In the face of such a formidable opponent, my only option is to adopt a strategic approach.
While I possess the ability to hurl fireballs or ice crystals, I realize that these would be largely ineffective against this creature.
It's wiser to conserve my mana for more potent and lethal spells.
As the commander, my role is to lead, and confronting this beast surpasses my capabilities.
The whale hovers above, generating more and more fog. It seems to require altitude to create this dense curtain of mist that descends to the ground, shrouding the battlefield in thick darkness while becoming thinner at higher altitudes. This grants it the advantage of surprise attacks, as it can clearly see from above.
The sun also plays a crucial role, as the fog plunges us into total darkness. Our goal is to endure until visibility improves, using light crystals. The artillery team starts making calculations, facing a mobile enemy that seems not to have detected us yet.
Captain Sofia initiates preparations as we all watch our soldiers swiftly move the cannons into position in a matter of seconds.
The knights can't intervene until the whale descends, so we begin establishing strategic positions, dividing our forces into squads according to the pre-drawn plan.
Despite lacking the advantage of an alliance with Anastasia's guild, we must now make this achievement our own.
Sofía raises her thumb towards Alsten, who looks at the whale and extends his hand with determination, shouting:
"Fire!" His voice resonates, followed by a deafening roar as five cannons are simultaneously fired.
The projectiles swiftly traverse the dense fog, and we all watch in amazement as they follow their impressive trajectories. In a matter of seconds, impacts resonate, causing the whale to writhe in response to four out of the five projectiles hitting.
The anticipation is palpable as we wait, and then...
BOOM!
The explosion shakes the ground and the air, reverberating with impressive force. Fire clouds rise into the air, accompanied by a sharp cry of pain echoing through the skies.
A shockwave follows the explosion, dispersing the surrounding fog and providing the mages with a clearer view of the whale.
Crusch opens her eyes and smiles, revealing that what I showed her earlier was only part of the truth. She asserts her authority, assuming her role as commander.
"Fire!" Crusch exclaims, prompting the instant launch of the thirteen magical projectiles.
A series of explosions illuminates the entire surroundings as several mages activates their projectiles. After a brief pause, the thirteen cannons discharge.
Bursts of fire cut through the air at high speed, with almost imperceptible recoil but astonishing power.
BOOOOOOM! A wave of heat spreads through our figures, a titanic sequence that is supposed to have inflicted considerable damage.
The fire clouds continue to rise as smoke begins to tint the surroundings.
Without relenting, Alsten orders a second round of shots. The projectiles fly in the same direction, but to our surprise, they pierce through the fire clouds and fall to the ground, detonating upon impact.
The whale seems to have vanished from our sight without us realizing.
"Prepare for the next phase!" I shout, looking towards the camp where Emilia and Beatrice are stationed.
They will be responsible for protecting the artillery along with the other mages. This is where the division is established. To have any hope of success, it is crucial to follow a well-defined strategy.
If we attack without coordination, the battle could drag on indefinitely. Everything must be executed without room for error.
"Understood!" Everyone responds in unison, from the knights to the mages, the healing guild, and my own soldiers.
Without hesitation, we advance into the fog, where small crystals emit a faint light.
But illuminating the area may not be as useful as it seems; using light crystals in the midst of the fog could cause unexpected reflections and further complicate our vision.
Every action has its moment, and at this moment, everything is at stake. As we move at great speed, the wind doesn't violently whip my face, thanks to the divine protection surrounding me as I ride a dragon.
The wind seems to gently brush against me, as if its force has been subdued.
It's as if the wind itself is an illusion. I internally express gratitude for this blessing that protects me while riding Grímnir.
We aren't certain about the whale's cunning, but it's likely that it has detected our retreat and sees an opportunity to eliminate us beyond the reach of artillery.
Although we are unaware of the extent of the damage, we've inflicted due to the fog and the fire we've generated.
Two squads closely follow me as we explore in all directions, searching for any sign of the whale.
The fog's density has increased, forming a layer that rises a few meters high. It's impossible to see beyond without resorting to wind magic. Faced with this situation, my strategy is simplified.
We decide to adopt a hit-and-run approach. While one group attracts the whale's attention, another attacks.
We plan to execute this tactic in an organized manner, hoping to gradually weaken it. Dragons are fast enough to allow us to perform these maneuvers. Or at least, I hope so.
I am not facing this situation as a common battle, but rather as a game. While this mindset might seem immature, it helps me plan my strategy. My attack and movement patterns are based on some form of logic, grounded in my previous knowledge.
I plan each move as if it were a play on a chessboard, calculating possibilities and risks.
The fog surrounding us appears to be composed of mana, but its effects are physical. I feel as if something is compressing my lungs, making breathing difficult.
Fog attacks that can erase people from existence pose a potential problem.
Uncertainty and danger loom over us as we prepare to face this threat. The novel's narrative only scratches the surface of the crucial details we need to understand in this critical situation.
I am determined to unravel the mysteries of this reality and make the most of the circumstances, no matter how challenging they may seem.
Though it may sound harsh, I understand that we could suffer casualties in this battle. However, these losses can be crucial for learning and adapting, establishing more effective rules and strategies for future encounters.
I am willing to make tough decisions if it gives us a chance to prevail and protect our world.
Two squads of knights follow my lead as we split into groups of ten, dispersing across the field. This tactic not only allows us to keep track of casualties but also provides essential information to adjust our strategy in real-time.
Each group includes fire mages who can send signals to report the threat's location.
I keep everyone alert with a shout:
"Stay alert for any movement!" My voice resonates, and I can feel the nervous tension in the air as visibility is reduced to a few meters due to the thick fog.
I use my wind magic to disperse the fog, but it persists in interfering, enveloping us in a veil of mystery charged with mana.
Although I'm not currently saturated enough with miasma to attract the whale's attention, I know it would be unwise to become its target.
The mere idea of facing death fills me with fear, not only because it would mean losing my power and depending on others but also due to the uncertainty of what would happen next.
I don't want to leave loose ends and rely on luck; I've learned that preparation is key to facing any adversity.
Control over my miasma is a constant concern.
While my gate has improved thanks to Puck's efforts, miasma growth remains a challenge. Managing its effects is complicated, and only in places with a strong presence of Yang magic can I mitigate its impact.
As I assess the situation, I notice that Grímnir is alert.
Dragons possess a special sensitivity to mana, giving us an advantage in perceiving enemy attacks. I observe how his gaze becomes intense, and his movements sharpen.
He's not just a simple dragon; his attitude reveals that he's something more.
A deafening roar pierces the air, shaking the ground beneath our feet. The sound is overwhelming, and I know we are in a critical situation.
A deafening scream shakes the ground, and my team begins to move slowly, preparing for a sprint at any moment.
My desperate actions expel a large amount of fog with my magic, providing a fragile glimpse amid the density of vapor.
At a crucial moment, its horn emerges, announcing its arrival with a grotesque display. The sight of its face hits me hard; it's the most aberrant thing I've witnessed since arriving in this world.
Its pectoral fins extend like lethal scythes, effortlessly cutting through the earth as it advances. Its skin, covered in white fur, seems to be a defense against enemy magic.
From this unfiltered perspective, without the screen as an intermediary, I confront the terrifying reality of this being.
"Run!" My voice launches with all my strength, a desperate shout as I urge the three people around me to get away.
The knights respond to the call and run at full speed, escaping the reach of the monster that devours everything in its path. Its massive body crashes into the ground, breaking the earth upon impact and hindering the advance of the remaining knights.
A squad joins the battle, joining the fight with determination as they dodge the flying fragments of earth. The speed of the dragons is astonishing, and although this gigantic monster also moves fast, its trajectory can be predicted to some extent.
"It has a significant wound on its left side! The strategy is working!" The shout of a knight is lost in the air, but his words will resonate in my mind.
My theory about its vulnerability to physical damage seems to be confirmed. Its skin can withstand magic, but beneath it lies more fragile flesh, more susceptible to magical harm.
It's a situation similar to Elsa's magic layer, capable of reflecting or resisting magical attacks. Now, the key is to break through that protective skin and exploit its vulnerability.
"Prepare the Lamicta crystals!" My voice resonates urgently as I watch the whale begin to open its mouth.
The opportunity is clear, and we cannot waste it. We act quickly, launching Lamicta crystals directly into its mouth. These projectiles, almost like grenades, explode in a brilliant flash upon impact inside its mouth.
The result is a burst of fire and smoke, but the vision quickly fades as the whale advances, overshadowing the flame mist with its relentless progress.
We approach courageously, but without warning, its horn releases fog at high speed, an unexpected response that confronts us with a new challenge.
"It wasn't enough!" The distressed cry of a knight is lost in the wind just before being engulfed by the dense fog that swallows everything.
Grímnir, with his dragon agility, skillfully maneuvers around the whale's shots. For my part, I raise my hand and summon an upward burst of fire, attempting to create a wall of flames to signal our location to the others.
The other knights also react, slowing down and moving out of the attack range, leaving me and another knight at the forefront.
The need for time and strategy is pressing. The situation demands a smart and calculated approach. We face a colossal beast, and a direct attack is not enough.
A small amount of Lamicta seems ineffective, suggesting that the inside of its mouth is fortified to resist those projectiles.
Given its enormity, a few superficial cuts won't be enough to cause significant damage. To truly harm it, we need to resort to heavy artillery or magic capable of inflicting internal damage.
I skillfully dodge the beast's attacks while waiting for the arrival of the rest of the fighters. We are at a disadvantage and need to gather our strengths and strategies to have any chance of success.
"Attack!" Crusch's energetic cry resonates on the battlefield. Her arm extends, generating intense light that condenses into a powerful attack.
In a horizontal motion, the air splits into a sharp cut aimed at the whale's horn. The air around it also seems to distort, delaying the fog that envelops it.
The goal is clear: cut the beast's horn.
The horn is the center of its mana manipulation, and by destroying it, we aim to deprive it of its recovery ability and control over mana-charged fog.
The resulting wind blade travels at astonishing speed towards the beast's horn, while I run in parallel, ready to react to any hostile movement.
A deafening impact shakes the air, spinning the massive mass of the whale by the force of the attack.
The strike hits the beast's horn directly with a forceful blow. The whale twists in response to the powerful attack, and its body abruptly turns, leaving it practically on its side.
But despite the intensity of the blow, something doesn't go as expected.
"It wasn't effective!" My voice echoes in the air as I shift my attention towards the whale. In that moment, I use Murak on Grímnir, increasing the dragon's speed.
Grímnir harnesses the momentum to move with agility and evade the whale's reach. Grímnir's speed is such that it becomes a blur, barely traceable by my eyes.
Just as the whale seems to turn towards Crusch, a cry breaks the tension. The sound of words resonates on the battlefield:
"Never gaze in the direction of my lady!" Wilhelm launches himself from his dragon, a formidable figure in his determination.
In the blink of an eye, his body forcefully descends onto the whale. A resounding impact occurs as his feet land on the beast. The ground trembles under the impact, and the whale writhes frantically, as if feeling the irritation of an insect bite.
Cuts cause layers of its skin to tear, leaving traces of blood in the air. The beast repeatedly strikes the ground in a desperate attempt to crush Wilhelm.
"Attack!" Crusch's shout resonates once more, and her sword glows with intense energy. Two swift cuts are released, each with devastating force. However, the whale demonstrates surprising agility, swiftly moving to evade the attacks.
The cuts slice through the air but fail to find their target, leaving only a trail of wind in their wake. The beast gains momentum and rises into the sky, disappearing into a dense cloud of fog.
Wilhelm moves away with the beast, and the situation becomes uncertain. The need to follow their trail drives us to unite our forces. Different squads converge, each coming from a different direction.
About forty individuals run in various directions, and at the forefront, Crusch and I lead the way.
"He attacked using the erasing mist!" Crusch confirms our suspicions, her voice indicating a slight stress, though she maintains her calm to not alarm the others.
"For now, we don't know how many people we've lost due to our dispersal. But one squad is incomplete; three people are missing."
The thick fog surrounds us, dense and threatening, hiding the destination of our enemy and the steps to follow.
The dense mist envelops us, but we've established a crucial rule to stay connected in this chaotic battle.
Squads have been divided into groups of ten people, and if someone is missing in a squad, we'll know they've been defeated by the threat.
We ride urgently through the fog, our dragons stirring the air in their path.
My mind works at full speed, considering every possible scenario, while my heart beats strongly in my chest. Despite the stress, I maintain the necessary calmness to lead.
"One is missing from my squad," I inform Crusch as we speed through our dragons. "One of the knights claims to have seen significant damage inflicted by one of the projectiles. We need to guide the whale towards the artillery and repeat that process."
For now, we cannot follow our original plan, so we must continuously inflict damage on it. Resources are not abundant, and financing this confrontation has been a costly challenge.
Without the help of Anastasia and Russel, skilled traders, we had to work hard to ensure we had enough materials.
The Lamicta crystals of fire come from Roswaal, while the light crystals, rare and expensive, provide us with just a little over a kilogram. Illuminating such a large area would require much more.
The strategy is clear: use artillery to maintain an illuminated area while we advance in the fog.
Russel's figure in the narrative is like that of a viper, and though I haven't met him personally, I distrust his motivations. Sacrifice is inevitable, but the need to move forward is greater.
At my initiative, Crusch looks at me seriously, understanding the gravity of the situation. Attracting the whale requires it to suffer enough damage to pursue us.
"First, we must do something about this fog since we cannot clearly see the location of the artillery," Crusch looks ahead, facing the dense fog around us.
Using her wind magic, she tries to disperse it, though only managing to open a small space.
"The anti-mana crystals should be working, absorbing mana gradually. We have distributed anti-mana crystals across the field before our first attack, which has reduced the magical damage caused by the whale. But we need proper visibility."
"Our supplies of light crystals were insufficient," Crusch bites her lip, concerned. "However, we had to attack. If we waited, the damage could have been worse."
"In our lands, we only have fire and earth crystals. Light crystals are produced elsewhere," I express regret for the situation, contemplating the complexity of it all. "Even if it's a monster, it's still a living being. We will kill it, no matter the cost."
With only thirty minutes of light, we must make the most of them when the whale splits.
Crusch begins to release waves of wind to constantly disperse the fog. Her mastery of wind magic is admirable, possibly thanks to her divine blessing.
After a while, we see nothing but fog around us. We decide to separate, understanding that the key is to cause enough damage for the fog to dissipate.
"If we inflict enough damage, the fog might decrease. It could be a signal," I respond before starting to veer off. I give Crusch one last look, smiling at her confidently. "Two squads, follow me!"
I separate from Crusch and her group, leading two squads in a triangular formation. We move away in groups of three, spaced apart to avoid unnecessary damage.
Uncertainty prevails, as we don't know whom the whale will attack or where it is. But we all share the determination to end this threat, even if it means sacrificing ourselves.
Vengeance drives us and makes us fight together, ready to face any obstacle. We navigate through the dense mana, relying on Grímnir and my reflexes to stay safe.
The knights are powerful, but a single charge from the whale would be enough to shatter our bodies with no chance of defense.
An option presents itself in my mind: to use the miasma.
While it could draw the whale's attention to me, it could also be an effective way to lure it towards the artillery. As I contemplate this, I realize I need to assess the current situation before making a decision.
Anti-mana crystals are scattered across the field, creating small sources of light as they absorb the fog. As we advance, we notice a flare of fire in the distance.
The knights and I head towards it.
As we approach, the shouts become more audible, and what seemed like celebrations turns into something else.
"Celebrations?" I whisper as I quicken my pace.
Once we reach the location, the scene is more complicated than it seemed. Some knights are indeed celebrating, but I quickly realize that Crusch's squad is also there.
She is talking to Wilhelm, but something in this contradictory atmosphere signals to me that things are not going well.
I see one of the whale's fins, shaped like a dagger, stabbed into the ground. It's evident that Wilhelm has inflicted that damage. Blood has pooled around, but the expressions on Crusch and Wilhelm's faces alert me that something is wrong.
Crusch calls me immediately upon seeing me.
"Marco! There's new information."
Wilhelm begins to explain the situation, and my heart sinks as I hear his words.
"The inflicted damage is less than expected. It seems to struggle to move in certain ways, which has increased its fury," Wilhelm explains, wiping the blood off his sword.
"The projectiles managed to pierce it, causing a constant bleeding in its body. However, the size of the projectiles is not enough to consider it lethal."
The fire burned a part of its skin, which should be causing some damage due to the iron left inside.
I understand that, despite our efforts, we face a monumental challenge. Whaling with gunpowder was common in my world, but lethal damage only occurred at close distances.
At this altitude, the energy disperses too much. The situation is clear: I need to lure it directly into the projectiles.
"Ha-ha-ha," I laugh at myself for being so optimistic.
The damage we've caused won't be lethal unless we can divide it into smaller parts, where its power and resistance will decrease.
It's more than clear that we need to weaken the whale further to have a chance to divide it into weaker parts and defeat it.
The discussion focuses on its weak points, and Wilhelm mentions the iron lamicta balls I provided.
These balls have the ability to activate upon exposure to mana or the environment, making their pure lamicta and powder content explosive.
Although only a few experienced soldiers have access to these hand grenades, it seems they are a crucial tool at this moment.
With only a few prototypes of the lamicta grenades, the soldiers' lack of mana expertise makes their use perilous. You and the other squadron leaders, equipped with these grenades, aim to cause internal damage to the whale.
Placing one of these grenades in its eye or near its head might be enough to seriously harm or even kill it in a miraculous case.
Another flare rises, sharper this time due to the functioning anti-mana crystals.
These valuable and costly crystals, invested in by Crusch, enhance visibility.
Although recyclable, their effectiveness is unquestionable. Despite this progress, the reality remains that Wilhelm only managed to inflict significant damage to one of the whale's bones, destabilizing its movements but not enough to defeat it.
Facing a challenging and daunting situation, teamwork, the right strategy, and the determination of all involved provide hope for prevailing.
The threat is immense, but the courage and resolution of the knights fighting alongside you give strength to push forward and confront it.
"Forward!" you shout, your words resonating firmly through the thick fog surrounding you.
With a tug on the reins, I tense the muscles in my arms and press my legs against Grímnir's abdomen, eliciting an annoyed snort from him before he launches forward with power.
At an impressive speed, we move through the fog, which now seems to have slightly thinned. The flame we had spotted comes to a halt at a point, unsettling us and hastening our advance.
Boom!
A deafening sound echoes in our ears, and we all accelerate even more, concerned about what just happened.
Only I understand what occurred: one of the grenades has exploded.
The tension is palpable, anxiety hangs over all of us regarding the time it took to inflict damage on the monster.
We continue moving forward without stopping, but soon the cries of pain and desperate lamentations fill the air around us. The situation becomes increasingly chaotic and difficult to control.
The whale has started to change its attack patterns and behavior, adopting attitudes it had never shown before.
Its initial confidence has turned into caution, perhaps due to the constant damage we've inflicted with the iron projectiles. Maybe the fact that we've been causing it harm from the start has altered its perception and strategy.
Could it be that this beast is smarter than we imagined? The thought seeps into my mind, but I immediately dismiss it. I cannot allow doubts and insecurities to paralyze me at this critical moment.
I take a deep breath and try to calm my racing thoughts.
"Stay calm, Marco. Don't let negative thoughts take over," I tell myself as we continue to speed ahead.
As we draw closer, I notice the ground littered with debris, parts of dragons, and bodies emerging from the fog. Grímnir growls, reflecting his discomfort with the situation, while my gaze fills with sorrow and determination.
The tension in the air becomes almost tangible, and I observe how dust mingles with the fog, slowly settling around us.
The faces of those present are filled with horror and dismay, unable to look away from the devastation that surrounds us. We press on without stopping, moving forward despite the overwhelming sense of helplessness.
The fog, that cursed fog, has greatly hindered our ability to execute our tactics. The scarcity of materials has prevented us from implementing the necessary measures optimally.
It's not that we lacked skill, but the resources were not available in the required quantity.
If Crusch and I had decided, we could have procured any necessary material.
Yes, it would have involved a significant expense, but it wouldn't be something we couldn't recover.
However, the real challenge lies in obtaining those materials in the short time we have. None of us has perfect access to markets or trade camps, and opportunities to acquire these resources are limited.
Except for Russel, Anastasia alone could have provided invaluable assistance.
Her ability to trade and procure materials would have made her a valuable ally in this fight. Together, we could have faced this beast more efficiently. The fog wouldn't have been an insurmountable obstacle.
It was our arrogance that blinded us, our belief that we could confront this threat without considering all the variables.
It was also greed, the desire to achieve it with our own resources, that led us to underestimate the importance of external assistance. Now, we face the consequences of our decisions.
Bodies lie scattered around us, grim reminders of lives lost due to our actions. I can't help but feel a heaviness in my chest when confronting the result of our unrestrained ambition.
Lives cut short and bodies shattered bear witness to our recklessness.
Breaking through a dense layer of fog, we encounter a massive crater stretching about twenty meters.
A giant bite in the ground, a visible testament to the devastation the whale has wrought. An entire squadron has been annihilated, and survivors are scattered in the area.
Cries of pain resonate as some struggle to stand, while others lie wounded and exhausted among the debris.
The fortunate few who remain unscathed hurry to aid their injured comrades, while the squadrons following us dismount from their dragons to join the rescue efforts.
Fatigue begins to weigh on me, physical exhaustion combining with the emotional weariness I feel within.
I wish I could rest.