Chapter 278: Extermination Complete (2/2)
“Looks like we’ll be able to finish this quickly.” [Reinbach]
“It seemed from above that there’s fewer undead on the right of the opposing cliff. We’ll take care of those first.” [Schieber]
“Okay, in that case, I’ll keep the left at bay.” [Ryouma]
“Schieber, don’t you get overeager now and start swinging your halberd in vain.” [Reinbach]
“I know. I’ll take it easy and treat it like casual exercise.” [Schieber]
“Remilie-sama, could I trouble you for a favor?” [Sebasu]
“Yes, yes, I’m on it… Coating of Light!” [Remilie]
As I gathered all of my slimes to the left side, Schieber-san took out his favorite halberd, and Reinbach-sama and Sebasu-san drew their swords from their waist.
Reinbach-sama’s sword drew my attention. It was white with no l.u.s.ter, as though carved from the bones of a creature, fashioned into the style of a b.a.s.t.a.r.d sword. Flames burst from it when drawn, and it transformed into a sword of flame.
Sebasu’s weapon was a thin bladed sword known as a rapier. Remilie-san appears to have cast a light magic of sort on it, and with the light radiating from it, it looked more like a sword of light. Or to be more precise, it was just like a lightsaber straight out of the sci-fi movies.
I could tell even looking at them from the side that the two swords possessed considerable power. Not only could Reinbach-sama’s sword easily cut through the zombies, it would also leave a trail of fire in its wake that would consume the zombies entirely, leaving no room for regeneration.
Sebasu’s weapon allowed him to thrust precisely at the enemies’ vitals. But his thrusts would always leave a hole bigger than his blade. With the speed of his thrusts and his attacks often consisting of consecutive strikes, the enemies he came across would often be left looking as though their upper half had been blown away.
Ahead of those two was Schieber-san, who went on a rampage all on his own. He too had his halberd clad in an element. In his case, it was the wind. Though it was not as eye-catching as fire or light, a gust of wind would accompany his every swing.
With the range of his halberd and his wind, Schieber-san would cover a vast area to scatter the enemies, and the other two would clean up the survivors.
“I knew Schieber-san was strong, but Sebasu-san and Reinbach-sama are amazing too.” [Ryouma]
“Those two are as strong as proper knights, so that much is a given. Reinbach-chan’s magic sword is also within the scope of foundational techniques, so technically speaking, you could do it too. If anything, your chantless casting is much harder to pull off.” [Remilie]
“I think they’re similar, but you’re saying mine is more difficult?” [Ryouma]
“When you use chantless casting, you cover your arm in mana to protect it, right?” [Remilie]
“Yes. I realized during my experiments that my own spells could hurt me, so I would first erect a thin layer of mana on my arm before casting a spell on top.” [Ryouma]
“That might be an answer you came up with due to your circ.u.mstances and due to being self-taught, but it’s not something a beginner would do. The basics of magic sword are much simpler. You just have to cover a sword in magic. Crudely put, all you really need to do is to set the sword on fire.” [Remilie]
But won’t that damage the sword? Or so I felt like asking, but she seemed to have seen that question coming.
“People that use Magic Sword specifically choose a sword made out of material with strong resistance toward their element. That way the sword won’t be as burdened, and they won’t have to cover it in mana to protect it either. Above all, it makes the spell easier to use.” [Remilie]
“That’s why it’s a good spell for building foundations, I see.” [Ryouma]
“Exactly. Sebasu-chan’s sword follows the same principle. I just covered it in light mana. The only difference is that I did it for him.” [Remilie]
“I see… I tend to act alone, but if I could enchant other people’s weapons, we would certainly be able to use a wider variety of tactics. Are there other similar spells?” [Ryouma]
“Hmm… If you’re talking about spells you can use on your allies, well, there’s the neutral strengthening spell and barrier. But if you have the time and money, I suggest you just have magic tools, weapons, and armor made with enchantments. But of course, there’s no harm in learning the spell.” [Remilie]
That was certainly educational… Uh oh, the undead at the slimes’ area have started to congest.
“Excuse me.” [Ryouma]
“Do you need help?” [Remilie]
“No, I can handle this. There’s just too many of the undead gathered in some places, so…” [Ryouma]
I took out my slime katana and on its blade gathered and compressed ki, then with a single stroke sideways, unleashed a blade of ki that tore through the air and ripped apart the dozens of undead stuck in my sea of slimes. It might have been due to the sound of the skeletons’ bones collapsing, but the sight of it reminded me of bowling.
Anyhow, with the undead struck down, the slimes should be able to eat them much easier. There were other places that were stuck, so I unleashed blades of ki there too. After unblocking everything, the slimes should be able to take care of them on their own again.
“So you could use a technique like that too.” [Schieber]
Apparently, they were already done cleaning out the right side, so Schieber-san’s group came back.
“I learned it just recently.” [Ryouma]
“You have a high degree of mastery over it already, though.” [Schieber]
“Three of my employees could use ki, so I got them to teach me.” [Ryouma]
That includes Yurdum-san, whom I fought to confirm that he was a spy, Fei-san the a.s.sa.s.sin, and Ox-san the gladiator champion.
After the match with Yurdum-san, I found out that there were various techniques surrounding ki. There was a technique where the fist was covered in ki and shot out, a technique that utilized a blade of ki to extend one’s range, and a technique that increased power by imbuing one’s weapon with more ki than usual. With that knowledge as a foundation, I recreated the technique of the Siblings of the Strong Sword and came up with the technique I used just now.
“You even incorporated the technique of the a.s.sa.s.sins sent to kill you? I see you’re very greedy.” [Schieber]
“I have a personality that makes me want to know something once my interest has been piqued.” [Ryouma]
Right, since the slimes seem to be doing okay, I should ask about the magic sword from earlier. I gave a brief explanation of my conversation with Remilie-san.
“No reinforcements were coming, so I was wondering what was up, and it turns out to be that.” [Reinbach]
“I already enchanted Sebasu-chan’s sword, and there wasn’t a need for reinforcements anyway, so I figured I’d just teach Ryouma-chan a thing or two. It’s a wizard’s principle never to waste mana, you see.” [Remilie]
“Oh, I didn’t mean to blame you… Ryouma-kun, if you’re interested in the magic sword, I could teach you. And if you want to use a sword with fire attribute, I could provide you with a dragon’s fang like this one.” [Reinbach]
“A dragon’s fang!? I don’t know exactly just how precious that is, but something that amazing is a bit…” [Ryouma]
“Dragons regrow them every few years, so we get one every now and then. It’s not that rare of a material in our house. It’s certainly of the highest quality, but I owe you one anyway.” [Reinbach]
“I’m interested in the magic sword, but I’m still just a beginner. Also, I can practice even with just a normal sword, so let’s put off the fang for another time.” [Ryouma]
Dragon materials are so something straight out of a fantasy. In a game, you would usually only find that somewhere near the last dungeon, so his offer was so abrupt for me that it troubled me. I glanced at my slime katana and felt a sense of relief wash over me… As expected, slime equipment might be the most suitable for me.
While thinking about that, the slimes’ valiant efforts eventually left the undead unable to move properly. Some of them stood petrified, while some couldn’t even stand up. Regardless, they remained where they were with no recourse other than to wait to be eaten.
With that being the case, there was no reason for me or the adults to make a move. In fact, trying to help might just cause an accident, so we just stood by and watched over them.
It’s great that the undead are being wiped out, but I barely did anything. I mean I pretty much just talked.
Regardless, it didn’t take long before the slimes claimed victory and raised their tentacles in a wordless battle cry.