Supreme Magus novel Chapter 77

The Clackers’ strategy was simple and effective. After having surrounded their preys, they swarmed them in a one wave rush. The ones on the ground tried to overpower them, while those on the trees threw spider webs the size of a tablecloth.

All the while those that kept hanging from their threads spat poison non-stop, aiming for their eyes.

Lith did his best, using water magic to turn his hands into razor-sharp blades and cutting off everything that came too close, but there were simply too many. He wasn’t used being ambushed, and never encountered such situations.

All the spells he had at hand, both true and fake magic ones, were aimed toward bigger single opponents, he had no idea how to manage a swarm of small enemies.

The girls were faring much better than him. As soon as Phloria had seen the Clackers, her father’s teachings had kicked in, and she had quickly conjured a tower shield made of white-hot rocks.

It served as both offense and defence, since her own magic could not harm her. Spiderwebs would burst into flames like made of paper, the poison would just fizzle without any effect, while everything that touched the shield would lose its limbs if not its life.

From the moment she had recognized the nature of the enemy, Mirna had stuck her back against Phloria’s, using her protection to put her War Mage specialization to use.

Mirna filled the space around them with ice shards as long and thick as an arm, raining down on the Clackers like they had a mind of their own, without missing a target.

She could freely cast a spell after the other, switching place with Phloria in case of attack while her magic exterminated dozens of enemies at a time.

Back at the White Griffon, Professor Vastor, who was in charge of surveillance for that area, contacted Scarlett demanding explanations.

"What in the gods’ names are Clackers doing? This is not part of our deal!"

"Of course not." Vastor went into a daze, seeing through the communicator amulet that the Scorpicore was sipping tea from a porcelain cup the size of a bucket.

"Insects and arthropods have no respect for any hierarchy except for their own. I do agree that they are spawning too fast, though. A culling might be needed, but right now I have other business to attend. If you need our help, you just have to ask."

Scarlett scoffed at his face, picking a cookie the size of a plate.

"No, thanks!" Vastor closed the call, cursing the monster and its arrogance for trying to copycat humans.

"Thorman, get ready to retrieve three students." He said to a bulky middle-aged Professor, in charge of the Mage Knight specialization.

"One of mine, one of yours plus one." Thorman laughed at his colleague’s lack of manners, setting the coordinates for the pick-up spot in his ring. He remembered his student, a talented girl that was allowing herself to get drowned in insecurity.

- "Linjos was right, after all. With the old rules, even someone like Phloria would have been eliminated before the hour mark. The academy’s system needed to be changed." - He was now regretting being one of Linjos’ fiercest opponents.

Lith’s situation was getting worse by the second. Despite his heightened senses and reflexes, there was only so much he could do. The only reason he was still standing, was because he could use up to six first magic spells at a time.

Even so, he could only delay the inevitable. The Clackers were now so close that even if he was at liberty of using true magic, he would not have the time. No matter how many he killed, there were always more coming forward.

"Help! I need help!" Was the only thing he managed to scream from time to time.

Phloria, instead, was swept by euphoria. The spiderlings normally lacked fear, but the fight had long turned into a massacre. The flaming shield was impenetrable, and every time the sword flashed behind it, many would get mutilated or worse.

They had only two paths ahead, to retreat or die.

Mirna tried her best to keep up with her, but while casting she couldn’t move very fast. Phloria was becoming increasingly reckless with her attacks, pursuing the enemies fleeing in front of her, uncaring for the consequences.

"What the heck are you doing? Come back here!" They were now several meters apart, enough for the spiders to surround Mirna again.

When Phloria realized her mistake, a Clacker hanging from a tree branch cut off its string, falling on top of Mirna and inflicting its venomous bite.

Before she could reach the ground, the Clackers swarmed over her. The smaller spiders bit her unconscious, while the big ones were carrying her away with their threads.

Phloria was between a rock and a hard place, no matter her choice, someone was bound to die! Lith and Mirna were in opposite directions, there was no way of saving both.

She remained frozen on the spot, incapable of making a decision, until it was taken out of her hands. Thorman appeared through a Warp Steps, right beside the cocoon containing Mirna.

His body was exuding a blue aura, whenever a spider closed in, it would me squashed by his war hammer. Thorman slammed it on the ground, holding it with both hands. The shockwave resulting turned all the nearby spiders into dust, while the cocoon at his feet suffered no damage.

Thorman loaded it on his shoulder, before looking at Phloria in the eyes with a stern look.

"I’m sorry for being such a cr*ppy teacher." And then he disappeared into another warp steps.

Phloria felt ashamed of herself. Once again, she had disappointed her teacher, and this time she had managed to do it in front of all the academy staff, while also failing her teammate.

The arm holding the estoc fell alongside her body, the weapon almost slipping out of her fingers, already touching the ground.

"What a poor excuse of a Mage Knight I am."

The Clackers noticed the opening and prepared to exploit it.

"Sorry if I exist, but HELP!" Lith yelled on the top of his lungs.

Between the previous ambush and Thorman attack, he was facing a far lesser number of spiderlings, so he took the chance to regroup with his companion.

Lith activated the tier one magic holding ring, generating a flash like another sun had appeared in front of him. The spiderlings groaned and took a step back, while he jumped above them to escape the encirclement.

Sadly, the Clackers had a poor sight to begin with. They sensed the outside world mainly through their bristles, capable of detecting the movement of their preys through the vibrations they created by moving.

Phloria could see a replay of what had just happened. Another spider fell from above on Lith’s back, biting him right below the neck. Feeling his consciousness fading away, with his last coherent thought Lith unleashed Checkmate Spears on himself.