Chapter 218. Target Strike (3)
Alicia ran along the riverbank near the dark forest, gasping for breath.
How had things come to this?
After barely surviving the collapse of the abandoned factory with Enoch’s help, she had realized they had been separated and immediately headed for the rendezvous point.
She had tried to keep fighting to a minimum, moving as stealthily as possible to avoid alerting the enemy.
But at some point, she suddenly noticed the number of nearby magical beasts increasing, and by then, it was already too late.
From the moment the beasts began sensing her presence and tightening their pursuit from all sides, Alicia had only one option left.
Run.
If there was a reason the number of beasts had increased so drastically, it could only mean one thing, the core force, Indiviltal, had to be somewhere nearby.
-Kiiiririririk!!
By now, the sound of dozens of beasts chasing her madly was echoing behind her.
At this rate, she would be caught.
There was a clear risk, but to deal with this many pursuers first,
Alicia kicked off a massive tree root mid-run, launching herself high into the air.
She twisted her body in a fluid motion, spinning once like the wind, and aimed her lance back toward the black shadows pursuing her. Her finger tightened on the trigger.
In the next instant, mana converged at the conical spearhead, accompanied by a deep metallic hum.
“Dragoon Bombardment Art, Form Two, !”
The lance shot forward from Alicia’s waist, thrusting twice in rapid succession.
“Crimson Twin Suppression Barrage.”
Twin spiraling blasts tore through the air, beams of light several meters long streaking toward the enemy.
TUUUUUUNG!!
The paired shots flew between the trees and slammed into the center of the pursuing formation.
A blinding flash swelled outward, and the surrounding area was completely obliterated.
“Hah… hah… Target neutralized. Confirmed.”
Alicia landed, breathing hard. Her mana was nearly depleted.
At that moment, there was a sharp clack from just above the lance’s grip, the large-caliber chamber opened.
Empty.
“Ah, reload, !”
She reached for the tactical pouch at the side of her uniform skirt, but her fingers met nothing but emptiness.
A chill shot down her spine.
“No… I’m out of ammo, !!”
In the very next instant, a massive shadow burst out from beside a towering rock cliff to her side.
-Grrrrrrrrk!!
Instinctively, Alicia turned her lance sideways to block, but the defense was too rushed.
Her entire body was slammed by the impact, sent flying like a ragdoll.
She barely managed to regain her balance, driving the lance into the ground with both hands as she slid backward.
SKRRAAAAK!!
The earth was gouged up around the embedded lance as her speed finally slowed, but she couldn’t stop completely, her back slammed into a massive tree.
Clutching the lance, her chest heaving, Alicia panted in pain.
“Ah… ngh…”
Strength drained from her limbs.
Through her blurred vision, silhouettes of beasts began to emerge from the forest darkness, their forms glowing with eerie green light.
Had the bombardment given away her position?
Now, when her lance was empty?
A heavy thudding shook the ground. Alicia forced herself to focus and looked up.
From behind the beasts, something enormous was approaching.
About ten meters tall. Humanoid in shape. Thick, powerful frames with massive drill-like carapace spears jutting from both arms.
Green light leaked from the cracks between their stone-like armor plates. They looked less like animals and more like living boulders.
Just from their sheer size, Alicia knew immediately.
“Exceed-class… three of them…”
Seeing that many leader-class beasts confirmed it, she was dangerously close to the main force, where Indiviltal or Anakillione had to be.
She tried to lift her lance and aim it again, but hesitated and lowered it back to the ground.
Close-quarters combat with a lance was possible, but only as a secondary option.
“Maybe… if it were my mentor…”
She murmured weakly, sweat slicking her palms.
Facing that many beasts head-on was beyond her current close-combat skill.
She knew that better than anyone.
She tried to stand and retreat, but dizziness struck her like a blow.
Her knees buckled, and she collapsed where she was, gripping the lance planted in the earth.
A chill ran through her back.
“Mana exhaustion…?”
Had she really pushed herself this far through consecutive battles?
She bit her lip.
To fail at pace control at a moment like this.
Absurdly, a stray thought crossed her mind, what would Aslin say if she saw this?
A faint smile touched Alicia’s lips.
-Grrrrrrrrr!!
The beasts, still cautious, advanced slowly in a fan-shaped formation.
The encroaching darkness of their numbers felt like the ground itself was being swallowed.
“…If Aslin and the Heir saw this, they’d say I was reckless, wouldn’t they…”
As she murmured, the image of Enoch Elseid surfaced in her mind.
Was he safe?
Perhaps because he had saved her earlier, she’d found herself worrying about him even in the middle of battle.
It was the first time she’d ever felt so conscious of someone else during a fight.
Her cheeks, oddly warm, pressed against the lance grip as she whispered,
“…This feels strange.”
She trusted her mentor, Aslin, and her comrades in the Dragoon Corps, but Enoch felt different.
Fragile, somehow.
Fragile…?
Why had she thought that?
Confused, she stared blankly ahead.
She didn’t know.
Maybe because their meeting had been so sudden? Even if it was on her mentor’s recommendation, becoming part of his retinue had happened so fast.
Yet even in that short time, there was one thing she knew for certain.
Despite being an Elseid Heir, Enoch had not abandoned the people of the outer district.
Was it just because it was his mission?
No, he had been too deeply involved for that, fighting not for personal gain but to protect others.
And during the factory collapse,
Even in that desperate moment, he had thrown her upward to safety instead of saving himself.
At the very least, the black-haired boy Alicia had seen was someone who fought for others.
“…I can’t lose either.”
She whispered, lowering her head.
The vow she’d made long ago still burned within her.
That was why she stood here now, lance in hand.
Alicia tightened her grip.
“…I can’t back down here.”
Behind her lay the defenseless outer district.
If she let the enemy through, slaughter and infection would follow. Even she, no expert in dark magic, knew that now.
And if it were Enoch Elseid… he would surely fight here too.
, So then, fight.
Fight to the very end.
Even if it was childish. Even if it was an impossible dream.
“Aslin… sorry, okay?”
Her friend’s words before she left echoed in her mind.
She’d said she wasn’t stupid, just naïve.
Alicia smiled faintly.
“…Maybe I really am stupid.”
Planting the lance in the ground, she forced herself up, brushing off her skirt. Blood ran down past her eye; she wiped it away and exhaled.
-Kiiiririririk!!
Before her, the beasts had fully gathered, their glowing green light flooding her vision.
Recognizing she was no longer a threat, they advanced without caution, their inorganic bodies twitching.
Standing before them, Alicia shouted,
“Alicia of Victoria!”
The slight girl of the Dragoon Corps gripped her lance behind her waist and lowered her stance, eyes resolute.
“Here I stand, defending this ground, to the last, !”
“That will be for another time.”
A cool, familiar voice cut into her ears.
Alicia gasped and turned,
PIIIIIING!!
Silver wires shot forward, slicing through the trees ahead of the charging beasts.
Dozens of massive trees toppled at once, crashing into the center of the enemy formation.
Dust exploded upward, completely blocking their advance.
“Ah! W-wires?! Don’t tell me, !!”
She had no time to react.
Several dozen beasts at the front surged through the chaos.
“Eh, ?”
Startled, Alicia’s tension broke. Her legs trembled, and she collapsed backward.
But just before she fell,
A firm arm caught her.
She looked up instinctively at the one who had supported her.
Time seemed to freeze.
“Ah… n-no way…”
Black uniform-like clothing. Calm eyes. A black duffel on his back.
The black-haired boy.
“Y-Young Master?!”
Before she could say anything else, Enoch scooped her up and broke into a run.
Realizing the position she was in, Alicia’s face flushed bright red.
“Again like this?! I-I can still run, !!”
“You’re close to mana exhaustion.”
“Ugh, !!”
The direct hit left her speechless.
How did he know?
A flash of awe crossed her mind.
As he ran, Enoch glanced down at her.
“At least you’re safe.”
“Y-you too, Young Master!”
The highest priority, regrouping, was complete.
Now all that remained was escaping the beasts.
“But, this isn’t over! They’ll keep chasing us, !”
Before she finished,
The sharp sound of metal wires rang out again.
Trees around them were instantly wrapped in silver lines, severed, and brought crashing down one after another.
Stealth no longer mattered.
And thanks to Rien’s precise judgment, obstacles were forming everywhere.
“That should be enough to shake them off.”
Enoch said calmly as he ran, Alicia staring at him in shock.
“We disengage now.”
Only the final phase remained.
They were unmistakably close to the enemy’s main force.
Enoch glanced sideways.
Across the massive river, the location he had noted earlier came into view.
All that remained, was to finish preparations and strike the target.