The Kicked Out S-Rank Appraiser Creates The Strongest Guild - Chapter 137

Chapter 137   Decisive Battle

The sound of battle cries and clashing weapons filled the air.

Laurent focused intently on the front.

Arrows were shot into the sky as a signal.

They were under attack!

(The ‘Grand Alliance’ has launched their attack. Judging by this, their goal isn’t the ore—they intend to crush us!)

Soon, the shouts ceased, and after a brief silence, the sound of many footsteps moving could be heard.

The advance unit had been annihilated.

“Laurent, does this mean…?”

“The ‘Grand Alliance’ has attacked us. We need to quickly prepare our defenses.”

“No way, are you serious?”

“Leon, take a squad and secure the high ground behind us. The ‘White Wolf’ might attack from there.”

“O-okay.”

Leon hurriedly led his troops to defend the rear.

“Euphene, Shaqma. The ‘Grand Alliance’ is attacking. We need to set up our defenses immediately. Position Elio and Rick on both wings. Use the healing magic and ‘Defense Enhancements’ to withstand their assault.”

“Y-yes.”

“Understood.”

Euphene and Shaqma quickly began issuing orders and arranging their formation.

(The magically enhanced swords and armor are almost evenly matched with Aina’s ‘Blue Armor.’ The frontlines will likely be a stalemate, so the outcome will depend on the performance of the rear guard.)

Soon, warriors clad in magically crafted swords and armor charged down the slope and attacked.

Their momentum was overwhelming, and Laurent’s forces struggled just to hold their formation and withstand the enemy’s onslaught.

“Advance! Pay them back double for the humiliation we suffered in the last two dungeon explorations!”

(In the complex terrain of the dungeon, they might have the advantage, but in a solid, close-formation battle, we have the upper hand.)

As Neil descended the slope, he caught a glimpse of Laurent within the enemy’s main camp.

(Laurent… You’ve tricked us time and again with your cunning schemes.)

“Our target is the enemy’s leader, and nothing else. Make him regret stepping onto the battlefield as a mere appraiser.”

While Neil’s voice rallied the troops, Ian’s feelings were more conflicted.

(Is this really the right thing to do? Even if we defeat the ‘Spirit Alliance’ here, what comes next? Won’t we just be toyed with by ‘Dragon’s Ember’ and ‘White Wolf’ again?)

Ian shook off his doubts.

The battle had already begun. If they didn’t win this fight, there would be no future to worry about.

(There’s no time to hesitate. They have a ‘Wide-Range Healer’ on their side. As the chief healer of ‘The Crown of the Sage,’ I can’t afford to lose in a direct confrontation.)

Ian hurried to the rear of the central area, where the fiercest fighting was expected, and began casting healing magic on the wounded warriors.

The warriors clad in ‘Magic-Crafted’ armor, enveloped in a red light, charged into the enemy lines, with Glen’s ‘Explosion Flame Magic’ adding to the chaos, seemingly disrupting the ‘Spirit Alliance’s’ ranks.

However, the ‘Spirit Alliance’ countered with ‘Defense Enhancements’ and ‘Wide-Range Healing Magic,’ blunting the momentum of the ‘Grand Alliance’s’ melee troops.

Not only that, they responded with ‘Explosive Magic’ and archery, sending counterattacks toward the rear of the ‘Grand Alliance.’

The rear guard scrambled to respond, taking cover behind shields or moving to avoid being targeted.

(Tch. So they won’t break with just one strike, huh? As expected of the elite ‘Guardians of the Magic Tree.’)

Neil glanced back.

Behind him were the local adventurers, waiting in reserve.

However, he didn’t consider them as part of his main fighting force.

They were merely being held back as a reserve, to be used for pursuit if the enemy broke.

(But the local adventurers are just as useless on their side. If we can just break the ‘Guardians of the Magic Tree,’ our chances of victory will be high.)

While the frontline continued to engage in unending melee combat, the rear guard cast healing and support magic, each side probing for the other’s position and launching attack spells.

Despite the ongoing battle, the fight remained evenly matched, with no clear victor in sight.

Hearing the sounds of battle, the “White Wolf” tried to launch a surprise attack on the “Spirit Alliance” from behind. However, Leon had anticipated their move and occupied the high ground first, leaving them struggling to attack.

“Damn it. I told those ‘Grand Alliance’ guys to wait until we had secured the high ground before making a move,” Jamil cursed at Neil and his group’s impatience.

With Leon securely holding the high ground behind the “Spirit Alliance,” Jamil’s forces could do little more than have their archers take some shots.

“We have no choice. Let’s focus on drawing the enemy’s attention to one of our units,” Jamil ordered, resorting to a more passive attack strategy.

While Jamil’s group was struggling with their attack, Neil was growing increasingly frustrated with the “Spirit Alliance,” which showed no signs of breaking even after a prolonged battle.

“Damn it. What the hell are those ‘White Wolf’ guys doing?”

Even though the battle had been raging for an hour, there was no indication that the “Spirit Alliance” was being threatened from behind.

(The battle’s already started. Adapt to the situation, will you? Are they asleep or something?)

As he fumed, the right and left flanks began to falter under the enemy’s pressure. Rick and Elio were attempting to break through. Neil had no choice but to move to the right flank, while Glen shifted to the left to push them back.

Faced with the increased pressure from support and attack magic, Rick and Elio retreated back to the lines where the “Wide-Range Healing Magic” was being cast.

Seeing Glen move to the left flank, Will also moved to the right.

Glen couldn’t help but be impressed by the unnamed mage who had been holding his own against him for some time.

(To think there’s someone who can go toe-to-toe with me in a magic duel… Their potential might rival that of an A-class mage. Could there really be a mage of this caliber on this island? No, that can’t be…)

Glen and Will continued their intense magic duel, using the frontline warriors as cover in their battle of spells.

As intense clashes continued on both flanks, Ian was in the center, trying to assess the outcome of the battle.

(This is turning into a prolonged fight. If it drags on, we’ll have the advantage.)

While casting healing magic on a warrior who had been hit by a “Explosive Magic” attack, Ian thought:

(Euphene Reyes’s “Wide-Range Healing Magic” is certainly powerful, but it’s also costly in terms of mana. On the other hand, my targeted healing magic is more mana-efficient. If this battle continues and Reyes runs out of mana first, we can win!)

Meanwhile, Laurent was carefully monitoring the overall battle while giving orders. Behind him, Leon was engaged with the “White Wolf,” but it was mostly skirmishes without any significant escalation.

If that was the case, then the key to victory would be whether or not they could decisively defeat the “Grand Alliance.”

Laurent observed the fighting style of the “Grand Alliance.”

(At first glance, it seems like the three A-class mages are functioning well together with clear roles. However, in reality, none of them are keeping an eye on the overall situation.)

From where Laurent stood, he couldn’t see the “Grand Alliance’s” rear guard in detail. However, based on the locations where “Explosion Magic” was rising, the blue glow of support magic, and the patterns of healing magic circles, he could get a sense of what the three A-class mages were thinking.

While they appeared to be working as a team, each was only focused on their individual roles and not moving according to a unified strategy.

If Laurent were the commander of the enemy forces, he would prioritize Euphene as the primary target and build his tactics around that.

(Glen is caught up in the magic duel with Will. Neil is looking for an opening to break through our left flank. Ian is conserving his mana while casting healing magic. They’re aiming for Euphene to run out of mana. Indeed, if this continues, Euphene’s mana will run out first. In that case…)

Laurent had nearly completed his analysis of the three’s personalities.

Neil was the most influential leader within the “Crown of the Sage.” However, he was impulsive and short-sighted, often acting without thinking ahead.

Glen, the eldest and most thoughtful, struggled to adapt to changing situations and often fell behind.

Ian had a broad perspective and was good at planning, but he disliked being on the front lines and often went along with Neil’s decisions.

If he could trap Neil and then create a change in Glen’s area, they could secure a victory.

Laurent made his decision.

“Hey, Laurent,” Karla called out to him.

“Is it my turn yet? It’s been quite a while since the battle started…”

Laurent had been holding back Karla.

“How fortuitous. I was just about to deploy you now.”

Laurent gave Karla her instructions and sent her to assist Shaqma, who was facing Neil.

“Whoa!”

Elio charged at the warriors from the “Crown of the Sage” like a raging bull.

“Here comes the ‘Shield Charge.’ Form a block and push him back!”

Neil ordered, and several warriors formed a scrum to try and stop Elio.

With the combined effort of four warriors, they managed to push Elio back.

(Damn it. We’ve been on the defensive because of this ‘Shield Charge’ guy.)

In reality, they had only been using “Defense Enchantment” up to this point.

Neil had wanted to break through with “Attack Enchantment” and then close in on Laurent’s position with “Agility Enchantment” to decide the match quickly, but considering Elio’s “Shield Charge,” he couldn’t afford to neglect defense.

(Can’t we do something about this? Are we just going to wait and exhaust each other?)

As Neil was grinding his teeth in frustration, Elio suddenly withdrew at Shaqma’s command.

(…Hmm?)

While Neil was puzzled, Elio retreated deeper into their lines.

(What’s going on? Is he out of stamina? Or is there some trouble?)

In any case, it was an opportunity to go on the offensive.

Neil made his decision.

“Ian, it’s time to decide the match. I need your support. ‘Attack Enchantment!'”

“What!?”

Without giving Ian a chance to protest, Neil switched the support magic from “Defense Enchantment” to “Attack Enchantment.”

Ian was forced to change plans.

(I was aiming to outlast Euphene’s mana with a prolonged battle, but… it’s Neil’s orders. There’s no helping it.)

Ian moved to support Neil by adjusting his position and casting recovery magic.

With Neil’s “Attack Enchantment” as a signal, the warriors from the “Crown of the Sage” launched a coordinated offensive.

The warriors clad in red light pushed back the enemy warriors enveloped in blue light.

The enemy’s front line was slowly being pushed back from the recovery magic ranks.

“Alright. We’re almost at the point where we can break through their line.”

However, suddenly one of the warriors fell, bleeding.

“Ugh, ha—”

“What!?”

Before long, another warrior fell to a mysterious attack.

Ian tried to heal the injured allies with recovery magic.

However, while their stamina was restored, their other stats were so depleted that they couldn’t fight any longer.

As Ian and Neil were bewildered, another warrior fell to a mysterious attack.

(They’re being attacked the moment they engage with the enemy. Is this the rear-guard thief’s skill, ‘Shadow Strike’!?)

“Neil, it’s ‘Shadow Strike’. Switch to ‘Defense Enchantment’.”

“What? Damn it. So that’s what it was. ‘Defense Enchantment’.”

With Neil switching to “Defense Enchantment,” the front line was once again at a stalemate.

(They still have hidden cards. How many ambushes do they have?)

Meanwhile, Elio, who had moved away from Neil, was ordered by Laurent to reposition on the opposite side.

He and Rick worked together to push the front line forward.

Glen countered with attack magic but was unable to make any progress against the two A-class shield bearers and was forced to retreat.

Laurent ordered Lana to create an elevated position using “Earth Magic” in the space gained by pushing forward the front line.

Lana quickly completed the task, and Hans climbed the elevated position and began shooting arrows at the enemy’s rear.

Glen had no choice but to hide behind his shield.

As Glen’s attack frequency decreased, Will’s increased.

(I have to do something about that archer.)

Glen cast “Explosive Flame Magic” at Hans.

However, the explosion was absorbed by the red gem mounted on Hans’s bow.

(Is that… the “Firefrut,” a mineral that absorbs flames!?)

While Glen was stunned, Hans used “Magic Shot” to strike him.

Glen’s stats were depleted, rendering him incapacitated.

Eventually, the right wing of the “Spirit Alliance” broke through the left wing of the “Grand Alliance.”

Neil was startled.

“Damn it. While I was calling Ian over here, they’ve broken through over there…”

“The left has been breached!”

“Glen has been taken out!”

The left wing of the “Grand Alliance” was being dismantled with no way to counter it.

Ian was stunned.

(They’re too strong.)

Ian couldn’t believe it.

(To be unable to hold up against them not only in terrain-based combat but also in formation battles…)

“Is the enemy commander… really just an appraiser?”

Seeing the collapse of the enemy’s left wing, Hans and Will immediately advanced.

(This is it. Here, we’ll launch a relentless pursuit to ensure victory!)

“Hans, you need to take down Neil and Ian.”

“I understand. We need to finish off the enemy.”

In the “Grand Alliance” camp, Neil was desperately trying to stabilize the situation.

“Hold on here no matter what! If we can just hold this position, there is still hope!”

(Glen has been taken out, but there’s still the “White Wolf.” If we can just hold out until the next day, our stats will recover. The situation should change then.)

In Neil’s peripheral vision, enemy archers and mages were approaching.

It was Hans and Will.

“Fire at them! Slow them down!”

Neil commanded a nearby group of archers to engage.

Immediately, a skirmish broke out between the “Grand Alliance” archers and Hans.

Hans methodically took down the enemy archers one by one but missed Neil.

“Damn it. I want to take down Neil and Ian to settle this. We can’t let them get any closer. They’ll escape.”

“Leave this to me.”

As Elio and Rick passed Hans, they charged towards the enemy archers.

“Elio!?”

“Are we going to settle this or not? Go!”

“Hmph. Fine. I’ll join you in this gamble, Elio.”

Rick followed Elio into the fray.

The two were subjected to concentrated fire from the enemy archers.

Their stats rapidly dwindled, and Elio was exhausted halfway through.

Rick managed to take down some enemies but fell shortly after.

However, this created a path for Hans.

Hans charged forward and got back into range to target Neil.

Neil felt a wave of despair.

(What the hell is with these guys? What kind of morale is this… I’ve never seen such a unit… not even on this island, let alone outside it…)

Neil’s thoughts were cut short.

He took a direct hit from Hans’s arrow and lost consciousness.

“Neil! Damn it!”

Ian, trying to escape through the back of his comrades, found himself barely out of Hans’s range.

(Is it too far? No, I can take him. With my current strength, I can do it!)

[Hans Bergamot’s Skills]

“Archery”: A (↑1)

Hans’s arrow pierced Ian from a distant and barely visible gap, hitting him with precision.

“Ugh.”

Ian was reduced to zero stats and collapsed on the spot.

Will had targeted the remaining retreating troops with his magic.

It seemed they were unaware that Neil and Ian had fallen.

Most of the adventurers from the “Crown of the Sage” were exhausted, with the remaining ones continuing to retreat being mostly local adventurers who had conserved their stats.

(It pains me to attack fellow countrymen, but if I don’t strike here, I won’t be able to grow further. Right, Laurent?)

“I’m going full power. ‘Explosion Magic’!”

A whirlwind of magic struck the retreating adventurers.

This final assault stripped the last remnants of morale from the retreating enemy forces.

Having unleashed his magic to its limit, Will fainted on the spot.

[Will Wombat’s Skills]

“Explosion Magic”: A (↑1)