“Da-da-da-da-da——!”
The harsh sound of gunfire finally rang out, shattering the eerie silence. Time, in this moment, seemed to stretch indefinitely.
In the eyes of the two Highland Mages, dilated with utter terror, they could clearly see streaks of faint blue bullets, tracing the path of death, tearing through the mere ten meters of air separating them. Every blue gleam represented a lethal round infused with pure magical energy.
Morin’s finger on the trigger was steady as a rock. The MG14 Light Machine Gun, augmented by [Enchant Weapon], felt as if it had no recoil in his hands. He locked the muzzle firmly onto the Mage holding the glowing crystal, pouring all the bullets from the MG14 into him. Morin knew that all his plans hinged on this one moment!
The Mage clutching the crystal was clearly the linchpin of the pair. The instant Morin materialized, he instinctively tried to rub the protective Rune-etched ring on his index finger, attempting to activate the stored [Shield Spell]. But against the close-range machine gun fire, human nerve response speed proved tragically slow and futile.
The moment he made his move, a stream of enchanted bullets whizzed in. According to the strict regulations of the Highland Mage Corps, all Mages entering a combat zone had to constantly maintain [Mage Armor] through spell slots or scrolls. The Mage Apprentice was no exception. An invisible magical aura immediately flared across his body, attempting to resist the sudden attack.
Normally, the strength of the [Mage Armor] he wore was nearly identical to the [Mage Armor] cast by Morin. This meant the armor should have been sufficient to withstand continuous conventional rifle fire, buying him at least a few precious seconds to react. However, he was not facing conventional bullets. Every 7.92mm Mauser round, augmented by [Enchant Weapon], had become a dual attack combining physical and magical damage!
The crackling sound of magical discharge exploded, followed by a series of sharp fracturing noises. The tough [Mage Armor] supported by the Apprentice was utterly shattered after only a single breath under the impact of the enchanted bullets, breaking apart like glass struck by a hammer!
Stripped of his final defense, the Mage Apprentice watched with terrified, wide eyes as the subsequent rounds tore through his Mage Robe and drilled into his flesh.
“Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!”
The dense bullets instantly turned his chest into a bloody pulp. The immense kinetic energy even pushed his entire body backward repeatedly.
“Ugh…” A meaningless gurgle escaped his throat. The expression on his face froze in a moment of panic and incomprehension, then he fell softly backward. The red crystal, which pulsed like a heart, slipped from his lifeless hand, rolling onto the dusty ground, its light immediately dimming.
One strike successful! Morin’s heart surged with joy, but his movements did not pause. He immediately swept his fire, directing the whip of the MG14 Light Machine Gun toward the other, younger-looking Mage Apprentice beside him.
This fellow reacted much faster. The instant his comrade was hit, he frantically tore open a scroll he pulled from his chest, and a translucent, circular force field shield instantly snapped into existence before him.
[Shield Spell]!
“Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!”
Most of the bullets Morin sprayed were deflected by the sudden magical shield. Only a few stray rounds grazed past him, blocked by his [Mage Armor].
“Tch, now he’s bringing out shields!” Morin cursed inwardly. [Shield Spell] plus [Mage Armor] creates a synergistic effect greater than the sum of its parts. Although his [Enchant Weapon] augmented fire could inflict damage, penetrating the Shield Spell in a short time was clearly impossible.
This brief deadlock gave the young Mage a chance to breathe. He hid behind the translucent shield, still showing fear on his face, but his casting hand did not pause. He rapidly chanted an incantation. A searing fireball quickly coalesced in his other empty palm.
[Fireball]!
“Holy cow! You dare fight back?” Morin’s eyes twitched violently as he saw the fireball growing brighter in the opponent’s hand. Getting a [Fireball] cast at this close range was no joke. Although he was protected by [Mage Armor] and the empowered [Shield Spell], taking a direct hit would still be excruciating.
However, there was no time left to dodge.
“Gamble! Let’s see whose spell is tougher!” Morin hardened his resolve. Instead of retreating, he pressed his assault, charging two steps closer while aiming his gun, trying to get as near as possible before the enemy finished casting.
Just as the Mage Apprentice was about to launch the fireball in his hand, Morin activated a spell he had recently learned.
[Absorb Elements]
A barely noticeable magical aura flashed across his body. Almost simultaneously, the Mage Apprentice completed his incantation. He roared and violently pushed the fireball in his hand toward Morin.
The searing fireball, trailing a long tail of fire, traced a brief arc in the air before smashing solidly into Morin’s empowered [Shield Spell].
“Boom!”
A violent explosion occurred instantly! The chaotic flames and shockwave completely engulfed Morin. The [Absorb Elements] spell mitigated some of the fireball’s damage, but the remaining power was still terrifying. Morin felt as if he had been hit head-on by a large freight truck moving at full speed. His empowered [Shield Spell] let out a moan of being overwhelmed amidst the explosion, then shattered with a loud ‘crack.’ The residual shockwave and flames violently slammed into the [Mage Armor] covering his body, causing the magical aura to flash fiercely. The protection value instantly dropped to zero.
“Cough, cough…” Morin was shaken by the blast. His throat tightened, and he nearly spat out blood. However, he held on. The final layer of protection from the [Mage Armor] firmly blocked the last bit of damage. And even if [Mage Armor] hadn’t been enough, there’s still the [Arcane Protection] effect underneath that could block some damage.
The smoke cleared, and Morin’s figure reappeared. Besides his uniform being slightly singed and his face covered in soot, he appeared unharmed. He grinned, exposing his smoke-blackened teeth.
“You didn’t kill me, so now it’s your turn!”
The young Mage Apprentice was stunned to see Morin emerge completely unscathed from his own fireball. He couldn’t comprehend how an ordinary-looking Saxon soldier could possibly withstand a Mage’s fireball spell. He tried to cast another spell, but Morin gave him no chance.
“Da-da-da-da!”
The faint-blue glowing MG14 roared again. The bullets chased the Mage Apprentice as he scrambled, forcing him to take cover desperately behind a sandbag barricade.
The Mage Apprentice hid behind the cover, realizing he was no match for Morin. He quickly tore open another scroll, and a brief gust of wind enveloped his feet.
[Expeditious Retreat]!
His speed instantly increased significantly, and he prepared to slip away along the cover.
“Trying to run?” Morin sneered. He ignored the surrounding fire, carrying the MG14 one-handed, and charged straight toward the sandbag barricade.
The surrounding Britannian soldiers finally reacted, raising their rifles to fire at Morin. But their conventional bullets still failed to penetrate the remaining aura of [Mage Armor] on Morin’s body, merely causing impotent ripples.
Morin ignored the harassment, covering the distance to the barricade in a few steps. He then jumped violently, soaring straight over the top of the sandbags. Mid-air, he lightning-fast drew the bayonet from his waist. The instant the bayonet left its scabbard, a faint layer of fire suddenly ignited along the blade!
The second effect of [Absorb Elements]—capturing a portion of the energy from the incoming attack and storing it for the next melee attack! Morin’s next strike would be imbued with a portion of the fire damage from the recent fireball!
The young Mage Apprentice, who had just cast [Expeditious Retreat] on himself and was preparing to flee, took two steps and heard a chilling whoosh overhead. He turned back in horror, just in time to see Morin, like a god descending from the heavens, leaping over the sandbag barricade. The flame-wreathed bayonet in his hand traced a deadly arc in his wide, panicked eyes.
“No—!” He let out a desperate shriek, instinctively trying to raise his arm to block. But it was all too late. Morin adjusted his posture mid-air, channeling the gravitational potential energy of his descent, combined with his own formidable strength, into the bayonet in his right hand.
“Splat!”
A dull sound of sharp steel entering flesh. The burning bayonet easily shattered the already depleted [Mage Armor] on the Mage Apprentice’s body, then plunged deep and unimpeded into his soft abdomen.
“Uhngh…” The intense pain caused the Mage Apprentice’s body to convulse violently, his expression instantly twisting in agony. Morin landed. He released the Light Machine Gun with his left hand, simultaneously grabbing the Mage’s shoulder to prevent him from struggling. His right hand twisted the hilt of the bayonet, then fiercely jerked it upward, churning it around. His movements were cold and efficient. He could clearly feel the blade slicing through the opponent’s internal organs. Warm blood flowed down the hilt, covering his hand.
The young Mage Apprentice’s body twitched violently a few times, the light fading rapidly from his eyes. He finally slumped to the ground, utterly lifeless.
Confirming the Mage was stone dead, Morin pulled out the bayonet, shaking the blood off the blade. Simultaneously, the surrounding Britannian soldiers finally reacted. Seeing their Mage brutally stabbed by a Saxon soldier, their eyes turned red with fury. They fired frantically at Morin’s position.
“Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!”
Bullets struck the sandbag barricade near Morin. The final trace of [Mage Armor] aura on Morin’s body finally dissipated. A stray bullet grazed his arm, ripping off a small piece of flesh and stinging fiercely.
“You want to gang up on me? Fine, I’ll call for backup too!” Morin rolled behind the barricade, quickly pulling a flare gun from his waist. He lay flat on the ground and pulled the trigger toward the sky.
“Whoosh—”
A dazzling red flare, trailing a long streak, whistled into the sky, exploding amidst the thick smoke, a highly visible signal. This was the signal he had prearranged with Ludwig and Klaus!
Having done all this, Morin did not pause. He quickly set up the MG14 on the sandbags and pulled the trigger. The ferocious firepower instantly suppressed the demoralized Britannian soldiers opposite him. Seizing the opportunity, he ran while suppressing fire to the side of the first Mage he had shot and quickly picking up the now-dim red crystal from the ground and stuffing it into a pouch on his chest harness.
“It’s mine!” Morin’s heart was filled with ecstasy. This device was the detonator for the Magic Crystal bombs on the entire bridge. As long as it was in his hands, the bridge was temporarily safe!
“Flare! It’s the Battalion Commander’s signal!” Klaus on the North Bank was the first to spot the red firework in the sky. He roared excitedly.
“Charge! We’re going across!” Ludwig’s voice boomed from the Armored Knight’s loudspeaker, filled with impatient excitement. He did not hesitate, immediately controlling his massive War Machine to be the first to charge onto the railway bridge. Following him was the other Armored Knight and the twelve fully armed Knight Squires.
“1st Company! Follow me!” Klaus also raised his submachine gun, roaring at the soldiers behind him. The soldiers of the Instruction Assault Battalion followed closely behind the Armored Knights, charging onto the smoke-shrouded railway bridge.
On the bridge, the Britannian soldiers hiding behind temporary cover were nervously assessing the disturbance on the South Bank. Suddenly, they saw two massive, steel shadows burst out of the thick smoke.
“It’s… it’s the Saxon Armored Knights!” A Britannian soldier shrieked in terror. They futilely raised their rifles and fired, but the bullets struck the Armored Knights’ heavy armor, failing to leave a mark. Ludwig ignored the futile harassment. He controlled the Armored Knight, charging like an out-of-control train, crashing directly into the barricades ahead.
“Boom!”
The barricade, made of railway sleepers and sandbags, instantly splintered under the immense impact. Before the soldiers inside could react, the Knight Squires rushing in were upon them. The heavy war hammers and longswords in their hands brought blood and violence, cutting down the stubbornly resisting enemies.
The Instruction Assault Battalion soldiers following behind quickly spread out, using their submachine guns and rifles to clear out the stragglers attempting to flee. Ludwig and the other Armored Knight did not remain idle.
“Thump! Thump!”
Their Assault Cannons roared again. Two 75mm high-explosive shells accurately struck two Machine Gun strongpoints in the middle of the bridge. The fierce explosions sent the two machine guns and their crews flying into the air, clearing the biggest obstacles for the subsequent infantry advance.
(End of this Chapter)