100 - Chapter 26: And So, the Three Idiots Move Once Again
That... the Spirit Dragon Alberstein was in a state of confusion.
It did not know who it was.
It felt as if it had been a fairy, it felt as if it had been a Divine Dragon, and it also felt as if it had been a vampire.
However, it certainly remembered anger and resentment toward someone. And it noticed that that person, or perhaps those connected to them, were on the surface.
Therefore, it writhed and raged, pushed through the earth, and aimed for the heavens. It bathed in sunlight for the first time in surely several hundred years, yet it felt neither pain nor fear.
Only an emotion like blind rage dyed its being, and eventually, it found the enemy.
Small.
Among the creatures called humans, which were already small, it felt this one was particularly small, yet it was certainly the culprit... its descendant.
Thus, it charged toward the small human and swallowed them along with the surrounding area.
A feeling of "serves you right" welled up. Not everything, but it felt as if it had managed a tiny bit of revenge.
Not bad.
Perhaps because it had raged a bit upon waking, there was a refreshing sense of fatigue, which also felt quite good.
The culprit is in its belly.
None can stand against me.
Surrendering itself to this emotion, feeling like the ruler of this world for the first time in ages, it climbed to the highest point nearby.
The Spirit Dragon Alberstein turned its head toward the absurdly clear blue sky, as if puffing out its chest, and attempted to take a quiet break.
However, the surroundings suddenly became noisy.
Small things.
Had this area been the dwelling of those things? They came swarming out of the stone structures like a cloud of gnats.
That in itself did not matter, but the screams like shrill shrieks and the death rattles were grating on the ears.
It was in such a good mood, yet it could not find peace like this.
By the time it thought "how annoying," its body had reacted on its own.
Its scales were launched one by one independently. When the scales pierced the earth, they transformed into bone Dragon Soldiers.
Now, what was that again... it had even forgotten, but then it suddenly remembered.
It was certainly the ability of a dragon it had opposed in the distant past. The memory surfaced that after eating that, it had come to be called a Spirit Dragon.
They were nothing special, but for a swarm of gnats, this was sufficient. After a while, the gnats would become quiet and still.
Thinking this, the Spirit Dragon Alberstein closed its consciousness and decided to take a quiet break.
●
The tyranny that had appeared abruptly became quiet.
Whether it was resting from fatigue, or perhaps basking in the sun lured by the pleasant weather, it was unknown, but to make matters worse, it had coiled itself around Alberstein Castle.
"Is that Alberstein? That thing?"
"Probably."
"But again... it is quite large, or rather, long, isn't it..."
Once the storm had passed and the Three Idiots reunited and headed toward the ravaged headquarters, it looked exactly like the aftermath of a typhoon.
However, even in the height of chaos, Julia, who was the practical commander-in-chief, was taking charge, rescuing and treating the wounded regardless of whether they were ally or enemy.
Since the Three Idiots arrived in the midst of this, they were forced to help without question, and by the time they could catch their breath, the key figures gathered to put their heads together in the battered headquarters.
"So, what should we do about that Albenian Deathworm?"
"A fitting description. Though it has absurdly hard scales."
"The head is more like an earthworm than a dragon, isn't it?"
Compared to the Alberstein forces, who wore solemn expressions, the Three Idiots were, how should one put it, extremely carefree.
Seeing this, Shannon directed a sharp gaze at the three. Although she had been told to leave the room, she regretted that she could not rush to her master's aid in their time of crisis.
She had tried to go rescue them immediately, but when Julia asked "can you go alone?", she fell silent and turned to the rescue efforts.
She knew this emotion was just taking it out on others. But even so, she could not help but speak.
"Lady Lumilia was swallowed! How can you be so leisurely...!"
"Ah, about that, it's fine. I've confirmed she's safe."
"Eh?"
As if seizing the initiative, Later waved his hand flippantly.
Then, the Holy Scripture of Arms on his right arm plopped onto the table and transformed into a metallic spider. Looking like a jumping spider, it waved its front legs, spreading charm to its surroundings.
"I sent this thing diving from its mouth into its belly to search. Man, it was surprisingly spacious. I almost blurted out 'Are you Pinocchio?!'. By the way, is the character for 'Lili' a castle spire? She was caught on one and stretched out. Well, she'll wake up eventually."
"Then...!"
"She was safe. She had a barrier up with magic or something, and in the first place, the stomach is so huge that the swallowed things are floating like small islands with footing, so she won't be digested for a while."
Hearing those words, Shannon, Julia, and the other generals breathed a sigh of relief.
Despite some complaints from the side... or rather, from below, the civil war had ended. Now, as long as they rescued their swallowed master, it would be a happy ending.
That said, everyone present thought that doing so would be another difficult task.
Therefore, Julia started the conversation and directed her attention to Geoglyph.
"Now, while many questions remain, I do not know how much time we have left. Do you have a plan, Demon King?"
"Is that any way to ask a favor of someone, vixen?"
"Then I shall bow my head. I beg of you."
"...Don't suddenly become a sensible person. It makes it uncomfortable for the one being stubborn."
"Lady Lumilia's life is at stake. I cannot afford to be picky about the means."
"I don't dislike how you can kill your personal feelings and move from an objective perspective."
Having the practical commander-in-chief bow to him, Geoglyph made a disgusted face but scratched the back of his head and thought.
To be honest, there was no longer any merit for the Three Idiots to cooperate. At most, it was the rescue of Lilitia, and for that, they could move individually as the Serious Breakers and say goodbye after the recovery.
Glancing sideways at the group, the two idiots were shrugging. It was a feeling of "well, we're already in the boat, so it can't be helped."
Kazuha was quietly watching his movements, with no sign of intending to intervene.
And above all.
(Lati's expectant eyes are heavy...!)
With sparkling eyes, she looked as if she were a child begging for the next page of a picture book, thinking "What will you do!? How will the Demon King handle this adversity!?".
Fearing that these expectant eyes would turn to disappointment, Geoglyph twisted the corners of his mouth, meaninglessly spread his cloak with a flourish, and raised his right arm.
"Ray, Marie. We split into three. I will go underground. Magic paths are still extending from below. That is likely the cause of that inexhaustible recovery power and the kin. Unless that is destroyed, attacks will not land properly. Lati, come with me."
"E, yes...!"
In that case, I shall answer those expectations and show them my Demon King play! he thought, raising his voice to give orders.
"Ray and Kazuha, cooperate with Count Radock to sweep the surface and rescue the residents."
"The means?"
"I leave it to you. Count Radock, this guy is my right hand. You understand the rest, right?"
"This brat is likely an outlier just like you, is he not? Then I shall let him do as he pleases."
The Demon King nodded with satisfaction at those words, then turned his gaze to Marianne.
"Marie."
"Rescuing Her Highness Lumilia together with Shannon-chan, I presume. And while I am at it, Lilitia as well."
"That is it. Depending on the situation, release the Shadow Beasts and go all out."
"I see... This is no time to hesitate."
"Against that thing, holding back is impossible. I myself am low on stock. I cannot be as reckless as I was during the battle with the Evil God. That leaves Ray or you, but Ray is not suited for such large targets."
"True. I can fight if there is a time limit, but I do not know if that would settle it, and after that, I would become useless."
"Since a long-term battle is expected, you, who can conserve magic, are the right person."
"I suppose so..."
It was not that there were no concerns.
After all, the cause and reason why the Serious Breakers were sent to this Alberstein Kingdom were still unknown.
Based on circumstantial evidence, they suspected that Marianne's summoning arts were involved, but the details remained unclear. While not exactly sweeping it under the rug, by refraining from using it, such forced teleportation phenomena had indeed not occurred on the way here.
If she unlocked it, there was no telling what would happen.
However, as Geoglyph said, they were no longer in a situation where they could afford to hold back. The Broken Reality from before could not be used this time due to a lack of magic. In that case, they had to devise a countermeasure without it. And the right person for that was Marianne.
Marianne finally steeled herself, deciding that unlocking her full power was unavoidable.
"Now, it seems the tide has turned..."
The plan was decided.
The tasks to be done as well.
Then, all that remained was...
"The farce is over."
And with the Demon King's words as the signal, the Three Idiots became serious.
●
Making the sound of bones grinding, the Dragon Soldiers strode through the Alberstein royal capital.
There was no individual consciousness in them. What they performed was coordinated slaughter.
The order from the master, the Spirit Dragon Alberstein, was only one. Silence everything that makes unpleasant sounds.
It was a selfish and crude order, but the Dragon Soldiers did not even question it. Since they themselves could be called the Spirit Dragon Alberstein if one traced it back to the source, it was only natural.
Mechanically, like a predetermined phenomenon, they swarmed toward those making sounds and silenced them.
The means varied. Sometimes they used the bone weapons in their hands, and sometimes they used fangs even though they could not eat.
The sources of the sound responded in various ways.
Most were bipedal, but occasionally there were quadrupeds. If one had to name a common point, it was that they resisted en masse.
The resistance of the bipedal ones was particularly annoying. While there were very weak individuals, there were also individuals who resisted with weapons just like the Dragon Soldiers. At times, they even received attacks using magic.
The Dragon Soldiers, who received a near-infinite supply of magic from the main body of the Spirit Dragon Alberstein, were pseudo-undead.
Even if they were defeated and crushed, they would eventually revive. The whole did not change.
However, the resistance of the bipedals was terribly in the way of fulfilling the mission given to them.
The extermination progressed slowly. No, rather, as the sounds increased with vigor, the main body was starting to get impatient, and then... it came.
Thinking a shadow had suddenly fallen at the feet of the Dragon Soldiers, they looked up at the sky almost reflexively.
It was like a black sun.
Immediately after that recognition, a giant sun... no, a giant dull-colored iron ball descended at supersonic speed, crushing the Dragon Soldiers, and the direct impact shockwave blew away the surroundings.
●
"Stri...ke!!"
"Strike?"
In the sky above the royal capital, Later was shouting while laughing loudly, and Kazuha was tilting her head.
Yes, in the sky.
He and Kazuha were floating two hundred meters in the air. This was not a metaphor or a joke. They were standing in the sky. At least, anyone who did not know the circumstances would describe it as such.
The reality was slightly different, as this was an application of Kazuha's barrier arts. Later had proposed it to Kazuha, wanting a place where he could overlook the royal capital, and it had been realized.
What they were doing was not particularly difficult. They had simply built up barrier arts like a spiral staircase and climbed up each time. Since the barrier itself was invisible, it simply looked as if they were floating in mid-air to those who knew nothing.
Considering Kazuha's amount of magic, this height seemed to be the limit for maintenance, but it was still enough to overlook the royal capital.
To put it simply, they were on a super-high-altitude watchtower, and as for what Later was doing...
"Man, Struck-Out is so much fun!"
As he laughed loudly, the dull-colored sphere he had hurled... the Holy Scripture of Arms, returned to his hand.
It shrank rapidly, and while it had been a shot put of about twenty meters when it hit the ground, by the time it fit in Later's hand, it was the size of a baseball.
The Holy Scripture of Arms changes shape according to the user's will.
Therefore, he kept it the size of a baseball while in his hand and changed it into an iron ball immediately after throwing. And for some reason, this Holy Scripture of Arms completely ignored the law of conservation of mass, so it became as heavy as it looked.
He had not measured it accurately, but calculating on the assumption that it had the same mass as iron, it would be approximately six thousand seven hundred and twenty tons. On top of that, Later was hurling it with full physical reinforcement, so it easily exceeded the speed of sound and landed in the royal capital.
It created a scene of devastation that could easily be mistaken for a bombing or a meteorite strike.
"I-Is it okay... everything other than people is getting caught in the crossfire."
"Count Radock is handling the evacuation of the residents, and the buildings were already mostly destroyed by Alberstein, so it's too late for that. Well, collateral damage, collateral damage. Whatever, as long as the royal castle remains, it'll work out."
Furthermore, Julia was commanding and working the royalists and the prime minister's faction regardless of affiliation to rescue the residents of the royal capital, and it was arranged that they would signal with a white flag once that was finished.
Later decided to use that as a landmark and perform high-altitude mass attacks targeting the Dragon Soldiers he spotted.
The result was as one would expect.
(But man, it feels great to throw with full power for the first time in a while. The blood of a former high school baseball player is stirring...!)
He had technically received word that the destruction of the royal capital was acceptable, but regardless, there was an idiot enjoying pitching for the first time in ages. He was a man who had been in the baseball club for three years of high school, and while he could not go to Koshien and only made it as far as the district qualifier finals, he had still been a starting pitcher. Once he gripped a ball, he felt the urge.
"Ah, Later-sama. A white flag has gone up over there."
"Oh. Then, let's slam another one in."
I wonder if I can reproduce a disappearing magic ball, a Major League ball, or a Dream Ball, he thought with a grin, gripping the iron ball and swinging his arm up.
"Alright, pitcher's second pitch, winding up..."
And then, physical reinforcement with magic at full power.
"He throws!!"
The iron ball, released with a refined form, grew rapidly while scattering vapor cones, pierced through the Dragon Soldiers swarming the royal capital, and shook the earth.
To be continued next week.