The Archmage’s Destruction Strategy - Chapter 104

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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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#104. Misunderstanding

“Is that the Skeleton Army?”

Watching the army of skeleton soldiers advancing in a scene reminiscent of Lord of the Rings, ‘Ryan Cooper’, platoon leader of the Western Region Defense Force 3rd Reconnaissance Unit, muttered.

Holding binoculars, he was monitoring the enemies from a distance beyond their line of sight.

“Captain. All squad members are ready.”

“What about Lucas?”

“Standing by at sniper position. Ready to fire at any time.”

“Hold position for now. A group of Level 4 Corrosion Entities is approaching in the direction the enemy is heading.”

“Good. Formation is the same as always. Thompson, Danny, Marcus, Walker, Ramirez to the front. Sam and Miller provide support from the center with drones, and the rest provide cover from long range.”

“You’re calling us ‘the rest’ again. Why do you always call the support team ‘the rest’? It hurts the support team’s feelings.”

“Hayes, Carter, Collins, Kevin, Miguel, Lucas provide support from long range. Happy now?”

“Hehe… yes sir.”

“Then everyone to positions. Don’t engage until I give the order.”

Watching the squad members in exoskeleton suits quickly move to their designated positions, Captain Cooper raised his binoculars again.

To observe the armored knight who appeared to be the commander of the skeleton army.

The person he was watching wasn’t Sung-jun, who was still struggling awkwardly to handle his horse, but the massive armored knight protecting Sung-jun’s side, Karcerion.

***

“Guests have arrived.”

Though they probably didn’t expect it, Sung-jun had already noticed the U.S. military’s approach.

The wide-range detection magic Sung-jun had deployed was sensitive enough to detect all movement within a 20-kilometer radius.

Watching the movements of what appeared to be an Awakened special forces unit, Sung-jun spoke to Karcerion.

“They don’t seem like they’ll attack, do they?”

“They appear to be in an observation phase. They’re probably planning to attack after assessing our combat strength.”

“I’d like to avoid unnecessary fighting…”

After thinking for a moment, Sung-jun ordered the skeleton army advancing toward the Corrosion Entity group to halt.

Then he flew up from his horse into the air and headed toward where the Corrosion Entities were.

“Are you giving up on horseback riding?”

“Movement is one thing, but combat would be too difficult.”

Their opponent’s purpose was probably to assess the skeleton army’s combat capabilities.

To attack immediately after completing a rough assessment of their fighting strength.

To prevent this, Sung-jun chose to demonstrate overwhelming force that would make them not even dare to attack.

“Flame Prison Formation.”

As Sung-jun spread his arms and chanted the activation phrase, dark red flame barriers shot up from the empty ground.

Massive flame barriers large enough to be clearly visible to the naked eye even from several kilometers away.

The wall of flames that rose in the form of a cage to trap beasts began to surround the approaching Corrosion Entity group and spew forth intense heat.

“Heavenly Fire Annihilation.”

As Sung-jun crossed his outstretched arms and bent them inward, a rain of flames began pouring down inside the flame cage summoned by the Flame Prison Formation.

The dense streams of flame rain, leaving no space to escape, burned the Corrosion Entities’ flesh whole like burning oil.

“Kweeeeeeek!!!!!”

“Krwaaaaaak!!!”

Unable to endure the pain of burning alive, the Corrosion Entities threw their massive bodies to break through the flame walls, but the flame walls Sung-jun summoned caused huge explosions the moment the multi-ton Corrosion Entity bodies touched them, bouncing the charging Corrosion Entities back in the opposite direction.

As if the burning walls themselves were massive chunks of explosives.

Watching Sung-jun easily eliminate the Corrosion Entity group with what looked like a fireworks display on the ground, Ryan Cooper, observing from afar, couldn’t close his mouth.

[Captain, what… is that?]

Through the communicator in Cooper’s ear came the voice of Lucas Bennett, Cooper’s squad member and sniper.

He seemed to be observing the enemy through his scope for sniping.

[According to reports, weren’t we supposed to face an enemy force of 20,000 skeleton soldiers? That’s completely different from what we heard.]

“That doesn’t change what we have to do.”

[No, this is impossible. How do we take that down? A few waves of his hand from long range and we’ll all be charcoal.]

“We still have to do it.”

Gripping his binoculars so hard they made a cracking sound, Cooper said.

“If we let that thing approach the base, the U.S. military units in the western region will be annihilated.”

Sung-jun’s intention to break the enemy’s fighting spirit by demonstrating overwhelming firepower had failed.

Instead, seeing Sung-jun’s abilities made Cooper feel an even greater sense of crisis, causing him to recognize Sung-jun as a target that must be eliminated.

Ryan Cooper recalled the terrible memories from D-day and spoke to his squad members.

“All personnel prepare for combat.”

[Are you really planning to fight?]

“We won’t fight immediately.”

Cooper said.

“When I raise the flag, attack immediately.”

Having said that, Ryan Cooper lowered his binoculars and stood up.

Strapped across his back as he walked toward Sung-jun’s direction was a massive spear that didn’t suit a modern soldier.

***

“I am Captain Ryan Cooper, platoon leader of the US Western Region Defense Force 3rd Reconnaissance Division! If you’re willing to talk, I’d like to have a conversation!”

About 200 meters from the skeleton army, a soldier with a spear on his back shouted loudly.

Seeing the man, Sung-jun and Karcerion approached near the man.

“Sorry, but for safety reasons, please don’t advance any further. It’s for my safety, but also for yours.”

Hearing the man’s words, Sung-jun and Karcerion stopped moving with the skeleton army behind them.

Cooper, who breathed a sigh of relief in his mind, bowed and said.

“I’m glad we can communicate. Let me introduce myself again. I am Captain Ryan Cooper, platoon leader of the US Western Region Defense Force 3rd Reconnaissance Division. Are you the leader of these skeleton soldiers?”

Ryan Cooper was looking at Karcerion, not Sung-jun.

This made sense because although Sung-jun had demonstrated flashy magic, a mounted knight suited the role of ‘soldiers’ leader much better than a mage.

Karcerion, who was pointed out by Cooper, pulled his horse’s reins and said.

“I am Karcerion, faithful servant of the great mage Ma Sungjun on my left. He is the master of the skeleton army and the rightful heir of the Lion’s Key.”

“I’m Ma Sungjun. A mage-class Awakened from South Korea, and the women behind me are my disciple and companion.”

“Ma… mage? Did you just say mage?”

“That’s right.”

“As far as I know, there was no mage profession among the Awakened.”

“Well, it’s a profession with a story. It’s normal that you don’t know since it’s such a rare profession. As far as I know, my disciple behind me and I are the only mages remaining on Earth. There’s one other person who can use magic, but they’re not a formally trained mage.”

“Then was the attack that burned those monsters earlier also a type of ‘magic’?”

“That’s right. And the ability to command skeletons is also a type of magic.”

“Fascinating. You’re the first Awakened I’ve met who calls themselves a mage.”

Fortunately for Cooper, the man calling himself a mage was saying that the suddenly appeared army of 20,000 skeletons were his summons.

“If they’re summons, is it possible to dismiss them?”

“It’s possible.”

“Then for safety, please dismiss them.”

Sung-jun sent the 20,000 skeleton army back to subspace without much resistance.

Then he spoke to Karcerion standing beside him.

“I’ll call you again later if needed.”

“I await my lord’s summons.”

Watching the mounted knight disperse like mist, Cooper said.

“Was that mounted knight also a summon?”

“Called Annihilation Knight Karcerion. An undead knight.”

‘Why hasn’t someone with this level of ability been known until now?’

Despite the army of 20,000 skeletons disappearing like mist before his eyes, Cooper felt even greater psychological pressure.

The fact that he had dismissed the skeleton army so easily despite the request made it feel like Sung-jun’s confidence that he could easily handle someone like Cooper even without the skeleton army’s help.

Cooper calculated in his head whether the two-division-sized force currently deployed could stop the man before him if he turned hostile, then spoke to Sung-jun.

“Now that the nearby dangers have been somewhat cleared, let’s start a proper conversation. We came here to understand your purpose.”

“Purpose…”

“We came to confirm whether you’re enemy or ally.”

“I’m not an enemy.”

“You speak with such confidence.”

“Of course. If you were my enemy, you would already be dead. For reference, when I say ‘you,’ I’m including the 13 people hiding nearby and the two division forces waiting behind that hill over there.”

Cooper raised his eyebrows upon hearing Sung-jun’s provocative words.

“Are you saying that the military force of the skeleton legion you command is stronger than the troops I brought?”

“That’s not what I mean.”

Sung-jun said.

“I mean that the troops you brought are something ‘I alone’ can handle. Without needing to borrow the hands of the skeleton soldiers.”

[Captain. Give us the order. I’ll blow that arrogant Oriental bastard’s head off right now.]

[Lucas. Dr. Kevin is also Asian. That kind of comment isn’t good.]

[Kevin’s different. He’s got a Yankee soul.]

Cooper showed a bitter smile upon hearing his subordinates’ voices echoing through the communicator.

He thought that even the subordinates who were chattering now wouldn’t be able to spout nonsense like ‘I’ll blow his head off’ if they stood before this man called Sung-jun like he was.

The intangible aura emanating from the man before him was at such an overwhelming level.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Cooper, asking for Sung-jun’s understanding, turned around and bent down while pressing the button on the communicator in his ear.

Then he spoke to his subordinates who would be watching him from afar.

“Don’t do anything unnecessary. You guys watching from a distance might not know, but this man Sung-jun in front of me is an Awakened much stronger than you think.”

As if shocked by their captain’s behavior that seemed frightened, the voices of squad members clearing their throats burst out from here and there.

[Ahem…]

[Is he that strong?]

[I think this is the first time I’ve heard the captain say something like that?]

[The person who used to charge at level 7 Corrosion Entities saying he’d crack their heads open with a can opener…]

For his subordinates who still couldn’t properly grasp the situation, Cooper called the hiding Guards to his side.

He thought experiencing it firsthand would be the best way to prepare for any possible incidents that might accidentally occur.

As the search team members called by Cooper revealed themselves one by one, Sung-jun’s eyes sparkled as he watched them.

‘Is the entire squad made up of Awakened? They seem quite strong.’

As expected of the United States, perhaps.

Captain Cooper’s subordinates who revealed themselves were all emanating strong auras without exception.

If he had to compare, each one was at a level similar to Japan’s Raid Clan Masters.

The problem was that individuals strong enough to lead an organization were gathered together in a single squad.

If the abilities of the Awakened before him represented the average of American Awakened, then if more than 30 gathered, they could become a threat that would make even Sung-jun struggle.

Sung-jun adjusted upward the average of American Awakened he had estimated in his mind and spoke to Cooper.

“Is that level normal for American Awakened?”

Cooper’s pupils trembled slightly upon receiving Sung-jun’s question.

Then he rapidly changed his expression and spoke to Sung-jun.

“That’s right.”

‘A lie.’

While Sung-jun once again adjusted downward the average of American Awakened he had drawn in his mind, the 3rd Search Team members who had revealed themselves approached Sung-jun.

The expressions of those who approached changed in various ways moment by moment as their distance from Sung-jun narrowed.

From wariness to shock, from shock to fear.

Finally, when they arrived right in front of Sung-jun, they had expressions as if they were looking at a demon who had walked up from hell.

“Are you human?”

Watching the soldier who unconsciously asked a question that might be rude, Sung-jun smiled.

“I’m human. At least for now.”

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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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