Chapter 65: Overrated
Leaving Charl in Loretta’s care, our decoy team began to move.
Including the knights and the [Shadows], our group was quite large, perfect for creating a diversion.
What we needed was speed.
Even if they noticed Charl’s absence, as long as we could distract them with Noel’s purification abilities, our chances of success would increase.
(Seems like there are no traps around here.)
Nothing unusual came up in the [Detection] spell I had activated. While this spell doesn’t have the ability to see through traps, by cross-referencing it with the mental map of the ruins I’ve memorized, I can roughly identify any suspicious objects.
It’d be nice if things went smoothly, but…
“Yeah, it’s never that easy.”
After passing through a narrow path, we arrived at a large hall supported by numerous pillars.
Now, I didn’t even need [Detection] to sense them. Blocking our way were Morgan and the armored girl.
“Heh, been waiting for you, scum.”
Morgan’s face twisted into a smirk, full of smugness and intoxicated by power.
The girl beside him showed no emotion at all—
“…!”
In an instant, the prince of frost, filled with rage, charged forward, faster than anyone else.
Before anyone could react, Noel, shrouded in [Spirits], swung his icy blade at the armored girl with a wild stroke. It was a brutal attack, more like the instinctual slash of a beast than the refined movements I had seen him use in the capital.
It’s clear that coordinating with Noel right now would be difficult.
“What’s wrong? Aren’t you coming?”
Morgan’s taunting voice mocked Noel’s desperate struggle.
“Being cautious is a good trait. Yeah, in that sense, you’re smart. Not like that ice brat who just charges in without a plan.”
Ignoring Morgan’s words, I stayed silent, prompting him to continue his smug monologue.
“Kids are truly foolish. The sensible move here would be to attack in tandem with you. Considering my [Black Wolf Pack] and illusion magic combination—“
“You’ve become quite chatty, haven’t you?”
“Huh?”
“You’ve gotten cocky, playing analyst with your new power. Wasn’t revenge your goal? In that sense, Noel’s reaction is more appropriate.”
“What are you getting at?”
“Have you lost interest in your revenge?”
The hall fell silent. For less than a second, it was as if even the sounds of Noel’s battle disappeared, my words piercing Morgan deeply.
“I see it now. You’re just drunk on power.”
“……”
“You’re basking in your newfound strength. You’ve forgotten about your revenge.”
“You…! Enough with your crap!”
“Nenel suffered. She was tormented by the loss of her family.
It was a pain that wouldn’t go away. But you’re different.”
“Noel’s the same. He can’t forget. That’s why he’s still suffering. You have no right to laugh at him.”
You’ve forgotten your pain, reveled in your power, and now you’re even enjoying it.
“You’re shallow. Satisfied with a single ring.”
“……! Shut up!”
The hall filled with a black miasma. That [Forbidden Magic Ring]… [Black Wolf Pack], was it?
This isn’t like the ordinary [Forbidden Magic Rings] that Deophil used. The black wolves it produces are all shrouded in miasma. Individually, they’re not strong, but they wear armor that only the [Fifth Attribute] can penetrate.
They’re essentially the same as [Ragment]. Considering that, it must be something given by Lucille.
But,
“Your ring’s tricks won’t work anymore.”
Raging black claws approached, but a knight’s shield blocked them.
“Now!”
“—Hah…!”
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The shield deflected the black wolves, and immediately, the [Shadows] launched wind spells, pushing the beasts back.
“It works! Even if we can’t defeat them, knights can fight these miasma-clad beasts!”
“Stay in formation as per Lord Alfred’s orders!”
The knights and [Shadows] worked together to repel the black wolves.
Their coordination was impressive. Despite the black wolves’ speed, the knights and [Shadows] covered each other, minimizing blind spots and efficiently repelling each wolf.
Based on our forest battle and our underground fight against Morgan’s black wolves, I quickly developed an anti-black wolf formation.
The strategy was simple: deflect the wolves’ attacks with shields and blow them away with wind spells.
This wasn’t to deal damage but to neutralize and repel the enemy.
The troublesome aspects of the black wolves are their [speed] and [numbers]. If you can handle those, they’re manageable.
Individually, they’re not that powerful and are light enough to be blown away by wind magic. They’re easier to deal with than the lizardmen with high single-unit combat capabilities.
“Ugh…! You worthless scum, with your petty tricks…!”
“My subordinates are anything but worthless.”
The incident in the capital did more than just bring destruction.
It united knights and [Shadows], fostering joint training and formation drills to combat [Ragment].
The light and shadow Charl united, the strength Charl embodied, now overwhelms [Ragment].
“Hah! So what? Even if you knock them away—“
Before he could finish, I enveloped myself in the spirit [Alvida]. As the black wolves, knocked back and clustered together, I unleashed a barrage of magical bullets, piercing through them seamlessly.
“What…!?”
“If they’re clustered together, just shoot through them.”
As Morgan stood dumbfounded, I continued to charge my magic, aiming at the massed black wolves.
“[Raging Cannon]”
The massive magic bullet blasted through the clustered black wolves, causing a magical explosion.
“How…! This can’t be…! In the basement, I was supposed to be overwhelming…!”
“The situation now is different from back then. Besides, you’re a novice in combat. Do you think brute force works twice…? But, yeah, honestly, until I saw you face-to-face, I counted you as a threat. But…”
Spraying magic bullets, I wiped out the remaining black wolves.
Closing the distance to the dumbstruck Morgan with a calm stride.
“I didn’t realize your revenge was so shallow. I thought you carried the kind of emotions that Noel and Nenel had, ones that couldn’t be erased even if you wanted to.”
Step.
“I was wrong. You’re nothing compared to Noel or Nenel.”
Another step.
“What do you…! Don’t get cocky! A brat like you wouldn’t understand!”
“I don’t care about you. But you were waiting for us, doing nothing but waiting, even though your enemy was right behind you.”
“……!”
It finally dawned on him, his words catching in his throat.
“In the end, you got lost in power. More than family, more than revenge, you were satisfied with the strength that changed your weak self.”
“……! You…!”
The miasma surged, and black wolves began to form—but it was too late.
“I’ll apologize, at least.”
Before the black power could fully manifest, I drove my knee into Morgan’s exposed stomach.
“Ugh…! Aaah…!?”
“For overestimating you.”
The feel of soft, untrained flesh. He crumpled with just that one blow.
“Confiscate his [Forbidden Magic Ring] and restrain him.”
“Understood.”
I handed the unconscious Morgan to the [Shadows].
(Now, about Charl and…)
I turned my gaze to the other battle, where icy magic swirled.
“…Noel.”
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