An Orc appeared lumbering from the side ahead of us.

When its green obese body spotted us, its pig face twisted into a grimace.
Then he called out to the rest of us, and came running towards us with an exuberant look on his face.

'Hey ......, you're looking at me like I'm prey. You've got to be kidding me.

Satsuki readied her stance to intercept the rushing orcs.
Her tall, beautiful kimono still looks like a piece of living art.

On the other hand, behind the first Orc, another and another Orc appeared one after another.
It's like a straight, narrow tunnel with huge Orcs pouring out one after another from the far side.

Well, I guess we should say hello to one of them.

I chanted the last verse of the spell I had delayed activating and completed the spell.

'Magic Missile!

I cast the first level of the attack spell.
The idea was to make the attackers aware that we had a remote means of attack, and to make them nervous.

I looked over Satsuki's shoulder and imagined throwing an arrow formed by magical power.
The target is the first Orc, who is shaking his huge body and rushing towards us.

With my magic power, I can create three arrows and shoot them out at the same time.
If I aimed all of them at one orc, it would be possible to destroy it with a single shot...

'...What?

At that moment, something I didn't expect happened.

But it wasn't a bad accident, it was something to be happy about.
The number of arrows I created was not three, but four.

It means my magic power has crossed a threshold.

I've been observing the increase in mana capacity on a daily basis, so I knew this was possible.
But when it actually happens, how can I not be happy?

I feel that my own growth is on a new track.
It makes me smile.

But that's the thing.
The most important thing right now is to keep the mission on schedule.

'Go!

I shot four magic arrows that had been created in the space in front of me towards the target orcs at once.

These 'arrows' pierced the target orc with the speed of arrows from a crossbow, and the flesh of the parts hit by each of the four arrows exploded.
With the impact, the huge body of the charging Orc was flung backward, and it sank to the ground and stopped moving.

Seeing their comrade turned into a corpse in that instant, the Orcs following behind showed a gesture of agitation.

'Hyu. As expected of Will, his magic is as powerful as ever.

'It's just a greeting. This is where it all begins.

'I know. I haven't done anything yet.

I start chanting the next spell.

The Orcs following me seemed to be in a hurry to retreat, but even if they did, the back was jammed and they couldn't escape in a hurry.

I shot the next magic missile and defeated the second Orc.
I then began to chant my next spell.

And then...

'Goooooooooooooooooo!

A shout of anger rang out from behind the Orcs.
The muffled, trembling voice echoed through the entire cave passage.

'What the...? What the hell is that?

Satsuki shouted in response, but it was so loud that it was drowned out.

It was probably the angry voice of the Orc General.
It might have been directed at the Orcs under his command who were trying to escape.

And indeed, it was the wake-up call for the Orcs to fight back.
The Orcs, who had been frightened and were about to retreat, turned on their heels and attacked us all at once in a desperate manner.

'Ha, they're finally here.

The first Orc reached the front of Satsuki and raised the club in his hand.
Satsuki quietly prepared to intercept it.

But the club raised by the Orc hit the low ceiling of the cave tunnel hard.
The impact caused the Orc to drop the club.

'Idiot!

Satsuki thrust the sword she was holding in her right eye with a shout of spiritedness.

The sword pierced the Orc's neck and slipped through to the back.

As Satsuki pulled out the sword, blood spurted out of the Orc's neck.
But...

'But...?

The Orc attacked Satsuki without collapsing even though blood was spurting from both sides of its neck.
The Orc dropped his club and tried to grab Satsuki with his empty hand, but Satsuki narrowly avoided him.

Satsuki dodged it. 'You... get it over with!

Satsuki threw an aura-laden front kick at the Orc's chest, which was on its front.
The huge body of the Orc was blown back lightly by the kick, and it hit the next Orc that was approaching behind it.

The Orc whose neck had been pierced finally collapsed with its eyes white, as if it had run out of blood by then.

However, the Orc behind it pushed its body to the side and came forward.
Then, perhaps having learned from the Orc's blunder, he threw away his club and grabbed Satsuki with his bare hands.

' Oh, d*mn it ......! I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it.

While dodging the approaching Orcs, Satsuki saw an opening and swung her sword.
The sword cut off the Orc's right arm from the second arm and sent it flying.

The Orc, however, screamed in anguish and still tried to grab Satsuki with his left hand.
No, rather than using his hand, he used his entire body to crush Satsuki, and even Satsuki seemed to be having a hard time dealing with him.

'd*mn, you die-hard bastards are so bad!

Meanwhile, on the other side of Satsuki's struggle, the Orcs that followed were forming a queue as if waiting for an opportunity to advance.
At the end of the line was the Orc General, who had finally appeared in a place where he could be seen.

I saw it and decided that the time was ripe.
I put my spell chanting on hold until the last line and sent a command to Satsuki.

'Satsuki, get down!

'Okay, I've been waiting for you!

At my signal, Satsuki sank to the ground.
Confirming this, I completed the last verse of the spell I had been chanting.

' Lightning Bolt!

From the space at the end of the staff I raised, a bolt of lightning shot out with a roaring sound.