Bear School Astartes

The ’Embers’ are gradually getting accustomed to this tactic of following behind Lann.

First, a breakthrough in the front, then they break through the formation to widen the chaos, ultimately achieving overwhelming victory as the enemy completely collapses.

Though somewhat repetitive, a useful tactic doesn’t have a reason to be replaced as long as it yields results.

Lann looked up.

The mountain top was filled with terrifying marks blasted by high-level magic.

Glazed earth, massive rocks unevenly disintegrated by high heat, lava and frost eroding each other on the ground, hissing.

”The enemy on this half of the slope is no longer a threat, my lord.”

Lincoln rode over, panting, and wiped his face guard so the blood and flesh wouldn’t disrupt his vision.

”They’ve become so fearful they’ve forgotten how to swing their swords.”

”The situation is decided.”

Lann leaned on [Muddy Stream], calmly concluding.

Facing Meno Kuhorn, he stated the Niflgaard Army had already failed, and the subsequent operations were merely the process of completing the failure.

And now the same logic applies. Originally thirty thousand routed Niflgaard soldiers, now around ten thousand have been killed, and the remaining less than twenty thousand have lost even the courage to wield their swords.

Although the battle at Mushroom Mountain seems intense, these routed soldiers are doomed not to escape.

”Up there is not a battlefield for ordinary people, and it’s irrelevant to you. Do you want to rest here for a while?”

Lann tilted his head, suggesting to Lincoln.

The most troublesome aspect about these guys for Lann was: they genuinely revered him, but... they had a mind of their own.

If he ordered them to rest, and they felt he intended to venture alone into danger, then most likely, they wouldn’t obey at all.

However, given the current situation, with the outcome decided, there shouldn’t be many twists.

Lincoln lifted his helmet’s face guard, panting.

He first checked Lann’s condition, confirming that his lord, although sweating and his body temperature elevated, was still in good shape.

Then he turned to check the status of the ’Embers’.

Having fought their way from the front lines to the mountain top in a human wave siege, repeatedly following Lann to slaughter warlocks and the forces blocking them, they were indeed approaching their limits.

Yet it was merely because Lann stood before them, and his mysteriously infectious resolve kept them from falling off their horses.

If Lann now suggested charging once more, these men would likely follow without hesitation.

”Then... we’ll conduct a brief respite near mid-mountain. No one dismount their horses, and armor stays on.”

Lincoln ultimately made a rational decision, bowing respectfully to Lann from his horse, reminding him repeatedly.

”My lord, if you need us, please notify us at once.”

”Of course. I certainly won’t be polite with you.”

Lann patted Lincoln’s arm, making his armor clatter.

Alone, Lann could increase his speed to the maximum.

The abundance of magic in the air atop the mountain carried the scent of chaotic magic power, creating many hazardous environments.

The Northern Alliance Army and Niflgaard people both sought to swiftly eliminate each other’s warlocks, to disable the other’s capability for mass destruction.

Thus, the intensity of the battle was no less than that of the defensive lines in the valley at the foot.

Lann’s [Soul Vision] was not as useful here because the air was dense with chaotic magic, making it impossible for him to clearly see the magic reactions of low-level warlocks.

Nonetheless, the gigantic magic power of Great Mage level remained conspicuous in this environment.

Advancing toward the mountain top, Lann passed by several warlocks besieged by Niflgaard people and the Shield Guard tasked with protecting them.

The routed Niflgaard soldiers, using their numerical superiority to pressure the Shield Guard and threaten the safety of the Mages, were shredded in an instant before Lann by the blade of [Muddy Stream].

Or sent flying by the Air Blade of [Dragon Flash].

The shouts intended to encourage the Niflgaard people and stir courage swiftly turned into wails and cries.

The frantic weak seeking survival were, after all, merely weak.

These warlocks were oblivious to the situation of the battle, powerless under the threat of life and unable to observe the surroundings.

After all, they were meticulously calculating every magic power in the previous moment, evading arrows, stones, and enemy magic that could come from any angle...

Just like these Niflgaard people desperately trying to carve a path out, and even more severe.

These ordinarily pampered Great Mages now almost driven insane by the brutality of the battlefield.

They shivered, their eyes bloodshot, but their solid foundation allowed their chanting to remain clear and articulate.

So when Lann swiftly and effortlessly annihilated the large group of Nilfgaardians who nearly took their lives, most of these warlocks were still in a state of shock.

”What was... what was that?”

Liddercliff from Ossenford, trembling and with vacant eyes, asked the Shield Guard Captain beside him.

”That wasn’t my hallucination, right? There truly was some humanoid creature... like a golem or something, that saved us from being sliced up by the Nilfgaardians, right?”

”I’m afraid it wasn’t any ’humanoid creature’ or ’golem,’ sir.”

The Shield Guard Captain reached his glove under his helmet, wiped the sweat about to drip into his eyes, and blew his nose before speaking.

”I’ve seen those kinds of eyes; it should be a Demon Hunter. But I’m not too sure either, given that build... who knows? Anyway, the result is—we’re alive.”

”Thank that Demon Hunter, sir. By the way, you should continue casting your spells now. There are still plenty of black-skinned dogs left.”

Lann continued upward.

As he got closer to these advanced spells, he even used the Lady of the Lake’s Sword to cut through those high-level spells that could affect him.

[Spirit Sight] revealed more and more, and the strange sensation in his mind was telling of the growth in his ’vision’.

His [Spirit Sight] was being satisfied by the ’slaughter, dissection’ process of these spells.

Amid this strange satisfaction in his mind, with a glance, Lann discovered a magic power fluctuation that felt familiar.

His ability to discern chaos magic power fluctuations had become precise to individuals.

But Lann wasn’t concerned about the growth of ’vision’ at the moment because the familiar fluctuation he recognized...

”Rita?!”

Without much thought, the secret technique on the [Old Hunter’s Leg Bone] was activated by Lann. In an instant, the figure of the rushing Demon Hunter turned into blue smoke several times.

Like a spell blink, heading upward.

Just as he arrived nearby, he suddenly heard a familiar bang.

”Bang!”

The gunpowder exploded in the gun chamber, converting chemical energy into kinetic energy propelling the bullet.

After a residue of gunpowder smoke, a southern warlock fifty meters away fell backward.

The fireball in her hand also exploded with a ’boom’.

”A pathetic creature who takes forever to cast a Fireball Technique, do you think you can mess with me?!”

Margaret snorted coldly with Tishaya’s face; her hair was now disheveled, and her breathing was quickened.

Taking advantage of the gunpowder smoke, Margaret quickly put the Hunter’s Pistol back into her space pouch.

The Shield Guards surrounding her didn’t see it clearly and only thought it to be a kind of rapidly launched and flying instant-cast spell.

Immediately afterward, the sunlight in front of the Shield Guard Captain abruptly darkened.

When he looked up, he found a dauntingly strong man standing in front of him, staring intently at the warlock they were protecting.

These Shield Guards felt good about Margaret because of her powerful magic and achievements.

Therefore, the Shield Guard Captain immediately called his comrades to be on alert.

”Hold on! Lady Tishaya will support with spells!”

The large shield was turned into a wall in front of Lann.

This sentence from the Shield Guard Captain was both an order to his comrades and a request for support from ’Tishaya’.

After all, just looking at this man in front of them was terrifying enough; wouldn’t one dread a real fight?

But what the Shield Guard Captain and the Shield Guards didn’t expect was...

The female warlock they were protecting directly rushed toward this man.

And with extraordinary passion, kissed him deeply... or perhaps went at him fervently.

At least the Captain thought it was very forward, as the man at first showed a puzzled and shocked expression before calmly accepting it.

Although all present were veterans, this scene was indeed quite rare. So much so that a group of them was dumbfounded.

”Boss, Lady Tishaya... if I recall correctly, she’s over four hundred years old, right? This guy doesn’t look that old.”

According to his recollection, when the female warlock and the legendary Demon Hunter both turned their unfathomable gazes toward them, the Shield Guard Captain somewhat wished he could kill the comrade beside him.

The business of a Great Mage, a member of the Talent and Skill Association, why are you meddling?

Even if it’s over four hundred years old, what’s wrong with five hundred?!!