Chapter 12: The Other Side

"Rumble of earth and fire below, slowly rise, just like dough. Volcanic ash and magma flow, reach above, splash and plateau. [Melodic Magic: Volcanic Wave!]"

Leo and his group of magic ruptured the ground, summoning a tsunami of lava that consumed an unfortunate group of orcs. As soon as the lava stopped and seeped back into the ground. The melee fighters leaped out of Riala's train and started to engage the grunts.

"This is pretty impressive."

"What is? Their tag team combos? Or the fact that the plan is just America in a nutshell." Shun chuckled.

He was there in Riala's train along with Ricten. All three of them were tasked with observing the battlefield, and to drop in at a moments notice. So far, the soldiers were doing well. So all they were doing was watching the chaos unfold from above.

"America?"

"Don't worry about it."

"I'm still wondering about their objective. Why group up? The Barbarian Pigs haven't been like this since they left the sanctuary."

"Does it really matter? We're pretty much slaughtering them at the moment."

"Yes and no. It doesn't hurt to know the motive of the enemy. They aren't acting normal, and that's the scary part. If they start acting weird, then would it be the same for every other animal? And is this caused by the wave or some other factor at pl-"

"RAHHH!"

"What the hell was that!?"

"I'm not sure." Ricten looked into his spyglass, spotting the source of the roar immediately. The orcs that were dead… or assumed to be dead, started to Melt. The puddles of flesh leaked into each other, rising once again into a fused abomination.

The merged orcs started to push forward with a power far greater than the grunts they came from. The animal warriors were being pushed back, some even falling to the new combined threat. The mages were even caught off guard as their pillar started to be climbed, putting them in danger as well.

"Well that fucking new. Holy shit that's so awesome."

"Shun. The task at hand!"

"Right Right. It's time to show off my alchemical might." Shun tossed a handful of gold coins in the air. Before they could hit the ground. They disappeared, replaced with a cutlass and flintlock that landed in Shun's hands.

"Ahh. The newest flintlock. Can fire six shots before having to reload."

"I still have no idea how you do that."

"It's equivalent exchange. I give 5 Laura. I can turn them into 5 Laura worth of weaponry."

"Still sounds like bullshit."

"Oh yeah, says the "100 daggers in my boot" guy. Talk to me next time when you explain your hammerspace." Shun ran forward jumped out of the train.

"The hell is a hammer space!" Ricten yelled, following the soldiers and jumping out himself.

"Is that a boys being boys moment. Or just stupidity and intelligence clashing... Yeah totally the latter, [Locomotive Crash!]" Shifting her tracks towards the gate. Riala move the train, and charged all the fused orcs on the ground.

"Everybody move!" A lion yelled. Nobody had to be told twice as the soldiers of the sanctuary immediately began to run. With everyone aside, Riala's train sped up, coating itself in a red aura as it passed through. When the skill ended, Riala leapt out the train and landed by the entrance. Every orc that survived was then bombarded by a hail of bullets and explosive from the train. Killing them once again.

"Leo. Evacuate our men. Shiku, you're down here with us."

"Okay sister!" Both dogs lept off the pillar and started to perform their ordered objectives. Leo ordered a full retreat, getting a majority of the animal warriors out of there. While that was going on. Riala, along with Shiku, Ricten and Shun stared down the hoard of mutated orcs rising once again.

"There's less of them. But their power increased when they fused."

"So they sacrificed their quantity for quality. Nothing that we can't handle brother." Shiku brought her fist together, changing them into a stone like substance.

"I agree with the female dog. If Lizen is gonna show off, then I might as well too."

"Has anyone ever told you of how much of an arrogant bastard you are?" Ricten scoffed.

"Several times. But who's the rich hotshot captain? Exactly!" Shun was the first to move.

Coming upon the first mutant. Shun shot his gun into it's neck, then swung his cutlass to cut it off. When two more came. He shot one in the arm, lept off it. Then unleashed four shots into the other head before slicing it clean through the middle.

"Remember Ricten. Swapping to your side arm is always faster than reloading." Tossing his gun in the air, it disappeared, being replaced by another flintlock. Shun then grabbed it and used it to fire another volley into two more attacking mutants.

"And for the finale!" Using the last bullet in his mag. Shun shot the leg of a mutant, making it trip. He used the downed orc as a platform leap off of, and aimed his weapon at the ground. "Flames of the forge, metals of the earth. Fuse together and show your girth. Metals of destruction, that we amassed. Fall down, and explode with a blast."

Sending magic into the ground. Several spheres of metal burst from the earth, slowly having their fuses burnt away.

"[Planet Bomb!]"

Turning away from the explosion. All the bombs blew up as Shun slowly walked away.

"That's my share. Better keep up butler."

"You missed a few?"

"No I di-" Shun turned around, only to have seven mutants pile on top of him.

"I warned you!" Ricten pulled out a javelin from his sleeve and threw it. Three mutants charging him were all impaled on it, and pinned to the ground.

He ducked another, and produced a dagger from his sleeve that he used to stab it in the chin.

"Solar Blades." Taking out several daggers, they all glowed with golden energy as Ricten tossed them. When they hit a mutant, they exploded into pillars of light that enveloped several of them. The ones that were outside of the range, however, all began to charge the elephant once again.

"Shiku."

"Shockwave. Magnitude 4." Punching the ground. Shiku cracked it as the resulting shock wave blasted several of the mutants back. With the ground uneven and still rumbling. Shiku and Ricten ran in while the mutants were stumbling, and started to tear through the ranks of the enemy.

"We're getting nowhere with this."

"Well they're weak to something we do. Some are dying while some aren't."

"The only things that died were the ones hit by Ricten's... Magic, they're weak to magic!"

"But I blew them up earlier. Perhaps the shrapnel did something that the light didn't?" Shun thought. When he looked at the two examples, and then some of the dying orcs. He noticed a pattern, and spoke up.

"They're blood. If they bleed then they melt. We can use this to our advantage, someone make a hole!"

"A hole you desire, a hole you shall get. Open the ground and catch them like a net!'

Touching the ground. The earth started to open up, catching several of the mutants off guard as they fell in. The hole however, was still small, and filled up very quickly.

"It didn't work!"

"Yes, it did. "Balls of steeeeel." Shun burst into laughter as he started his spell.

"SHUN!"

"Sorry sorry. "Balls of steel and explosive powder. For yourself into unmatched power. Crash to the ground with awesome might, destroy this army with a single strike."

Tossing hundreds of coins into the air. They all turned into a black powder as a sphere of iron mixed over it.

"[Planet Bombardment!]"

The cannonballs accelerated toward the ground, wreaking havoc on the mutants. The explosions killed most of the orcs with the shrapnel finishing off the rest. When the orcs melted down and filled the hole, Shun directed Riala over it.

"Riala. Nuke em!"

"The hell's a nuke!?"

"Blow the shit out of that hole!... I could have phrased that better."

"Alright then! Cannon Train!" Swapping trains. Riala road her train in the air and unleashed an explosive payload on the battlefield. The resulting bombardment obliterated the hole, and the surrounding area in it. And when the smoked clear, the puddle inside the hole was reduced to nothing.

"Why didn't she do that earlier!?"

"Our sisters an idiot."

"Hey!" Riala pouted as she exited her train. "I was just doing as asked and staying out the battle."

"I think this far beyond the normal fight were were asked to limited ourselves in."

"I must say. They were pretty cool. If I find whoever made that, I'll give him a promotion."

"I'm pretty sure Mihare and especially Yomiko won't allow someone like that into Foo's army." Shiku faced palmed.

"And hiring aside. Perhaps we should find Leo then assist Flores and Lizen." Ricten suggested

"I'll go get him now. You three start pushing towards the middle." Riala flew off as asked. Taking her train with her.

"I wonder how the other two idiots are do-." As Shun muttered this, a massive rainbow flew through the camp, decimating everything in it's path.

"...Yeah he'll be fine!"

/~/

15 minutes earlier

"[Blazing Flourish!] [Boomerang Flag!] "

"[Static Feather Fall!]"

A torrent of Flames and lightning rained down on the camp. No mutant was able to step foot within the attack order circle, or else they be swiftly put down with a hail of arrows.

"This is getting ridiculous!"

"I know!" [Blazing Flourish!] Flores slashed at the mutant. He was able to cut through it pretty easily, and it didn't even melt into goo. Flores figured out that the fire from his skill would prevent the orcs regeneration. Lizen also figured it out when his normal arrows failed, but lightning arrows didn't.

This helped the both of them figure out a way to defeat them. And both were doing their best to exploit this weakness any way they can.

"Lizen. Do you have a fireball or some shit to kill them all?"

"You know I'm a lightning mage right? Not a fire one."

"Don't act like you don't have options!" Flores exclaimed.

"Fine. Clear me a straight path."

"Deal! [Blazing Flourish!] [Boomerang Flag!]"

Flores tossed his flag forward, cutting a path through the fused orcs before it came back to him.

Taking his chance, Lizen lept forward, dragging his feet across the ground as he landed. Spinning around with his feet still dragging. Lizen dashed back towards the middle with smoke starting to rise from his foot. [Flaming Arc!] Leaping into the air, Lizen's foot burst into flame.

"[Wild Winds: Swirling Arc!]"

On his other foot. Lizen gathered a bundle of wind sent it downward. The wind exploded outward, catching all the mutants in the blast. Instead of pushing them away, however, the mutants were instead dragged in.

Flores thankfully enough. Was able to escape the area before the blast hit. Watching from afar. He saw Lizen bring down his other foot, sending a ball of flames that engulfed all the mutants in a fire explosion.

At this point. Flores had no idea whether it was a good idea to put Lizen at the top of his don't fight list, or keep his daughter there. In either case, he still didn't want to start a fight with anyone he partied with right now. Other than Shun.

"Lets hope that's the last of them. What even are these?"

Flores cut off a piece of the orc and placed it in his flag.

"Man cutting a humanoid is weird. Even if it's a monster."

Barbarian Pig Flag (B)

Abilities Locked Equip Bonus: Str +5, Formation 1

"Barbarian Pig?" Flores pondered.

Swapping to the flag. It had the image of a savage-like boar running.

"Yeah. It's the original name of the monster."

"Oh? So they're like Ricten right? In the sense, they're more monster like of course."

"Correct. The captains originally defected from the sanctuary and made camps of their own. They used an imperfect version of the transformation spell on other barbarian pigs. It's one of the reasons why only the captains can speak."

"I see. So these mutants and that giant one are just bi-products of the spell right?" Flores pondered as he cut through more.

Barbarian Pig Bone Flag

Abilities Locked Equip Bonus: Def +3, Str +3

Barbarian Pig Meat Flag Abilities Locked Equip Bonus: Atk +3

"No. Similar to how a construct is made. The spell utilizes Ellyan's to form the body. I have no idea what any of these are, however. Not to mention the melting regeneration thing. The spell cannot do that." Flores watched as Lizen poked at one of the fused orcs.

"Then perhaps we should have taken one of the captains alive."

Berserker Pig Bone Flag

Abilities Locked Equip Bonus: Def +3, Formation 2

Berserker Pig Meat Flag Abilities Locked Atk +4, Slash Resistance (Small)

Berserker Pig Banner

Abilities Locked Equip Bonus: Atk +6, Def +4 Skill: Defense Order

"Yeah… probably should have." Lizen sighed. He took out a vial before putting some orc blood inside. "Let's hope Yomiko can figure this out."

"Ahh yes. Give the witch something "alchemical", smart idea." Flores scoffed as he wrapped his injuries.

"Do you know anyone better? Exactly." Lizen put the vial in his pocket. "Now lets go find this gi- Omph." As Lizen drew his bow, the giant orc busted through the camp walls and tackled Lizen.

"Think I found em!"

"I NOTICED!" Despite the size difference. Lizen kicked the orc off of him and shot a volley of arrows at it.

"Stronger than a Keel, turn my body to steel. [Star Reinforce]"

The orc landed and guarded his face as his arms turned to steel. To Lizen's shock. The arrows sunk in, but not far enough to cause any real damage. The giant orc then just plucked them out and took out a club from his back.

"So you can speak? Bet." Lizen dashed forward, leaving Flores in the dust.

Shooting another volley of arrows. They all end up missing and flew past the giant orc.

"You missed!"

"Homing!"

As the orc swung his club down. The arrows that missed all turned around and plunged themselves deep into the pig's flesh. Continuing his swing in a fit of pain, Lizen lept back with plenty of time to spare.

"You're up Flores."

"How fun. [Drill Run!]" Flores thrust his flag forward, but the most it did was scrape the skin.

Flores landed quickly and held up his flag to block an incoming club strike. It was harsh. Flores grunted as he felt every bone in his remaining arm strain under the pressure. As he started to flow ki into his weapon to help with the block, the orc kicked him away. But before he could get sent flying, it grabbed Flores by his flag and slammed him back into the ground.

Recovering quickly and rolling out the way. Flores got back up and started to attack. The orc however was nimble, and easily put Flores on the back foot during a quick exchange of attacks. Despite using everything he could throw at the pig, Flores stood no chance and was batted away by the orcs club.

"Defense Order!" The speed was almost blinding. Flores barely got his skill up before the orc smashed him into the ground. The defense order he put up took the brunt of the attack. But Flores still coughed up some blood as the attack planted him in the ground.

"T-t-tag i-in!." Flores muttered. And as he asked, Lizen suddenly appeared over his body in a flash of lightning.

"Lightning flow increases my cells. Boost my power and strengthen these spells. Enhance my body with lightning power, strong enough to see my foe devoured. Hurry up and do it fast, if you don't I will get thrashed!"

"[Galaxy Thunder Cloak!]"

A bolt of lightning fell from the sky and struck Lizen, leaving behind an electric purple cloak.

"Y-you can h-handle this."

"Fair." Lizen braced himself and caught the giant's foot. Letting out a loud grunt, Lizen used all his strength to launch the orc back several feet.

"Attack order please."

"I'm… o-out of Sp. Agh." Flores groaned. "Damn, I go comboed."

"Fine, I'll overkill it normally. Azriel, I'm taking some magic."

"The fucks an Azri-" As Flores struggled to stand up, Lizen had already dashed away.

"Prismatic Feather Fall." As the streak dashed around the orc. Lizen just over a swing of its club and kicked it with a beam of rainbows. Landing on the ground, he dashed by the legs, before leaping into the air to attach the head. The speed and intensity of each strike were getting higher and higher. Lizen was a blur, the only proof of his existence being a trail of rainbows that followed his every movement.

The orc itself tried its best, but he wasn't able to do anything against the archer. At some point, it realized this and sat down as it waited for its demise.

"Wild Winds: Stardust Road."

Lizen lept back, pulling the rainbow trail with him. Gathering it all in his palms. The archer ran forward and blasted the giant at point-blank range. The rainbow would continue forward before it rose up and exploded mid-air.

"I swear. This better be the last orc threat we deal with."

Lizen went over to Flores, propping the injured hero on his shoulder. "Alright, let's get you to a medic."

"Mind telling me what that was on the way?"

"Contract Magic from the ball world. I have a soul bond with a unicorn."

"You're just making that up."

"I don't have to tell you all of my abilities. I still have more techniques hidden." Lizen menically chuckled.

"Man, you are just the pinnacle of bullshit." Flores scoffed.

"Keep talking and I'm burning the remains of the giant."

"Not until I absorb it!"

/~/

"...Do you have any ones?"

"Neila that go fish."

"Then do I take one of your cards?"

"Old Maid."

"Alright fine! I play double kings!"

"Now you're just playing Wa-" Isu cleared her throat. "Never mind. That's is a legal move."

"Great!" Neila placed down her cards. Isu could only sigh as she didn't have a pair of kings as she said.

"Can you even see the cards?"

"Nope! can't read!"

"Yeah, I forgot about that. Annoyingly enough, you did get a royal flush."

"Great. Now I win this set and go again!"

"Now that's president!"

/~/

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