I Built a Divine Zoo in Another World

Chapter 120: Advancing on the Horde

The horde exploded into motion.

Thousands of paws struck the ground at the same time, producing a continuous thunder that made the very forest tremble.

Trees shook as the creatures surged forward, leaves rained from the branches, and the endless chorus of SKREEEEEEEEEE! Seemed to tear through the air.

The sound was deafening, a cacophony of shrieks, growls, and snapping jaws clamping down on empty air. The earth quaked beneath the weight of the horde, and the air grew thick with the scent of blood, damp soil, and burnt fur.

It was a black tide. A living wave of flesh, fangs, and crimson eyes.

The rats charged forward without the slightest concern for their own lives. The smaller ones darted between the legs of the larger beasts, while the wolf-sized monstrosities leaped over fallen logs to gain speed.

The two-headed creatures shrieked in different tones, confusing the senses, while those with purplish tails left smoking trails wherever they passed.

The ground became covered by a dark, pulsating mass that moved like a single living organism.

"Hold the line!" Clavor roared.

The twenty soldiers tightened their formation even further. Shields pressed together, forming a wall of steel and determination. Spears were lowered, pointed directly at the advancing horde. The men took deep breaths, ready for the impact.

Lukas remained in the center beside the support mage. Tilbo immediately positioned himself in front of him, lowering his body like a living shield. His metallic carapace gleamed brightly, the silver veins pulsing with mana.

Prata descended from the trees and climbed onto Lukas’s back, slowly spreading her fangs, ready to leap at any enemy that broke through the defensive line. Astra circled overhead, flying lower and lower as she watched the approaching horde, her golden eyes fixed on the advancing tide.

The distance closed rapidly.

One hundred meters. Fifty. Thirty.

The first rats could now be seen clearly, their mouths foaming and their fangs stained with dried blood. Their crimson eyes burned like living embers, and the smoke rising from their corrupted bodies formed a toxic mist around the horde. The heat of their approach was palpable, as though the forest itself were catching fire.

That was when Clavor and Count Hark exchanged a single glance.

Neither of them needed to say a word.

The next instant...

The two of them vanished.

The ground exploded beneath their feet. Condensed mana enveloped their bodies like a brilliant aura, forming two beams of light that shot straight into the horde. Their speed was so great that the air cracked around them, creating shockwaves that knocked the nearest rats off their feet.

Lukas almost lost sight of them.

Clavor was a silver flash. Hark looked like a golden star streaking through the forest.

’BOOOOOOM!’

The collision was devastating.

Their weapons carved wide arcs as they advanced. Every strike unleashed blades of mana that traveled dozens of meters before fading away.

The rats they struck simply ceased to exist. Bodies were split in half. Heads flew through the air. Trees behind the horde were cut down along with the monsters. The sound of steel slicing through flesh became a constant hum, accompanied by the agonized shrieks of the creatures.

Within seconds, hundreds of monsters had been reduced to pieces.

The black tide split before them as though two ships were cutting through an ocean.

"Now!" Hark roared.

The twenty soldiers answered as one.

Mana surged through their armor. Glowing veins appeared along their spears. The defensive circle opened instantly, and the men charged forward like a wedge of steel.

The soldiers advanced in perfect synchronization. Not a single movement was wasted. Every swing brought down a rat. Every thrust pierced another. Shields protected the comrade beside them while swords worked without pause. The monsters could surround a single man for only a second before another soldier eliminated the threat.

Their coordination was flawless.

Lukas watched in fascination. This was completely different from the battle at Hill Village. There, they had merely endured.

Now...

They were hunting.

The wind mage raised both hands. Blue mana swirled around him, forming intricate patterns in the air.

"Gale Blades!"

Dozens of invisible crescents tore through the forest. The trees swayed violently. Entire rats were sliced in half before they even realized they had been attacked.

The sound of wind cutting through flesh was a sharp, dry hum. Bodies collapsed in pieces, scattering blood and entrails across the ground.

Immediately afterward, magic circles appeared before him. Fragments of ice began condensing in the air, glowing with a bluish light that contrasted against the orange flames.

"Glacial Rain!"

Hundreds of crystalline spears rained down upon one section of the horde. The impacts pierced bodies, pinned monsters to the earth, and instantly froze dozens of creatures.

The struck rats remained motionless, their crimson eyes still open, trapped in eternal ice. The scene was grotesque and beautiful at the same time, a forest of ice and death.

Before the ice could even begin to melt...

Clavor sprinted through that section. His sword shattered every frozen statue in an explosion of glittering fragments that scattered like diamonds.

Meanwhile, the support mage closed her eyes. Her staff touched the ground. A great green circle spread rapidly beneath the feet of every ally. Ancient runes lit up one after another, glowing with a soft, healing radiance.

A pleasant sensation flowed through Lukas’s body. His fatigue lessened. His muscles felt lighter. Even his breathing became easier. Green energy coursed through his veins, revitalizing him.

Around him, the effect was even more obvious. The soldiers moved faster. Superficial cuts disappeared almost immediately. Their consumed mana slowly returned, as though the forest itself were offering up its energy.

"Blessing of the Forest!" the mage declared.

Green particles rose into the air like fireflies, bathing the battlefield in a gentle, comforting glow. Even Tilbo received the enhancement. The silver veins running through his carapace began shining even more intensely, pulsing with renewed energy.

Clavor raised his sword. His shout echoed across the entire battlefield.

"Kill them all! Don’t leave a single rat alive!"

The soldiers answered with a unified roar.

"YES!"

On the opposite side of the formation, Hark spun his massive spear and skewered three monsters at once. Without even pulling the weapon from their bodies, he shouted,

"Keep advancing! This horde isn’t our objective!"

His voice grew even louder.

"Find the Rat King! Kill the commander, and the rest will fall with him!"