Chapter 162 – Invasion of Suzu’s City Hall ⑲
“Hah? Shion, why did we pull out?!”
“I’m, like, totally uncool with this too, y’know?”
Once we return to my Domain, Takaharu and Sarah press me for answers, just as I thought they’d do.
I sigh deeply, “Are you guys stupid or what? …Are you? I guess you are.”
“”I ain’t stupid!””
Both refute the words I spat out, while being in perfect harmony as usual.
“If we were to attack now…the enemy would be perfectly prepared to deal with us, right?”
“Well, yeah.”
“So where’s the need…to deliberately do something as silly as attacking when the enemy is in perfect shape?” With a sigh, I decide to explain the purpose of the recent attack.
“I mean…there’s the proclamation. Right, it’s because you declared war on them!”
“I just declared…that I’d start attacking. I haven’t said anything about fighting.”
“Hah? So did da attack just now have some meanin’ then?”
“I’d lose credibility if I didn’t keep my promises. Thus I launched an attack just as I had declared I would.”
“Huh!? You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me!?”
“Why would I? It doesn’t mean that we’re having a sports match against the humans. War is where you kill your enemy.”
“D-Dat’s of course… Then, when’s it gonna be my turn?”
“If the time is ripe…is the only answer I can give you at the moment.” I reply while shrugging my shoulders at Takaharu.
In the following days we continued the pattern of launching long range attacks and then retreating. During that time, which felt like an endless cycle of pointless repetition, I kept mass producing bloodkin.
Numbers are power. Even when taking future developments into consideration, the number of subordinates capable of leaving my Domain ― and thus the number of bloodkin I have ― is essential.
I carry on wearing down the spirits of the humans on a daily basis, while steadily nurturing my own strength.
Ten days later:
Today is no different from yesterday, the day before yesterday, and the days before that. Ideally, the humans would launch an attack of their own, but the humans in Suzu’s City Hall are apparently cautious, or maybe cowardly…either way, they haven’t left the city hall even once.
Hence, I simply continue these seemingly pointless days. Keeping your guard up consumes an unexpected amount of stamina and mental fortitude. Our pseudo-daily routine of firing arrows and retreating…should definitely whittle down the humans’ mental strength. There ought to be a limit on how long they can keep staying on high alert…
Meanwhile, I continue to wait for the time to be ripe.
◆
It’s the 21st day since I started my harassment of Suzu’s City Hall.
“Shion, today might be the perfect moment.” Yataro reports to me as the one in charge of the defense.
“That means…”
“Yup. Currently no invaders are attacking our sectors.”
For 21 days we’ve repeated the arrow-firing-retreat pattern every six hours. I think the mental fortitude of the humans holing up in Suzu’s City Hall has been shaved down quite a bit. Moreover, right now there are no invaders in my Domain.
Be it humans or Demon Kings…either would likely need seven days to reach a 【True Core】 if they began to attack right now, as long as we keep a suitable number of subordinates stationed in the sectors. In other words, for the next six days I can mobilize the combat forces assigned to defense ― Izayoi, Saburou, and Setanta, for the invasion of Suzu’s City Hall. You could truly describe it as the perfect moment.
――All hands! We will begin the invasion of Suzu’s City Hall at 6 p.m. today! Except for Yataro and Kanon, all bloodkin will participate in the upcoming invasion! Everyone, start getting ready!
I inform all my subordinates about the beginning of the invasion.
◆
6 p.m.
Leading all my bloodkin other than Yataro and Kanon, as well as more than 4,000 subordinates, I begin the invasion of Suzu’s City Hall.
――Fire!
Following my orders, the subordinates capable of archery launch their arrows at the city hall.
――Retreat while deploying to the sides and opening up the center!
My subordinates spread out to the sides and retreat, while clearing a path to the gate leading to Suzu’s City Hall. Up to this point, it’s the usual, a scene both we and the humans have become used to. If I were to point out a difference, it’d be the deployment to the side and the clearing of the center, but…since I’ve been repeating various odd troop maneuvers with the objective of confusing the enemy, the humans shouldn’t consider this maneuver as especially odd.
The odd troop maneuver which caused the biggest disturbance among the humans was Hibiki pointlessly exhibiting his 《Perfect Body》 after the arrow attack three days ago. Another eccentricity was Takaharu riding a bike, at the head of a group of goblin bikers, and leading them, and the other subordinates, in mysterious choral singing, with the roaring of the bikes’ accelerators as accompaniment while all of them retreated, walking backwards. However, this time it isn’t an odd troop maneuver, but an action taken with purpose.
The humans in the city hall are simply watching us retreating as usual.
――It’s your turn! Plunge in!
I give an order to a single goblin with an important mission. In response, a truck appears from the direction of my Domain, kicking up a cloud of sand. The one driving the truck is a heroic goblin. The bed of the truck is loaded with dynamite, used for demolitions, we picked up during 《Reigns》.
The powder keg on four wheels roars noisily as it heads for the city hall’s gate through the path we opened up. Since there’s some distance between us, I can’t understand their words, but…the panicked voices of humans reach my ears, carried by the wind.
The humans, who have noticed the abnormality, shoot arrows at the truck in a hurry, but…with no effect whatsoever. And then, ten seconds later――
――！
The truck crashes into the gate, and an eardrum-splitting explosion assails the surrounding area together with an earthquake.
――All hands, charge!
I order all subordinates participating in the invasion to advance, and thus draw the curtain of the final battle against the humans of Suzu’s City Hall.
Chapter 163 – Invasion of Suzu’s City Hall ⑳
“””Uuuooooooohhhh!!”””
My subordinates swarm towards Suzu’s City hall while hoisting their weapons and raising battle cries.
――Go, go, go! Charge into Suzu’s City Hall!
I encourage my subordinates through telepathy so as to not risk my voice being drowned out by the surrounding noise.
――Magic corps! Launch your spells into Suzu’s City Hall!
――Archer unit! Keep shooting your arrows at the city hall!
The magic corps led by Sarah, and the archer unit led by Chloe, fire their spells and arrows, keeping their aim high in order to avoid hitting the subordinates invading at the front line.
The humans try to return fire by shooting arrows from within the buildings, but they’re pinned down by the arrows and spells raining down on them. Some of the humans shoot their arrows anyway, resolved to be hit, but…that number of arrows is nowhere near enough to stop the momentum of my subordinates.
“Yahoo! I’m first!” Takaharu, who had quickly transformed into his Beast King form, jumps over the truck that blew up the gate, and charges into the city hall situated beyond.
“Takaharu-san! The pleasure of pain…err, the tanking role is mine, okay?” Hibiki runs after Takaharu with rabbit ears growing on his head.
Following these two, many subordinates flood through the gate, rushing into the city hall.
――Red! Noire! Rouge! Move the truck aside!
“””Sure, boss!”””
I command the three ogres, who have arrived at the gate some time after Takaharu, to remove the truck blocking the gate. They forcibly lift up the truck, and toss it away from the gate, clearing the way.
It allowed even more subordinates to get into the city hall.
◆
――Layla! Take a unit together with Blue, and get rid of the human archers!
――Red! Noire! Rouge! Destroy all of those annoying 『Watchtowers』!
I hurl out orders as needed, while checking the situations of my bloodkin. The biggest melee is around the city hall’s parking lot. It’s a fierce clash between the humans, who keep gushing out of the buildings in hordes, and my subordinates.
And in front of the entrance to Suzu’s municipal office――
“Fuck! Damn monsters! You’ve shown your true colors!”
“This place is mankind’s final bastion! We’ll protect it to the death!”
“Dad…I will avenge Dad!”
More than 1,000 humans, who’ve emerged from the city hall, confront Takaharu, Hibiki, Izayoi, Saburou, Setanta, and a hundred of my subordinates.
“Hah!? True colors, ya say!? Shion gave ya bitches an alternative, didn’t he!?”
“Shion-sama…has granted his mercy to you lowly, inferior bugs, and even went as far as proclaiming war on you, fair and square… How deplorable.”
Takaharu angrily shouts at the humans in order to coerce them, whereas Izayoi sighs as if fed up with the humans.
“Fair and square, you say… Don’t give us that shit!”
“Ha? Da ones givin’ shit are…ya fuckers, rite!? Uuooooohh!”
When Takaharu unleashes his 《Roar》 packed with so much power that the atmosphere trembles, the humans cower in fear.
“Hehe! I’ll be the one to get the first stab in! ――《Wind Chase》!” Setanta rushes at a human, cladding himself in wind with an innocent smile curling his lips.
“Seta! I told you to not leave me behind…!”
“Hey! Brat! Wait up!”
“What an incorrigible child…”
Saburou, Takaharu, and Izayoi jump at the humans, obviously chasing after Setanta who stole a march on them…
“I shall accept all of your attacks ― all living beings, become spellbound by my body! ――《Perfect Body》!”
Engulfed by a golden gleam, the pervert Hibiki draws the aggro of the humans by pointlessly showing off his muscles.
“Ahaha! Any strong ones here? Anyone? Let’s play! Play with me!” Setanta’s spear penetrates a human while he smiles innocently.
“Oi! Are ya the asshole who ran his cheeky mouth moments ago!?” Takaharu drives his fist into the face of a human.
“You may witness it with your eyes…abyss darkness! ――《Thrust Burst》!” Saburou’s rapier stabs into a human.
“The sin of having stained Shion-sama’s mercy…deserves death! ――《Dark Night Tempest》!”
Many humans are swallowed up by the wind of darkness blowing violently upon Izayoi’s command.
My bloodkin rampage at the front line as if competing for achievements. Their strength plunges the humans into terror and despair.
◆
Six hours after the start of the invasion.
The war progress is going favorably for our side. We’re majorly losing out in numbers, but…the quality and morale of our forces drastically exceeds those of the humans. In other words, the humans who surrendered alongside Kotetsu in the beginning were the main forces of the humans in Suzu’s City Hall ― which leads to the current war situation.
How many losses has our side suffered…? Less than 1,000? On the other hand, the enemy losses are probably going beyond 5,000. In contrast to our steady reinforcements replacing the subordinates that are defeated, the enemy can’t hope for any reinforcements to arrive. If we keep pushing them down like this…our victory is set in stone, I think.
Afterwards, it will be my time to shine…when it comes to how much we can gain from this. I check the separate battlefields on my smartphone through the eyes of my bloodkin, and at the same time, I also get a broader view through giant bats circling in the sky.
What I’m concentrating on are the expressions, actions, and eyes of the humans ― their morale. I can launch a 《Reign》 once every 13 hours. Failure is not an option.
First, I have to secure a path of retreat for the humans willing to surrender. The best option is the plaza in front of the entrance to Suzu’s municipal office. It’s necessary to clear all enemies from the entrance area of the municipal office, and the vicinity of the plaza, to get that location ready to shelter the submissive humans.
Next, deciding on a location for purging the opposing humans within three hours. Seeing how it’s necessary to make all humans within a radius of 3 km submit…it’s indispensable to get things ready in advance.
I estimate the timing for the 《Reign》 while silently operating my smartphone.
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