NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 126: Romeo
Twice, colossal spells were cast upon the fortress.
These were unlike any magic Romeo had ever witnessed, rewriting the very concept of 'magic' itself. If common bandits wielded such power, nations and territories would cease to exist.
Such was the magnitude of their might—yet, despite this immense power, the fortress's outer walls stood resilient, even after taking the full brunt of the spells.
The sheer incomprehensibility of what had transpired left everyone on the battlefield stunned—everyone except the silver-haired man who had cast the spells.
"Hmm... as I thought, it's not working. The magical shockwaves are ineffective. What kind of structure is this? Well, no matter. A physical assault on the gates or walls will be faster. Commander, I'll use smaller-scale magic arrows to suppress their ballistae. In the meantime, ready the battering ram—"
No, something was wrong.
An inexplicable sense of danger gripped Romeo, and he instinctively dropped to the ground, using his shield as cover.
"—Ah, this could be bad."
The silver-haired man's voice rang out with unusual clarity. Though Romeo, lying prone, couldn't see much, it seemed the man had conjured an earthen wall around himself using earth magic, a common defense against projectiles. Romeo had encountered such magic before when battling rogue mages turned bandits.
The ground exploded.
A deafening roar and a shockwave followed. In the next instant, Romeo felt something hard and heavy strike his shield repeatedly.
The rapid succession of impacts—bam, bam, bam—registered in his ears, or perhaps he was just imagining the sound from the sensation of shockwaves and the battering against his shield.
Simultaneously, screams filled the air.
Maintaining his turtle-like position under the shield, Romeo picked up one of the hard, heavy objects that had rolled to his feet.
A sharp piece of iron... probably.
What caused the ground to explode and scatter such debris?
Feeling the immediate danger had passed, Romeo stood up, holding his shield protectively, and surveyed the situation.
It was a gruesome sight.
The hill had been rigged with explosive traps, which had scattered sharp iron fragments with explosive force. Though the fragments weren't powerful enough to penetrate bodies entirely, the soldiers' tight formation meant many were shielded by the bodies of those in front, leaving some miraculously unscathed. Romeo's frontline unit was close to the 'explosive ground,' but not everyone was incapacitated.
However, their numbers were certainly reduced, including those of key figures like the unit captain. The real issue wasn't the casualties, but the chaos that disrupted their carefully arranged formation, preventing coordinated action.
"Lord Blitz!"
A figure leaped over the heads of the disoriented soldiers with surprising agility—a woman with tanned skin and blonde hair, carrying a bow.
The silver-haired man, having dispelled his earthen barrier, first scanned the surroundings before turning his gaze to the newcomer, a misplaced smile on his face.
"More devious than I expected. We'll retreat. This was ground zero, so there shouldn't be another explosion. You stay here and suppress their ballistae. Don't forget to retreat when the time is right. Overall command... Sir Berk is in the rear. He'll handle the rest."
With that, the silver-haired man inexplicably turned to Romeo, waving as if he'd spotted an acquaintance during a leisurely afternoon stroll.
"You there, young man. Things are quite chaotic, but hang in there. They've set traps, let us take the initiative, defended successfully, and then sprung their trap. So—"
He pointed towards the fortress.
The gates had swung open, and a legion of beastmen was charging out.
"—this is what happens. Well, good luck."
With a final flourish of his hand, like ending a song, the silver-haired man walked away casually, as if continuing a stroll. His horse lay on the ground, having been struck by the iron shrapnel.
"Form ranks! Prepare for the beastmen's charge! No significant damage to the main force! The operation continues! The operation continues!"
Someone shouted orders.
At the same time, the battle cries of the beastmen echoed from the fortress.
...This might really be it, Romeo thought.
