Chapter 101 (2/2)
‘Deeper, wider, longer.’
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The magic circuit activated immediately at the location determined by the pen, and the mana crystals that had been expended turned to grey and cracked.
Rivelia, Noxvil, Mazelan and all the other agents could only watch, dumbfounded by the inexplicable event that took place.
It was as if a giant was digging a pit around the Gate. The ground sunk deeper and deeper.
“Was summoning monsters just one of the functions of the Queen’s Artifact?”
It was an entry-level magic, mastered by everyone in the school of magic when they first entered. It was so simple that everyone could use it; the magic circuit for it was practically obsolete. But when that simple magic circuit was recast tens of thousands of times, a deep, wide crater formed with the gate floating in the centre.
“s.h.i.+t! My head. This is pretty hard.”
Isaac frowned in response to his headache but smiled, satisfied, when he looked at his handiwork.
“… What is this?”
Noxvil asked with a distant look on his face, and Isaac replied with a shrug.
“What else? We are just making a fool of the Expeditionary Forces.”
They would plummet to the ground the moment they stepped out of the Gate. Just by looking, the height of the fall would critically wound a person, and if they were inside a vehicle, they’d be squashed under the vehicle’s weight.
“… It’s a new strategy, but one we can’t use ever again.”
Rivelia was surprised at first but returned to her emotionless expression as she muttered. Everyone else nodded in agreement.
Creating a crater so deep in an instant was impossible without the Queen’s Artifact. Since it was a simple magic to cast, it may have been possible to achieve if they deployed every wizard and magic knight at their disposal. But that would have been a huge waste of manpower. The worst part was its cost efficiency.
“But this was still too early! It’s no guarantee that the ground troops will advance immediately just because their aircraft was shot down! It would all be for naught if they send another aircraft through the gate!”
Noxvil argued, and Isaac smirked.
“Does it matter if they know? It’s not like they can escape falling from their deaths.”
“…”
It was true. The people of this world always fought in the same routine, and the same applied to the Expeditionary Forces. They were bound to be surprised when there was a sudden change. What would happen if they found out that there is no way for them to cross after the Gate is open? They could only shuffle their feet in panic, unable to profit from this engagement.
‘… A perfect victory? Has there ever been a case like this?’
Gooseb.u.mps rose on Noxvil’s skin when his thoughts reached that conclusion. They completely shut down the Expeditionary Force’s entryway. Without sacrificing anything. This was an unprecedented achievement in the history of Central.
“I cannot accept this! What would you have done if the Gate sunk with the ground itself!”
Noxvil’s shout was akin to a scream at this point, and Isaac looked at Noxvil with contempt.
“Old man, you shouldn’t only swing your sword around just because you’re a swordmaster. Read up on military strategies and tactics. This was a plan concocted by a low-ranking officer in my world, and you call yourself the commander when you can’t solve that problem yourself?”
“Kuuk!”
Noxvil’s body s.h.i.+vered with rage in the face of Isaac’s jabs, and Rivelia, who pondered for a moment, answered.
“If the Gate did sink along with the ground, were you only just going to dig at the Gate’s foundations, entombing it underground?”
Isaac nodded proudly listening to Rivelia.
“As expected of a hero. Great job.”
It was rare to see Isaac ever compliment someone sincerely. But even this did not faze Rivelia, and she calmly asked Isaac.
“I am awaiting your next order.”
Isaac looked at Rivelia with keen interest. The sudden change in Isaac’s att.i.tude was somewhat scary.
“We can’t let our guests leave empty-handed like this. We should give them a present. Isn’t that right?”
Isaac grinned widely, but everyone flinched at the bloodthirsty undertones. Isaac took out a new cigarette and got off the Humvee, looking at the weapon that was attached to it.
The M134. It was colloquially known as the minigun and was the weapon used by Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator like a bada.s.s to fill everything with lead.
“Why don’t we get started first, since it’s about time they send out a new UAV.”
Tap tap!
Isaac signalled by tapping the body of the Humvee, and the agent that was manning the gun nodded to Isaac. He aimed the gun to the Gate and pulled the trigger.
In an instance, the Gate was showered with thousands of rounds like an unrelenting winter hail. This signalled the other humvees to fire the minigun at the Gate too.
Babababababang!
Even the agents that were holding rifles in hand fired along at the Gate, emptying multiple clips in a frenzy.
The scene was akin to a lake in heavy rain as the blue surface of the Gate rippled with each and every bullet.
Isaac backed off to move away from the loud gunfire and the smoke of gunpowder. Rivelia, who followed with Isaac, asked.
“I have a question.”
“What?”
“Is there any meaning in this attack?”
The fact that the Expeditionary Forces were stopped was unquestionable. They would have no way to enter this world so long as they couldn’t find a way to overcome that giant crater. Attacking the Gate seemed meaningless in this situation.
“There are two reasons.”
“… I would like your guidance.”
Rivelia asked politely, and Isaac chuckled. Yes, that was exactly it. Learn well.
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