Sunlight rarely found the forest floor in the Great Forest due to the thickness of the trees. The bright flash of light blinded a few monsters outright, while even the creatures with bad eyesight frowned. However, the ogre, the king of creatures in an ordinary forest or mountain, roared to express its ire.

Kuweeeeeoh!

The roar and flash magic immediately shook the camp awake, despite the ogre being kilometers away. As veterans, their reaction was fast and professional.

“What, a raid?”

“The sound’s a few kilometers away...”

“The loudest one is an ogre.”

There were no signs of drowsiness in their eyes, and they were already holding their staves. One was taking inventory while the other was scrying the enemies in the distance. Their magic power started to fluctuate as they prepared for the oncoming enemies.

The White Tower Master, wearing a white mask as always, left his tent and approached Theo.

“How interesting. The ward wouldn’t have been able to detect them from that far.”

It was as Orta said. The creatures Theo had discovered were almost twice the range of the alert magic that had been placed around the camp. Perhaps a large scale detection spell could have caught them, but it would’ve required a lot of mana. This meant that Theo had become aware of the creatures approaching from a few kilometers away by using a secret method.

“Yes, it is difficult to explain, but...”

“There is no need to explain. We now have time to prepare. Since you have proven yourself, you can play an active role.” The White Tower Master stopped talking and stared at the Great Forest.

The treetops shook as shadows flickered across the forest floor. Even though the magicians couldn’t see them, they could feel their momentum. The monsters were about a kilometer away.

“Count it down, Theodore.”

As Orta raised a hand, several magicians who had prepared spells looked at Theo. Theo and Sylvia had no experience with war, so they didn’t know that the destructive power of a magic corps was at its maximum when working in conjunction with each other. The timing was of utmost importance to construct a proper killing field. Yet the White Tower Master had given the most important role to Theodore.

Theo’s face hardened. “... Mitra.”

[Wuong?]

There was no time to get an explanation as Theo looked down at the girl cradled in his arms. Her bud was still shining with a green light. Perhaps that bud was the source of her ability to show him what was happening. He had been swept away by the strange sensation a while ago, but it might be possible to control it if he prepared his mind firmly.

No, this was a moment when he needed complete control.

“Can you show it to me one more time?”

At his cautious request...

[Ye!]

Mitra laughed and reached up to hug Theo’s forehead.

Ugh!

It was the same as before. His senses went haywire the moment Mitra’s bud touched him. Theo’s fingers seemed to become branches as he felt leaves fluttering and ants between his toes that extended into the ground. It felt like he had become a tree.

Theo felt like he would drown in the flood of sensory information. However, he managed to concentrate calmly.

I have to rely on my mental power training.

Theo had driven himself to the brink to deal with the tremendous national treasure, Umbra, so he could keep his composure and search through the sensory information for what he wanted. He saw the ground which was being trampled on, the branches which were passed, and then the ogre with two heads running in the lead...

As soon as Theo found them, he spoke, “Ten.”

The creature was barrelling through the forest, tearing apart bushes and trees. A twin-headed ogre was usually twice as intelligent and powerful than a normal ogre. As they grew older and gained more experience, they would grow more arms and eventually evolve into a monster capable of battling a cyclops, a well-known senior monster. Furthermore, if the distinctive magic resistance of senior monsters were added, the twin-headed ogre would be a challenging opponent.

“Five. Four.”

The monsters were bounding out of the bushes, as a massive monster sprang into the clearing with others on its heels.

“Three. Two.”

The twin-headed ogre and ordinary ogres were leading the charge, followed by club wielding trolls.

“One.”

Kiiiing.

A blue flash fired from Theo’s fingertip before any other spell activated. Magic Bullet screamed through the air, ready to tear through defenses equivalent to 6th Circle spells. It pierced straight through the head of the twin-headed ogre, as well as the ogres running behind it.

Nine ogres toppled to the ground in the next instant.

“Now!”

The creatures were temporarily blocked by the ogre corpses, so there was a brief instant where the charge ground to a halt. However, that was a fatal mistake in front of magicians. Attack spells filled in the air as seven senior magicians unleashed their offensive potential.

――――――――――!!!

Lightning lashed the horde in the same breath as a storm of flame descended. Crescent blades of water cut through flesh and bone with the ease of a knife through butter as steel balls crushed any monster unlucky enough to be its path. Regenerative ability didn’t mean a thing on this battlefield as the magicians’ spells didn’t even leave a trace of a corpse behind.

“... Amazing. I’ll lend a hand.” Impressed, Edwin raised his bow to join the attack. A serpent-like elemental made of clouds coiled around his shoulder, but only Theo knew of its existence.

“Aiolos, enter my arrow.”

[Gururung...]

The wind elemental, Aiolos, entered the arrow with a groan of annoyance. Its body infused the arrow with tremendous power. Edwin placed the arrow on the string and aimed at the creatures.

Piing! 

It sounded like an ordinary arrow, but the phenomenon which happened right after wasn’t common.

The wind arrow, infused with the high ranked Aiolos, melted into the air. The wind picked up until it reached the strength of a whirlwind. The blades of wind cut away at anything it reached, and the power was comparable to 7th Circle wind magic.

Kukwakwakwa...!

The wind storm swallowed up the creatures and became a blood wind! The blood storm rushed toward the Great Forest and obliterated hundreds of creatures hidden in the bushes.

“It is a really terrifying power.”

“This elf’s elemental is an ancient elemental!”

It was a true master level attack. Theo was shocked as he stared at the carnage. What if the opponents were humans instead of creatures? That arrow could annihilate over a thousand people. Ten arrows would extinguish an army.

The two powers didn’t use Elvenheim as a counterweight for nothing.

If Elvenheim becomes Meltor’s ally... we can truly win against the Andras Empire. If one or two masters like Edwin assists us...

The chain of blood that had lasted hundreds of years might be broken. A thrill of exhilaration went down Theodore’s spine as he realized the meaning of this mission. Perhaps Andras might disappear and Meltor would rise as the main power in the northern continent in his generation.

No, Theo might be able to achieve it with his own hands. Such expectations made him excited.

Edwin walked beside Theo and said, “It seems to be up to here for tonight, Benefactor.”

As he focused on the information coming in from Mitra, Theo realized that the creatures had started to leave. Edwin’s arrow had convinced the creatures of the difference in power.

As he looked over the decimated boundary of the Great Forest, Theodore replied, “We haven’t entered the Great Forest yet, but at this scale… I don’t know how the elves live inside.”

Edwin replied, “The parent tree protects us. No creatures can go near the world tree, so the forest is a good place for us to live. Hunting and gathering alone can provide plenty of food.”

As a species closer to nature than civilization, the elves had no need for manors. The natural border of the Red Plateau protected Elvenheim from invaders, and no slave trader was bold enough to enter the Great Forest to hunt elves. The world tree inside the Great Forest made this place a paradise of their own. The threat of monsters was nothing but a risk which could be solved.

The White Tower Master confirmed that the situation was clear and said, “That was easier than I expected. I was prepared to fight all night, but wild creatures are sensitive to the difference in power. It might’ve taken a little longer if Sir Edwin hadn’t helped out.”

“You don’t have to give me face, magician. You would’ve handled it even if I hadn’t helped out.”

“Hrmm, I don’t particularly deny it.”

Orta’s mouth curved in a smile under his mask. Orta was confident that he could use even more powerful magic than the storm arrow that Edwin showed.

After the short battle, Orta followed Theo around the campsite and muttered, “There’s only one problem. We can’t sleep well in this situation.”

“... It seems so.”

The wind carried the scent of blood, and the cries of monsters could be heard from within the forest. Battle had roused everyone’s blood, so it was hard to relax again. The sudden assault interfered with their ability to get a good night’s sleep. It was the problem of having a veteran’s instincts.

In the end, the delegation, including Theodore, had to spend their first night on the Red Plateau wide awake.