A fierce gale erupted around Toki. The adventurers nearby instinctively raised their arms to shield their faces. But the expected blast never came.
No actual storm had formed. What they sensed was an illusion, caused by the overwhelming magical power radiating from Toki.
This immense force caught the attention not only of young adventurers like Ais and Bete but also seasoned veterans such as Finn, Riveria, and Gareth.
["Power to dwell in eternal silence..."]
Even Toki himself had not anticipated such magnitude. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he continued the chant in uneven breaths.
["...awake."]
He could not stop the incantation now. To do so would unleash an unprecedented magical backlash, a catastrophic Ignis Fatuus.
"Stop Toki!"
"Protect him!"
Commands flew from both sides' commanders as adventurers clashed with monsters and wild beasts.
Tione and Tiona hacked through swarms of Killer Ants, charging fiercely toward their commander, Malar. But magical attacks from the beasts blocked their advance, keeping the distance firm.
Behind them, Raul and his mid-tier squad intercepted waves of Killer Ants streaming through the corridor. Without magic to counter, their numbers were even greater here.
["Great power that sleeps within me, inherited from my ancestors..."]
Alongside Toki's chant, the voices of Riveria and Lefiya rang out. Riveria unleashed a large-scale annihilation spell, Rea Laevateinn, while Lefiya quickly cast Arcs Ray.
But the animals were well-prepared, too. Beside Malar, a lone rat was weaving a long incantation. Though slower than Riveria's spell, the rat was guarded by Killer Ants and beasts, preventing any approach.
["Awaken..."]
Above, Ais and Bete battled flying beasts and the Queen Killer Ant. Bete's metal boots glowed with wind magic as he delivered powerful kicks, while the queen sprayed acid from her abdomen, forcing Ais to defend with blasts of wind.
["The coming calamity, the rising disaster, the swirling destruction..."]
Before Toki stood Finn and Gareth, facing countless beasts and a single horse.
The horse bore a single horn like a unicorn from the Deep Layers. Although physically weaker than a true unicorn, it was enchanted with crackling lightning that surged across its body, boosting its strength and speed.
Finn and Gareth could dodge its charge, but if they did, the horse would slam into Toki, triggering a massive explosion. There was no way to evade this.
"Did I misjudge...?"
"No one could have predicted that."
Finn muttered self-criticism as Gareth offered reassurance. Blocking relentless attacks with their weapons, they, and all the adventurers, waited for Toki's chant to end.
["Repel, sweep away, cast aside!"]
But Toki's face was troubled. The chant was long, and even he was beginning to feel strain.
None of the adventurers blamed him. They were all amazed at the sheer magical power he was controlling.
There was no choice but to rely on his spell to turn the tide. Their abilities vastly surpassed the enemy's, but sheer numbers made it hard to push forward. They wouldn't lose, but victory would take time.
The adventurers waited eagerly for that moment to come.
๐โโโโโโโโโโโโโ๐
"Ugh, this is so annoying!"
Tione revealed her true Amazonian spirit as she blasted Killer Ants aside. Another swarm closed the gap immediately.
"This never ends!"
Tiona swung her massive twin blades, cutting through the ants. Magic flew into the opening, forcing her to dodge hastily.
"This is hopeless!"
Growing frustrated, Tione forcefully shoved monsters away. Suddenly, a dog charged from the side. Instinctively, Tione dodged,ย
Then the dog exploded.
"What!?"
Stunned, Tione watched as cats and rabbits rushed in, detonating explosions as well.
"A magical backlash Ignis Fatuus!?"
Tiona's eyes widened. The animals were deliberately interrupting their chants, causing their magic to spiral out of control and explode.
"Adventurers have come this far." Malar said quietly, voice restrained as if suppressing something.
"We'll hold them off, even if it costs us our lives."
๐โโโโโโโโโโโโโ๐
"Ugh!"
"You okay?!"
"I'm fine!"
Raul responded to his squad's groans. The injured shouted they were fine and gripped their weapons tighter.
But the situation is still bad.
Their stamina held, but their weapons were degrading far faster than expected. Constantly striking the hard shells of Killer Ants took its toll. Worse, the ants carried acid internally. Though they hadn't used it yet, cutting into them coated the weapons with acid, speeding corrosion.
We still have spares, but I don't know how long they'll last...
A troubling thought crossed his mind: what if there were two queens?
If that's true... we're in serious trouble!
["Arcs Ray!"]
A beam of light incinerated a group of Killer Ants and disappeared down the corridor. Turning, Raul saw Lefiya raising her staff.
"I'll cast a barrier next!"
The mid-tier force nodded at her announcement.
With rapid chanting, Lefiya wove her rare battle hymn magic. Inspired, Raul steeled himself and encouraged his comrades.
๐โโโโโโโโโโโโโ๐
The aerial battle was equally deadlocked. The wind blades formed by the giant eagles' flapping wings were absorbed by Bete's metal boots. He kicked back, but the enemies retreated out of reach.
Ais fought the Queen Killer Ant but found no way to break the stalemate. The queen's shell was far tougher than her minions'.
Level estimate: 6
Acid blocked any approach, and even if they got close, the shell deflected attacks. They were completely stuck.
If that's the case...!
Ais glanced at Bete. The werewolf caught her meaning instantly.
Ais sent wind into Bete's boots.
"Take her down!"
Seizing an opening, Bete's wind-charged kick crashed into the queen's shell, cracking it. Then,ย
"Lil Rafaga!"
Eyes pierced through like a divine wind. The Queen Killer Ant screamed its death agony and fell to the ground. Eyes took a breath, momentarily relieved.
"Eyes, above!"
Bete's warning snapped Eyes' attention upward, and there it was: another Queen Killer Ant plummeting straight at him.
"What!?"
Its jaws snapped at Eyes. He instinctively raised a wind armor to block the attack, but the force was far greater than expected, pinning him down completely. He was caught.
Where did it come from!?
Until now, no one had seen or sensed this Queen Killer Ant. The secret lay with Malar, the commander. She had hidden the queen using her skill, "Sorcery: Concealment." So thorough that even beastmen like Bete couldn't detect its scent or sound. Of course, Eyes had no way of knowing this.
"Eyes!?"
Bete kicked off the ground, rushing to help.
"Kyeeek!!"
"Kaaah!!"
But the flying animals intensified their attacks, blocking him.
"Get out of the way, you birds!!"
The situation hadn't improved, it had worsened.
๐โโโโโโโโโโโโโ๐
"Gareth, the main threat's coming!"
"I know!"
The unicorn horse struck the ground, charging toward Gareth, who stood ready. The distance between them closed in an instant, then they collided.
Rumble!
"Hmph!"
Normally, a human couldn't withstand a horse's charge. But Gareth, empowered to level 6 in strength, could. The unicorn, despite its blessing, was level 1. Considering the difference in species, Gareth held the advantage.
Rumble-rumble-rumble!
"Ughhh!?"
Still, the unicorn held a slight edge. Its lightning surged through Gareth, bridging the gap created by the blessing. Gareth was pushed back, gouging the ground.
"Don't underestimate me!!"
Gareth roared, his muscles bulging as he summoned even more strength. His retreat halted.
Rumble!?
The unicorn let out a surprised cry. Gareth tried to throw it off, but a fireball came flying, interrupting him. The ball struck his arm, burning fiercely.
"What the!?"
Shock spread across Gareth' face. The fire was intense, but not just heat on the surface; the heat burned from within. Normal flames couldn't harm Gareth. As a seasoned adventurer, he could withstand level 1 magic with ease.
But this fireball was no ordinary flame. It was "Illusory Flame" sorcery, sent by Malar, the command tower. It didn't burn objects but caused living beings to feel extreme heat. Neither Gareth' endurance nor his salamander wool could block it. The heat unnerved him.
Taking advantage of the distraction, the unicorn spun away and escaped Gareth' grasp.
๐โโโโโโโโโโโโโ๐
"Everyone, fall back!"
Chuu!
The command was given. The adventurers fighting on the ground retreated. Eyes, having escaped the queen's jaws, and Bete landed safely. Then,ย
["Rea Laevateinn!"]
Chuchuchu-chuchu!
Both spells unleashed simultaneously. A towering pillar of fire rose to meet the counterattack: billions of mice emerging from a magical circle.
"Kyaaaaaah!"
"Nyaaaah!"
Screams erupted from the female adventurers. Even if these were monsters, the overwhelming number of normal mice would provoke a scream or two.
The mice fearlessly dove into the flames, weakening the fire's intensity.
"What's going on!?"
"They probably have incredible fire resistance. Each one is weak, but their sheer number is draining Riveria's spell power."
Tione shouted while Finn speculated.
The magic the magic mice cast was called"Hamelin Piff." which summoned countless copies of themselves. They also possessed a skill called"Fire Mouse's Coat." granting strong fire resistance. Together, they were suppressing Riveria's magic.
As if to seal their advantage, a swarm of Killer Ants plunged into the flames, completely blocking Riveria's spell. Afterward, scattered magic stones littered the area, quickly gathered by the surviving mice and brought back to the Queen Killer Ant.
Chu...chuu!
The magic mice cried out. A thousand copies burst forth from the magic circle. The original mouse, having poured all its energy into the spell, collapsed from mental exhaustion. The clones headed straight for the adventurers. Some hesitated, but most raised their weapons.
["Via Shilheim!"]
Before the collision, Lefiya's spell activated. It was Riveria's protective barrier magic, an impenetrable shield against all physical and magical attacks.
The mice reached the barrier a step too late. Some adventurers sighed in relief,ย
But then,ย
Gnaw, gnaw...
The mice began chewing through the barrier.
"...Huh?"
Lefiya's voice betrayed her shock. The mice steadily eroded the shield. The pace wasn't fast, but they were definitely making progress, which she could feel as the caster.
Mice constantly gnaw to keep their ever-growing incisors trimmed, making their teeth incredibly tough. Being magical creatures, they could chew through a barrier also made of magic.
Sweat trickled down Lefiya's forehead.
๐โโโโโโโโโโโโโ๐
["Fragile body, bear the blood of the proxy!"]
The boy chanted, watching the battle unfold.
["Grant me the power from afar!"]
Controlling the raging magic, he sang the song aloud.
["The name is Undine! The divine proxy governing water!"]
The magic gathered.
["Spirit Regression!"]
==========
You can find much more on my Patreon: Patreon.com/Veltoria
There are currently 5 active fanfictions on Patreon, with over 514+ advanced chapters available across them!
From Naruto Onwards, I Control Time โ Up to Chapter 313
Haikyuu!!: Rise of Sengoku โ Up to Chapter 257
Danmachi: Is It Wrong To Aspire to Be An Adventurer? โ Up to Chapter 97
Legend of Hogwarts (Harry Potter x League of Legends) โ Up to Chapter 155
I Am Luffy: Partner System Online (One Piece)ย โย Up to Chapter 138
Playing Genshin Impact in Danmachi (Danmachi x Genshin Impact) โ Up to 68