309 Chapter 309: Reinforcements

"Be careful! More Gorgons incoming!"

I almost didn't hear the warning in time. The lieutenant's men heard him, however, and they immediately dove into cover, throwing themselves prone and snapping off las-beams in the direction of the approaching rank B monsters.

"They just keep coming, don't they?" Dong Fang Yue Chu growled in frustration. "There's no end to them!"

"Phantoms always appear in large numbers," Harrison Reed explained, his tone deceptively calm. However, I could see anger flare up in his blue eyes. "All the Dark Church has to do is round up a gigantic pack and they'll be able to artificially evolve thousands of rank F monsters into rank C or rank B, like those Banshees or Gorgons."

"Thank goodness they aren't so strong…if they were given the time to learn how to use their new powers, we would be screwed!" Theodore exclaimed.

"Then again, when that time comes, they'll start turning on each other in order to assert dominance," I remarked optimistically. Some people went mad with power, after all, and monsters were sort of similar.

"Richard, can you use that Perseus sword of yours again?" Harrison asked. I nodded and raised my red and gold Constellation weapon.

"Yeah, but I need a few minutes to cast Algol." Since we were constantly on the move, I couldn't just cast the spell and then hold it in suspension – it would reset itself the moment I left the hundred meter point from where I originally began casting it. The Constellation sword was another thing – I had kept it manifested and didn't dismiss it the entire time because I anticipated running into another bunch of Gorgons again.

And besides, Perseus was a powerful Constellation weapon, so even if I ran into other types of monsters such as Banshees, I could still use it to slice them up (though it would be more efficient if I just used my real swords).

What was the difference, you ask? Why wouldn't my Constellation spirits or weapons disappear if they exit the hundred meter boundary from the original position where I summoned them?

For one thing, they were counted as "completed" spells. When spells were completed and manifested in reality, they stayed in reality for as long as my mana could maintain them, no matter how much distance they traveled. Fireballs, monsters, mana projectiles, etc. – these successfully manifested spells had firmly taken root in reality and wouldn't so easily disappear. Thus you could hurl your fireball at a target over five hundred meters away without worrying that it would disappear after traveling a hundred meters. Or I could ride on Cygnus or Aquila and have them travel kilometers without fearing that they would disappear as long as I continue to supply them with mana.

However, incomplete spells or spells that hadn't been manifested were another thing altogether. As they hadn't been anchored in reality, their link to our dimension was tenuous at best. While we certainly could pause the casting of our spells in the same way we could pause downloads of files, because of their weak hold to reality, the moment we moved too far from the original casting position (hundred meters), the whole process would be terminated and reset. We would have to cast the spell from scratch again.

The downloading analogy would be useful again. It was like downloading a file – the moment you finished downloading a file and opened it, it would remain in your computer until you delete it (dismissing the spell or the spell being used up counted as auto-deletion). You didn't have to download the file (or in this case cast the spell) until you used it up. However, if you decided to pause your download for some reason, at say, 99%, and then keep it that, the moment you moved out of the hundred meter range, you sort of lose connection with the Wi-Fi, your download would get interrupted and you would receive a fail message, and you would have to download it from scratch all over again. And no, you couldn't just finish casting a spell and hold it in (that sounded…ugh). The moment you completed casting it, the spell would manifest, no exception. You could certainly pause at the 99% or 99.9% point, but if you reached the 100%, the spell would manifest in the same way a file would automatically open (well, I guess you had the option to not open it, but magic was slightly different and you were given no choice in the matter) once the download finished.

Otherwise everyone would be walking around with their ultimate spells forever suspended at 99.9%, and ready to fling them off immediately the moment they encountered a threat.

I could already see many readers complaining about the system and how it was stupid, probably because they were enraged that nobody could exploit the system. They were already unhappy about me not abusing the system or gaming it to summon healing Constellation spirits or doing all sorts of overpowered protagonist things where God Mode main characters went around stomping whatever poor opponent stupid enough to challenge him. Well, they could go read all those God Mode main character stories then. This wasn't one of them. I wasn't going to master every single type of magic in existence (which was the prerequisite to summoning those types of Constellation spirits in the first place).

"How long do you need?" Harrison asked, almost snapping me out of my reverie. I shook my head and glanced at him apologetically.

"Oh, well…a minute or two."

"Done. Don't join in the fight, leave it to us. I want you to take them out with one spell as soon as possible."

"Got it…"

I never got to finish my sentence. A roar overhead drowned out my words and caused all of us – including the monsters – to look upward. There was a hovercraft soaring above the ruined, smoking buildings of Troy, and someone leaped out of its open bay, descending in a storm of lightning. He was followed by similarly dressed figures, all of them clad in gleaming armor.

"Those are…"

For a moment, I was reminded of Adam Lacroix – so similar was the lead figure with that lightning mage that I mistook the two. They shared the same handsome features and somewhat noble bearing, but unlike Adam's dark hair, the newcomer's hair was golden blond, and his eyes were sky blue instead of chestnut brown. Furthermore, unlike Adam's casual dress, the newcomer was completely clad in knight-like armor.

"Charles Lacroix!"

Harrison gave voice to my thoughts when I realized I recognized the guy. Charles didn't respond. He was too busily focusing his attention on the enemy. Drawing his sword, he plunged the crackling blade into the middle of the gathered Gorgons, electrocuting all of them. Unlike Theodore Hammond's thunder attacks, Charles's spell was even more potent, outright disintegrating any Gorgon unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity.

The rest turned to flee. Harrison, Theodore, Yue Chu and I immediately engaged the Gorgons luckless enough to run in our direction, the rank B monsters no doubt thinking we would be weaker than the newly arrived assailant and therefore easier to break through.

They were sadly mistaken.

I didn't even bother with Algol. Their numbers were so reduced that there was little point in expending so much mana. So I beheaded the first one with Perseus. Theodore and Yue Chu worked together to electrocute and incinerate a trio of Gorgons that sought to petrify them, lightning and fire engulfing them voraciously and reducing the screeching rank B monsters into ash after much burning and shocking. Harrison cast a holy spell to entrap another Gorgon before I took its head off while it was terribly weakened by our team captain's debuffs.

The rest of the knights of Pendragon Academy landed around the area, cutting off the Gorgons' escape and systematically eliminating them one by one. Otherwise, the armored figures directed the panicking Gorgons into the overlapping fields of fire of the Hell's Hounds mercenaries, who had set up killing zones while the Fiends were distracted. Through concerted effort, we succeeded in getting rid the current population of rank B monsters.

"Phew!"

Yue Chu crashed down and wiped the perspiration from his face. Meanwhile, Harrison and I approached Charles, who was busily wiping the blood off the blade of his sword before sheathing it. He looked up and smiled.

"Harrison and Richard…was it? It's so good to see you guys again. When was the last time we met?"

"The Spiritual Road training camp," I reminded him. He nodded, his smile friendly and polite.

"You're right. It really has been a while."

"Pendragon Academy is helping out with the evacuation and rescue efforts as well? Harrison asked. He wasn't being rude, just curious. Charles didn't seem offended, and his smile revealed perfect white teeth.

"That's right. My cousin volunteered, and so the Lacroix clan mobilized to help. So here I am."

"We," one of the other knights murmured behind him. Charles nodded apologetically and amended his statement.

"Yeah, we. When my friends heard that there were people in dire need of our help, they stepped forward and offered their assistance too. I really appreciate their help." He glanced at us. "And yours too, of course. I didn't think there would be so many students from other academies helping out as well. It makes me so happy to confirm my belief in human nature."

"…uh, okay?" I wasn't sure how to respond to that. Yue Chu, Theodore and I shared bemused looks, but we wisely stayed silent. Harrison, more used to handling such diplomatic matters, took over without hesitation.

"Indeed. Speaking of which, we should hurry. The evacuaees shouldn't be far now. We're heading toward their last-known position." He glanced at me for confirmation, and I affirmed with a nod after consulting Troy's email, just to be on the safe side.

"With you guys here to reinforce us, we should be able to reach them more quickly, and safely evacuate the civilians out of the city!" the mercenary lieutenant exclaimed in relief. His subordinates were all gathering, their morale buoyant when they saw who had arrived. Even the Hell's Hounds were aware of Charles's identity as the second son of the legendary Lacroix clan, one of the ten great families in the Federation.

"You said cousin," Yue Chu blurted out while we resumed our journey. "Are you talking about Adam Lacroix?"

"Oh, you've seen Brother Adam?" Charles smiled and nodded. "That is correct. He was the one who volunteered, and thus inspired the rest of us to do the same. Where did you see him?"

"The Lake of Rage," Harrison replied. "He is currently helping the Holy Maiden of the Porter Clan contain and eliminate a swarm of Gyaragons."

Charles's face turned slightly pale. And rightly so, for the Gyaragons were feared rank A monsters with a notorious reputation. A swarm of them too…

"Don't worry. The last time we saw him, Adam was kicking ass." I grinned to assure him. The silver and blue knight nodded, relaxing a little.

"That indeed sounds like Brother Adam."

We rounded a corner and continued onward, for the Federation. Without even glancing at my smartphone, I knew we were nearing the area where Troy directed me toward. The sensors on my glasses were picking up an unusual amount of activity and movement ahead, as well as countless heat signatures.

They could either be friendlies or they could be hostiles. There was no way to tell. Stepping forward, I briefly made my report to Harrison, the mercenary Lieutenant and Charles. The commanders listened intently and contemplated.

"My men say the same thing," the mercenary lieutenant agreed, glancing at his aide, who nodded in confirmation. "I'll send a few scouts ahead to check them out. If they are monsters, then we'll pull back and find another way. Sir, please continue with your attempts to contact Mr. King."

"Yes, sir." I was uncomfortable being addressed as sir by an officer, given that the highest rank I had ever ascended to during my mandatory military service was corporal. I was never a good soldier. A hardworking one, at best, who took my orders seriously and never slacked off as much as possible (unless I was sick, or furthering my studies), but otherwise I held a healthy amount of respect for authorities and officers.

Hurrying away, I consulted my smartphone again, and Troy managed to pick it up. He grinned when he caught sight of me.

"Richie! How's your progress? Are you anywhere near us yet?"

"I hope so. I'm at the place where you told us to go to. Or nearby, anyway. Just checking in to make sure you guys haven't moved from that location, and the…uh, people we are picking up ahead of us are really you."

"Nope, we haven't moved. It should be us."

As if on cue, the coms crackled and a voice blasted out from the speaker. Without needing to ask, I immediately knew that it belonged to one of the scouts who had gone ahead to check on the signals we had detected.

"Sir! We've confirmed that the civilians are ahead of us! Should we proceed to establish contact?"

"Yeah, please do. Tell them we'll be there in five minutes." The mercenary lieutenant then hung up and turned to face his subordinates. "All right, people! You heard Zhen Cha! We're moving out!"

"Yes, sir!" everyone responded.

"We should go too," Charles added, turning to his armored friends from Pendragon Academy. Harrison nodded in agreement.

"That's right!" Yue Chu bounced up eagerly. "Time to get them out of this hellhole!"

"We'll be there soon," I reported to Troy. "Give us five."

"Sure. That's more than I could have hoped for, honestly…"

A sudden screech cut him off, and explosions ensued in the background. I saw fire flare across the wall behind Troy, even as he spun around to gape at the sudden turn of events. Off screen, the screams of civilians rose in a chorus, and the sound of a massive stampede as people sought to run and flee the attack thundered through the phone's receivers.

"Troy? What happened?!"

"Sorry, Richie. I've got to hang up now. He found us." Troy turned to look at me grimly.

"He…?"

I never got an answer. Amidst another explosion, Troy hung up and I was left staring at a blank holographic screen. Even as I dismissed the screen, I realized I could hear the detonations and shrieks from a distance.

"Damn it! Even though we are this close to reaching them!"

Cursing, I kicked a piece of debris, obliterating it. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to calm down and turned toward the direction of the explosions. I could see another cloud of fire blossom above a broken building, much like a volcanic eruption.

We had to hurry, or there wouldn't be anyone left to save…