145 - Confrontation
The Hero's seriousness. It is something that forces sacrifices upon his allies. Across the water-filled moat, the soldiers of the Noble House Army are launching a fierce assault against the Demon King's army. It is a terrifying attack, completely different from any battle until now.
Whether arrows are fired or magic is unleashed from the opposite bank, the soldiers' movements do not stop. Even if they take those hits to their bodies, it is the same. They push forward recklessly through the water, which does not allow them to advance as they wish. Even if the soldier in front takes a fatal wound, they simply push aside the corpse.
"...Is the Hero's trump card 'Necromancy'?"
Ray asked the absent-minded question, but his expression was dead serious. He felt a sense of urgency at the abnormality of the enemy soldiers.
"He is not manipulating the dead. He is manipulating the living."
The one who answered Ray's question seriously was King Dracul. King Dracul's expression was also grim.
"As I thought, it's magic... some kind of magic that turns them into berserkers?"
"Berserkers... I see. A fitting word. However, it is not just that. It seems to have the effect of crushing the enemy's morale as well."
Fumiya's voice echoed from the opposite bank. King Dracul felt it acting upon his own mind.
"What a convenient spell. It is a blessing that the influence on our allies is not significant."
"I think there is quite a significant influence?"
"Eh?"
"Even I am quite shaken. How should I put it... anyway, it feels as if something is being hammered directly into my heart."
Even King Dracul, a powerful demon among the demon race who possess strong resistance to magic, could not remain calm. Such magic was being emitted from Fumiya.
"...I will pull the Cecrops race back to the opposite bank!"
Knowing this, Ray decided to pull back the Snake-person race and the Cecrops race, who were intercepting the enemy in the water.
"Understood! Send the signal to the Cecrops race! Hurry!"
"Yes, sir!"
Following King Dracul's order, a man of the Vampio race dashed off.
"Support the retreat! No... I will put the Undead Legion on the front line!"
"King!?"
Putting the Undead Legion on the front line. That meant that Ray, who led them, would also be on the front line.
"The Hero has appeared. Since the enemy is launching a full-scale offensive, we must also meet them with everything we have."
"...Understood. Then I shall go as well."
"No. King Dracul, please handle the overall command. After reconstructing the formation, I ask that you handle the enemies that the Undead Legion fails to eliminate."
"But..."
"This is something only King Dracul can do!"
Power is necessary to lead the demon race. Of course, at this stage, there were no races acting on a whim. The power required was not individual strength, but leadership. The power to move them as an organization. Aside from Ray, the only person who possessed that was King Dracul.
"...Then at least the Royal Guard. Kai!"
Understanding this, King Dracul gave up on going to the front line himself and decided to leave it to Kai. To the Royal Guard led by Kai.
"We're ready to go anytime!"
From the moment Ray mentioned going to the front line, Kai and the others had prepared themselves for deployment. It was the role of the Royal Guard to follow wherever Ray went.
"Let's go!"
"Roger!"
Ray and the Royal Guard led by Kai headed for the front line. Among them was Cecil. Cecil had sworn in his heart that if he died, he would die together with Ray. No matter how dangerous it was, he had no intention of leaving his side. Following them was the Undead Legion. The Undead Legion, which had been hiding underground, appeared one after another and raced toward the front line.
◇◇◇
The Laurel Kingdom army, which had ordered the soldiers of the Noble House Army to charge, had advanced their formation significantly. Fumiya, the commander-in-chief, was on the front line. Naturally, that was how it happened. The knights and soldiers of the Laurel Kingdom's regular army gasped at the terrifying battle unfolding before their eyes. For the people of the Kingdom of Aria and the Kingdom of Lydia, this was a way of fighting they had experienced themselves, but for the people of the Laurel Kingdom army, this was the first time they had seen such an abnormal sight.
"Once the vanguard reaches the opposite bank, I'll move the followers forward."
"Y-yes."
Hearing that it was their turn next, the knights of the Laurel Kingdom were slightly frightened. It was not that they feared combat. They feared losing their reason. However, that was only for now. Once the charge began, they would no longer be able to think of such things.
"One more push. Advanceeeee! Scatter the enemyyyyy!"
Fumiya's command echoed across the battlefield. Hearing it, the frightened hearts of the knights began to race. It was even more so for the soldiers on the front line. They simply charged recklessly toward the opposite bank. However, the momentum of those soldiers stopped at a certain point.
"...What happened?"
"That is... magic... the Witch of Ice and Blood!?"
What stopped the soldiers' movements was Cecil's magic. The surface of the water had been frozen, leaving them unable to move.
"...Do not flinch! Push through!"
Fumiya issued commands to the soldiers. Stirred by his voice, the soldiers began to try and force their way forward. However, the Demon King's army's plan did not end there. Emerging across the ice were skeleton soldiers. They began stabbing the immobilized soldiers with spears.
"That bastard Tsukitani... I'll blow those undead away!"
Fumiya stepped out of the formation and moved forward. He intended to erase the skeleton soldiers with his own magic. He did not realize that this action was also exactly what the opponent wanted. The trees on the opposite bank began to fall one after another. These were trees that had been cut down once, and their surfaces coated with clay and other materials to make them harder to burn. This was not only to strengthen their fire resistance, but to keep the Laurel Kingdom army continuing their fire-arrow attacks by not letting them notice. Ray decided to use them for a different purpose at this moment. Trees floating in the moat. The one running atop them was Ray.
"Tsukitani!"
Noticing this, Fumiya shouted. He did not realize that his chanting had stopped because of it. Even if he had, Ray would not have let him continue. Jumping across the pushed-out trees, Ray approached Fumiya. Finally, he leaped a considerable distance in one go and reached the opposite bank.
"...You've got some nerve, don't you?"
Fumiya spoke to Ray, who had crossed to the opposite bank alone.
"What of it?"
"...Don't get cocky!"
Fumiya took Ray's answer as a provocation. He swung his sword and attacked Ray. It was a speed invisible to the eyes of ordinary people. However, Ray managed to block that sword. Furthermore, Ray dodged a kick unleashed by Fumiya with a large leap backward. Fumiya pursued Ray. The sword, swung up at a speed the eye could not follow, cut through the air.
"...You're surprisingly capable."
"So, what of it?"
"Do you think I'll fall for that provocation twice!?"
Fumiya attacked Ray while saying so. He claimed he was falling for a provocation, but he himself did not understand it.
"Hero! Our allies!"
The one who made him realize this was a knight in the formation. Receiving attacks not only from spears but also from arrows from the Undead Legion, the charging Noble House Army was steadily decreasing in number.
"Damn it... Advance! The enemy—"
Fumiya tried to issue a command to his allies, but his voice stopped as he took an attack from Ray.
"Support the Hero!"
Seeing this, a subordinate knight gave instructions on his own authority. Kill Ray. Even if they couldn't do that, separate him from Fumiya. That was the intent. The allied forces leaped out from the formation. Standing in the way of those allied forces were the Undead Legion, who had crossed to the opposite bank late, and the Royal Guard.
"Ray, you're too fast."
As soon as he arrived, Kai complained to Ray.
"I was in a hurry."
"He looks strong, doesn't he?"
"Well, he is the Hero."
While talking with Kai in a way that sounded like trivial conversation, Ray organized the lines of the Undead Legion who had ridden the trees that reached the opposite bank. Once their numbers were gathered, he turned them toward the Laurel Kingdom army coming their way.
"Hero! Please step back for a moment!"
Now that the enemy forces had crossed, it was no time for a one-on-one fight. Thinking this, a knight tried to call Fumiya back.
"I'm being called, see? Don't you need to step back?"
"I'll step back. After I've defeated you!"
Once again, Fumiya fell for Ray's provocation. However, this judgment was not wrong. If he defeated Ray, the Undead Legion would stop their activities. But until then, it was a chaotic melee. On the opposite bank, a battle raged where the demons prevented the desperate landing of the Noble House Army. On this side, a battle between the Undead Legion and the Laurel Kingdom army was taking place. It was a situation where forces from both armies that did not fear death were pressing into the enemy lines. And the battle between Ray and Fumiya continued.
"Uooooooooh!"
Fumiya attacked Ray with a roar. With his spirit pumped up, his movements felt as if he had shifted up a gear. Ray was barely managing to weather those attacks.
"I'm not done yettttt!"
"You've got to be kidding me."
Fumiya's movements became even faster. The movement of the sword did not stop. Ray was somehow reacting, but Fumiya's attacks were not only fast but heavy. He felt himself being overpowered in strength.
(...How is the opposite bank?)
He wouldn't last long. Judging this, Ray began to think about when to withdraw.
(I think the threat has diminished?)
Leni answered Ray's question. It was not a bad answer.
(Can I pull back the legion?)
(It's a complete melee. Please be prepared for a reasonable amount of sacrifice.)
(Same here.)
Resa and Reshi's answers were not good. In terms of numbers, the Undead Legion was at a disadvantage. Withdrawing from a situation with their backs to the wall was not easy.
(...Retreat gradually.)
(Roger.)
(Can't be helped.)
Even so, Ray issued the order to retreat. He thought he could somehow create an opening.
(Kamui. Increase the numbers.)
(Are you serious?)
(As long as the enemy is confused, that's enough.)
(...Understood.)
The plan was to turn the enemy corpses currently on the battlefield into undead. By doing so, he intended to unsettle the enemy and create an opening. However, even if that succeeded...
"Don't be stubborn!? I didn't think you'd make it this far!"
He needed to stop Fumiya. This was the most difficult part.
"To think there's someone who can make me get serious. And for that person to be you."
"............"
Fumiya still had more. Ray had also not thought he could go that far. Ray regretted his own carelessness. Fumiya had also grown. He had misjudged that.
"...Here I come."
Fumiya's body began to glow slightly. It was not the body itself that was glowing. The magic power overflowing from his body was glowing. Ray took a deep breath and calmed his mind. He felt that he must also give his all to withstand Fumiya's strike. A thumping impact sound. In the interval before that reached his ears, Fumiya had closed the distance to Ray. He somehow blocked the sword. However, the weight—not the sword itself, but something like a shockwave—hit his entire body, and Ray was blown backward. Fumiya immediately tried to launch a follow-up attack on Ray, who had fallen to the ground. However, before his body could accelerate, a shadow leaped out.
"What!?"
A human figure was blown away.
"K-Kai-kun..."
It was Kai.
"...Don't get in the way! That's cowardly!"
Fumiya became enraged at Kai's intrusion. To Fumiya, Kai was an unknown small fry. He was angry that a small fry had interrupted the fight.
"Small fry. Die while regretting that you got in the way."
Fumiya approached Kai, who had fallen to the ground.
"...S-stop it."
Ray stood up, somehow enduring the pain in his entire body. He tried to rush to Kai's side, but the shock he had taken had not completely left his body.
(What is this? Do something!?)
It was not just damage. Judging it to be a type of magic, Ray complained in his mind.
(Hey!? Do something!)
(You're the one who told me to use Necromancy, right!? Don't rely on me for everything. Do something with your own willpower!)
(What did you say!?)
(You know it! The reason you can't move is a mental problem! Rouse your willpower and do something! If that's impossible, switch with someone!)
(Switch...?)
Resa and Reshi were completely occupied with commanding the Undead Legion. Leni was there to be a substitute, but if anyone other than the main personality, Ray, possessed the will, the combat power would drop drastically. He didn't think she could stop Fumiya.
"Y-you...! Moveeeee!!"
As Kamui had said, he tried to squeeze out his own willpower. But Fumiya was already right in front of Kai.
"Kai-kun! Run!"
The one who responded to Ray's voice was another Royal Guard member. They confronted Fumiya to save Kai, but Fumiya fought on equal or better terms against multiple Vampio race members. Still, it bought time. In the meantime, Ray struggled to somehow regain the movement of his body, but...
"...D-damn it."
One of the Royal Guard members fell to the ground. The frustration of only being able to watch with a staggering body. With the humiliation of being shown the difference in power with Fumiya, Ray's heart trembled.
"You small fry! I'll bury you all together!"
Fumiya's voice was full of confidence. He couldn't save his family again. Never again. This vow was about to be cruelly shattered.
"Die!"
Fumiya swung his sword back exaggeratedly. He already had that much leeway. Just as Ray was about to give up, thinking it was finally over...
"Eh... what is this?"
Fumiya let out a voice of bewilderment. Dust swirled around his body. It gained momentum and rotated sharply. Fumiya knew what this phenomenon was. However, he had not considered at all that it would be directed at him. That became Fumiya's opening.
"Gu, guaaaaaaaah!"
The momentum of the wind became violent all at once. The pained voice of Fumiya, who was at the center, echoed.
"Kai-kun!"
Following that, a voice shouted Kai's name. It was Akemi's voice. Akemi rushed to Kai. Akemi was not the only one who had come. Cecil was with her.
"Ray-sama! Are you alright!?"
"...W-we are retreating. Can you help us?"
"Of course. Akemi-san, we're retreating!"
"Understood!"
Akemi's chanting voice echoed across the battlefield. The fact that the chant was quite long was proof that it was a powerful spell. At the same moment Akemi's voice stopped, a giant tornado swept toward the Laurel Kingdom army.
(...Now. Pull back the legion.)
Seeing that, Ray issued the order for the legion to retreat. The Laurel Kingdom army, already unsettled by their allies becoming undead, fell into great chaos upon taking a direct hit from the powerful magic. Before that, they had also heard Fumiya's scream. The knights aside, the soldiers completely lost their will to fight and began to flee in panic. In that opening, Ray and the Undead Legion returned to the opposite bank. The direct confrontation between Fumiya and Ray ended like this.