The Sword Genius of the Magic Empire - Chapter 81



Only Noblemtl

The devil attacked.

Before everyone could even comprehend the shouts that had been ringing out, screams and a loud noise echoed from behind the large tents of the base camp.

Enoch turned his head toward it.

Nearby, members of the Academia Exploration Team were seen screaming and running desperately.

They waved their arms in the air. They ran towards me, clutching their heads at the sound of the demon’s cries. Their eyes were all filled with fear.

“Eww!! They’re demons!!”

“Please save me! The demons are coming towards the camp!!”

Enoch looked at the abyss for a moment.

Even in the world of wizards, in the end, they are all people.

Unless you’re a trained combatant, even a wizard would panic in an extreme crisis.

To begin with, the empire did not only have combat magicians. The modern-day magic empire was formed because magicians active in each field devoted themselves to their own fields.

But now, at this very moment, it was time for those who could face fear head on to step forward.

“Enemy encounter, prepare for battle. Be alert of your surroundings.”

“Understood, Lord Dionil.”

Dionil and his followers, who had already assumed a cool state of alert, were looking ahead in the opposite direction of the people running away.

And around Enoch and Sirocco, who were watching the situation from their side, the screaming and running Academia agents passed by like a torrent.

Those who stopped to face the enemy.

And those who run away in a hurry.

A moment when two groups of people are mixed up in a mess.

-Grrrrrrr… … !

The low roar of the demon, so low that it sent shivers down one’s spine, pierced the eardrums of all the human figures.

It’s not far. When I turn my head, I see pitch-black shapes rushing toward me a few dozen meters ahead.

They were demons.

A monstrous creature that resembles a stag beetle with large horns made of rock, except for its enormous size that appears to be at least 4 meters tall.

A charcoal-colored body that is hard and angular like a black rock.

Likewise, there are no eyes on the head. Only a pair of sharp, large horns run horizontally.

They were running from outside the camp, making strange noises that made one doubt if they were living creatures.

One of Dionil’s squad members who had seen them swallowed.

“They are the ones. They are the [Truncatus] species.”

Truncatus.

A species of demon with considerable cutting power, a strong mandible, and a powerful rushing attack.

They were familiar to Enoch as well.

Not only do they have strong magic resistance, but the power of those huge horns is beyond imagination. And above all, their greatest characteristic is… … .

‘As it has no eyes, it is a demon species that is sensitive to vibrations.’

Truncatus are creatures with excellent vibration sensing abilities. They look like they are made of rocks, but their agility and sensory organs are completely different.

Meanwhile, Dionil grabbed the staff. Then he looked around and shouted loudly.

“Enemy assault, respond. Begin battle!”

“””All right!”””

With a loud roar, his followers rushed forward, clutching the metal saddle. Dionil shouted, extending his wand from behind.

“Objective: Repel the demons advancing toward the base camp! We must prioritize protecting the members of the Academy!”

Under Dionil’s command, his men spread out in formation according to their respective positions.

A jet-black tactical robe with Elseid’s logo neatly engraved on it spreads out in waves in all directions.

In an instant, the tips of a dozen staffs were dyed in the light of mana. Magic circles spun around in the air and formed.

They blocked the Demon’s advance head-on by projecting powerful firepower to the front, while at the same time, some squad members carried out the operation by evacuating the camp’s personnel.

Kuuuung!

Enoch watched them with interest from behind for a moment. It was definitely a well-matched squad.

It was obvious how much they had bonded together while working together on missions, and how skilled each of them was in combat.

The magicians of the Dionil Squad, who moved in a coordinated manner and took positions using the surrounding terrain, fired high-powered magic straight ahead.

It accurately struck the front line of the Truncatus hordes that were charging towards the base camp.

In an instant, the advance of the demons was suppressed. After the enemy’s charge was turned back head-on, the situation was quickly reversed.

-Grrrrrrr!

In less than ten minutes, the pack of truncatus, apparently scared, turned their horns back towards base camp.

A wizard who saw this activated his earpiece for communication and gave a brief briefing on the situation.

“All members, the demons are retreating!”

“What direction should I run?”

Dionil frowned and assessed the situation.

“We’re heading in the opposite direction of the base camp, into the ruins of Rhodes. If we continue like this, things won’t be good.”

The fleeing demons were heading towards the isolated citadel of the Academy. If things continued this way, the isolated Academy explorers would be in more danger.

It was obvious that the longer it took, the worse the situation would become.

“There are currently no casualties on the Academia side within the base camp. Please give instructions for the next operation.”

“There is no choice. We will finish the minimum maintenance right now and then follow them. If time passes like this, it will be difficult to rescue the victims.”

“All right.”

Dionil’s squad members also nodded.

There was no way to know when the survivors would be caught by the devils. Since it had come to this, it was better to pursue them now, find them, and rescue them.

“Then give me 10 minutes. I will protect the Academia side and deploy response personnel in case of an emergency.”

“Okay. In the meantime, we’ll make arrangements and plan our operation. Can you identify the location of the survivors with detection magic?”

“I tried, but I couldn’t catch it.”

One of the wizards under Dionil, who was holding up a staff of mechanical design, shook his head.

“First of all, in order to properly detect it, you must enter the fortress of the ruins. The detection magic cannot scan from outside.”

Dionil turned his head to the side.

“Yes. Aspis, your role will be important.”

At Dionil’s words, a large man stepped forward. He turned to Enoch and spoke respectfully.

“This is Aspis. It’s my first time greeting you, Enoch. I apologize for the confusion during the operation.”

“No. I don’t have to apologize.”

Enoch shook his head slightly.

Even if I don’t introduce myself, you already know.

“Shield of Solid Trust”, Aspis.

A character who appeared as a tank in the game. Even there, he was a concept of being under Dionil’s command. He was trusted for his loyal personality and as a guard.

In terms of character tier, it’s mid-to-upper tier.

Although it is a tier 3 defender position, it is highly rated by users as having higher actual usability.

Occasionally, in the story, there are systemic restrictions such as “Gotier Defender formation restrictions”, so in some quests or stages, squad formation is treated as civil servants.

As Enoch was thinking about this, Aspis turned to him and spoke politely.

“Master Enoch. It is an honor to be with you on this mission, but for the operation to enter this ruins, please have Enoch’s squad stay at the rear as much as possible.”

“You mean you can’t trust it?”

“To get straight to the point. Yes.”

Then he glanced at Sirocco next to him and said.

“Enoch’s squad consists of only one person. I heard he’s a 10th-grade wizard… There’s no reason to trust him during the operation. I’ve never seen his skills in person.”

It was common sense.

Even if a powerful 10th-grade unit was an ally, it did not guarantee the success of the operation or the lives of the allies.

As someone who has already carried out several operations, he spoke with a tone that clearly showed his understanding of the fact.

At that moment, Shiroko spoke coldly from the side.

“Huh~ Are you going to regret saying that?”

“… I didn’t mean to offend you, Sirocco. I apologize if I offended you.”

Aspis bowed his head respectfully. Sirocco lifted her head and closed one eye.

“No, it’s okay.”

Unlike the horse, the tail is wagging a little bit, but is it because of the mood? It seems that the horse is definitely not able to hide its emotions. It doesn’t seem like it is trying to hide them, though.

Then Dionil came and opened his mouth.

“The preparations are complete. We will enter the ruins and split up as planned to find the exploration team. Do you agree?”

“Need I say more?”

As Enoch nodded, Dionil turned to Aspis and gave short instructions.

“Deploy your horse and keep your rear guard. We are advancing.”

“yes.”

Clang!

The folding tactical shield equipped on Aspis’s arm is unfolded. A shield-shaped tactical shield that expands in area and unfolds. Its modern design is characteristic.

The front of the shield he unfurled had the simple logo of the manufacturing company engraved in white.

It was noticeable that most of the other Dionil squad members’ riding gear had the same manufacturing company’s logo on it.

It seems to be a product of the squad’s sponsor company. Since it’s a logo we’ve seen in the original, it catches our eye again.

“I will move.”

As I followed Dionil’s squad, the ruins of the castle city soon came into full view.

The ruins of the high castle city were desolate.

Ruins on naturally sinking ground. Water from the lake flows down like waterfalls in various places through the cracks in the tall, gray walls.

A ruin shrouded in silence as if it had lost all sound, a remnant of a long-ago ruined fortress city civilization.

It’s a scene we’ve already seen in the game, but it’s an atmosphere worth admiring once again.

And on the ground of the ruins covered with grass and ruins, a herd of demons and truncatus were roaming.

“Passing through the ruins gate. Entering the danger zone.”

“Okay, 1st platoon large reorganization. Defenders take the lead.”

Respond to Dionil’s signal.

Aspis, who had been guarding the rear with a huge deployable shield at the rear of the formation, advanced forward.

The squad members belonging to Dionil approached one after another. They naturally formed a single line with the defender in the lead and began to move while keeping a close watch.

Among them, the wizard who had used detection magic gave a briefing.

“Movement in the vicinity, scan successful.”

“Report.”

“There are many demons wandering around the surrounding ruins. You should infiltrate them without provoking them as much as possible and deal with them one by one.”

“… … Easier said than done. Alright, I’ll clear the way for the entire team. If necessary, I’ll deal with the demons quietly. They’re sensitive to vibrations, so be careful with noise and movement.”

While communication was being transmitted between them.

Enoch followed them comfortably at the rear, along with Sirocco.

As I watched, I saw many interesting scenes.

Some people approach quickly, trying to keep their presence as quiet as possible, and stab the demon’s head with a short blade made of plasma. The rest are on high alert.

If it is an unapproachable distance, raise the mana and place a suppression magic over the horse to suppress the sound of the attack magic to the extreme, and then deploy the magic.

Enoch, seeing that, exclaimed inwardly.

Noise suppression magic. [Suppressor].

Literally. Even though it deploys the same magic, it is a magic that can be projected much more silently. Was it one of the magics used when conducting covert activities?

In this way, Dionil’s squad quietly and skillfully used magic to deal with the demons, carving out a path through silent combat.

At that moment, Sirocco, who had been watching them from the side, pricked up one of his ears as if he was slightly puzzled. Then he turned to look this way.

“You know. Is there a need for that?”

“Is there a need for that? What is it?”

“Should I just kick them all away?”

Shiroko glanced at the demons in front of her and spoke. Her voice was cold and pure, as if she was saying something so obvious. But Enoch shook his head.

“No. You don’t have to exert yourself.”

“Is that so?”

“Right now is not the time. Follow my instructions.”

“If that’s what you say, then of course it would be so… … .”

Shiroko glanced over at me with her fresh eyes, lifted her chin slightly, and spoke lightly.

“Ugh, okay. Don’t bore me.”

The Dionil Squad’s method is the best tactic, but it is not a perfect tactic.

After all, unless you can completely suppress the noise during battle, you can’t deceive the Truncatus forever.

As you continue to fight and delve deeper into the ruins, no matter how much you silence your voice, you will encounter more and more demons, and the noise during combat will also become louder.

In the end, a head-on confrontation is unavoidable.

And then Sirocco can step forward.

Small-scale engagements, such as one or two Truncatus, will not help in improving Sirocco’s skills at all.

If you just wait for the right time, the time will come when Sirocco can be effective.

“Wait a minute. Detection magic, target found!”

Then the detection wizard of the Dionil Squad shouted.

“On the ground, excluding the demons, there is only one thing that scans the size of a human figure. Its location is right in front of me.”

It seemed like they were part of the expedition team that had lost contact.

And then, a small girl cautiously poked her face out from the ruins the detective had pointed to.

A girl wearing an armband with the emblem of the Exploration Team on top of her Imperial Academy uniform.

She looked terrified at the sight of the demons around her. Her eyes had lost their light and she was trembling with thought, which was quite pitiful.

It’s brave that I’ve been able to survive without screaming among the demons until now.

However, it was a little strange that the rest of the castaways were nowhere to be seen.

One of Dionil’s followers quickly identified himself from the side.

“This is the girl in the photo on the list of survivors.”

Enoch met her eyes and lightly put his hand to his mouth, signaling her to be quiet.

As long as you don’t provoke the nearby demons, you can soon approach her to rescue her.

The girl belonging to the academy was barely able to nod her head.

But the moment the girl in her school uniform carefully emerged from the pile of rubble in the ruins where she had been hiding─

-Kuuuuuung!

Suddenly, a tremendous roar echoed from beneath their feet. Along with the ear-splitting roar, the sand and rocks on the surrounding ground shot up.

In an instant, a huge vibration that shook the ground spread out in all directions like a wave.

“What, what is it!”

“An explosion in the basement? Why?!”

In an instant, a shock erupted from Dionil’s squad. Even Enoch had not expected this. Everyone stared at the ground where the explosion had occurred.

A sudden explosion without any warning.

Dionil absentmindedly repeated that fact.

“An explosion? Under the ruins?”

Even Enoch frowned slightly at the unexpected turn of events.

It wasn’t an event that could be expected at all.

But at the moment when everyone was panicking, the surrounding demons began to react violently to the vibrations of the huge explosion that occurred beneath the ground.

-Kurrrrrrrr!

They all shouted strange sounds and raised their horns into the sky, going crazy. A threatening roar spread out in all directions of the ruins.

There was no time to assess the situation any longer.

“Ugh, eugh… … ! Aaaah!! Save me, save me… … !!”

Amidst the chaos, a girl from the exploration team stumbled out from a corner of the ruins, holding on to a pile of rocks.

Covered in dirt, as if she had been hiding for a long time, she was terrified when she saw the running demons and started running desperately towards them.

“Save me, save me! Save me!!”

Dionil, who saw that, immediately shouted loudly.

“Damn it, the distance to the protected object is close! Attract the attention of the surrounding demons! Protect the expedition members as much as possible!!”

“All right!”

Aspis ran straight towards the girl who was running towards him and slammed his deployable shield into the ground.

With a loud metallic clang, a beam of mana light burst out from the shield.

[Mana Barrier]

The translucent light of mana boasting powerful strength further expanded the shield’s border. The barrier expanded and the shield spread widely.

A shield spread out to the left and right with a curtain of light. In front of it, Truncatus, who was charging towards the exploration girl, collided with its sharp horns.

Tear-rrrrrrr!

A sudden metallic roar pierced my ears. The surface of the shield, made of alloy, exploded with intense sparks upon impact.

As soon as Aspis’s arm swelled up greatly, he started to struggle with the demon while pushing the shield away.

Enoch watched the scene for a moment.

[Body Strengthening] series magic.

Although Shiroko’s unique magic made her eyes higher and higher, it was also magic that almost all combat magicians had to know how to use.

Perhaps because of this, the fighters of the Atlas Magic Empire often had high physical abilities and durability.

However, that is just adjusting the output of body strengthening magic.

Unless it was a special spell or black magic, it might be different. In general, body strengthening magic was very burdensome on the body.

Enoch watched Aspis for a moment as he struggled to block the demon’s attack with his shield.

Even just that level of output is above average.

The devil’s charge has the destructive power to easily pierce the armor of an armored vehicle. Just blocking it head-on and engaging in a power struggle is impressive enough.

Enoch turned his gaze to the side.

‘Of course, in general terms.’

Slowly, the time to intervene was approaching.

The Truncatus that Aspis had blocked was soon defeated by another squad member who melted its head with fire magic, but that was not the problem.

Already, the heavy sound of an advance was coming from all sides of the ruins.

Kurrururur!!

Let’s turn our gaze towards the vibration that is growing loud enough to make our flesh tremble.

On the other side of the ruins, dozens of Truncatus were rushing madly, horns pointed, excited by the vibrations.

In addition to the explosion earlier, they would have reacted to the vibrations caused by the collision between Aspis’ shield and horn.

The faces of the Dionil squad turned pale when they saw that.

“Oh no! More demons are coming!”

“There are too many! We need to leave our current location…!”

Aspis shouted urgently.

Enoch, who had been observing the situation calmly, silently agreed to his cry.

Aspis can only block one or two demons at a time.

Moreover, no matter how skilled Dionil’s squad is in battle, it is not easy to escape and rescue the survivors in the midst of the demons’ madness.

─But here, there was one person.

A genius magician who cannot be compared to ordinary users of body strengthening magic like Aspis.

A girl who could single-handedly ‘make’ all those demons run away if he only gave the order.

Enoch glanced at Sirocco.

“Can you do it?”

Shiroko looked at me and smiled lightly. Then she perked up the ears on top of her head.

Her clear voice rang out brightly.

“of course!”

***

The girl couldn’t understand at all.

Immediately after an unidentified explosion echoed from beneath the ground.

The girl wearing the Academia uniform ran desperately. Before she knew it, tears were welling up in her eyes from fear.

However, perhaps because her legs had lost their strength from hiding for so long, she tripped on a protruding stone on the rough floor of the ruins and fell forward with a crash.

“Ouch!”

The black shadow of the devil approached with each passing moment.

The girl who fell looked back in horror.

Right behind her, a pitch-black demon’s horn swoops in front of her nose. The vibrations from her body lying on the ground shake the top of her head.

She had recently joined the Academia Exploration Team as a student intern.

But no matter how young they were, death was rushing right before their eyes.

Without even being able to scream, she was stabbed by horns and trampled to death. The girl, who sensed her own death, simply shut her eyes tightly.

But the next moment.

The huge shadow of the demon that had been rushing towards her at every moment suddenly flew to the side with a loud cracking sound.

“ah……!!”

And when the girl opened her eyes in surprise.

Took.

The red-haired girl who had blasted away the demon in one breath landed lightly in front of her.

Shiroko glanced behind him.

Then, he sighed quietly as he confirmed that the girl from the Academy had staggered to her feet and desperately ran away from the path of the demons.

“As expected, they are completely different from the children of our tribe.”

and.

In the shadows created by the collapsed ceiling of the ruins.

The girl with wolf ears slowly turned her head.

Shiroko’s red eyes glance at the demons.

A thin ring of mana wrapped around one of her bare ankles, which she held lightly, was emitting a translucent red light in the pale darkness of the ruins’ ceiling.

In an instant, the demons’ charge stopped.

The stopped Truncatus raised their eyeless heads and looked up at the wolf-eared girl warily.

-Keeeeee… … .

A glowing red mana ring on Sirocco’s slender ankle. The Truncatus were afraid of it.

They had no eyes, but they instinctively realized it.

That’s not your average [body strengthening] magic.

Even the trembling flow of air, with mana concentrated in her ankles, was forcibly awakening the demons.

Her magical output is beyond comparison to normal magic, and is something out of the ordinary.

It was a natural thing.

A vision passed down from generation to generation of marginalized tribes to hunt the demons that swarmed the wasteland.

Battle magic for the survival and continuation of the people.

The pinnacle of pure fighting spirit, honed over centuries.

“Are there any demons I’ve never seen before around our tribal village?”

Shiroko looked down at the demons. Then she covered her mouth with one hand and let out a contemptuous laugh.

“Hey, you guys. Hurry up and come over.”

And it seemed as if he understood what she was saying.

The Truncatus, who had been hesitating for a little while, raised their horns towards the sky and roared loudly. They immediately started to run towards her, kicking up dust.