Chapter 30

An Imperial army of 400,000.

Their movements are invisible to the naked eye.

However, I could clearly perceive their movements.

This is because the sphere created by my magic had captured the Imperial army.

“So they have started moving after all.”

Through the sphere, images flowed into my mind.

From an aerial view, I could see the Imperial army advancing in formation below.

With 400,000 troops, it’s quite a lot.

The army has not yet split into two groups. They probably intend to march as one until the last possible moment.

This is advantageous for us.

“I’ll have to deal with them with a single maximum-power strike…”

There are simply too many enemies.

To force a retreat, significant damage must be inflicted.

Even if the headquarters is destroyed, if there are commanders elsewhere, the advance will surely continue.

After all, their purpose is to create a diversion.

As long as their forces are somewhat intact, they will aim to achieve their goal.

This cannot be allowed.

We must make them retreat with a single, overwhelming magic strike.

We are short on time and manpower.

“Empty Celestial Magic—”

With the distance between us, the time taken for chanting is not a disadvantage.

The magic I am about to use is ancient divine abyssal magic.

Normally, these spells do not involve long chants.

They have been refined for combat use, eliminating such elements.

However, there are exceptions even among these spells.

This grand magic, which focuses on power and takes time to prepare, is one of them.

“The divine light fills the heavens—”

With each chant, a magic circle forms.

These circles are deployed above the enemy army.

“The unblemished question calls forth the calamitous light—”

The size of these magic circles is enormous, even among the divine abyssal spells I use.

With the appearance of three circles, the soldiers seemed to notice something abnormal.

They could tell that something was clearly wrong.

“Let the sin of ignorance be judged upon you—”

A fourth magic circle appeared.

Each circle is larger than the last.

The circles began to rotate slowly.

“The divine might resides in the heavens—”

A fifth one appeared.

By this time, the Imperial army had begun to take a defensive stance.

They realized they could not escape.

Facing such an Imperial army, I coldly delivered the final words.

[Divine Retribution Sword Fragarach]

Five magic circles hovered in the sky.

From above them, a gigantic sword of light descended.

As it passed through the first magic circle, the sword enlarged.

It continued to grow as it passed through the second and third circles.

Its size now exceeded several dozen meters.

This was not a spell meant for an army.

This was siege magic intended for the destruction of cities.

A merciless grand magic designed to obliterate fortified cities from above.

By the time it passed through the fourth circle, the Imperial army had erected multiple layers of defensive magic.

A transparent hemispherical barrier formed to protect the 400,000 troops.

However.

As it passed through the fifth circle, transforming into an enormous sword over 100 meters in size.

The moment it touched the Imperial army’s defensive magic, the barrier shattered.

With a high-pitched sound like breaking glass, the defensive magic collapsed.

And with nothing left to protect them, the sword of light descended upon the Imperial army.

The soldiers, realizing they could not escape, could only look up at the sky in despair.

Impact.

A massive cloud of dust rose, followed by the explosion of the sword of light.

The explosion caused even more dust to rise.

At this point, it was impossible to understand what was happening.

The screams of the soldiers were drowned out by the overwhelming force and noise.

Eventually, as the dust settled, a gigantic crater remained.

The once-imposing Imperial army of 400,000 was nowhere to be seen.

Miraculously, a few soldiers survived, but they could no longer move in an organized manner.

Seeing this devastation, there would be few willing to continue fighting.

It may seem strange to say this after having caused it myself, but…

“This isn’t war, it’s a massacre.”

In an instant, the army of 400,000 was annihilated.

Half of them were surely dead. The rest were not unscathed.

Many were blown away by the shockwave.

Those barely alive would likely die over time.

Such a level of damage had never been inflicted on the Imperial army before.

Previously, I had always targeted the headquarters to force a retreat.

That had been the most efficient method.

Now, this was the most efficient method.

Now, I had become the person who killed the most people on this continent.

Yet, strangely, I felt nothing in particular.

I had killed before.

So the increase in number meant nothing to me.

I did it because it was necessary.

Thinking this, I let out a small laugh.

Indeed, as my father had said.

For me, repelling the Imperial army had become “routine.”

To others, I must appear as a monster.

However.

Even monsters have things they want to protect.

Killing Imperial soldiers stirred no emotions, but the thought of the academy being targeted unsettled me.

This unrest is proof that I am still human.

“Let’s go.”

I cannot afford to lose.

It’s something precious.