CH 198.1

Chapter 198.1. War

-???’s POV-

In a location away from Takano Miu and others.

There was a unit flying through the sky, gradually surrounding their target.

Dividing into two squads, they aimed to encircle from the north and south, blocking any escape routes.

There were 10 magic combat helicopters.

They had a streamlined design without wings, with missile pods attached to the sides and large machine guns mounted underneath.

“We have confirmed the signal flares. Proceed with the planned encirclement.”

One of the squad members reported.

“This is Squad 1. The enemy has already stopped. It seems our operation gets compromised.”

Another voice responded.

Those individuals were clad in dark magic armor resembling black robes.

They wore visors on their faces and wielded weapons called Graves with sharp blade tips.

The shoulder guards bore the design of winged snakes, with fanged mouths and radiant red dragon eyes, creating an eerie and terrifying sight.

That design was evidence of Nidhogg.

The magical armor they wore was the Agito, a mass-produced model exclusively made for Nidhogg.

They flew in a disciplined formation, moving with synchronized precision like migrating birds.

“Very well. Launch long-range attacks once the target engages the monsters in combat.”

The squad leader issued orders while observing the distant target.

“Captain, isn’t relying solely on long-range attacks a bit cheap?”

One of the subordinates made a cheeky comment, resembling that of a delinquent.

In response, the captain shrugged and twisted his mouth.

“Yeah, you’re right. But consider this. Egil-sama’s undying legion, the monsters prepared by Solomon, and the experimental machines of Surtr. Do you want to engage in combat while being surrounded by those?”

“Aw, hell no. We’d get crushed in a chaotic melee.”

“And with the already poor visibility in the forest, our movements would get severely restricted. It would be pitying the enemy.”

The captain replied.

“You have a point. That’s why we stick to long-range attacks. It’s an easy job.”

The soldiers chuckled with apparent delight, discussing how they would spend the gold they were about to acquire.

A relaxed atmosphere filled the air, but that atmosphere shattered along with a loud explosion.

Near the location of the distant target, violent gusts of wind accompanied by an explosion powerful enough to shake the surrounding air erupted, blowing away the trees.

“W-What just happened?”

“Look, the forest has completely disappeared!”

The soldiers exclaimed in dismay as they turned their gaze toward the vicinity of the target.

Where the forest should have been just moments ago, it vanished, leaving behind an open space.

The target’s unit began deploying and forming defensive formations on the cleared ground.

“What was that just now!? We need to launch long-range attacks immediately!”

Before the captain could finish his sentence, a flash pierced through his body.

Staggering, the captain checked his body and let agony cry upon seeing the mithril arrow piercing through, penetrating his magic barrier.

“A-Arrow?!”

As he tried to grab and pull out the arrow, it began to shine brightly, illuminating his face. Fear contorted his expression.

“This is bad! It’s going to-”

Unable to complete his words, the arrow triggered a massive explosion.

The captain’s aircraft disintegrated into fragments, scattering pieces of magical armor and flesh, blown away by the powerful blast.

“Captain!”

“Enemy on the ground! Gaah!”

“Watch out, archer! Gah!”

From within the densely forested area, more arrows of light get unleashed, piercing through the soldiers flying in the air, causing them to explode one after another.

Caught off guard by the unexpected ambush, the Nidhogg soldiers fell into disarray, unable to launch an attack on their target.

Amidst the towering trees in the forest, a girl sat on her knees on a tree branch, holding an emerald green bow.

“We’ve successfully ambushed the enemy. Strike the confused enemy… I’m sleepy.”

She was a well-featured girl with vivid emerald green hair tied up in twin tails, but unfortunately, her face was partially covered in camouflage paint, diminishing her cuteness.

Clad in the magical armor called Wartan, which she had assembled with attachments tailored to her petite yet model-like figure, she lazily curved her mouth like a sleepy cat.

The girl’s name was Shina, one of the 9 Heroic Spirits and an archer.

“There are 100 enemies and five helicopters. What’s the quota?”

She reached out to the quiver on her shoulder, took a mithril arrow in her hand, and aimed at the flying enemies with a beautiful posture.

“I have 30 arrows. Let’s assume we can take them down with one shot…” Shina locked onto an enemy and exhaled with a lazy expression.

“Such a hassle.”

[Aerial Seed]

After plucking the string, the arrow shone brightly as it accurately pierced through the enemy. Then, the delayed wind magic contained in the arrow triggered a massive explosion, shattering and obliterating the enemy soldiers.

The spell’s structure of magic that surpasses magic barriers would be significantly disrupted and fail to activate. However, Shina’s magic was different.

Even after surpassing magic barriers, her magic maintained its structure without major disruption, allowing her to activate the subsequent magic in the arrow. It was Shina’s special skill. She could tightly condense the magic structure like a gem using it.

Ordinary magicians would not and could not perform such precise structuring. Shiina was an exceptional genius archer with extraordinary mental and concentration abilities.

[This is Yashibu. Leave the enemies in the south to me, understood. Yes.]

A lean man with sharp, sword-like eyes and glasses appeared before her, smiling brightly.

[The helicopters are probably impossible. They’re too tough, and I don’t have enough arrows. Besides, I’m sleepy.]

[I feel the same way. We’ll have to let the helicopters pass, I suppose. Yes.]

Before Yashibu, who chuckled wryly, Shina nodded with her drowsy eyes and swayed her twin tails.

[Alright, so the soldiers are our quota.]

[That’s right. Let’s leave the helicopters to our god. We will exterminate the enemy soldiers while also promoting the Wartan. Understood. Yes.]

[Roger. After this, I’ll go back and sleep on a soft bed.]

She kicked a branch and swiftly left the spot, rotating her body with bullet-like speed.

[Dark Blade]

A long, slender blade of darkness, as big as a person, pierced the tree branch where Shina had been. The branch crumbled into pieces, losing its vitality and decaying.