Chapter 149 – Invasion into Suzu’s City Hall ⑦
There are 57 minutes left until 《Reign》 finishes.
Will we be able to hold out…?
I stare at the map displayed on my smartphone’s screen, while anxiously holding my breath.
The most ideal plan possible for me right now is…
I call Hibiki with my smartphone.
『Master? What has happened? Don’t tell me…because of a careless mistake I’m not aware of…!? Very well, please insult me as much as you wish――』
“Die!”
Right now every second counts. I immediately cut the call with the pervert, and call Takaharu.
『Shion? Sup? Hibiki fainted after blurtin’ out 『Thank you very much!』. Did somethin’ happen?』
“Ignore the idiot. Draw a line in front of yourself right now.”
『A line? Like dis?』
“I can’t see it, but I’m sure it’s fine. Draw that line as far as you can.”
『Roger.』
“That line ―― is our last line of defense. Don’t let anyone cross it, no matter what.”
『Sure.』
――A message to all subordinates: The line drawn by Takaharu just now is our last line of defense. All hands, do not allow the approaching humans to step over that line!
――All living mails, deploy in a defense formation 10 meters ahead of that line!
――Lilims, dark elves, get ready for ranged attacks!
I hurl out orders in rapid succession.
The number of subordinates protecting the defense line amounts to 500. If they hold out for 30 minutes, Chloe’s and Rina’s units, which have headed out to scout the northern side, will join the battle with another 100 subordinates each.
As far as I can see on the map, I don’t think there will be any invasions from any side other than the east, but…this 《Reign》 isn’t allowed to fail. Just in case, I have deployed 100 subordinates in the north, south, and west.
All I can do is give orders from here, while keeping an eye on the situation. The tension causes my back teeth to grind heavily against each other as I gaze at the smartphone’s screen.
◆
A group of more than a thousand humans advances, their countless footfalls cause the ground to shake.
Not yet…a little bit more…
I aim for the right timing, while switching between the map displaying the whole area, and the live stream borrowing my bloodkin’s eyes.
Approximately 30 meters before the humans reach our position. I think it’s the perfect time…!
――Fire!
The groups of lilims and dark elves release their spells and arrows at the approaching humans upon my order.
Numerous explosions ring out as the multitude of spells fired by the lilims make impact. The countless arrows shot by the dark elves buzz through the air. And, the bellows of the humans reverberate across the battlefield.
The die is cast, the defensive battle, which may decide the fate of Suzu, has begun.
――Hibiki! Pull the aggro of the enemy at the front line along with a hundred living mails!
Hibiki advances alongside a hundred living mails. Once they’ve closed within ten meters of the enemy, the living mails loudly clang their shields together.
On the battlefield, where the shields’ noise echoes like a circular canon ― a dazzling, golden, light leaks out from within the cluster of living mails.
“I shall accept all of your attacks ―― All living beings, become intoxicated by my body ―― 《Perfect Body》!”
The eyes of all the humans are drawn to the pervert who has alighted on the battlefield all of a sudden.
“Holy crap, don’ take ’em off…”
“Kyahaha! Look, Cain-cchi! Their faces! What a laugh～”
“P-Princess, that’s nothing you ought to see!”
Takaharu and Sarah, who have acted together with Hibiki several times already, seem to be used to it, but it appears to have had quite the impact on the humans, who are seeing it for the first time.
“I-It’s a monster…!”
“Calm down! That’s a pervert!”
“A pervert, you say…!? Just what are we fighting here…”
With a ferocious smile, Takaharu charges at the crowd of humans who are bewildered by the sudden entry of the pervert.
“Hah! What’re yer fightin’ ya ask? A Demon King! ――《Swallow Kick》!”
“Kyahaha! Perhaps Team Shion? ――《Fire Blast》!”
“Hah? It was called da Shion Empire, rite!? ――《Demolition Fist》!”
“Master…! Are you looking at me!? My…my shameful appearance!”
The confused humans suffer a surprise attack from Takaharu and Sarah, as Hibiki effectively draws their aggro towards himself.
――Takaharu! Hibiki! Don’t charge too far out!
――The order of priority is: keep the bloodkin alive, and then, defend the line of defense to the bitter end!
“Hah! I’ll protect my life myself! Uuuoooooh!”
“T-This guy is…Unoke’s Beast King!?”
“Shit! D-Don’t falter…!”
Takaharu beastifies, alongside a roar that seems to shake their soul. The humans tremble upon seeing his bestial appearance, which overflows with dignity as his mane flies in the wind.
“The first priority is my life…! In other words…an expression of Master’s love! Fuuuooohh! I’m going to do my utmost ~pyon!”
“Wh-…!? It transformed…!?”
“Why…Why…why must the first real rabbit ears I get to see be on this dude…!?”
Hibiki also beastifies, boosting his own physical abilities and perversion levels. Many humans quiver as they witness his new appearance.
Takaharu, who mows down the humans by freely wielding his limbs, and Hibiki, who continues to marvelously dodge the humans’ attacks with his evasion techniques, while continuing to pull off mysterious poses.
I thought that the tide of battle had turned in our favor, coupled with the impact of 《Perfect Body》, but…
“You morons! Don’t get all flustered!”
“””Yes!”””
“We have the numerical advantage! We’re going to mop the floor with these guys!”
“””Aye!”””
The humans, who were befuddled, regain their sanity with one roar from 『Sword King』.
――Living mails! Surround 『Sword King』! Seal off his movements while prioritizing defense!
I order ten living mails to surround 『Sword King』.
“How impudent! You think the mere tin plates without a body of flesh can suppress me!?”
『Sword King』 swings his katana at a living mail. The living mails seal off his movements, by encircling him with their shields at the ready.
“Sayama-sama!”
“Teacher!”
The surrounding humans try to assist 『Sword King』, but, “I’ll be alright! You guys, clean up the enemies in front of you! Prevent their dominion!”
『Sword King』 refuses the help, and swings his katana straight through one of the living mails around him.
Defeating a living mail I created with 300 CP in one minute, you kidding…?
46 minutes are left on the timer.
Will it be a gain if I can confine 『Sword King』 with 46 living mails?
I feel stumped by the existence of 『Sword King』 who boasts monstrous strength.
Chapter 150 – Invasion into Suzu’s City Hall ⑧
~ Takaharu’s PoV ~
32 minutes left until da end of 《Reign》.
Haa haa…fuckin’ shit…those critters keep squirmin’ ’round…what a pain!
Drivin’ my fist into da face of da guy in front of my eyes, I fix my rough breathin’.
――!?
My shoulders tremble due to da sound of an explosion I hear diagonally behind me. Once I turn ’round, a human collapses, with smoke risin’ from him, while holdin’ a sword.
“Nishishishi…Taka-cchi, being careless is your greatest enemy, y’know?”
Whether I like it or not, the laughter of dat cheeky elf ― Sarah, reaches my ears, which got enhanced by my beastification.
Tsk!
Sarah is noisy, has a nasty character, can’t read da mood, and her Japanese is also dodgy, but…her skill in magic is top-notch. I click my tongue at da unexpected debt I owe Sarah.
Anyway, how much time’s left?
You can’t describe da battle’s progress as anythin’ but disadvantageous.
Our front line is gradually gettin’ pushed back. There’s ’round ten meters left till the last line of defense. Our side is losin’ subordinates, but I feel like the enemy numbers are growin’ due to reinforcements from the city hall.
――30 minutes left until the completion of 《Reign》. All hands, defend the defensive line to the last!
Whoa…can Shion read my thoughts? His words resoundin’ in my head makes me leak a surprised yelp.
“Defendin’ to the last, he says…ain’t the lives of the bloodkin the highest priority!?”
I reveal a cynical smile at Shion’s contradicting orders, and attack da enemy in front of me.
◆
20 minutes left until the end of 《Reign》.
Shit’s gettin’ worse…
The living mails have become the lynchpin to keepin’ da humans away from the defensive line, but…there’s another order for ‘em takin’ precedence over defendin’ to the last.
That order is to ― stall 『Sword King』.
Each time 『Sword King』 kills a living mail, another one’s sent to da front line to participate in the encirclement of 『Sword King』. In reality, dat strategy is workin’ as they’re succeedin’ in confinin’ 『Sword King』, but…at da same time, lots of living mails fall to the katana of 『Sword King』.
The enemy numbers are ― endless. In reality, it might be two to three thousand, or maybe ten thousand. At da lowest they seem to have two to three thousand, but if you’re on da battlefield, those numbers appear infinite.
On the other hand, our combat forces’re 300…no, 200?
We’ve managed to somehow maintain the front line through individual strength, but dat’s about to hit its limit.
Fuck! While I’m worryin’ ’bout this, we’re bein’ pushed on the left, aren’t we?
“Hibiki! I’ll be fine over here!”
“Alright pyon.”
“I’ll go knock down da enemies over there a bit.”
Just when I inform Hibiki, tryin’ to head over to the left side…
――Takaharu! Keep up the front line where you are!
“Hah? Dat alright? Da other side’s in deep shit.”
I’ve got no clue whether he’s heard me or not, but I complain to Shion anyway.
Tsk! Whatever. Shion’s da boss here.
As I attack the enemy in front of me while worryin’ ’bout da left side…
――!
All of a sudden, a rain of arrows pours down on da humans pushing in tru’ da left side.
“Chloe Shion dropping in! According to master’s sacred decree, I will annihilate you worms!”
“Rouge! It’s an all-you-can-kill!”
“Aye! Noire!”
“Made it in time ~ssu!”
The unit of that shitty, brazen, dark elf ― Chloe, has shown up, pushin’ back the front line on da left.
“Ha ha! For a day to come where I’d be delighted over da appearance of dat damned dark elf vixen…”
I reflexively laugh out loud.
“Layla Shion intruding! According to master’s sacred decree, I shall bring death to all foolish humans!”
“Hah! Time for Guy Shion’s magnificent entry!”
“Kakakaka! It’s Red Shion-sama’s turn!”
“Fufu…Flora Shion.”
“Dakel Shion coming for a visit! According to master’s sacred decree, I will annihilate you worms!”
Without time to be surprised ’bout Chloe’s team’s reinforcement, more reinforcements arrive from da right side. As always, da bloodkin faithfully introduce themselves. Da jet-black armor ― Iron clangs his shield. The masked girl ― Rina silently swings her sword at da enemies.
Da numbers of da reinforcements amount to 200. We’re still way behind in numbers, but da morale of our allies is boosted by da appearance of Chloe n’ da others.
◆
~ Shion’s PoV ~
Five minutes left until the end of 《Reign》.
My subordinates, who had numbered 700, together with the reinforcements, have now drastically melted down to a mere 200.
“Arghhh! Sorry big sis!”
A human, who has slipped past Noire’s club at the front line, crosses the defensive line.
“――《Thrust Arrow》! Blue, finish him off!”
“Aye ~ssu!”
Chloe shoots an arrow through the leg of the human, who has crossed the line, and Blue brings his ax down on the head of that human, who has lost his balance.
The defensive has been crossed several times recently, but each time we avoid further troubles by swiftly getting rid of the humans.
“Hibiki! Fall back!”
“…I refuse ~pyon.”
“Ya moron! Dun try da impossible!”
“Hah! Have you fallen in love with me ~pyon? If it’s a one-night stand――”
“Give it a rest, shuddap n’ die!”
When I check the center of our defensive formation, the defensive line hasn’t been completely crossed yet because Hibiki is taking the initiative on controlling the aggro, but countless lacerations cover Hibiki’s naked body.
“Y-You bastard…are you possibly…a human!?”
“No way! A vampire friend!?”
“B-But…that swordsmanship is――”
Once I check the right side of our formation, Rina is cutting down a human confronting her silently.
I was anxious about whether Rina would be able to fight against humans, but it seems to have been a needless fear. Unlike the other bloodkin, she isn’t overly enthusiastic, but she keeps slaying humans indifferently while cooperating with her comrades.
Three minutes left…
My subordinates are desperately defending the defense line from the humans, while literally sacrificing their own bodies. All members of the main force are alive, but many bloodkin and subordinates have lost their lives.
One minute…
――To everyone: 60 seconds are left! Don’t hold back anything! Put all your power into it!
I give my final order…no, encouragement to my subordinates.
“Taka-cchi! Hibi-pyon! Fall back! ――《Cyclone》!”
Sarah unleashes a big spell in response to my encouragement. The storm unleashed from Sarah’s wand blows humans into the air over a wide range.
My other subordinates also use their big techniques, without sparing anything, repelling the humans that are approaching the defensive line.
10, 9, 8,…3, 2, 1――
The black vortex in front of my eyes shines. As the light converges, the vortex disappears. A silver-shining orb ― a 【True Core】 manifests in the space where the black vortex has been.
『Reign completed.』
――All hands, withdraw inside the new sector!
――Yataro! Create a 《Transfer Array》! Send as many reinforcements as possible outside the newly created sector!
At the same time as my subordinates, who survived after successfully defending, retreat into the new sector, swarms of subordinates, sent over by Yataro, begin to spill out from our base.
Even though we’ve suffered many casualties, the creation of a base, which will become a huge foothold in the capture of Suzu, has concluded.
Translation Notes:
