78 - Annihilation
The Undead Legion was advancing toward the northwest. Ray was thinking of having the legion hole up in an inconspicuous location among their bases to focus on gathering information.
The reason he decided to do so was a sudden change in the war situation. The Undead Legion ended up staying longer than planned in the city they had occupied, where they were supposed to flee immediately. It was to wait for the Demon King's Army, which finally seemed to have started moving. An order had arrived telling them to secure the occupied city until a replacement unit arrived. Ray felt the risk in waiting for the Demon King's Army, not knowing when they would arrive. However, Ray was the one who had requested the Demon King's Army to move quickly. Once that request was granted, he couldn't simply say, "Do whatever you want" from there.
As a result, they were able to leave before the Laurel Kingdom army arrived. Thanks to their departure just as a vanguard of only a few members of the Demon King's Army arrived—though it wasn't exactly because they had left—they managed to avoid a fight regardless.
Now, Ray was curious about what the Laurel Kingdom army was doing. He also didn't quite understand the movements of the Demon King's Army, their allies. The purpose of gathering information was to determine the movements of the two armies and consider their next action.
"...I have a bad feeling about this."
Though he should have avoided the risk, Ray had been feeling restless and unsettled for a while.
"Don't say things that bring bad luck," Sansei complained in response to Ray's remark.
"I know, but something is bothering me."
"What do you mean, 'something'?"
"That's the problem. I don't know what it is."
"...Maybe we were tricked by the Vampio race."
It was a bad feeling with absolutely no basis, but Sansei couldn't bring himself to completely deny it. If something was bothering them, it should be resolved before a problem occurred. This was because Ray's cautiousness had rubbed off on Sansei as well.
"Would Kai-kun trick us?"
"Even if Kai himself didn't intend to, there's a possibility that those around him are deceiving us. The one who brought the information about the Demon King's Army, and the one who told Kai to return to his father, was another Vampio."
"...If they are deceiving us, then what?"
As a matter of fact, Kai and the other Vampio had left the Undead Legion. The possibility that this was a precursor to something could not be denied.
"Information about the Demon King's Army. The message to Kai to return to his father. What else is there?"
Sansei tried to list all the information brought by the Vampio.
"In cases like this, it's not the information itself, but the... affected by the information..."
"What is it? Did you think of something?"
"We were stalled. What is the reason they want to stall us?"
The Demon King's Army was coming. Because of this information, the Undead Legion had stayed in the city longer than originally planned. That was the biggest action affected by the information provided.
"...Ah, I think I've figured something out too."
"When did we talk about the location of the base we're heading to?"
"I forgot. I'm sure it wasn't right before we left."
They had talked about their future actions shortly after hearing that the Demon King's Army was coming to the city. Since that day, enough days had passed that he couldn't immediately remember when it was.
"Take combat positions!"
"Aren't we supposed to be fleeing in a hurry!?"
"We are fleeing! But we're a bit too late to shake them off in one go!"
"Are you serious!?"
Just as expected. The Laurel Kingdom army, which had been lying in ambush, revealed themselves. The scale was different from the units they had encountered so far. It was a massive army that looked to be easily ten times the size of the Undead Legion.
That massive army was approaching from the rear, as well as the left and right. The only opening was the front.
"The front is probably a trap."
"It's such an obvious trap that even I can tell."
There was only one reason to intentionally leave an escape route open.
"...What kind of trap do you think it is?"
"Don't ask me. How could I know something that you don't know?"
"...It can't be helped. I'll sacrifice a horse."
Saying this, Ray sent a spare horse forward. After it had advanced quite a bit, it appeared.
A wall of light rising from the ground toward the sky. The horse that touched that wall vanished, as if it had evaporated.
"...Magic. Since it erased a skeleton horse, it must be light-attribute magic."
"They actually prepared something like that. This is why I hate humans."
Magic tools designed for use against the Undead Legion. It was immediately obvious. Whether "meticulousness" was the right expression or not, the diligence to specifically prepare such tools for this one battle was something demons didn't possess.
"This might be bad."
The strength of the Undead Legion was their speed of movement. The enemy was trying to kill that strength.
"We have no choice but to break through one of the three sides."
"What if the units approaching also have the same magic tools?"
Trying to make them avoid the magic tool in the front was also a trap. Ray told Sansei about that possibility.
"...How do you come up with things like that? I'm starting to feel depressed."
"Isn't it better than charging in without thinking and getting erased?"
"Then, what do we do?"
Even as they spoke, the net of encirclement was being tightened. To break the current situation, action was needed, not just discussion.
"...I'll go through the front."
"Hah?"
"It's just a matter of eliminating the magic tool. Wait here. I'll go and destroy it."
"Hey!?"
It wasn't as simple as just going and destroying the magic tool. Naturally, there would be preparations against that. However, ignoring Sansei's voice, Ray moved forward.
The magic tool continued to emit a wall of light-attribute magic extending into the sky. In other words, the magic tool was located directly beneath it. Ray headed toward that spot. A tornado that flew over the wall of light stopped his feet.
"Tch, the Heroes, huh."
With one look at that tornado, Ray judged that it was Akemi's magic. Akemi, the magic user, couldn't be alone. Fumiya must be with her as well. The magical tornado came toward him.
(...Can I do it?)
(Easy)
A jet-black sword was gripped in Ray's hand. He swung the sword in a single flash toward the tornado approaching from the front. Without reaching Ray's body, the tornado scattered.
Surprised voices could be heard from the other side of the wall of light. As he already knew, Akemi was there. Furthermore...
"Geh!?"
Ray's voice echoed along with a metallic sound.
"What's with that voice? Anyway, you dodged that well."
"Isn't a surprise attack a bit unfair?"
"There's no such thing as unfair in a fight."
"...Is that how you speak to your disciple? Ah, I'm not your disciple anymore, am I?"
The one who had attacked was Geel. Ray was impressed with himself for reacting so quickly.
(It's thanks to me)
(I know. However... the odds are against me here)
Besides Geel, Fumiya was almost certainly there. Ray didn't have the confidence to win against these two.
"Do you have time to be thinking!?"
He had no time. Ray blocked Geel's downward sword strike with the magic sword Kamui and immediately leaped far back.
"Uoooooh!!"
A war cry. Following that, lines of light attacked Ray. Ray dodged them one after another. Then, blades of wind attacked him. Ray blocked all of them with his sword.
"...Isn't it cowardly to attack in such large numbers?"
After leaping back twice to create distance, Ray tried complaining to Geel.
"I haven't laid a finger on you. I intend to keep my turn."
They weren't attacking simultaneously. That was Geel's argument.
"Then could you tell your companions to do the same?"
"They aren't companions."
"I thought so. Now then... there's no point in complaining, is there?"
Even if he appealed to Fumiya that two against one was cowardly, there was no way he would stop.
"Just die quietly."
A line that reminded him of period dramas. Ray gave a wry smile at that.
"I will never forgive you! I'll take revenge for my best friend!"
"...Hah? Revenge?"
Ray was the one who wanted revenge. He didn't understand the meaning of Fumiya's words.
"You stole Tsukiya's heart and body! I will never forgive you for killing my best friend!"
"...Ah, I see. So that's the story you've decided on."
"Don't play dumb!?"
"You're desperate. You're free to make up a script that's convenient for you, but I'd like you to correct one thing."
"...Don't run away!?"
Even while talking to Fumiya, Ray didn't stop moving. He moved constantly to prevent Fumiya from closing the distance. For Fumiya, who intended to say what he wanted and then kill Ray to end things, this was a miscalculation.
"You and I aren't best friends. I wouldn't say I never thought of you as a best friend... but I soon realized it was a mistake."
"What...?"
"I understand it better now. You just used me, the outcast, to gain popularity for yourself, right? Like, 'Fumiya-kun is wonderful because he can be kind to a man like him'?"
"............"
"My surroundings are full of people like that. That woman over there used me to get close to you. Ah, I just realized, both of them succeeded, yet neither gave me any thanks."
"...Shut up."
"I don't mind. I've said what needed to be said."
That was enough. It wasn't that he had said everything he wanted to say, but he had bought time.
"Shut up! Don't talk nonsense!"
"Look around you! You idiot!"
Geel's warning flew toward the shouting Fumiya. In the time Ray had bought, about ten members of the Undead Legion had approached with explosive momentum.
Spears were swung from horseback. While Fumiya was dodging them, Ray leaped onto a horse and departed toward his allies.
"You let him get away, you big idiot."
Geel complained to Fumiya, but that didn't solve anything. There was no way he could catch up to Ray galloping away on a horse.
Besides, even if Geel didn't pursue, Ray couldn't escape. Since they had failed to kill him individually, it would now be a group battle. It was time for the allied forces surrounding them to act.
◇◇◇
Against three thousand members of the Undead Legion, they mobilized ten times that manpower and invested enormous costs to deploy a large number of magic tools specifically designed for the Undead Legion. With this, failure was not an option.
General Sieg, the commander-in-chief, moved the army cautiously to ensure not a single gap was created.
"...Did Geel fail?"
About ten cavalrymen joined the Undead Legion gathered near the center of the encirclement. They were the cavalry unit that had just left to pick up Ray and returned.
"What would you like to do next?"
"The trap in the front is nothing more than a bonus. We will simply proceed as planned."
"Understood."
The sound of drums echoed from the main camp where Sieg was. In response, cavalry units departed from three directions. Each unit consisted of about a hundred riders.
"...Their reaction is fast."
"Because we have coordinated the operational plans many times."
"That's not it. The Undead Legion has already started moving."
Against the three departing cavalry units, intercepting units had also emerged from the Undead Legion.
"I see. They certainly are fast."
The Undead Legion approached the allied cavalry units in the blink of an eye. Even from a distance, the difference in speed was clearly visible.
"Send the next wave."
"Eh, already?"
"The enemy's movement is too fast. We must accelerate our deployment more than planned."
"...Yes, sir."
Following Sieg's order, the sound of drums began to echo across the battlefield once more.
"Too slow. Keep up with the change in deployment."
Sieg grew irritated that the second wave of cavalry was delayed in departing. In the meantime, the battle between the first wave and the Undead Legion had begun.
The moment the cavalry units collided, light spread through the air. The magic tools had been activated in an unintended situation.
"They've found out. Third wave! Hurry!"
Sieg ordered the departure of the next cavalry unit.
"Move the magic user units to the front! Have them fill the gaps in the magic tools!"
This was also an unplanned order. The plan was to stall the Undead Legion with the initial activation of the magic tools and the encirclement by the army, then activate the magic tools at a closer range to make them unable to move. It was an annihilation operation that would not allow a single rider to escape.
Because the enemy's interception was too fast, the deployment of the magic tools was not going well. He intended to have the magic users fill the gaps that would likely be created in the magic.
"Do not let the enemy escape. Prioritize blocking the escape routes!"
The second and third waves of the allied cavalry deployed the magic tools at positions further than planned. They were activated immediately. As expected, the walls of light did not completely encircle the Undead Legion, and gaps were created in places.
The role of the magic users was to plug those gaps. Magic was fired, targeting the paths the Undead Legion tried to take toward the gaps.
"Hinata-dono!"
"Ah, yes!"
Hinata also participated in this operation. It was an important role.
"You strike the enemy directly! Annihilate the Undead Legion!"
"............"
"Hurry!"
"Y-yes!"
Hinata received Sieg's order, but hesitation was visible in her expression. She wasn't hesitating to erase the skeleton soldiers.
"You know what will happen if you hurt him, right?"
"...Y-yes."
She was terrified of Cecil.
"As long as you understand. Hurry up and clear the obstacles; as it stands, I can't get close to him."
Cecil also had no complaints about defeating the skeleton soldiers. As long as the Undead Legion existed, Cecil of the Laurel Kingdom army could not get close to Ray. No matter how strong Cecil was, she wouldn't go alone. Meeting Ray and taking him away was Cecil's goal, not dying.
The sound of Hinata's chanting. That chant, far longer than those of the other magic users. At the tips of Hinata's arms extended toward the sky, spheres of light appeared.
"――Rain down! Ray Rain!"
Along with the end of the chant, Hinata swung both arms down at once. The expanded spheres of light flew through the air and exploded.
◇◇◇
A massive rain of light poured down on the surroundings. It pierced and crushed the bones of the skeleton soldiers. The power was on a completely different level from the attacks of the other magic users. Ray watched blankly as his allied soldiers collapsed one after another.
"...Get a grip."
"A-ah."
Ray came back to his senses at Sansei's voice. However, the next words wouldn't come. He couldn't think of a plan to break through this situation.
"Is this the end?"
Light-attribute magic tools and magic. The Laurel Kingdom army had deployed a massive amount of the very thing that was the Undead Legion's weakness. They were desperately trying to prevent the encirclement from being completed, but eventually, that too would reach its limit. For skeleton soldiers, light-attribute magic caused massive damage even with a slight touch. There was no way to resist it. On top of that, the enemy had ten times their number.
"...Not yet. It's too early to give up."
"How are we going to make a comeback?"
"Whether it's magic or magic tools, once the magical power runs out, it's over."
"When will that magical power run out? Can we remain without being erased until then?"
There was no knowing when the magical power would run out. Even if it did, the Undead Legion might be annihilated before then.
"Even so, we'll hold out until the end."
"I see... if that's the only way, it can't be helped. But you, escape."
"Eh?"
"Even if you receive light-attribute magic, you won't be erased, right? The encirclement doesn't matter to you. Besides, in this chaos, you should be able to escape easily."
Ray was not undead. While he didn't say there was no light-attribute magic that would damage him, the magic currently being used was purification-type magic optimal for exterminating undead. The walls of the encirclement were not a threat.
"...What happens if I'm the only one who escapes?"
"Whatever happens, happens. Just escape, and then you can build the Undead Legion again."
"I don't want to."
"Hah?"
"Even if I build it anew, it wouldn't be the Undead Legion. It would be different from the Undead Legion that is here now."
"...A-are you an idiot!? They're just corpses! Puppets!"
"No! They are comrades! How can I abandon my comrades and escape!?"
"............"
Why did he have such a strong attachment to the skeleton soldiers? Sansei didn't understand. Ray was different from Sansei. He should be different from Sansei, who could only live with the undead.
"It's too early to give up. I'll find a way to induce the enemy's magical power to run out... and the magic tools too. Removing the magic tools is..."
It wasn't that there were no ways. It was just that the enemy wouldn't allow it.
"You... you really are an idiot..."
"This is no time to be saying that, is it? Sansei, you think too."
"Think, you say... I see, action over thinking, then."
"Eh?"
Action over thinking. The ones who took action were the skeleton soldiers.
The skeleton soldiers charged toward the wall of light. It wasn't that they simply desired self-destruction. The skeleton soldiers leaped from their horses in front of the wall. The horses they had been riding vanished.
Their actions seemed nonsensical, but Ray soon understood their intent.
The skeleton soldiers extended their spears and swords toward the ground where the wall of light extended. However, it seemed they were affected by the light-attribute magic just by approaching, and their extended arms quickly crumbled. But the soldiers didn't give up. They used their other arm, and if that didn't work, they extended their legs. Many soldiers vanished before that, but when that happened, another soldier would perform the same action.
Removing or destroying the magic tools. That was their goal.
"...Stop it. Sansei, make them stop!"
He understood the intent, but how many soldiers would vanish before that succeeded?
"They're creating an escape route."
"I know that. I'll be the one to remove the magic tools. So make them stop."
"If you go, you'll be targeted again. Even I can tell that the enemy's target is you."
"Even so, that's just a waste of life! Withdraw the order!"
"That's impossible. I didn't give an order."
"Don't lie! I didn't give such an instruction!"
"That's true. Because they're doing that on their own."
"What...?"
That couldn't be. There was no way skeleton soldiers would take such action without the caster's instructions. That was how they were supposed to be.
"...If they've decided that, then I guess I have to make up my mind too."
"Sansei, what are you saying? What are you thinking!?"
In the meantime, the skeleton soldiers continued to move on their own. The soldiers formed ranks and took a charging formation.
"You guys... what are you trying to do! Stop! By my order――"
Without uttering the final words, Ray collapsed to the ground. He had lost consciousness from the impact to his head.
"How extreme. But I guess Ray won't listen unless I knock him out."
"!"
The one who had knocked Ray out was a skeleton soldier. That skeleton soldier was attempting to put the unconscious Ray onto a horse.
"Ah, wait a moment."
"?"
"...Can you hear me? You're not unconscious too, are you?"
Sansei spoke toward the unconscious Ray. He was speaking to Ray's body, not to Ray himself.
"I guess a reply is impossible... No. If you can hear me, come out."
Sansei continued speaking. The one who responded was the magic sword Kamui.
"You came out. Now, I'll borrow you for a bit."
Taking the appeared magic sword Kamui in his hand, Sansei pointed the tip of the sword toward himself.
"Even if I don't die, it's still going to hurt."
While muttering a complaint, Sansei stabbed himself with the magic sword Kamui.
(...You)
"Oh, I heard you. This is what you call a parting gift for Ray. When he wakes up, tell him thank you. Also... actually, never mind."
(Understood. I'll tell him... is 'thank you' really enough?)
"Yeah. That's enough."
(...I see)
Sansei's hidden feelings. Even without words, Kamui could understand. It was felt along with the flowing magical power.
"Well, I'll leave the rest to you. Make sure Ray escapes. I want that guy to stay alive."
After pulling out the magic sword Kamui and sliding it into Ray's waist, he spoke to the skeleton soldiers.
"...!"
About twenty skeleton soldiers formed a formation, surrounding Ray, who had been placed on a skeleton horse. They were heavily armored in armor and helmets. They were soldiers who could be called the elite of the Undead Legion.
In front, behind, to the left, and to the right of those soldiers, other cavalry units formed ranks.
"Go! Break through no matter what!"
The cavalry units galloped out upon Sansei's order. Their destination was the wall of light. Specifically, the gap that had been created in that wall. It was a gap made possible by the removal of the magic tools, though many soldiers had been destroyed in the process.
Sensing the movement of the Undead Legion, the Laurel Kingdom army moved to obstruct them. In response, the surrounding cavalry units began to move. Not to kill the enemy, but to sacrifice themselves to stall the enemy.
"...I'm counting on you. Now, I'll show you how to stall them more efficiently."
Saying this, Sansei slowly moved his horse. There was no need to hurry. The enemy would approach on their own. Following him were the skeleton soldiers. The ten or so cavalrymen who had remained in the center.
"But he's a foolish man, isn't he? Ray. He was tricked by me until the very end."
"!"
"Normally, you'd realize, right?"
"!"
Sansei continued to mutter what he intended as a casual conversation. While doing so, the number of skeleton soldiers around him increased. Along with them, the number of enemies pursuing the soldiers also increased.
"That guy even invited me, a woman, to take a bath together. He's truly a rude man."
"!!!"
"...I thought a lonely life would continue for hundreds of years, but I can end it sooner than I thought."
"............"
"Don't be depressed. I'm grateful to you all. Ah, I see, 'lonely life' was a poor choice of words."
"×"
"No? Ah, you're sad that I'm dying. It's okay. I've lived enough. It was a lonely life, but to have someone precious at the very end, and to be able to die for that person... isn't that the best?"
"...!"
"...I can't bear it anymore. Once I've known those kinds of days, a lonely life is... That's why I decided to let Ray live and for me to die."
"............"
"Now then... the last of my power. I absolutely cannot hand this over to Ray. Well, shall we go――"
A jet-black sphere was born in the center of the battlefield. It gradually grew larger, swallowing the surrounding skeleton soldiers and the knights and soldiers of the Laurel Kingdom army.
It seemed as if the sphere would expand forever, but eventually, the expansion stopped, and it burst. Erasing everything that had been where the sphere was.