Chapter 215 – The Hunting Town

“I’m off now.”

“Hmm…”

Father looked rather worried, but he seemed to accept it since there were many magicians in our group. Ignis and Dullahan were particularly convincing. I’d also shown him me fighting beforehand, which probably helped.

Count Gartner’s mansion had a decent number of personnel and heightened security, making it less likely to be attacked, but I left Caduceus and Lavigne behind as defense.

“Be careful, Theodore.”

“Yeah. I’ll be back.”

I nodded at Claudia. She would serve more as an emergency evacuation role via teleportation to Termwills rather than base defense.

Ambrum wasn’t a combatant either, so I had him stay at the mansion. Being able to monitor our situation with three familiars would make quite a difference.

I left the Count’s mansion with everyone and traveled through the Count’s territory. Since it was midnight, there were already few people coming and going.

…Well, I wouldn’t want to walk around during the day either. I don’t particularly want to meet the residents face-to-face.

Grace was looking at me with a somewhat worried expression, but when I told her I’d be fine and smiled back, she also smiled quietly and nodded.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Mhm.”

When I headed to the town square where we’d arranged to meet, Sheila and Irmhild were waiting.

“It seems they’re using an inn near the gate as their base. Godwin appears to be staying there too.”

“That would be convenient for escaping if something happens. The stables are nearby too, so they might be considering stealing horses.”

The outskirts of town, huh? An inn is somewhat troublesome. They might take other guests hostage, so completely trapping them like with Randolph would be problematic.

“What will you do?”

“Block key points, flush them out and corner them.”

If they’ve set up base in a logical location, that means they plan to escape as expected if attacked. The optimal solution naturally narrows down. I know more about the Count’s territory than they do. No way I’m letting them escape.

I created a model of the district using Earth Magic and explained it to everyone.

“Here and here. Also, block the entrance to this alley with earth walls or ice.”

“Then let’s split up and block them.”

I nodded at Ashley’s words.

“What about opponents trying to escape by flying?”

“There’s a difference in mobility. It would require sorting out the magicians, and if they have proper situational judgment, I think they’d give up on escaping by air after we shoot down a few. If they still don’t stop, I’ll blow them all away with a tornado. Now, about how to conduct the assault—”

Ashley, Rosemary, and I split up to quickly create walls in alleys that could serve as escape routes and block them. Once the blockade was complete, all that remained was attacking the base. We approached the inn where they were hiding, confirmed that everyone was in position, and began the operation.

“Alright then, Seraphina. I’m counting on you.”

“Okay. Leave it to me.”

Standing at the inn’s entrance, I mass-produced Golems. Then I had Seraphina amplify my voice volume and shouted.

“To Godwin and his gang! You are under arrest on suspicion of plotting to kidnap Count Gartner! Surrender peacefully and all will be well! Otherwise, we will show no mercy!”

After shouting that, I sent the Golems charging into the inn. Assigning one Golem per guest room, they roughly knocked on the doors, and the gang burst through the windows out into the street. Well, the flushing out was complete.

Their response showed no hesitation whatsoever. Their movements indicated they had anticipated the situation being discovered. I myself jumped out into the street after the escaping gang and looked back at the inn.

“Th, Theodore…?”

Godwin was—still inside the inn. Unable to keep up with his companions’ movements and the situation’s development, he looked out the window with a dumbfounded expression.

“Go.”

“W, whoaaa!?”

I made the Golem step into the room. Capturing the screaming Godwin, I embedded him into the Earth Golem so he couldn’t move. I’d get the story from Godwin later. More importantly, his companions.

I created a spear wall with Golems and advanced, herding them. At the forefront of the Golem advance were Ignis and Dullahan. Residents who stuck their heads out to see what was happening quickly closed and locked their doors in panic, while Godwin’s companions fled with terrified expressions.

“What is this!? Th, there’s no path!?”

“W, walls—Earth Magic!?”

The group turned into an alley, heading for the stables, then stopped. Unfortunately, their escape routes were anticipated. I prepared easy escape paths, but they were all within my control. They probably knew that too. They’d struggle to escape before being checkmated… but well, that’s also pointless.

“Break this magic! Hurry!”

“I’ve been trying! Their interference power is stronger…! They’re suppressing it from the other side of this wall! Damn it!”

“Just climb over and take out the magician, damn it!”

As expected, there seemed to be a magician mixed in, as one tried to use Levitation to get over the wall from above… but after being knocked away by Marlene’s Saucer, they became the target of Irmhild’s Light Arrow. The magician who was shot down received Ignis’s literal iron fist and had their consciousness harvested without any chance to speak.

Even if they managed to avoid Marlene and Irmhild’s initial attacks… Sheila and Lindwurm were waiting in the air. Furthermore, Marlene’s illusion magic tool was inflating the number of wyverns flying in the sky. It should be enough to make them give up, seeing that escaping from above was impossible.

We firmly controlled air superiority. Not a single one would escape.

“Don’t fly! You’ll be targeted!”

“It’s no use! Escape that way!”

“Earth walls have been created! That alley!”

“The waterway! There was a waterway, right!? If we jump into that and swim to escape—!”

“Damn it! It’s frozen! What is this!?”

At this point, they were like sheep chased by dogs. They could only be herded as a group toward the unblocked paths. Since the route was predetermined and we controlled the air, we could easily get ahead of them.

Some tried to break into houses, but that was also anticipated. Their actions were blocked by Marlene’s remote Shield while she waited above, and then they had both arms and legs pierced by Irmhild’s arrows. It’s not like we had extra hands either… but we made sure to crush only those who strayed from the prepared course.

Eventually, Marlene’s illusions even created fake windows and doors. Those who tried to open the phantom doors ended up rubbing against walls or performing useless actions, only to be caught up by Ignis and crushed.

That’s right. I only prepared two choices: escape along the prepared path, or stand and fight. So stop doing unnecessary things and move along quickly. Otherwise, prepare yourself.

Their movements weren’t bad. Not bad, but retreat battles are difficult.

You can’t simultaneously escape and fight, and even if you tried to leave a rearguard, the Golems made it many against few. Moreover, since our goal was to capture them and extract information, having a rearguard was meaningless in the first place.

The place where they were finally cornered was a slightly open area at the edge of town. Surrounded by towering walls of earth and ice that complemented the town’s outer walls, it was a dead end with nowhere to escape.

Ashley constructed a Defense Field at the only exit. Ice walls formed a ceiling. There. Now—completely enclosed.

“This is the end. Resist if you like. Even if you surrender without resistance, considering there are magicians among you, I’ll harvest everyone’s consciousness thoroughly.”

I faced the group and declared while holding Ouroboros at the ready.

“Y, you…! Do you think this is some kind of fox hunt!? How far will you mock us!?”

One of them glared at me and spat out those words bitterly.

…Mockery, he says. As if such people who resort to kidnapping have any pride to speak of.

There’s no need to exchange any more words with these people. Spark Light of magical power scattering, I opened my eyes wide, bared my teeth, and laughed.

The man’s face twisted in astonishment at the amount of excess magical power being emitted. I charged straight in, swinging Ouroboros overhead. But that movement itself was a feint. The moment he tried to block it, he took Capella’s headbutt full force and was sent flying.

As I stepped forward, Grace and the others also moved.

“I think it would be better not to try blocking carelessly.”

Grace casually threw a kick. An acceleration and destructive power unimaginable from such a casual, small movement. A man who misjudged and failed to block had his arm broken and was screaming.

Ashley’s Sleep Cloud spread, crawling along the ground, stealing the consciousness of the man who’d been knocked down.

“Y, you witch!”

Another man tried to throw a knife at Grace—but just before releasing it from his hand, his body turned in an unexpected direction, and he threw it toward his companion’s back. With a throwing knife in his back and fallen, the sleep cloud gathering at his feet ensured he wouldn’t get up again.

Entwining around the stunned man’s limbs were rainbow-colored threads of magical power. Floating above was Rosemary. Hiding her mouth behind her feather fan, her shoulders shaking as she laughed merrily.

“Bayle!?”

“I, it wasn’t me! It wasn’t me!”

The man called Bayle, unable to comprehend the situation, was controlled and attacked his companions. Dullahan charged in and sent them flying together with the man who had blocked the dagger.

Ignis dealt with the magician. With ridiculously high defensive capability, it scattered various spells, charged straight in, and drove a fist into the magician’s stomach. The magician bent double, scattering stomach fluids, writhing on the ground.

Shade, summoned by Marlene, shrouded the enemy group in darkness, and Irmhild fired arrows into it. For Sheila, projectiles and darkness were no problem at all. From within the darkness came a chorus of anguish, screams, and shrieks.

“You bastard! At the very least, you—!”

One man charged at me in a rage. He was the one giving orders during the escape too. Seems he’s the leader type. And apparently a Magic Swordsman. Clenching his teeth, showing a determined expression, he approached me while manipulating a water blade like a whip.

The movement of his hand transmitted to the water blade, approaching my neck from an unexpected direction. No problem. A thin Shield Barrier deployed in all directions. The moment it made contact, I grasped the direction and angle. Without slowing my charging speed, I knocked it away with another Shield deployed on the inside.

“Wha—!?”

The man barely managed to block Ouroboros with his sword. The next moment, the leader’s expression twisted in agony. Nemea had leaped out and bitten his shin.

“Gah!?”

He tried to scream, but Ouroboros joyfully growled from below and slammed into his chin.

“Sleep.”

Since his leg was bitten, he couldn’t be sent flying. With one motion, I struck his head down and harvested his consciousness.

“L, Lord Elmer!?”

“Next!”

Using Capella’s hind legs for a great leap, I swept through the flank of a man who wasn’t paying attention to me. With the sensation of ribs breaking, I sent him tumbling and writhing in agony.

“Next!”

Like a pinball. Using my own legs, Nemea, and Capella’s legs, I kicked off from Shield to Shield, flying around. Repeating high-speed movements like ricochets, I sent anyone I touched flying with Ouroboros, with magic, with Nemea, with Capella—knocking them away indiscriminately.

“Gah!”

“Ugh!”

“M, monster—eek!!”

After roughly sending flying most of those I noticed, I applied Levitation for an emergency stop. Drawing an arc in the air, I landed. Following belatedly, several sounds of humans hitting the ground overlapped.

Those who had been voicing their anguish were also enveloped by the Sleep Cloud and quickly fell silent. When I scattered the sleep cloud with Wind Magic, what remained were the figures of the gang, unconscious and sprawled on the ground. A scene of heaps of corpses, so to speak.

Haa… I was pretty angry, but… I’ve vented my frustration a bit, I suppose.

Now, as usual. Solidify with Earth Magic and seal the magic. Let’s finish this area quickly.