Chapter 243 – Invasion of Nonoichi City ⑧

23 hours after I’d advised the Kanezawa Liberation Army to surrender.

I’ve summoned Mrs. Tamura.

“Mrs. Tamura, did you find anyone fitting the conditions I told you about?”

“Yes, several people match.”

“What about people that answered in a way that benefits us?”

“One person did.”

“What’s their name?”

“The former chairman of Kanezawa’s Board of Education and the present city councilor ― Mr. Hasebe.”

“Mr. Hasebe? …Okay, got it.” I repeat the name Mrs. Tamura told me. “By the way, are there any people among the surrenderers who look like they’d stage a rebellion?”

“Several among the younger ones… I guess you could call it a desire for heroic deeds? It’s very saddening.”

“Can you keep them in check?”

“…I shall bet my life on it.” Mrs. Tamura unusually strongly reassures.

“Your life is too valuable to waste it on the suppression of a revolt by children.”

“Thank you very much. But…”

“If you can’t rein them in…I’ll deal with them from my side.”

“…As you wish. However, I shall hold them back with my life…no, with all my power.”

“I’ll leave it in your hands.”

With Mrs. Tamura’s efforts playing a big role, the majority of the surrenderers have settled down. As far as I can tell from her resolve, I think the probability of a revolt occurring is extremely low.

Next up are the preparations for the invasion, I reckon.

“We’ll begin the invasion in one hour. All hands, get ready!” I contact all my subordinates, passing on my order orally and through telepathy. “The strategy this time will be as follows: Once we’ve started the invasion ― we’ll devote all our power for three hours! Don’t hold back on anything, be it stamina or mana! ――Hit the enemy with everything you’ve got!”

“””Yeeeaaahh!”””

War cries of my subordinates thunder through my Domain. The point of the upcoming attack is to demonstrate our sincerity. Meaning, we’ll show them that we stick to our promises.

When we invaded Suzu City, we chipped away the enemy’s morale and stamina by stalling for time by giving them repeated time extensions, as if to torment the enemy. Since we’re aiming for an invasion at an early stage in this case, we can’t use the same strategy here.

For this reason we’re going to chip away the enemy’s morale through another means.

The promise I gave our enemy is a ceasefire of 24 hours while at the same time telling them, 『As for those who resist, I’ll reply with armed might to bring them death』.

Therefore, we’ll bring death by using overwhelming armed might to fulfill our promise. I won’t use any witty tricks. From the very start, we’ll exhibit terrifying armed might, based on having declared war on them fair and square.

I believe that this will become a preparatory move for my next actions…

Using my smartphone, I check on Kaoru’s forces as they continue their invasion which consists of running through deserted fields.

One hour later I marched towards Nonoichi City together with more than 10,000 subordinates.

◆

After having arrived at a location that’s around 500 m away from the wall surrounding Nonoichi’s City Hall, I take out my 【Megaphone】 while standing at the head of my army.

“Humans of Nonoichi City! The promised time has come! We shall carry out what I declared yesterday. From now on, we shall answer your will to resist with armed might ― and bring you death!”

The humans, who have secluded themselves in the city hall, remain silent behind the wall.

――Akira! It’s time to use what we talked about!

Upon raising my right hand, Akira and her dwarves move wooden weapons ― ballistae to the front line. We’ve prepared four ballistae for this invasion. It’s not the type that lets its projectiles fly as its shape would suggest, but a kind of slingshot that shoots its projectiles through the power of its gum.

We’ve chosen a rather primitive slingshot-type because it has a higher accuracy and range on top of a fairly simple structure, when used by my subordinates who possess inhuman strength. We’re going to use huge rocks and…Akira’s special bombs as munition in this battle.

Given that everything has been built without using any special abilities, they also work against man made structures, according to our test runs.

The ones operating the ballistae will be the four powerhouses Red, Noire, Rouge, and Meissen. Akira is truly great to be able to create a weapon that can be used by Red and the others, who could be called representatives of team stupid – aside from the dwarf Meissen.

“…Load.”

In response to Akira’s quiet muttering, Red and Noire load rocks while Rouge and Meissen load bombs into the ballistae.

“Fire!”

I swing down my hand towards the gate of Nonoichi City’s wall as a signal. The rocks and bombs draw an arc in the sky…and cause a fearsome explosion at the moment of their impact.

“Whoaaa…what amazin’ noise…!” Takaharu blocks one ear, lacking any kind of tension.

“Ta～maya～” ¹ Sarah cheerfully watches the explosions.

“I-I wonder what would happen to my body…i-If I got hit by those impacts!? Would I get insulted by Master with…『What a filthy firework you are…』.” Hibiki writhes while panting heavily.

I look at the gate, using binoculars, but…although I can see some damage on the gate, it hasn’t been destroyed.

“Load the next charge!”

“…Roger. Load.”

“Fire!”

A second time two rocks and two bombs draw an arc in the sky…impacting on the gate once more. The gate seems to warp…but it holds out.

“Quite the tough nut to crack…load the next char――”

Just when I’m about to order the next round, many fire arrows are shot from the top of the wall…aiming at the ballistae.

“Sarah!”

“Ay! ――《Water Shield》!”

Sarah deploys a water barrier at once, blocking the incoming fire arrows. Immediately following, countless humans stream out of the opened gate, roaring battle cries.

“We didn’t manage to destroy it, but…I guess it served its purpose of kindly knocking on the door.”

“…Guh, it’s the crucial moment for the combat engineer unit.” Akira looks sullen.

“The combat engineers will be up after we’ve lowered the number of enemies a bit more. Can I count on you then?”

“…Leave it to me.”

“Okay, Akira, Meissen, pull back alongside the ballistae.”

Receiving my order, Akira silently begins the withdrawal of the ballistae.

“The rest of you guys…it’s time for the main show! Give them hell!” I shout towards the rows of subordinates.

“””Yeeeaahhh!!”””

“Let’s go, you lot! Go, go, gooo!”

Takaharu’s corps charges first, starting its onslaught of the humans.

“Gramps, we’re going to be left behind by Taka-nii! Hurry! Hurry!”

“Hohoho…don’t fret, Seta.”

Kotetsu’s corps begins its advance as if urged on by Setanta.

“Sklavenschweine! It’s time to serve! Head out!”

“””Buhiiii!”””

The mass of orcs begins to move with Hibiki donning an ecstatic expression.

“Don’t dawdle! We are going to show the foolish, inferior worms our might!”

“We shall bring death to all those bugs who refused Shion-sama’s kind benevolence…!”

Chloe and Layla’s corps commence their advance, wrapped in an aura of fanaticism.

――*clang* *clang* *clang*

Iron’s corps advances while bashing their shields.

“Tsk! We’re late to the show! You lazy bums! Teach them the dread of ogres!”

Red’s corps follows up.

“Everyone, follow my lead! ――Rina Shion! Here I come!”

Rina’s corps charges as well.

“Nishishi, we’re gonna back up all those simpleminded idiots!”

“Come on, we’re going to show our good parts to Shion-sama!”

“I’ll come along.”

Sarah and Flora’s corps move up, accompanied by Kanon.

“That is a taboo box no one is allowed to touch.”

“Hidden inside the box is ―― calamity.”

“We shall grant the forbidden box to the humans who released it.”

“――Alongside the finest requiem.”

“Now…play the music! Our requiem! Team J, depart to the front!”

The clowns with the grave mental sickness advance as well.

And then――

“Izayoi, let’s go!”

“At your command, milord!”

Izayoi and I ― two vampires rush onto the battlefield that’s wrapped up in the gloominess of a dark night.

Chapter 244 – Invasion of Nonoichi City ⑨

“Izayoi, I leave the left side to you.”

“Please count on me.”

Izayoi and I charge at the frontline, covering for each other’s blindspots.

――《Flash Thrust》!

Instead of a greeting, I unleash a swift thrust at the throat of the human in front of me.

“…Guuhh!”

“Wh-…!? T-This guy is…Shion! Demon King Shion is――”

“Don’t make so much noise. You’re in front of my lord.” Izayoi stabs his spear into the mouth of a human who was about to yell after discovering me.

――Izayoi!

I call out to Izayoi, widely swinging my beloved spear ― Brionac

――《Crescent Moon Slash》!

And then I bisect the human in front of me with Crescent Moon Slash which packs a lot of power and at the same time leaves a big gap in my defense. Izayoi guesses my intent from my movements, and releases a series of high-speed stabs ― 《Early Summer Rain Thrust》, at a human who tried to use the gap in my defense to his advantage.

Izayoi and I exterminate the humans while covering for each other as fellow spear wielders.

“Izayoi, match my timing!”

As I extend my left hand to the front and refine my mana, Izayoi imitates me.

“”――《Dark Night Tempest》!””

The intertwined storms of darkness sweep across the humans around us, blowing them away altogether.

Ha ha ha! Nice! Truly nice!

I’m assailed by an indescribable feeling of exaltation over my perfect combo attack with Izayoi.

“Mine name is Demon King Shion! Blasphemous scoundrels defying me, you may depart to the realm of the dead with mine name as a souvenir!”

I plant Brionac’s pommel on the ground, making my declaration. The declaration turns into 《Coercion》, dropping the weak humans around me into a state of panic and strengthening the strong humans’ hatred towards me.

――It’s a great opportunity! Get them!

My subordinates assault the panicking humans all at once.

“I’m the only one allowed to lick Master’s feet, okay?” Hibiki, alongside his orcs, blocks the path of the humans drawn towards me by their hatred, and announces, “Come on, you filthy pigs! Clang your shields! We shall carry out our duty!”

All the orcs make noise with their shields, and Hibiki adopts a pose giving a full view of his exposed body. Hibiki’s actions are based on prioritizing my safety. As his lord, I feel happy over my subordinate’s display of loyalty.

But, my heightened tension quickly begins to cool due to the swarm of orcs beating their shields while oinking, and a crimson T-back encroaching my visual field.

I suppose I’ll take a little break…

Surrounded by orcs, I stab out my Growth Lance from behind them while keeping an eye on the situation around me.

◆

Translation Notes: