Vol 5: Chapter 15
** Lev Magic Empire – Red Gate Frontline **
What was going on in the minds of the people who threw themselves into battle every day when a giant landed on the ground from the sky?
Each roar rumbled like thunder, making known to the surrounding area of the existence of End Fang.
Although it looked like a tiger, it had purple fur and black stripes. A slight purple mana can be seen emitted from the stripes, enveloping the giant’s entire body in a membrane of mana.
The giant monster had 6 legs and 3 tails. It was tall enough to easily surpass the high-rise buildings of the Lev Magic Empire, and it took as many as six legs to support this gigantic body, and as many as three tails to balance it.
A mane of white fur flowed from the back of its head to the back. This mane did not sway in the wind, rather stood on end due to the updraft caused by the sweating of the giant body.
The sharp fangs on its face were black and long.
It had four huge eyes, each one looking in a different direction.
「W-W-What on earth… is that? I-I didn’t sign up for this…」
「Calm down, Your Excellency.」
In the Keith Gran Federation camp, the noble who was in charge of the entire army of 100,000 was almost paralyzed by fear just from looking at End Fangs from a distance. The adjutant by his side supported the noble and had him sit on a chair calmly.
A noble is appointed the supreme commander, and a veteran general is appointed the adjutant—this was the usual scene every time the Keith Gran Federation embarked on a military expedition.
A noble who has no experience on the battlefield but wants achievements is made the supreme commander, while the adjutant does all the practical work.
The same was true this time as well. The general had a body that could still fight on the front line even though he was past the age of 50. And even though his right eye was crushed in a war, his left eye was staring at End Fang sharply.
「Is… m-my army going to be okay?」the noble muttered.
「Yes, sir. No problem.」
While answering promptly and reassuringly, the general continued to make calculations in his mind.
20,000 troops marched into the heart of the Empire at a time in rotation. However, not all of these 20,000 were fighting. Since it will be a three-day stay in one march, transportation units for food and strategic supplies, and medical teams to treat injured people relieve one another in the 20,000 troops.
The seriously injured must be carried back to this camp at the time of troop change.
So far, the number of dead was less than 1,000 and the number of seriously injured was 3,000.
Honestly, the results of the battle were not good.
—If you send 100,000 soldiers, the turmoil will end immediately.
That is what King Geffert, the head of the Federation, expected, and the general also agreed. Even from his 30 years of experience in the military, there were no monsters that could not be suppressed by 100,000 people.
However, a large number of monsters were still pouring down from the Red Gate.
And now, a gigantic monster has appeared.
「A-Are you sure it is really okay? I have never seen or heard of such a giant monster.」
「No problem, sir.」
The general clicked his tongue inwardly, while answering without thinking. The fat and young noble was a distant relative of King Geffert, and it was certain that he would be in the spotlight of the high society of the federation after this. Therefore, King Geffert himself nominated him as the supreme commander of this expedition.
However, from the general’s point of view, he doesn’t care about any of that. The noble has never even seen a handful of monsters in his life, so it was obvious that he never would have seen or heard of such a giant monster.
「…However, I am curious about the situation at the front line. So I shall go.」
「G-General, do you really need to go personally?」
「Yes. Please wait here, Your Excellency.」
「But….」
「If it weighs heavy on your mind, you can perhaps accompany me to the front line?」
「Eek!?」
The young noble pulled back the hand reaching out to the general, and shook his head.
「I shall depart right away.」
The general expected that reaction and started walking.
He wondered if such a giant monster could be subjugated.
In general, whenever a strong enemy appeared, he has always relied on the “Black Sky Pirate” sent forth by the Lev Magic Empire. But this time–
The general’s walking pace increased.
**
In the Saint Knight Kingdom’s camp, the lieutenant general Otto, also known as the referee, witnessed the appearance of End Fang.
「Hou…」
While raising an eyebrow, he thought to himself.
When the Red Gate appeared, there was information that a huge goat’s eyes appeared on the other side of the crack—which led the Saint Knight Kingdom to be greatly interested in this matter.
Although it is a country of knights, collecting and analyzing information thoroughly is a characteristic of this country. That is also a reason why although the size of the country is a fraction of that of the Keith Gran Federation, they are considered to be on equal footing.
But of course, the forte of the Saint Knight Kingdom is still “Knights”.
「Is that Red Gate some kind of magic that creates new monsters? Or is it a magic that “connects spaces” that we’ve only heard in myths and legends? Hmm… I should have asked Reiji-dono a little more about it, after all…」
Otto was headed to the top of a small hill where the troops were stationed.
A large man over 2 meters tall stood there with his arms folded.
His full-plate metal armor was painted white and bordered with red and gold, which are the symbol colors of the Saint Knight Kingdom.
Two knights stood on either side of him, each carrying an unbelievably large sword and a long spear.
「General. Apparently a new player has arrived.」
Otto called out to the large man—the general, who leads the entire army of the Saint Knight Kingdom, as he motionlessly stared at End Fang.
Long golden hair flowing behind like a river. He had a solid cleft chin which seemed like it was chiseled from a rock. His deeply carved eyes were blue, holding no emotions in them.
「Otto, I leave the camp to you.」
An incredibly deep voice was emitted when the general spoke.
「…Understood, Friedrich-sama.」
Otto bowed his head reverently.
General Friedrich Berger was probably in his early 30s. He was much younger than Otto, perhaps only half his age.
However, he was made the general and the supreme commander of the army due to one very simple fact – he was the “strongest”.
The full plate metal armor he donned weighed over 50 kilograms. However, Friedrich started walking with a light gait as if it was weightless. The sound of squeaking metal was mixed with the squeaking of powerful spring-like muscles of his entire body.
The two knights beside him followed after him with their weapons.
Huge, deep footprints were left behind in the meadow on Freidrich’s path.
**
Grenjido, the former top of the Kruvan Holy Kingdom, was already on the front line.
The front line camp was built to block the main streets of the Empire. The half-collapsed buildings were still solid, and could be used to reduce the area which needed to be fenced.
Grenjido returned to the front line camp after the morning battle to have lunch. That was when he heard End Fang’s roars.
The sound waves from the roar caused a terrible gust of wind and sent debris flying, causing several of the camp buildings to collapse.
Every single soldier stopped what they were doing and looked in the direction of the roar.
Someone screamed.
It was only natural since there was a giant tiger in the direction of the roar.
「I thought I heard some cracking sound from a while ago… So it was because you were forcibly trying to pry open that crack because it was too small, huh.」
Grenjido wiped his body and his long spear with a towel, and turned a gaze full of wild ferocity towards End Fang.
「It seems like you still have some ace up your sleeve, huh, Red Gate.」
Grenjido picked up a pitcher and gulped down the water directly from it. And then he looked at the stunned soldiers.
「Hey, you guys! Don’t just stand there absentmindedly! A new player has come out to play! I’ll be the one to get the first hit!!」
As he roared out, the soldiers came back to their senses.
Then Grenjido jumped upon a horse and started riding out of the camp.
「Y-Your Majesty!? Everyone, protect His Majesty the Holy King!!」
He is the former Holy King, but many soldiers followed Grenjido, calling him by his past title.
End Fang was glaring over the new world that it had never seen before, not even noticing the commotion of the humans.
