kscans

Chapter 192 - The Shaken Battlefield

A massive army of monsters emerged from the black mist.

Alumi, seeing this, cried out, "Wh-what the hell?! They just appeared out of nowhere!"

She was utterly shocked. Her three companions were just as stunned.

Loose exclaimed, "Dord?! Is there a spell that can do that?!"

Dord shook her head. "I-I don’t know. To appear from a mist like that… I’ve never heard of anything like it."

As the four of them stood there, bewildered, Tina barked out orders. "Get ready to engage! You four, don’t return to your posts—fight here! You, soldier! Get back to the base immediately and report this!"

The soldier saluted and sprinted back into the base.

Alumi grumbled, "Tch. I’ve got a few things I’d like to say, but I guess that’s the best plan for now. Alright, you lot! Let’s show them what we’ve got!"

She charged toward the defensive line.

I thought to myself, Her commands are spot on. I’m impressed. I can’t let myself be outdone.

I drew my sword and ran forward.

My hammer was back in the base. There was no time to go back for it.

Tina muttered behind me, "Impressed… Shinsuke, really, at a time like this…"

She was blushing and fidgeting, but she quickly composed herself and followed me.

As I ran, I thought, They’re not using their usual tactics. They’re trying something different to make us let our guard down. This is just like that manga.

I recalled a scene where a group of pursuers and their targets were playing a game of tag. When the pursuers suddenly stopped coming, the leader of the pursued group guessed that it was a ploy to make them lower their guard and throw them into confusion. And he was right—the pursuers had indeed returned.

This was just like that. The monsters didn’t show up at the expected time, making us think they had given up, only to launch a surprise attack. A nasty trick.

By the time I reached the front line, Alumi and her party were already fighting fiercely. She scattered the approaching Goblins with her axe, while Mimi picked off those who tried to slip through the gaps with her bow. Loose’s staff weaved through the air like a serpent, and Dord provided support from the rear with her magic.

Their party coordination was flawless. I hadn’t seen teamwork this good since the days of ‘Beautiful Sword.’

"A good party," I murmured. "In that case, I’ll take on a different section so as not to get in their way."

I turned my attention to a group of Lizardmen. Tina caught up to me, and we engaged them together.


Kingdom.

Noon.

A celebratory mood had taken hold. The adventurers were lounging around, some sleeping, others playing board games, with zero intention of working. The soldiers at the gate were standing guard, but they made no effort to hide their yawns.

They still hadn’t recovered from their fatigue.

At the temporary command post, the knights asked Glad, "Glad-san, is the battle over?"

Glad replied, his face filled with unease, "I’d like to think so, but the monsters vanished without a trace. We didn’t see them retreat. We should remain on guard."

Just then, a voice sneered from the side. "My, my. For the great Captain Glad, you seem rather timid."

It was the ambitious Knight Captain, approaching with several other knights in tow. All of them were of noble birth, their skills proven. They had, of course, fought in real battles and survived.

Glad retorted, "I’m fine with being timid. I’m just doing my best to survive."

The knights around him had similar expressions. To fight with honor and die—that was the ultimate wish of a knight. There was nothing wrong with that belief. But there were also those among them who didn’t want to die, who wanted to live. They had been taught that this was shameful, but they were still afraid.

To them, Glad said, "What’s wrong with feeling that way? It’s natural not to want to die. I got this shield with that thought in mind. To protect others, of course, but also to protect myself."

He gazed at his shield.

His words, rather than being met with laughter, resonated with the knights. A former A-rank adventurer, a veteran who had survived countless life-or-death situations, was showing his vulnerability, without any pretense. Some of them were captivated by this display. All the knights had the same thought: We will follow this man. That was why they had been refusing the Knight Captain’s invitations.

The captain scoffed. "Hmph. Fine. Even if a battle does start, rest assured. My elite troops will make short work of them."

He laughed and walked away with his entourage.

Glad mused, "He’s changed. He had an audience with Her Majesty last night, didn’t he? I wonder if something didn’t go his way."

He had seen enough of his type to be sick of them. He was probably trying to rack up achievements to become a captain. Glad would have gladly given him the position. To him, titles were just a heavy responsibility and a source of exhaustion.

Just then, he noticed the sky was growing strangely dark.

"Everyone, on alert!" Glad ordered. "Deploy adventurers to the wall repair site!"

The knights saluted at his swift command.

He had a bad feeling. A feeling that proved to be correct.

A black mist appeared near the capital’s main gate and the damaged sections of the wall on either side. And from within it, monsters emerged all at once and began their advance.

A soldier screamed, "Th-this is bad! The monsters have suddenly appeared and are attacking!"

At his cry, the celebrating adventurers scrambled to grab their weapons and rush to their posts.

"Wh-what the hell?! I thought it was over!"

"Damn it! I haven’t even eaten yet!"

"Take your complaints to the monsters! What the hell is wrong with them?!"

Curses flew through the air.

The Knight Captain grinned. "Fufu. So you’ve come. Are you all ready?"

The knights beside him nodded, their faces beaming.

"Alright," the Knight Captain declared. "The operation begins now! We will advance on what we believe to be the monsters’ base, scatter them, and strike the head of the beast! Let’s go!"

With that command, he spurred his horse forward. The other knights followed suit.

The Knight Captain’s eyes were clouded. He didn’t know why the monsters had appeared, but it was now certain that a powerful being was among them. But no matter how strong it was, it was still a monster. It was no match for humans, who excelled in wisdom and cooperation. They would strike the monster’s head with overwhelming numbers.

It would be cowardly in a fight between humans, but against a monster, it was fine. After all, their bodies were stronger than humans. No one would complain if they ganged up on it. They even had anti-monster tools with them.

Victory was as good as theirs.

He would defeat the great monster, return triumphantly with its head in hand, and be met with the cheers of the people. The timid Queen would shower him with rewards. And with that momentum, he would declare himself the one truly fit to be king and seize the throne.

His mind filled with such fantasies, he rode toward the monsters.


Republic.

Royal Capital.

Morning turned to afternoon, but the monsters still did not emerge from the forest.

Bradamante asked, "Guild Master, what is the situation?"

"No change so far," the Guild Master replied. "We have not conducted any reconnaissance, as investigating the forest could lead to a loss of strength."

Bradamante considered this. "A good decision. Sending them in blindly would not be wise. Please continue to maintain your guard."

The Guild Master nodded.

Unlike in the Kingdom and the Empire, few adventurers here were relaxing. As long as there were monsters in the forest, an attack could come at any time. Only the novice adventurers felt that the battle was over. Meanwhile, the knights were fully equipped and ready to deploy at a moment’s notice, while the soldiers were checking for shortages in supplies. As food was running low, they had asked adventurers and fishermen to catch fish at a fishing spot near the capital.

Everyone was praying for a peaceful day. But that peace was about to be shattered.

The sky began to darken, and the Guild Master and Bradamante went on alert. Then, an army of monsters emerged from the forest.

"So it’s not over after all," the Guild Master growled. "Everyone! Prepare to engage! Do not let a single one through!"

At his command, the adventurers raised their weapons.

Bradamante ordered, "All units! Keep the enemy at a distance! Defensive formation, ready to react at any time!"

The knights and soldiers advanced as one, forming a line about halfway between the capital and the monsters. Their movements were much swifter than yesterday.

As the Goblins charged, Bradamante shouted, "You shall not pass! Swirl Lance!"

Water gushed from the tip of her trident, forming a vortex that shot forward in a straight line. The Goblins it hit were torn to shreds, and even those who weren’t were sent flying two meters by the aftershock.

The Guild Master muttered, "As expected of Captain Bradamante. To think she would use a different tactic from yesterday to keep them in check. We can’t lose to them either. We must provide support so they can fight to their fullest."

Just then, an adventurer came running from the rear. "Hah… hah… Guild Master! Th-this is bad! Falcons and eagles are swarming the beach, attacking the adventurers and fishermen!"

The Guild Master was shocked. Why now? Why had carnivorous bird-type monsters appeared at this moment?

"Tch! Immediately engage with long-range weapons! Some mages, provide attack support! That place is a crucial food supply! Use all your strength, but don’t be reckless!"

He gave a nearly impossible order. The archers and mages headed out, their faces grim. The Guild Master knew he was asking the impossible. But given their current food situation, they could not afford to let the monsters take control of the fishing grounds. And with the bird-type monsters present, fishing by boat was far too dangerous.

"A war of attrition is not in our favor," the Guild Master muttered, a cold sweat breaking out on his brow. "We must avoid an internal collapse at all costs."

He rushed to support the knights.