The sound of a loud rumble in the earth followed by the even louder sound of something massive breaking.
They seemed to come from the mountains where Blothorn and his troops had been sent.
Cabernard was frowning; he had a bad feeling about this.
【”What was that sound? Did a cliff collapse?”】
Or was this a trap from the enemy?
If that was the case, then Cabernard would have to kill the retainers that Tulle had left as hostages.
【”Send out a reconnaissance team. Four cavalrymen should be enough.”】
Nothing could be done before the facts were cleared up.
While gnashing his teeth, Cabernard glared and looked up at the distant sky.
But at that moment…
【”…Huh?”】
Cabernard rubbed his eyes, unable to believe what he was witnessing.
(What did I just see?)
This sight was so unreal that it felt like a daydream.
With it approached an ear-piercing sound of wind.
As the sound grew louder, the object, that initially looked to be the size of a clenched fist, grew bigger and bigger.
It was a flying, massive block of rock of about a ten meters (~30 feet) in diameter.
Aided by the pull of gravity in its fall, its speed reached around 100 miles an hour (~200km/h).
【”This is ridiculous! This is impossible! Where the hell are those coming from?”】
Cabernard was bewildered.
Even a volcanic eruption could never send such a massive rock flying.
However, reality had no mercy for those who could not grasp it.
What was a small dot in the sky turned into a massive block of rock in an instant, before directly hitting the center of the mage troops who were screaming and trying to run away, and who were turned into a pool of crimson blood and minced meat on the ground.
This was what happened when a rock that weighed a dozen tons fell to the ground at over 200 miles per hour (~200km).
About a hundred men had died on the spot with no time to even feel any pain.
【”Run! There are more coming!”】
However, that was only the start of their suffering.
Two other black dots appeared in the clear, blue sky, aiming for the mages.
【”Shoot them down!”】
The commander shouted at his men after recovering from his daze.
Even under such abnormal circumstances, he could still give out commands. This was to be expected from the Asgard empire’s army, the strongest force in the whole continent.
【” ‘Fire ball‘ ! “】
The mages simultaneously unleashed their spells.
However, because the speed of the two blocks of rock was too fast, only a few of those attacks managed to hit them.
【”I-it’s not working!”】
The first block of rock was so massive and large that even the three fireballs that hit it could do no more than scorch its surface.
Fortunately, the second block was hit by over a dozen fireballs.
Unable to resist the heat and the impact, the block ended up being divided into five large, but smaller, rocks.
However…
【”Run away! It’s useless to attack it with magic!”】
The block weighed several tons in the first place, how would dividing it into five different blocks be useful?
Rather, those five rocks were going to scatter like shotgun pellets, which would only spread the damage even further.
By the time the troops realized that they had no means to retaliate, the rocks fell like lightning bolts, and brought forth a crimson rain that stained the cheeks of the surviving mages with the flesh of their comrades.
Yet another batch of a hundred mages had been turned into unidentifiable sacks of blood.
The fact that they prided themselves in being the elite of the world only served to make their shock even greater as all their blood and efforts amounted to nothing.
【”Don’t freeze! Scatter! Everyone scateeeer!”】
When faced with a clear enemy, a powerful army could keep its determination and resolve and fight with no fear of death, but it was impossible for these men to keep their fighting spirit when they were being faced with completely inorganic objects.
There was no more trace of order on this side of the battlefield, the mages who were trying to run away had already lost all pretenses of composure.
◆ ◆ ◆
【”What’s happening?”】
From Crowdagen, Frigga had also witnessed the surreal scene of the block of rock flying from the east mountains.
She wondered if it was a volcanic eruption, but even after looking carefully, she couldn’t spot any signs of smoke or lava.
However, the masses of rock kept flying out one after the other.
It was as if an invisible giant was throwing rocks from the mountains for sport.
Those rocks came flying at such high speed that they could not be avoided, and each time, without fail, they landed in the middle of Asgard’s mage troops, and spread a wide wave of deaths.
The mages barely managed to launch a counterattack against one of them but it did not work.
Frigga figured that would be the case.
This was more of a natural disaster than an attack. It was not something that a small gathering of mages could handle. They were only human, after all.
After the split parts of the second block of rock came down, a third block followed close behind it to deliver a death that left no room for resistance.
Watching Asgard’s mage troops run away in a stampede, Frigga shouted with determination.
【”If you can still fight, come with me! The heavens are on our side!”】
【”Oooooooooooh!”】
Nothing could be better for the morale of the troops than being supported by an unexplainable, supernatural phenomenon.
Completely forgetting about the tiredness they felt from being besieged for days, Lapland’s forces followed Frigga’s lead and leaped out of Crowdagen like arrows out of a crossbow.
【”Should we push them back?”】
Cabernard contemplated for a while before answering Navarre’s question.
Frigga and her men were going to fight for their lives now, but it would still not be all that difficult to besiege them and pulverize them.
Of course, Cabernard’s army would take great losses in the process, but it was still worth considering whether the soldiers who were staying in reserve and had yet to battle should be sent out.
【”…No, it’s too dangerous to rush to battle before we can see through the true colors of those rocks.”】
Although the attacks seemed to have stopped after the third, Cabernard had a hard time believing that that was the end of it.
Rather, it was more natural to assume that those blocks of rock were going to come back later on.
【”This place is close to a monster territory. We’ll need to be prepared for the eventuality that a senior monster aristocrat has come out.”】
【”That could certainly be the case….”】
If a monster was involved, that could explain this nonsensical supernatural phenomenon.
In fact, for Navarre, there didn’t seem to be any other possibility.
Senior monster aristocrats were beings of legend that no one had fought in the last hundred years.
It was better to avoid fighting against such beings with no pre-planned counter-measures.
【”Our top priority is to take care of our mages. I don’t want to lose any more of them.”】
While Cabernard and Navarre were having this conversation far away from the battle, the heavily equipped infantrymen of Asgard’s defense forces built a solid square formation at the very frontline, ahead of the mages who were running around and trying to escape.
【”GET OUT OF MY WAY!”】
After giving a backward glance at the allies behind her, Frigga rushed forward alone and raised a powerful battle cry before attacking Asgard’s heavy infantrymen.
◆ ◆ ◆
【”Are there no more rocks with a good enough size? …I guess I’ll go smash that cliff one more time.”】
『Y-you’re being absurd…』
Together with Bolthorn, the whole detachment that had been sent towards the side path had now been buried alive under a small landslide caused by a right punch from Kurats.
Afterwards, Kurats had picked some “good-sized” rocks from the remains before throwing them towards the forces on the main battlefield.
In short, Kurats had nonchalantly created a landslide that buried his enemies without leaving them any room to escape, and then proceeded to pick up the resulting rubble to make it rain down on another group of enemies.
Knowing that this had all been done through the strength of muscles alone, was there a better word than ‘absurd’ to describe it?
Bernst was even unintentionally sympathizing with the enemy.
Then again, Bernst’s extremely powerful magic was even more absurd.
【”Oh crap, she’s rushing out already? She’s really determined.”】
When Kurats was thinking of smashing the cliff again, he saw Crowdagen’s gates open and a woman come out of them, riding on top of a griffon.
He guessed she was probably princess Frigga.
Though her decision was far from bad, she was too fired up.
She was most likely going to win this battle, but it felt like a single mistake from her as a commander would come at the cost of her life.
【”I didn’t come all the way here to let her die.”】
Kurats’ whole purpose in coming here was to rescue Lapland, so even if it wasn’t necessary, he had to intervene.
Besides, no one in Jormungand would be able to claim that he was all talk if he were to do something as big as defeating a whole army corps by himself.
That being the case, Kurats put all his strength into his legs and savagely ran down the mountain, with so much power that the ground sank under his feet.
The sound of a loud rumble in the earth followed by the even louder sound of something massive breaking.
They seemed to come from the mountains where Blothorn and his troops had been sent.
Cabernard was frowning; he had a bad feeling about this.
【”What was that sound? Did a cliff collapse?”】
Or was this a trap from the enemy?
If that was the case, then Cabernard would have to kill the retainers that Tulle had left as hostages.
【”Send out a reconnaissance team. Four cavalrymen should be enough.”】
Nothing could be done before the facts were cleared up.
While gnashing his teeth, Cabernard glared and looked up at the distant sky.
But at that moment…
【”…Huh?”】
Cabernard rubbed his eyes, unable to believe what he was witnessing.
(What did I just see?)
This sight was so unreal that it felt like a daydream.
With it approached an ear-piercing sound of wind.
As the sound grew louder, the object, that initially looked to be the size of a clenched fist, grew bigger and bigger.
It was a flying, massive block of rock of about a ten meters (~30 feet) in diameter.
Aided by the pull of gravity in its fall, its speed reached around 100 miles an hour (~200km/h).
【”This is ridiculous! This is impossible! Where the hell are those coming from?”】
Cabernard was bewildered.
Even a volcanic eruption could never send such a massive rock flying.
However, reality had no mercy for those who could not grasp it.
What was a small dot in the sky turned into a massive block of rock in an instant, before directly hitting the center of the mage troops who were screaming and trying to run away, and who were turned into a pool of crimson blood and minced meat on the ground.
This was what happened when a rock that weighed a dozen tons fell to the ground at over 200 miles per hour (~200km).
About a hundred men had died on the spot with no time to even feel any pain.
【”Run! There are more coming!”】
However, that was only the start of their suffering.
Two other black dots appeared in the clear, blue sky, aiming for the mages.
【”Shoot them down!”】
The commander shouted at his men after recovering from his daze.
Even under such abnormal circumstances, he could still give out commands. This was to be expected from the Asgard empire’s army, the strongest force in the whole continent.
【” ‘Fire ball‘ ! “】
The mages simultaneously unleashed their spells.
However, because the speed of the two blocks of rock was too fast, only a few of those attacks managed to hit them.
【”I-it’s not working!”】
The first block of rock was so massive and large that even the three fireballs that hit it could do no more than scorch its surface.
Fortunately, the second block was hit by over a dozen fireballs.
Unable to resist the heat and the impact, the block ended up being divided into five large, but smaller, rocks.
However…
【”Run away! It’s useless to attack it with magic!”】
The block weighed several tons in the first place, how would dividing it into five different blocks be useful?
Rather, those five rocks were going to scatter like shotgun pellets, which would only spread the damage even further.
By the time the troops realized that they had no means to retaliate, the rocks fell like lightning bolts, and brought forth a crimson rain that stained the cheeks of the surviving mages with the flesh of their comrades.
Yet another batch of a hundred mages had been turned into unidentifiable sacks of blood.
The fact that they prided themselves in being the elite of the world only served to make their shock even greater as all their blood and efforts amounted to nothing.
【”Don’t freeze! Scatter! Everyone scateeeer!”】
When faced with a clear enemy, a powerful army could keep its determination and resolve and fight with no fear of death, but it was impossible for these men to keep their fighting spirit when they were being faced with completely inorganic objects.
There was no more trace of order on this side of the battlefield, the mages who were trying to run away had already lost all pretenses of composure.
◆ ◆ ◆
【”What’s happening?”】
From Crowdagen, Frigga had also witnessed the surreal scene of the block of rock flying from the east mountains.
She wondered if it was a volcanic eruption, but even after looking carefully, she couldn’t spot any signs of smoke or lava.
However, the masses of rock kept flying out one after the other.
It was as if an invisible giant was throwing rocks from the mountains for sport.
Those rocks came flying at such high speed that they could not be avoided, and each time, without fail, they landed in the middle of Asgard’s mage troops, and spread a wide wave of deaths.
The mages barely managed to launch a counterattack against one of them but it did not work.
Frigga figured that would be the case.
This was more of a natural disaster than an attack. It was not something that a small gathering of mages could handle. They were only human, after all.
After the split parts of the second block of rock came down, a third block followed close behind it to deliver a death that left no room for resistance.
Watching Asgard’s mage troops run away in a stampede, Frigga shouted with determination.
【”If you can still fight, come with me! The heavens are on our side!”】
【”Oooooooooooh!”】
Nothing could be better for the morale of the troops than being supported by an unexplainable, supernatural phenomenon.
Completely forgetting about the tiredness they felt from being besieged for days, Lapland’s forces followed Frigga’s lead and leaped out of Crowdagen like arrows out of a crossbow.
【”Should we push them back?”】
Cabernard contemplated for a while before answering Navarre’s question.
Frigga and her men were going to fight for their lives now, but it would still not be all that difficult to besiege them and pulverize them.
Of course, Cabernard’s army would take great losses in the process, but it was still worth considering whether the soldiers who were staying in reserve and had yet to battle should be sent out.
【”…No, it’s too dangerous to rush to battle before we can see through the true colors of those rocks.”】
Although the attacks seemed to have stopped after the third, Cabernard had a hard time believing that that was the end of it.
Rather, it was more natural to assume that those blocks of rock were going to come back later on.
【”This place is close to a monster territory. We’ll need to be prepared for the eventuality that a senior monster aristocrat has come out.”】
【”That could certainly be the case….”】
If a monster was involved, that could explain this nonsensical supernatural phenomenon.
In fact, for Navarre, there didn’t seem to be any other possibility.
Senior monster aristocrats were beings of legend that no one had fought in the last hundred years.
It was better to avoid fighting against such beings with no pre-planned counter-measures.
【”Our top priority is to take care of our mages. I don’t want to lose any more of them.”】
While Cabernard and Navarre were having this conversation far away from the battle, the heavily equipped infantrymen of Asgard’s defense forces built a solid square formation at the very frontline, ahead of the mages who were running around and trying to escape.
【”GET OUT OF MY WAY!”】
After giving a backward glance at the allies behind her, Frigga rushed forward alone and raised a powerful battle cry before attacking Asgard’s heavy infantrymen.
◆ ◆ ◆
【”Are there no more rocks with a good enough size? …I guess I’ll go smash that cliff one more time.”】
『Y-you’re being absurd…』
Together with Bolthorn, the whole detachment that had been sent towards the side path had now been buried alive under a small landslide caused by a right punch from Kurats.
Afterwards, Kurats had picked some “good-sized” rocks from the remains before throwing them towards the forces on the main battlefield.
In short, Kurats had nonchalantly created a landslide that buried his enemies without leaving them any room to escape, and then proceeded to pick up the resulting rubble to make it rain down on another group of enemies.
Knowing that this had all been done through the strength of muscles alone, was there a better word than ‘absurd’ to describe it?
Bernst was even unintentionally sympathizing with the enemy.
Then again, Bernst’s extremely powerful magic was even more absurd.
【”Oh crap, she’s rushing out already? She’s really determined.”】
When Kurats was thinking of smashing the cliff again, he saw Crowdagen’s gates open and a woman come out of them, riding on top of a griffon.
He guessed she was probably princess Frigga.
Though her decision was far from bad, she was too fired up.
She was most likely going to win this battle, but it felt like a single mistake from her as a commander would come at the cost of her life.
【”I didn’t come all the way here to let her die.”】
Kurats’ whole purpose in coming here was to rescue Lapland, so even if it wasn’t necessary, he had to intervene.
Besides, no one in Jormungand would be able to claim that he was all talk if he were to do something as big as defeating a whole army corps by himself.
That being the case, Kurats put all his strength into his legs and savagely ran down the mountain, with so much power that the ground sank under his feet.
