Chapter 87 - March to Subjugation (Part 2)
The “Shallow Forest.”
The moment we stepped into the outskirts of the Demonic Forest, the very air around us shifted. The density of ambient mana surged without warning. Why that happened remained a mystery even now. As planned, the horses and supply wagons halted at the large village near the forest’s edge. The logistics unit stayed behind there as well.
They should have already begun setting up camp, establishing a supply point for the coming operation. Meanwhile, the guerilla unit pressed forward into the Shallow Forest. We moved on foot through the woods. A narrow path had already been carved into the undergrowth, making travel far smoother than it once was. Not long ago, even this modest convenience would have been unthinkable.
My Friend walked alongside me, not voicing a single complaint. It was almost as if his earlier exhaustion had been nothing but an illusion. He strode ahead energetically, eyes constantly darting around with unquenchable curiosity. Clearly, he found the surroundings fascinating. The gear I’d handed him—standard-issue equipment for female members of the guerilla force—was battle-proven. Steel-plated boots, thick leather trousers and jacket, each embedded with armor made from artificial magic ore, carefully placed to protect vital areas.
Particularly the chest armor—on the women’s version of the jacket—was the result of extensive trial and error, refined after much debate and input from the field. Thin plating reinforced the shoulders and upper arms to prevent blades from slipping through. Naturally, the hands were protected with gauntlets. Every vulnerable point, not just the vital zones, had been reinforced with care.
Then there was the helmet (Metia).
I’d entrusted him with a newly developed model—one that also functioned as a wide-area magical sensor. With a single button, it could scan across long distances. My Friend had examined it with keen interest at first, but given his deep understanding of runes, he quickly adapted and began surveying the area like a veteran.
The path ahead wound deeper into the forest, leading into a zone where the breath of nearby magical beasts felt almost tangible. It was enemy territory. We avoided combat as much as possible, carefully pressing toward our objective. Sunlight filtered through the leaves above, casting a dappled glow on the path ahead. We should be able to rendezvous with the advance scouts before nightfall. Even though this was his first time navigating a forest like this, My Friend’s pace was faster than I’d expected.
As the sun began to dip and the Shallow Forest took on a golden hue, our unit finally arrived at the target location. The leader of the Fourth Squad—who’d gone on ahead—approached me.
“The situation remains unchanged,” he reported. “As mentioned previously, the target remains holed up in its den. We’re still unsure why, but it hasn’t moved. Here—please review the surrounding conditions.”
He handed me a single sheet of parchment—a simple map with detailed notes about the area. I scanned the contents. I see... So the target’s presence in the cave was projecting such a strong aura of dominance that it had driven away the surrounding magical beasts. That explained the eerie stillness. And for now—for this brief window—we had a chance to focus all our attention on it. If we let this opportunity slip away, the balance would shift.
We’d be forced into a full-scale engagement, like the brutal Bit Viper War that had burned itself into my memory as a child. No—if this was going to be done, it had to be now. A heavy, cold weight began to solidify in my chest and gut. The pressure was suffocating. One wrong decision here could lead to catastrophe. That’s exactly why this task had to fall on me—no one else.
“Pull back the recon personnel. First Shooter Squad—move up. Spotters, fix your sights on the target. The situation is still in our favor.”
My fists trembled as I clenched them. Darkness began to creep across the land, swallowing the last remnants of golden light. Time would not wait for us. If we missed this moment, we would lose our window for a preemptive strike. That much I was certain of. I could feel it—through the magical resonance only someone with count-level mana could perceive. The Bit Viper was beginning to stir, its energy swelling from within. The time had come.
“Spotter to Commander—reporting visual. The Bit Viper—no, the Hydra—has lifted its head. Its eyes are glowing red. That’s attack coloration. It’s extended its tongue and appears to be scanning its surroundings.”
“The depth of the cave—how large is it?”
“Approximately twenty-five yalds across, fifteen yalds tall. From our firing point, it’s one hundred and forty-eight yalds out.”
“Movement?”
“It’s swinging its head frequently, scanning the area. It’s... likely tracking scent trails.”
“…Once it moves, it’ll be fast. This is it.”
A decision had to be made. The encroaching darkness of night and the cave that sheltered the target—visibility would only worsen with time. Once we lost line of sight on our mark, the effectiveness of a single decisive strike would diminish drastically.
...Was it time?
Was now the moment?
As I wrestled with the question in my mind, a low voice rumbled beside me—My Friend.
“Have the shooters use the special rounds. The ones I handed over earlier. The warheads are inscribed with Freeze runes. Each one’s packed with as much magic powder as it could hold—twice the amount used in standard rounds. The runes will trigger on impact. Doesn't matter if it hits directly. In a space that small, the magic will spread instantly. The entire area will freeze in moments.”
“I see… Got it. Shooters! You are authorized to use the special rounds. Aim—fire!”
A sharp hiss of compressed air pierced the stillness. In the same breath, a fist-sized warhead sailed into the cave. A thunderous roar erupted from within, echoing outward like a shockwave. A soul-rending shriek followed, and a heavy surge of magical pressure slammed into our formation like a wall.
...Had we failed?
“It’ll thrash around for a while,” My Friend said calmly. “But the temperature’s already dropped below freezing. For a cold-blooded creature, that’s a death sentence. It’ll likely enter a state of torpor—hibernation, basically. Look... it’s stopped moving.”
As he spoke, My Friend handed me a curious, egg-shaped magitech device. From what I could recall from my past life, it was shaped much like a rugby ball—oval, compact, and dense.
So this... was his so-called trump card.
I could see the layers of intricate runes etched into the surface. Complex, precise. I’d have to ask him later what exactly he envisioned when crafting this—what scenario he had imagined that led to its creation.
“Use it. Even if the Hydra is immobilized, just its presence is toxic. I read that its very body seeps poison into the environment. The device contains a full suite of nullification spells. But like I mentioned earlier, the core mechanism is purification through holy water. I've built in other effects too. But if anyone gets too close, they risk exposure to lethal venom. That’s why I shaped it like this—so it could be thrown. Is there anyone here who can hurl this thing that far?”
“There is. Right here—First Squad Leader.”
“Yes, sir!”
I called over the shooter—a woman. To get the device into the frozen cave, we needed someone with the strength and accuracy to throw it, but more importantly, the range. Throwing it by hand wouldn’t be enough—not unless we moved dangerously close to the cave’s entrance. But doing that meant risking exposure to the Hydra’s poisonous aura. So the thrower had to be someone capable of launching this heavy, dense device from the mouth of the cave all the way to the Hydra’s resting place. I considered a few candidates in my head, but in the end, she had the best arm.
“I want you to strike the Hydra directly from the entrance of the cave with this.”
“Understood. It’s a bit large… but I’ll use a sling.”
“I'm counting on you.”
I took the magitech device from My Friend and handed it to the squad leader. She examined it carefully, weighing it in her hands with a serious expression. Then, with swift precision, she drew the sling she kept at her side. Silently activating a stealth spell, she slipped toward the cave entrance, carefully studying the interior. Once she was confident, she placed the device in her sling and began to spin. Faster and faster, the rotation built up.
And then—fwip.
With a soft, almost inaudible snap, the device was launched. The squad leader immediately confirmed the trajectory and darted away, ducking behind the nearest rock for cover.
A few moments passed. Then—from deep within the cave—a roar unlike any before tore through the air. A shriek so raw, so furious and unnatural, it chilled the blood and rattled the soul.
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