Chapter 59 - Battle In The Forest (II)

It happened in an instant.

Just a moment ago, we were enjoying a simple homely meal.

And now, just a moment later, we were surrounded.

Left, right, front and the back.

Monsters, monsters, and monsters.

A great number of monsters, of all types and species all around us.

"Prepare for battle."

I said, as I made a decision, for all of us.

"We're gonna breakthrough."

Moving first, I bought what we needed the most.

Time.

Slamming my hand on the ground, I poured my Mana in my glove and the next instant the emerald green gem on the back of it lit up.

A barrier of the same colour exploded out of the gem, buying us the much-needed time, and blowing, the already lunging beasts, back.

-ROAAAAARRRRRR!!!

The beasts roared in outrage, furious at the barrier that kept them from hunting their prey, making it their next target.

-BOOOMMMM!!!

-CRASSSHHHH!!!

Fangs, claws, punches, and bloodline abilities.

All of them poured out in the barrier, making it flash brighter with each strike.

"Get ready!! You have fifteen seconds!!"

I shouted urgently, as I ran towards our carriage.

First, I sliced the reins, freeing the raptors, before storing the whole carriage in my bracelet. Then I picked up Allen, who came running at me, lifted him, and sat him on the back of one of the raptors.

"I taught you how to ride them, you remember that, right?"

I asked.

"I remember."

Any other boy would be frozen stiff, with his heart in his mouth, but this kid was extremely composed and serious, as he answered.

"Good. We will clear the path, you two, follow."

I said, to Allen, and to Cana who climbed on the other raptor.

A single glance at her face and I knew without a doubt, the girl was scared.

Her hands were shaking, so was her body, her expression was pale as she stiffly held the reigns of the raptor.

And it wasn't a surprise that she was.

Hundreds of monsters of all types were attacking the barrier, trying to tear it apart.

Trying to tear us apart.

The only reason they couldn't was cause of the high quality of the artefact I used.

But it won't last long.

The mana consumption to keep it activated was too much for me to bear, five-ten minutes and I would be sucked dry.

That was also why I chose to breakthrough; we would be sitting ducks otherwise.

Taking a look at my other teammate, Syrus, I felt a bit relieved as I saw him charging up a powerful attack.

His elements were not uncommon, earth and fire.

But from the piercing red glare that the edge of his sword was exuding, I knew it was going to be a powerful attack, powerful enough to open a gap, if I attacked just after him.

"Protect Allen."

I said to Cana.

Giving the faltering woman exactly what she needed.

A motive great enough for her to temporarily forget her fear.

She froze for a second at that, but then, she turned her head and gave the little boy a glance.

Seeing his resolute face, seeing his serious expression, she felt shame and a bit of grief, but soon, an expression similar to his formed on her own.

'No matter what! I will take care of him.'

A fire blazed in her now light-brown eyes, as she opened her mouth to say something.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to hear that, as the precious fifteen seconds were over.

"I'M OPENING THE BARRIER!!"

I declared, dispelling the barrier the next instant.

And as soon as I did;

-Huuuupppppp!!!!

Syrus swung his sword in a wide arc, unleashing a supernova like spell on the herd of charging monsters.

-SWUUUUU!!!

-SIZZLEEEE!!!

-BANNGGG!!!

Flesh, blood, and organs flew everywhere, as a sharp burning smell invaded my nostrils.

The beasts roared in agony and rage as they got burned and crushed, by Syrus' spell.

A burning crescent filled with red hot earth that smashed and burned everything in its path, creating an opening, for us to escape.

But it wasn't easy even then.

Why?

Cause their mad charge didn't stop.

They continued to throw themselves at us, not caring about the consequences at all, as if possessed by something.

With their numbers, few seconds was all it would take to fill the gap opened by Syrus.

A few seconds, that I didn't give them.

"Cover the back!!"

I ordered, making Syrus focus on his forte.

As for me, I ran forward.

Four balls of concentrated elements forming around me, as I did.

I reached the front, and as soon as I did, I slaughtered.

Darkness, Wind, Ice and Earth.

A storm of elements.

That was what I unleashed.

The four elemental balls distorted. Contracting and expanding, just like a beating heart, before their shape changed, elongating sideways to form a loop together.

A circular loop full of elements.

Elemental energy of four concentrated elements flowed through the loop, completing a circle in an instant; And then, the energy flew out.

From elemental energy to an actual phenomenon.

Hundreds of colourful projectiles made of elemental energy flew out of the circle, slaughtering the monsters, tearing through their ranks.

Four to five shots, that was all it took to kill a monster, and considering I was shooting half a hundred of them each second, it was frighteningly effective. Far more effective than Syrus's spell, but well, attacking isn't his forte so it's better not to compare.

Satisfied with my spells effect, I moved forward, paving a path for my group through the hoard of monsters, while glancing around.

With my spell keeping the monsters at bay, even if it was only for a few minutes, I could finally think a bit.

No matter how you think about it, what was happening, was unnatural.

You don't just stumble upon a group of monsters this big, in the outskirts of the forest.

And I can bet that finding such a big group would impossible even in the core region, that is unless, all the monsters gathered there for a monster only party.

Which means...

'Someone is clearly behind this; I have an idea about who... But before that, we have to escape.'

My eyes moved around crazily as I ran, looking for any gap, any hint, any loophole that could help me, help us.

But those thoughts were cut off, as a towering figure blocked our path.

My eyes settling on him.

With height over 10 meters, an armoured black body, a beetle like horn, the bipedal creature with glowing white eyes was tanking dozen of my shots as if they were a breeze.

(A/N: Think of Carnage Kabuto just black.)

Seeing him like that, I knew he wasn't gonna go down with my bullets...

'So, I have to kill him myself...fast...'

I thought, as I launched myself forward with a burst of speed.

In response, the monster roared-

-ROAAAARRRRRRRR!!!

And charged at me.

'Ice.'

The circular loop of elements around me stopped spinning, reverting back to its original form, the four elemental balls.

Then, the light blue ball of Ice element flew forward.

It flew at the charging giant monster, dropping on the ground just before they could collide.

And then.

Everything froze.

Be it the giant monster, the small monsters, or the ground, everything within 30m diameter froze, but-

-CRACK!!!

-CRACK!!!

-CREAK!!!

The huge one won't go down this easily.

[Peekaboo]

My presence diminished greatly; it was as if I got transparent. As if I left the material realm, as if instead of being a part of this world, I was just a spectator.

I shook my head, shaking off of that strange feeling, as I got to work, for there wasn't much time left.

The ice cracked and creaked, unable to contain the strength of the giant trapped within.

-FLASSSHHHH!!!!

-CRASSSHHHH!!!

And with a blue flash, it relented, exploding outwards, icy fragments scattering everywhere, revealing the now free giant, who was once trapped inside.

With glowing blue veins on his black skin and the now electric blue horns, he looked a lot more intimidating.

Not that it makes any difference.

Hiding in the icy mist, I reached the monsters' feet, undetected.

And then, I slashed.

Activating the sharpening enchantment of my sword to the max, I plunged my blade into the monsters' Achilles tendon. Severing it with slight resistance before getting the hell out of there.

-RUMBLE!

-CRASHH!!

A thick blue lightning bolt crashed just where I was standing.

I jumped in the air, dodging the bolt, but I wasn't safe.

Instead, I was greeted with a strong, lightning-coated fist coming straight at me with insane speed.

The fist cracking the air, leaving lightning trails in the air.

But instead of afraid of the terrifying fist, my lips curled up.

'As expected.'

[Split Second]

[Parallel Mind]

The whole world slowed down and fragmented. It was like splitting a video in different parts, each focusing on different things, and watching it in slow motion.

That was how the world look to me, with my different thought processes focusing on singular things.

Anyways, in that slow world, I did three things.

First, I weaved a simple spell, a familiar spell, and stacked it thrice.

Second, I twisted my body ever so slightly; Adjusted it's angle, it's trajectory and so-on, mid-air.

And third, I called forth the yellowish-golden ball floating beside me...

'Earth'

Then, the world flowed normally again.

-WHOOSH!!

-CRACK!!

The fist full of lightning was right in front of me; so full lightning element that it was cracking the air, zapping me, electrocuting me, before even reaching.

But, that's all it did.

Why?

Cause it never reached me.

My body touched the magic circle, passed through it, and everything else happened in an instant.

Accelerated insanely, I narrowly dodging the actual punch, while the yellowish-golden elemental ball burst out in a yellowish light.

-FLASSSHHHH!!

The Earth elemental energy clashed with the lightning elemental energy, blinding the world in a bright flash.

Both energies nullified each other, cancelling their effects, before dispersing, leaving me unscathed. Me, who had half of my sword embedded in the giant's arm, me who was sliding uncontrollably on the beast's arm, splitting the giant's flesh, as I did.

-ROAAAAARRRRRR!!

The giant roared in anger, pain, and what-not.

Slamming his other hand down on me, planning to smash me like the insect I was, or so he thought.

But before he could do so, I jumped again, passing through the gap of his fingers, boosting my jump with a simple wind spell, launching myself high in the air.

Flipping a few times in the air, I finally balanced myself as I began to fall, only to notice something blue glowing beneath me.

'Oh! Fuck! That shit is gonna be huge!'

I exclaimed, as I saw the sheer amount of elemental energy being condensed by those beetle-like horns, belatedly thinking.

'Should I go all out?'

But as I dodged the building-thick lightning beam, thanks to [Acceleration], that lit the night sky...

'For this brute, there's no need.'

...I decided otherwise.

-BOOOMMMM!!!

There was a resounding boom above me, but I paid no mind to it. Instead, I focused on the giant below me, or rather the opening the giant had foolishly made.

The blue veins running on the giant monster's body had dimmed down, significantly. Same was the case for its horns, instead of the electric blue they were back to their original black self.

It was as if the giant was out of lightning.

Correction, not as if, the giant was really out of lightning.

Which meant this was my chance to finish this.

Concentrating on the remaining two elemental balls, 'wind' and 'darkness', I prepared my final attack.

The two balls distorted again, rotating around my sword, reforming the circular loop, with my sword at the centre.

A chaotic emerald green loop, enveloped by darkness, ready to burst at any moment, held at bay only cause I wanted.

And, I didn't plan on holding it for long.

Accelerating my fall with another wind spell, I plunged at the monster, aiming at his weak point that had now lost its protection.

A spot just between his horns.

Had the monster been in normal condition, maybe it would have sensed the danger and dodged, or maybe ran? Not that it could, not without a tendon and the ice.

But still, this brute didn't even try, instead it stupidly punched forward, a punch that couldn't be compared to the previous one, due to the lack of elemental energy.

Easily bypassing the punch, I stabbed my sword between his horns, embedding it inside the giant's skull...

And as soon as I did, I stopped holding my spell back, letting it run rampant inside the monster's skull.

The monster roared.

-ROA-

Or so it tried to, but before it could do so, it's brain was turned into a mush, along with its head, by a dark green tornado that emerged from his skull, making it explode like a watermelon.

-THUDD

The huge body of the monster fell with a thud, while I landed beside him, elegantly.

Regrettably, there were no monsters around us, as they all died when I used ice elemental ball, or just his body falling could have killed lots of them.

'Yep, this guy was definitely not worth going all out.'

I nodded and closed my eyes.

[Mana Reading]

Abruptly opening them, as I looking to my right. My chestnut-coloured eyes litting up with strange tricoloured petals, as they penetrated through the forest, finally finding something suspicious.

'Gotcha!!'

Finally, the situation was starting to make sense.