FALLEN ORACLE

**Chapter 9: The Strongest Mage (2)**

The headmaster nodded. "Very well. In that case, be sure to set water-based magic traps in the river as quickly as possible. How far out is the first wave of Blade Beetles?"Professor Tress said, "Our earlier calculations were essentially correct. The beetles split into two groups midway. One is expected to cross the Divine Radiance River north of the academy and attack from there. The other will cross west of the academy, passing through Kanter Town and the surrounding villages. The nearest group will enter the academy's perimeter in about two hours.""Do we know their final destination?""Not yet, but they will definitely pass through our location."The headmaster asked further, "How are our defenses arranged?"Professor Minsk replied, "Professor Cobb is in charge of the north gate and its surrounding area. Professor Wendy is in charge of the west gate and its surrounding area. Professor Tracy and I will each lead a team to patrol between the north and west gates. Professor Fangting will lead a team to patrol the east and south sides of the academy to prepare for contingencies. Professor Tress will lead a mobile reserve squad to reinforce any area as needed.""Aside from those attending this meeting, all 142 professors and 847 advanced trainees have been deployed for defense. Intermediate and beginner trainees, organized by their class leaders, will remain in the academic and dormitory areas to protect the evacuated townspeople."Headmaster Morin said, "Focusing solely on defense is not enough. To completely break the Blade Beetles' assault, we must find out why they have gone berserk. What are your thoughts on this?""Well..."For a moment, the assembled professors were speechless."Minsk, you mentioned 142 professors just now, correct?""Yes, Headmaster.""Does that mean Junior Professor Mendes, who was on leave recently, has returned to the academy?""Yes. Professor Cobb sent word that he and his party just arrived at the gate."The headmaster nodded approvingly. "Good. Then there's no problem.""Are you suggesting that Professor Mendes investigate the cause of this incident?"Headmaster Morin said, "No. I mean someone will investigate it. You need not worry about that."---Meanwhile, at the north gate, Chen Yi, who was helping install barricades, sneezed. He was puzzled. Though Blade Beetles were not exactly gentle creatures, they generally kept to themselves.Aside from occasional ambushes when someone wandered into their territory, there had never been reports of them going berserk en masse and attacking human settlements.And the timing—coinciding with the outbreak of conflict between the two nations, and targeting Rongqi Academy, the holy land of human magical civilization—felt too convenient."Could one of them have suddenly gained intelligence?" Chen Yi speculated. "Now it wants to replace humans as the continent's overlords?"Since individual Blade Beetles weren't very strong, the magic cores refined from them were of low grade, and previously their threat to humans had been underestimated.With no vested interest driving research, studies into their habits were far from thorough.Thus, even at Rongqi Academy, with its abundance of scholars, knowledge of Blade Beetles was fairly superficial.Defensive preparations were never enough, but the inevitable eventually arrived.Just over an hour later, looking down the road outside the academy, Chen Yi could see clouds of dust rolling in from the far side of the Rongqi Bridge."Everyone, stand ready!" Professor Cobb raised his left hand and announced."Engage!"With the sound of explosions on the Divine Radiance River, the pre-set magic traps were triggered by the charging beetles. Whirlpools of river water shot into the air, carrying chunks of beetle carcasses dozens of meters high.But the creatures seemed to know no fear. They kept charging at the gate in wave after wave.The front line soon slammed into the protective magic on the barricades. Under the crushing pressure of those behind them, the poor frontrunners were instantly bloodied against the barrier.Behind the barricades, all kinds of Elemental magic shot forth. A curtain of beetle blood and gore instantly formed at the gate.Professors and trainees took the opportunity to send their summons, enhanced with Strengthening magic, to cut down the advancing creatures.Though the horde was vast, against the continent's most formidable magical firepower, they could not advance a single step.The battle was unfolding much as Chen Yi had predicted. Though the academy's faculty and students lacked the formal military training of national mage corps, their raw magical prowess far surpassed that of most military mages who had never experienced Divine Communion.And the beetles, showing no signs of unified command, charged chaotically, becoming easy targets for all kinds of spells.---However, two hours into the battle, the situation began to change drastically. Special individuals among the beetles—Blade Behemoths—started to join the fray.These were about ten times the size of ordinary beetles. The blades on their heads could easily cut through magical barriers. Worse, they were proficient in various elemental spells, making their offensive power nothing to scoff at.Research showed that Blade Behemoths were rare mutant individuals, appearing perhaps once in every ten thousand beetles.But the swarm attacking Rongqi Academy was so enormous that Behemoths could now appear in groups.Several barricades and their attached protective magics were soon destroyed by the Behemoths. Summons, caught between Behemoths and the sea of ordinary beetles, quickly dissipated.Just as the protective barriers in front of the gate were down to the last three, and Chen Yi was struggling with whether to violate his promise to the goddess by using high-level magic if any classmates were injured, a voice rang out:"Use Telekinetic Control on the lead Behemoth!"It was Professor Cobb, commanding two students to assist him. Together, they quickly used Psionic magic to control the foremost Blade Behemoth.The Behemoth immediately turned around and breathed fire at its own kin, turning a large area in front of the bridge into an inferno.After finishing that, it soon grappled with another Behemoth. Each stabbed the other's belly, and both fell into the Divine Radiance River.Seeing that this "make the enemy fight itself" tactic was highly effective, Professor Cobb repeated it, controlling a dozen or so Behemoths one after another. With their help, the situation at the north gate was temporarily stabilized.---Yet the tide of beetles and Behemoths seemed endless. Professor Cobb himself still had stamina to spare, but the trainees assisting him were running out of mental energy.As a result, one Behemoth that had been slaughtering its own kind suddenly broke free of control and charged at the gate again."Any more Psionic specialists here?" Professor Cobb shouted, seeing the danger.But Psionic magic was notoriously difficult and was already the least popular specialization. Moreover, assisting a professor in controlling such a powerful monster required considerable skill.