kscans

Chapter 18 - The Spring of Myuria, Stained with Blood

Moonlight shone quietly down on the center of the sacred spring of Myuria. But the air that drifted there was far from sacred.

"...So that's the mercenary band."

Mamoru hid in the forest bushes, observing the situation. The humans, clad in metal armor, were setting up a giant pump and pipes in the center of the spring. Surrounding them were talismans to ward off evil and a portable magic barrier. These were not just mercenaries. They were a trained unit.

"Amy, can you disable the barrier?"

"If you give me a little time... I'll try."

"Koni-chan, charging in is the last resort. Be patient until you get the signal."

"Ugh, I'll be patient... I want to smash it to pieces already..."

"Well then, I'll whip up a dish first."

"...What for?"

"You can't fight on an empty stomach, can you? Here, a grilled meat bowl."

While Mamoru made a dubious face, the operation began.

Amy's shamanism interfered with the barrier's foundational magic circle, and the barrier collapsed without a sound.

In that instant, Mamoru leaped out.

"Now!"

A firecracker-like flash bomb exploded in the center of the mercenary band. As their vision was stolen, Defray charged at them with a large pot.

"Take this! Combat support soup!"

One of the mercenaries took a face full of boiling soup and writhed in agony. In the confusion, Mamoru quickly got behind the captain and pressed a dagger to his throat.

"Move, and I'll cut."

The mercenary band froze.

...But in the next moment, another unit charged out from the bushes!

"Reinforcements!"

"Koni-chan, now!"

"Wooooooooooooooh!! Dosukoi!"

With a roar that seemed to shake the forest, Koni-chan charged. She shattered the magic barrier with her fist and mowed down the heavily armored soldiers. A storm of destruction. Her rampage was truly worthy of her nickname, the King of Destruction.

"You... monster!"

"I'm not a monster! I'm a former idol!!"

The battlefield descended into chaos, but Mamoru calmly controlled the overall situation, and eventually, the mercenaries were forced to surrender.

In the afterglow of victory, Mamoru discovered a thick bundle of documents among the mercenary captain's belongings.

"What's this...?"

Amy read it aloud.

"'Hero Reincarnation Project, Seventh Term Target: Japanese Citizens, Candidate List'...? What is this... The human military is intentionally reincarnating heroes into another world...?"

"And what's more, the next candidate has already been sent... the date is... yesterday?"

Mamoru's hands trembled.

"Sooner... than planned. Something's wrong... Something is happening to this game world."

The spring of Myuria, illuminated by the moonlight, was stained a faint red.

Mamoru felt an inexplicable anxiety at the sight. He couldn't help but shiver.

"...This is bad. This isn't the usual game. Something... is really starting to move..."

Around that time, the reincarnated hero Ares was ravaging an Orc village, slaughtering and annihilating them.