide—they slew them. Beings we might not beat one-on-one, dispatched so easily.
'Cheringen too, but... Leo especially must be drained.'
He'd regenerated endless Vitriol-melting stems nonstop. Couldn't let that continue. Couldn't let bishops escape. I glanced sharply at Leo—searching mana-touched spots—and told Mecklenburg.
"Senior. New space the moment we find a bishop."
"Even if I'm skilled in space magic, it'll shatter easily against bishops."
"Binding their feet briefly is enough."
Rumble—kaboom—!
Distant flashes whitened then brightened the world repeatedly. White pillars from sky, ensuing blasts, red-tinged sky patches. Leo, silvering the ground, looked up.
"Three further north than here, two south... No, warped. They're shifting positions constantly."
"..."
Understood. Without an environment favoring them, they'd keep playing tag. I nodded, addressing those around.
"Considering their unique abilities, the more we clump, the better for us. So merge even the southern teams, split in half, and move to opposite sides of this space."
"Got it."
One thing to consider now. I'd commanded 98th Batch A before and knew all their unique abilities. One useful for warp: no coordinates needed, just imagery and memory to reach any desired spot.
"Instead, 101st Batch Hohenzollern, Kleist, and 98th Batch A Hindenburg—move separately. Me, 101st Batch Wittelsbach, 98th Batch A Mecklenburg—also separate."
* * *
Right, let's recall.
People's faces filled with questions the moment I said it. Clumping was clearly advantageous—splitting into threes a loss? Their expressions said as much.
Why split into additional threes?
Simple. We needed bait.
Thud—
"Hah...! Hurry!"
With the wind, 98th Batch A Hindenburg appeared abruptly before us, leading the many we'd split from earlier, catching his breath. I yanked the hands of Mecklenburg and Leo—who clutched each other with shit-eating faces—and grabbed Hindenburg's wrist. That instant, wind shifted; Vitriol flew at us. Ulrike's sword crossed before me.
Swoosh—boom—!
Needing bait, I'd made Elias's team and mine... but they decided to strike Elias, Ulrike, and Hindenburg first instead of me, Leo, and Mecklenburg.
[The Lord founded the earth with wisdom and established the heavens with understanding—.]
Kabaam—!
[By His knowledge the seas parted and dew fell from the skies!]
As pre-planned, Mecklenburg's space magic unfolded. Two robe-clad Pleromas—and one stealthed—and our mages were in the prior plain, but different. Warp-impossible other space.
'...Met the same ones from before.'
Meaning no space-magic bishop here yet... I glanced at the amplifier Farnese mentioned and spoke into the artifact.
"91st Batch B, C. 98th Batch B. The mana-amplifying bishop will try escaping outside. Mark him."
[...?! How did you...]
Good. Forget the amplifier. Three teams on one bishop—our best. To Mecklenburg, who looked baffled at my words:
"Senior. They'll attempt escape. Drop amplification, target the remaining two again."
Kaboom—crash—
Before I finished, cracking and pouring rain filled my ears. Mecklenburg's voice followed instantly.
[The Lord founded the earth with wisdom and established the heavens with understanding.]
[Where are you?!]
Kabaam—!
With Mecklenburg's incantation came an unfamiliar one; pitch-black Vitriol erupted everywhere. A massive dome of Vitriol enclosed us. I muttered at the sight.
"Looks like we agree."
Their dome and our space magic targeted the same: two bishops before us. Problem: 'Us' meant just me and Mecklenburg.
"Got time for chit-chat?! The others are outside!"
Right. Getting it now. These two knew I was overall commander. They figured they could finish us alone. Bold, bishop-like resolve to take the head. Meaning they'd go all-out here...
"Hindenburg, stay outside the dome. Everyone else including Wittelsbach—find the space-magic bishop and his ally."
[You who strained every sinew to reach my ears with your voice—where are you now!]
Kaboom—!!
Their chants ended; dome-exterior Vitriol thickened audibly.
[The worm cowering pathetically, trembling at my mere breath—is that you?]
Swoosh—kabaam—!!
Vitriol blades flew at us. I spun my wand fast, batting them away, scanning around. I cast soundproofing and shouted to Mecklenburg behind.
"Senior, obviously the key here's the stealth one. Hit that first."
"..."
No reply. Mecklenburg's reaction odd, I turned.
"...!"
Boom—!!
I barely slashed an incoming Vitriol mass from the side, blinking rapidly.
'...What. Hypnosis?'
One bishop stuck in my vision. Couldn't look away. Mecklenburg showed the same. Instinct hit. Farnese hadn't spotted this one's ability at a glance. Mental interference type.
Mecklenburg's movements slowed visibly. I smacked his shoulder hard and incanted.
[Their condemnation is this: light came into the world, yet...]
Kabaam—shatter—!
My attack shattered on Vitriol impact. I raised my arm against mana shards, turning to slowed Mecklenburg.
'No...!'
Snap out of it? Couldn't handle two bishops alone. Calling Hindenburg to bring allies inside would worsen things. Unlike now with aligned needs, support would incentivize them shattering Mecklenburg's space desperately, leading to another grueling chase. Farnese not identifying it immediately meant we didn't know this mental bishop's 'grade'—risky calling divine mages.
'...Do everything possible first.'
I wrenched Mecklenburg's head to face me straight. Eyes off the bishop, he widened his, scowling.
"That guy...!"
Yeah, I knew the unique ability's danger first. I grinned, pressing his cheek.
"Mind clear now? Can't live seeing only good. Stop looking and snap to..."
Boom—!
I stomped wide, forming a dome barrier. Impacts on it boomed madly. Hold time short. I opened my clutch, pulled hemostatic cloth, and bound my eyes.
"You already know the issue, senior. Just don't look at that face?"
"...Wait, sane...!"
"Yeah. Not sane."
Cloth pressure rolled my eyes painfully. Deafening booms, barrier broke. Piercing whoosh neared my nose; a sword from behind smashed it hard. Mecklenburg's mana regained vigor. I spoke with the impact.
"So you take responsibility and back me up."
"What nonsense?!"
"Then stay sharp. Confident?"
"..."
"I've trained like this plenty."
Once rebelled against Leo's harsh drills, but now understood. We had to hone ourselves to extremes somehow. Eyes covered, other senses sharpened vividly. No more haze; body moved fresher than eyes open. Vitriol chill piercing jacket felt several times stronger.
"So fight as my eyes, mind clear—and we win. Got it?"
No choice? I'd force him through willpower too. I switched wand to sword, continuing.
"Let's test how many temptations you can resist for me, senior."
"Wait...!"
No need to hear more. Sharp Vitriol from the stealthed bishop flew at me. I shoved air before me and kicked off the ground.
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