TTIGRAAS: Predator

Chapter 44

The light of the magic circle flashed away, and I was back in the woods, just a few miles from the city where my kids were stolen. Today was the day I would get the answers I needed.

Brimming with both motivation and magicules, I approached Rura.

I was ready.

Even from a distance, I could hear the alarm bells ringing. Without the mask that Yuuki broke (the thought made my hatred start to boil all over again), my aura was massive, and I was having a hard time trying to control it.

Well, not that I needed to, at least not yet.

Shaking my head, I stopped bothering trying to rein in my crazy amount of magicules. I had more important things to focus on first.

In the air above the city, I could see the army assembling, and civilians thronging the streets. It looked like an evacuation was underway.

So much the better for me.

Rura was covered by a powerful anti-monster barrier. I might be able to break through, if I had to, but it was imbued with a weakening effect that I did not want to deal with when confronting Yuuki.

While I was a teacher I tolerated it, but now I needed to be at full capacity.

So what first, then? I thought, glancing down at the soldiers who were marching under me, shouting threats. Right now I was out of reach high above them.

[[Rura's barrier is powered by four crystalline nodes guarded in towers on the outskirts. I recommend destroying those first.]]

Alright then, I nodded. Thanks, Sage. Angling my wings, I shot off toward the nearest one.

I would make this quick–in and out. Smash the crystal, leave as many people alone as I could. Whatever Milim said, I was better than that–I could do this with minimal loss of life.

An apprehensive feeling appeared in the back of my mind that seemed to be coming from Wise One, but I ignored it and shot down to ground level. Smashing through the top of the tower could cause rubble to crush people.

Blowing back the guards in front of me, I tore my way through them and to the gate of the tower grounds, knocking people back with my hands and wings.

Behind me, [Magic Sense] told me about the resulting deaths my charge had caused, but even when I was being gentle as possible I knew I couldn't spare everyone. My aura was causing enough damage on its own–and I couldn't afford to be too careful here. Shoving it out of my mind, I blasted the gate with [Black Flame].

Tearing through the little yard to the tower, I leaped over a bunch of assembled men, kicking their weapons away, and smashed through the door like a battering ram.

The crystal was in the center of the room, surrounded by a circle of more guards. Without hesitation, I dashed forward and through them before any of them could react, then raised a hand and chopped through the crystal, causing the device to shatter into dozens of shards.

Then I doubled back, punching a guy into a wall when he got in my way, left the tower and shot into the air toward the next quarter of the city.

I did the same with the second as I did with the first, violently smashing my way inside, just to be met with something that caused me to pause: someone stepping forward to stand between me and the group of normal soldiers. His clothes and armor indicated he was a Temple Knight of that racist church.

How do I deal with this?

I knew they'd be here, but I didn't want to tangle with them directly. It was too risky... yet here's this guy. Right in the way of my goal. I swallowed nervously.