Deception (2)

I surveyed the battlefield, waiting for the right moment.

Ideally, I hoped the original plan with Osprey would come to fruition.

Right now, Osprey is waiting for Heldre. The original plan was to lure Heldre in and, when Osprey had him in hold, I would throw Excalibur to him.

The method to bind Heldre in the air, the way to control the power of Excalibur. We brainstormed and devised this strategy together with Osprey.

Of course, all of this was possible thanks to Osprey's incredible abilities and knowledge.

Even Heldre would surely die if he faced the combination of Penelope's fabric and Excalibur head-on. Even if he managed to block it, it's uncertain if he would survive.

'But Heldre hasn't shown up.'

This place, with its aerial railway, isn't that important, but more significantly, Heldre needs certain conditions to move.

And Cain is part of those conditions.

So, to call him here...

'I'm sorry, Principal.'

We had worked hard together to devise this plan, but there are too many flaws in it.

Both capturing Heldre's movements and controlling Excalibur. The probability of failure is too high, and since Heldre hasn't shown up, the plan can't be executed.

I inhaled deeply.

"Menosorpo."

A Rune expands with a single utterance.

Of course, Skyler and Thompson would notice, but that doesn't matter. Isamaya and Pascal are no easy foes, even if they take their eyes off me for a moment.

Menosorpo, Weaving

Rank - Divine

Khryselakatos, Lokhiera

I held a bow and arrow in my hands.

When I aimed at the kraken before, I could only fill Khryselakatos with aura. My determination to hit it was strong, and time was exceedingly short.

But this time is different.

With a swoosh-!

I pulled the bow, filling both the bow and arrow with aura. As always, this bow doesn't require strict aiming. My eyes only need to capture Thompson and Skyler.

This time, I infused both the bow and the arrow with aura.

With anticipation of what might happen, I released the bowstring.

* * *

Thompson and Skyler were in different locations, but their concentration for continuing the battle had already been severed.

The reason was the intimidating presence of the man on the opposite cliff.

Despite the considerable distance, a chilling magical power swept under their feet like a wave.

Fortunately, even Isamaya and Pascal, who were in a standoff, were distracted by the Frondier, losing their focus to him.

'What on earth is he trying to do...'

Thompson was in a position where he could see the Frondier directly in front. It was indeed fortunate.

But it was equally terrifying. He had to see with his own eyes the fearsome momentum of the Frondier drawing his bow.

However, the aim was a bit off. The arrow was not directed at Thompson or Skyler.

If one had to say, it was aimed somewhere in the middle, a bit higher. If shot as it was, it would merely cut through the air.

'Hmph. Is he planning to adjust his aim just before firing to attack?'

Thompson lowered his gaze and waited for the Frondier to shoot the bow. Regardless of when it was shot or how remarkable the arrow was, Thompson was confident he could deflect it in a single attempt.

However, the Frondier released the bowstring with his aim still set on the empty sky.

"Huh?"

Thompson exclaimed in disbelief as he watched the trajectory of the bow.

Skyler probably felt similarly. The arrow was flying towards the sky, completely off target.

"What the, where is that arrow shooting at-"

Before Thompson could finish his sentence, the arrow exploded in mid-air. Bang.

'...Ah! So that's the famous 'firework'!'

Thompson finally recalled a piece of information about the Frondier. Although he had half-listened to it due to its low reliability, he managed to dredge up the faint memory.

There had been an incident in Constel not long ago, where monsters attacked, and it was said there was a rain of arrows that instantly killed the fleeing monsters. They called it 'fireworks'.

If that's the case, he's not an imposter but truly Frondier.

"A lunatic. To show his face to us so brazenly!"

Just block this rain of arrows, and you're as good as dead. That's what Thompson thought the moment before.

Boom-!

Boom, Bang-!

Arrows that had exploded once in the air exploded again in the void.

"What?"

Like a warm-up, those that occasionally exploded in the void.

Brrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

The initially fragmented arrows all made their sound as they fragmented again in the air. From the first arrow, easily over a hundred split, and that many split again.

So how many are there?

"Wait, no, hold on."

This doesn't match the records. There couldn't have been this many arrows.

And for a good reason, with that number, a single shot would annihilate the monsters and leave plenty to spare. According to the records, there were fewer arrows, and a few more 'fireworks' were needed.

"It's pitch black."

Thompson thought simply, looking up at the sky.

The sky had turned black. No, since all the arrows were emitting light, it wasn't so much black but rather.

It was just rain. Made of light.

The characteristic of Lokhiera, Fireworks.

"It shall rain."

"Could it be, for real."

As Thompson thought, and as befits rain,

A black swarm of light precisely crashed towards them.