Just as they were considering a diversionary tactic, a golden opportunity presented itself.
The oni tribe launched an all-out attack on the curse caster's castle.
Using the oni tribe's assault as a decoy, Rest and the others charged toward the curse caster's castle.
To get inside, they had to break through the wall.
The castle was made of packed sand and stone, but magic reinforcement gave it a strength rivaling steel.
"Let's go! I'll smash it open!"
The first to dash forward was Vareiya Cattleya, the commander of this unit.
He charged with his spear at the ready. With the force of a land dragon racing across the ground, he closed in on the castle and drove the spear tip into the outer wall.
"Ngh…!"
And then… he let out a heavy groan.
It seemed like a full-powered blow, but the spear tip only gouged the wall slightly. The castle was surprisingly sturdy.
"Vareiya, step back. I'll use magic to—"
"Don't underestimate me! Do you think this wall can stop my spear?!"
Vareiya shouted and poured mana into his spear.
Then, the tip of the spear began to heat up and glow red.
"Explosion!"
In the next instant, the wall where the spear was embedded burst apart.
The fire and wind magic imbued in the spear tip detonated, shattering a part of the wall and piercing a large hole in it.
A loud noise, unbecoming of a stealth operation, rang out… but thanks to the soundproofing magic Diebl had set up, it probably didn't leak outside.
"Alright, hurry! Get inside before the wall seals up!"
The castle created by the Curse Caster was enchanted with self-repair magic. The wall was slowly repairing itself, so they had to enter quickly.
The knights, the magicians, and even Row the guide were going inside... but just as Rest was about to enter, Vareiya called out to stop him.
"Count Clover, you stay outside."
"Huh... what?"
"To be safe, you and Sir Diebl should break in from different directions. There might be traps, so we avoid a single net and also exploit the enemy's gaps!"
Vareiya Cattleya. The knight commander's son.
As expected, he wasn't just a siscon big brother. He proposed a strategy that would outsmart the enemy even further in this situation.
*Was it an oni tribe's assault? Actually, a direct strike from the Kingdom of Aiwood. Using that as a decoy, a surprise attack from another direction... From the enemy's point of view, it's a double shock.* If it failed, they would have just wasted their forces, but it was still worth trying.
Rest nodded and remained outside the sealing wall.
"Understood. Then I'll see you inside later."
"Lord Rest, this way."
Rest and Diebl split from the troops to act separately.
The oni tribe from the front, the Kingdom of Aiwood's army from the rear... each was assaulting the Curse Caster's castle.
In this situation, if they were to infiltrate from yet another direction, there was only one place to enter.
"Above. We'll take the enemy from above...!"
"I'll fly with magic. You can do it too, right?"
As soon as he said that, Diebl kicked off the ground and leaped into the air.
Without losing to gravity and falling, he quickly gained altitude.
"Of course. There's no way a magician who can't fly can call himself one!"
Rest followed closely behind Diebl and took to the air.
The ability to fly through the sky was one of the basic requirements for anyone claiming to be a magician.
[Wind Control] and [Levitation]Using his Wind Control and Levitation magic, Rest climbed even higher than the castle's peak.
"Well now... Lord Rest. The castle roof likely has defensive magic cast upon it. Can you break through it?"
"Of course. It'll be a piece of cake!"
In fact, if all he had to do was break it, he could think of over ten methods right off the bat.
For now... Rest cast the very first original magic he had ever created.
「[Star Eater]」
A black sphere appeared in Rest's palm.
It was a Dark Star with the power to devour and erase all things in this world.
"Hmph…!"
With a shout of exertion, Rest slammed the Dark Star into the castle roof, creating a large, circular hole in it.
Diebl dove into the interior first, and a beat later, Rest too invaded the castle of the "Curse Caster."