Chapter 92
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: If You Want to Live, Get Out of Here
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Karingdoll Rimgot.
The direct lineage known as the strongest.
She'd been marching straight ahead without a hitch, but the moment she spotted us, she came to an abrupt halt.
"Why's someone like that staring at us?"
I whispered to Hisenna.
Hisenna looked flustered,
while Elrim plastered on her usual social smile, tense as could be.
"How about we just ignore her and keep walking? A senior like Karin Dol wouldn't bully first-years, right?"
"Yeah, let's do that. No idea why she's staring, though."
The plan: pretend she wasn't there and head off in the opposite direction.
We tried to stroll past, hunting low-grade beasts like nothing was wrong.
But then,
"Kyaaak-!"
"Churu! What're you doing? Hurry up!"
"Kyaak-"
Kim Churu, who'd been quiet the whole time, suddenly started acting up.
He'd screeched out of nowhere earlier, and now he was straight-up baring his hostility at Karin Dol.
"Kim Churu!"
I scooped him up in a hurry.
Even in my arms, he kept snarling and thrashing around.
The little bastard never fights when I tell him to, so why now?
If that was all, we might've gotten away with it.
But something far worse happened.
"Kyaak-!"
Just like that time Kim Churu went berserk in the Familiar Care Club.
Suddenly, the little guy unleashed a power he couldn't control.
Nearby beasts reacted to his energy, roaring and going wild.
I had no clue how wide the range was,
but even distant ones came charging in, turning the area into instant chaos.
"Hey, hey! Have you lost your mind?!"
I frantically rubbed his forehead, but it was already too late.
Back in the club, it was tamed familiars rampaging.
They calmed down quick once Kim Churu's power faded.
But now? Wild beasts on a rampage—no taming involved.
Even after his power waned, the ones that spotted us kept attacking.
"W-what? Did that familiar do this?"
One of Karin Dol's teammates—a guy—yelled as the beasts charged.
His team stayed cool, methodically wiping them out.
"Ugh, uwaaak! What's going on?!"
From their side, it must've looked like we were threatening them out of nowhere.
We couldn't control these beasts either, though.
We had to deal with the ones coming at us first.
"We gotta survive first! Hisenna!"
"Right!"
We took our practiced formation and started computing our spells.
A strategy we'd drilled for wiping out groups of mid-to-low-grade beasts.
Prepping for the purge fest, we'd synced up our magic links a few times.
Not much practice time, but we nailed a few solid combos.
Hisenna finished first—a tetrahedral barrier enveloped us three.
A 4th-circle spell. Full-area defenses are tricky and inefficient.
But this one's low 4th-circle with solid defense thanks to its tetrahedron shape.
Wasteful solo, but great for shielding a group.
Tough computation for 4th-circle, but Hisenna pulled it off easy.
A glimpse of the gap between a direct lineage like her and the rest.
"Ugh... I hate this one!"
Elrim's spell followed right up.
She grumbled through it—she despised this strategy.
[Squirrel's Tail Shake]
3rd-circle Taunt
3rd-circle taunt—draws nearby enemies to the caster.
A squirrel flicking its tail: minor provocation,
but perfect for luring dumb mid-to-low beasts.
Then my turn.
Elrim wanted finisher duty, but I took attacks due to computation gap.
Racking my brain for something fitting,
I picked a 4th-circle I'd never solo.
Could've gone 5th, but computation difficulty might screw us in the pinch.
This 4th suited perfectly.
But mishandle it, and it'd swallow even me.
The formula starts with a vast cloud-like base.
Low-pressure gas spread thin like mist.
Innocent enough to ignore, faded already.
Zigzagging lines pierce the fog next.
At each fuse-end: sharp sparks—pzzt!
Finally, chaotic curves blanket it all—complete.
No one suspects the danger.
Till a spark ignites the gas into oblivion.
Boom-boom-boom-BOOM-
Like mist rolling in, faint blasts spread fast.
Starts weak, chains into carnage.
Eardrums ring in the epicenter.
Beasts lunging at us? Flesh explodes mid-leap.
4th-circle devastation—explosion trait.
Convection from scattered gas; without Hisenna's shield, I'd be toast.
That's explosion magic's peril.
So when you boom: brace to blow with it,
or snipe from afar, missing the beauty.
...As Archmage Gnick "ExplosionIsArt" put it.
Reality? Safety first, always.
"Finish 'em off!"
"Got it!"
Still, some survived the 4th-circle blast.
Purge fest ticks on—stronger beasts spawn over time.
We mopped up survivors; chaos cleared.
Plenty we missed? Her team handled 'em.
No sweat on their end.
"Whew—scored some points thanks to you. That your familiar's doing?"
One teammate—a curly-haired guy tossing his locks—said.
Unlike icy Karin Dol, he seemed chill, grinning wide.
"Familiars usually quake and faint at Karin Dol's sight. Yours has guts! Haha. Scram! We got points outta this!"
His follow-up? Unexpected.
Scram? We can go? But Karin Dol looks pissed...
"G-go! Hurry!"
He kept laughing exaggeratedly, shooing us.
Karin Dol's glare intensified, terrifying.
Snapped out of it quick.
Go when told. Might be our last shot against the top direct lineage.
Then Hisenna whispered,
"That's Bephepe Legobomber-senior. Direct lineage from the Legobomber house, close with Karin Dol. She looks mad, but bolt while Bephepe holds her back..."
Rare urgency from Hisenna.
Glancing back: Karin Dol advancing slow.
Bephepe wrestling her back forcibly.
Their third teammate—a woman—prayed hands behind.
"Go! Hurry, underclassmen! I'm fine—run if you wanna live!"
Ah, Bephepe-senior: Karin Dol's leash.
Sweat beading on his cheek.
Karin Dol's face darkened further.
"Bounce."
No debate—we bolted.
Kim Churu's fault or not, we'd beast-dove the top senior mid-purge.
No complaints if she stomped us.
We sprinted off.
But,
BOOM-
Ground ahead vanished mid-escape.
Massive crater.
Dirt sprayed, caking us.
"Karin Dol, chill! Familiars hate you all the time—gonna kill underclassmen?!"
"System protection magic means no death."
"You'll torture 'em to near-death first!"
Karin Dol strode toward us—crackling.
Computing another spell.
Gut screamed: hit by that, we're done.
System saves us, but it'd hurt bad.
"Fly! Hop on, quick!"
I mounted my broom fast.
Hisenna and Elrim piled on.
Just lifting off—her computation outpaced mine.
Air below ballooned—POP!
Lift cut; we flung apart wildly.
"Karin Dol...! Damn it... I'm out."
Bephepe's voice echoed somewhere; massive mana surged.
Looked up: her next spell done.
Black orb hurtled in a wide arc—head-sized, wreathed in dark mist.
5th-circle minimum. What it'd do? Unimaginable.
Too late for proper defense.
Low-circle? Useless.
Bit lame, but one trick: acceleration.
I dashed to Hisenna, tackled.
Elrim already huddled nearby.
Three orbs targeting us merged paths—slammed one spot.
"Kyaaak!"
"Uwaaaah!!"
Elrim and Hisenna screamed; massive jolt hit.
But no damage—Hisenna's defense stone activated.
Two stones left.
"Ian, what now?"
"That senior's not letting us off..."
Skill gap huge—no escape.
Worse: Karin Dol meant to end us here.
Second-years, yet Nayu-level gap.
And Nayu's A-class.
"Fight back, watch for openings. Can't just take it."
"Can we?"
"Gotta try. Elrim, you got that accel stone, right?"
"N-no! It's expensive—I only have one!"
"You can accel manually. Survive first."
"That's high-tier! Not just speed—boosts thinking too! You do it!"
Her 'Redlight Stitch' accel stone.
Premium accel; she hated wasting it here.
"Fine... but use it if it's dire. Fight, then bail on chance."
"O-okay!"
Resolve up,
Hisenna's stones gone—we prepped solo.
I pulled two catalysts first.
Blades floated up-down around me, two swords orbiting.
"Casting...? From a first-year?"
Karin Dol and her team gawked—even the quiet woman.
Swords straightened, lunged at Karin Dol.
I computed another spell in the gap.
Casting's overkill for weaklings—saved it till now.
Desperate times: anything to escape.
"Casting, huh."
Karin Dol muttered, computing defense.
Her square shield shattered under dual thrusts.
"...!!"
She panicked, recomputed defense hasty.
Swords halted, but slashes incoming.
Thrust-to-crescent link.
She blocked flustered—first slip-up.
Catalysts held; my spell done.
Time bought focus—double-cast.
Other spells possible, but homing 5th-circle pressure.
Swords bought more time than expected.
Optimized, lacks finisher punch,
but opener to bigger boom—then flee.
"Not bad—you can actually fight!"
Elrim and Hisenna finished too.
Seeing her struggle vs. my casts sparked hope.
Our trio spells surged at Karin Dol.
Forest-shaking roar; ground cratered around her.
"...Hmph."
Mist cleared.
Karin Dol emerged unscratched.
Not just defense—she counter-computed attack.
Bigger black orb incoming.
We spam-defended desperately.
Barely blocked pre-stone activation.
Three vs. one—and barely.
"Damn... insane..."
One year ahead, this strong?
Cursed Kim Churu inwardly.
Glared—no fix.
Karin Dol recomputed—
Whoosh-
Red streak flashed by; something whizzed past my ear.
Vanished into woods—blazing fast.
'Redlight Stitch'.
"Wha—?!"
Elrim gawked that way, flustered.
Stitch could vanish purge-long if missed.
Rare shot for hunters.
Elrim itched to chase.
But,
Thud—thud-
Ground quaked hard.
Massive quake.
Then boulders rained from sky.
"Karin Dol!"
Bephepe yelled; we dove.
She turned blank-faced, blasted falling rock.
Shattered to dust spray.
If just that, meteor prank maybe.
But distant rumble—a colossal shape rose.
We all froze.
"Why now...?"
Field center: 'extremely powerful beast' zone.
Something enormous stirred there.