Chapter 308
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 308
Chapter Title: 1:0
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The assault from the Open Heaven Church began without any warning whatsoever.
A massive army had appeared out of nowhere, staining the blue plains red.
The Incursors filled the plains completely.
"Damn it, it's starting."
"Where the hell is an incursion phenomenon of that scale coming from?"
There was no way for those things to breach the checkpoint, but this situation could just as easily lead to the checkpoint's destruction.
The mages immediately declared a state of emergency and rushed into battle.
The Incursors were swarming in from the east.
No one knew what they might do if they got too close to the checkpoint, so the mercenaries hired by the various Mage Towers charged out beyond the perimeter and raced across the plains.
"Let's go."
"Yes, sir!"
The White Whale Mercenary Corps joined the fray without hesitation.
This incursion type is Ominous Shades.
These were primarily an upper-layer incursion type. Unlike the orderly ranks of soldiers, they charged in wildly, wielding everything from dual short swords and twin blades to chain sickles.
"These bastards are all about pure offense. But don't think for a second that makes their defense weak. Each one is a seasoned killer."
Just as Jun's brief explanation proved true, curses erupted from the mercenaries who clashed with the Ominous Shades first.
They lunged with a ferocity like wild beasts.
And it wasn't just their momentum.
Their reflexes were impossibly sharp, and their shadowy, blurred movements sowed confusion in anyone watching.
Even a moment's distraction could mean your throat getting slit.
Even veteran mercenaries had to assign at least two per Shade.
"The worst part is that they exist as souls."
"Physical attacks won't work well, then."
"Exactly."
"Can't just rely on shields and get cocky!"
As Bern said, it was tricky even for shield users.
Shields were overpowered because they blocked attacks easily, but infusing mana into every block would wear the defender out first.
"Of course, they have weaknesses too."
Their defense was laughably poor.
And...
"They're vulnerable to area attacks."
Fast movers?
Just hit the entire area they're covering.
[Fire Domain]
Nine swirling fireballs were summoned, spiraling inward.
Right now, coverage mattered more than raw power, so nine orbs were perfect.
The cost: three enchanting books going up in flames.
The summoned fire orbs immediately began absorbing ambient mana and moving on their own.
Roarrr-!
Some formed massive flame walls in front of the approaching foes.
Fwoooosh-!
Others turned into spiraling [Flame Rage] fireballs, spewing flames everywhere.
Whoooosh-!
Still others became enormous firestorms, laying waste to the area.
And amid it all, Aiden and Bern moved.
Slash...
Aiden burst from Jun's magic field with a single sword stroke, vaporizing half a dozen Ominous Shades like smoke.
In that split second, he dove into the streams of fire from the orbs, whipping up winds within to swing his blade like an incarnation of flame.
It looked just like the fire giant summoned by an ifrit from northern Stunheim.
Bern complemented him perfectly at his side.
His usual battle hammer strapped to his back, he split his massive shield into glove-like tonfa and smashed through the enemy lines with heavy, deliberate blows.
Booom!!
Golden holy power exploded like bombs, shaking the wicked souls of the Shades.
Shiiiine...
Finally, Eleanor's holy power filled the skies over End Field.
The enchanting books around her, infused with golden holy power, burned themselves to unleash her near-infinite mana in all directions.
The section held by the White Whale Mercenary Corps felt like another world entirely, holding the line without budging an inch.
"Incredible..."
"They deployed that scale before we could even draw a single magic pattern."
"What kind of magic was that...?"
"No idea. It didn't look like anything from yesterday."
"Holy magic can activate like that?"
"Look at that guy's movements. Could you even pilot a golem more ideally?"
Protected by the White Whale Mercenary Corps, the Ranes Mage Tower prepared a massive spell.
Ranes's lips curved into a sly smile at the voices of her young disciples behind her.
"Their eyes sparkle more than when they look at me."
That was joy beyond measure for her.
What magic needed was the wisdom to observe phenomena and exploit them.
These youngest children in the 8th layer would absorb the finest battles and open new worlds.
But as their master, she couldn't let them learn only from others.
"Watch closely now."
She said it to her disciples, but it was also aimed at the stunned mages from other towers staring their way.
It wasn't yet time to reveal her 8th-circle prowess.
But the Mage Tower itself—built over most of her life—was her greatest weapon.
Amid her senior mages, Belles shouted.
"Master! Preparations complete!"
"Well done."
Ranes stepped onto the magic circle her disciples had created.
As she did, the world's mana surged into her. It coursed through her eight rings and back out.
In that moment, the space became nature itself. It smelled of pristine forest, or vast ocean embracing the body, or scorching lava threatening to incinerate everything.
"[Huge Natural Manifestation]"
⟨ Vast Nature Awakens ⟩
Vast nature manifested, infused with mana at Ranes's will.
The mana hurtled toward the Ominous Shades ahead, unleashing boundless wilderness.
Crackkk-!!
The earth split like a beast's maw, swallowing Shades into abyssal darkness.
Mana-formed trees sprouted, binding their movements as forest-shaking winds sliced them like blades.
Lava erupted from the fissures, spewing fireballs and molten rock everywhere.
On one flank, a massive tidal wave swept away hordes of Shades.
If the Shades had emotions, they would have screamed at the heavens.
What in the world were they fighting?
Ranes's Mage Tower magic had brought natural disasters themselves.
It was only natural that the incursion army crumbled in moments.
A miracle unfolding only in the sector assigned to Ranes Mage Tower.
"Hehe... Beautiful."
"Master's magic is the most gorgeous, as always."
"Wow..."
Her young disciples beamed with pride at having contributed even a little to the miracle.
Ranes smiled in satisfaction once more.
Half a day passed as the numbers of Ominous Shades pouring from the east visibly dwindled, followed by dealing with monsters drawn by the commotion.
Thus began another meeting.
Ranes gazed coolly at Endo and spoke.
"So, what will you do?"
"......"
The prowess shown by Ranes Mage Tower was no joke.
No need to mention the White Whale Mercenary Corps's combat strength; among peer towers, Ranes had cast the first large-scale spell, securing victory without major losses.
It proved they could respond first if anything happened inside the checkpoint.
The Conventional Sorcerer mages glanced cautiously at Endo, who was well aware of their looks.
Finally, Endo spoke heavily in affirmation.
"......I acknowledge it. For now, Ranes Mage Tower's contributions stand out most in defending the checkpoint."
Watching this, Jun thought quietly to himself.
'That's 1:0. But...'
Jun eyed Endo with a strange expression, then Ran standing behind him.
Ran.
Like Hegar, a Conventional Sorcerer mage and one of Endo's closest aides.
They'd met at the last magic conference; he fixed Jun with a relaxed gaze.
'Bastard. Great at masking his expression, but sloppy with his killing intent.'
If you're hiding hostility, hide it thoroughly.
The enmity aimed his way was beyond expectations.
But... one question lingered.
As the tedious meeting dragged on, Jun racked his brain to resolve his doubt.
Fortunately, the meeting chatter became white noise, sharpening his focus.
But it didn't last long.
They were busy fortifying the base camp when the sudden incursion hit.
Expedition team discussions were postponed, and the rest carried over to the next day.
To resolve his doubt, Jun sought out Ranes.
"Lady Ranes."
"Hm, Jun. You seemed deep in thought during the meeting. Hehe, I was pushing hard to give your mercenary corps command authority."
"Ah, sorry."
"Just kidding. Oddly, no one else takes my jokes well."
Who would treat a level 8 Mage Tower lord—and former royalty—as joking?
Right here.
"Hahaha!"
"Prostrating yourself already? So, what had you looking so serious?"
"Well. It's just suspicion for now."
Jun recalled Endo's behavior throughout the meeting.
"Endo's attitude was strangely passive."
"Passive?"
"Yes. More precisely, he seemed to be watching the other nobles' reactions."
"Hmm..."
Only then did Ranes think of the other nobles.
Indeed, as Jun said, some had looked displeased at Endo's words.
She'd noticed but assumed it was mere concern for their own safety.
Not wrong, exactly.
But considering Endo's background, their attitudes were odd.
"They should be crawling at Marquis Owen's feet. Yet some nobles are openly defiant toward him."
Only a tiny fraction of all Mage Towers, but still strange.
Why?
Because the noble faction building mage society was mostly entangled with the Open Heaven Church.
The empire's high nobles knew the Church was the emperor's enemy and could threaten them easily.
-You've sided with the emperor's foes, so obey me if you don't want to die.
-Let's kill the emperor together and found a new nation.
They could, but didn't.
"Rebellion... Jun, you talk like you're certain they'll do it. Like you saw it yourself."
"......"
Jun was once more awed by Ranes's level 8 insight.
She was right.
Jun had seen the nobles' rebellion in the game <Blackout>.
After defeat, they blamed Marquis Owen, claiming they were just blackmailed.
Maybe at first, but midway they massacred willingly.
Even as darkness eroded from Blackout beneath the empire, onward to the world, they acted for self-preservation.
But real-world nobles were different.
More precisely, Marquis Owen's moves were.
Were they, really?
'No. The crown prince moved. Marquis Owen is still plotting rebellion like in the game.'
As the one who'd orchestrated everything via the Church, he wouldn't back out now.
He'd spark revolt even in death.
If anyone deviated from the game, it was one man.
Endo.
He was defying Marquis Owen's orders.
'That explains it.'
Ran.
Endo's closest aide, likely dispatched by the Church.
Jun now understood the killing smile Ran sent him.
For some reason, Endo's rejection of Owen's commands stemmed from Jun's arrival.
He hadn't intimidated the nobles or their mages.
Instead, he watched their reactions.
What event tied to Jun's arrival could sway Endo?
His conference spell?
No, Endo showed no change then.
No way he'd be inspired now.
Owen would've spotted Endo's deviation first.
So the most recent trigger: only one.
'Romnell. That bastard's rebellion.'
Romnell, the expedition leader craving nobility.
His betrayal—and Jun leading him to it—
changed Endo's mind.