Infinite Mage - Remake

Morning.

Shirone’s group arrived at the edge of the northern forest and surveyed the deserted landscape.

Only the sound of invisible birds could be heard.

Shirone: “The plan is simple.”

Shirone dismounted from his horse and spoke.

Shirone: “We’ll cut straight through the forest to the northern cliff. Falcoa’s men might be lying in ambush, but that risk is the same if we take the mountain path. The biggest problem is if one of us gets separated from the front line. To regroup quickly, we need to simplify our route.”

Rian drew his greatsword.

Rian: “So, a frontal assault? No problem.”

Tess spoke up.

Tess: “I’ll take the lead. Rian, you cover the rear. The two mages will stay in the middle and watch the flanks.”

It was a classic formation.

After tying their horses at the edge of the forest, they began climbing the mountain at a steady pace.

With their lives on the line, even the familiar scenery felt strange, as if they were seeing it for the first time.

Swish. Swish.

The sound of the wind rustling the leaves could be heard. The more they heard it, the sharper Tess’s senses became.

If I make a mistake, it’s over.

A mage’s Spirit Zone conveys all surrounding information in the form of synesthesia, but only within a certain radius.

On the other hand, a Schema User can maximize each sense to analyze various information.

Among them, the senses Tess was most focused on now were smell and hearing.

She could detect the scent of humans from hundreds of meters away and pick up the unique sounds of their movements when they were tense, allowing her to protect her allies.

Tess suddenly stopped.

Someone’s here.

The scent seemed to be masked, but she heard the sound of something hard being drawn.

It’s a bow.

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she heard the twang of a bowstring.

Tess: “Dodge!”

Shirone’s group leaped aside, and Tess drew her rapier, turning toward the direction of the sound.

An arrow flew through the bushes.

Even as the sharp tip came within inches of her, Tess didn’t even blink, turning her head slightly.

Thunk!

The arrow embedded itself into a tree trunk, and the surrounding bushes began to shake.

…!

The relief of having dodged and the anger at nearly dying momentarily paralyzed her mind.

But only for a moment. Regaining her composure, Tess looked around and saw that the entire group was now in combat.

Fourteen of them.

There was probably an archer watching from somewhere, but even the immediate enemies were numerous.

Rian: “Yahhh!”

At Rian’s battle cry, Tess turned her head.

Rian’s swordsmanship, wielding his greatsword with overwhelming strength, was undoubtedly threatening.

But the location was bad.

The long, thick greatsword kept getting caught on things, and the Angmu mercenaries were circling around, taking advantage of that.

Mercenary: “Hehe, what an idiot. Using a greatsword in the forest.”

The skill of the Angmu mercenaries had already been gauged at the tavern.

They weren’t exceptionally skilled, but they were all seasoned veterans who knew how to fight according to the situation.

Now’s the time.

The eyes of the leader of Mercenary Squad 1 flashed brightly.

It was the perfect moment. The distance between Rian’s movement and the cover, as well as the opening for a surprise attack, aligned perfectly.

Leader of Squad 1: “Everyone, charge!”

Three squad members, centered around Rian, rushed in simultaneously.

But they were merely decoys. The one who would deliver the fatal blow was actually Jojing.

Rian: “Ugh!”

Realizing this too late, Rian twisted his body and swung his greatsword, but a tree blocked his path.

Leader of Squad 1: “Hahaha! Idiot!”

Just as the leader was about to pierce Rian’s heart—

Rian: “Yahhh!”

With a fierce shout, Rian’s greatsword cleaved through the tree trunk and surged toward the leader’s neck.

Leader of Squad 1: “Huh?!”

Startled, the leader hastily withdrew his sword and defended his neck as the greatsword clashed against it.

A metallic clang rang out.

Leader of Squad 1: “……”

There wasn’t much impact, but only because the tree trunk had absorbed most of the force.

Leader of Squad 1 (thought): ‘I almost died.’

Even if he were a master of schemas, cutting through a tree trunk in such a confined space would be difficult.

The leader, still puzzled, quickly regained his composure.

In war, curiosity about the enemy is dangerous. Thinking should come after cutting down the enemy.

Leader of Squad 1: “You bastard…!”

The leader, still in a defensive stance, scraped his blade forward and aimed to slash Rian’s abdomen.

Leader of Squad 1: “Ugh!”

A rapier pierced through his open mouth.

The leader’s eyes rolled upward as his central nervous system was severed in one strike. He collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Behind him stood Tess.

Tess: “Rian, are you okay?”

Though her expression remained calm, Rian’s gaze briefly fell to the corpse.

Tess thought this might be his first time seeing something like this.

Tess (thought): ‘Seeing a dead body is different from watching someone die and become a corpse.’

It’s almost like a religious experience.

When someone who was alive and full of emotions just moments ago is stripped of all will and turns cold, humans truly see the essence of life for the first time.

Tess: “Rian, are you okay?”

Rian responded to Tess’s voice. As always, he smiled boldly and replied.

Rian: “No problem. What about the others?”

When Rian looked around, the Parrot Mercenaries were completely overwhelmed by Shirone’s firepower.

Though the Parrot Mercenaries had plenty of experience fighting mages, the Photon Cannon boasted speed and destructive power far beyond ordinary magic.

The flashes of light shattered trees and rocks in all directions, leaving the mercenaries with no chance to emerge.

Mercenary: “Damn it! What kind of magic is that?!”

The leader of Squad 2, who had been scouting ahead, quickly turned his head as the ground exploded.

Leader of Squad 2 (thought): ‘That guy doesn’t even seem tired.’

Such powerful attacks should have some limit, but there was no sign of it.

Leader of Squad 2 (thought): ‘Hmph! Even so…’

As he glanced to the other side, a subordinate hiding behind a rock signaled a plan.

It was the archer’s position. If they could lure Shirone out of cover, they could pierce his forehead.

Leader of Squad 2: “Hoo, hoo, hoo!”

After exhaling three quick breaths, the leader lunged forward, and the flashes of light chased after him.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

With each explosion, his heart sank, but he gritted his teeth and reached the planned position.

Leader of Squad 2 (thought): ‘Got it!’

As he leapt behind the hill, Shirone’s position was perfectly exposed to the sniper.

Leader of Squad 2: “Hehe, you’re done for…”

At that moment, a single fireball accelerated toward the sniper’s hiding spot.

A faint scream echoed shortly after.

Sniper: “Aaaah!”

The leader’s eyes widened as he turned to see Amy standing there.

Leader of Squad 2 (thought): ‘There’s a sniper on their side too. And a mage at that.’

The leader gritted his teeth.

Their carefully planned ambush had ended in vain.

Leader of Squad 2: “Everyone, retreat!”

As the order was given, the Parrot Mercenaries emerged from the surroundings and fled up the mountain.

Their concealment was so effective that Shirone’s group momentarily felt as if the landscape itself had shifted.

Tess: “Where do you think you’re running?!”

Led by Tess, everyone gave chase, but the Parrot Mercenaries didn’t make it easy to close the distance.

Tess (thought): ‘Tch! It’s their home turf, after all.’

Compared to the Parrot Mercenaries, who had trained for five years to memorize the terrain, Shirone’s group wasted a lot of movement.

Amy:

Amy ignited a flame in her right hand and swung her arm as if throwing something. A fiery explosion arced through the air and crashed down.

Leader of Squad 2: “Now!”

As soon as he shouted, the entire mercenary squad’s bodies glowed and transformed into flashes of light, shooting into the sky.

Shirone stared blankly upward.

Shirone: “…Spatial teleportation?”

As Amy’s fireball crashed down, flames erupted, and the air grew scorching hot.

Rian: “Damn it! What was that?”

After waiting for the heat to subside, Shirone’s group rushed to the impact site.

The enemies were nowhere to be found.

Rian: “Did I see that wrong earlier?”

Amy nodded.

Amy: “It was spatial teleportation. I don’t know how they did it, but let’s check our status first. Anyone injured?”

After a battle, the first thing to check is injuries.

In a street fight, even a nosebleed would be noticeable, but in life-or-death combat, adrenaline can mask pain.

After thoroughly checking each other’s conditions, Shirone’s group reviewed the situation.

Tess: “It’s definitely not easy. Their individual skills aren’t particularly impressive, but they’re organized and experienced. Their familiarity with the terrain is also a factor. And most importantly…”

She paused, then asked.

Tess: “How did swordsmen perform spatial teleportation? That’s high-level magic. I didn’t see any mages during the fight.”

Amy: “I’ll check. I recorded it.”

Amy’s crimson eyes glowed. She had used her self-imaging memory to capture the moment the enemies teleported.

Amy: “…It’s a magic artifact.”

Just before they disappeared, a light had flashed from their sleeves.

Amy: “Probably in the form of bracelets. It’s too much of a coincidence for all of them to have lights coming from their arms.”

Shirone: “Is that even possible? It’s different from embedding active magic like magic bullets. Without entering a Spirit Zone, you can’t set a destination.”

Amy was also skeptical, but strictly speaking, it wasn’t impossible.

Amy: “They probably linked it to a magic circle.”

A magic circle is a magical diagram engraved into space that emits magical energy.

Amy: “As Shirone said, a magic artifact alone can’t set a destination. But if you use the coordinates of a magic circle engraved in a specific space, it’s theoretically possible.”

Tess: “But is that scale feasible for a fallen mercenary group? From what I know, it requires a lot of manpower and funding.”

Amy: “If they’re really the Parrot Mercenaries, fortifying this place and hiding here isn’t strange. Still, it’s a massive undertaking. Even engraving one intermediate magic circle requires at least five mages working all day. The funding probably came from Falcoa. Remember what those mercenaries we met at the ruins said? The margins from the loops are huge.”

Tess looked around in disbelief.

Tess: “How much did they leave behind? If the entire mountain is a fortress, one magic circle wouldn’t be enough.”

Amy: “To properly operate in combat, there must be at least hundreds of magic circles engraved.”

Tess: “Hundreds…”

Shirone: “They’ve networked the entire northern forest. In other words, the enemy has escape routes. If we fight like this, we’ll tire out before we even reach the summit.”

Rian: “So what do we do now? How about destroying the magic circles as we advance? If the enemy keeps running away no matter where we fight, rushing in won’t work.”

Amy shook her head.

Amy: “That’s quite difficult. Magic circles are diagrams engraved on objects, so their durability far surpasses human mental strength. They’re designed that way. Destroying a few circuits won’t stop them. To nullify the effect, you’d have to devastate the entire space, which could take days.”

Tess: “Hmm.”

Tess assessed the situation.

As a smaller group, their only option was to reduce the enemy’s numbers in each skirmish. But the enemy could preserve their forces using the magic circle network.

Shirone surprised everyone by agreeing with Rian.

Shirone: “But it’s worth a try. Let’s at least destroy one magic circle.”

Tess: “Really? What difference will destroying one out of hundreds make?”

Shirone: “From our perspective, maybe not much. But the enemy might think differently. If they invested so much time building the network, they might not want to lose even one. They might even gather to defend it.”

Tess: “So we’re poking them to see how they react.”

Amy didn’t oppose that.

While war is often called a money game, the side with more resources doesn’t always win.

The more you have to protect, the weaker your resolve becomes.

To the Parrot Mercenaries, Shirone’s group is just one of many invaders.

If their expensive magic circles are destroyed, they’ll have to change their strategy.

Once the decision was made, Amy added.

Amy: “We need to consider efficiency. I didn’t mention it earlier because destroying magic circles isn’t a viable option. Nullifying their effects is much more complicated than you think.”

Rian slammed his greatsword into the ground.

Rian: “Can’t I just tear up the ground with my sword until the magic circle is gone?”

Amy: “That won’t work. The magic circles we see are just symbolic representations. The actual phenomenon is caused by the magical energy engraved in the space. And that’s… a complicated issue.”

Shirone: “So we have to keep tearing it up until the effect disappears? But no one knows where that point is.”

Amy: “Exactly. There are two main ways to destroy a magic circle. Either hack the concept itself with information magic, or smash it until the effect disappears. The former is impossible for us, and the latter is a matter of time and labor.”

Tess: “So it’s like this. The labor required to destroy one magic circle is less efficient than just pushing forward recklessly?”

Amy: “Right. If you can’t destroy it within 10 minutes, it’s better to just head to the destination as is. We can’t rush, but we don’t have much time either. Still, I agree with the idea of exploiting the enemy’s psychology.”

With all the information shared, the conversation quieted.

If everyone’s thoughts deepened, following one person’s opinion would waste the least time.

Rian turned to Shirone.

Rian: “What do you want to do?”

Shirone: “……”

Once again, Shirone had the final say, but given the situation, his decision was extremely cautious.

Shirone (thought): ‘Amy’s right. There’s no need to waste time. No, this decision itself has already taken too much time. Whatever it is, I need to decide now.’

The key was destroying a magic circle within 10 minutes.

Shirone (thought): ‘Can I do it? A swordsman tearing up the ground won’t be enough. Amy’s fire magic isn’t very effective against inanimate objects. In the end, it’s the Photon Cannon…’

If he unleashed a barrage of attacks, he might make it in time, but the mental strain would be too much.

Shirone (thought): ‘But if I don’t do it, no one else can. Unless it’s the divine particles in the Photon Cannon…’

At that moment, Shirone’s eyes sparkled.

Shirone (thought): ‘Mass.’

Maybe it’s possible.

No, he was sure he could do it. He just hadn’t tried before.

Shirone: “Let’s destroy the magic circle. I’ll give it a try.”

Amy was surprised.

Shirone, whose strength lies in insight, isn’t the type to be bound by mathematical probabilities. But to her, this decision seemed too wasteful.

Amy: “Are you sure? The Photon Cannon might work, but each shot is precious. I don’t like the idea of wasting attacks meant to subdue enemies on the ground.”

Shirone: “I agree. But it’s not the Photon Cannon.”

Amy: “Then what?”

Shirone: “That’s… I’ll try it. It’s just an idea for now. But it should work.”

Since Shirone had the final say, Amy didn’t analyze further.

In her experience, Shirone’s insights were rarely wrong.

Amy: “Alright. Then Tess and I will form one team, and Shirone and Rian will form another. We’ll search the area using teleportation to find the magic circle. Let’s keep the distance between teams at 50 meters.”

Shirone nodded.

Shirone: “Let’s adjust our speed. If we focus too much on the distance, we might crash into cover.”

Even for Shirone, who had mastered the highest difficulty of the Uncrossable Bridge, the forest was dangerous.

Amy smirked.

Amy: “Who are you worried about? You’re not thinking of me like those supernatural kids, are you?”

Shirone (thought): ‘Well…’

Though she said it to reassure him, it wasn’t an exaggeration.

Amy had also mastered the Uncrossable Bridge and had the power of her crimson eyes, so accidental collisions were unlikely.

Shirone: “Alright, then let’s…”

Just as they were about to start the operation, Tess, who had been thinking something over, raised her hand.

Tess: “Wait. There’s something I need to confirm first.”

Shirone: “Huh? Confirm what?”

Tess: “If this operation succeeds, there’s a high chance of a full-scale battle with the enemy. So I want to ask Rian something about the earlier fight.”

Rian: “What? Is there a problem with me?”

Rian looked bewildered, and Tess’s expression grew unusually serious.

Tess: “Rian, have you ever killed someone?”

The surroundings fell silent.

Shirone and Amy remained quiet, understanding Tess’s words, while Rian blinked in confusion.

Rian: “Killing someone…”