Limit Breaking Genius Mage Chapter 49

Episode 49: The Count's Request (2)

'That's the third tier?'

That can't be true.

The magic that dealt with the ogre was a magic of the middle rank of the 4th tier. The magic that was used to manipulate the terrain to create a wall was also not even close to the magic power of the 3rd tier. The fact that he spread his magic detection so widely and showed no signs of difficulty at all was also the same.

That means he was hiding his skills.

I wanted to ask why he had deceived His Excellency, but now was not the time.

“Romeo! Fren! Clear the way!”

Under Balkan's command, a search party broke through the weakened siege.

However, it was not easy to shake off their pursuit. Although they were out of sight, I could feel them chasing me without giving up.

There is no way to escape the forest at this rate. If the damage spreads, it will be a tarnish to the reputation of Count Rodenmeyer.

There's nothing I can do.

“Clark! Get it ready!”

“Oh, yes! Captain!”

“Asher! Could you possibly use your magic sense to find a place like an empty lot?”

“I'll try.”

Verden immediately looked for a suitable location.

Soon, they found a place where an abandoned cabin had been built. The search party turned and arrived at the cabin. Clark took out a magical item from his bosom.

'Portable magic circle?'

A disposable magical item using magic stones.

This is an item that is specially made at the Artesian Tower and cannot be traded privately between individuals.

Clark pressed the switch and embedded the portable magic circle into the ground.

Then, a circle of magic appeared around him and magical letters began to appear one by one.

'Is this a magic circle of concealment and protection?'

This is a magic circle that is suitable for the current situation.

However, the magic circle's performance seemed insufficient by Verden's standards.

“That’s enough… Now, wait! What are you trying to do!”

There is no time to explain.

Verden, ignoring Clark, pulled out a magic thread and infiltrated the magic circle. He broke through the blocked wall to simplify the path, and added additional letters to supplement the missing parts. This increased efficiency and performance at the same time.

Normally, it would have been impossible to do these two tasks at the same time, but for Verden, who was wearing Acceed, this level of multitasking was not that difficult.

“Uh… Huh?”

Clark's eyes widened.

Is it possible to modify a magic circle while it is being constructed? Does that make sense? From a magician's perspective, it was a sight that was hard to believe.

Finally, the magic circle was completed.

A translucent dome enveloped the cabin and its surroundings. Later, several of the adventurers who had been chasing the search party, including a platinum-ranked adventurer, wandered around and soon disappeared from sight.

Only then could the search party relax.

The Balkans approached Verden.

“Fortunately, it seems to have worked. But I wish you had warned me before doing the same thing.”

“I will do so from now on.”

“……Okay. Then let’s take a break and make a plan. And figure out what the hell is going on in this forest.”

Balkan entered the cabin, dragging Brennan, who was captured.

And I was confused.

“Hey, Captain Balkan?”

“Your Majesty the Viscount?”

The missing first search party and Viscount Bailon.

They were hiding inside the cabin.

* * *

'Is that why you weren't caught by the magic detection?'

Verden looked around the floor.

The concealment and protection magic circle carved inside the cabin. The Count's party barely managed to save their lives thanks to the portable magic circle the first search party had.

Viscount Bailon sighed deeply.

“Whew, Count Rodenmeyer sent a captain. Thanks to you, I can finally relax. I can finally get out of here.”

“What on earth is going on?”

The count answered Balkan's question.

“……As I was leaving the village on the Kazerdan Ridge and returning to the Count’s house, I heard a scream from the forest.”

“Are you talking about the scream?”

“That’s why I went to rescue them. Isn’t it the duty of a noble to protect his people? Even if this is the end of the earldom.”

I did think about it, but I never imagined that something like that would happen.

The Count had attendants. They protected him without a single injury even when he visited other territories several times.

But that was a wrong judgment.

“We entered the forest where we heard screams. But there was no one there. Even the screams that had been so loud suddenly disappeared. And there… there was a tree.”

"tree……?"

“Yes, it was a gray tree with an ominous feeling. I told my attendants to search the area thoroughly. Then suddenly, an eerie feeling passed over the back of my neck.”

The Count's men sensed danger.

I tried to escape in a hurry for safety, but it was already too late. The Trents disguised as trees began to block the path, and those with white eyes rushed in from all directions.

I struggled, but as you can see, the result is the same.

Balkan asked cautiously.

“But how did you survive?”

“They didn’t kill us, but threw us in front of the gray tree. Then the gray roots began to move and wrap around us. It was… how should I put it? It felt like my strength was draining away, as if my very life force was being sucked away.”

The roots that had bound my body were so strong that I could not escape.

After a while, the remaining attendants began to die one by one, as their vitality was depleted. It was only a matter of time before the rest of them died as well.

Then the first search party appeared and rescued them.

The deputy commander of the Lordron Knights standing nearby added his explanation.

“After all that chasing, I was able to save the count and his two attendants… but it was impossible to escape. Trent wasn’t much of a problem, but there were a lot of strong ones among the White Eyes.”

“It seems like there are even platinum-rank adventurers.”

“Yes, there were also dangerous subhumans like the Ogres and Leafquatch, as well as demons. If Brennan, Kehan, and Sergan hadn’t sacrificed themselves… they probably would have been wiped out.”

"what?"

Balkan pointed to Brennan.

“If Brennan is dead… what is Brennan here?”

“That gray tree seems to be able to summon the dead. My attendants, who had their life force drained, turned into white eyes and attacked us. And when we killed them, their bodies disappeared without a trace.”

“Then how can I revive him……”

“None. Because it’s already dead. It’s just a puppet controlled by the tree.”

Ugh. Balkan bit his molars.

To defile the noble sacrifice of a subordinate and a knight in this way… …!

“I understand you’re angry, but right now you have to think about the future.”

“……I know.”

“Then let me ask you. What are your plans for the future?”

Balkan answered the Count's question.

“I originally planned to escape after rescuing the missing people… but I think it would be impossible to escape this forest without causing any trouble. And since I’m manipulating the dead, I can’t even dare to predict how the damage could spread.”

so.

“We will destroy you here.”

CRACK! The Vulcan took Brennan's breath away.

Then something white came out of his body and disappeared without a sound along with his body.

A human with white eyes. He adjusted his powers because he thought there might be a chance of being revived, but he has no hesitation if he is dead.

The Lordron Knight Commander, his Vice-Commander, and his subordinate knights, as well as Viscount Bailon and his retinue. And finally… … .

“By the way, this question is a bit late, but who is the author?”

The count turned his gaze to Verden.

The opponent was a nobleman. Verden responded politely.

“My name is Asher.”

“I am a wizard hired by His Excellency Count Rodenmeyer. Thanks to him, I was able to come here safely.”

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

Lastly, there is the wizard who hides a power that is difficult to measure. The power is sufficient.

After a short rest, Vulcan, holding his sword, spoke to the search party… no, the punitive force.

“The target is the Gray Tree. All obstacles are to be eliminated from His Majesty’s domain. Ferris, Goven, and the attendants will guard the Viscount’s side.”

“Yes, sir!”

Next, he turned his head to Verden.

“Asher, you can move on your own.”

“Is that okay?”

Balkan nodded, recalling the sight of the ogre being knocked down in one blow.

“I don’t know what level of wizard you are, but I don’t think you’ll be easily defeated. We might not be able to work together, so I thought it might be better to move separately. So while we’re distracting you, you find the location of the gray tree and detonate this signal flare. Then I’ll run straight to you. However, if you feel it’s dangerous along the way, you can join us at any time.”

"All right."

“Okay. Then───.”

───The expedition begins.

* * *

The Counts of Rodenmeyer are famous for their swordsmanship.

A unique swordsmanship that has been passed down from our ancestors and has been developed over the generations. If we were to rank the swordsmen of the duchy, the current Count Rodenmaier was a strong man who was ranked high despite his appearance.

Even though he had grown physically weaker in middle age, his maturity was incomparable to that of his youth.

It was perhaps natural that the Lordron, the knights directly under the count, were strong.

He inherited some of the unique swordsmanship from the Count's family, and his heart was filled with loyalty. Among them, the Knight Commander Balkan was on a different level from the other knights.

Crunch! Crunch!

The Vulcan sword flashed and cut through the enemies. The corpses of the white-eyed ones with their necks cut off disappeared.

The number of cases he has handled alone has already exceeded thirty.

<Water Javelin>

Clark's magic. A giant spear of water swept away the enemies.

The immense water pressure caused their bodies to burst apart, and nearby, the vice-captain's spear pierced through the demons and goblins rushing in from all directions.

In this way, everyone continued the battle from their respective positions.

'It's going smoothly.'

At that moment, a sound of the wind cutting through the air was heard.

Vulcan, who had turned his body, struck the arrow flying towards his head.

“You’re here.”

Platinum rank adventurer.

He is a tough opponent for his subordinates to face. So, as the leader, he has no choice but to deal with him himself. If he kills him, the power of the Gray Tree will drop significantly.

Kaang!

The sword of the Vulcan clashed with the arrow of the adventurer.

* * *

Berden, left alone, looked at the forest from the sky.

Where on earth could the gray tree be hiding? Since it moved its roots, it could be possible that it could move on its own, like the Trent. Then it would be even harder to find.

'then.'

Verden raised his magic power.

The first time I used all my power to sense magic. My magic was consumed so quickly that I felt dizzy, but I could handle it.

His heightened senses made him aware of everything within range.

'Found it.'

Verden moved immediately.

He extended his staff as he fell to the ground.

<Earth Javelin>

A giant rock window.

The forest exploded with such tremendous destructive force. As the wind blew away the thick dust, the gray trees that Count Bailon had spoken of appeared.

'This definitely feels ominous.'

Perhaps because it is among other trees, it feels even more peculiar.

Verden descended to the ground. White eyes that had been hiding nearby appeared one by one, enveloping the gray trees. Among them was the wizard on the ogre's shoulder.

When the Balkans fired the signal flare.

But Verden didn't do that. The distance between here and the punitive force was quite long, and moving too hastily could result in damage.

And above all.

'It'll be faster if I handle it myself.'

Phage crackle!

A blue current echoed from Verden's staff.