NOVPUBAs Vanessa channeled her mana, the bracelet on her arm began to glow.
The gathered magic within the massive array started to flow into her.
Layer upon layer of overwhelming power built up, radiating a crushing pressure across the surroundings.
This magic circle had been charged for days by multiple mages, containing several times more power than what was used during the Battle of Ferdium. It was not something a human body could endure easily.
“Urgh!”
Black veins began to creep up Vanessa’s skin, and blood dripped from her nose.
Still, with her mastery as a 6th-circle mage, she clenched her teeth and resisted the pain, holding onto her consciousness.
Rumble.
The sheer force of the magic made the very air tremble.
Screeeech!
The Grex, which had briefly been pushed back by the fortress’s counterattacks, regrouped in a sea of red. As Piote’s divine blessing faded, the soldiers sank deeper into exhaustion.
Vanessa bit her lip hard and extended one arm forward.
“...Chain Lightning.”
Fenris had brought every last runestone from the territory for this operation. Each one had been inscribed with enchantments and carefully buried in the clearing before the fortress.
Crackle!
Far ahead, a flash of lightning erupted from the ground, where a runestone had been placed.
The bolt of electricity leapt to another nearby runestone, and then another, creating an interconnected web of brilliant blue light.
Soon, hundreds of runestones were linked, forming a dazzling sea of lightning.
A moment later—
Crack!
Bolts of lightning erupted from the ground, piercing through the crimson tide of Grex.
Screech?
The Grex momentarily froze, their movements stuttering as a jolt surged through their bodies.
The magic Vanessa unleashed was a 6th-circle spell: Chain Lightning.
This spell allowed her to target multiple enemies simultaneously, chaining arcs of lightning between them.
Ordinarily, even a 6th-circle mage wouldn’t have enough mana to sustain an attack on such a massive scale. Without sufficient energy, the chain would break, and the spell’s effects would weaken.
To overcome this limitation, Fenris had staked everything on this spell, dedicating all the remaining runestones to amplify it.
Screeech!
The waves of Grex charging toward the fortress halted, their bodies convulsing as if electrocuted.
Soon, the intense blue light engulfed them entirely.
BOOM! BOOM!
Thunder rumbled from all directions, accompanied by flashes of light. It was as though lightning bolts were striking through a crimson storm cloud.
Screeeeech!
The Grex screamed as their bodies exploded one by one. The blue tendrils of electricity jumped endlessly from one Grex to another, spreading death with each arc.
Even the Grex emerging from the forest were caught in the web of lightning, unable to escape.
BOOM! CRACK!
The devastating force of the lightning obliterated the Grex mercilessly.
The soldiers, witnessing the carnage, erupted in cheers.
“W-Wow! Look at that!”
“I didn’t think we could kill them like this!”
“That’s incredible!”
The relentless lightning tore through the Grex. Every new wave that charged into the clearing was immediately incinerated by the electric storm.
A burnt smell filled the air, sharp and acrid, but no one cared. The sight of the relentless slaughter filled everyone with exhilaration.
Ghislain, too, watched the spectacle with satisfaction.
“Good thing we have Vanessa.”
It’s often said that the big moments are decided by mages, and Vanessa, now a 6th-circle mage, had proven this time and again with her decisive power.
She could have used a massive flame barrier like during the Battle of Ferdium, but fire-based attacks risked collateral damage. Instead, Ghislain had prepared her for this lightning spell, knowing it was perfect for dealing with large swarms of enemies.
“This method is damn effective,” Ghislain thought, recalling memories of his previous life.
Back then, a bickering mage friend had favored this very strategy when dealing with hordes of monsters. With enough mana, the spell could chain endlessly, making it highly effective against massive groups.
Drawing on those memories, Ghislain had guided Vanessa to prepare a similar tactic. Thanks to her skill, the supporting mages, and the countless runestones, they had succeeded flawlessly.
CRACKLE!
Nearly 30 mages had pooled their mana into the spell, further amplified by the runestones. Compared to the Battle of Ferdium, this operation’s scale was incomparably greater.
The result was devastating. The unrelenting arcs of lightning continued to tear through the Grex, killing them in droves.
Ghislain chuckled as he surveyed the battlefield.
“Perfect. Their numbers are already halved. Monsters, unlike humans, are so wonderfully predictable—they fall for traps every time.”
Unlike Count Desmond, who had learned to tread cautiously after being caught in one of Ghislain’s traps during the Ferdium campaign, the Grex lacked intelligence. They charged blindly, falling prey to every prepared snare.
The soldiers, emboldened by Vanessa’s spell, shouted in triumph as they struck down the remaining Grex.
“They’re thinning out!” 𝘯𝑜𝘷𝘱𝘶𝘣.𝘤𝘰𝑚
“Just a bit more effort, and we’ll win!”
“Hurrah!”
In mere moments, the Grex had been reduced to less than half their original numbers.
The lightning’s intensity began to wane, but it still chained between the Grex, killing them relentlessly. Even in its weakened state, a 6th-circle spell was too much for the Grex to withstand.
The entire clearing in front of the fortress had essentially become one massive magic circle, and any Grex that approached was swiftly obliterated.
Though the Grex were already on the brink of annihilation, Vanessa pushed further.
Buzz!
Ten magic circles formed in front of her, but some flickered and began to fade as her mana reserves ran low.
“I’m out of mana!” Vanessa cried.
The reserve mages, who had been standing by, rushed forward with tears in their eyes, channeling their power into the array.
Meanwhile, Alfoy, who had been feigning participation, quietly slinked to the back and hid.
Buzz!
The mana poured into the circles, stabilizing them once more. Trembling, Vanessa extended both hands forward.
BOOM!
Massive lightning bolts shot out from the circles, ripping through the crimson tide.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The bolts punched massive holes through the Grex, obliterating any remaining opposition.
The electricity spared nothing, annihilating both living monsters and corpses alike.
The soldiers erupted in cheers once more.
“Unbelievable! This is incredible!”
“Vanessa’s the best!”
“She’s amazing!”
Their morale soared to its peak. Smiling, the soldiers swung their weapons with renewed vigor.
However, Vanessa, who had performed this miracle, couldn’t escape the toll it had taken on her.
Without the runestones to support her, the strain of casting such a powerful spell with only the mages’ mana overwhelmed her. Exhausted and drained, she collapsed.
Ghislain caught her before she hit the ground and spoke calmly.
“Belinda, take care of Vanessa and the mages. Make sure they’re safe.”
“Understood. And you, Milord?”
“I’ll take care of the rest.”
Ghislain smirked as he turned his gaze back to the battlefield.
Despite the relentless destruction caused by the lightning, some Grex still advanced. As the magic waned, they would need to deal with the remainder directly.
Even so, their numbers had been significantly reduced.
“Let’s see... about ten thousand left, give or take.”
Still a lot, but manageable enough for the soldiers to handle.
The danger was gone. The Grex, lacking intelligence or strategy, continued to mindlessly throw themselves at the fortress.
Ghislain surveyed the knights still fighting below and shouted,
“Let’s head back down and finish them off quickly!”
“Yes, Milord!”
With Vanessa and the mages’ success, the knights were reinvigorated, gripping their weapons with determination.
The heavily armed knights, equipped with custom-forged greatswords by the dwarves, gathered around Ghislain with confident smiles.
For most monsters, especially ones without advanced techniques, large weapons like greatswords are the most effective.
With the Grex numbers significantly reduced, they were no longer a threat. Victory was now certain.
With renewed spirits, Ghislain and his knights leapt back outside the fortress.
Screeeech!
BOOM!
The remaining Grex swarmed toward Ghislain and the knights, but it was too late for them.
Arrows rained from the many fortress towers, and trebuchets continued to hammer the rearmost monsters.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Screeeech!
Until now, the Grex had only maintained an advantage because of their overwhelming numbers. With just ten thousand remaining, they couldn’t withstand the relentless attacks from the fortress and the knights.
At some point, Ghislain stopped swinging his sword and gazed at the sky.
The sunset glowed a deep crimson, just like when they had slain the Blood Python.
The lifeless bodies of the red Grex lay strewn across the battlefield, leaving no space to step. The knights, drenched in blood, also seemed to reflect the red hue of the setting sun.
The crimson sky, the crimson corpses, the crimson warriors—it felt as though the entire world had been dyed red.
“Ah... this feels familiar,” Ghislain murmured.
It reminded him of his final battle in his previous life.
Back then, the world had been similarly soaked in red. Amid that crimson battlefield, the most striking figure had been Aiden, clad in armor of blinding white, accompanied by his knights.
Remembering that scene, Ghislain grinned, baring his teeth.
“I’ll see you again someday.”
Yes, that man would surely appear much sooner than in his previous life.
A shiver of anticipation coursed through Ghislain’s body at the thought. He couldn’t wait to face him again.
Before those emotions could fully settle, the fortress erupted in cheers.
“Hurrah!”
Knights, soldiers, elves, dwarves, priests, and laborers alike joined their voices in a united roar.
“We’ve won!”
Not a single Grex remained alive.
Once the Queen Grex had been captured, her minions had no choice but to keep throwing themselves at the fortress.
Now, only the Queen Grex herself remained.
Screeeech!
The Queen Grex, who had been struggling fiercely and screaming nonstop, eventually stilled. It seemed she had realized there were no more Grex left to aid her. She stopped thrashing and simply panted heavily.
In the Forest of Beasts, survival was brutal—even among monsters. Defeat meant certain death.
Unlike her mindless minions, the Queen Grex had enough intelligence to recognize her loss.
Slice!
As soon as Ghislain dispatched the last Grex, he approached the Queen Grex and, without hesitation, decapitated her in one clean stroke.
Even as her head fell, her countless eyes remained fixed on a single person.
Alfoy, the recipient of her intense glare, smirked smugly.
“She came because I lured her here.”
Clap. Clap. Clap.
The applause from those nearby was hollow. While Alfoy had indeed played a critical role, the extraordinary efforts of others had overshadowed his contribution.
“Phew...”
Ghislain, looking weary, turned his gaze toward the Queen Grex’s corpse.
The most dangerous monster blocking their path had been dealt with. The remaining journey would be comparatively easier.
The Queen Grex’s vast territory meant the area was relatively free of other monsters.
“It’s fortunate we dealt with her now.”
If they had chosen to avoid the Queen Grex’s territory to retrieve the runestones, they would have risked being attacked by her army later. It had been better to eliminate her and secure the territory.
Besides, there was something else to gain from this area beyond just the runestones.
After congratulating his soldiers for their hard work, Ghislain immediately began organizing the battlefield.
“For now, we’ll halt our advance and clean up the surrounding area. Gather as many laborers from Ferdium as possible. Tell them their wages will be doubled.”
The fortress and its surroundings were filled with the corpses of Grex.
Every single one had to be buried to prevent the spread of disease or other disasters. The more hands they had, the faster the work could be done.
Digging wasn’t an issue, thanks to the skilled mages and dwarves.
“Dig.”
With each spell the mages cast, large pits formed, allowing the Grex corpses to be buried in heaps. They ensured the graves were deep enough to eliminate any potential risks.
Once the bodies were buried, laborers worked to level and compact the ground.
Thanks to the combined efforts, it took only three days to bury the staggering number of Grex corpses.
Of course, burying the bodies wasn’t the end of the cleanup.
The fortress walls, splattered with Grex flesh and blood, also needed to be cleaned, and the soldiers’ weapons and equipment had to be inspected and repaired.
These tasks were delegated to the laborers. Ghislain, meanwhile, took half his forces and the knights to continue their journey.
“There’s not much left now.”
The soldiers, victorious from their battles with the Grex, followed him with light steps, showing no signs of exhaustion.
Unlike when they had first entered the forest, filled with hesitation, they were now brimming with confidence and pride.
As they traversed the former Queen Grex’s territory, no other monsters appeared. With no threats in sight, Ghislain easily led his troops to their destination.
When they arrived, the sight left many of them stunned.
“W-Wow! What is this?”
“No way... could it be?”
“It’s Fairy’s Blessing! This has to be Fairy’s Blessing!”
In one corner of the Queen Grex’s territory stretched a vast flower field, filled with blooms known as Fairy’s Blessing.
Fairy’s Blessing was a flower as valuable as gold—or even more so. It was a key ingredient in high-grade potions and had once been used by Ghislain to treat Rachel, Gillian’s daughter.
Here, in this forgotten corner of the forest, the precious flowers grew like weeds.
Belinda swallowed hard and asked, “W-We came here to retrieve runestones, didn’t we?”
Ghislain grinned and replied, “This is just a bonus. We’re going to cultivate Fairy’s Blessing here. Let’s build a defensive wall right away.”
“And... the runestones?”
“Oh, they’re nearby. We’ll collect them too. There’s way more here than we found last time.”
At his words, the soldiers couldn’t help but feel a little dizzy.
