Bear School Astartes

Chapter 28: 28. Fire Tornado

The information captured by the corner of my eye returned.

There weren’t just seven water ghosts and a swamp witch here. In fact, Lann knew his last reconnaissance was limited by visibility and had flaws.

But he didn’t expect that there was another water ghost not far away.

Lann’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.

”He showed himself too early.”

Yes, Bernie showed himself too early. Before Lann could focus all the threatening gazes on him, Bernie stood up from the bushes.

Perhaps he was too nervous, or maybe he feared Lann couldn’t hold up... the reason doesn’t matter.

The result, anyway, was that a water ghost got entangled with Bernie.

In Lann’s recent hunts, under his fierce swordsmanship, these not-so-strong monsters would sometimes even turn into a pile of dismembered limbs.

And among the folks, it was commonly acknowledged: water ghosts are creatures a farmer with a pitchfork can single-handedly kill.

It seemed as if these monsters had no threat whatsoever.

But this situation has its internal logic.

First: A farmer holding a pitchfork has a much greater attack range than the claws of a water ghost.

Second: The water ghost’s claws can’t break the wooden shaft of the pitchfork in one strike, much less destroy the metal tines of the pitchfork.

Third: Even without the silver’s demonic dispelling effect, the stab attack of a pitchfork can still inflict fatal injury to the water ghost’s organs.

The logic is clear, the reasoning is sound.

This is the reason why water ghosts can’t beat a farmer with a pitchfork one-on-one.

And now, Bernie is a seasoned old hunter. His combat experience is far above that of a typical farmer.

But his hands have only a bow and arrow and a hunting knife left.

The monsters that a farmer with a pitchfork can defeat might not be so easily overcome by the old hunter now.

The real world has no levels; given the right conditions, even a water ghost can take down an old hunter one-on-one.

”Finish quickly.”

Looking at the swamp witch with claws tucked in front of her chest, grinning grotesquely and pacing, Lann squinted slightly.

If it drags on, Bernie might get devoured by that water ghost!

”Mentos, I need you to construct an airflow model now.”

”Task accepted... Airflow model completed, real-time changes bound to subject location information.”

After a pause of about a second, the intelligent voice marked up Lann’s view.

And as he moved, the marks changed according to terrain or humidity variations.

”Sir, according to the regulations, I must issue a reminder to you. If you execute the plan, you have an 87% chance of entering a magic power exhaustion state lasting several minutes. Please decide carefully.”

The magic seal used by the Demon Hunter only relies on the magic power stored in the body, unlike the mages who mobilize chaotic magic power on a large scale from the outside world.

But precisely because the magic power is limited, under the Demon Hunter’s rapid physical recovery, even recovering from a magic power exhaustion state might just take a few minutes.

”Stick to the plan.”

”Understood.”

There was not a hint of wavering in the young man’s tone.

He lowered the silver sword in his hand, which had just dissected three water ghosts, and hunched his body, pacing along an arc.

The hostility and killing intent dragged on the nerves of the remaining monsters, forcing them to respond to the enemy’s movements.

This response, large or small, even if just a few steps of movement.

But for Lann, it was enough.

The remaining four water ghosts, along with a swamp witch who picked up a stone from the ground, faintly stood in alignment under this invisible constraint.

At this point, Lann, originally hunched, slowly stood straight under the watchful eyes of the monsters.

The abnormal behavior of a human instead intensified the monsters’ vigilance, with constant growling and strange noises.

Until the young man casually inserted his bloodstained silver sword back into the scabbard on his back.

”Oowah?”

The water ghosts were a bit bewildered; their fish-like heads couldn’t comprehend why a creature would retract its claws amidst combat.

But their confusion wouldn’t halt their hunt.

Even more potent and blatant hostility began to surface on the monsters.

In response to this scene, Lann calmly raised his left hand toward them.

A cold white magical light spread out.

”Alder.”

Mind wave.

”Boom—”

A not-so-fierce air impact struck the monsters.

The monsters, who instinctively posed in defense, confused with arms protecting their heads.

This power... so small?!

The dead fish eyes exchanged glances.

Rather than a ”mental wave,” it seemed more like a decent breeze.

Compared to Lann’s fierce and aggressive swordsmanship just now, it even seemed a bit weak.

The airflow stirred by the magic seal kept blowing.

Wind?

”Oowah?”

The swamp witch felt something was amiss.

Since when would there ever be... wind in such a dense forest underlayer?!

”Airflow model constructed, 68% completeness, meeting usage standards.”

Then, she saw the human not far away, who hadn’t had time to lower his left hand, lift his right hand.

With the same dazzling hand gestures, this time, a warm amber light shone.

Inexplicably, a sense of danger made it scream instantly.

”Oowah wah!!!”

But accompanying the scream was a calm human voice.

”——Igni.”

”Boom!!!”

Scorching flames burst forth from the center of Lann’s magic seal in an instant!

However, these magic flames that were supposed to jet forward got sucked into that inexplicable wind within half a meter from the palm.

Only then did the invisible wind, highlighted by the flames, take a concrete form.

——It was a whirl of spiraling air!

Like a small tornado placed horizontally!

The air current continuously swirling in the surroundings brought ample oxygen, fueling the Igni flames to burn ever more fiercely!

The fiery vortex over two meters in diameter extended over ten meters long, engulfing all the water ghosts and the swamp witch along the straight path.

The bodily fluids under the skins were boiling, and the monsters howled in anguish enough to frighten even other monsters.

In such a temperature-harnessing environment, even magic flames easily reached over a thousand degrees.

Awaiting the fiery vortex’s dispersal after a few seconds, these water ghosts and the swamp witch were left with nothing but corpses with fully charred skin.

The forest puddle had evaporated, and the fetid earth was steaming white.

After tracing the Igni magic seal, Lann immediately supported his legs, gasping for air.

The subsequent flames purely relied on the self-sustaining combustion of the fiery vortex.

Using two magic seals in succession...this should be the forte of the Griffin School, for a member of the Bear School, executing it wasn’t easy.

The fiery vortex before him had already dispersed, but even the remaining warmth seared the skin with pain.

Lann was gasping for several seconds, yet he couldn’t feel the body’s recovery through breathing.

Since what he lacked wasn’t strength but magic power. Just that the lack of magic power shared characteristics resembling physical fatigue.

Dragging his still exhausted body, Lann endured the discomfort, drew the silver sword from his back, and tossed it in Bernie’s direction.

As the water ghost was about to peel open his neck with its claws, he pierced its heart first.

The young man let out a deep sigh.

The suddenly limp water ghost collapsed with a ”ding” sound, carrying the silver sword down.

Lann’s relaxing eyebrows immediately stiffened.

”Damn, my newly repaired sword!... It must’ve chipped the blade on a stone!”

Lann walked to Bernie’s side, pulled him up from the ground, looking quite troubled.

”I just sheathed the bloody sword back... Now, even the scabbard needs replacing.”