After the end of a suffocating conversation, a battle to defeat Astroa had begun.
It was one versus many, a little less than 50.
“Stop him from uttering spells! Stop him from using magic!”
“Archer squad! Ordinary arrows won’t work! Bring something else!”
There were about twenty of the elite royal guards from Solia Castle, and there were about twenty of holy knights and priests from Solia Holy Temple.
“Don’t get hit by magic! Always look at his mouth and check for any lights appearing around him!”
“It’s… It’s coming again!”
“Step forward if you can use the Aura Blade technique! Cut down magic attacks coming at us!”
Considering the fact that there was Ian with his sword drawn, Priesia using her holy powers, and even Nainiae launching arrays of small magic attacks, an ordinary man would have died several times over by now in face of their combined firepower.
“Injured! Priest sir, we have an injured here!”
“Hey! Fire, fire! Your back’s on fire you rascal!”
“Ugh! My arm! My arm won’t move!”
If one was to point out a problem in this situation, it was the fact that they were fighting against a grand mage that represented a city.
He wasn’t an ordinary level mage. He was at Seven Circles. The man was a magic specialist.
“Huh! Staring at my mouth? Fools.”
Astroa saw his opponents on the ground giving a blank stare towards his mouth. Astroa snorted and swung his hand.
“Something like Three Circles magic and below…”
Following Astroa’s arm movement, several dozens of flame and ice arrows were created behind him.
“…I can launch them without having to recite the spells.”
The sky was dark because it was night-time, but now it suddenly became bright.
It was because of magic attacks Astroa generated.
“Ugh…”
Solia Castle’s royal guards and the people from the temple looked up and saw vast number of magic attacks that were about to be poured down on them like rain. They opened and closed their mouths wordlessly, like fishes.
They were starting to realize whom they were up against.
“When you are in Hell, blame the priestess who sent you to your grave.”
As if he was done with the preparation for his bombardment, Astroa murmured as he lowered his arm.
“Here they come!”
“I will stop this wave of attacks.”
As Astroa’s magic arrows were launched towards the ground, Priesia took a step forward and raised her arm.
A gentle golden light surrounded her, and soon, a protective layer wide enough to surround everyone within Astroa’s bombardment range appeared.
Unlike the blue-colored barriers that mages could generate, her barrier was golden and contained holy power.
“Oh!”
Fire and ice arrows rained down on them, and the golden barrier stopped all magic arrows.
The expression on the priestess’ face was as strong and enduring as always.
“…”
“Tsk.”
Having confirmed that the magic attacks were blocked, Astroa clicked his tongue.
She was annoying the hell out of him.
Although she would not be able to inflict serious harm to him, to Astroa, the priestess was like a thorn poking at his eyes.
“Archer squad! What are you doing? Stop sitting on your asses! Take aim!”
“Ah, yes!”
Solia Castle’s archers were giving vacant stares and watching the priestess’ might and grace. Roused by the captain’s shouting, they fumbled, placed arrows in their bows and took aim toward the sky.
Astroa, the one floating in the air, was their target.
“Impudence…”
“Prepare to shoot!”
Noticing the tightly drawn bowstrings, Astroa directed his gaze toward the archers. He prepared his mana, pointed his hand at the direction where the arrows would be launched from, and recited a spell.
“…Shoot!”
All arrows were launched with ferocity. Although they were launched...
“Wind Wave!”
None of the arrows were able to hit the target. The arrows were either swept away by the wind and fell to the ground or were cut in half by invisible blades.