~Chapter 15~
Amelie quickly spoke before Christan could argue.
“Leave reducing that monster’s size to me and the archers.”
“But didn’t you already use up almost all your potions? And to retrieve fired arrows, the archers would have to get close to it again. Either way, there are limits,” Christan said.
“Don’t worry about that!”
Amelie pulled a red potion from her pouch and said,
“If I throw a fire potion at such a huge monster cluster, the flames will spread everywhere and double the effect. I won’t need to use many potions!”
“…I see.”
Christan quickly calculated and gave new orders.
“Once Lady Winterpull attacks with potions, archers will support her with arrows. When its body is sufficiently broken apart, we’ll switch to close combat!”
“Yes, sir!”
The plan was executed immediately. A red glass bottle flew in an arc toward the monster cluster. The monsters twisted their bodies to dodge, but their size made it impossible.
“Kieek!”
The fire potion ignited, and the cluster screamed in pain as flames spread from one monster to the next.
Just as Amelie predicted, the fire was unstoppable. Archers aimed carefully at the individual monsters in the cluster, finishing them off. Those separated from the mass were easily handled by the knights.
Repeated attacks soon left the once-massive body tattered and weak.
Eventually, even the monsters protecting the top-tier monster fell away, exposing it.
Someone fired an arrow at it, but—
『Kuooo…』
Sensing the attack, the top-tier monster let out a sound. Instantly, a lower-level monster leaped in front to block the arrow, dying on impact.
Thud!
Amelie murmured as she watched,
“Are the monsters… sacrificing themselves?”
“No, that’s an order from the one in the center,” Gerard answered.
The knights began murmuring.
“Monsters giving orders to monsters?”
“Doesn’t that require at least top-tier intelligence?”
“So that thing really is a top-tier monster…”
Christan’s face hardened. Top-tier monsters only existed in theory; none had ever crossed into the human world through a rift before.
“A rift strong enough to let a top-tier monster through… It’s lucky we started this subjugation early. Otherwise, the territory’s people would have suffered.”
At that moment, the top-tier monster’s eyes glowed. The burning mass of monsters writhed and shifted its shape. In the blink of an eye, it became a long, snake-like creature.
“Ahhh!”
Amelie screamed in surprise. Christan quickly ordered,
“Stay sharp! Do not relax!”
The elongated monster slammed its body forward like a whip. Everyone in its path scrambled to dodge.
“Ahhh!”
“Kyahhh!”
Amelie wasn’t in the direct path, but the impact threw her to the ground. As she pushed herself up, she saw something unbelievable.
“Huh…?”
Someone was clinging desperately to the end of the monster’s body. A very familiar figure. The gray hair was unmistakable.
‘N-no way…’
“Captain!”
“Your Highness!”
Gerard’s urgent cry snapped Amelie out of it. It was Christan. He had been caught by the monster during its attack.
“Ugh…”
The monster’s crushing grip made Christan groan.
The creature reverted to its original form. A chilling, mocking voice filled the air.
『Foolish humans. Can you hear me?』
“It… it’s talking?!”
“This can’t be!”
The knights were shocked. But they had clearly heard words in human language.
The top-tier monster frowned in displeasure.
『Tch, I don’t like this half-baked ability. I can’t understand human speech.』
“What… what does it mean?”
“So… it can talk to us, but it can’t hear us?”
The knights whispered nervously. The monster laughed coldly, but the sound helped Christan regain his focus.
“…”
Below him, the ground was dizzyingly far away. Around him, the monster’s bodies squeezed and twisted.
‘If I fall from this height, I’ll be in serious trouble.’
Christan calmly gripped the monster that held him.
『I have captured the human who seems to be your leader. He looked strong, but now he’s finished!』
The flames were creeping dangerously close to Christan. No matter how strong he was, fire would hurt him badly.
“Your Highness!”
Amelie shouted without thinking, her trembling hands diving into her pouch. She grabbed the first potion she could find—a torrent-water potion, luckily.
Christan, meanwhile, saw her holding it and shouted,
“Wait! Don’t throw it yet!”
“What?”
Christan forced one arm free, swinging his sword and slicing through the monster restraining him.
“Kraak!”
The monster screamed and dropped him. Using the momentum, Christan leapt up onto the monster’s body. Other monsters tried to attack, but the spreading flames burned them before they could reach him.
“Kkeek!”
Christan stomped on a monster grabbing his leg and shouted,
“Archers! Fire all arrows at the top-tier monster in the center!”
Dozens of arrows shot through the air. Amelie hurled her last acid potion with all her strength.
The top-tier monster used nearby monsters as shields, but that was exactly what Christan wanted.
『What are you doing?!』
“Thanks to the others sacrificing themselves for you, it’s now easier for me to get close.”
The number of monsters forming the cluster had dropped sharply. The knights on the ground finally approached and attacked in close combat.
Kicking and cutting through monsters, Christan reached the perfect spot to strike at the top-tier monster. It turned and glared at him, alarmed.
『You…!』
It ordered nearby monsters to attack, but a few low-level creatures were no match for Christan.
The monsters he struck fell to the ground, where the knights finished them off. The top-tier monster could only stare in disbelief.
『…』
Christan looked it in the eye and asked,
“Hey you, how did you end up coming through the rift?”
