Chapter 22
'They needed strong firepower support at the beginning of the entry.'
Lennok swiftly discovered the most potent spell to counteract the Scavengers currently targeting them with firearms from the window. He channeled his will into the abundant mana that surrounded him.
Zap!
A dazzling azure energy erupted from his fingertips, where he had concentrated it. He manipulated the trajectory of the electrifying energy surge that seemed on the verge of leaping from his grasp, altering its properties to allow for a cascading effect.
Zappapapapat!
The energy discharged from Lennok's hand fragmented into numerous arcs in mid-air, expanding in all directions.
[Chain Lightning]
Countless electric tendrils, resembling molten lava streams swirling around a fixed point, branched out and engulfed the Scavengers positioned beyond the window.
"Aggugugruk...!!"
"Kraaaack!!"
The Scavengers, struck directly by the lightning spell, began to shriek in agony as their eyes rolled back.
With just one spell, Lennok's overwhelming power tore through the building's wall and instantly incapacitated the armed forces by the window.
"This is unbelievable!"
As they sprinted, Weian caught sight of the opening created by Lennok's magic and couldn't help but exclaim. The other mercenaries were equally astounded, quickening their pace.
They recognized that Lennok was a wizard far more adept than any they had previously employed.
Emboldened by the wizard's effective firepower, the mercenaries promptly initiated their planned infiltration of the building.
The heavily armored vanguard led the charge, while the swift, lightly armed unit wielding weapons vaulted directly to the second floor.
Dray, witnessing the agile second unit scaling the walls with the assistance of the vanguard, joined the melee force to breach the entrance.
With momentum on their side, there was no time for hesitation.
Sensing that Lennok's lightning spell had weakened the Scavengers' defenses, the mercenary unit seized the opportunity and stormed their opponents' stronghold with relentless determination.
Thump, thump, thump!
Ike and another burly man wielded a massive shield, taking on the gunfire head-on, while a man brandishing a greatsword emerged from behind them, adding to the disarray.
Dray also carved through the Scavengers, expertly handling a gun in one hand and a sword in the other.
"Uaaaahhh!"
"Maintain your positions, you fools!"
"If the rooftop is breached, this whole operation is pointless!"
Despite the Scavengers' numerical advantage, they were thrown into panic, unable to halt the mercenaries storming through their ranks.
They struggled to recover from the aftermath of Lennok's [Chain Lightning] before the mercenaries' relentless onslaught.
While a few attempted to regain their footing and stand firm, the majority retreated feebly upon hearing those urgent commands.
"...Ike!"
The man leading the Scavengers on the first floor clenched his teeth and shifted his focus toward the mercenaries.
To turn the tide, they needed to deliver a significant blow to the mercenaries in a single strike.
The target was not the vanguard forcefully making their way into the building, but the lightning wizard who had initiated and anchored the attack.
If they could slash the exposed neck and draw blood, the momentum could shift in their favor.
The man quickly assessed the situation and stealthily maneuvered to avoid the mercenaries' notice.
Having some knowledge of mana manipulation, he understood that the mercenaries would struggle to counter him at full speed.
A single moment of vulnerability would be enough for the mercenaries, overwhelmed by the barrage of attacks, to lose formation and expose the wizard.
"Now!"
As Ike's enormous shield briefly parted and Dray advanced to fire his weapon, the man lunged forward with all his strength.
The sharp-witted individual who penetrated the mercenaries' ranks closed the distance in an instant. Even Dray recoiled and stumbled back, but it was too late. The man's left hand deftly wielded a razor-sharp knife, aimed precisely at the wizard's neck.
BANG
There wasn't even a scream. The man fell backward, his upper body wracked with a jolting sensation, convulsing uncontrollably without even properly closing his eyes.
Dray, turning back to face Lennok, stared at the lifeless body with a blank expression.
"He died of shock," muttered Lennok.
As the man charged towards Lennok, he swiftly pulled out the revolver with lightning speed, aiming at the man's shoulder and firing.
[Aiming Correction]
[Firing Acceleration]
[Impact Reinforcement]
The revolver discharged with the assistance of three bullet-enhancing spells, and the lightning-fast shot struck the charging man, bringing him down.
Lennok's gaze lingered on the tragic body for a moment, but he suppressed any emotional turmoil to maintain his rationality as a wizard.
His mental fortitude, which allowed Lennok to remain highly rational even in typical situations, was especially evident in a battle like this.
Lennok, smoke trailing from the barrel, spun the revolver and reloaded it while glancing at Dray.
"Go ahead. I'll take care of myself."
"Y-yes, sir,"
Dray responded obediently and turned back to adjust his weapon, but he couldn't shake the memory of Lennok's marksmanship in that brief instant.
The shooting itself was standard, but the way Lennok drew the revolver from his holster and placed his finger on the trigger was so swift and precise that Dray found it challenging to keep up.
"Are today's skilled wizards also adept at handling firearms like that...?"
Unaware that Lennok had used shooting assistance magic, Dray sighed at the thought of wizards' value soaring. He quickly proceeded to secure the first floor with his team.
After the group's leader attempted to kill Lennok and was killed in retaliation, the Scavengers were rapidly overwhelmed by the mercenaries' assault.
"Kidel, it's me. First floor is clear. What's the situation upstairs?"
Once begun, they had to see it through to the end. Dray and the mercenaries neutralized the scattered Scavengers on the second floor and communicated with the first squad to assess the situation.
[It's a standoff. If the captain comes to help us, we can quickly clear the second floor.]
"I'm on my way up now, time it tight."
Dray finished speaking and immediately crouched down with the third squad, approaching the stairs. Using the elevator to ascend to the second floor would have been suicidal due to the height difference, but advancing through the stairs was a wise decision.
Lennok briefly contemplated using Search magic, but the other mercenaries were cautiously climbing the stairs without his assistance. At this proximity, mana users could rely on their heightened senses to discern their surroundings.
In contrast to the clamorous first floor, the second floor was eerily silent. It was a desolate scene of offices filled with desks and partitions.
The first squad and the Scavengers that had infiltrated the second floor were still engaged in a standoff, interspersed. The only sounds were the occasional rustle on the floor and the soft breeze blowing through a shattered window.
Pshoo!
Someone dropped to the ground with a sound that seemed to forcefully stifle gunfire. Shortly after, someone rose from behind a partition.
It was Kidel.
"It's over."
At her words, other members of the first squad began to reveal themselves one by one.
"I don't think we were much help?"
"No. They were distracted by the sound of the third squad coming up, and that gave us an opening. They knew that the first floor had fallen."
Kidel spoke calmly as she reloaded her rifle. Though the flow of mana emanating from her body was not substantial, her handling of the rifle appeared highly skilled and swift.
After reloading the magazine and completing her preparations, Kidel urged Dray to hurry.
"Let's move quickly. The 2nd squad must be buying time on the roof."
As she said this, the mercenary group promptly entered the 3rd floor and eliminated the remaining Scavengers.
In a situation where a significant number of troops were mobilized to confront the mercenary group, which had infiltrated the 1st and 2nd floors, the mercenaries gained an advantage by gathering scattered members and increasing their overall strength.
The fact that the Scavengers' wizard, who should have focused on guarding the 3rd floor, had been subdued by Lennok also meant a considerable loss for the Scavengers.
With the 3rd squad providing fire support from the front and the 1st squad from the back, the Scavengers had no other means of resistance besides their firearms and were forced to retreat.
As they stood at the stairs leading to the rooftop, Ike muttered, "This is going smoother than expected."
"Yeah, at this rate, we can finish earlier than planned," replied Dray.
The time it took to clear out the Scavengers was much quicker than anticipated. If they continued at this pace, they could complete everything before additional support from the Scavengers arrived.
"Shouldn't we ask for more money from those guys who are using this place?" asked Ike.
"It's not over yet. We still need to finish backing up the data from their company and drive out all the people living in this slum," Dray responded.
"Well, at this rate, we should be able to finish by tonight," Ike said.
The mercenaries were having conversations while quietly keeping an eye on Lennok, who was following behind them.
They all knew that without Lennok's lightning magic that he had unleashed just before entering the building, the job would not have been as easy.
If Lennok had not taken out almost 20 Scavengers by himself with just the right spell at the right time, the job would have been much more difficult.
Seeing the power of a true wizard, the mercenaries couldn't help but be impressed with Lennok.
Even Kidel, who had been skeptical of Lennok since the first time he lit a cigarette, seemed to be considering offering him a job as their full-time wizard.
"Captain, why don't we hire him as our exclusive wizard?" Kidel whispered to Dray.
"...We don't have the money," he replied.
"With the money you used to bring in those two useless rookies, we could invest in him. I think he could do the work of four people by himself," Kidel said.
"....."
"With a wizard like that, the work would be much easier, we would earn a lot of money, and our office would quickly become famous..."
"Other people must be thinking the same thing, not just us."
Kidel tried to speak up, but couldn't come up with a response.
In her opinion, Lennok's magical abilities were unparalleled compared to other wizards she had encountered, and although he had some strange quirks, his personality was generally very calm.
With such an easygoing personality to work with and overwhelming ability, it wouldn't be strange for recruitment calls to pour in from all over the place, and wherever he wanted to work, he would be in demand.
"The wizard is recommended by Jenny herself. If they sent him through the employment office, it would be impossible to afford with just any amount of money."
There is nothing as foolish as coveting a jewel that one cannot have.
Of course, one can never predict what will happen in life, but it is best not to hold onto unrealistic expectations.
While Dray was thinking this way, he wiped the blood off his knife and picked up the communication device.
His intention was to contact the 2nd squad, who were holding their ground on the rooftop, and head up there himself without delay.
"Weian, do you copy? I'm sure you've confirmed through the communication device that we've secured the 3rd floor and subdued all remaining forces. Now we plan to go up to the 4th floor. Can you support us?"
Dray spoke lightly, but his face immediately hardened as a voice came through the communication device.
[... Captain?]
Weian's voice was faint, as if it could be cut off at any moment.
It was evident that something had happened, as Dray couldn't properly understand what was being said.
As soon as the other mercenaries saw Dray's expression, they stopped their conversations and promptly grabbed their gear, rushing towards the rooftop.
Something was definitely amiss.
(TO BE CONTINUED)