Chapter 421 - Forbidden Magic

"The Imperial Soldiers are coming… Activate your Mana Shells!" A man from Virgan shouted as he struck the ground with his staff. 

The staff is one of his three Grade A Mana Artifacts and its mere presence increases the morale of his troops.

He is the only Grand Sage sent here to take command of the troops sent here to Zairus. Beside him are 10 Adept Mages acting as his support.

Apparently, the five Sages that went here with him were tasked to take command of their own unit composed of 100 Adepts and 500 Battle Mages.

Thud! Thud!

"Yes, Sir!"

The Mages answered as the battle in the sky already started. They didn't bring any Airships or Steel Knights with them so they have to let the forces from Maja and Zairus take care of the air supremacy. 

They only have to focus on the ground forces of the aliens. 

"Hey… Avalon. Give me the timing to use our Forbidden Mana Spell."

[ Yes, Sir Ferhad. Just let the Mages that will participate stay on your back. ] 

"Hmm… Very well… We'll slaughter these fodders first from the Empire then."

Ferhad Hawraz, the second Grand Sage of Virgan, appears to be in his forties. He doesn't have a muscular body but his Robe that protects his body can probably endure a few hits from the alien's beam cannons. 

Their country is famous for creating top-quality Artifacts and each mage here has the highest quality of Artifacts suited for them. 

"Petrification!"

"Petrification!"

All the frontline Mages cast a similar spell… It is petrification magic that is categorized as a Grade 3 Mana Spell. 

Crack! Crack!

The armored soldiers started turning into stone! Because of the prior information they received, they have realized that Petrification Spells works well against the armored soldiers and Marauder Gears.

On the other hand, it is ineffective against the Mech Frames with powerful forcefield and Spaceships with a unique armor made of space alloy. 

Most of the spells being thrown to them were just being dispersed or their effectivity would bȧrėly affect them.

"Hmm?"

Ferhad noticed that a hundred or so Imperial Soldiers were hit by the petrification spell. It was successful and they started turning into stone…

However, the other soldiers behind them would just hit their fellow soldiers with a beam of light from their guns and the spell would be canceled!

'They didn't use this technique in the first offensive… Tsk… They're adapting too quickly.' The Grand Sage doesn't know what kind of gun they have but it seems that their technology is a grade higher than what he had thought. 

Soon, he noticed that the armors of the Imperial Soldiers would change their forms. They would fire their guns and rifles to the magicians but once they've gotten near, their armor would change to a close combat form.

There would be spikes and blades appearing that could deter the Magicians from battling from close range… Then, the soldiers would pull out a glowing sword and a single slash of their blade can cut the magicians in half!

Their Mana Shells couldn't even affect the speed of their swings.

'Magic Defense is not effective? This is bad…'

They have to avoid being hit by that sword until they learned how to counter it.

[ They are using Photon Swords. Close combat is not advice. Sending Automatons on your side to ȧssist. ]

[ ETA: 35 seconds ] 

Avalon quickly acted after noticing that the enemies have brought out the swords.

During the first offensive, this weapon wasn't used by many. Perhaps, the Empire is also worried that these advanced tech weapons would be in their hands.

Boom! Boom!

The Imperial Soldiers were unstoppable at this point. They could fire their Mana Spells, be it Fire Balls, Wind Blades, Earth Hold, and Water Vortex, they weren't able to see their expected results.

[ The enemies have entered their range. Both Maja and Virgan's special magicians can now use your Forbidden Magic. ] 

"Finally!"

The Grand Sage then gave his signal to start activating their forbidden spell. 

It will take them a minute to accomplish this and would easily garner attention. It wouldn't be surprising if the soldiers, Mechs, Khrusams, and Marauders Gears would focus on the group of mages.

Ferhad knows about this that's why he's been holding himself to cast any spell since the start of the battle. 

He needed to protect the magicians during that time and if he can, but the enemies were in the effective range of their spell. 

"Earth's Grip…"

"Wind Wall…"

"Flame Tower!"

Three spells were cast at the same time. He might be unlike Hayden who could cast 9 spells at the same time, but the power that his magic could make is still considered a lot stronger. 

The aliens realized that they could no longer advance forward… They are even enduring the heat of the Flame Tower that the Grand Sage cast. 

"Whoa~ Finally!"

"The Grand Sage made his move!"

"Everyone, gather here!"

"Heaven's Treatment!"

As soon as Ferhad used his skills, his soldiers know that the casting of the Forbidden Spell is starting. 

They gathered together and one of the sages who have healing magic quickly used it to treat most of the injured. 

Nevertheless, although Ferhad's skill could cover about six hundred meters in range, there are still other aliens who were now rushing to the 500 or so magicians casting the taboo magic.

"You will stay here!"

"Earth Wall"

The remaining adepts blocked the path of the soldiers.

Boom! Boom!

However, their magic is weaker compared to the ones cast by the Grand Sage. The armored soldiers were able to ignore their attacks!

'This is bad! They'll reach the mages!'

They have to quickly block them! 

They tried casting various spells and even started blocking them with their bodies!

Luckily, before the soldiers reached their forbidden spell casters, a group of powerful automatons and two Lotus Mech Knights managed to block them!

Avalon's help arrived in time!

They quickly used their Radiant Wave to deter the enemies and let the magicians continue their attack…

Finally, after successfully buying time, they have finished casting the spell!

"Twilight Invocation: Mana Storm!"

"Mana Haunt: Life Drain!"

At last, the two forbidden spells from Maja and Virgan were finally released!