Chapter 71: Battle of Clavicule 2 (3)

Chapter 71: Battle of Clavicule 2 (3)

They were all convinced that the mission was a complete success

"......Stalagmite Phalanx"

Despite their confidence in their success, ninety-six out of the hundred infiltrators died instantly.

"Gah! Guh ......?"

The few survivors who remained were unable to move, their whole bodies pierced by spears, and their lives slowly drained out of them in anguish.

(S-spears......? From where......?)

The only person carrying a spear in his view, tinged red in the evening skies, was the sentry who was guarding the entrance nonchalantly without any sign of noticing me. There was no way he was the one who attacked them.

His vision, slowly becoming clouded, noticed the true nature of the spears that had pierced him and his comrades.

It is sharp, hard, but has a distinctly different shine from metal.

(S-Stone......?)

The stone pillars pointing upwards to the skies were milk-white in colour with no lustre.

Stalagmites. A stalagmite is an upward-growing mound of mineral deposits.

Originally, groundwater containing lime dripping from the ceiling of the cave accumulated on the floor and formed stalagmites over the years.

Of course, there was no way that such a thing could suddenly appear out of the ground and skewer people randomly.

There could be only one reason for these stalagmites to have taken their lives.

"T-Theres a mage of this calibre"

The soldiers head hung downwards as he lost strength.

When all the soldiers eventually expired, the magic spear that had pierced them crumbled. It returned to the earth from which it came from.

All that was left were a hundred bloodied corpses punctured with holes. As the magic dissipated, none would be wiser of the culprit who had slaughtered them.

And in the tent that the enemies were targeting, the master and his servant were conversing.

"...... Hmm? What's up, Uni?"

"My apologies, Master. A group was closing in on us, so I cleaned them up. A hundred people ambushing us was definitely not in the plans......"

"Hmm... I see. Thank you for your hard work. It's a lot of work just to control the communications, and I'm sorry you had to do all the extra work."

"No, master. For your sake, I would do anything......"

One of the mages dispatched from the academy, a man dispatched directly from Grandenburg nervously cut into the conversation. This was the person that had reported to Bauer about the trump card not being ready a few days ago.

"I've just received a report that the thing you requested is finally finished. If we put it into action, the weak soldiers of Arquell will be brought down in a single blow. We can even defeat the enemy commander, Count Oubeniel "

As well. He was going to finish with that but the cold glare from Bauer cut his voice abruptly.

Whats the point of this now? Bauer seemed to be saying. They had been forced to carry this extra luggage over the harsh mountains instead of other more important supplies. If they didnt need to bring this trump card, they could have lightened the logistics. And only when he was planning to retreat that there was finally a chance to use it? And that we could defeat the entire enemy as well as their commander in one fell swoop? Am I to entrust the lives of more than 30,000 soldiers to something questionable that is neither from the sea nor the mountains? It felt like the military was being ridiculed at this point.

There were plenty of things to be annoyed about. But Bauer had other things to say.

"The report from the academy calls this a prototype that has not yet reached the point of completion?"

The mage raised his face to meet Bauers. He looked like he saw some hope that he might get permission to play with his prized toy due to Bauer phrasing his doubts as a question. His eyes blazed passionately.

"No problem, sir! With the adjustments we've made over the past week, I think we're ready to call it a finished product!"

"I've also heard that your master, who built it, said it was difficult to control."

"My master is a very profound man! He must have been trying to be humble!"

Who knows, Bauer thought, disgusted by his high-pitched shrill. He did not know his master well but Bauer was sure that his master was surely more calm than this screaming disciple. Perhaps he should put more faith in this thing instead of fear.

The second-in-command standing beside Bauer gave Bauer an uneasy look. Bauer agreed with his sentiments completely.

Nevertheless.

"Understood. However, make sure our comrades do not get hit, okay?"

Use whatever that they could use. This was a situation where he needed to place his bets.

The mage smiled widely.

"Leave it to me! I'll offer you the head of Tullius Oubeniel!"

As soon as he said that, he turned himself around and left the place.

The second-in-command complained in annoyance.

"Are you sure, General? It's time for a retreat."

"I know. All the more so."

A gasp rose from the side of the room.

"As a VIP of Gallerien, we have been allocating supplies from our meagre resources to them. For the sake of the starving troops fighting, they have to play their part."

What Bauer wanted to say was that the secret weapon and those who operated it would be their shield as the soldiers retreated safely.