Embracing Magic - E.M Chapter 138 (Part 2)
The enemy clearly had detailed information about their group’s composition. The leak had come from the client. It was obvious that the main force had been sent elsewhere.
‘It’s not something I should worry about.’
Thunk! Thunk!
A 2nd-Class Swordsman charged at Larry. It seemed like he intended to finish it in one blow, as the horizontal slash carried considerable force.
However, Larry skillfully blocked the attack of the 2nd-Class Swordsman. Though he was slightly pushed back by the strength, it wasn’t to a serious degree.
“Strength!”
Bianca cast a spell to compensate for the slight disadvantage Larry had been experiencing. With his enhanced strength, Larry was no longer being overpowered by the 2nd-Class Swordsman’s blade.
Thunk! Thunk!
“Fire Arrow!”
Bianca’s magic pierced through the shoulder of the 1st-Class Swordsman.
The enemy, who had been forced backward by Larry’s shield, couldn’t properly twist his body to evade the spell.
Now, only the 2nd-Class Swordsman remained as Larry’s opponent. With newfound confidence, Larry confronted his enemy head-on.
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
The 2nd-Class Swordsman, Carson, who had taken on this commission, found himself utterly flustered.
What on earth had this guy, who was clearly just 1st-Class, eaten to be able to block all of his attacks? And why was that woman, clearly a 1st-Circle mage, casting spells so quickly?
In his 21 years of mercenary work, he had never encountered such absurdly tough mercenaries. They were like ironclad warriors or puppets enchanted by spirits. It was as if he were fighting ghosts.
“Magic Arrow!”
“Ugh!”
This time, it was dangerous. The spell came flying just as he was being pushed back by the shield, and he narrowly avoided getting hit.
Watching Larry and Bianca’s teamwork, Rodin felt relieved. The two of them had excellent synergy and were holding their ground against the 2nd-Class Swordsman without issue.
‘They’re doing well… Hm?’
Rodin suddenly turned his head to the left.
A rough surge of mana could be felt in the distance. It was a familiar form.
“Haah, so this isn’t over yet. Karis! Finish things here quickly and head over there. Take care of whatever’s approaching and bring back the body.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
The moment Rodin issued his command and Karis responded, in that fleeting instant, the 1st-Class Swordsman’s head was severed. The man didn’t even realize how he had died.
Karis, having disposed of his opponent, disappeared in the direction Rodin had indicated. This time, his movement was astoundingly fast.
Flinch!
Carson, the 2nd-Class Swordsman, witnessed that movement.
‘Wh-what was that…?’
Shuddering, Carson scanned his surroundings. Only now did he notice the relaxed expression on his opponent’s face.
“Ah!”
The female mercenary fighting his comrade caught his eye.
According to the information they had gathered before departure, she was supposed to be a Wooden Plate Mercenary, the lowest rank. However, her skills were far beyond that level. Even a little focus would reveal that she was holding back against her opponent.
“This is bad.”
And then he noticed the person who had been standing with their arms crossed, observing the battle the entire time.
A figure with their face completely hidden by a hood. Nothing was visible, not even a hint of their age.
But this person was overseeing and orchestrating the entire battlefield. At the very least, they were not weaker than the shield-wielding mercenary he was fighting.
‘I need to run.’
“Don’t run. I won’t kill you, so just fight with everything you’ve got.”
It was as if his thoughts had been read. A clear, sharp voice rang out.
“Y-you’re insane.”
“The kids need real combat experience. So you just need to fight with all your might, as if you’re ready to kill. Then I’ll let you live. But if you hold back, you’ll definitely die.”
The added remark made Carson abandon any thoughts of escape. He wasn’t sure if they would keep their promise, but at the moment, he had no other options.
“Haaaap!”
Carson fought harder than ever before, shouting loudly to boost his morale.
At that moment, the man who had disappeared down the road earlier returned. However, the spear he had been holding was gone, and he now carried something else in both hands.
It was the massive body of a beast. Specifically, an orc, which was commonly referred to as a magical beast. But this orc was nearly 3 meters tall—far larger than usual.
What’s more, the woman who had previously held the spear was now dragging two of these massive orcs behind her as if it were nothing. She didn’t even look tired.
“An orc? What is that thing?”
“Jena, finish it. But don’t kill him.”
Thud!
“Yes, Young Master.”
The man fighting against Jena collapsed on the spot. Just like the one killed by Karis, he had no idea how he was taken down.
In the end, the only one to die was the man who had fought against Karis. Those hit by Bianca’s magic or struck by Jena were still alive.
“Are you going to fight or not? Should I just kill you?”
“I-I’ll fight! I’ll give it my all!”
Startled by the sight of the orcs, Carson’s comrade froze. His dilated pupils trembled pitifully.
But Rodin remained indifferent.
This was an important opportunity to build Larry and Bianca’s combat experience. The 2nd-Class Swordsman was a suitable opponent for their level.
Larry and Bianca fought hard against the 2nd-Class Swordsman. Bianca was running low on mana, and Larry was gasping for breath.
But it was the enemy who showed signs of collapse first.
The 2nd-Class Swordsman, fighting in a mentally shaken state, had completely failed to manage his stamina. He repeatedly overexerted himself, only to retreat again and again, quickly exhausting his strength.
“Guh!”
For the first time since the battle began, Larry launched an attack, piercing the 2nd-Class Swordsman’s side. The injury was severe enough to render further fighting meaningless.
“Larry, good job.”
“Huff… huff… Brother, did I fight well?”
“Yes. You displayed all the skills you have. That’s all you need to do.”
“Big Brother Rodin! How about me?”
At the sound of the name “Rodin,” Carson flinched.
Only then did Carson realize who his opponents were. The man who had been observing from the sidelines—he was none other than Rodin, the Archmage who was currently the most famous figure in the mercenary world.
‘I’m doomed. Completely doomed.’
A mere Bronze Plate Mercenary like himself had dared to attack Platinum Plate Mercenaries. This wasn’t just foolish—it was a suicide mission of unprecedented stupidity.
“Bianca, you did well too. Your casting speed has improved significantly.”
“I worked so hard to get to this point. Of course it has.”
“Thank you for fighting with everything you had. As promised, I’ll let you live. Restore.”
Rodin used a 3rd-Circle healing spell on the 2nd-Class Swordsman clutching his side. It wasn’t a higher-tier spell on purpose—it was just enough to let him recover after some struggle.
“Restore.”
Rodin went around healing everyone except the one who had died to Karis. Though he didn’t fully heal them, they were in good enough condition to move.
“Now get lost. If I still see you here in five minutes, I’ll kill you.”
“Th-thank you!”
“If you waste time thanking me, you won’t make it in five minutes. Oh, and take the bodies with you. I don’t want to deal with them.”
“Understood. L-let’s go!”
The four survivors carried the corpses and left. Three of them handled the bodies, while one carried the severed head. They put all their effort into disappearing as quickly as possible.