The wind cyclone hits my back, as if it’s tearing me apart.
From the other directions, I can hear Hans and Jade’s screams.
Shortly after, I hear them crash onto something.
I don’t know if they’re still alive, but I’m sure they’ll be unable to battle after that.

Nevertheless, this wind magic should be blowing away all the fog around us.
In the first place, the fog was meant to conceal herself so she could focus on using attack magic.
With the fog clearing up, everything should be visible now.

Even though she’s resupplying her magic from another monster, she should have used quite a lot of magic already.
Maintaining a fog level of this density, forcefully creating a substitute to swap places with, and that omni-directional wind magic she just used.
It’s safe to assume that she can’t use any more powerful attacks now.

When I lifted my face up, there was a large spider just ahead of me.
Arachne…… it’s just a mere rank D monster.
Although lower ranked, one shouldn’t underestimate their skillful use of webbing.
It was a failure of my part to have been fooled by a little girl and her pets, only because that Ouroboros has been on my mind.
If Lord Tallmann saw me like this, he would be disappointed in me.

The Arachne ahead of me spits out web, and a similar sound is heard from other directions.
They have us surrounded.

“I see…… you intended to blow us away with that widespread wind magic just so you could pick us out one by one. Brilliant. You made it look like you didn’t want to engage us in close quarter combat with that long-range attack you first did, but it was only bait to lure us into coming closer to you…… and, right when we lowered our guard, you set up your trap”

That’s easier said than done.
Maintaining a medium-range battle wouldn’t have been possible without someone acting as a wall. They would be under heavy pressure the entire time.
If even one part of their plan fell apart, someone would’ve been pierced by my sword already.
They did well to pull it off.

It takes fortitude to apply what they did, especially when they don’t know who they’re up against…… but for a party of monsters like them, it was the best plan they can come up with.
If they had known that I’m also a magic-user, they wouldn’t have went through with that plan.

“To be defeated by an undead who is trying to protect her hometown…… that spirit of yours is worthy of praise”

I face front, and pull the sword I stuck on the ground out.

“Unfortunately for you, you’re facing the wrong opponent!”

Because I was hit directly by her wind magic, it’s a bit difficult to move.
But, compared to Hans and Jade who were blown far away, my wounds are still shallow.
Primarily, I have more physical strength than them.
I can still move.
My body feels a bit heavy, but not so much that I can’t fight.
She must’ve thought that I’ve been severely weakened, that’s why she’s approaching me…… but, I can still fight.

Suddenly, spider webs are shot to me from all four directions, but I cut them all up with my sword.
Then, from behind, the undead girl runs towards me, following the spider web.
She prepares to swing her oversized arm.

They must’ve planned to immobilize me with the webs and finish me off with that giant hand.
I hit the giant hand with the side of my sword and push her back.
The undead doesn’t lose her footing after getting pushed back.

As I was about to pursue her and swing my sword at her, she extends her other hand to me.

“〖Clay Wall〗!”

The undead chants.
A wall made of earth blocks me from pursing the undead.

“Ha~ah!”

I thrust my sword forward, piercing past the earth wall.
There’s a response.
The earth wall collapses and the undead is seen being pierced by my sword.

I could feel the texture of her skin.
Her skin is changing from something soft to something earth-like.

The one I’m piercing shouldn’t be fake.
I didn’t give her time to switch places.
It must be because she’s hurt and wasted a vast amount of magic power that she can no longer maintain her humanesque body.

“I will remember you as a worthy opponent. It isn’t strange that I would come out as the winner. Although my victory was already assured, I still never thought you’d corner me this far.”

Now, to cut her up and this will all be over.
But, just when I was about to swing my sword…… I couldn’t so much as move it.
Looking at my sword, I notice that the skin I’m piercing has suddenly solidified.
So, she hardened her body with her remaining magic after I pierced her.

“You-!”

To think she had another trick up her sleeve even after getting pierced.
If it weren’t for the earth wall, I would’ve swung my sword instead of pierce.
It wasn’t like I was aiming for the undead because the earth wall was in the way, but I didn’t think she’d be persistent enough to even attempt such a risky maneuver.

The undead holds my sword with her normal-sized hand.
Then, she turns it to earth and solidifies it to strengthen the hold.
With her other giant hand, she prepares to swing it to my face.

I thought about letting go of the sword, but the distance is too short for me to avoid it even if I do it.
I can’t dodge it in time.
I’ve already suffered enough damage as it is, so if I receive this attack, even if it’s coming from a lower-class monster, not to mention being surrounded by other lower-class monsters, it will surely result in death.

Defeating the undead is an easy task, but that’s only if I don’t receive that fatal attack from the front.
If I do, the spider monsters will get me before I get to recover myself.

If I am defeated here, His Excellency will not only lose most of his “Hungry Hunters” finest warriors, but also many of the troops will flee as well.
When that happens, then his dream of becoming king will never come.
I simply cannot afford to lose here.
I’m reluctant to use magic, but…… I have no other choice.

“…… I’m forced to use it after all”

I hurriedly reach out my left arm at the undead.
At this distance, even if I don’t use Flare, I should still be able to blow away the undead’s head with the appropriate magic.
Then, I’ll slowly take my time getting rid of the spiders.
Should I go for……〖Fire Sphere〗perhaps.

The only problem is that if I use magic here, then the number of〖Drago Flare〗I can fire, its firepower, and cast time will greatly decrease during my confrontation with the Ouroboros.
But, there’s nothing that can be done about that.
I should first prioritize on not dying here.

“Fire Sphe-……”

I stopped my chant halfway.
In the distance, I saw several soldiers wearing the uniform of our “Hungry Hunters” army.

The reinforcements I requested have arrived.
That must mean we were fighting closer to the 4th division than we expected.
But, no matter how close we are…… I know of only one person who can make it here this fast.
The person who used to be part of the 1st division directly under Lord Tallmann himself.
The one who disgraced His Excellency and was moved to another division on standby, Nell.

I thought that annihilating the Lithuvar Tribe was a job that didn’t suit someone like Nell.
That’s why I planned to demonstrate to Nell first how we do things so he’d get used to it, and to also teach him ways to further not offend His Excellency.
Apparently, it was good that we kept him on standby.

However…… it looks like even with their arrival, I won’t be able to avoid this.
I’ll have to overcome this myself.
It is unavoidable. If I mess this up, it will cost me my life.

With my left hand extended, I nudge my left shoulder forward.
Inevitably, the undead’s large hand makes contact with my shoulder.
I clash my arm with the undead’s arm.
Its sharp nails rip my clothes and skin.

“Gu~uh!”

I get pushed down from the force and fall on my knees.
Even the undead was pushed back.
I can tell that she’s close to her limit.
Then, the spiders around us jump at me all at once.

I managed to only sacrifice my arm.
If that hit my body, I’d have suffered more fatal damage.
Looking at it that way, it was a gamble.
And, I won.

Nell jumps in and spins around, repelling all the spiders with his sheathed sword, and using that momentum to kick the undead away from me.
The undead was heavily kicked away due to the weight of her oversized arm.

“Ah……”

The undead’s prominent crimson eyes stare at me as if regretting to finish the job.

“A-, Azalea-sama…… are you, alright?”

“Thanks to you, I will be. Good work, Nell.”

Nell’s advantage.
Is his unmatched speed.
If me and Nell were to face off in a sword duel with rules applied, Nell would win in a flash.
Among our Ferris Huma soldiers, Nell is the fastest out of all of them and he was given the title “God’s Flash”.

“T-, The wound on your arm…… it looks deep, our healing magic might not……”

“No problem. I’m also a mage too”

Besides, I doubt my sword can even pierce that dragon’s tough scales.
I don’t even think Nell’s attack and speed can match it.
If so, then healing a useless arm will change nothing.

“Nevermind that, the undead……”

Immediately, the undead was already being carried away by one of the spiders and was escaping.
The other spiders also carried the other hostages that we left behind and are quickly running away.

“Tch~! Nell, chase after them and take them out! With your speed, you should easily be able to do it!”

“B-, But, your injury…… it needs urgent medical attention. We need to get you to the 4th division and treat it as soon as possible. And, since you received a direct attack from an undead, there’s bound to be a cursed aftereffect…… I know the others are on their way…… but, I can bring someone else here so you can be healed faster”

“…………”

He’s right…… if I’ve been afflicted with a curse, then I shouldn’t move around much.
Many in the 4th division expertise in white magic.
It’s probably better to have this checked just to be sure.
Also, another reason could be that Nell just doesn’t want to chase the spiders that’s rescuing the children we kidnapped.

An undead’s recovery speed is high, it won’t be long before that undead girl gets back into shape and attacks us again…… but, now that we know what she is, we should be able to guess at least 80% of her possible skills.
With the right information, we won’t be fooled by their same tricks again.
As long as we remain alert, the next time we see her won’t be too bad.
She’s less of a threat than the Ouroboros we’re about to face next.
I should rest up in the meantime.

Now then…… how do I go about raising Nell’s motivation?
Nell is now shocked after seeing Hans and Jade’s weirdly bent bodies after being blown away by the wind magic as well as Wayne’s squeezed and crushed corpse.

“Should we…… withdraw, for now……”

“Yes. We’ll stop fighting the Lithuvar Tribe. Majority of our large squads have most likely been killed already. Too many unexpected things happened”

“Oh…… I see”

Nell makes a confused expression.
That reminds me, Nell was against our plan of massacring the Lithuvar Tribe.
In that sense, he must feel relieved.
But, at the same time, he’s also feeling remorseful for the deaths of too many of his fellow “Hungry Hunter” allies.
And that feeling alone, is why I won’t rest yet.

“…… However, it doesn’t mean our mission is over. For Lord Tallmann, this is his only chance at becoming king. Nell…… don’t worry. I won’t ask you to dirty your hands in murder.”