Chapter 64

"Scatter Shot"

Baito-nii and Vargas were arguing.

I cast a spell from the side.

Riding the Valkyrie, I pointed my right palm at Vargas and chanted the spell.

At that moment, hard stones as sharp as arrowheads flew from my hand toward Vargas.

*Thud.*

The scatter shot pierced the ground with a sound like that.

The spell I cast at Vargas hit the ground, but it wasn't because my aim was off.

I had deliberately aimed slightly off to the side, as if it were a warning shot.

The scatter shot flew toward Vargas's feet.

"…Was that magic?"

"Yeah. Put down your weapon. I want to talk. If you move, I'll hit you next time."

"Sure, try it."

I had called out, thinking it was for a talk, but it seemed he took it as a provocation.

Even after seeing the scatter shot, he was only slightly surprised, not terrified.

Vargas started running toward me with a gaze like a bird of prey stalking its prey.

Was he incredibly quick to fight, or did his experience on the battlefield teach him that he needed to close in quickly against an opponent capable of ranged attacks?

"Hey, stop! Scatter Shot!"

I hurriedly cast a spell to intercept him.

But in the next moment, Vargas leaped to the side.

The scatter shot, which consists of multiple stones, is designed to increase the chance of hitting the target.

I created this spell to deal damage by hitting the opponent with at least one of the stones.

But Vargas skillfully avoided it.

He was running toward me, but the moment I cast the scatter shot, he read its trajectory and leaped to the side.

However, that alone wasn't enough to avoid all the stones.

Anticipating this, he swung his greatsword like a shield to deflect the stones that were about to hit him.

His movements were without hesitation.

If he had been surprised by the flying stones and swung his greatsword, it probably wouldn't have been in time.

Perhaps he had seen through the characteristics of the scatter shot when I first fired a warning shot.

The scatter shot spell is convenient but has distinct features.

First, I point my palm at the target.

This means the direction of the spell can be read by the opponent.

Additionally, the multiple stones that scatter can be avoided if you understand how they spread.

Even if you can't escape the range, you can defend with a shield or something similar.

The stones are sharp, but they don't have the power to penetrate metal.

But could someone understand and deal with it after seeing it just once?

I might not be able to.

Even if I could, I wouldn't try it in practice.

If I failed to avoid it, I would take a significant amount of damage.

I now understood why Vargas was feared even by the other villagers.

He was battle-hardened, could make instant judgments, and had the courage to charge in without fearing the opponent's attack.

Indeed, he was worthy of being called a hero.

"Scatter Shot, Scatter Shot, Scatter Shot, Scatter Shot"

Vargas gradually closed the distance.

I continued to intercept him.

Even with his incredible judgment, there must be a limit to his ability to avoid.

Thinking this, I kept casting scatter shot.

Sharp stones were continuously produced and fired at the approaching Vargas.

He tried to avoid them, but eventually reached his limit.

I wasn't just panicking and casting spells without thinking.

I predicted the direction Vargas would avoid and aimed the scatter shot at those positions.

The scatter shot flew directly at Vargas as he leaped to the side.

Even with his greatsword, he couldn't block all of them.

I was surprised by Vargas's next move.

It was about to hit him directly.

That's what I thought.

"ROAR!"

Vargas roared.

If heard up close, his loud voice could have burst eardrums.

And with that roar, Vargas charged directly into the path of the scatter shot I had fired.

Vargas was wearing a leather chest plate, but the rest of his body was bare.

Logically, he should have taken damage from the direct hit of the scatter shot.

But as he approached me, there were no visible large wounds on his body.

Could it be "Hardening"?

The image of the great boar that didn't flinch from the scatter shot flashed through my mind.

The great boar is said to be impervious to arrows, but it wasn't just because of its tough skin and fur; the "Hardening" spell played a significant role.

Actually, I can do something similar to "Hardening."

I often use "Body Enhancement" to increase my strength by filling my body with magic power.

But if I concentrate the magic power on the surface of my skin instead of my entire body, it increases my resistance to external impacts.

Vargas probably did the same.

It might not be a spell, but he could have learned a method to increase his defense by using a loud roar like a self-suggestion on the battlefield.

"Too bad, huh."

I never expected someone in this village to use a spell to increase their defense.

I also realized that against someone experienced in battle, the "Scatter Shot" spell alone might not be enough.

In a way, it was good to realize this before fighting the Fontana family.

But it was a bad move to charge in, expecting to take the hit.

My attacks weren't guaranteed to be ineffective.

A *thud* echoed.

Dust rose, obscuring the view.

No one could tell what had happened.

It was completely silent.

After a while, the wind blew, and the dust cleared.

There, Vargas was lying on the ground.

Next to him, his prized greatsword was broken at the base.

Seeing this, the villagers finally understood.

I had defeated Vargas.

The villagers, who had been watching in tense silence, stared at me riding the Valkyrie as if they had seen something terrifying.

Thank you for reading.

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