A single streak of lightning burst from my fingertip, plunging deep into the fissure in the ground.
As it struck a frog, the electricity rippled outward, arcing through the surrounding swarm. The lightning tore through the mass of bodies, leaving behind thousands—no, tens of thousands—of corpses in its wake.
The density of the targets was so suffocating that the fissure itself seemed to erupt with sparks. Fearing they would be caught in the crossfire, the Demon King’s Army beat a hasty retreat. The crackling lightning gained momentum, shining with a brilliance that threatened to swallow the entire chasm.
This was the hallmark of the Forbidden Magic I had invoked. Unless I, the caster, chose to halt it, the spell would continue to detonate semi-permanently—a relentless, indefensible assault.
Under the scourge of the Forbidden Magic, the frogs tumbled one after another toward the bottom of the trench. The frequency of their division plummeted as their numbers were visibly thinned. Any individual that attempted to climb toward the surface was ruthlessly incinerated.
The spell's uncanny effectiveness was likely due to the Will of the World. Currently, I could bypass the beasts' innate abilities and traits entirely. I had already confirmed this during my struggle with Gwen, but it seemed the effect applied to other beasts as well.
This was a formidable advantage. To these creatures, I was a literal natural enemy. They could not have asked for a more troublesome opponent.
(Still, this power is almost too convenient.)
Overlooking the decimated frogs, I felt a lingering suspicion regarding my own transformation. Interference from the Will of the World appeared to induce empowerment specifically tailored to my current enemy. In other words, this power had been manifest solely to slaughter these beasts.
Why I had been chosen remained a mystery, but for now, it was undeniably a welcome boon. That said, complacency was a poison. A single moment of arrogance could lead to total ruin. While I had gained the means to counter the beasts, that power was not absolute. I could not afford to overstate my advantage; I had to remain methodical.
The frogs were still squirming at the bottom of the fissure. However, none managed to crawl back up, and the lightning continued its relentless rampage. If I simply left them to it, they would eventually be eradicated. I only needed to remain on guard to ensure no unforeseen variables intervened.
Just as that thought crossed my mind, I sensed a strange reaction. A suspicious movement was occurring at the very bottom of the pit. I probed the depths with Sensing Magic.
(This is—)
A single frog had begun to consume the surrounding corpses, drawing them into its mass like an avalanche. It appeared they were capable of fusion as well as division.
The miasma signature expanded at a staggering rate. For some reason, my Lightning Strike Forbidden Art lost its momentum and vanished entirely, swallowed up along with the mass of corpses being absorbed.
Eventually, the ground groaned as a giant frog forced the fissure open and hauled itself onto the surface. It loomed as large as a fortress. Its body remained transparent, yet it possessed an imposing presence that rivaled that of a dragon.
The other frogs that had occupied the fissure were gone, seemingly integrated into this singular, massive entity. As I observed it, its characteristic red eye locked onto me.
"…Ngh."
An unpleasant sensation stirred in my chest, as if my very soul were being prodded. It was an attempt to erode my mind.
However, it no longer worked. Having learned my lesson from the ordeal with Gwen, I had developed counter-magic while analyzing her. This new spell blocked intrusions into my Mental World and prevented any physical symptoms. Though it was a somewhat makeshift technique, it appeared to be functioning perfectly. I had successfully overcome the threat of mental contamination.
Sensing its intent to attack, I watched as the giant frog extended something from its gullet. It was a tongue. Just as I moved to sever it with a magic sword, an arrow pierced the approaching muscle. The tongue’s trajectory was knocked askew, licking through empty air.
"Don't look away, you damn frog!"
Henry shouted his provocation from the ground. After ensuring the Demon King’s Army was safe, he had launched a solo assault. Another arrow flew from his bow, this time striking the frog squarely in its single eye.
The giant frog vibrated the air in a voiceless scream. Red slime oozed from its ruptured eye.
The beast turned its focus toward Henry. It lunged at him, spitting a bolt of lightning from its mouth. It was my own Forbidden Magic, the energy it had just absorbed. It seemed capable of discharging stored magic at will.
Henry evaded the strike with magnificent grace. He danced through the repeated lightning strikes, even managing to fire back with his bow. Despite the brief window of time, he was landing heavy, punishing blows.
The giant frog did not divide. Perhaps by fusing into a single entity, it had traded away its ability to multiply.
Even so, Henry's grit was staggering. Despite being a mundane human with no magical aptitude, he held his own against a Beast of the Outside World with nothing but his physical conditioning and his bow.
(…I cannot afford to be outdone.)
I couldn't simply stand by and watch. I invoked my Forbidden Magic.
A wave of unleashed Over-gravity slammed into the giant frog from above. The beast resisted violently, thrashing to escape the crushing weight. I met its struggle by scattering the Forbidden Art's Flame across the area. By incinerating its limbs, I hampered its movement and kept it pinned.
The moment its resistance faltered, I threw up a cage-like barrier and used gravity to compress the space within. Under the weight of multiple overlapping Forbidden Magic spells, the giant frog was crushed to a tenth of its original size. I struck it several more times to be certain, but there was no reaction. The beast was dead.
I carefully examined the flattened remains. The corpse was saturated with miasma. Finding no evidence of a trap, I used Space Magic to transfer it away.
Its destination: the Valley of the Dead. My plan was to use the corpse as a sacrifice to bolster my own power. There should be no negative repercussions.
Moments later, the flow of power into me surged. The rate of increase was incomparable to any previous sacrifice. As I had hoped, the Beasts of the Outside World made for exquisite offerings.
『As expected of the Boss! That was a magnificent kill.』
"I was only able to land the finishing spell because you drew its attention. You have my thanks."
I exchanged praises via Telepathy with Henry, who was waving from the ground. In truth, I had essentially stolen the credit. The ones who truly deserved the praise were Henry and the Demon King’s Army, who had fought tirelessly to minimize the damage. I felt truly fortunate to be blessed with such capable subordinates.
"I am moving on to the other battlefields. Can I leave the cleanup to you?"
『Yeah, leave it to me! I'm looking forward to hearing your war stories later.』
"Understood."
With the conversation concluded, I used teleportation to depart for the next battlefield.