The Archmage’s Destruction Strategy - Chapter 110

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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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#110. Stronger

-Vroom vroom vroom!-

Inside the Humvee with its engine running, ready to charge forward at any moment, a tense-faced soldier gripped the steering wheel.

‘When I see the signal flare, charge… When I see the signal flare, charge…’

The soldier was one of the lucky ones.

The Humvee he was in was among the ‘lucky’ equipment that Sung-jun had personally enchanted with magic to strengthen its external armor among the many vehicles mobilized for today’s operation, while other less fortunate soldiers were riding in regular vehicles that hadn’t undergone separate reinforcement processes or SUVs and pickup trucks requisitioned from civilian vehicles.

Of course, that didn’t mean Sung-jun had left all the non-reinforced vehicles defensively exposed to the enemy.

He had simply judged it more efficient to cast protective magic as needed rather than strengthening all the lightly armored civilian vehicles for the sake of efficiency.

While the 1st Assault Team composed of undead soldiers and the 2nd Assault Team composed of Awakened forces drew the attention of enemies sleeping underground, Sung-jun and the 3rd Assault Team composed of civilian soldiers were conducting their final briefing before executing the operation.

“As you all know, the first objective of this operation is to establish a defensive line with the armored forces here to prevent enemies from approaching while I recover equipment into subspace.”

Sung-jun had divided the 3rd Assault Team that would carry out the equipment recovery operation into three types based on the types of vehicles they were riding.

The ‘Breakthrough Team’ with strong engine output capable of pushing giant enemies with their vehicle bodies.

The ‘Defense Team’ with weak vehicle durability but powerful armaments capable of stopping enemy charges.

Finally, the ‘Recovery Team’ that would disembark in the operation area to gather operational equipment and bring it to where Sung-jun was located so he could work quickly.

“When the 1st and 2nd Assault Teams determine that the nests near the target point have been sufficiently activated, signal flares will go up. Then, using that signal as the starting point, the vehicle carrying me will take the lead, and the armored forces designated as the breakthrough team will charge at full speed toward the enemy.”

Sung-jun said, pointing to the map spread on the ground.

“If the operation goes well according to the original plan, we’ll have to deal with three nests. If we’re unlucky, it could be more, but the situation is still better than other places. However, this is by no means an easy operation.”

Sung-jun looked at the soldiers watching him with tense expressions.

Seeing the expressions of soldiers looking at him – some with eyes filled with resolve, others with fear – Sung-jun steeled his own determination.

‘I can’t save everyone.’

Sung-jun thought he had been complacent in Japan.

He had consumed too much time trying to minimize sacrifices, and because of that, the situation on the North American continent where he now was had become more serious than expected.

Of course, this wasn’t something that could be called Sung-jun’s responsibility, but from his perspective, he couldn’t help but think that if he had pushed himself more harshly in Japan, the situation in the United States wouldn’t have deteriorated to this extent.

“There will be many sacrifices. Perhaps among those present here now, there may not be a single person we can meet again after the operation ends. In the worst case, a situation where all personnel participating in this operation are annihilated could occur. I take pride in my own strength, but that doesn’t mean I think I can protect all of you.”

Sung-jun knew that quite a few soldiers harbored dissatisfaction toward him for forcing the reckless plan of advancing to the western region on the command.

And he also knew that no matter what he said, he couldn’t comfort their hearts as they had to risk their lives in this reckless operation.

Therefore, the only thing Sung-jun could do now was prove that he too was risking his life alongside them.

“However, I will make one definite promise.”

With eyes filled with firmer resolve than anyone else’s, Sung-jun spoke.

“I will stake my life and definitely defeat the Corrosion Entity that dominates the United States. So that the lives of those who will be sacrificed in today’s operation will never become worthless sacrifices.”

The moment Sung-jun finished speaking, a red signal flare flew up into the sky from beyond the distant horizon.

“Let’s go. To stomp those damn bug bastards to death.”

***

“Queeeeeeek!! Kieeeeeeek!!”

-Crash!! Crrrrrrrack!!-

An insect-type monster larger than an elephant charged at full speed toward the Abrams tank.

Then, with a loud collision sound, the tracks of the incredibly heavy tank began scraping the ground as it was pushed backward.

“A 1500 horsepower engine is being pushed back!?”

The moment the operator shouted in panic, a red-hot metal pillar flew from the sky and pierced through the body of the insect-type monster that had been pushing the tank.

Then the tank that had been sliding backward with a long trajectory began slowly pushing away the corpse of the dead Corrosion Entity.

“Die! You damn bug bastards! Drop dead!”

The M2 heavy machine gun, which had been active for over 100 years since 1921, spat fire like crazy, riddling the bodies of monsters charging toward the Humvee with countless holes.

Then another bug stepped on the corpse of the fallen bug and charged toward the Humvee.

“Don’t stop! Keep pouring it on!”

In the rain of bullets pouring down loud enough to deafen ears, Sung-jun did his best to support his allies.

He scanned the vast battlefield with magic, inputting information at a level that would make his brain burst into his head in real time, sought out powerful enemies that his allies couldn’t handle and launched Heaven-Piercing Spears at them, and cast protective magic on vehicles that seemed about to be torn in half by the giant teeth of Corrosion Entities.

Nevertheless, casualties continued to occur, and the number of enemies kept increasing endlessly.

The sight of enemies lined up endlessly, to the point where he worried about the situation of other assault teams that were holding back the feet of many more enemies rather than the allies here, had something that stimulated the fundamental fear lurking in the human psyche.

-Crash!!-

One tank that couldn’t withstand the endless offensive of enemies despite being magically reinforced stopped operating with an explosive sound.

Then the giant monsters surrounding the tank began dismantling it by biting through the entire armor.

Watching the incredibly sturdy tank turret being torn off like a plastic toy and the soldiers inside being dragged out alive and torn apart, the soldiers were forcibly suppressing the insane desire to escape this place immediately and flee to a safe base.

The biggest reason they could barely suppress their instinct to run away even in the face of mortal terror.

It was because of Sung-jun’s presence, fighting in front of them in a manner reminiscent of a mad dog.

-Crash!!!-

When Sung-jun swung both arms, dozens of magic circles were created and countless beams of light poured down toward the enemies like a meteor shower.

And when he swung his arms once more, the barrel of the heavy machine gun that had heated up enough to burst into flames from excessive firing instantly cooled down.

The battlefield that Sung-jun orchestrated was a strange battlefield.

The moment they worried about running out of bullets, ammunition boxes flying through the air moved to the soldiers’ sides on their own, and the moment enemies appeared that could deflect heavy machine gun bullets, metal pillars with tremendous power pierced through the enemies.

Monsters trapped by unidentifiable green sticky substances unable to move, and monsters writhing madly in unextinguishable flames, transferring the flames to other bugs around them.

However, the magic that boosted the soldiers’ courage more than any attack magic was the mental support spell that Sung-jun had cast on all 3,000 civilian soldiers.

“I’m on the highway to hell~ On the highway to hell~”

Incongruously with the terrible battlefield scene, a soldier pouring bullets at enemies hummed a song.

Then the soldier holding the steering wheel below him said to him.

“Highway to Hell? Isn’t that an AC/DC song?”

“That’s right. What about you, Sergeant?”

“I’ve got Kelly Clarkson’s Stronger.”

“Ah, that song’s good too. Should set a nice mood.”

The mental spell Sung-jun had cast on all soldiers was one that forcibly played music in their heads that would most greatly boost their morale in the chilling battlefield situation.

So that in this hellish battlefield filled only with screams, explosions, the terrible sound of metal being forcibly torn apart, and deafening intense gunfire, they could feel as if they had become the protagonists of a movie.

Of course, it didn’t have enough effect to completely ignore the death unfolding before their eyes, but the nostalgia evoked by songs they loved during peaceful times was considerably alleviating the fear of soldiers on the battlefield.

“By the way, isn’t that mage Sung-jun really amazing?”

A soldier replacing an empty ammunition box with a new one said.

Being somewhat removed from the most dangerous front lines, they had more leisure to converse than the soldiers at the very front.

Then the soldier gripping the steering wheel below him answered his question.

“In what way?”

“The music we’re hearing now is also being provided by that mage through magic, right? Since it’s music played in our heads by magic, we can have normal conversations in this noisy battlefield separate from the song sounds. But he cast such magic on all 3,000 people. Moreover, he himself is defeating more monsters than all the remaining soldiers combined at the most dangerous front line.”

“That’s true. He is amazing. However, no matter how strong he is personally, I think it’s inconsiderate to drag other people into that strength.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, is there really a need to insist on advancing to the western region while accepting such sacrifices? Of course, if he had the ability to face all enemies alone, I’d want to tell him to fight by himself, but he’s not that strong. That’s just mediocre strength.”

“Ah, you were in the opposition, Sergeant. That’s unexpected. Since you usually enjoy reading superhero comics, I thought you’d like that type of person.”

“I don’t call someone who forces sacrifices on civilians to uphold their own justice a superhero.”

“Is that so? I think differently.”

“Why?”

“Not all superheroes operate alone. Some receive help from sidekicks, and when necessary, they form hero teams like the Avengers or Justice League to fight. I think like this.”

The soldier who had connected a new ammunition belt to the machine gun said while roughly pulling the charging handle.

“What determines whether someone is a hero isn’t the strength they possess, but whether they sacrifice themselves ahead of others with righteous goals. And by that standard, I think the man named Ma Sungjun has sufficient superhero qualities.”

The soldier holding the steering wheel looked at Sung-jun fighting beyond the vehicle window.

There was the figure of a great mage fighting the monsters swarming madly with more intense resolve than anyone else.

“I see. Then are we also a kind of heroes?”

“Pardon?”

“We’re fighting to save citizens suffering from monsters.”

“That’s right. Then let’s call ourselves sidekicks. No matter how I look at it, the hero of this battlefield seems to be that man. Look.”

The soldier who had pumped a pile of bullets into a monster that broke through the defensive line and charged at the vehicle turned his head to look toward where Sung-jun was and said.

“It looks like our ‘hero’ has reached the target point.”

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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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