Arrogance (3)
Monsters were closing in on Frondier and his companions with every passing moment.
Most of them were insignificant.
Creatures that Frondier and the other powerful individuals present had grown tired of seeing. Beasts of no consequence.
Most of them lacked intelligence, simply driven by a mindless urge to charge.
"How brazen."
Frondier eradicated a 'set' with a single attack.
The divine bow and arrow, both possessing the power worthy of their divine status, combined their abilities.
Fireworks.
The combination of Sure Hit and Falling Edge didn't waste arrows on a barrage of shots.
A single arrow soared into the sky, only to descend like torrential rain.
Bang! Boom! Boom!
Swoooosh!
The fragmented arrows rained down, their sound a symphony of destruction. They sliced through the air, each piece chasing its own target.
The monsters' cries filled the air. Their numbers had seemed overwhelming, but...
They couldn't escape the rain.
If even a single drop was fatal, and every single one of them was hit by at least one drop...
"...Amazing."
Lily, who was inside the carriage, murmured in awe. She was currently tasked with protecting Basileo within the confines of the vehicle. It wasn't a direct order from Frondier, but something she had taken upon herself to do.
Even in this world where magic and Aura reigned supreme, manpower was paramount in warfare.
Individuals couldn't defeat armies. This principle held true in this world as well. While overwhelmingly powerful individuals existed, none of them were "unique."
Officially, the strongest being in the Falind continent was Osprey, one of the Zodiacs.
And unofficially, Enfer de Roach would rival him.
However, even these two wouldn't dare to face a massive army alone.
Osprey had political power, influence, and numerous connections, while Enfer had his own order of knights.
Humans had limits to their stamina and Mana. No matter how powerful their skills, they would eventually tire. And even if they didn't, while one person grew stronger, others wouldn't simply sit idly by.
There were clear walls when it came to talent and skill, but there was no wall that couldn't be overcome by a multitude of humans working together.
Whether it was Osprey's Coordinate Designation magic, Enfer's Remote Slash, or Elodie's Vermilion Bird Ascent, the moment a skill was revealed to the world, the entire continent would devise countermeasures through ingenuity and training.
The Falind continent only had one nation, the Terst Empire, but that didn't mean all the humans within were friendly allies.
"...But that's only when you're dealing with humans."
Lily thought as she witnessed the fireworks unleashed by Frondier.
She understood instantly why Artemis's bow and arrows were considered divine weapons.
They possessed the power to overturn the very nature of war.
In wars fought against humans, there was no need for power beyond a certain point. While splitting the earth or obliterating mountains was impressive and useful in its own right, it wasn't the primary objective.
To win a war against humans, one simply needed to kill humans.
A single shot to the heart or head was enough.
There was no need to needlessly torment the innocent earth and mountains.
The power to reliably eliminate any human below a certain level.
"If you had to choose between an archer and a swordsman, and there was one of each, you'd usually choose the swordsman. But if it were a hundred, you'd pick the archer without hesitation."
That's how much more powerful arrows became with sheer numbers.
In other words, the 'Fireworks' that Frondier wielded were akin to carrying thousands of archers within a single arrow.
The power to command an army.
"...It's a good thing Frondier is on the side of humans."
Lily, though a demon herself, was relieved that Frondier was currently on the side of humans. She was on the side of humans too.
However, there was also a lingering unease.
What if Frondier eventually turned his back on humanity?
Could a battle against him even be called a 'war'?
Frondier was adorned with divine weapons.
Individuals couldn't defeat armies, but that was only true when facing other humans—
"Lily."
"Eek! Uh, yes?"
Lily was startled by the sudden voice.
Perhaps her own thoughts had been too terrifying.
She answered and turned around to see Selena standing there.
"Start the carriage."
"Uh, yes? But why?"
Vroom—
Lily started the engine as she questioned Selena. Fortunately, the carriage was still in decent condition despite the chaos.
"Frondier-nim has sent word. He'll clear a path soon, so be ready to depart."
Lily looked ahead at Selena's words.
Currently, monsters were swarming from all directions. Frondier had cleared a path once with Fireworks, but their numbers were still overwhelming.
Of course, since they were surrounded, it didn't really matter if they retreated or advanced, but...
"Isn't it too early to prepare? There might still be hidden bombs, and more importantly, the 'Abyss Monster'..."
Lily's concern was valid.
She was referring to the immense and ominous energy they all felt, emanating from beyond the horde of monsters.
It was undoubtedly a monster from the Abyss, at least on par with the Minotaur, if not stronger.
Selena replied,
"He said to be ready, including for that."
"...Can we back up a little first?"
"He recommended it."
Lily nodded, her face pale.
Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. Tiers starting at 10$ per month and you can access upto 40 advance chapters! Choose your tier by clicking the 'Support me' button! Join our discord server for latest release updates and novel discussions. Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Bonus chapters on reaching milestones. Happy reading!