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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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He had misjudged him.
He used this opportunity to unleash the spells he had prepared.
[Battlefield Mist]
Aura of Death strengthened his weakened undead.
Battlefield Mist, an enhanced version of Swamp Mist, obscured vision, hindered movement, and drained the life force of those caught within.
The mist’s ability to obscure vision was particularly useful.
His undead relied on sensing the life force of the living, so their vision wasn’t essential.
A thick grey mist billowed from Elosette’s Staff, slowly engulfing the battlefield.
“Then, I’ll…”
“Don’t go in.”
“Huh?”
He stopped Athena, who was about to enter the mist.
“Because of the escort? Master will…”
“No. That’s not it.”
It wasn’t just because of the escort.
“It’s dangerous.”
While Battlefield Mist was an enhanced version of Swamp Mist, it was still a 7th circle spell.
Swamp Mist hindered movement and drained stamina, while Battlefield Mist severely restricted vision and… drained life force.
“…Life force?”
“Prolonged exposure can be fatal.”
In other words, it was akin to a poisonous mist.
However, it wasn’t technically poison, so antidotes were ineffective.
And that wasn’t all.
[Remove Curse!]
[Protection!]
The priests hurriedly tried to dispel the mist, but it was futile.
“It’s not working? What is this…!”
The bishop’s bewildered cries mingled with the screams of the mercenaries.
Then, it happened.
Crack!
Thud. Thud.
The Bone Golem, finally freed from its restraints, was about to charge into the enemy ranks when several figures intercepted it.
‘Paladins.’
And not just them.
The knights also stepped forward.
“Tsk. The priests can’t dispel the dark magic…”
“Quiet. The paladins will hear you.”
“Let them hear. They’re not my concern.”
“This is no ordinary undead.”
“A Draugr. I’ve heard of them. It’s quite large, suggesting it’s consumed many. Don’t underestimate it. Some of them are stronger than Experts.”
“We’ll hold them back. The paladins will deal with the Bone Golem. With them leading the charge, it shouldn’t be difficult.”
“I don’t know… considering how quickly the other undead are reviving, I doubt they’ll stay down for long.”
“They’re paladins. They’ll find a way.”
Some of the paladins joined the mercenaries in fighting the Skeleton Warriors, while the priests, realizing they couldn’t dispel his magic, focused on supporting their allies, casting healing and buff spells.
Battlefield Mist couldn’t block those, so the priests were able to fulfill their role.
The few mages they had also began providing support from the rear with various spells.
As a result, the battle dragged on.
The fallen undead quickly revived, fueled by his demonic energy, and the injured mercenaries, knights, and paladins were swiftly healed by the priests.
They alleviated fatigue and enhanced their physical abilities.
While not as effective as his undead, their coordinated efforts allowed them to prolong the fight.
“…Are you just going to watch?”
While he had expected to crush them easily, they were putting up a good fight.
However, he still felt no sense of danger.
The longer the battle lasted, the worse it would be for them. His undead had unlimited stamina, and the Battlefield Mist was still in effect.
Some of the paladins were trying to break through and reach him.
His two Skeleton Knights and the Mummy Priests were holding them back, but the Mummy Priests were focusing on supporting the Skeleton Knights.
“Just wait. Something interesting is about to happen.”
“Huh?”
Athena looked at him quizzically, and he pointed towards the Battlefield Mist.
The grey mist was slowly turning red.
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“Uggghhh…!”
The mist grew redder as the battle continued.
“What’s happening to it?”
He chuckled softly in response to Athena’s question.
“It’s absorbing their life force quite effectively.”
“…It seems to be doing more than just absorbing it.”
“Indeed. Now that it’s that dense, it will begin soon.”
“GAAAAAAAHHHHH!”
“AAAAAGGGHHHH!”
“W-what? What’s happening? Are they insane?”
Horrifying screams, loud enough to be heard over the din of battle, erupted from within the mist.
And then, the death rattles of men echoed through the air.
“What’s going on? I can’t see anything!”
While those inside the mist could see at close range, visibility from the outside was severely limited.
However, Kayla, somehow able to see through the mist, described the scene to Athena.
“…The mercenaries are attacking each other. Their eyes… they’re red. Is this… a mental manipulation spell?”
“Something like that. Remember Frenzy’s Allure?”
“The provocation spell we used against the monsters… but you said it was less effective against humans.”
“That’s true. Normally.”
He smiled faintly.
“But it works under the right conditions. The spell is fueled by their own life force, they’re in a heightened state due to the battle, and their stamina is constantly depleting.”
Their personalities and mental fortitude also played a role, as did whether or not they were mana users.
Athena, even if she entered the mist, wouldn’t be immediately affected.
As a powerful mana user, she had some resistance to his magic, and her strong will would prevent her from succumbing to the madness completely.
However, she would still be affected. Her life force would be drained, and even if she didn’t go mad, her perception would likely be narrowed.
Even if she and Kayla were powerful mana users, they couldn’t completely resist his magic.
He was an Archmage, after all.
‘The undead are unaffected, of course.’
Eryan’s face paled as he listened to their conversation.
“Mental manipulation magic… on such a large scale…”
“It’s a bit underwhelming for a 7th circle spell, though. It’s taking quite a while…”
“That’s because I narrowed the area of effect.”
“Huh?”
“It only affects a small number of people. This spell normally has a much wider range.”
“…How wide?”
“It could easily cover the entire castle of Doriem.”
“……”
If he unleashed Battlefield Mist on an entire castle, the inhabitants would be rapidly drained of their life force and driven mad.
He could effectively incite riots at will, and on a battlefield, he could force both humans and monsters to fight to the death, eliminating any chance of retreat.
“It’s also quite efficient. As long as I supply it with demonic energy, the area of effect expands, and it uses the life force of those within to fuel its effects, so it doesn’t require much effort from me, considering its scale.”
“But it doesn’t discriminate between friend and foe?”
“Correct.”
“…That’s horrifying.”
Athena shuddered, seemingly imagining the scene.
“Mental manipulation magic is terrifying. I understand why warlocks are ostracized.”
While mana-based mages could also use mental manipulation magic, this level of indiscriminate madness was a specialty of dark magic.
It was a magic that resonated with demonic energy.
Even without the mental manipulation aspect, it was a powerful spell, draining life force, hindering movement, and obscuring vision. The added mental manipulation effect made it a true 7th circle spell.
He observed the scene within the mist, sharing the vision of his undead.
He could now share the vision of his undead within a certain range.
While their vision was secondary, as they primarily relied on sensing life force, it was still quite useful for him.
A gruesome scene unfolded within the mist.
The appearance of the maddened soldiers had broken their ranks, and his Skeleton Warriors were pouring through the gaps.
As the chaos intensified, some of the mercenaries began to eliminate their frenzied comrades.
While their initial response seemed effective, it was short-lived.
Some succumbed to the madness themselves after killing their comrades, their mental fortitude weakened, while others, witnessing their comrades being slain, gave up and embraced the frenzy.
And as he had mentioned, resistance to this spell wasn’t solely based on skill.
Even the paladins, priests, and knights were affected. While they hadn’t succumbed to madness, they were fighting with a reckless abandon he hadn’t seen before.
The knights, in particular, were noticeably different.
“Die!”
“Damn it, you damned undead!”
They were no longer prioritizing defense, focusing solely on destroying the Draugr.
Yet, they seemed oblivious to their own change in behavior.
While he hadn’t driven them completely mad, he had amplified their aggression and made their actions more predictable, so it wasn’t entirely ineffective.
Their reckless attacks drained their stamina quickly, and they were no longer able to stall for time.
The paladins who had been trying to reach him were also affected.
While some were desperately trying to maintain their composure, their heightened aggression made them focus on destroying the Skeletons in front of them instead of trying to reach him.
“An entire army… affected by a single spell…”
“That’s why Archmages and Masters are so highly regarded.”
Unless one was of comparable level, there was little one could do to defend against such magic.
Even with thorough preparation, the cost would be high, and such losses could easily turn the tide of a war.
“Hmm? Huh…”
Then, he noticed something interesting.
“Athena.”
“Yes?”
“I have a job for you.”
Athena’s expression changed.
“The priests, especially the bishop, are trying to escape. They healed a few paladins. They’ve realized they can’t win.”
The bishop had finally recognized his miscalculation after seeing his men succumb to madness and the situation spiral out of control.
He wasn’t sure if that was quick thinking or slow.
However, now that they had encountered him, escape was impossible.
“Kill them all?”
“Hmm… just in case, bring the bishop back alive. I don’t need the others.”
“Alright.”
He informed her of their approximate location and their intended escape route.
Athena vanished, and the so-called “holy army,” having lost the priests’ support, quickly crumbled.
“Let me go! Release me!”
By the time the “holy army” was nearly annihilated, Athena returned, practically dragging the bishop by the scruff of his neck.
The bishop was a mess, barely recognizable from when they had first met.
His robes were stained with blood and dirt, and his face was a mask of fear and desperation.
“Eek!”
He shut his mouth the moment he saw him, the playful banter from earlier completely forgotten.
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