How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 353

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“From now on, survival is the top priority, but retreat is not authorized. Squad 91A Manuela Kapell, Squad 98A Erich Reichenau, you are granted autonomous authority to evacuate and return only the wounded to the outside.”

 

I spoke while cutting through the vitriol.

 

Four of the six bishops are here, the other two elsewhere. After the lightning strike, they rushed to break Leo’s plant restraints and move quickly, so there’s a high chance the four-two groups couldn’t share information. They would have grabbed each other randomly and warped.

 

“Command Strategic Room, do you copy? Please have Bavaria’s Squad 91C and Squad 98B join Corviniano 794:354:495 and Squad 91B respectively.”

 

Slash—

 

A thick vitriol stem is cut down in front of Mecklenburg.

 

There are over twenty mages on our side in this location alone, and only four bishops. Despite this hopeful thought, screams could already be heard from somewhere. Channeling magical power into my sword, I transferred power to the vitriol rushing toward me and shouted.

 

“Farnese! Is there anyone here thinking ‘if we keep doing this here, our stamina will be back to zero’?”

 

[Huh?! Hahaha…]

 

Perhaps my expression was poor—I thought it was poor too—Narke let out a laugh while swinging his sword. Splash, the sound of vitriol falling was clear.

 

[—Enter through the narrow gate.]

 

[Crack—]

 

A beat late after Narke’s incantation came the sound of vitriol. Along with the sound of a blade grazing flesh, a Prelate’s anguished scream could be heard. Then the vitriol that shot out like a snake to ensnare our mages was purified and pushed back. Light created by Narke in the darkness quickly passed by the edge of my vision. What flew toward me and Mecklenburg were vitriol branches, and we struck them down while waiting for Narke’s answer.

 

[Hmm… The person who created this field is not here.]

 

“…”

 

Good, understood. Since their hope lies elsewhere, these four will never let us go even if they die. If they flee, we will naturally search this entire area. Especially since they learned of Leo’s abilities, and now that our side no longer needs to conserve abilities, Leo will use even more power than before. They can predict this much too, so they’ll try to buy time directly until the spatial magic user deploys magic at another location. I deflected the vitriol with the flat of my sword, pushed it to the ground, and cut it down.

 

Crash—!

 

The rough surface was severed, and vitriol burst like ink with a roar. I stamped my foot to push it away with a barrier and said to Mecklenburg.

 

“Senior, the four bishops aren’t clustered together but scattered among our twenty. They’re trying to prevent us from surrounding them.”

 

[One at 6 o’clock direction is amplification.]

 

Crash—!

 

“Why do you only call me Senior?”

 

Following Narke’s unique ability guidance, an attack came from somewhere, and Mecklenburg, who blocked it, made an unnecessary comment. That amplification ability user must be the one who led the other three here. I remained silent while looking at the bishop faintly visible through the vitriol erupting beside him.

 

[Aaaahhh!]

 

[…That one beside, the bishop at 8 o’clock can nullify magical power released into the air. One bishop moving around inside has stealth, and the other one is…?]

 

You can’t tell about the other one? Got it for now. The bishop using stealth as a unique ability must be the main cause of the screams raining down among us. However, that one isn’t the top priority yet. All the more so because it’s high difficulty.

 

I looked at the nullification ability user at 8 o’clock, that bearded Prelate.

 

“Let’s handle the 8 o’clock side first. Farnese, two from the Papal States.”

 

[Yes. …Ah~ received. Please provide support.]

 

Hearing that response, I thought we were fortunate not to be commissioned. And I thought it would be better never to be commissioned in the future. Either way, having Narke who can see through my strategy makes things much easier.

 

“Senior. Break away and go to 2 o’clock!”

 

Mecklenburg, who had channeled magical power into his legs, spun his sword to change it into a wand, then grabbed my arm and kicked off the ground. The moment we reached behind the target bishop who used nullification abilities in three leaps, light burst from Mecklenburg’s wand. The bishop’s bright blue eyes slowly turned toward us with killing intent in my vision. Like someone had turned off the power, the light from Mecklenburg’s wand disappeared instantly, and Narke aiming his wand from the opposite side of the bishop came into frame.

 

[…—Enter through the narrow gate.]

 

With the whisper, pitch-black vitriol spun fiercely and flew toward the target bishop and us beyond.

 

Crash—!

 

“…!”

 

The wand the target bishop had extended toward us instantly turned the opposite direction, toward where Narke was. His reaction speed was admirable, but…

 

‘Too late.’

 

The bishop’s expression hardened for an instant as he failed at friend-or-foe identification and couldn’t find his target. That instant is always both an obstacle and an indicator of victory. As soon as the vitriol touched the bishop’s body, it turned white and exploded with a roar. The bishop who nearly fell under mental manipulation magic staggered and widened his eyes, a chillingly thick plant stem flew toward his neck, and the light net of the white sword Narke had switched to approached in a semicircle. And ‘real’ vitriol was rushing toward our backs.

 

[—Enter through the narrow gate.]

 

[—Unless the Lord watches over the city…]

 

I felt time delay for everything as I lowered my body and turned around. The sound of flesh being cut and the Prelate’s scream, the sound of vitriol rising up as it replaced flesh. And the solemn incantations of the Arcane Mages, light exploding behind us…

 

Clang— Screech—

 

The amber magical power swirling around the blue-black blade touched the vitriol and flashed. Mecklenburg’s sword was faster. Whether the jacket’s outer fabric around my waist was melting, a terrible sound like cloth being corroded by acid came from below. Vitriol flew from something whose body was invisible. The moment it passed us, I channeled magical power into my legs, grabbed Mecklenburg’s arm, and landed in front of Leo. Seeing the plant enter the bishop’s mouth, seeing the bishop writhe his entire body trying to tear at the plant stem wrapped around his neck made my nape feel cold. It would be penetrating the airway and going down to the lungs. Killing him. Literally. And…

 

[Fear not, for I am with you.]

 

Crash—!

 

If we don’t kill him now, we’ll reach a point of no return. We must somehow eliminate one bishop to reduce them to three. Black mud covers the red barrier. Even though I’m pushing with all my might, the barrier’s light keeps fading. I gritted my teeth and thrust my wand down hard. Even in the midst of this, snake-like vitriol flew from behind, and Mecklenburg struck it down with an utterly disgusted expression. I glanced at Leo, who was staring fixedly at the bishop beyond the bursting lights, and shouted.

 

“Squad 91A! Divine protection!”

 

[—Thus says the Lord, behold, those who prophesy false dreams and speak…]

 

[Ugh, gack, cough…!]

 

“Senior. Please use your unique ability on the target!”

 

Meanwhile, massive vitriol pushed through the people and flew straight at us. It must be the stealth ability user’s attack. I bent down low, put my hand on the ground behind me, and pressed down on Leo who was manipulating plants with magical power. Leo’s gaze was still fixed not on me but on the bishop rolling in the distance. Mecklenburg grimaced like mad and extended his wand toward the bishop rolling on the ground. I struck down the vitriol obscuring Leo and Mecklenburg’s view while counting seconds.

 

Crash— Bang—!

 

Attacks too difficult to handle alone poured down. The moment Mecklenburg lowered his wand, the blood drained from the bishop’s face that had been red as if about to burst from pressure.

 

Crash—

 

I struck down the vitriol flying toward Mecklenburg. Black mud grazed my left arm as it passed, bringing intense pain. A few seconds later, the bishop’s arm fell to the ground, and his movement completely stopped. Leo, who had been under our cover, finally exhaled with a coldly hardened face and said.

 

“…One eliminated, three remain.”

 

[Aaaahhh! Ahh! Aaaahhh!]

 

Along with that came someone from our side’s pain-filled scream. That person will now be transferred to Bavaria’s hospital.

 

[Squad 98A Nina Mackensen has returned to Bavaria. Seventeen remain.]

 

[Squad 91C has arrived.]

 

“…”

 

We who were twenty-one now had only seventeen left, plus six from Squad 91C and one more Arcane Mage attached to each team, adding seven more. Now twenty-four people. What remains on the enemy side are the amplification ability user and the unknown person, and the stealth ability user…

 

“Disperse!”

 

It wasn’t me who shouted.

 

Crash—!

 

The sound of striking down the last incoming vitriol. Silence flowed after that. The bishops, having suffered one loss, had fled.

 

‘Hmm… That won’t do.’

 

I looked at the small mass blazing brightly at the edge of my vision in the distance. The fire started in the east was growing larger. In the southern forest where only lightning had struck without expanding the fire’s scale through oxygen, only smoke was visible, with no flames visible from here yet.

 

“We need to change strategy. Alexandra Schumacher, Julia Zehringen, move to the four corners of this coordinate system. Set fire to every place where trees are even slightly concentrated. We’ll drive them to the center.”

 

They answered briefly and warped.

 

Even driving them in, the ‘center’ is already sufficiently vast. I looked around this enormous plain and spoke.

 

“Wittelsbach, please search.”

 

Rumble—

 

Leo rolled his wand to change it into a staff and struck the ground. The earth moved like waves with life force. His pale magical power seeped into the plants moving against the wind direction—no, into the earth—and sparkled. It rippled like waves and advanced into the distance. A scene like moving the night sky to the ground continued.

 

Leo is the right person for searching and restraining bishops. Because Cheringen set fire to the forest, Squad 91’s Schumacher expanded that fire, and Leo prevented the bishops from escaping the burning forest, we could kill four at once. All sorts of natural variables from everywhere, split-second differences, blurred priorities, and carbon monoxide killed them. Beings we couldn’t easily kill in one-on-one combat, or even know if we could kill at all, we disposed of so easily.

 

‘Cheringen too, but… Leo especially must have had severe stamina consumption.’

 

He would have had to keep using his ability continuously so that no matter how much the bishops’ vitriol melted the stems, there would be no end. We can’t let it continue like that. We can’t let the bishops escape. I glanced at Leo searching for where magical power could be detected with sharp eyes and said to Mecklenburg.

 

“Senior. Please create a new space as soon as you find a bishop.”

 

“No matter how skilled I am at spatial magic, it would be easily broken against bishops.”

 

“Just restraining their feet for a moment is sufficient.”

 

Rumble— Crash—!

 

The world turned white and bright repeatedly from the light that fell in the distance. White pillars falling from the sky, following explosions, part of the sky turning red. Leo, who had been coloring the ground silver, raised his head.

 

“Three to the north of here, two to the south… no, they warped. They keep changing positions.”

 

“…”

 

I understand their intention. Unless an environment that seems advantageous to them is created, they’ll just continue this game of tag. I nodded and spoke to the people standing around.

 

“Considering the enemy’s unique abilities, the more we cluster together, the greater our advantage. So we’ll gather all teams including the two southern teams and divide in half to move to opposite sides of this space.”

 

“Understood.”

 

There’s something to consider here. I had commanded Squad 98A before and already knew all their unique abilities beforehand. Among them, wasn’t there one person with a useful ability regarding warp? There was one ability user who could move to any location they desired using just mental images and memories without memorizing coordinates.

 

“Instead, Squad 101’s Hohenzollern, Kleist, and Squad 98A’s Hindenburg will move separately. I, Squad 101’s Wittelsbach, and Squad 98A’s Mecklenburg will also move separately.”

 

* * *

 

Right, let me recall again.

 

As soon as I said that, doubt appeared on people’s faces. It’s certain that clustering together is advantageous, so isn’t moving in threes a disadvantage? That’s what their faces were saying.

 

Why did we need to divide into additional groups of three?

 

Simple. We needed bait.

 

Rumble—

 

“Gasp…! Quickly!”

 

With the wind, Squad 98A’s Hindenburg suddenly appeared before us, leading the many people we had separated from earlier, catching his breath. I grabbed the hands of Mecklenburg and Leo, who had been holding each other’s arms with disgusted faces, and seized Hindenburg’s wrist. At that moment, the texture of the wind changed and vitriol flew toward us. Ulrike’s sword crossed in front of me.

 

Slash— Crash—!

 

Since we needed bait, I created two teams—Elias’s team and my team… but they decided to attack Elias, Ulrike, and Hindenburg first instead of me, Leo, and Mecklenburg.

 

[The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens—.]

 

Kwaaaaang—!

 

[By his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew!]

 

As planned beforehand, Mecklenburg’s spatial magic unfolded. The two Pleroma in bishop robes—one must have been in stealth—and our side’s mages were still in the same plain as before, but it was different. This was a different space where warp was impossible.

 

‘…I’ve met those I encountered before once again.’

 

That means there’s still no bishop here who mainly handles spatial magic… I glanced at the amplification-capable bishop that Narke had mentioned earlier and spoke into the artifact.

 

“Squad 91B, C. Squad 98B. The bishop with magical amplification as his unique ability will attempt to escape outside. Mark him.”

 

[…?! How do you know that…]

 

Good. I’ll forget about the amplification bishop now. We’ve done our best by assigning three teams to one bishop. I spoke to Mecklenburg, who had a bewildered expression at my words.

 

“Senior. They’ll attempt to escape. Abandon the amplification one and target the remaining two again.”

 

Kugwagwagwang— Jjaeng—

 

Before I could finish speaking, the sound of cracking along with pouring rain filled my ears. Immediately, Mecklenburg’s voice was heard.

 

[The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens.]

 

[Where are you!]

 

Kwaaaaang—!

 

Along with Mecklenburg’s incantation, an unfamiliar spell was heard, and pitch-black Vitriol shot up in all directions. A massive dome-shaped Vitriol enveloped us. I muttered while looking at it.

 

“Seems our intentions aligned.”

 

Their dome and our spatial magic target the same subjects. We had two bishops in front of us. However, there was one problem: ‘we’ only included me and Mecklenburg.

 

“Do you have time to be saying such things?! The rest are outside!”

 

Right. I’m starting to understand. These two bishops know I’m the commander-in-chief. They think the two of them can finish us two off. The spirit to strike at the head is truly befitting of bishops. That means they plan to give their all here…

 

“Hindenburg, don’t enter the dome and stand by. Wittelsbach and the rest, please find the bishop who uses spatial magic and his colleague.”

 

[You who came rushing at me with all your might so that voice would reach even me, where are you!]

 

Kwagwagwagwang—!!

 

Following their incantation, the sound of Vitriol outside the dome thickening can be heard.

 

[Are you the worm trembling all over your body and crouching pathetically the moment my breath touches you?]

 

Ssaeak— Kwaaaaang—!!

 

Something like a blade made of Vitriol flew at us. I quickly swung my wand to deflect it and surveyed the surroundings. I cast a sound-blocking spell and shouted to Mecklenburg who would be behind me.

 

“Senior, obviously the key here would be the stealth user. Let’s target him first.”

 

“…”

 

Why no answer. Mecklenburg’s reaction was strange, so I turned my head toward him.

 

“…!”

 

Kwaaang—!!

 

I barely deflected a lump of Vitriol flying from the side and blinked rapidly.

 

‘…What. Hypnosis?’

 

One bishop keeps catching my eye. Somehow I can’t take my eyes off him. Mecklenburg was showing the same reaction as me. I realized intuitively. There was one ability user that Narke couldn’t identify at first glance. That must be this person. An ability user who interferes with the mind.

 

I can see Mecklenburg’s movements slowing down. I struck Mecklenburg’s shoulder hard and chanted a spell.

 

[And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world…]

 

Kwaaaaang— Jjaenggeulang—!

 

My attack was immediately shattered by Vitriol’s strike. I raised my arm to block the fragments of magical power and turned my head toward Mecklenburg, whose movements had become sluggish.

 

‘No…!’

 

Won’t this bastard come to his senses? I can’t handle two bishops’ attacks alone. Even if I mobilize Hindenburg to call colleagues into here, no, rather the situation would worsen even more if I did that. Unlike now when our needs partially align, if support comes, they’ll have sufficient reason to desperately break Mecklenburg’s spatial magic, and then naturally we’ll have to engage in another arduous chase. Also, seeing that Narke couldn’t immediately grasp that person’s ability, we don’t know what ‘level’ that bishop with mental-type unique ability is, so calling Arcane Mages is also dangerous.

 

‘…Let me try everything I can do first.’

 

I sharply turned Mecklenburg’s head to make him look straight at me. The moment he took his eyes off that bishop, Mecklenburg’s eyes widened as he frowned.

 

“That person…!”

 

Right, I knew the unique ability was dangerous before you did. I grinned and pressed his cheek.

 

“Does that wake you right up? You can’t live looking only at good things. Stop looking and get a grip…”

 

Kwaaang—!

 

I stomped my foot hard to create a dome-shaped barrier. Impact sounds from Vitriol hitting the barrier continued like crazy. The time I could hold out wouldn’t be very long. I opened my clutch and took out the hemostatic cloth inside, wrapping it over my eyes.

 

“You must already know what the problem is, Senior. Then wouldn’t it be enough to just not look at that face?”

 

“…Wait, are you sane…!”

 

“Right. I’m not sane.”

 

The sensation of my eyes rolling due to the cloth’s pressure was difficult. A deafening explosion, the barrier collapsed. Some piercing sound rushed right up to my nose, and some sword flew from behind to strike it down hard. Mecklenburg’s magical power regained its momentum. I opened my mouth along with that impact sound.

 

“So Senior will have to take responsibility and help me.”

 

“What unreasonable demand are you making?!”

 

“Then you should get your act together. Are you confident?”

 

“…”

 

“I’ve already trained like this often.”

 

In the past, I felt rebellious toward Leo who insisted on inconvenient training, but now I understand. In any way, we must train ourselves to the extreme. With my eyes covered, my other senses came vividly alive. The drowsy sensation from before was no longer felt, and my whole body moved more refreshingly than when my eyes were open. The coolness of Vitriol transmitted through my jacket felt several times stronger.

 

“So if Senior gets his act together and fights with the mindset of becoming my eyes, we can win. Do you understand?”

 

If there’s no other way, I’ll make him overcome this situation with mental strength too. I changed my wand to a sword and continued speaking.

 

“Come now, let’s test how many temptations Senior can overcome for my sake.”

 

“Wait…!”

 

It wasn’t worth listening to more. Sharp Vitriol from the stealth bishop was flying toward me. I pushed against the air rushing toward me and kicked off the ground.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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