I Became the Commander in a Trash Game Who Copies Skills

Chapter 33. Wolfskrig (7)

Although I didn’t have many qualities that made me look better than others on the surface, I did have a few outstanding abilities, and one of them was concentration.

The concentration here is not the momentary immersion one usually thinks of.

It’s closer to stamina.

The stamina of the brain.

[[Soul Absorption] is active.]

I used to sit hunched in front of a monitor for more than ten hours a day, but I never once clicked the mouse mindlessly.

To not break my immersion, I even intentionally avoided using the pause function provided on the grand strategy screen where the map was visible.

A screen where a day flowed by, condensed into one-second intervals.

I concentrated on every single moment.

[[Red Strange Touch] is active.]

[[Banshee’s Scream] is active.]

People often call such a person a game addict.

However, not just any game addict can do that.

Ordinary people have gaps.

Whether it’s the desire to eat, the desire to sleep, or a friend’s phone call.

Or even a simple wish to get some fresh air outside.

[[Blood Flow Explosion] is active.]

POW!

KIIIIIEEEK-!

I had no gaps.

My vision was always directed at the target.

Because it wasn’t an ability forged by games in the first place.

This is from my childhood.

A product of training from a time when I hadn’t lost my dream.

GROOOOAAAAAR!!

A hulking figure made of stitched-up corpses charges.

A Necro Ogre threw its fist at me.

A rush of air.

The stench of a rotting corpse stings my nose.

I slightly move the staff held out in front of me.

I chant a spell inwardly.

[[Bone Net] is active.]

[[Exploding Skull] is active.]

I catch the fist and the bastard’s fist with a bone net.

And I accurately shove the blue skulls into its weak points like its mouth, joints, and the seams of its body, and detonate them.

GROOAK-!

With a thud, the shattered Necro Ogre collapsed.

Beyond the dripping limbs and entrails, I can see dozens of undead rushing in behind it.

Grave Knights, Necro Ogres, Living Armors, Dread Swordsmen, and so on.

Each and every one of them is a mid-tier undead unit.

Bastards that can only be handled by very skilled veteran mercenaries or knight-class individuals.

Normally, for me, the limit would have been two at most, three if I risked my life.

However, this is a special situation.

[[Soul Absorption] is active.]

Corpse carts, which are primitive soul core weapons, are strewn all over the place.

The corpses the Count had piled up like a hill are supplying me with unlimited mana.

I have been freed from the limitation of mana capacity, one of my biggest weaknesses as a caster.

It’s like a cell phone that has unplugged its whimpering portable battery and plugged in a fast charger directly.

I held my staff and combined spells in my head.

[[Ashen Claw] is active.]

[[Red Strange Touch] is active.]

[[Bone Net] is active.]

[[Black Thunder Veil] is active.]

[[Blood Flow Explosion]….]

[[Bone Arrow]….]

[…….]

A flash of light.

A roar shakes my eardrums.

An ashen-gray claw tears apart an empty suit of armor, and a bloody explosion erupts, crushing the rotting corpses.

Chunks of flesh and bone fragments, shattering and flying from all directions, fly to my feet and roll around.

KIIIIIEEEK! KII-

It’s not easy.

It’s by no means an easy task.

Converting mana, a type of energy, into a physical form requires a high degree of calculation and prediction.

How proficiently one does that is expressed as skill proficiency, but even maxing out the proficiency doesn’t completely resolve the strain on the brain.

Just as completely understanding a few mathematical formulas doesn’t make the headache from solving a complex math problem disappear.

Of course, nothing changes.

What needs to be done is set.

Like a habit, I combine the optimal spells in my head.

[[Exploding Skull] is active.]

The Necro Ogre’s weak point is its stitched connections. It’s particularly vulnerable to fire and explosions.

[[Ashen Claw] is active.]

Living Armor takes great damage from mana-infused slashes.

[[Cursed Grasp] is active.]

Dread Swordsmen are strongly affected by debuffs.

PEW-PEW-PEW-PEW!

KWARREUNG!

I advance while pouring out spells according to the optimized combination.

The barrage of spells, formed like a turret, erases the undead in front of me.

I trample over the mushy remains and break through the lingering heat, taking one step at a time towards the master who commands them.

The small fry that I couldn’t completely clear with spells were dealt with by the undead summoned with [Warrior’s Binding].

“Speak! Tribus! How on earth did you steal my spell!”

Count Calvenia still seemed to be in shock.

Well, I’d be the same if I were him.

In his own mind, it was a magic he had researched for ten years, holed up in the mountains.

It would be strange to brush it off coolly after having his own unique spell stolen.

Wouldn't it feel like a mathematician who had clung to a single difficult problem for half his life, only to have all the credit and achievements stolen by someone else?

And by the colleague he thought he got along with the most, at that.

“How did you do it? Did you send a spy? Did you infiltrate my laboratory? Or did the Princess of Blood help you!”

As a result, the power he boasted of had become virtually a piece of scrap paper.

Generally, when domain-type spells overlap, the two spells enter a power struggle.

However, when completely identical domain-type spells overlap, there is a high probability that their effects will be applied duplicatively.

In short, it means that just as he receives a buff in this cavity, I am also receiving the same buff.

Perhaps the buff I’m receiving is a little bigger.

[Calvenia’s Waning Moon Labyrinth] is a 6th-level spell, and Count Calvenia, a 6th-circle caster, would not have reached maximum proficiency with the spell.

On the other hand, all the skills I gain with [Warrior’s Insight] start at maximum proficiency.

A feeling that my body has become lighter than before.

It must be the most unfair thing in the world for its creator.

But what can you do?

Life is originally unfair.

“Tribus-!!”

Finally, the Count himself stepped forward.

The bastard, who personally delved into the horde of undead, waved his hand.

[[Warrior’s Insight] is active.]

[You have acquired a skill.]

[Flame of Grudge (Level 4)]

[Calvenia’s Blood Seal (Level 2)]

Without any incantation, a wave of spells pours from his fingertips.

A blade of blood bisects my zombie, and the Necro Ogre’s body is engulfed in black flames.

“Were you so afraid of the Duke who might wake up at any moment! Was the wealth and glory the Princess whispered with her bewitching voice so coveted!”

He shouts as if vomiting.

At the same time, a relentless wave of spells closes in on me.

He is a named hero.

And a 6th-circle mage at that.

He must have reached a state of mastery with most spells below the 5th level.

I quickly unsummoned my troops and swung my staff.

The wave of poured spells collided in the middle.

KWARREURREUNG!

CRACK! KWAJIK!

KU-GWAGWAGWANG!

With a thunderclap, black lightning spreads in all directions.

The ground splits, and thorny vines rise up, swaying menacingly.

A chain of explosions presses down on the area with pressure.

Spirits of all shapes and colors, filled with curses, fly through the explosions.

GU-EOK-!

KIIIIEEE-

The clash of over a dozen mid-circle spells.

The Count’s undead horde that had been lingering nearby was completely swept away.

Barely holding on, covering all sides with a spirit shield, I swung my staff.

I felt it instinctively.

The limit is near.

“Since when! Since when have you been deceiving me!”

There is a world of difference between a simple firepower projection and a duel between casters.

Countering a spell with a spell requires more psychological warfare and judgment than a swordsman’s swordplay.

As the spells are repeated, the load on the mind increases.

In the end, that’s why traits are needed to cultivate a perfect battle mage-type hero.

Traits that increase mana capacity, reduce consumption, reduce the load of the spell itself, or allow parts of the process to be skipped in various ways.

Of course, that’s just wishful thinking right now.

My head spinning, I bit my tongue.

The taste of blood and a searing pain brought a temporary awakening to my brain.

It’s possible because I had long since castrated any fear with the help of my traits.

[[Lord’s Unyielding Mind] is active.]

The only comfort is that the opponent's situation is worse than mine.

The Count's pale skin was already covered in scratches here and there.

No matter how close to a high circle a caster is, it’s difficult to raise the proficiency of all spells.

Most of his spells are at a similar level to mine, but the completeness of some spells is cruder than mine.

This phenomenon was particularly noticeable with higher-level spells.

“Keu-euk! Spirit Shield!”

[[Spirit Shield] is active.]

A shield deployed simultaneously amidst a bombardment of spells.

There is a clear difference.

My shield is a smooth blood-red, while his is crudely twisted at the edges.

It's not just aesthetically unpleasing.

The imperfection of the form means the flimsiness of the structure itself.

This was proven when his shield, which was being battered by various spells, broke before mine.

A single mana arrow that left my hand grazed his shoulder.

“KRAAAK!”

I don’t miss it.

[[Calvenia’s Blood Seal] is active.]

With the brand-new spell I just got, I tear open his waist area.

“Impossible, to!”

Was he bewildered that his spell had been stolen again?

His eyes wide, the bastard leaped back a dozen meters in a single bound.

The superior physical ability of a vampire.

I immediately chased after him.

P-P-P-P-POW-!

Suddenly, the sound of flesh tearing echoed from all directions.

At the same time, I felt something snap.

The mana that had been endlessly supplied by [Soul Absorption] was gone.

In the scenery flashing by on either side, I saw the shattered corpses of hundreds.

When I looked ahead again, the bastard's lips were twisted in a bitter sneer.

“Yes, your magitech and soul core knowledge were superior to mine! But how about this! Can you handle this!”

Did he destroy all the corpse carts?

As the creator, he must have had that much control.

It doesn’t matter.

Even the corpse carts, which felt infinite, were ultimately finite war machines.

I had already used nearly half of them.

It means that the time when we would have to settle the score with only our own mana was coming soon anyway.

[[Shadow Blade] is active.]

[[Lightning Brand] is active.]

Instead of the vampire school, I use spells with good mana efficiency.

The conditions are similar.

The Count has serious injuries to his waist and shoulder.

My mana capacity is at a disadvantage.

Indeed, the small amount of mana I had was depleted in an instant.

“Tribus!!”

The bastard shouted as if he had sensed victory.

[[Holy Aura] is active.]

The light of holy power enveloped me.

[[Miracle: Dawn’s Vitality] is active.]

[[Miracle: Surging Strength] is active.]

[[Miracle: Steps of Faith] is active.]

My depleted stamina is replenished.

Strength is added to every fiber of my muscles.

I catch up to him in just a few steps.

The tip of my sword, burning white, cuts off his arm.

“KYAAAAAAA!”

[[Imperial Knight Swordsmanship] is active.]

The Count shrieked like a vampire and retreated once more.

Even so, with his one remaining arm, he formed hand seals and fired spells.

My mana is depleted and the duration of [Calvenia’s Waning Moon Labyrinth] is ending, but it’s fine.

The bastard must also be in the same boat, with holy power gnawing at his arm and his concentration wavering.

[[Warrior’s Binding] is active.]

[You summon the bound enemies.]

I charged all the available undead I had acquired during the battle.

To take even a few of the Count’s spells for me.

To hold him down for even a moment.

A bone arrow grazes my shoulder, tearing my armor and splattering blood.

A curse coming from the front rots my flesh.

I ran while healing myself with a healing miracle.

A zombie with its lower half blown away tackled his legs.

“You…!”

I pierced him with my sword, which was blazing with holy power.

[Achievement Unlocked! You have defeated a mid-tier hero for the first time!]

[Achievement Unlocked! You have used mana far exceeding the permissible amount in a short time!]

[Achievement Unlocked! Punished evil with a miracle…!]

[Achievement Unlocked…!]

A flood of notification windows pop up.

I ignored them.

[You acquire a fixed trait.]

[Randomly acquire a trait….]

[…….]

I propped myself up, leaning against the pierced Count’s corpse.

Holding onto my fading consciousness, I raised my hand.

The labyrinth would soon be dispelled now that the Count was dead.

With a trembling hand, I took off Tribus' white mask.

One notification window caught my eye.

[Randomly acquire a trait.]

[Small Subspace]

[This is an independent dimensional space that can only be opened by its owner. Objects placed inside are preserved, removed from the real world's timeline.]

“Heh……”

I take back my statement about the luck-based shitshow game.

The probability gacha of [Warlord Conquest] is an excellent system.

I opened the subspace and pushed in the mask I was about to put in my coat.

Just then, the curtain was lifted, and the surrounding scenery melted away as if collapsing.

Swoooosh…….

The huge cavity.

The walls and floor of fog.

And even the murky necromantic mana flowing within it.

A sight as if the world were collapsing.

My vision tilted as I kept my sword plunged into the Count’s body.

“Protect our brother…! Protect Ash…!”

“Holy au…! Luark has…!”

“Our… chosen by Luark…!”

I can hear some noisy shouts from the distance.

I don’t know anymore.

I even took care of the boss mob, so they should be able to handle it themselves.

* * *

When I opened my eyes again, a full three days had passed.

I had become a hero chosen by the one and only God, Luark.