Chapter 755 - Third Story: Exploring the White Island's Largest Demon Realm ②
The counterattack from the Demon Race came that night. Several members of the Demon Race and nearly ten Wyverns attacked the fortress. Since it's been several days past the half moon and approaching the full moon, the monsters must be energetic.
Even though the moon is out, it's night. Suddenly, several bolts of lightning were dropped from the sky, followed by Wyverns breathing fire. The sentries on the outer wall disappeared without even time to scream, and the roars of soldiers who sensed the situation were drowned out by the fire attacks. Now, no human voices can be heard.
"They are being hit quite hard."
It's Eleanor-sama. She's watching the fortress, which is dyeing the night sky red, with her arms crossed alongside Henry-sama.
"It's probably because we piled up firewood soaked in oil in the temporary wooden huts. Didn't we go a bit too far?"
It's Price-sama. I understand what he's trying to say. No matter how you look at it, it's burning too much.
"It's to make the opponent get carried away. Now, shall we go?"
One bowl ascended. Leaves rustled, but there was no sound because Mute was applied. We came out from the shade of the trees, ascended, and accelerated all at once.
The fortress is on the lakeshore, but there's a forest on the opposite side of the lake. We were lurking there. The advance bowl should be floating in the sky. Since it's waiting while hiding its presence, I don't know where it is.
We approached the sky above the burning fortress while hiding our presence. When scouting with Sight, Wyverns and winged members of the Demon Race were flying around in the sky.
The fire had spread through the fortress more than expected, and it was burning here and there. Places where thick smoke was rising were floating blackly in the flames. The reason there was no fire around the courtyard must be because there was nothing to burn.
"We clearly went too far."
Price-sama let out a sigh. No wonder. Even when a fortress falls, it doesn't burn this much. The feeling of fire crackling can be confirmed even from above the sky. Just what and how did it burn to become like that? This is exactly the hellfire that appears in fairy tales.
Even though it was a decoy, it's an ally's fortress. If we put it through too much, the cleanup will be difficult.
"That may be so."
Just as Eleanor-sama agreed, several shadows thought to be members of the Demon Race appeared in the courtyard, floating in the red-dyed flames.
"They've come to see the situation."
"Shall we attack?"
"Of course. We'll go all at once to point-blank range."
"Roger!"
When Eleanor-sama tilted the bowl forward, she made it descend all at once. Riding in it are Price-sama, Bonnie, and I.
Eleanor-sama, who is operating, is at the front, Price-sama is on the right, I'm on the left, and Wilson-san and Bonnie are at the back. Price-sama is thrusting both hands above his head, and I'm holding the tip of my staff above my head.
"Two are walking, and two are in the sky."
Wilson-san counts the number of targets. The targets are, of course, members of the Demon Race. They landed in the courtyard of the fortress surrounded by flames, just like the evil demons from fairy tales. Some Wyverns are flying, but they're not paying them any mind.
"Eleanor, shall we go from above?"
"No, let's attack from below."
"What about the ones above?"
"If they flee, we'll track them and find their location."
"What if they attack?"
"We'll strike back."
"Understood."
A quick meeting between Price-sama and Eleanor-sama ended, and the attack began.
Since they were rapidly approaching in my field of vision, I turned off the effect of Sight. This is because it becomes impossible to focus immediately.
It's a rapid descent followed by rapid deceleration. Weight is applied all at once to my feet. We reached almost the same height as the outer wall. Then we proceeded slowly and descended into the courtyard. We descended behind the two walking monsters and approached just like that.
"Jeanne, let's do this."
"Yes!"
The two of us together released a barrage of Overflow with reflectors. I used Eight-Shot. There was no way they could dodge a surprise attack from point-blank range, and the members of the Demon Race fell to the ground as if blown away. Next, we ascended rapidly.
Just as we cleared the outer wall, an explosion sound was heard from below.
It's the gunpowder Bonnie threw. The effect was confirmed in the Harpy cave. That alone can inflict a fatal wound.
The clink, clink hitting the bottom of the bowl must be silver fragments. I think it'll be fine, but I'm worried they might penetrate the bottom of the bowl.
"They've fallen. They're not moving."
Bonnie is watching the situation of the two Demon Race members.
"The two in the sky have descended. The one coming from the right is closer."
If it's the right, it's Price-sama's charge.
Wilson-san points diagonally upward with the arrow he holds in his right hand. The angle of that arrow gradually lowers. If we match that angle, the aim should roughly align.
"Now!"
Lowering his arm to prevent accidental fire was the signal.
"Light!"
"...Holy Overflow!"
In an instant, I released Light with a wide angle, and toward the Demon Race member illuminated by it, Price-sama released Overflow with reflectors.
"Splendid! What a magnificent coordination."
Wilson-san praised us. We blinded the Demon Race member, and Price-sama dealt damage. For just an instant, the Demon Race member, who closed his eyes and turned his face away, floated in the darkness. Price-sama aimed at that with Holy. As expected of a former hero. In an instant, he accurately pierced the Demon Race member's chest.
And in the next moment, we passed each other. Since the Demon Race member fell through the darkness, I couldn't see him.
"Boom!"
The lightning released by another Demon Race member fell, but there's no way it would hit. Eleanor-sama switched to lateral movement at the same time we released our magic. Thanks to that, I hit my side against the edge of the bowl. It's better than falling, but my breath stopped. It was good that Price-sama cast Heal on me, but otherwise, I would have been crouching. However, I'm the only one in pain; I wonder how the others can withstand the load of that movement. It's a mystery.
We made a large turn just like that, and while glancing at the Wyverns that were screaming, we headed for the fortress.
"On top of the main tower. The opponent from earlier is staggering in the courtyard."
"Let's deliver the finishing blow."
Eleanor-sama accelerated.
Wilson-san is guarding against another Demon Race member. Judging from the direction of his face, he's above the fortress.
"The other one is on top of the main tower. He's holding his right hand high and preparing to release magic. He probably intends to use the one who fell in the courtyard earlier as a decoy."
"Then, let's aim from above."
The direction Wilson-san is pointing is straight ahead. The height is almost the same. An attack from the front.
"Now!"
"Holy Lance!"
"Holy Overflow!"
We released them simultaneously from Eleanor-sama's left and right.
The white light pierced the black shadow. It's right in front of me.
Gogaa!
We crashed into him with the bowl just like that. It's too sudden a development! He must have hit his head hard. The Demon Race member fell just like that.
"Ouch!"
I'm holding the staff with both hands. I fell forward from the sudden impact. Trying to support my body along with the staff, I hit the edge of the bowl and hit my face squarely against the staff. Since I was holding it high, I hit the handle part, which was good, but it would have been a disaster if I'd hit the Class of 175 emblem at the head of the staff.
"Heal! Are you alright?"
Price-sama immediately cast Heal on me.
"Th-Thank you very mush."
My tongue isn't working properly and I can't speak right, but the bruises were healed.
"We're pursuing. Bonnie, please release fire arrows and inform our allies."
"Okay~!"
"Both of you, just a bit more. Please."
Geez, she's a slave driver.
We crushed the nests of the flying types in the morning. In the afternoon, we transported the proceeds, and at night, we refrained from activity. It can be said that we acted according to the movements of the monsters, as night is their time. In other words, we took turns standing watch at night. The main part of the watch was the soldiers made with Illusion for decoys, and three people including Mary made them in two-hour turns. The decoy team stayed in the shrine in the courtyard of the fortress. Inside the shrine, they set up a simple barrier to create a place to flee, and Henry-sama and Will waited as close-combat personnel. By the way, half of the actual soldiers stationed at the fortress went on sky watch in the bowls, and the other half stayed in the basement. The stay-in-the-basement team appealed that they wanted to fight, but fighting against the Demon Race in a night battle would only increase the damage. Price-sama didn't allow it. Since they couldn't decide who would fight and who would wait, they decided to take turns every night.
The bowl unit consisted of one bowl user and five scouts attached to the fortress. All of them made the forest across the river from the fortress their base. The simple magic circle was active here too.
Including us, the six bowls were divided into three groups, and we had a three-shift system with two bowls for guard and four for standby. However, if a battle occurred, all the standby groups would sortie. The guard group would temporarily return to the base, remake the bowls, and sortie again.
I thought it would be difficult after midnight, but I was grateful they came out during the time when the half moon was out. Although, the monsters become stronger during the time when the moon is out.
Since we made a surprise attack on the nest holes while hiding our presence, the possibility of retaliation to the fortress by only monsters was low. However, it was thought that if there were members of the Demon Race, they would definitely come to the fortress for revenge. We waited in ambush for that. It went as planned. The Demon Race members came for revenge, leading Wyverns.
Since it was originally made of stone, it wouldn't break easily even if lightning was released. Since that wouldn't attract the opponent, we hastily made simple wooden huts and piled up firewood soaked in oil.
A barrage of lightning by the Demon Race. The Illusion user made a magnificent sight of soldiers being hit by lightning. The shouts and screams must have been amplified with Loud. Scouts of any nation are good at that kind of detailed acting.
And the raid by Wyverns and the attack by fire. The huts caught fire.
We also removed the ballistas from the turrets and tied wooden sticks and boards to make replicas.
There were two huts with oil spread in the courtyard.
There's also a shrine in the courtyard. The shrine became the base for the fortress team.
The shrine of the fortress is sturdy enough to be used as a treatment center even in a war against humans. It's made of stone and has small windows. Since we took out everything that could burn, only candles remained. We didn't place a painting of the Goddess, but a stone statue. There seems to be a basement too.
The reason the Demon Race members went out of their way to land in the courtyard must be to kill the humans who fled to the main tower or the shrine. By the way, the main tower was empty. However, there were Price-sama's barriers here and there. Since they're the Demon Race, they could break them if they felt like it, but it would feel unpleasant, so we guided them to hit the shrine, which has only one entrance, first. The combat power of the shrine consisted of the Illusion personnel, Henry-sama, Will, the priest attached to the fortress, and several scouts including the captains. In preparation for the flames, they froze the inside with Freeze and Ice Cube until it was cold, and we gave them scrolls of Resist. Besides that, there was combat power including simple barriers, Camouflage, Magic Reflection, ultra-high-level elemental magic, and silver weapons. However, before that happened, we were supposed to launch a surprise attack.
We defeated all four low-ranking Demon Race members who came to attack. Seeing Bonnie deliver the finishing blows, I blinked Light toward the sky. It was to contact the sky standby team. Some Wyverns still remain. We have to defeat as many as we can. In the sky, several streaks of white light from Overflow with reflectors were shining. They were scrolls prepared by Price-sama, the fortress priest, and me. This time, we set Overflow scrolls in searchlights for use against flying-type monsters. That way, we can aim and release them. Since they're for searchlights, they reach surprisingly far. Since they're originally Overflow, the power is high.
While we were fighting the Demon Race, the Wyverns were flying in the sky and breathing fire toward the fortress. During that time, the sky team was secretly tracking the Wyverns. They were waiting for contact from us.
The plan hit the mark perfectly, and we were able to shoot down three Wyverns. I don't know where the other Wyverns went, but it's a night pursuit. It can't be helped.
The next morning, we went to exterminate the rest of the Wyverns.
The Wyverns were awake, but there were only three in the first hole and two in another hole. We entered the nests while hiding our presence and easily finished them off with Price-sama's and my Overflow with reflectors.
With this, the flying types around the cave for the Demon Lord's resurrection were eradicated. There seem to be some nest holes on the mountains to the east, but that's the charge of another team. So, we decided to leave it to them until clear information comes in. And I ended up returning to Sertoria for the recovery of the Northeastern Forest.
When returning home, we stopped at the Sertorian Royal Capital and the Southern Church. We delivered Mary to the Royal Capital, and went to the Southern Church to pick up Germana. Since Henry-sama, Will, and Bonnie remained, Eleanor-sama, Wilson-san, and I headed there, along with Mary returning to the Royal Capital and Price-sama who would finalize things at the Southern Church.
Since we arrived at the Southern Church in the evening, we had dinner just like that. At the table, Erikson-sama and Germana asked us quite a bit about the battle against the Demon Race. I understand Erikson-sama since he said he made a name for himself in monster hunting, but isn't Germana neutral?
"Strictly speaking, I don't have to be neutral. Because I'm a clone of the spirit that was born when Testament was liberated. Originally, I'm one who seals the Demon Lord."
Now that she mentioned it, that's true. I was careless. But that means there's a human-side member among those called the Five Great Elements?
"That's right. Но, I can't fully exert my power unless I'm inside the Cave of Testament, so I'm not useful."
Come to think of it, she did say something like that.
"How about it? Why don't you come and observe a modern Demon Lord army countermeasure once?"
"Is it okay?"
Erikson-sama began to glow.
Um, I think Eleanor-sama said that to Germana, not to Erikson-sama.