Necromancer 29

Test

29. Joint Training 2

"I don't care if this is just an exercise, I'm not planning to lose. Don't drag me down, Shigure."

Seira's tone is as sharp as ever.

"Yeah, I don't want to lose either."

I nod with a smile.

"...Have you changed your personality?"

"Hm?"

"You're not usually this confident, right? Weren't you, like... more intimidated by me before?"

Seira gives me a puzzled look.

"Well, I guess I had a bit of a change of heart."

"...Whatever. Just don't drag us down, or I'll deal with you later."

"Go easy on me."

I chuckle wryly.

"L-let's do our best..."

Moe chimes in.

"Actually, Shigure is probably stronger than Seira thinks."

"Huh?"

Seira stares at Moe in surprise.

"During that intermediate demon subjugation mission—"

"Sorry to interrupt, but it looks like it’s about to start."

I cut off Moe and informed the two.

Our unit has already completed deployment.

We're in a standard phalanx formation, and the enemy forces, positioned about a kilometer away, are arranged the same way.

No tricks—this will be a straightforward battle that tests our units' pure abilities.

Fwoosh!

The next moment, our mages unleash a wave of fire magic all at once.

Simultaneously, fire comes flying from the enemy's side too.

For now, it's a battle of projectiles.

Our defensive barriers deflect their attacks, just as theirs block ours.

The skill level of the mages seems evenly matched.

"Shindo will deploy the barrier. Mages maintaining the shield, switch to offense,"

Seira orders.

"The knights will advance. I'll intercept the enemy attacks with my skills."

"Huh? What about my role?"

While Moe focuses on defense and Seira supports the knights, I don’t even get mentioned.

"All you can do is command your weak little ghosts, right? You're useless, so do whatever."

Seira says bluntly.

"Just stay out of our way."

Now, how should I proceed?

Before the joint exercise, I had discussed my strategy with Mirage.

"Hey, Mirage. This time, I want to fight alone, without relying on my summons."

"You alone? You mean you'll fight as a warrior, not as a Necromancer?"

"Your support is reliable, but if I always depend on you, I won't improve my own combat skills."

I looked at Mirage.

"If I get stronger, I think that will make all of you even more effective too."

"True... In the Bloodclaw battle, it was ultimately your strength that decided the outcome. If we're going to face stronger enemies in the future, your personal growth is essential."

Mirage agreed.

"Yeah. Eventually, we'll encounter advanced demons or worse. I need to train now while we're in a controlled setting. A mock battle like this is perfect—there’s no real danger, so the risk is almost zero."

With that in mind, I grab my sword and run alongside the knights.

Today, I'll show what I can really do—just with my own strength.