Tess assessed the situation.
As a smaller group, their only option was to reduce the enemy's numbers in each skirmish. But the enemy could preserve their forces using the magic circle network.
Shirone surprised everyone by agreeing with Rian.
Shirone: "But it's worth a try. Let's at least destroy one magic circle."
Tess: "Really? What difference will destroying one out of hundreds make?"
Shirone: "From our perspective, maybe not much. But the enemy might think differently. If they invested so much time building the network, they might not want to lose even one. They might even gather to defend it."
Tess: "So we're poking them to see how they react."
Amy didn't oppose that.
While war is often called a money game, the side with more resources doesn't always win.
The more you have to protect, the weaker your resolve becomes.
To the Parrot Mercenaries, Shirone's group is just one of many invaders.
If their expensive magic circles are destroyed, they'll have to change their strategy.
Once the decision was made, Amy added.
Amy: "We need to consider efficiency. I didn't mention it earlier because destroying magic circles isn't a viable option. Nullifying their effects is much more complicated than you think."
Rian slammed his greatsword into the ground.
Rian: "Can't I just tear up the ground with my sword until the magic circle is gone?"
Amy: "That won't work. The magic circles we see are just symbolic representations. The actual phenomenon is caused by the magical energy engraved in the space. And that's… a complicated issue."
Shirone: "So we have to keep tearing it up until the effect disappears? But no one knows where that point is."
Amy: "Exactly. There are two main ways to destroy a magic circle. Either hack the concept itself with information magic, or smash it until the effect disappears. The former is impossible for us, and the latter is a matter of time and labor."
Tess: "So it's like this. The labor required to destroy one magic circle is less efficient than just pushing forward recklessly?"
Amy: "Right. If you can't destroy it within 10 minutes, it's better to just head to the destination as is. We can't rush, but we don't have much time either. Still, I agree with the idea of exploiting the enemy's psychology."
With all the information shared, the conversation quieted.
If everyone's thoughts deepened, following one person's opinion would waste the least time.
Rian turned to Shirone.
Rian: "What do you want to do?"
Shirone: "..."
Once again, Shirone had the final say, but given the situation, his decision was extremely cautious.
Shirone (thought): 'Amy's right. There's no need to waste time. No, this decision itself has already taken too much time. Whatever it is, I need to decide now.'
The key was destroying a magic circle within 10 minutes.
Shirone (thought): 'Can I do it? A swordsman tearing up the ground won't be enough. Amy's fire magic isn't very effective against inanimate objects. In the end, it's the Photon Cannon…'
If he unleashed a barrage of attacks, he might make it in time, but the mental strain would be too much.
Shirone (thought): 'But if I don't do it, no one else can. Unless it's the divine particles in the Photon Cannon…'
At that moment, Shirone's eyes sparkled.
Shirone (thought): 'Mass.'
Maybe it's possible.
No, he was sure he could do it. He just hadn't tried before.
Shirone: "Let's destroy the magic circle. I'll give it a try."
Amy was surprised.
Shirone, whose strength lies in insight, isn't the type to be bound by mathematical probabilities. But to her, this decision seemed too wasteful.
Amy: "Are you sure? The Photon Cannon might work, but each shot is precious. I don't like the idea of wasting attacks meant to subdue enemies on the ground."
Shirone: "I agree. But it's not the Photon Cannon."
Amy: "Then what?"
Shirone: "That's… I'll try it. It's just an idea for now. But it should work."
Since Shirone had the final say, Amy didn't analyze further.
In her experience, Shirone's insights were rarely wrong.
Amy: "Alright. Then Tess and I will form one team, and Shirone and Rian will form another. We'll search the area using teleportation to find the magic circle. Let's keep the distance between teams at 50 meters."
Shirone nodded.
Shirone: "Let's adjust our speed. If we focus too much on the distance, we might crash into cover."
Even for Shirone, who had mastered the highest difficulty of the Uncrossable Bridge, the forest was dangerous.
Amy smirked.
Amy: "Who are you worried about? You're not thinking of me like those supernatural kids, are you?"
Shirone (thought): 'Well…'
Though she said it to reassure him, it wasn't an exaggeration.
Amy had also mastered the Uncrossable Bridge and had the power of her crimson eyes, so accidental collisions were unlikely.
Shirone: "Alright, then let's…"
Just as they were about to start the operation, Tess, who had been thinking something over, raised her hand.
Tess: "Wait. There's something I need to confirm first."
Shirone: "Huh? Confirm what?"
Tess: "If this operation succeeds, there's a high chance of a full-scale battle with the enemy. So I want to ask Rian something about the earlier fight."
Rian: "What? Is there a problem with me?"
Rian looked bewildered, and Tess's expression grew unusually serious.
Tess: "Rian, have you ever killed someone?"
The surroundings fell silent.
Shirone and Amy remained quiet, understanding Tess's words, while Rian blinked in confusion.
Rian: "Killing someone…"
He had thought about it before, knowing it might happen someday, but he had never delved deeper into the idea.
No, was it even necessary to think about it?
A sword is a tool meant to cut people, and if he had entered this world with the resolve to wield it for the rest of his life, then all other secondary issues—whether conscious or unconscious—had already been resolved. That was the logical conclusion.
Rian: "No, I haven't. What about you?"
Tess: "A few times. When I went on bandit hunts with my dad."
Rian: "I see. But why are you asking?"
Rian still didn't understand. Tess, who still vividly remembered the sensations from those moments, thought to himself.
Tess: "I know what you're thinking. If you've decided to become a swordsman, it's an unavoidable fate. But Rian, reality is different. You can never truly know until the moment arrives. Only a swordsman can feel the heat of life through the blade."
Though it's called a cold weapon because it's made of metal, Tess had felt the heat of life rushing through the blade, hotter than lava, when he gripped his sword.
Tess: "That's why I want to confirm your resolve. The enemies we're facing aren't street thugs—they're the Parrot Mercenaries. Professionals who've experienced countless wars abroad. If you hesitate even a little, Rian, you'll be the one who dies."
In fact, if Tess hadn't helped during the previous battle, Rian would have been in danger.
Rian: "Hmm."
Though the words might have been unpleasant depending on one's perspective, Rian simply fell into thought.
'Shaking during battle…'
Of course, cutting someone down wouldn't feel good.
But on the other hand… he felt like it didn't matter at all.
Rian: "Tess, killing someone is a dangerous and complicated issue. I understand what you're trying to say, but don't worry. I'll never waver."
Tess: "You fool, I'm saying it's not that easy. Killing someone is…!"
Rian: "I've always killed."
Tess fell silent.
Rian raised his greatsword vertically, reflecting himself in the blade as he continued.
Rian: "And… I've died countless times too."
He had never forgotten the image of himself swinging his sword on the battlefield.
Rian: "Even when they said I had no talent, even when they told me to give up the sword, even when I really wanted to quit, I kept swinging my sword. I've killed countless enemies, and I've been killed by countless enemies."
Rian's sword pointed forward.
If it had been a statue, it would have toppled over from the weight, but Rian stood firm, as if roots had grown from his legs.
Rian: "Tess, I've never held a sword with half-hearted resolve. Whether there was an enemy in front of me or not, I swung my sword desperately. So whether I've killed someone or not—it doesn't matter. I'll just cut down everything in my way."
As if nothing had happened, Rian smiled again and sheathed his greatsword.
Rian: "Don't worry. Before I'm a swordsman, I'm Shirone's sword. A sword… doesn't think, right?"
This was the reason Tess had chosen Rian over countless skilled swordsmen at the swordsmanship school.
'Yes, Rian. You're a true sword.'
He wasn't some shoddy imitation but a person who carried a sharp, genuine sword in his heart.
Tess also smiled again.
Tess: "Alright! No more worries! Let's get started!"
After hearing Rian's resolve, Shirone and Amy's eyes burned with determination.
Shirone: "Then, Amy, we'll go first."
Shirone took Rian with him and activated teleportation, while Amy and Tess's team followed.
Two streaks of light dashed through the complex terrain of the forest, maintaining a 50-meter gap between them. Their movements were dazzling, as if reflected in a mirror.
Amy's crimson eyes flickered.
Amy: 'There.'
Since magic circles are also mana constructs, her Spirit Zone's synesthesia clearly captured it.
Of course, if stealth circuits were integrated, the difficulty of detection would skyrocket, but that was an option rarely chosen unless it was a military stronghold.
The cost of an intermediate magic circle didn't even amount to a tenth of a stealth circuit, so no matter how much money one had, it was a case of the tail wagging the dog.
Amy: "This way."
Rian cut through the bushes Amy pointed at with his greatsword, revealing a magic circle on a grassy clearing.
Shirone: "Whoa."
Seeing a magic circle for the first time, Shirone was surprised by its much larger scale than he had imagined.
Amy estimated its size with her eyes.
Amy: "It's definitely an intermediate magic circle. They must've worked really hard to make this."
The circular border, over 5 meters in radius, glowed in response to the Spirit Zone.
Inside the border, countless ripples were engraved like the gears of a clock, and within them was a diagram so beautiful it could be considered a work of art.
Amy: "Wait. Let me take a closer look."
Having learned some knowledge in her graduating class, Amy examined the magic circle intently.
Amy: "Hmm."
When evaluating a magic circle, there were three main things to consider: the color of the light representing mana intensity, the density of the functions, and how those functions were connected in the circuit.
In Amy's opinion, this magic circle's color and density were slightly lacking, but its connectivity was excellent.
In other words, it was likely made by a certified company.
Amy: "Sigh, this is going to be a headache. It seems like a certified company worked on this. I thought they'd hire an underground group with their illegal earnings, but…"
Shirone: "Is that the main issue?"
Amy: "The characteristic of a certified company is that they design things by the book, so the connectivity is good. That means the circuit stability is high. Unless it's completely destroyed, it'll keep working. Do you still think you can do it in 10 minutes?"
Shirone thought for a moment and nodded.
Shirone: "We have to try. Honestly, the bigger issue is whether we'll succeed or not."
Amy: "What? Why are you saying that now? We're doing this because you said you could."
Shirone: "Of course, I'm confident. And if we succeed…"
Amy: "If we succeed?"
Shirone mentioned the numbers he had calculated earlier.
Shirone: "We might be able to destroy the magic circle in 1 minute instead of 10."
Amy: "1 minute?"
Amy's eyes widened.
For anyone other than a professional dismantling team, neutralizing an intermediate magic circle in 1 minute was nearly impossible.
'Honestly, it's a well-made circuit. Even if you crush the ground into gravel, the mana might not disperse…'
In Amy's estimation, it would need to be ground down to the size of a pea, but none of the spells Shirone used seemed capable of that.
Amy: "How do you plan to do it? Are you sure? Just breaking it won't work. No, it might even scatter the circuit and make things worse."
Shirone: "I see. I'll give it a try."
From his answer, it was clear he hadn't thought that far.
Could he really do it?
The thought that failure here would make time even tighter made Amy increasingly anxious.
Meanwhile, Shirone positioned himself at the center of the magic circle.
Expecting a vertical attack from above considering the power, Amy tilted her head at the unexpected situation.
Amy: "What are you planning to do there?"
Shirone: "Trust me. It might be dangerous since it's my first attempt, so stay as far back as possible."
The three of them stepped back, their eyes filled with both anxiety and anticipation.
If he succeeded, they could turn the unfavorable situation around in an instant.