The Reborn Veteran is an Aristocrat

Chapter 4 - Monster Disturbance (4)

The following day, the group prepared to confront the Orcs once and for all. Vincent volunteered to scout the area for their location and he set off on his own. He returned an hour later with news.

"I found the Orcs' camp about ten miles east from here," Vincent stated in his usual monotone voice. The lack of emotion was nothing new to the group.

Rifa turned to face the others with a determined look on her face. "Alright, come on, everyone. We've got a job to do!"

Fenris forced a strained smile at Rifa's words. He couldn't help thinking that calling mass slaughter a 'duty' was rather distasteful. But this was war after all - as a former soldier, he knew that sometimes taking lives was necessary, even if he didn't like it.

Following the mana signature of the Orcs' leader, the group silently trail the Orcs until they reach the top of a high cliff. From there, they can see their target hundreds of meters below.

With the element of surprise on their side, the group begins to strategize how to take down their enemies. "Hey Ms. Rifa, do you mind if I use one of your mana stones?" Fenris asks with a sly grin. His expression hints at a plan brewing in his mind.

"Of course," Rifa responds as she pulls out a Luminite stone from her pouch and hands it to Fenris. She raises an eyebrow at his mischievous demeanor, curious about his intentions. But knowing her students' abilities and trust in them, she allows him to proceed with his actions.

Fenris turned to Sara and asked, "Would you like to join me?"

"Absolutely!" Sara responded eagerly. She seemed excited for this despite the potential danger.

"Okay, then it's settled. Maya and I will stay back at the cliff and attack from a distance while you and Sara get up close to the enemy. Vincent, I assume you'll also be attacking head-on?" Rifa confirmed, glancing at Vincent for his agreement. He simply nodded in confirmation.

With their battle strategy in place, the group springs into action. Fenris descends the cliff, with Sara following closely behind, more cautious in her movements. Vincent chooses to take a different path, drawing attention to himself as a distraction while Fenris and Sara reach a safe vantage point behind some trees. Fenris pulls out the mana stone given to him by Rifa and shows it to Sara.

"Do you know why I have this?" he asks her. She shakes her head in response.

"I plan to use this as a bomb," Fenris explains with a mischievous grin. Sara is puzzled by his words, so he decides to demonstrate.

Emerging from their hiding place, Fenris grasps the mana stone in his hand and begins channeling mana into it. The stone glows bright white as pure mana flows into it, sans any elemental color.

I recall my studies on how these mana stones, also known as Luminite, can store various colors of mana for different purposes. However, if too much is stored, they can reach a critical mass and release all the stored energy at once - much like a hydrogen bomb in my world.

As Fenris pours more mana into the stone, the ground starts to tremble and cracks appear on its surface. This signals that it has reached its limit and must be disposed of before it explodes. With all his strength, Fenris hurls the stone at the Orcs.

"Sara! Take cover!" He shouts, diving back towards the forest while hastily conjuring a magical barrier to shield them from the impending explosion.

The moment the stone reaches the heart of the Orc army, it detonates, unleashing a massive wave of destructive energy. A powerful shockwave ripples out at supersonic speed, flattening trees within hundreds of meters and exposing Fenris and Sara's hiding spot. Luckily, the magical barrier holds strong and protects them.