Chapter 202
"Ugh!"
The Black Mage who was hit by Caron's fist collapsed.
After confirming that the guy was unconscious, Caron took out an artifact.
It was a capture artifact that blocked the flow of mana.
Arms, legs, and even the mouth.
Caron carefully restrained the Black Mage and whistled lightly.
Then a rat who appeared from somewhere picked up the Black Mage and quickly disappeared.
"...Is that the third one?"
To be precise, two were restrained and one was killed.
In fact, Caron had experienced the same thing as Otone's team.
The sight of a dead Black Mage turning into a skeleton and resurrecting other skeletons was really...
'Even I got goosebumps.'
After that, Caron chose to restrain the Black Mages instead of killing them.
Not only to extract information later but also because he wanted to prevent the mishap of the Black Mages rising again.
Of course, it could be easily dealt with using holy power potions, but...
'Wasting holy power potions. Could that be Volkan's first goal?'
Caron thought it was quite intentional.
Whatever trick Volkan had prepared, it would be quite troublesome if there were no holy power potions at that time.
That much was clear.
Anyway, in Caron's view, it was much more advantageous to restrain the Black Mages rather than kill them.
They wouldn't resurrect as skeletons, and holy power potions wouldn't be wasted.
"Tsk."
Caron clicked his tongue while searching the next building.
He couldn't pinpoint the location of the Black Mages.
The reason even Caron, who was skilled in tracking, searching, and detecting, was having a hard time.
It was because the power of the magic circle floating in the sky was still strong.
'Moreover, they created spaces to hide in advance.'
In the end, Caron had no choice but to rummage through the walls and floors of the buildings one by one using his eyes, hands, feet, and senses.
Rumble-!
Suddenly, thunder sounded from outside. Caron immediately went out and examined the battlefield.
Golden lightning was striking various parts of the battlefield.
'Lord Adonis?'
Caron could immediately realize that fact.
It was natural since they had been on the battlefield together dozens of times. Of course, it was during the time when Adonis was active as Douglas, not in his current body, but...
'He's still the same.'
Even now with his smaller body, his majesty remained the same.
Originally, Adonis was one of the trump cards prepared by the Empire.
That's why Caron wanted him to move as late as possible, but that was also Adonis's judgment and choice.
It wasn't something Caron could say anything about.
And in the first place.
'This much is already enduring for a long time.'
It may seem like the subjugation force is in danger, but they are the ones called the 'Rising Stars of the Empire'.
They could have endured on their own for at least an hour or two, and if Elester or Lucia had provided support in between, it could have been longer.
It means they could have drawn out one or two more of Volkan's tricks.
Of course.
'Some of them would have inevitably faced death in the process.'
Adonis was concerned about that point and had no choice but to reveal his skills first.
Even though he knew that action would eventually strangle his own neck.
In a situation like now, where the enemy's schemes are unknown on the battlefield, it is an action that should never be done.
But that's why.
"...That's why you're called a hero, right?"
An attitude that does not hesitate to make sacrifices.
It was also the reason Caron deeply respected Adonis in his heart.
Rumble-!
"..."
There's nothing wrong with the strongest card being revealed.
Not only because knowing about Adonis's existence can't stop him.
In the first place, the real trump card they have is.
'Adonis with a sacred sword.'
It should be able to easily suppress one or two of Volkan's trump cards.
It was when Caron, who had finished searching, was about to move to the next building.
A rat slightly poked his head out from above the window.
"The potions sent by Otone's team have been delivered to the main force."
"Otone made an excellent judgment. How's the situation of the main force?"
"They are treating minor injuries and taking turns resting. There are no casualties."
"...What about the Legion Commander?"
"The skeleton of the building has just been exposed. We believe the building can be collapsed soon."
With that report, the rat left.
Caron examined the battlefield once again.
The number of resurrecting skeletons had noticeably decreased.
It was partly because he, the rats, and Otone's team had succeeded in capturing the Black Mages.
'It's probably because the amount of mana being consumed is greater than the amount being recovered.'
Kwaaaa-!
Crash!
The skeletons that shattered beyond breaking every time Adonis passed by.
It would consume more mana than usual to resurrect the skeletons that had been turned to powder.
The subjugation force was taking control of the battlefield.
But there were still unstable factors.
'The 5th Legion Commander Crowley...'
It had been confirmed that the resurrected skeletons could use their abilities from when they were alive.
The Legion Commander Crowley would also be able to use his power, his 'authority' from when he was alive.
'If he is resurrected, we have no chance of winning.'
Preventing the Legion Commander's resurrection was the top priority.
But Caron did not head there.
He knew well that he would be of little help even if he went there.
Boom! Rumble rumble-!
Explosions occurred periodically where Elester and Lucia were.
'They are firing magic recklessly. If I intervene, I will only be a hindrance.'
Moreover, Caron was a being specialized in one-on-one combat.
Even if he stuck a dagger into the building, it would only remove a few dozen bricks at most.
'It's much more advantageous to find Volkan and the Black Mages.'
Giving freedom to the main force, including Adonis.
That was his role and mission.
It was at that very moment.
Crack- Crackle-.
Clang-!
The magic circle floating in the sky cracked, and half of it turned to powder and scattered.
Sasha had succeeded in destroying more than half of the magic stones.
Now Caron could detect the mana of the Black Mages.
Only in the vicinity of the west where the magic circle had lost power, but that was enough.
'Half and half... no, advantageous at a ratio of 7:3?'
A ratio that was ambiguous to say they had won, but sufficient to say they had seized the advantage.
Caron decided to make a decision.
'Time is not on our side. If Crowley is resurrected, it's all over.'
Caron put a couple of fingers in his mouth and blew a sharp whistle.
Peeeeek-!!
The presence that was felt one by one soon increased to dozens.
The increasing presence stopped at fifty.
It was the number of rats who had secretly followed after the main force entered Kalos.
And the number of rats Caron had specially prepared for this mission.
"Subdue the Black Mages and leave Kalos. Try not to kill them if possible."
"Yes!"
The rats immediately took action.
They were rats prepared in case of the worst-case scenario where everyone would face death, in order to send information about the enemy to the Empire.
But Caron decided to deploy them on the battlefield.
He judged that the faster they eliminated the Black Mages hiding in the buildings, the easier it would be to subdue this battlefield.
'They will leave Kalos with the Black Mages, so even if an unexpected situation occurs, the information can be sufficiently conveyed.'
The combat power of the rats is weak. But if their numbers are large, the situation changes.
"Kuk!"
"Ugh!"
The sound of Black Mages collapsing could be heard from various places.
Caron also immediately took action.
Even a little faster.
In order to subdue this battlefield.
*
A huge cavity of immeasurable size.
Drip-.
A water droplet formed on the ceiling and fell.
Since the size of the cavity was so large, it seemed that it would take a considerable amount of time for the water droplet to reach the ground.
Plop!
However, the water droplet turned into dozens of small water droplets before even reaching the ground.
Because before reaching the ground, it hit 'something'.
That something was none other than bones.
White bones without a single piece of flesh or nerve tissue attached.
What was strange was that those bones were huge.
Large enough to fill the cavity, so much so that the water droplet shattered as soon as it hit the bones.
"Hmm?"
Volkan, the Black Mage who was touching the bones and chanting a spell, raised his head.
Because he felt the number of Black Mages leaving the battlefield was steadily increasing.
They were like his limbs, playing the most important role in this battlefield, and they were being kidnapped.
It was a situation where he couldn't help but be perplexed. However.
"Kekeke, the little rats have finally all come out."
Only a smile appeared on Volkan's face.
"Caron, I predicted you would come out like this."
Information, preventing resurrection, and preventing the waste of holy power potions.
He would have judged that restraining the Black Mages was much more advantageous than killing them.
And there was a trap prepared in anticipation of such a capable Caron.
Flick!
Volkan lightly flicked his fingers.
After a while, he could feel it.
All the Black Mages who were being dragged away while unconscious had met their deaths.
It was the result of activating the 'curse' he had placed on them in advance.
Since he had killed the Black Mages, there was no need to worry about information being taken, and they could also resurrect as skeletons to create chaos on the battlefield.
Since Black Mage skeletons could resurrect other skeletons, they would inevitably have to use holy power potions as well.
But that wasn't Volkan's only scheme.
"Caron, it's all your fault that the rats are dying. So... I hope you go with them."
That would be a courtesy to them and an atonement.
Volkan's mouth opened crookedly.
"Corpse Explosion."
*
"Sir Caron, I will finish it up."
"Hmm."
Caron handed over the Black Mage he had restrained to the rat.
Although wearing a mask, he knew who it was.
It was a child who had entered last year, completed the arduous training, and became an official rat starting this year.
Since he was only fifteen years old, Caron had recommended him to enter Annwood Academy, but he was flatly refused.
Saying that working in the darkest place suited him.
That's right. He was a lively and very cheeky kid.
'...I should send him to the academy as soon as this mission is over.'
A mission to infiltrate the academy disguised as a student and collect various information from the students.
Since he had to work among the students, he would inevitably have to take classes.
He would also make friends and be able to live a life befitting a fifteen-year-old.
'Whether he continues rat work after graduation or takes a different path... it's none of my business.'
In the first place, he wasn't fit to be involved in this mission.
But they had no choice but to bring him because they were so short on personnel.
Well, the moment the Black Mage is taken out of Kalos, his safety is ensured, so there's no reason to worry anymore.
It was at that very moment.
"Ugh...!"
"Huh?"
The Black Mage carried by the rat let out his dying breath.
Seeing that, Caron felt something was strange.
The wrists, inside the mouth, and other spaces where poison could be hidden had all been checked.
There was no reason for the Black Mage to suddenly meet his death.
"...?"
And at the very moment their eyes met in the air.
Kaboom-!!
With an explosion engulfing the building, Caron's body was blown out of the building.
Eeeeeeee-!
Tinnitus disturbed his ears.
Caron quickly grasped the situation. Something had exploded.
An explosive trap? No, was it magic?
"Cough!"
Coughing, he entered the building.
Because he had to check the extent of the rat's injuries.
Caron, who succeeded in settling the dust by waving his arm, saw.
The figure of the rat with only the lower part of his ankle remaining.
Only then did Caron realize.
What exploded was not an explosive, but the corpse of the Black Mage.
And his face and entire body.
Were stained with the rat's blood and flesh.
"...Was it a trap?"
Caron and the rats obsessed with information, the resurrecting Black Mages.
It was clear that it had been used against them.
Dust rising from buildings all over the 1st district could be seen.
How many rats had died due to his misjudgment?
Caron unknowingly slumped down.
At the same time, he repeated to himself.
"...What are you doing now, Caron?"
Did you want a perfect victory without losing a single one?
Were you still caught up in that illusion?
Did you forget the cruelty of war?
That can't be. He had never forgotten it for a single moment.
It's just.
He was a little tired and needed time to gather his thoughts.
Caron got up.
Indulging in sentiment, falling into guilt.
It's enough to do that after this war is over.
Peeeeek-!
Whistling sounds echoed from here and there. Whistling sounds requesting rescue.
Fear, confusion, sorrow.
Rats are trained to never open their mouths in any situation.
Because given the nature of rats collecting information, if their location is exposed, there is a high probability of it leading to death.
So the rats often communicated in other ways, such as whistling, bird sounds, and animal sounds.
That's right. Even if.
They suffer injuries where several parts of their bodies are blown off.
It was when Caron was about to move towards the closest whistling sound.
Sizzle-.
The rat's body with only the lower part of the ankle remaining.
The flesh attached to it melted away in an instant, leaving only bones.
At the same time, the bone fragments scattered around gathered little by little, forming two figures.
One was a Black Mage skeleton, and the other...
Clack- Clack clack-!
Was a skeleton holding daggers.
It was clearly the skeleton of the fifteen-year-old rat who had been with him just a moment ago.
Without even having time to mourn, making allies fight each other. It was a really damn ability.
"...I'm sorry."
I made you suffer even when you were alive, and now I'm making you suffer even after you're dead.
Caron coated his dagger with holy power potion and vowed.
Volkan, just you wait.
I will definitely.
"Tear you to death."
--TL Notes--
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