Chapter 105 - The Secret of Fortification Magic
I thought the battle was over, but there were still plenty of troublemakers left on the field.
"Captain!? Get ready for magical combat, don't fall behind!"
"This isn't over, I won't let you get away with this! Everyone, let's do this!"
"He must be exhausted by now, don't back down!"
One after another, the red-armored group rallied, their voices full of determination. There were men and women, and they all looked formidable at a glance.
They were weaker than the blue-haired knight I had defeated, but they weren't pushovers, and there were many of them. Plus, those armors were a real nuisance. Still, it looks like I can have some more fun. I'll leave my left shoulder injury as a handicap.
When I immerse myself in battle, my body heats up.
My heart races, but there's no fear at all.
I'm filled with a fierce fighting spirit.
My body and mind are burning, pushing me forward, but strangely, my head remains calm. It's as if my heart is made of heated iron, while my head is embedded with cold, cold iron.
I can feel the heat and cold within me simultaneously, and I think I must enjoy this moment.
"Bring it on, then!"
A young male knight, with a sword as large as Zenobia's, swung it down with a roar, trying to smash me.
Compared to the blue-haired knight and Zenobia, his speed was like a snail's. It might be an exaggeration, but it was definitely no match for me.
I dodged easily, sidestepping, and then punched the large sword's flat side. I couldn't break the sturdy, magic-infused mineral sword, but the young knight couldn't withstand the impact and dropped his weapon.
"Alex, fall back!"
The young knight, clutching his hand, glared at me as he retreated.
The large sword flying through the air made some of the knights who were about to attack me hesitate, but from another direction, a barrage of magic spells came at me.
As soon as the magical attacks began, they started to coordinate.
"Let's crush her all at once!"
They attacked from all sides, a relentless assault. But this actually made things easier for me.
I wondered what they would do if I dodged, but I decided to take the hits.
Without even using Active Armor, I simply deployed a full-range anti-magic shield. These weren't large-scale spells, so they didn't even faze me.
I wasn't going to just sit there, though. I retaliated by scattering iron spikes, but they seemed to have seen this spell before and managed to avoid or counter them. They're quite resourceful.
"Damn, she's tough! Draw your swords, follow me!"
Realizing that magic wasn't working, they focused on Physical Enhancement Magic and charged at me.
Their close combat coordination was impressive.
One of them swung a sword horizontally, and then several thrusts came from behind. There was no room to dodge.
Instead of dodging, I used Explosive Reactive Armor to scatter them, but the effect was minimal. The armor was too well-protected to take damage, especially to the face.
The armor was designed to withstand impact and strikes, and it also had high magic resistance due to the enchanted minerals. It was a very well-made armor, and the rare materials used must have been expensive. The House of Oversta might be more formidable than I thought.
A single blow to the head would end it, but they were very aware of this and protected their heads well.
Feinting an attack to the neck or above would easily hit the armor, but it wouldn't do any real damage.
They were also wary of grappling techniques, keeping a slight distance and always working in teams to prevent me from grabbing them.
I could force my way through, but maybe there's a better way.
These skilled knights were quite entertaining. Hmm, but...
"...I think that's enough."
At first, it was exciting, but it started to get tedious after a while. I tend to get bored easily, and the blood flowing from my shoulder was becoming a concern.
If I tried to kill them, there would be other ways, but I didn't want to massacre them. How should I end this?
The blue-haired knight seemed to be the captain, but he was watching from a distance, not joining the fray. His subordinates were trying their best to take me down, but it wasn't going to end anytime soon.
Right. I should test the durability of that armor from a different angle. If it works, I might be able to end this. They seem confident in their armor's defense, so breaking it should make them back off.
Yes, that's a good idea. The armor had a strange softness, making it easier to grab. I'll give it a try.
It might be a bit forceful, but I need to demoralize them to end this.
Decide and act immediately, especially in battle.
I targeted the tall man who had been giving orders and directing the fight.
He was a bit behind, with two knights in front of him.
I smiled at them, but they just tensed up. Boring men, really.
I don't need to worry about the others anymore. It's a waste of time. If I take down this one, it should be over.
No more distractions. Time to set the stage.
I infused my magic and materialized an image. A cage to keep the other knights out.
"Surround them."
I whispered. The cage would enclose me, the two knights in front, and the tall man behind them.
Tungsten spikes grew from the ground, forming a dense cage around us.
The knights tried to break it, but it wouldn't be that easy. I just needed it to hold for a short while.
Two sword-wielding knights stood in front of me. They both used slender blades.
I had already shown them my injured shoulder, so there was no need to hide it. I would overpower them.
The knight who swung at me with a determined slash must have realized it was futile and composed himself, holding his sword steady.
One of them attacked with a powerful slash, but it was no match for the captain's. Still, it wasn't bad.
I met his slender sword with my bare fist, a rising punch.
My punch, without giving him time to react, shattered the sword and smashed into his face, knocking him out cold.
The blade cut my skin and flesh, but my bones were unharmed.
The remaining knight, looking confused, lunged with a powerful thrust aimed at my chest.
"AAAAAAHHHHH!?"
A sharp thrust from the slender sword, not a bad move.
Fight! I countered with a thrust of my own.
I pushed my fist forward, straight at him.
I knew what would happen, but I executed a powerful punch, shattering the sword and piercing the red armor. The armor dampened the impact, but not completely. I knocked him down and kicked him into the tungsten cage.
The knight, who had his face slammed into the cage, groaned in pain. I left him and moved on to the next one. This would be the end.
I glanced at the blue-haired knight, watching from a distance. He must have realized I was holding back. He watched quietly, with calm eyes.
Then, the tall knight, the deputy captain, raised his voice.
"I am Grebe, the deputy captain of the Oversta Crimson Knights. I acknowledge your strength, but we cannot back down without a proper fight. Let's duel fairly!"
So, he finally introduced himself. But it's a bit late for knightly decorum.
Still, he's strong, and a fitting opponent to end this battle.
"You're quite confident for someone facing an unarmed woman. But fine, I'll accept your challenge."
I sounded sarcastic, but it was true. I was alone and unarmed, while they were a group of fully armed and armored knights.
Under normal circumstances, there would be no challenge.
Ignoring the inconvenience, the deputy captain focused his magic.
"Very well, I shall begin! Vermilion Sword!"
The sword in his grip was enveloped in a crimson flame. So, the captain uses ice, and the deputy uses fire.
The sword, glowing red with magic and flame, looked impressive. He has a good blade. It would be a shame to break it.
I'll stick to my original plan. My target is that armor.
I didn't feel threatened by his flaming sword. The shield protected me from the heat, though the added heat from the flames was annoying.
His heavy, fiery sword struck relentlessly, trying to break through my shield.
I see. I understand now.
I dispelled my shield, surprising him. He thought it was an opening and increased his sword speed.
"Gotcha!"
"Out of the way."
Ignoring the burning sensation, I punched the underside of the flaming sword. He didn't drop it, but he lost his balance, which was enough of an opening.
In a single move, I grabbed his shoulder with my left hand and clamped down on the collar of his red armor with my right.
"YAAAAAHHHHH!"
With a determined roar, I tore the strange, soft armor apart.
My strength, when I put my mind to it, was abnormal.
The armor had seams and a sponge-like structure, making it possible to tear.
This unconventional method of destroying the armor would demoralize them.
It worked. The noisy clanging of the tungsten cage stopped.
I casually tossed the torn armor aside. The fun battle was over. I grabbed the deputy captain by the neck and declared the end.
"If you want to continue, I'll have no choice but to oblige, but I'd rather end this now."
The deputy captain, tense from the hand around his neck, couldn't speak. Ah, he can't end it without the captain's permission, I see.
"That's enough! Everyone, sheath your swords and fall back!"
The captain's voice rang out at just the right moment. Finally, progress. I wanted to thank him for the fun, but...
The knights obeyed, sheathing their swords and retreating while maintaining their formation. They were disciplined, which was impressive.
I released the deputy captain and dispelled the tungsten cage. The knights, including the deputy captain, quickly retreated to join their group.
The blue-haired captain whispered something to the deputy captain and then left with his men, heading to the back of the estate. Probably to their quarters.
I noticed the middle-aged female prisoner was gone. Oh well, it doesn't matter.
I turned to the captain, who offered me a small vial.
"I am Flannel, the captain of the Oversta Crimson Knights. Please forgive our rudeness. Here, have this healing potion."
I'll take it, no need to be polite. I can heal myself, but there's no point in telling him that.
By the way, he's a man. I only realized this now, hearing his voice in a calm setting. He looks somewhat feminine, and his voice is quite high.
"Never mind. I enjoyed it. So, what was this all about?"
I drank the healing potion and asked. It's a fifth-rank intermediate healing potion, valuable in the Royal Capital, but a noble family might have their own healers.
"Lady Oversta ordered us to test your abilities. I hope you understand."
We might be working together in the future. It was a useful stress release for me, and I got to gauge the knights' strength.
Lady Oversta, huh. The Countess is called that.
"Alright. Can you show me the way now?"
There was no need to confirm if I had passed the test.
I walked alongside Flannel as he led me. I asked him about the battle.
"You know, for a captain of the Crimson Knights, you use ice. Do you have any hidden tricks?"
"You're no different. You didn't hold back, but you didn't show your full strength either. We weren't fighting to the death, after all."
I see, as expected. Still, ice. I'll stop speculating.
Finally, I'm about to meet the Countess. It was a long detour, but here we are.
Thinking about it as we walked, I realized that the clever ones might have noticed something from the blow to my shoulder.
The secret to my strength lies in the unique application of Physical Enhancement Magic.
Of course, it's not just about increasing muscle strength. Many people think of Physical Enhancement Magic as a way to boost muscle power, but I'm different.
Maybe it's because of my affinity for mineral magic, but I can strengthen my bones incredibly efficiently. The same amount of magic and output produces vastly different results when efficiency is considered.
I can achieve tremendous bone strength with a small amount of magic. More than half of my Physical Enhancement Magic resources go into bone strengthening. It allows me to block blades with my bones easily.
I'm not sure exactly how strong they are, but when I use Physical Enhancement Magic, my bones should be stronger than Orichalcum infused with ample magic. A regular sword wouldn't stand a chance.
They might not fully understand just from what they saw, but it's a start.