Trench Bolts and Magic

Chapter 228 Terrain Kill (Bonus Chapter 23)

The deputy captain wanted to say something more, but seeing Schneider's resolute gaze, he could only helplessly shut his mouth.

The massive armored airship began its slow descent, casting a huge shadow over the streets below. As the airship drew closer to the ground, almost everyone on the bridge could clearly see the panicked figures running through the streets.

"Throw out the rope ladder!" Schneider ordered again.

The crew members on the bottom deck immediately opened a hatch in the belly of the airship and threw down a long rope ladder.

The rope ladder swayed precariously in the air, though it was still two or three meters above the ground.

The armored airship's helmsman was also sweating profusely; if the rope ladder got caught on any obstacle, it would be a big problem.

"Alright, we've done all we can."

Schneider looked down at the chaotic street below and muttered to himself:
"Now it's up to you, Captain Morin."

At the same time, Morin, who was running wildly through the street, also saw the shadow that enveloped the entire street amidst the huge roar.

He looked up and saw the enormous L-29 armored airship hovering miraculously above the street he was about to enter.

A rope ladder was descending from the sky, swaying not far in front of him.

"Wow! This service is amazing!"

Morin instantly understood the other party's intention. Although he didn't know how the L29 airship came up with the idea of ​​picking him up, for him, this was the best escape route at the moment.

He was overjoyed and quickened his pace, throwing away the empty MG14 light machine gun without hesitation.

Despite having achieved extreme weight loss, this thing was still just a burden on the escape route.

As Morin ran, he pulled a spell scroll he had just seized at the bridgehead from the magazine pouch hanging on his chest.

Without hesitation, he tore it open and put on another layer of [Mage Armor], continuing the effect of Arcane Protection.

Around him, Master Albert and Master Angus, who had completely shaken off their own infantry, along with three other highland mages who had rushed over upon hearing the news, had also entered the street.

The scene was somewhat abstract and comical: two high-level mages were flying low in front, while three mages were running wildly behind them as if their feet were on grease.

They looked at the huge airship flying almost touching the rooftops in the sky, and the Saxon soldier running wildly toward the rope ladder, their faces showing anger and incomprehension.

"What is he trying to do? Does he want to jump onto the airship?" A young mage couldn't believe his eyes.

"Stop him no matter what he's going to do!" Master Albert roared, raising his staff in preparation for casting a spell.

But Morin was faster than he had imagined.

The instant he reached the bottom of the rope ladder, Morin kicked off an abandoned carriage next to him, launching himself into the air like a cannonball.

He stretched out his hands and precisely grabbed the end of the rope ladder in mid-air!
The immense inertia caused him to swing in a semi-circle in the air, almost causing him to slip out of his grasp.

"Caught!"

Morin gritted his teeth, his arm muscles tensed instantly, gripping the cold rope ladder tightly, feeling the immense force pulling his body upwards.

"Raise the price! Quickly! Raise the price!"

Captain Schneider on the airship saw that Morin had successfully grabbed the rope ladder and immediately shouted an order.

The engines of the L29 armored airship roared as it began to climb rapidly.

In the street, the five highland mages watched helplessly as Morin was carried into the sky by the airship, each of them shouting in anger.

"Don't even think about running away!"

Master Albert raised his staff, intending to cast a spell to knock Morin down from the sky.

But just as he was casting the spell, a large number of MG08 machine gun turrets on the lower deck of the L29 armored airship opened fire instantly.

These hemispherical turrets are capable of 180° attacks, so they can also strafe enemies directly below the airship.

A dense hail of bullets rained down on the pursuing mages, instantly disrupting their rhythm.

"Good job!"

Morin swayed precariously on the rope ladder, not forgetting to give a thumbs-up towards the airship.

He looked down at the mages in the street below, who were struggling to continue casting spells but were being suppressed by the airship's firepower, and a cruel smile appeared on his face.

He hung himself on the rope ladder, then took out the now dull red crystal from his pocket.

As his palm touched it, the crystal began to flash again, like an RGB breathing light.

"Everyone, the game between cat and mouse is over."

"Morlin said in a low voice, and then without hesitation, he poured all the magic power in his body into the detonating crystal in his hand."

The next second, the red crystal suddenly burst into a blinding light!

Dozens of magic crystal bombs hidden in the buildings on both sides of the street were activated simultaneously in that instant!
Below the street, Master Albert was preparing to cast an even more powerful spell when he suddenly felt a terrifying surge of magical power erupt from the buildings on both sides of the street, a surge that sent shivers down his spine.

He turned his head in horror, his pupils shrinking to the size of pinpoints in an instant.

"Oh no! It's a trap!"

That was the last thought that flashed through his mind, and then he subconsciously tore open a spell scroll.

The next second, a cataclysmic explosion occurred.

"Boom——!!!"

A deafening roar instantly swallowed all other sounds in the world. The simultaneous detonation of dozens of high-energy magic crystal bombs and military explosives produced unimaginable destructive power.

A dazzling white light, like the sun falling to earth, instantly turned the entire street and everything on it into dust.

Immediately afterwards, a huge mushroom cloud, mixed with thick black smoke and flames, shot into the sky.

The violent shockwave, like an invisible giant wave, swept outwards in all directions.

The buildings on both sides of the street were torn apart and razed to the ground in an instant, as if they were made of paper.

Countless bricks, stones, wood, and metal fragments were swept into the air and then fell like a torrential rain.

The entire southern city of Amiens trembled violently.

"A real man never looks back. Holy crap!"

In mid-air, Morin clung tightly to the rope ladder, feeling as if he were a small boat in a raging storm.

A terrifying shockwave came from below, slamming into him and nearly throwing him off the rope ladder.

The shockwave even damaged him, causing the protective value of his [Mage Armor] to decrease.

"Cough cough cough, that's fucking exciting!"

Molin's vision blurred for a moment, but he gritted his teeth and persevered.

The bridge of the L29 armored airship was also in a mess.

The massive shockwave affected the war behemoth, which was still at low altitude, causing it to shake violently in the air.

Many crew members who lost their footing fell to the ground, and alarms sounded in various compartments.

"Stay calm! Helmsman, you must stay calm!"

Captain Schneider gripped the handrail tightly and roared at the crew on the bridge.

He stared in shock at the crater below, still emitting black smoke but clearly reduced to ruins.

"This...this is that madman's plan?" he muttered to himself. "He actually succeeded."

At the railway bridgehead, Klaus, Kleist, Manstein, and all the soldiers of the training assault battalion stared in disbelief at the mushroom cloud rising in the distance and the devastating explosion.

“The battalion commander…” Kleist’s voice trembled slightly.

He succeeded.

An unusual light flickered in Manstein's eyes.

He used himself as bait and wiped out the Breton mage who was chasing him in one fell swoop.

"But what about the battalion commander himself? Such a horrific explosion—what if the armored airship hadn't caught him?"

Kleist dared not say any more.

"The battalion commander is the commander of the First Training Assault Battalion of the Imperial Guard. He's no ordinary person. We should all have faith in him," Manstein said calmly, as if he could already foresee Morin's triumphant return.

Everyone was deeply shocked by Morin's crazy and audacious plan and the horrific consequences it would cause.

After a long time, as the aftershocks of the explosion gradually subsided, the L29 armored airship finally stabilized.

Several crew members hurriedly pulled the nearly exhausted Morin from the rope ladder into the airship's cabin.

Morin plopped down on the cold floor, panting heavily, every part of his body aching.

But as he looked down at the ruins of the neighborhood, a victorious smile appeared on his face.

Worth it!

Taking a risk to eliminate several of the opponent's high ground mages is a deal that's incredibly profitable no matter how you look at it!
Soon, Captain Schneider also rushed over from the bridge.

He looked at the young captain in front of him, who was covered in blood and looked disheveled, yet was smiling like a fool, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.

He looked Morin up and down, then extended his hand.

"Captain Friedrich Morin?"

“It’s me.” Morin grasped the other person’s hand.

"Captain of the L29 armored airship, Erich Schneider."

Schneider's face wore a complex expression, a mixture of admiration, shock, and a hint of awe.

“I must say, Captain,”

He paused, then said in an extremely serious tone:

"You're definitely the craziest person I've ever met."

"Thank you for the compliment." Morin grinned, which aggravated the wound on his lip, causing him to wince in pain. "Others often say that to me too, including the captain of the L28 armored airship~"

Schneider chuckled at his antics and shook his head. "Alright, stop joking. Wait, Captain Morin, your waist is bleeding! Medic! Come quick! Treat his wound!"

Morin looked down and saw that there was a tear in the waist of his military uniform.

Dark red blood was gushing out of the wound.

(End of this chapter)