Using magic to fly through the sky, Rest arrived above the great bridge at the border.
Spanning the great river and connecting two countries, the bridge was two hundred meters long and wide enough for two carriages to pass.
It was a stone bridge built atop nine arches, with small fortresses constructed by the kingdom and the empire at its eastern and western ends.
Originally built for exchange and trade between the two nations, it had now become a fierce battlefield where both sides clashed.
"Chaaaaarge!"
"ROOOAAAR!"
On the eastern side was the Gaiselle Empire.
Wearing the same armor and helmets as the detachment Rest had annihilated, soldiers charged forward with spears in hand.
"Hoooold the liiiine!"
"ROOOAR!"
On the western side was House Lavender.
Soldiers in purplish armor raised their great shields, defending against the Imperial army's charge.
Arrows and magic were fired from the fortress behind them as covering fire.
Although the Imperial army had greater numbers, the confined terrain of the bridge prevented them from exploiting their numerical advantage.
As a result, both armies were locked in a stalemate, locked in an ebb and flow of attacks and defenses.
"Thank goodness... they're barely holding on..."
Rest let out a sigh of relief.
The Imperial army's momentum was strong, but it didn't look like they would break through immediately.
That was precisely why... the Imperial army had sent that detachment across the river, aiming to throw House Lavender's rear into chaos.
"I want to help, but... where do I even begin?"
Rest flew through the sky using magic and looked down at the great bridge, groaning.
If he acted carelessly, he might just get in the way... He pondered what to do.
"Imperial Magician Corps, fire your magic!"
"Hah!"
"Hmm...?"
Just then, a group of robed figures appeared on the east side of the great bridge.
A powerful magical reaction. A group that seemed to be magicians was channeling and gathering mana, about to do something.
"That's bad...!"
Rest sensed it instinctively.
Before he could even think, he cast magic. A black sphere appeared in Rest's hand.
The sphere—the Dark Star that devours all—absorbed the light, and the surroundings darkened as if thick clouds had covered the sun.
"Amaterasu!"
Seconds later, a solar beam shot forth.
A light strike, warped by a gravitational lens like a divine punishment, rained down upon the Imperial magicians.
"Gyaaaaaaaaaaah!?"
"Gwaaaaaaaaaaah!?"
Immediately after, a massive explosion occurred.
It wasn't Rest's attack; presumably, the magic the Imperial magicians had been about to unleash misfired, creating a great burst of flames and smoke.
"As expected, it was the right call to stop it. If that had been launched, who knows how many would have died...!"
Judging from that, that magic was likely a strategic-grade attack spell meant to be cast by multiple people working together.
It was a magic Rest didn't know about, but it must have been one of the Empire's hidden trump cards.
"The Imperial Magic Corps has been taken down!"
"Over there! It was that man!"
A part of the Imperial Army noticed Rest's presence, pointing at him and shouting.
"Kill him! Finish him off!"
"Ooooh!"
Several knights flew out from the Imperial Army.
Knights clad in splendid armor, their capes fluttering in the wind, flew through the sky and charged straight at Rest.
"Could that be the Imperial Magic Knights I've heard about...?"
Rest narrowed his eyes and muttered.
It was a special unit said to be one of the Empire's main forces.
It was an elite group skilled in both magic and martial arts, each said to be worth a hundred ordinary soldiers.
"Being able to use flight magic means they're at least on the level of a court magician...!"
Rest fired another beam of light.
However, the magic knights dodged the straight-line attack and closed the distance to Rest.
"Knock him down!"
"Hmph..."
Rest gained altitude, but the magic knights gave chase.
They spread out, scattering and surrounding Rest with practiced ease.
*They're used to fighting in groups... and in the air, too.* Rest praised them internally, but he couldn't deny that the enemy had more combat experience.
Truly an elite squad.
It was awe-inspiring to witness the military might of the Gaiselle Empire, a true superpower where magicians of this caliber also trained in martial arts.
"Attack!"
"Hah!"
The magic knights surrounded Rest in the air and launched their assault.
They circled around him, firing off fire and lightning magic.
"Flame Bullet!"
"Thunder Bullet!"
"Wind Wall...!"
Rest was not to be outdone. He deployed his own defensive magic while looking for an opening.
"Hmph!"
"Tch...!"
As he did, one of the magic knights closed in and swung a blade at him.
The tip of the sword pierced the Wind Wall, cutting shallowly into Rest's shoulder.
"Wind Cutter!"
Rest counterattacked with a blade of wind, but the knight had already retreated out of range.
Once again, the magic knights circled around him, attacking with magic.
"That was close... These guys are seriously trouble...!"
What was terrifying was the high level of their coordination.
They supported each other with precision, narrowing Rest's options.
If he tried to attack one enemy, another would pin him from the opposite side.
If he tried to engage one enemy, another would attack him from the opposite side.
Even if an attack did land, the injured enemy would fall back and recover immediately.
He was confident he could win in a one-on-one fight, but defeating them when they attacked like a single organism was extremely difficult.
"Let's finish this in one go! 'Flying Bee Formation'!"
"Ha!"
The magic knights changed their formation.
They flew around Rest in erratic patterns, confusing his line of sight.
The fact that the flying magic knights didn't collide suggested they were flying according to some rule, but seeing through it in such a short time was an impossible task.
"In that case... I'll do something a little dangerous."
"3, 2, 1... GO!"
The soldiers, who had been flying erratically, attacked Rest from every direction.
Thrusts from front, back, left, right, up, and down—all directions. Dodging this was absolutely impossible.
"[Flame God]"
So... Rest did not dodge.
Giving up on dodging from the start, he cast his magic.
"What...!"
"Impossible...!?"
A large explosion occurred centered on Rest, engulfing the magic knights that were about to attack him.
---------------------- The first volume of the manga adaptation is now on sale!
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