Rational Thinking

The lightning-hurling axe flew toward the Goblin General.

The Goblin General blocked the incoming axe—blazing with deafening sound and light—with its shield.

If it had been “just a throw,” that would’ve been the correct response.

But it was absolutely not “just a throw.”

The axe, empowered by Mjolnir, slammed into the Goblin General’s shield with a thunderous crash, and the lightning that ran across the shield’s surface scattered outward, scorching the goblins rushing in nearby.

And the axe that caused it returned to Kikori’s hand thanks to Mjolnir’s effect.

However… the place it returned to was not where Kikori had thrown it from.

At the instant of impact, Kikori had already moved around to the Goblin General’s flank.

Mjolnir—powered by mana he couldn’t produce on his own—had been bait.

Kikori wasn’t enough of an optimist to think that huge shield wouldn’t block him.

And he had no intention of finishing it with a normal axe, either.

If he truly meant to finish it, the real ace was the magic axe.

If he loaded it with Mjolnir’s power, waited for an opening, and unleashed it—

A halberd skimmed past right in front of Kikori’s eyes.

“…!”

It was a hobgoblin lizard rider.

Had it judged the Goblin General to be in danger after that Mjolnir strike?

But Kikori didn’t think it was in the way.

This was perfect, he thought.

He dodged the halberd swung at him again and hugged the Lizard Runner.

He wasn’t doing anything strange. His aim was—

“G- Giiiiii!?”

Feeling the wrongness of mana being drained from its body, the Lizard Runner shrieked and bucked the hobgoblin off.

Yes—Kikori’s armor’s mana stone absorbed mana.

All he did was use it on the Lizard Runner.

Field resupply: mana that would be spent was replenished on-site. The result of truly rational thinking.

“Die.”

Kikori brought down the magic axe on the fallen hobgoblin and killed it in a single blow.

As long as he aimed for the right spot, it wasn’t difficult.

It would be stranger if he couldn’t do it to an opponent full of openings.

“Giiiiii…”

“Haaa…”

Staring straight at the growling Goblin General, Kikori steadied his breathing.

In this situation, where a moment’s carelessness meant death—

Of course he wouldn’t let his guard down. Kikori didn’t make the arrogant mistake of thinking he was that strong.

Even without the slightest carelessness, he could still die.

Keeping that reality firmly in view, Kikori raised his axe.

“Charge!”

Kuon’s mana, and the mana absorbed from the Lizard Runner.

Kikori mixed those two mana streams together even further inside himself.

His raging emotions grew stronger still.

His urge to destroy grew stronger still.

Kikori sprinted in a straight line toward the Goblin General.