The Archmage’s Destruction Strategy - Chapter 117

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#117. Two-Seater

-CRAAAAAASH!-

With a sound like unyielding steel being torn asunder by raw force, one arm of the colossal steel golem was violently wrenched away.
In that same instant, the insectoid Corrosion Entities swarmed over the steel golem as it lost its balance from the violent pull, their razor-sharp fangs bared in a feeding frenzy.
Beneath the crushing bite force of Corrosion Entities powerful enough to tear through magically reinforced armor, fragments of the golem scattered in all directions.
Along with the severed limbs of a human Guard—presumably the Pilot controlling the golem.
In that moment, the will of the Guard, who had refused to surrender even unto death itself, left its mark of resistance upon the earth in a tremendous explosion.

-BOOOOOOOM!!-

The steel golem’s body, constructed entirely of ultra-hardened magical armor, was itself equivalent to a massive claymore mine.
Not only did the mana reactor supply power to move the dozens of tons of heavy frame, but each magical formation hidden beneath the armor was designed to function as a detonation device.
The magical formations that Sung-jun had inscribed were even designed to trigger simultaneous detonation the moment the self-destruct magic activated, even after being torn from the main body.
The armor plates, already scattered in fragments among countless enemies, detonated in a massive explosion the instant the self-destruct magic triggered, reducing all surrounding Corrosion Entities to minced flesh.

“SHRIEEEEEEK!!”

The Monsters, startled by the sudden explosion and recoiling backward, let out furious shrieks and charged toward another golem.
As they did, the U.S. Military’s defensive line, which had been holding back the melee assaults of the massive Corrosion Entities by positioning large golems at intervals, began to collapse rapidly.

“Any later and we would have been in serious trouble.”

Sung-jun, who had arrived at the battlefield with four hundred golems created by Barden, muttered as he observed the allied defensive line that looked as though it might crumble at any moment.
Then Barden, standing beside him with a swollen face, opened his mouth in clear displeasure.

“If you had simply cast healing magic properly, we could have arrived much faster…”
“Silence.”
“Yes, sir.”

With a single word, Sung-jun silenced Barden and turned to look behind him.
There stood massive steel knights, each standing ten meters tall—more than twice the size of the four-meter steel golems deployed on the battlefield—awaiting Sung-jun’s command.

“We will now secure space on the battlefield according to the instructions given beforehand. The objective is to create enough space in the enemy’s midst to accommodate all allied forces.”
“Leave it to us.”
“We must join up quickly before our allies are completely annihilated. Charge!”

Observing the steel knights poised as though they might charge forth at any moment, Sung-jun nodded in acknowledgment.
Then, extending his hand toward the battlefield, he spoke.

“All forces, charge.”

The instant Sung-jun’s command fell, the thunderous sound of four hundred steel giants striking the earth obliterated the roars of hundreds of thousands of monsters from the space around them.

***

The four-meter steel golems I created and the ten-meter steel golems Barden created borrowed the same fundamental design, yet they possessed fundamentally different characteristics.
First, unlike my golems which were piloted by a single operator, Barden’s golems were two-seater units requiring two people to operate simultaneously.
And unlike my golems, which were equipped primarily with long-range weaponry, his were outfitted with colossal swords and shields forged from melted tank armor.
Of course, the tensile strength of metals produced by modern humanity could not withstand the impact of a ten-meter steel golem’s swing, so the swords and shields wielded by the giant knights were crafted from special alloys incorporating dwarven technology.
Furthermore, unlike my armor—composed of tank plating reinforced through magic—Barden’s modified steel knights featured composite armor layered with dwarven steel, special alloy steel, and magical armor stacked in succession.
In exchange, the inevitable disadvantage was that the unit’s size had to increase to bear the weight of the absurdly thickened armor, but on a battlefield of this nature, immense size and weight were advantages rather than drawbacks.
With that tremendous mass and scale, they could effortlessly shove aside large Corrosion Entities exceeding ten meters.
As approximately four hundred massive golems surged onto the battlefield, the tide of war, which had been turning against us, reversed instantaneously.

“Reinforcements have arrived!!”
“Go! Kill them! Throw those bastards down!!”

The superhuman strength of the steel golems—hefting massive insectoid monsters weighing dozens of tons and hurling them vast distances—possessed sufficient impact to elevate our forces’ morale from rock bottom to the heavens.
The sight of countless smaller monsters’ bodies bursting beneath the falling colossal beast’s corpse planted the word “victory” in every ally’s mind.

“You held admirably. I shall take command from here.”

As I flew across the battlefield to Captain Cooper’s side and spoke, he dropped the spear he had been holding.
Then, with both arms hanging limply and his voice trembling, he addressed me.

“Ordinarily, I would have cursed you for appearing so late, but if the reason for your tardiness was to construct those massive robots, I have no choice but to understand. They certainly appear to be formidable reinforcements.”
“My apologies. I could not arrive sooner.”

I bowed my head and apologized to Captain Cooper.
Captain Cooper then shook his head and spoke.

“It is well. By the way, who is the person beside you…? They appear to be quite severely wounded….”
“A fellow lacking in ability yet possessing keen eyes. My name is Barden, the Consecrated Dwarf. A great dwarven lord and the creator of those formidable golems….”

I struck the back of Barden’s head sharply as he stood before Captain Cooper, boasting and introducing himself.

“An undead hero sealed within the Lion’s Key. You could say he’s something like a comrade to Argen and Karcerion, who are currently fighting an 8-level Corrosion Entity over there. You don’t need to worry about his injuries. Those are just wounds he earned from being arrogant and getting hit, as he is now.”

“I… understood…”
“Still, he’ll be useful. Among the cards we can play in the current situation, he’s the strongest we have.”

Having said that, I immediately sent a telepathic message to Argen and Karcerion.
Timed with when our forces succeeded in securing space, I ordered them to widen their distance from the enemy and retreat to my position.
Then Karcerion, sensing Barden’s presence beside me, sent a telepathic message to him.

[Barden?]
[So this voice belongs to Karcerion. Indeed. I have joined this battlefield to aid you, so be grateful.]
[You didn’t come to help—you were dragged here because you didn’t want to get beaten by the master, right?]
[Argen? You treacherous wretch, crawling beneath the feet of mere humans without even a proper duel, and now you show no respect?]
[That phrase you just used—’mere humans.’ I’ll relay it exactly to the master.]
[You petty, despicable bat bastard!]
[A coward who can do nothing but hide behind fortress walls!]

Watching the two of them engage in a war of nerves the moment they saw each other, clearly harboring much resentment, I spoke.

“Enough. Focus on the battle now. Argen, you and Karcerion retreat backward according to my signal. I’ll handle stopping the enemy from pursuing. Barden, the moment space is secured between our forces and the enemy, set up the fortress wall immediately. And…”
“What is it?”
“You still seem full of defiance. We’ll address the crime of daring to call your master ‘mere humans’ after the battle is over.”
“Cough! It’s a misunderstanding, sir! I was merely pointing out the contemptible attitude of that vile bat—”
“Silence.”
“Yes, sir.”

Having silenced Barden, I hurled myself toward the direction where Argen and Karcerion were fighting.
Recognizing my intent, the two of them unleashed their strongest attacks against the level 8 Corrosion Entity.
All that was needed was a small opening.
Creating enough distance between themselves and the enemy to avoid being caught in my magic.

“Well done. Now retreat!”

Confirming that my two subordinates had widened their distance from the enemy, I swung both arms violently left and right.
Dozens of Dimensional Gates opened, and metal pillars accelerated to hypersonic speeds began forcibly pushing against the enemy’s body.

-Boom! Crash! Thud! Bang! Bang!-

The Level 8 Corrosion Entity’s tough hide boasted such formidable defense that it could ignore the penetrating power of the Void Piercer accelerated to hypersonic speeds.
However, no matter how hard an object was, it could not nullify the “physical force” carried by the metal shaft fired from the Void Piercer, so the ultra-massive insectoid monster’s body, having taken dozens of Void Piercers head-on, was gradually being pushed backward while leaving enormous traces across the ground.

‘As expected, it won’t pierce through. Still, this much is sufficient. If I can just push it back….’

When the metal shaft of the Void Piercer, which had ultimately failed to completely penetrate the enemy, gradually ceased its rotation and fell to the ground, the Level 8 Corrosion Entity that had been pushed backward suddenly began charging forward at tremendous speed.
However, I had already created sufficient distance and prepared my next card to stop the enemy.

“Barden!”
“Uuuuuuuuuuuugh!!!”

As the dwarf brought down the colossal hammer in his hand upon the ground, a massive fortress wall erupted from the earth filled with the corpses of dead Corrosion Entities.
A towering fortress wall that easily exceeded ten meters in height.
Completely fused with the ground and fixed as firmly as if rooted in the earth, the fortress wall was crowned with cannon barrels several times larger than those I had summoned during my battle, emanating an ominous aura as they aimed toward the direction of the enemies.

“A fortress wall?!”
“What kind of insane ability is this….”

The fortress wall had not been summoned only where I stood.
A fortress wall long and massive enough to protect all allied forces completely surrounded and protected our soldiers, who had been encircled in the midst of the enemies.
Witnessing the summoning of such a colossal structure—more aptly called a fortress than a mere wall—in an instant, the U.S. Military soldiers who had escaped the crisis began dropping their weapons one by one.
And in that moment, the massive turrets installed throughout the fortress wall simultaneously unleashed their fire, beginning to sweep away the enemies.

“Support with long-range fire!”
“There are so many that you’ll hit something no matter where you shoot, so don’t worry about aiming and just unleash everything!”

The counterattack was not launched by the turrets atop the fortress wall alone.
As if they had been waiting for this very moment, the steel golems I had created and the golems Barden had created likewise began their simultaneous barrage.
Before the endless barrage of gunfire that seemed deafening could even cease, tremendous explosions and screams of immense magnitude began echoing from beyond the invisible fortress wall.

-Shrieeeeeeeeek!!!-
-Kyaaaaaaaa!!!!-

The fortress wall Barden had summoned had no gate.
Even without deliberately constructing a gate that could become a weakness, Barden could transform a section of the wall into an entrance whenever he desired.
For this reason, all the swarm of Corrosion Entities subjected to concentrated bombardment could do was launch a frontal assault against the gateless wall.

-Boom! Crash! Crash-crash-crash! Boom! Boom!-

The Corrosion Entities hurtled toward the metal barrier at a terrifying velocity, their bodies bursting like rotten tomatoes, yet not a single scratch marred Barden’s fortress wall.
Instead, like the legendary blade that drew no blood even when it cut down men, the bodily fluids of the Corrosion Entities that splattered against the wall flowed away cleanly, leaving no trace whatsoever.
Realizing that their sacrifices could not even leave the smallest blemish, the smaller Corrosion Entities wore expressions of fury as they retreated backward.

—Crash! Bang! Boom! Thud!—

Next came the medium-sized Corrosion Entities, ranging from three to eight meters in length.
The medium-sized Corrosion Entities, possessing far superior durability and mass compared to their smaller counterparts, attempted to tear through the fortress wall’s armor plating with the vicious jaws protruding from their heads, yet the mirror-smooth wall perfectly repelled even their fangs from penetrating its surface.
And finally, as the large Corrosion Entities observing the situation stepped forward to launch a body-mass assault, the turrets atop the fortress wall unleashed a barrage of shells as if they had been waiting for this very moment.
As if expressing the will that said, “I will not allow even you to approach.”
Standing atop the fortress wall that had repelled the attacks of all insectoid monsters save for the level 8 Corrosion Entity, a dwarf wielding a hammer bellowed loudly toward the enemy.

“Kahahaha! Did you see that! This is my new fortress wall, reinforced with humanity’s technology! You damned vermin! Try to destroy it if you can! I’ll teach your entire bodies what the ultimate shield truly is!”

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