Chapter 105 Forced Breakthrough

"Don't go over there. Hmm! Just stay seated. I wonder which lucky fellow received that female mage's invitation." Mage Roman's lips quirked slightly. "They have a rendezvous tonight. It's best we don't disturb them."

After hearing the female mage's explanation, Shaoke couldn't help but roll his eyes. He hadn't expected mages on the battlefield to have the habit of meeting up with lovers at night. However, this time he heeded the female mage's advice, placing his staff aside and deciding not to concern himself with such matters.

Mage Roman then released Shaoke's hand, tilted her head to listen for any movement behind them, and upon sensing they had returned to their tents, she focused and began explaining the techniques of casting on the move to Shaoke.

One spoke earnestly, the other listened intently. Although Shaoke lacked the powerful memory that was a basic skill for other transmigrators, his sharply improved mental faculties from prolonged magical cultivation allowed him to easily remember every word Mage Roman said.

The technique of mobile spellcasting wasn't actually difficult. As long as the spellcaster could maintain steady concentration while moving, it was easy to release spells on the move. However, without some auxiliary training techniques, no low-rank mage could successfully use this skill.

By the time Mage Roman finished her explanation, the dry firewood by the campfire was nearly exhausted from being added by the two mages. Shaoke tossed the last few pieces of wood into the fire, hoping the flames would provide some warmth for their increasingly cold bodies.

"Mage Roman, I think we should rest early. It's too cold here; it's not good for the body." Shaoke glanced at the female mage, who had fallen into a daze again, and couldn't help but remind her it was time to rest.

"Mage Xueye, I just finished teaching you spellcasting techniques, and you already want to leave? What, can't you stay with me a little longer?" Mage Roman shot Shaoke a somewhat displeased look.

Hearing the female mage's somewhat petulant request, Shaoke could only reluctantly keep her company outside in the biting wind. Eventually, he noticed the female mage tightly hugging her shoulders, her body beginning to shiver, so he quickly took off his cloak and draped it over her.

However, Shaoke's kind gesture earned him an eye-roll from the female mage. She handed the cloak back. "You wear it. I feel your body is even weaker than mine. Hmm! That's enough. It's time to rest now, otherwise I can't guarantee you'll have the energy to cast spells tomorrow."

Shaoke retorted helplessly, "Mage Roman, actually, my body has improved a lot. It's just that the external appearance hasn't recovered yet!" As soon as he finished speaking, he noticed the female mage giving him a skeptical once-over. Finally, the female mage bid him goodnight, rolled up her furs, and headed toward her own tent.

This time, after returning to his tent, Shaoke completed his 'spell record' and then lay down, using sleep to recuperate from the day's fatigue and prepare for the next day's battle.

The next day, after having a simple breakfast in their own tents, the mages came out to pack their belongings, ready to move out again to find the enemy country's mage unit blocking their path.

Soon, snowflakes began to drift from the sky. After a night's rest, Mage Roman's complexion looked somewhat better.

The female mage occasionally took out the magic item marking the mage unit to check on various parameters. Seeing Mage Roman frown from time to time, Shaoke felt their current situation wasn't good, at least on the surface.

As he suspected, after putting the magic item back in place, Mage Roman reminded everyone in a tone of forced cheer, "We've fallen somewhat behind. I think the mages must pick up the pace. Otherwise, even after defeating the enemy unit blocking our way ahead, we still won't catch up with the overall frontline's advance speed."

Prompted by Mage Roman, the mages, who had been moving somewhat slowly, quickened their pace. Moreover, under Mage Roman's reminder, they also began preparing for battle.

The battle began as fate would have it. The unit that had defeated Shaoke and the others yesterday hadn't changed direction. Instead, according to standard procedure, they advanced a certain distance forward. Both sides simultaneously spotted each other on the snow-covered plain.

The warriors discarded their heavy loads. Except for the injured who stayed by the mages as a final line of defense, the rest flared their combat auras, shouting as they charged toward the enemy. The two sides collided heavily on the open ground. For a moment, the intense clashing sounds of auras made Shaoke think it was like a hundred cavalry horses crashing into defensive giant shields.

Mage Roman and the opposing mage began fighting again. They simply released the third-level spells they knew, then used their spiritual sense to lock onto and counter each other's attacks. The close-quarters casting on the move combat scene Shaoke had long anticipated did not appear.

The second-tier mages from both sides cautiously advanced, gauging each other's effective casting range. When Shaoke felt he was almost within his own casting range, he signaled to the second-rank female mage beside him, who was focused on her own preparations. He suddenly sprinted forward a distance, then quickly began preparing 'Blazing Ray,' the second-level spell with the greatest penetration power and casting range among second-level spells.

He employed his hand-seal technique, channeling a large amount of mana and spiritual power into the spell structure forming in the air before him. Relying on the hand-seal technique, Shaoke successfully pushed this spell structure to its limit under the energy infusion. The crimson beam of light didn't expand; instead, it shrank slightly, becoming about the thickness of a baby's arm, and swiftly shot toward the mage he had locked onto.

The mage locked onto by Shaoke's spiritual sense wasn't panicked. Taking advantage of the current weather, he had relatively easily prepared a first-level spell, 'Ice Spear.' An ice spear suspended and spinning above him, manipulated by the mage's spiritual power, shot toward Shaoke's spell with a sharp whistling sound. He intended to intercept Shaoke's fast and sudden attack with his own spell.

Initially, Shaoke didn't steer his spell to avoid it. Instead, he observed using his spiritual power, which exceeded that of ordinary mages of his rank. Only when the two spells were about to collide did he suddenly manipulate 'Blazing Ray' to dodge the opponent's spell, still locked onto the mage whose lips had just curled into a smile, and continued its assault.

The 'Ice Spear' spell was successfully intercepted by the female mage, who had been prepared and used the same spell. The smile that had just appeared on the face of the mage locked onto by Shaoke instantly faded, replaced by terror. He swiftly dodged to the side, while a companion beside him, who had been preparing an attack spell, manipulated his own spell to intercept Shaoke's under his control.

Unfortunately, due to the close distance, the other party had no time to adjust the angle of his spell. Shaoke's 'Blazing Ray,' released at maximum power, heavily struck the dodging mage.

The second-level defensive spell shattered like a piece of paper. The spell, its power mostly consumed, stubbornly blasted a fist-sized transparent hole through the mage's chest. Until his death, that mage couldn't understand why the master of this spell could still adjust its trajectory at such a short distance. Could he be a third-tier mage? But no matter what he thought, he could only lie silently on the ground with his questions, awaiting the cover of white snow.

Sensing the opponent's death through his spiritual power, Shaoke continued preparing his second spell. This time, he locked onto the mage who had just attempted to intercept his spell. With the enemy side short one spellcaster, Shaoke, relying on his hand-seal technique, smoothly maximized the power of this spell.

The crimson light tore through the increasingly heavy curtain of snow. The locked-on mage, having just finished casting a spell, quickly cast 'Spell Disruption' on himself. He then prepared the zero-level 'Frost Ray,' hoping to break Shaoke's spell structure. Unfortunately, he hadn't considered that this was the spell with the greatest penetrating power among second-level spells. His zero-level spell couldn't even shake, let alone break, the structure of this second-level spell.

Although that mage had cast 'Spell Disruption' on himself, Shaoke's spell still hit him. However, at the critical moment, the mage did not hesitate to expend a great deal of spiritual power, rapidly adjusted the angle of his defensive spell and tried his best to move his body to dodge. Consequently, only his defensive spell was broken; his life wasn't taken. Still, Shaoke's spell left a bloody gash across his waist. Without follow-up spell attacks, this mage managed to preserve his life.

Shaoke regretfully shook his head. Just as he was about to prepare a second spell, the enemy's third-tier mage finally broke free from Mage Roman's spell attacks, swiftly released a retreat signal, and then, leveraging the power of a third-tier mage, quickly released two first-level spells to harass Shaoke and the others before commanding the remaining mages and warriors to retreat.

Mage Roman, from behind, didn't order Shaoke and the others to attack the fleeing enemies. Instead, under the protection of the warriors, she came to join up with Shaoke and the others.

"This time we succeeded, Mage Xueye." Mage Roman came forward with a smile, praising Shaoke, then commanded the soldiers to begin collecting the spoils of war from the battlefield.

Shaoke was somewhat puzzled by the enemy's retreat this time. Comparing it with the first battle situation, he voiced his doubts to the female mage. Mage Roman simply smiled and explained, "Actually, this time I didn't manage to pin down that third-tier mage. Otherwise, I definitely wouldn't have given him the chance to release the magical retreat signal. Hmm! Besides, if the fight had dragged on, I don't have much confidence in defeating that third-tier mage either."

After a brief rest, the mages continued pressing forward through the heavy snow. Mage Roman had repeatedly emphasized that they must catch up with the other mage units by tonight; otherwise, it would cause some trouble for the entire frontline. Therefore, the mages had to suppress the joy of their recent victory and couldn't help but quicken their pace to accomplish the task Mage Roman had set.