Vol. 1 - Ch. 235 - I WILL BE BACK

A flash of hatred surged within the eyes of Steinberg as we appeared a threat in its eyes at last. 

Nevertheless, and surprisingly, it didn't follow up with an attack out of rage. It retracted its wounded tongue, and adopted to use mid-range magic, shooting off water and mud balls at an extreme speed. There was no doubt a direct hit from them could easily injure one. 

The change in situation had also caused the small frogs to be wrapped in Steinberg's friendly fire, but the giant frog didn't pay that heed. 

The mud ball would gouge out the ground, while the water ball would fill the scooped spot with water, creating many pools on the ground. 

"Are you injured, Dio?!"

"I am... fine."

But, with the distance between us, and Steinberg itself requiring a moment to produce it's magic, we managed to evade the attacks. 

Most of the evacuation had been completed, and since the giant frog's hatred was now focused on the three of us, it made little sense for us to risk ourselves and engage in close-combat. 

It appeared our opponent was also quite a vary after my earlier doing, so it was also prioritising keeping a distance between us. Well, or maybe it was its escape plan? I guess it would immediately jump into the subterranean lake to make an escape if it felt any danger. 

With the intelligence giant frog showed by controlling its rage and not immediately pouncing on us, I had no doubt that it was a target that we must be vary off. I fear even the elites of knights from Knight Order would have to break some bone in its subjugation. 

Yeah, there really was no point in forcing ourselves. It would be best to maintain a safe distance until everyone had successfully evacuated. —Or, I had wishedfully thought but suddenly, the giant frog's focus shifted from us to our back. 

*Crap*...! 

We had the last group of the evacuatees—they're the stonemasons and guards at the very depth of the underground cave—charting their way toward the exit while Parry-kun and others dealt with the small frogs behind them.

Satowa and Parry-kun probably could save their wool, but stonemasons would definitely be crushed if giant frog target them. 

Wait, it seemed it only noticed the Parry-kun group since they're running around from its blindspot.  Then it means it... relies on its visionary perception, and wasn't that good at search or detection?

Argh... it's really unfortunate the opponent wouldn't allow any time to brainstorm.

"Mist Forest!"

For the time being, I caused the water from pools, that had pooled around due to giant frog's magic, to turn into steam by vaporising them. 

Promptly, a cloak of mist lowered the visibility inside the cave. 

When some conditions were met, such as a somewhat closed space to trap air, rapidly vaporizing a large amount of water in specific circumstances could create fog. I just utilised that principle.

"Huh?! Since when you can use water magic, Ren!?"

"It's wind magic."

This was a spell seldomly used by skilled water mages to obfuscate someone's vision, hence Ignis-san asked back in surprise. I immediately denied.

After all, what I created the steam by drastically lowering the air pressure around me, unlike a water mage who could directly summon water. This should be why Ignis-san asked me.

Though, I suppose water mages also draw moisture from the air, so it’s not entirely different, I guess.

Steinberg was on verge of creating the water ball, and the sudden mist confused it for a moment. But it pushed through and shot forth the huge water ball. 

"Duck!"

Parry-kun's shout reverberated almost immediately, and the stonemasons crouched down while holding their heads in their hands. The water ball nearly grazed over the heads of the stonemasons. 

"Get up and run! Just a little more, and you will be safe!"

Immediately afterward, Parry-kun urged the crouching stonemasons to run.

......The heck, since when did he become so dependable?

Anyway, I observed Steinberg, but it appeared aside from a minutely dull movement, it could still pinpoint Parry-kun and other within the mist. ...Wait, It must be relying on their heat signature! That said, it still rely on its eyesight at the end. 

"Sandstorm!"

I immediately moved forward with the available countermeasures—using the wind to pick up the scattered dust and pebbles they'd scattered around after Steinberg's mud ball attack disturbed the ground layout, and wind a sandstorm, literally. 

It was quite a basic move, but it was perfect for me who relied on detection magic to pick such changes, meanwhile it was a nightmare for the opponent that was dependent on eyes. 

Well, it hadn't yet experimented, but I believe this could definitely stir a big move if used in sandy region like desserts etc. 

Within a moment, Steinberg's eyes narrowed in disgust as it saw the rise of sandstorm.

"What the heck, you can—"

"It's wind magic."

" "......" "

◆◆◆

Steinberg thrashed around to get rid of my conjured Sandstorm, obviously, but I relentlessly forced gravel into its eyes to prevent the escape. 

It might have been a trouble for Earth Mage to keep producing gravels for a sufficient duration, given their limited mana capacity, but I was using my environment around, so, while I was incurring some loss, I could sustain my mana for longer run. 

In hindsight, it was fortunate that we encountered him in an underground space, where there were no obstacles like trees or natural winds that prevent much loss of mana. 

I also had to relatively be in closer range to my opponent to better control the heavy pebbles and my grasp on wind strength, which could be a risky move, but enemy was similarly pressed to move freely. 

"15 seconds until everyone is safely evacuated! ......TEN! NINE!—"

Satowa began the countdown to notify us, and I signaled a glance toward Ignis and Dio. 

I promptly received a nod. It wasn't worth to stick to control mana loss in the current situation. 

I gathered as much gravel as I could with wind magic and sent it rushing toward Steinberg, while gradually beginning to fall back—

"GRRROOOAAAKKK!!"

Suddenly, Steinberg's body, who had continued to show an astute side to itself, began to rapidly turn a dark red.

Its eyes, wide open and seemingly unfazed by the gravel, fixed directly on me. At that moment, a cold sweat broke out all over my back.

With nary a word but tactic understanding, we broke into a mad dash for the exit.

"Damn it! It's entered the Frenzied State!"

Ignis-san clicked his tongue while running.

The Frenzied State, in terms of my previous world, was an out-of-control state. The target would lose all rationale, and regardless of the injury, they would continue on their rampage and fire off their mana. 

A berserk state, as we would describe it in modern terms, is a condition where someone loses all rational thought and recklessly fights, disregarding their own injuries and expending magic wildly.

It’s said to be triggered by intense anger or life-threatening danger, but it could also sometimes happen unexpectedly in groups, leading to stampedes, and the exact mechanism behind it was yet to be deciphered. 

"Evacuation complete! Hurry up!!"

Satowa beckoned at us forward, his face pale as he looked behind us.

I, obviously, had no need to look behind to know what kind of situation was brewing behind me with Wind Magic. And the hatred that was aimed at me—yes, not at others, but me. 

The mana converged at one singularity in anticipation of the spell, so much that it caused the air around to fluctuate like it was shimmering under heat haze. 

Above Steinberg, a massive sphere, dense with a mix of rocks and water, hovered ominously, as if drawn by a black hole.

The surrounding small frogs had already dropped everything they're doing, and were racing to jump into the lake, as if to escape from the calamity. 

As the giant lump of rock and water continued to expand, the subterranean lake's water diminished at a visible pace—and that suddenly brought new information to me. 

A horizontal tunnel was running just beneath the ground we were sprinting across, as if it had pierced through the earth below us.

I felt a sense of dissonance, and instinctively directed the wind toward it to probe its depth as we continued running toward the exit.

My heart skipped a beat.

The floor of the tunnel was marked with two parallel lines, spaced evenly apart—almost like the tracks of a long-abandoned minecart. They extended deep into the underground.

I pushed further into my investigation, and about a hundred meters ahead, I found something—

I quickly assessed the distance to the exit and the Steinberg's movement—it had already finished constructing the magic, and was setting the target on us.

I made my decision—and made my decision. 

"We won’t make it... you two keep heading straight for the exit."

I slowed my pace, distancing myself from them.

"What nonsense is that, boy?! Run!"

Dio, aghast, tried to turn back, but I shouted forcefully at him.

"Don’t look back, Dio. I’ll... definitely make it back alive!"

"W-What are you saying—"

I abruptly veered off course, turning ninety degrees toward the underground lake, where the water level had dropped.

The situation had Dio's pace slowed down. Ignis-san, who saw that, hollered so loudly it boomed in the area, brimming with a threatening intent I had never known.

"You blasted moron! Do not waste Ren's determination!"

With me—the target—suddenly changing direction just before casting the spell, Steinberg couldn’t adjust its aim in time. The mighty spell, brimming with a strength and mana of extraordinary amount, dropped between the two of them and me.

With a deafening roar, a shockwave erupted in all directions. I narrowly avoided the direct hit, but the force sent me flying toward the underground lake.

I somehow corrected my posture in the air, and re-affirmed the tunnel. 

...Alright... the air wasn't stangated in the depth of tunnel just as I had expected, and there’s no moss growing either. I think I should be able to manage myself even if water level revert to original volume.

I glanced at the other, and it appeared Dio and Ignis-san had safely managed to reach the exit. From among the crevice of rocks—caused by the shockwave from earlier colossal magic—that had buried the entrance, I caught a glimpse of Satowa and Parry-kun glancing my direction, their expression distorted in unbelievable sadness. 

Dio, despite the crashing noise of the falling rocks, was moving his mouth, seemingly shouting 'boy,' while reaching out his right hand toward me. However, Ignis-san had him firmly restrained from behind.

To reassure them, I smiled and gave a thumbs-up just before I disappeared beyond the edge of the underground lake, where the water level had dropped.

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