Trenches, Guns, and Magic

This sudden, massive slap was so formidable that it forced Morin, who was charging forward at high speed, to halt his advance and dodge to the side.

However, before "Old Man" could follow up with his next maneuver, he saw the figure dodging the attack in the distance merely raise a hand mid-stride.

Immediately after, the immensely powerful 【Bigby's Hand】 he had summoned flickered twice, like a punctured balloon, and dissipated into thin air.

【Dispel Magic】?!

"Old Man's" heart violently clenched as he stared incredulously at the god-of-death-like enemy ahead.

"This... How is this possible?"

【Bigby's Hand】 was a standard 5th-circle Evocation spell. Under normal circumstances, the probability of it being directly canceled by the 3rd-circle spell 【Dispel Magic】 was exceedingly low.

In this situation, barring the opponent having astronomically good luck, there was only one possibility—the "monster" opposite him had upcast the spell using a spell slot higher than the 3rd circle, forcibly shattering the structure of 【Bigby's Hand】 through absolute spell-slot suppression.

And to guarantee a 100% dispel rate on a 5th-circle spell with 【Dispel Magic】, the opponent must have used at least a 6th-circle spell slot!

A 6th-circle mage?!

This conclusion made "Old Man" feel as if the worldview he had built over years within the Holy Britannia Empire's magical system was crumbling.

"Impossible... Absolutely impossible!"

He muttered in disbelief.

During their first encounter with this Saxon mage on the Western Front, their post-battle assessment estimated his spellcasting level to be at most around the 4th circle.

Although his combat techniques were incredibly bizarre, his raw power hadn't exceeded their comprehension.

But how much time had passed since then? Half a year, tops...

How could a person's spellcasting ability skyrocket from the 4th to the 6th circle in such a short time?

Even the most dazzling "geniuses" in the history of the Highland Mage Council seemed somewhat ordinary before this enemy from the Saxon Empire...

Could he truly be the "Mage Killer" the Saxons created to destroy mages?

Amidst his extreme shock, rumors from within the Highland Mage Council flashed through "Old Man's" mind. However, spacing out on the battlefield was clearly highly dangerous.

Morin naturally wouldn't waste this opportunity. Although he was momentarily confused as to why the distant "Spell Jäger" suddenly froze mid-stride—since when did 【Dispel Magic】 carry an immobilization effect?—

Having eliminated the threat of 【Bigby's Hand】, Morin didn't pause for a fraction of a second. He transformed into a bloody streak of lightning once more, charging toward "Old Man."

That piercing killing intent finally brought "Old Man" back to his senses. He turned and sprinted away, trying to open the distance between him and Morin.

At this critical juncture, a wall of orange-red fire suddenly erupted from the forest floor, precisely interposing itself between Morin and "Old Man."

Another Spell Jäger had intervened just in time, casting the 4th-circle Evocation spell 【Wall of Fire】.

The roaring magical flames shot several meters high, radiating intense heat that instantly ignited the surrounding trees and bushes.

The dry Balkan woodlands in June served as excellent fuel. The surrounding vegetation quickly caught fire, significantly amplifying the power of the firewall and expanding its area, forming a true "wall of fire" that forced Morin to alter his course and attempt to flank it.

"Thanks for the cover!"

Sprinting backward, "Old Man" broke out in a cold sweat. He accelerated while shouting, "Go! He should be blocked for now!"

However, they clearly still underestimated Morin's current speed.

After casting the 2nd-circle spell 【Enhance Ability】 on himself, the temporary boost to his Agility stat provided Morin with exponential benefits.

His speed was now so fast it was difficult for the naked eye to track.

That seemingly insurmountable wall of fire, and the increasingly blazing forest around it, failed to hold Morin back for long before he bypassed its flank.

He even took a moment to notify all units carrying portable magitech communication devices about the risk of a potential forest fire...

During this process, Morin also tracked the residual mana left behind by the spell, locking onto the position of the Spell Jäger who had just cast it, and gave chase at an even greater speed.

The Spell Jäger only saw a blur before the bloody figure materialized right in front of him.

Before he could even react, he was instantly swallowed by a torrent of pellets blasted from the two enchanted shotguns.

Another one down.

"Old Man" and the last two Spell Jägers didn't even have time to provide effective cover fire before watching their comrade turn into a ragdoll-like corpse right before their eyes.

The blood-red figure, having completed the kill without breaking stride, turned again and charged toward the remaining three.

This was an enemy whose strength, speed, agility, and spellcasting ability vastly eclipsed theirs. Fleeing before him seemed pointless. The shadow of death completely enveloped them in that instant.

"..."

"Old Man" stopped running. The other two Spell Jägers halted near him as well, raising their rifles to aim at the approaching Morin.

They stopped running.

Because against such speed, running was meaningless; it would only result in a more undignified death.

Watching that death-god-like figure draw closer, a strange sense of peace actually washed over "Old Man."

At least, the "Baron" and the main force of the Spell Jägers should have safely evacuated by now. Their mission was complete.

Just then, the "monster" hidden among the trees suddenly yelled in their direction.

"Lenient treatment for prisoners! Lay down your weapons and you won't be killed!"

It was spoken in authentic Britannian, and for a split second, "Old Man" almost thought the man opposing them was a fellow countryman.

Of course, the only response Morin received was the sound of gunfire echoing through the forest and blue tracer rounds striking the tree trunk he hid behind.

For "Old Man" and his men, surrendering to the Saxons wasn't something they hadn't considered, though it was at the absolute bottom of their priority list.

But facing the "Mage Killer," this option was entirely forgotten...

Receiving their answer, Morin hesitated no longer. Confirming that the armored airship had already detected the markers of the other "Spell Jäger" group, he slung his double-barreled shotgun over his back, drew the 【Dark Sword】, and charged straight at the nearest Spell Jäger.

...

Elsewhere, the light of the communication stone in the "Baron's" hand faded completely, and he closed his eyes in pain.

He had just received "Old Man's" final transmission, informing him they would find a way to lure the Saxon "Mage Killer" away. He knew full well that "Old Man" and his men had chosen to sacrifice themselves to cover the main force's retreat.

The commander of the Spell Jäger unit gritted his teeth, forcibly swallowing his excess emotions.

He couldn't understand why the Saxons' advance was so absurdly fast, nor could he fathom why that monster-like "Mage Killer" had specifically targeted their unit.

"'Old Man' and his team lured the enemy away..."

Rowan Atkinson turned his head, briefly explaining the situation to the others, his hands moving even faster.

Just then, a Spell Jäger on perimeter watch rushed into the hidden camp.

"Sir! A Saxon armored airship is heading this way!"

Rowan Atkinson, who was finalizing the last step of the 【Teleportation Circle】, visibly twitched his hands upon hearing this and snapped his head up.

The furious roar of propellers was already pressing down from above the distant canopy, and the dark silhouette could be seen looming through the treetops.

Rowan Atkinson thought of his superiors who left them to fend for themselves, their utterly unreliable Greek allies who shattered at first contact, and the Saxons opposing them who fought as if they had prophetic foresight... Why could the enemy pinpoint their location so accurately?

In that moment, the "Baron" felt as if the entire world was conspiring against him.

Knowing he carried the hopes of the others, he dared not delay for a second. He grabbed the final handful of spell components and precisely sprinkled them over several nodes of the magic circle.

This time, as if guided by divine intervention, he completed the final step of the 【Teleportation Circle】 at the exact moment he ran out of materials. The circle drawn on the ground with gem-infused ink and chalk erupted in blinding blue light.

The 【Teleportation Circle】 was complete!

As the 【Teleportation Circle】 gradually lit up, the observation post on the L15 armored airship detected the magical fluctuations on the ground.

Receiving the report, Lieutenant Colonel Andreas immediately opened the speaking tube leading to the cargo bay.

"Captain Klaus! Magical fluctuations detected below! It should be the 'big fish' Colonel Morin mentioned!"

In the cargo bay, Klaus, who had been resting with his eyes closed to maintain his composure, immediately strode to the edge of the open bay doors upon hearing this.

The howling wind rushed into the bay. He looked down and quickly sensed the general location of the magical fluctuations in the forest.

"First and Second Squads, jump with me! Third Squad, stand by!"

As he issued the order, Klaus, fully prepped for action, stepped out of the bay doors without hesitation, his heavy "Thunder Warrior" form plummeting straight toward the ground.

Behind him, apart from the 9 men remaining on the airship as a reserve echelon, another 17 fully armed Thunder Warriors leaped from the cargo bay in rapid succession.

Several machine gun and autocannon turrets positioned toward the front of the airship's underbelly simultaneously opened fire in the general direction of the detected magical fluctuations.

A dense barrage of tracer rounds trailing orange-red streaks rained down around the hidden camp. Dirt and tree trunks were shredded to pieces by the large-caliber 20mm autocannon shells as the net of fire slowly crept toward the magic circle.

In the camp, Rowan Atkinson and the remaining Spell Jägers watched the metal hulks dropping from the sky, their scalps tingling.

Even without knowing the specific organization of their enemies, the mere act of jumping out of an armored airship made the "Baron" and his men realize these foes were absolutely not to be trifled with.

What kind of conventional unit enters a battlefield like this?!

In mid-air, Klaus and his men, to shorten the time to capture Morin's "big fish," recklessly delayed activating 【Feather Fall】 to an absurdly low altitude.

100 meters...

80 meters...

50 meters...

30 meters...

The exceptionally bold Klaus waited until his altitude was less than 15 meters before activating his armor's built-in spell unit.

The blue magical aura of 【Feather Fall】 flared across the surface of his armor.

Before the spell could even fully arrest his descent, his heavy combat boots slammed viciously into the mud.

Two deep craters were punched into the ground, sending dirt flying.

Klaus merely stumbled a half-step forward before steadying himself.

In the next second, he directly activated the 【Haste】 spell within his unit. Trailing an afterimage, he skirted the edge of the airship's autocannon barrage, charging straight toward the magic circle.

Not far behind him, the other 17 Thunder Warriors crashed into the ground one after another.

The 8 warriors in Klaus's squad also activated 【Haste】, drawing their weapons and following close behind him in the charge.

Twenty seconds later, the rapidly sprinting Klaus caught sight of the hidden camp—or rather, with the glowing teleportation circle in the center, the hidden camp wasn't hidden at all anymore.

Just as he prepared to accelerate again, three basin-sized fireballs traced slight arcs, howling toward him from the edge of the circle, interspersed with several blue magical bullet trajectories.

Knowing the power of a 【Fireball】, Klaus didn't dare take the hits head-on. Forced to lower his center of gravity, he relied on his inhuman reaction speed to execute two consecutive side-slips, avoiding the direct explosions.

The blast waves kicked up a massive shower of dirt and gravel, clattering loudly against his armor.

Just as Klaus continued his relentless charge, several loud gunshots rang out from behind him.

The three Thunder Warriors following Klaus spotted the enemy mages, halted, adopted standing firing positions, and braced their massive M1915 large-caliber anti-armor rifles against their shoulders. The rifles glowed with the blue light of 【Magic Weapon】.

In the distance, before one of the Spell Jägers who had just thrown a fireball could cast his next spell, three 13.2mm enchanted armor-piercing rounds crossed the distance instantly, striking him almost simultaneously.

The Spell Jäger's 【Mage Armor】 offered zero resistance, instantly shredded by the sheer kinetic energy. The man's upper body exploded on the spot, blood, flesh, and equipment fragments showering the ground.

Seeing this, Rowan Atkinson's eyelids twitched violently. The enemy possessed heavy firepower capable of directly destroying the core of the magic circle!

But before he could say anything, the leader of the remaining 8 heavy armor warriors in the squad spoke in a flat tone: "Ironman Squad, prepare for sacrifice."

Then, the leader raised his greatsword and led the 8 fully armed heavy armor warriors in a counter-charge toward Klaus.

"Into the circle! Hurry!"

Rowan Atkinson stood at the edge of the circle, roaring and urging the others.

He stood at the very rear, his hands quickly completing a series of somatic components, unleashing a 【Cloudkill】 toward the perimeter of the camp.

A massive cloud of deadly, yellow-green poisonous gas instantly billowed up, completely sealing off the area outside the circle.

On the other side, Klaus watched the heavy armor warriors blocking his path. Charging at high speed like a heavy truck, he had no intention of slowing down.

A heavy armor warrior swung his greatsword with both hands, aiming a full-strength downward cleave at Klaus's upper torso and neck.

Klaus neither dodged nor evaded, ramming directly into the blow. The greatsword struck Klaus's shoulder pauldron and snapped in half on the spot.

Immediately following, Klaus's shoulder smashed violently into the man's breastplate.

"CRACK!"

With a sickening crunch of shattering bones, the heavy armor warrior, along with his equipment, was sent flying backward by the unreasonable, immense force. His feet left the ground, and he tumbled a long distance before landing, never moving again.

Klaus didn't even spare him a glance, directly plowing over the second heavy armor warrior attempting to block him. His target, from beginning to end, remained solely the mages inside the circle...

Seeing the thick, yellow-green fog blocking his path, Klaus, who had received basic magical education after his modification, quickly recognized it as 【Cloudkill】.

Praying Master Haber hadn't been joking about his constitution, Klaus took a deep breath, held it, and plunged headfirst into the area covered by the 【Cloudkill】.

The result was exactly as Master Haber had said: while holding his breath, the 【Cloudkill】 was indeed incapable of harming a "Thunder Warrior." However, the dense fog still obscured his vision.

But that didn't matter anymore.

Relying on the direction from memory, the moment Klaus burst out of the poisonous fog, he gripped his greatsword with both hands and swung it down with all his might toward the figures standing in the glowing circle ahead.

The blade cleaved through the air and smashed heavily into the mud.

As if favored by Lady Luck once again, Rowan Atkinson and the last few Spell Jägers vanished into the teleportation circle just in time.

Or perhaps, if those heavy armor warriors hadn't charged out to delay Klaus slightly, this sword strike might have actually hit something...

The magical light of the 【Teleportation Circle】 flickered once before dying out completely, leaving only a pile of charred spell component residue on the ground.

Klaus stood in place, staring at the empty camp for a few seconds before withdrawing from the area covered by the 【Cloudkill】, his greatsword still in hand.

The battle outside had also concluded.

Those 8 heavy armor warriors attempting to buy time clearly had zero chance of survival against a swarm of "Thunder Warriors."

Klaus exhaled a long breath of foul air, then activated the built-in magitech communication device in his armor.

"Colonel... the 'big fish' got away."

Klaus's voice dripped with obvious frustration.

"They set up a 【Teleportation Circle】. We only managed to take out a few guys covering the rear."

A moment later, Morin's voice came through the magitech communication device, ringing in Klaus's ear.

"Ah? A 【Teleportation Circle】? Then there's nothing we can do... We can't exactly follow them back to their home turf."

Learning the details, Morin's tone was actually quite calm, lacking any hint of blame.

"It's fine, this is enough... These Britannian mage units weren't the primary target this time anyway. The initial telegram from the Fifth Army just wanted us to be on guard against them; they never explicitly ordered us to eliminate them~"

"If they ran, they ran. At least they won't be able to provide support to the Greeks for the foreseeable future."

Klaus looked at the corpses of the heavy armor warriors on the ground and replied gruffly, "Understood, Colonel... What about your side?"

"Relax, I've finished things on my end too... I must say, these Britannians are different. Their will to fight is quite tenacious."

After briefly updating Klaus on his own situation, Morin issued new orders over the communicator: "Since the big fish got away, the next step is to help the Bulgarians end this battle. Take your men and move toward the Greek command post. The 2nd Company should have just about wrapped things up there. Once you link up, continue attacking other positions along the Greek line!"

"Yes, Colonel!"

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