Although I told them to handle it roughly, I didnāt intend to just stand by and do nothing.
āIf they get seriously hurt while testing their skills, that would be foolish.ā
Zombies and ghouls often carry toxins that can cause diseases, and even a slight scratch can easily become infected.
"Handle it appropriately? Do you mean just let them go?"
"Hmm... Borka, have you ever worked as a mercenary or in the arena?"
Borka looked at me with a puzzled expression, as if wondering how I knew. It was obvious from his movements, which I recognized from my own experience as a warrior character. When I ran out of money, I often went to the arena, so I became familiar with the movements.
Anyway, it made it easier to explain if he had experience in the arena.
"Our side will be the shield, and the mages will be the net!"
"...You worked in the arena?"
"In my previous life!"
Borka seemed even more confused by the professorās words, but he seemed to understand what was expected. Shield and net. This was a common tactic used in the arena when a small group faced multiple monsters, goblins, or orcs. Those with short swords and shields would focus on blocking the attacks at the front, while those with long spears and nets would finish off the disorganized enemies from behind.
āWeāll have to face multiple enemies as we go deeper, so this will be a good practice for future battles.ā
Kaaah!
The first to charge was a ghoul, a monster that often appears in pits filled with corpses. Compared to zombies, which are similar undead creatures, ghouls are stronger, more agile, and have sharp claws that secrete a thick toxin, making them difficult for a single soldier to handle.
Crack!
The professor casually grabbed the charging ghoulās arm and threw it into the middle of the other undead.
Poom!
"Kraaaah!"
"Guooh!"
"Gaaaaah!"
The undead, which had been charging recklessly, were knocked down like bowling pins by the ghoul that flew like a cannonball.
"See? Just disrupt their formation like this, and let the mages take care of the rest."
"Hmm, I understand the idea, but..."
The professorās throw was a bit too strong, and a torn ghoulās arm was still in his hand. To Borka, the professor, who was explaining while casually shaking off the arm, didnāt seem much different from the charging undead.
Swish-
At that moment, the magesā incantations ended, and the surrounding mana began to fluctuate.
Led by two 3rd-tier mages, the magic they cast was a chain spell centered around the seals they had formed.
"Let it flow before you."
"[Dorman Baldanisās, Calling Waterfall]"
"[Reverse]"
The mana of the five mages converged, forming an image with the bones of the seals as its framework, expanding outward. The first seal formed the image of a waterfall falling from the sky, and the second seal was the reverse.
Plop!
The first sign was a small stream of water that burst from the ground beneath the professorās feet.
Plop! Plop! Plop!
The small stream quickly extended into a line of multiple streams.
Crack, Kwaahh!!!
The ground split open, and an enormous amount of water surged up, forming a wall of water.
āThey used the Waterfall spell, which creates a wall of water by expanding collected water with mana, but modified it to rise from the ground. Since the Water Wall is a 3rd-tier spell, they structured it so that 2nd-tier mages could participate. Using groundwater in this way would speed up the casting process.ā
While the professor was pleased with the magesā quick response, Othman, who had been forming seals in succession, stepped forward. He drew back the mana used in the spell to use it in the next one, a cycle typical of a 5th-tier mage whose massive mana was now manifesting, causing the wind to rise.
Snap.
The index finger, which signifies command and designation. A word for direction.
Click.
The middle and ring fingers, which signify authority, contract, and submission, folded to show reverence.
Thud-
The straightened thumb represented a firm self, and the clasped hands represented the cycle.
The massive mana that had gathered in Othmanās hands took shape, transforming into a massive magical symbol.
"Seeing mountains as light soil, stars as small beams of light, and the sky as a single gust of wind, I revere that great power."
[Othman Baudelaireās, Wave]
The reverse waterfall that had blocked the undeadās path began to rise uncontrollably, forming a massive waterfall in the middle of the forest where there was no river.
Kuuu-
Kwaahh!!
The enraged waves that swept through the forest carried away the undead without any resistance.
Kwaahh!!
At the moment when all the charging undead were swept away by the waves,
"Hydraulic Sphere"
Crack!
The two 3rd-tier mages who had been waiting after the Waterfall spell gathered the waves into a massive sphere of water pressure to finish the job. Although it didnāt crush everything into a small point like the Hydraulic Sphere Isaac had cast, the undead, whose limbs were broken and bunched up like balls, seemed to be in no need of further action.
- Jokass: Amazing...
- Speed Wagon: Water magic uses a lot of residual mana because it uses water as a tangible medium. So, as long as thereās water, they can reuse the mana and cast spells like this.
- Highweinauchman: Damn, this is making my magic high.
- Soy Sauce Guy: Look at the professor. His eyes are about to shoot lasers.
"Heee...."
The professor had long stopped thinking, captivated by the grand spectacle. As a 1st-tier water mage, he could see how intricate and beautiful the chain spell was, more so than the others.
"Huuu. How about that? Weāre not too bad, are we?"
Othman, slightly out of breath, approached the professor.
"Youāve been quite noticeable lately. You got us a carriage, made us take a detour to a river, and even though itās just dried fish, youāve treated us well as mages. Seeing everyone push themselves like this, it seems they wanted to show their true potential. This is good enough, right?"
"Ten points... Ten points..."
The professor nodded absentmindedly. The magic they cast without water or special preparation was impressive. What would happen if they were placed near a lake and given a few days to prepare?
āI thought it was a joke, but they could really cast city-level bombardment spells.ā
Test Result: Very Promising.
"Kiaaaah! Kaaah!"
The charging undead were quickly dealt with, and a single banshee that had barely escaped the magical tsunamiās range flew over the barricade, screaming.
"Oh. I should have been more careful."
"No, itās fine. Banshees arenāt greatly affected by physical impacts, so even if it was swept away, it wouldnātā"
"Did you forget? I have the enlightenment of āPurification.ā Not as powerful as divine magic, but it should have been effective enough."
"Oh...."
Now that he mentioned it, the bunched-up undead had long stopped moving. This old man is really useful.
As the professor looked at the mages with a pleased expression, his eyes caught a black mage standing behind them with his arms crossed, looking blankly.
"Aldrich. Donāt you have anything to show?"
"Why? The blue water lovers in front already cleaned up nicely."
Aldrich scratched his head and gathered a small shadow in his hand.
"Besides, as a soul mage who delves purely into black magic, I canāt use my power well during the day."
"Canāt use your power during the day? Are you a vampire?"
"Not exactly... Itās more of a feeling. Isnāt it strange for a ghost to appear in broad daylight?"
"Ah."
It was an absurd reason, but he understood immediately. When a mage says it feels strange, it means the imagery doesnāt form.
"So, I canāt help much, but... I can do this much."
As Aldrich raised his hand, which had gathered enough shadows, something pale and indistinct was sucked into his hand from the motionless undead corpses.
"Iāve recovered the souls used in the necromancy. Since this is a place where black mages have established themselves, they probably corrupted the area. In such places, if the souls used in rituals arenāt sent to the afterlife with divine magic or recovered like this, the corpses will rise again after absorbing mana from the ground."
As Aldrich released the shadows in his hand, the gathered souls flew toward the flask hanging around the professorās neck.
"Ugh, itās unpleasant."
"Itās a prejudice. Black magic isnāt an evil art; itās a study that began with ancient burial priests. The origin of black magic was to send off souls on their journey and to console spirits with lingering attachments to the mortal world. Soul mages are those who make contracts with strong spirits to resolve their attachments in