CH 269

「They’re more annoying than expected. 」

Ardis said his thoughts after repelling the Thoria soldiers from all directions.

Two explosive greetings to the concentrated Thoria army later, Ardis charged straight into them.

Not continuing any further arts attack, storing his flying swords across the gate, he started fighting only with 『Skies of Myriad Colors』 in his hands.

Keeping the overwhelming power under check, it is more tiring than expected to not crush their will to fight.

If just chasing away the Thoria army, it’s easy. Taking down their commander is possible, and blasting them with more arts works too.

He can dodge every attack of the enemies, and if he has ten or so flying swords, then no one would be able to touch him.

However, in the current scenario, it isn’t a choice. Ardis’s role here is to stop the Thoria army’s advance, and also let some amount of soldiers get past him.

There is a need to let the people living in the Glock Village to stop taking the situation naively.

For that, Ardis was fighting with many limitations. First thing is to not let the enemies run away.

He can’t kill the commanding general, nor deal too much damage. If he showed overwhelming power, the enemies might run from fear.

Though, if the enemies gain in momentum, soldiers more than Moore and the others can handle might slip through.

That’s why, while Ardis limited his damage on the army, he had been adjusting the fight to constantly attract their attention.

Not letting the opponent get too cocky, but also not scaring them away, a magnificent balance.

Ardis alone was making such a scenario. Naturally, it’s very troublesome to do so.

「What are you all doing! He’s just one person! 」

The enemy’s commanding general shouted from afar.

「However, general, the mercenaries are calling that enemy as the 『Countless Swords Sorcerer』. If that’s true, he’s not an opponent that we can take lightly even if he’s alone. 」

「『Countless Swords Sorcerer』 you say? What about it. He’s just a lowly mercenary! There’s no human able to win against our number! Look, the defending side is not even lifting a finger! 」

「Certainly……, but it’s also the truth that he alone is stopping our army’s advance. 」

「Then assign a group to him, the others will circle around and attack the village! 」

「Yessir. Then a hundred soldiers to that man, the other soldiers and mercenaries will head on to assault. 」

It seems like as Ardis wanted, Thoria army split into two groups.

「But isn’t a hundred people too less? 」

While looking at their exchange from the sidelines, Ardis scoffed.

Circling around Ardis’s fight with the other soldiers, the Thoria army was charging towards the village.

Although there were only a hundred people on the defensive wall, a defensive battle is advantageous from the start, and also they have magicians like Kyrill and Ellenoa on their side.

There’s no problem if it’s only about triple the amount.

「One……, two……, about three hundred huh. 」

While fighting, Ardis was counting by estimation.

While slashing the soldiers that gathered with 『Skies of Myriad Colors』 occasionally, he called out the flying swords over the gate again.

Twenty flying swords appeared from thin air, and they assaulted the enemy soldiers that were going to attack the village.

「W-What! 」

「Uwak, the swords! 」

The sudden attack caused confusion all over the Thoria soldiers. The flying swords cut down the stopped soldiers one after another mercilessly.

「There’s a limit of entry. Sorry but you will be going back. 」

Just by himself, Ardis stood in front of the Thoria soldiers and blocked. The twenty swords stood strong lining up with bloody soldiers behind them.

Feeling creepy at the strangeness of the scenery, the soldiers took a slight step backwards.

「What are you doing! Quickly finish him already! 」

The officer riding on a horse behind the soldiers yelled. There were about five, six hundred soldiers that Ardis stopped.

And among them are twelve officers on horses. They’re probably company and platoon leaders.

Ardis decided to finish them off first. Aiming his hand on one of the horse riders and compressing a small sphere of mana, the next moment, a thin bridge of light formed between him and the target.

The mana reached speed unable to be seen with eyes and struck between his eyebrows.

「Wha……! 」

While the other soldiers became speechless, the one that got sniped fell from the horse. Ardis as well moved his flying swords to the other officers.

「Guh, a mere sword! 」

The people getting attacked drew the swords on their waist and fought back. However, despite having no hands, the flying swords reproduced Ardis’s swordsmanship perfectly.

It is not defendable with a half-assed countermeasure.

「Guwahk! 」

The officers that became preys to the flying swords fell one after another. Their bloody body only twitched a little reflexively, they can no longer move.

「Hiiiik! 」

「The commander……! 」

「A-A monster! 」

The soldiers that lost their commanders were agitated. There were only few tens of squad leaders left now that Ardis had taken care of the platoon leaders.

Even if there’re many enemy soldiers, a squad leader can’t possibly take care of this many people.

The Thoria army that lost its commanding structure broke down. Once the fear was conveyed and they start losing their will, the rest is quick.

With one of the corners of the army started running away as the trigger, the others soon followed in fear.

While looking at the Thoria soldiers scattering, Ardis looked back to the town.

It seems like the fight has started over there too. Although the enemies are three times more than them, since they are defending and also having magicians by their side, the Glock Village is a little more advantageous in terms of combat power.

Ardis who is certain on their victory didn’t do any more than that. A casualty or two is within tolerance. Moore and Minerva both understood that.

The three hundred Thoria soldiers that are attacking the town’s defensive wall hasn’t noticed.

The fact that no one of their own is following behind them. Also that their own allies are getting trampled on.

The commander probably thought that even without sieging weapon and magic, they can push through with numbers.

However, it’s not like they expected Ardis to be controlling their numbers.

Just as he raised up into the sky to verify that there aren’t any flanking armies, under his eyes, a big explosion erupted.

The explosion erupted among the attacking Thoria army. It was probably an offensive spell from Kyrill or Ellenoa.

A defensive battle where a magician can stay in a safe spot and bombard with spells is a place where they can shine the most.

Of course, there’s a possibility that they can get struck by stray arrows and soldiers that got past but, Moore was protecting the magicians, so it’s unlikely to happen.

And Kyrill has the gloves that Ardis gifted as well. As the gloves are infused with a defensive spell, there’s no need to fear arrows that aren’t imbued with mana.

「The outcome is decided. 」

As Ardis said, the great damage done by the explosion forced the Thoria army to break down and start retreating.

Among them, was one officer riding on a horse standing out. The equipment that are evident of a higher position, it’s probably the commander of the Thoria army this time.

The man called as the general was accompanied by several cavalries and headed towards the east.

「I guess I will take care of them huh. 」

Since they are fighting a defensive battle, the timing of retreat is decided by the attacking side, Moore and the others that are fighting on the walls can’t pursue.

But thinking about what happens after, it is better to reduce the commander-class people as much as possible.

Judging so, Ardis took out flying swords over the gate in the air, and then dropped with the swords as escorts.

Several ice spears struck the ground ahead of where the enemies are running. The sudden happening caused the horses to stop.

「W-What now!? 」

They probably never thought they would be attacked from above. Although confused at the sudden occurrence, the enemy general and the surrounding cavalries managed to reign in their horses.

If they stopped their legs, they are good target for the flying swords. The flying swords released from around Ardis quickly slaughtered the enemies on horseback one after another.

「Enemy!? From where! 」

Landing behind the enemy, Ardis slashed at their back with Skies of Myriad Colors.

「Y-You…… Countless Swords Sorcerer! 」

The last remaining general glared at Ardis hatefully. For him, Ardis is only an enemy that obstructed his mission.

It’s natural he hates Ardis. But of course, for Ardis and the others, Thoria army was the uninvited guests, so they are enemies to be cut down from the start.

Leaving aside the soldiers that could only follow orders, Ardis has no intentions to leave the commanders alive.

「The soldiers will be enough to tell the message of your defeat. That’s why, you won’t be escaping. Accept your death here. 」

「Kuh……, a lowly mercenary would dare! 」

The general drew his sword and slashed at Ardis. However, his movements are multiple magnitudes slower than Moore and Nicole.

「So you mean being an army officer is better? 」

Ardis who had room to spare took the general’s back.

「There’s no meaning in position from the swords’ perspective. 」

Ardis said so boorishly and drew his own sword. The blade that would’ve normally sliced off the general’s head bounced off with a hard sound.

Along with the shockwave, an elliptical shape shone in the empty space.

「What!? 」

The unexpected occurrence surprised Ardis. An invisible barrier that blocked his sword.

The toughness was not weaker than Ardis’s own physical barrier. At the same time, he sensed the surrounding mana and looked up.

There was one person flying up there. Ardis’s eyes widened. With joy and surprise rising, at the same time, his mouth spoke a familiar name.

「……Victor? 」