Chapter 52: Storm of Lightning: Breaking Through the Horde

Of the ten arrows shot, only four hit their targets.

The accuracy was poor, but it was enough to momentarily halt the orcs’ charge.

Shhk!

That brief respite was all I needed.

I slashed the neck of the nearest orc and swung my sword in the opposite direction simultaneously.

Nightmare, as if understanding my intent, immediately charged toward a new orc.

The orc that had taken four magic missiles to the face was bleeding, its teeth shattered.

I drove my sword into the center of its face.

Crunch!

Even as fear and pain left its eyes, the orc swung its weapon toward me. A sharp spear came flying in.

My chest was tensed, both hands gripping the sword tightly, my posture braced for the attack.

Nightmare, too, was unsteady, lunging forward.

There was no way to avoid the strike.

It was a dire moment, a life-or-death situation.

But just before the spear could pierce my chest, a faint gust of wind burst forth, deflecting its trajectory.

Flick!

The spear grazed my shoulder, leaving a large gash on the shoulder guard made of ogre leather.

If it had hit my bare chest, it would have shattered my ribs.

Realizing the danger I was in, Nightmare kicked the orc—its head still impaled with my sword—sending it flying.

The overall battle was turning against us.

Though the gray orcs fought well, red orcs continued to pour in through the breached gate without end.

I furrowed my brows and tugged Nightmare’s reins.

Understanding my command, Nightmare quickly climbed up the building.

From the vantage point, I could take in the battlefield at a glance.

My gaze followed the ominous mana swirling around the red orcs.

The eerie mix of red orc skin and the warlock’s dark mana extended beyond the gate.

At the source of the mana stood an orc dressed similarly to the shamans of the gray orcs.

The only difference was the thick book clutched in its left hand.

I frowned, trying to recall the spells I could use.

To deal with it, I had to get closer, but I wasn’t confident I could handle the endless wave of red orcs.

I needed a new spell—one capable of attacking multiple foes at once.

Within my inner world, starlight spun rapidly. Each tiny star was a mage living in another world.

They showed me countless spells—powerful, dazzling, and often absurd ones.

However, in my current state, I couldn’t wield spells capable of destroying the world or summoning wandering planets.

I needed something smaller, more practical—something I could realistically use.

At that moment, a tiny spark of lightning flared within my inner world.

Crackle!

The blue lightning triggered a chain reaction.

Countless images of mages emerged, visualizing and constructing the mechanics of the spell.

What I needed was a vivid image.

The most recent image of lightning etched in my memory was that of a Thunderbird emerging from storm clouds.

The rapidly spinning mana circle began to change in nature.

As the sound of its rotation grew sharper and the crackling of electricity formed, a massive bolt of lightning descended.

I had always wondered why mages in this world needed such extensive preparation for their spells.

Now I understood.

They required that time to change the properties of their mana.

Rumble!

A coarse hum, audible only to me, spread through my body.

Crackle!

Seven stars, wreathed in electric sparks, floated above the sword in my hand.

What I needed was a striking image—a vivid visualization of the phenomenon this spell would create.

When the mystique imbued with my desire fused with my mana, the starlight began to transform into blue lightning.

What materialized in my hand was a spell fully prepared for action.

“Chain Lightning.”

Boom!

As I murmured the spell’s name and extended my hand, a massive bolt of lightning shot forth.

The blue lightning consumed everything in its path, spreading in a chain reaction.

Crackle!

Over ten orcs fell in a single strike.

While they weren’t dead, their bodies were paralyzed, leaving them sprawled on the ground, unable to move.

I immediately launched another bolt of lightning.

Boom!

The lightning that erupted from my fingertips spread again, bringing down another ten orcs.

With the situation escalating, the red orcs began to notice me.

Though stripped of fear, they charged at me with reckless abandon.

Yet, none could reach me, surrounded as I was by a storm of blue lightning.

Boom!

This time, I used both hands.

I sent bolts of lightning toward the orcs approaching from either side.

The moment the blue lightning stretched outward, illuminating the surroundings, the orcs charging from both flanks collapsed mid-run.

A few gray orcs were unfortunately caught within the chain lightning’s radius, but this wasn’t the time to worry about such trivial matters.

Panting heavily, I furrowed my brows.

Judging by my remaining mana, I could cast Chain Lightning two or three more times at most.

“Toha!!!”

At that moment, the gray orc leader let out a fierce roar.

Spurred on by the command, the gray orcs, who had been watching blankly, regained their composure and began charging along the path I had carved.

The gray orc leader, flanked by its subordinates, gestured toward me.

Though we couldn’t communicate verbally, I understood its intent through its movements.

I spurred Nightmare forward, following the gray orcs into the fray.