Chapter 247: Walpurgis Night (5)

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-Kieeeek!

A massive serpent-shaped golem let out a grotesque shriek as it unleashed its breath.

The forest swept up in gray smoke turned to stone and crumbled.

However, the cadets had already escaped the breath’s range and were preparing a follow-up attack.

“Damn it, I’ll join in as soon as the petrification curse is lifted!”

Of course, the coordination hadn’t been perfect from the start.

Several cadets had been caught in the initial breath and had parts of their bodies cursed with petrification.

Still, the curse wasn’t unmanageable, so they had retreated to the rear to receive treatment from the mages.

“Is it alright if I don’t step in?”

Laysis and Carl were waiting in the rear without joining the battle.

They had already achieved merit once, so they were yielding this time to others, but watching the ongoing struggle was making their hands itch.

“They all agreed to it. It wouldn’t be fair if we monopolized all the points.”

“Isn’t it just because you don’t want the hassle?”

Laysis let out a soft laugh.

While the others hadn’t noticed, Laysis could sense that Carl’s mood had sunk a little.

Something had clearly happened when they were searching deeper in the forest.

He hadn’t gone into detail, but he must’ve fought someone.

Kwaaaang!

Just then, the basilisk golem thrashed violently and swung its tail.

Dozens of trees were swept away, and the cadets were caught in the chaos as well.

“Urgh!”

“Why is it so strong!”

Everyone groaned as they were flung to the ground.

Unable to watch any longer, Yuria furrowed her brows and slowly stepped forward.

“I was trying to conserve mana, but I guess I can’t. You’re all struggling this much right from the start.”

Whoosh.

A pure-white staff embedded with seven gems swung in her hand.

It was the first time she used it in actual combat since receiving it as a gift from Carl.

Fwaaaah!

As multiple magic circles rose into the air, the results of her ongoing research unfolded before her eyes.

[Automatic Calculation Activated]

[「Four Seasons」 System Engaged]

With a low message, a massive lightning strike from the sky crashed down onto the basilisk’s head.

Kwaaaang!

In an instant, its massive body staggered and entered a groggy state from the powerful impact.

Then, a torrent of water surged above the forest, binding its body like a ring, and the ground cracked open, dragging it underground like an antlion pit.

A seamless chain of magic without delay.

Considering each spell was high-tier and required focused casting, the power of the 「Four Seasons」 system was evident.

‘The compatibility really is excellent.’

Yuria grinned and tightened her grip on the Horizon of the Archangel, the staff Carl had gifted her.

It was an item she’d never seen even in the game, and she’d fallen in love with it at first sight.

‘At the very least, it’s an ancient-grade artifact. Maybe even mythic.’

At her current level, it was absolutely impossible to acquire something of this caliber.

Not only did it amplify a pinch of mana severalfold, but the seven gems embedded in the upper part of the staff each possessed their own unique abilities.

Though there would be no need to use them in this battle.

With the enhanced output from the Horizon of the Archangel alone, she could crush the basilisk golem with ease.

Shhhhaaa!

A fiery storm surged.

As the basilisk was dragged underground, a rain of fire fell upon it, turning the surroundings into a volcanic wasteland.

The cadets who had stepped back to watch could only gape and let out dry laughter.

“What kind of power is that……?”

“She’s a cadet too?”

“She looks like an archmage.”

It was like witnessing a natural disaster.

To think a single mage could unleash such overwhelming spells one after another.

Even the other mages looked at Yuria with blank expressions.

“……Hmm. The output’s not stable. Is it because of the amplification? I’ll have to tweak it.”

Yuria herself grumbled, dissatisfied with the power of her magic.

-Krrrk.

Still, it seemed the earlier chain of attacks had dealt significant damage, as the basilisk lay embedded in the ground, twitching.

“I’ll finish it off. You should save your mana.”

“Trying to snatch the points at the end?”

“……That’s not it.”

At Yuria’s words, Nerian frowned and drew his sword while channeling the Power of Ice.

“We don’t know what other tests might come later. No need to waste unnecessary strength.”

“Yeah, yeah. Fine. I’ll let you finish it.”

“……”

When Yuria teased him, Nerian pursed his lips and slowly raised his sword.

Fssshhh.

An intense chill burst forth, beginning to freeze everything around him.

Once the blade had fully frozen and all power was concentrated—

Swoosh!

The basilisk’s body froze along the path of Nerian’s swung sword and began to shatter.

Thunk, roll.

Soon after, a small mana stone rolled out of the creature’s eye.

Exhaling white breath and bending down, Nerian picked it up and showed it to the others.

“Alright, that leaves two more?”

“If the others managed to take theirs down too.”

“We handled ours without too much trouble, but I wonder if the others are alright?”

“The seniors? They’ll manage.”

The cadets nodded.

They hadn’t expected much difference between themselves and the seniors just one year ahead, but in truth, the gap was far wider than they imagined.

It was hard to believe this much of a difference came from just a year, but comparing their current selves to when they first entered the academy, they could understand.

After finding the mana stone, they turned back, only to find the base camp completely empty.

“Looks like they’re not back yet.”

“It would’ve taken us longer if Yuria hadn’t stepped in.”

“Makes you appreciate how amazing that trio is for taking down a golem with just three people.”

Their eyes turned toward Carl, Laysis, and Lewis, who had defeated a basilisk golem with only the three of them.

“……I really didn’t do anything.”

Despite his sour expression, Lewis enjoyed the attention.

All he had done was support Laysis from the rear.

She had somehow managed on her own, and the golem collapsed in pieces.

Still, explaining everything in detail felt bothersome, so he let it pass.

“For now, everyone take a break. Who knows when we’ll get another chance like this.”

“Yeah, I should rest too.”

“Need to catch some sleep. Couldn’t get proper rest in a new bed.”

At Carl’s instruction, one by one, they returned to the base camp.

Yuria began meditating to replenish her spent mana, and Laysis started tending to her sword.

Shff.

Carl, now wearing his coat, casually glanced around.

With everyone’s guard down, now would be the perfect time to slip away unnoticed…

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“……Nerian.”

At Nerian’s question, Carl gave a wry smile.

So that gaze he’d felt earlier had been watching him.

“I’m going to check on the senior teams.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“No.”

Carl shook his head.

“If I leave, someone needs to take over. I’d like you to handle that role.”

“……Hmm.”

Nerian thought it over for a moment.

Indeed, command was important.

If the representative team’s leader Carl left, someone had to take charge in his place.

“I’ll just take a quick look around and come back.”

“In that case.”

Nerian nodded without argument.

He no longer looked down on Carl.

To Nerian now, Carl was a goal to catch up to.

With a subtle glance to show his thanks, Carl turned and headed deeper into the forest.

The second and third-year teams had each gone in separate directions.

He decided to head toward the second-years, where Darius had gone.

Tap.

Leaping lightly, he darted across tree branches and sped through the forest.

“…….”

Even though their mission here was complete, the reason he pressed on was a bad gut feeling.

‘There was nothing at the hut, but that doesn’t mean they would’ve retreated quietly.’

Now that they were aware of the existence of Carlos Leipzig, they would surely make a move somehow.

Of course, it might all be unnecessary worry, but if it were him, he would have started nibbling from the edges.

‘The team dispersal was intentional on my part as well.’

He had thrown out the cadets as bait to test the waters.

With a few exceptions, he didn’t particularly care if they were hurt or killed.

Shhhhaaa!

How far had he gone tracking the second-year representative team?

Suddenly, the sound of a Sonic Burst above his head made Carl stop.

“That’s…”

A magical flare fired into the sky.

It was a signal prepared in case of emergencies.

“I doubt it’ll reach the base camp.”

They’d come too far in, so the cadets back at the base likely wouldn’t notice it.

That’s why Carl picked up speed and charged forward.

‘If their golem is about the same level as a basilisk, it’s not impossible to take down.’

With Darius there, brute force might just be enough to defeat it.

Which meant some other variable must have occurred.

The problem was, if something unexpected happened with the second-years, the third-year team might also be in a similar situation.

‘For now, to Darius.’

Blood was thicker than water, after all.

And since the second-years had fired the signal, he rushed in that direction.

“……”

Not long after, just as he neared the area where the signal had come from, a sharp stench brushed past his nose.

Clang! Clang!

Alongside the sound of weapons clashing, he began to hear cadets shouting.

‘Who are they?’

Soon, he spotted cadets engaged in battle with a group of enemies.

Naturally, the one standing out the most was Darius, rampaging at the center of the fray.

However, he seemed to have sustained injuries during the intense battle, bleeding from multiple places.

Thanks to his valiant efforts, no one had died, but they were being steadily pushed back due to the difference in power.

Shik.

Having assessed the situation, Carl jumped from the tree and grabbed a cadet by the collar.

Shhhk.

With the swing of the Heavenly Thunder Sword, he slaughtered a masked assailant in a black robe.

“Gaaah?!”

“Forty. So it was originally around fifty.”

Judging from the ten or so lying near Darius, nearly fifty enemies must have launched a simultaneous attack.

“I’ll just leave one or two alive.”

Shik.

Carl kicked off the ground and dashed forward effortlessly.

The cadets, struggling just moments ago, widened their eyes as they finally noticed Carl.

Zzzzt.

A trail of dark sword energy scattered through the air, cutting down the masked assailants who had been gnawing away at the cadets.

It was such a display of force that the entire atmosphere of the battlefield shifted in an instant.

Seeing Carl join the fight, Darius lifted his head and shouted loudly.

“Carl!”

“……Heaven-Flow Twilight Flash.”

Fwaaaah!

Blades of blue aura surged and blew away all the nearby assailants.

Carl, who had charged to Darius’s side in an instant, came to a halt and asked.

“What’s the situation?”

“I don’t know either. We were chasing a golem, and then these guys suddenly appeared, repeating like parrots that they were with NOX.”

“……NOX?”

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