Chapter 420 - Episode 6: Behemoth Subjugation Operation
After the third investigation in Engrio ended, I spent a few days in Nakanohara and then went to Finis on the ultra-high-speed bowl. It's for the Behemoth subjugation. The opponent is a B-rank and one of the strongest among massive beasts. The participating members are Henry-sama's group, Bonnie, and myself.
"By the way, what kind of attacks does a Behemoth use?"
During our first encounter, I was turned into a fireball by a sudden Megiddo Fire. Since I only saw the process of being defeated, I don't know much about it.
"A Behemoth is like a heavy cavalryman in human terms. Its main attack is a headbutt with its massive tusks brandished."
"In other words, it just charges?"
Shouldn't we just have Matilda face it?
"Basically, yes, but the speed of the charge is no half-measure. It's faster than a horse. Its defensive power is also extremely high, and there are said to be records of stone fortresses being completely demolished just by a headbutt from a charge utilizing its massive weight and speed."
It's beyond common sense. How hard is its head?
"It definitely can't be defeated with weapons."
Being blown away would be the end of it.
"It can be defeated with silver weapons, but it's not an opponent that dies from a single stroke. Archers or magic soldiers would be better."
"What about magic defense?"
"It's powerful. Equivalent to a Lindwurm."
I wonder if it can be defeated with my Holy? The Lindwurm was still rampaging even after taking the Headmistress's log-sized Holy, two Cocytus spells, and several high-level spells. And that was after it had released a massive amount of magic power to escape from an ice trap.
"Jeanne, the magic you use includes many spells without a rank, starting with Light magic. If I recall, you can use eight high-level spells. Your magic control itself is that of an ultra-high-level single-spell user—in other words, it's higher than Mary's."
Well, that might be true, but I can't fire a log-sized Holy like the Headmistress. No matter how you think about it, the power is different.
"It's a combination technique with Magic Reflection. Remember when you defeated the Cerberus with Fiona. After that, it's spirit."
Spirit, eh? In the end, it always comes down to that.
We went to the northern port town that served as the meeting point. Mary welcomed us along with two women who had succeeded Aira in the northern trade. The old man with the barrel of sake was also there. Now that Aira has married into Northern Gram, he serves as a knight in charge of general escort for the trade.
"Jeanne, good work. You've been going all over the place lately, it must be tough."
"I don't think it's as much as you, Mary. More importantly, are you participating this time?"
"Yeah. I want to see if there's anything in the inland areas that can be put out for trade, and I have to learn Maelstrom."
As always, her goals are very clear.
When we went to the Lord's place, Gwyn-sama, a priest, and seven Priestesses were waiting. One of the Priestesses was, of course, the one serving the temple in the port town, but the remaining six seemed to have come from villages and towns adjacent to the land where the Behemoth is. The area the Behemoth controls seems to be quite large.
"The northern part of our country has many rugged terrains. There are many unexplored canyons."
In such places, there are many powerful magic beasts. Come to think of it, there are many powerful monsters like Hydra, Cerberus, Orthrus, and Wyarm.
"Places called Demon Realms in the central areas are everywhere in the northern part of our country."
Hmm. No wonder the whole nation is militarized.
"Even if you clear the mountains, you can't turn them into fields. Humans cannot live without bread. People naturally gather in the plains."
The Priestess's argument is likely correct. The proof is that Engrio, which has vast plains, is the strongest on the island.
That said, humans don't live on bread alone. I'm the same, but everyone eats meat and fish. Hunting and fishing are necessary. In that regard, the north has many magic beasts, so it must be worth doing.
"It makes things easier if you say that. Our country has several places that could be called sanctuaries for magic beasts, including the one we're going to this time. Generally, there's a B-rank. The wetlands where the Hydra we went with last time was is one such place."
"Is the place we're going this time the same?"
"Yes. You've heard, but it's a Behemoth. Recently, it's started coming down to places we don't usually see it. It's the duty of the royal family to subjugate it before major damage occurs. Once we defeat it, we can leave the rest to the local hunters."
In short, the magic beasts in the mountains are increasing and coming down to human settlements. In recent years, the weather has been stable. The magic beasts have increased accordingly. This is true for the whole island. Some say it's because the Demon Lord was subjugated, but you'd have to ask the Demon Lord to know for sure. However, thanks to that rumor, the reputations of Medioland, Regnentes, and Sertoria, which produced heroes, have risen, and there's an aspect where diplomatic negotiations and business deals are going well, according to Mary.
At any rate, we decided to go subjugate the Behemoth.
We flew east on a medium-sized ultra-high-speed bowl. The port town serves as the exit for two canyons; the northern canyon leads to the lake where the Water Dragon is, and the southern canyon apparently leads to the village that will be the base for this subjugation operation.
Like the lake with the Water Dragon, the northern part of Finis has several wide and long valleys that could be called great canyons, which seem to connect the east coast to the west coast. The bottoms of such large valleys are plains of a certain width, where rivers flow and there are ponds and lakes, but here and there are ridges that look like mountain ranges advancing, and the plains are constricted there. The constrictions serve as the boundaries between villages. Villages are lined up vertically along that valley. To the south of the villages, high mountains form a series of peaks. Since the northern Finis is cold, no trees grow on top of the high mountains. In winter, they must be covered in snow and ice, but since it's summer now, from a distance they look like sloping grasslands. Since it's evening, they are dyed red. The canyons around those grasslands are the stage for this subjugation operation.
The village head and the villagers welcomed us. Naturally, they were painted blue.
"Gwyn-sama, hello."
"Gwyn-sama, teach us swordsmanship."
Gwyn-sama is surrounded by children here too.
"I came to hunt today, so no swordsmanship. Instead, I brought sweets from Sertoria, so share them among yourselves and eat."
Saying that, he looked at Mary and the two in charge of trade.
"Everyone, gather around! It's a present from Gwyn-sama!"
The three of them began distributing Highway Cookies. Of course, they are products of the Class of 175, but Gwyn-sama is one of our regular customers. He probably always distributes them to children like this.
The old man with the barrel of sake was also carrying out the barrels he had loaded onto the bowl. These are sake and dried meat, a contribution for the banquet.
After the initial greetings were over, it was time for the strategy meeting.
Since we'll have the villagers cooperate, we had everyone gather around the village head.
The strategy is simple. First, we identify the general range of activity based on eyewitness accounts and scatter bait in several locations every day. We'll find it eventually. Then we'll attack it from the sky. However, a decoy is apparently necessary. Both bulls and boars love a duel. The problem is who will act as that decoy.
The Finis forces gathered this time are six bowls of the direct-control army, twelve archers, and six magic soldiers. As support personnel, six Priestesses with holy magic orbs, and the commander is, of course, Gwyn-sama. In addition, as reinforcements and for training, Henry-sama's group, Mary, and myself. The old man with the barrel of sake is our guard. In total, there are thirty-eight people.
The villagers are skeptical whether a Behemoth can be defeated with only thirty-eight people. The last subjugation was apparently more than ten years ago. The commander at that time was the current King of Finis, and the Queen also participated. In other words, this will be the first time Gwyn-sama participates in a Behemoth subjugation. At that time, there was no Flight Magic, and the number of orbs was small. First of all, foreigners never participated. It's not strange that there are villagers who feel suspicious. In particular, five muscle-bound giants explicitly expressed their concern. For this kind of person, it's best to show your strength.
Gwyn-sama signaled the Priestesses. Each Priestess has three orbs. When they lined up wooden rings on the table, they placed the orbs. There are eighteen. Seeing the orbs lined up, the villagers buzzed with excitement.
Ghosts emerged from those orbs all at once. The former lord of this area was also among them.
"!"
Even the muscle-bound types gasped.
"What, do you lot doubt our strength? You've got some nerve."
They were glowing with a bakin-bakin sound. The bowls on the table began to move on their own and started flying through the air.
"N-No, it's not like that..."
"Then what is it? Explain it clearly so we can understand."
One ghost per person began to glare at them. They were looking down from a full head above. This time, anticipating this would happen, they had specifically chosen large ones. After all, they are the kind of people who have become legends in various places. The five giants became completely quiet.
"I don't say I don't understand your point. But your thinking is old. You surely know the power when patriots like us unite. Times have changed."
They probably didn't think they'd be told their thinking was old by people who died hundreds of years ago.
"W-We are deeply sorry."
"Then, the strategy Eleanor-sama thought of is fine, right?"
When Gwyn-sama pressed the point, the giants looked dazed.
"For this Behemoth subjugation, we have obtained support from Sertoria, which has deep ties with our country. The former heroes Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama. And also, Bishop Jeanne, who uses the legendary Light magic and has made a great contribution to significantly improving our country's food situation by sealing ghosts in orbs, is here."
The giants backed away, and the villagers looked at each other.
"E-Eleanor-sama? Of tactics? That means the one next to her is Henry-sama?"
As usual, the old couple who looked like traveling merchants stood up. They took off the well-used hand towels wrapped around their necks.
"Indeed, Henry from Sertoria and..."
"Eleanor. It's a pleasure to meet you."
They were waving "Hi, hi" to the village head and the villagers, who were gasping.
Gwyn-sama is also a bit mischievous. He only said they were reinforcements and hid their names. In the inland areas of Finis, even if they know the reputations of Henry-sama and the others, there are probably no people who know their faces.
"I understand that you all feel anxious. However, considering the future, we should research the latest ways of fighting and strive to reduce damage. This time, it's a battle that emphasizes Flight Magic and coordination with the lords who have become legends in various places. It's an experiment for a new tactic, so to speak. Please, cooperate with us."
The villagers, who had their hostility completely drained, all nodded at once.
After that, it became a banquet.
People flocked to Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama, who had revealed their true identities, to see the former heroes. Both of them responded frankly, so they are incredibly popular. When someone went to greet them, they said, "Well, sit down," and poured them a drink. While having a drink, they talked about everyday things. They were mainly asking about the other person. Gwyn-sama, who was next to them, was also listening along. Only the village head was sighing with exhaustion.
Since we shouldn't take away the local people's fun, I was eating and drinking in a separate place with the Priestesses when the ghosts gathered.
"This area has no blessings from the sea, and everyone is poor. A few fields and hunting are the only supports for life."
One of the ghosts spoke to me.
The appearance of the Behemoth has caused great damage to the villages, and even in subjugating it, many lives have been lost. Being a B-rank, it must be correspondingly strong.
"I don't know why the Behemoth only appears around that mountain. Jeanne. If it's possible, that is. If you can, please find the cause and make it so it can never appear again."
"Yeah, we'll cooperate too. If we're taken in by evil spirits, you can go ahead and subjugate us as well."
The ghosts know about the events in Morandine. This request for support is based on that.
"Eleanor-sama says that this subjugation will include an investigation, so to speak. At the end of the investigation, if it's a situation where we can prevent the appearance of the Behemoth, we'll think of measures and then implement them. At that time, if it's a situation where there's a possibility of you all being taken in, we'll do it by ourselves. If it's a situation where you can participate, please do cooperate."
The ghosts definitely want to participate. They are trying to say something.
"If you powerful ghosts are taken in by evil spirits, the opponent will be strengthened too much, and those of us left won't be able to subjugate it at all."
When I said that, they looked down while laughing.
"I see. Understood. We'll follow Jeanne's thinking in everything."
"That's right, that's better."
They seemed to have accepted it. In reality, it's Eleanor-sama's strategy, but the judgment of whether there are evil spirits is left to the Priestesses and me. It has been decided that if even one of the seven of us gathered this time judges it to be dangerous, we will withdraw immediately.
We toasted again, including the Priestesses.
The B-rank Lindwurm was the product of being strengthened by dense magic power. Since it was originally a Wyarm, they must have been together. It's the same as the Black Dragon Child being with the Wyverns.
Accidents like the magic power leakage in the Northeastern Forest don't seem to be happening in other places, but there is a possibility that the Behemoth was created or formed in some way. The King of Finis's request includes not only the Behemoth subjugation but also the investigation of the cause of its occurrence.
"Jeanne. The fact that you and the Young Master conquered a Demon Realm, even if it was small-scale, gave us great courage. Of course, that's not all. You gave strength to Aira-sama, treated the Water Dragon, put the ghosts of the former lords into orbs, and together with the Wyverns, subjugated the Hydra and achieved coexistence and co-prosperity with the Fire Dragon."
Actually, the roles I played, except for the matter with Aira, were as a messenger and a decoy. Unfortunately, I can't be called the protagonist. Just like the Demon Lord subjugation unit, I'm a diversion.
"Jeanne. You are a priest. Isn't it your duty to support warriors with holy magic and treat the injured?"
"But priests use Holy, right?"
"Yes. Holy is magic bestowed by the Goddess to strike down monsters."
"That's what I've heard."
Unless it's an ultra-high-level log-sized Holy, it won't deal significant damage to a B-rank.
"That Holy has no rank. It only changes shape depending on magic control. Aren't you too trapped by the appearance of the magic you fire?"
"But the power is actually different."
"Yes. Per use, that is."
"Eh?"
My magic control is on par with an ultra-high-level single-spell user. In other words, I can fire it many times... I see, I get it!
"I'll try it."
"Please. Let us join you."
We left everyone and went to a forest near the village. The Priestesses accompanied me. The ghosts wanted to come along too, but since it's holy magic, I had them refrain.
First, I thrust both hands forward and open my mouth. I take deep breaths in that posture. When the image has heightened, I chant and fire the magic.
"Holy Lance!"
An impact that made me lean back came, but I was able to fire a triple volley of extra-thick Holy from both hands and my mouth. In other words, it's three times the power of normal high-level magic. Although it doesn't reach the log-sized Holy, if I can fix my aim on a single point, it will demonstrate considerable power.
I did it!
When I looked at the Priestesses, they were whispering about something.
"Jeanne. Did you just fire magic from your mouth?"
Come to think of it, I hadn't told the Priestesses that I could fire magic from my mouth.
"Yes. I've become able to do it."
When I said I could fire it if I heightened the image of biting, they all laughed together.
"For a normal person, they would double it with both hands. To triple it is... as expected of Jeanne. I am impressed."
Hmm, I wonder if I should be happy about that as a compliment.