Chapter 216: The Recapture of the Port Town
Volume 3: Antil Island Internal Affairs
The recapture of the port town, once taken by the enemy, began with an assault by the archers.
As the majority of their ships were sunk, the enemy, barely managing to reach the port, was met with a barrage of arrows. The sudden attack threw them into confusion.
Then, the Barland knights flanked the enemy, causing further disarray. As the volley of arrows ceased, as promised, Sergeant Renton led the charge with his spear, shouting valiantly as he cut through the enemy lines.
Already in disarray, the enemy, further panicked by the fierce frontal assault, collapsed, unable to form a proper defense. The Abyspanian army, following Sergeant Renton’s lead, charged forward, splitting the enemy and forcing them into a chaotic melee.
However, the demon army, numbering twenty thousand, had many capable commanders. One of their knights, wielding a long-handled battle axe, cut down the Abyspanian soldiers who had breached the town, attempting to reorganize the line.
「Fools! Don’t let a mere handful of humans rattle you. The Abyspanians are but a small force!」
Even in this chaotic situation, some among the demon army had the presence of mind to rally their troops and restore order. Seeing such competent commanders, I calmly took aim and picked them off.
「Sorry about this…」
As the gunshot rang out and another commander fell, the remaining demon soldiers began to panic again. Although I didn’t want to kill the capable leaders, as I intended to turn the demon army to our side after their surrender, it couldn’t be helped. 「We can’t start anything until we win.」
Rara-chan and Ria were with me, so we refrained from charging forward ourselves. We kept a safe distance to avoid getting caught up in the melee.
However, as the enemy’s archers regained their composure and resumed their volleys, stray arrows began to rain down on us. The arrows had a considerable range, likely fired from composite bows.
One particularly strong arrow, shot from a powerful bow, whistled toward me. Rara-chan, standing beside me, waved her hand, and the arrow was deflected mid-air.
「Thanks, Rara-chan.」
「This much is nothing. It feels like my magic has gotten stronger since we arrived here.」
With Rara-chan using shockwave magic to deflect the arrows, there was no need to worry about stray shots. Demon magic comes in handy at times like this, and in the Abyss, it seems even more potent.
But the same goes for the enemy.
Both sides have a few mages, but the blue-skinned demon mages with horns seemed to have an edge.
In a land overflowing with chaotic mana, unlike the controlled mana of holy magic, combat is undoubtedly more difficult for humans.
「I’ll help too!」
「Ria, don’t waste your holy magic.」
In the Abyss, using holy magic requires consuming ‘Silver Feathers’. It would be problematic if she depleted her precious magic power here.
「Then what should I do?」
「Just stay behind me and don’t get in the way.」
With a resigned ‘It can’t be helped.’ Ria clung tightly to my back, so I leaned against her. Her soft body at least served to absorb some of the recoil from the gun.
「Takeru, if you lean on me so hard, my milk might spill.」
「You’re the one who clung to me, but now’s not the time for jokes!」
We were merely supporting the Barland forces on the front lines, so we still had some breathing room. However, with the Abyspanian baby queen stationed on the high ground, we couldn’t let the enemy get close. We needed to stay sharp.
Fortunately, the surprise attack had been successful. Despite facing a massive army, the Barland troops, fighting bravely, were showing such momentum that they might win even without further reinforcements.
Yet, battles are never straightforward. Just as we were breaking through the demon army’s defenses at the port of Avana, the enemy’s main force, the griffon squadron, descended upon us.
「Tch, more griffons.」
The flying beasts, impervious to the rain of arrows, charged into our front lines, sweeping away about ten soldiers at once. The archers, desperately firing at the griffons, found their arrows blown away by a single powerful flap of their wings.
As expected of demon beasts, their hides were tough. Not only arrows but even spear attacks failed to penetrate.
Even when the soldiers formed a spear wall to hold back the griffons, the spears began to snap, bending and breaking in the middle.
Even iron spearheads couldn’t penetrate the griffons’ hard skin when the shafts were wooden, causing them to snap.
These griffons were indeed formidable predators, akin to the kings of birds.
「It’s our turn now. Brave Abyspanian knights, show your strength!」
With Commander Barland’s commanding shout, a squad of fewer than thirty knights charged down to the port town, aiming directly at the griffon squadron in low-altitude flight.
Though small in number, these knights had survived fierce battles.
Facing the fierce griffons, they did not hesitate. Holding their long lances, the Abyspanian knights charged head-on, their steeds crashing into the beasts.
The griffons’ powerful wingbeats sent both horses and knights flying one after another. However, the griffons skewered by the steel lances, were in visible pain.
Two griffons, along with the demon knights riding them, were impaled. The remaining griffons, frightened by the lances, took to the skies.
「Impressive, Knight Commander Barland.」
Leading the charge, Commander Barland managed to take down one griffon with his lance. Incredibly, he leaped off his horse in mid-flight, landing on the back of another griffon.
Without missing a beat, he drew his long sword from his waist and swiftly cut down the demon knight riding the griffon. His swordsmanship was as elegant as it was swift.
「Uoohhh!」
Barland roared triumphantly as he spun through the air. The griffon he rode tried to shake him off, but he held tight to the reins he had seized from the demon knight.
Using his iron fist, Barland struck the griffon’s head, forcing it to maneuver and drive it into the enemy’s archer unit.
The griffon charged into the enemy archers, causing their formation to collapse in chaos.
Encouraged by Commander Barland’s heroic efforts, the Abyspanian forces fought with renewed vigor. The situation was promising up to this point.
However, the Abyspanian army was still outnumbered. No matter how brave the individual heroes, they couldn’t overcome the overwhelming numerical superiority of the enemy. The demon army had initially outnumbered them ten to one.
The demons’ disadvantage was that it coincided with the landing of the fleet. The chaos from Kaara’s large-scale spell, Meteor Strike, which sank two-thirds of the fleet, was a major blow. However, once that settled, the demon army would still be in a favorable position.
As time passed, the demon forces, regaining their control, began to reinforce their lines. The surprise attack by the Abyspanian army was being pressed back.
Victory seemed unlikely unless reinforcements arrived. I continued to calmly pick off enemy commanders with my magic rifle, waiting for our reinforcements.
「Hang in there! Just a little longer! My allies will definitely arrive soon!」
I called out to encourage the Abyspanian soldiers.
The demons, relying on their numbers, fiercely resisted, while the Abyspanian forces continued to press on despite being outnumbered. Then, the thunderous sound of artillery echoed across the battlefield.
「Drake’s here! We’ve won now!」
From the eastern seas, two massive black cedar warships appeared, attacking the galleys anchored in the port. The situation on the battlefield shifted instantly.
Although the demon army had superior numbers, they were now trapped between land and sea assaults.
The enormous cannons, emitting sounds and smoke beyond the demons’ understanding and imagination, caused the griffons to panic and flee first. Recognizing the futility, these beasts, driven by instinct, quickly made their retreat.
The demon fleet’s galleys, in a foolish attempt to encircle and attack the black cedar warships, found themselves incapable of inflicting any damage. The black cedar ships triumphed decisively in naval combat.
Admiral Drake’s triumphant laughter seemed almost audible to us.
The battle was no longer even a contest. The black cedar warships advanced unchallenged, sinking the demon galleys one after another.
Before the black ships, small boats were like dust. It became a one-sided massacre.
「The proud demon army doesn’t flee! Fight! Fight on!」
Despite the commanding officers’ shouts urging their troops to fight, both the land and sea assaults were gradually overwhelming them.
The demon fleet was completely shattered, and the demons on land were now caught between the attacks from both sea and land, completely trapped.
In response to the naval defeat, the human slaves, previously used as labor, began to surrender and abandon their weapons.
Following that, the disorder among the lower-ranked troops caused them to flee into the surrounding forests.
Even though the demon army numbered twenty thousand, the officers, including the demon squad leaders and knights, were fewer than a thousand.
With the collapse of the general soldiers’ morale, the demons were now clearly at a disadvantage.
The black cedar warships, having finished off the galleys, turned their cannons on the demon army entrenched on land. The already crumbling demon invasion force’s coordination completely disintegrated.
「Now, knights of the Demon Country, if you’re going to surrender, do it now!」
With the tables turned, it was now Commander Barland’s side urging the enemy to surrender. The large fleet that had come with the demons was fully destroyed, and the demon forces, trapped in the port city, found themselves in a hopeless situation with no way to retreat or advance.
Seeing the inevitable defeat, I hoped the demons would surrender quickly. Just then, the demon general with impressive water buffalo horns on his head shouted hoarsely.
「Is this the end…? But, Abyspanian knights! You seem to have forgotten. We have the Great Sea Dragon!」
「The outcome is already decided. Surrender now, and we promise not to take your lives!」
Commander Barland continued to urge surrender. I had requested him to do so in advance. Perhaps I was too lenient, but even with demons, I found it hard to kill them unnecessarily.
「What are you talking about now? We’ve lost our ships. At this point, we’ll just use the Great Sea Dragon to devour you all!」
The demon general’s words made me realize something. The reason they hadn’t used their trump card, the Great Sea Dragon, until now was likely to avoid sinking their own ships.
Given its power to stir up storms, it was only natural that the small demon galleys would be capsized. And now, even if it meant destroying their own fleet, they were willing to use the Great Sea Dragon, showing their desperation.
The demon army’s greatest advantage was their ability to control magical beasts. However, not all of them were obedient like griffons. The Great Sea Dragon was likely to devastate everything, friend and foe alike.
The demon general, with horns like a water buffalo, raised a blood-red scale to the sky, and the sea began to churn.
From beyond the horizon, the Great Sea Dragon emerged, creating massive waves as it approached.
With his brown cloak billowing in the storm, the demon general laughed triumphantly.
「Uwahahaha! Even I cannot stop the raging Great Sea Dragon now! My demon army will not lose! And I’ll drag you down with us!」
I wondered if defeating the general and taking the red scale could drive the Great Sea Dragon away, but when I pulled the trigger on my magic rifle, no bullet came out.
「Damn, out of ammo.」
I’d been too reckless with my shooting since arriving on the island. But that was fine. I would leave the task of dealing with the Great Sea Dragon to Admiral Drake.
As we approached the port, the black cedar ships could anchor, reducing the impact of the storm. Once that happened, we’d be able to use our cannons. If the demon army’s trump card was the Great Sea Dragon, defeating it would surely break their morale.
The two main cannons of the black cedar warships, the Magic Armstrong cannons, swiveled around and aimed at the Great Sea Dragon approaching from the horizon. It had been a while since they were last used, and they seemed eager for action.
A shot stronger than Kaara’s shockwave was fired towards the Great Sea Dragon. With a deafening roar that shook the air, the enemy’s last hope—the Great Sea Dragon—was instantly turned into sea foam.
「What the…? What kind of fire-breathing cannon is that… Am I dreaming?」
Having demonstrated the power disparity, I decided it was time to issue another surrender ultimatum.
「Hey, demon general over there! Your last hope, the Great Sea Dragon, has been reduced to nothing. What will you do now? Are you going to waste more of your soldiers’ lives?」
The demon general, adorned with impressive horns, fell to his knees in shock as the Great Sea Dragon vanished. It seemed the battle was truly over.
※※※
「Just go ahead and behead me. Having destroyed this fleet, there’s no saving face even if I were to return to my country.」
Captured and bound with ropes, the demon general bowed his head, resigned to his fate. While knights and generals from the Eura continent might have the option of paying a ransom for their release, it seemed death was the only option for demons.
The conflict between demons and humans likely made the situation even harsher. War with such different races and religions is indeed a serious matter.
「Hey, demon general. What’s your name?」
「Hmm… What’s it to you? Well, if you must know, I am Damons Korang, the naval general of the Tanmuz Kingdom, one of the Six Great Demon Countries. If you’re going to erect a tomb for me, make it a grand stone one.」
Damons, the naval general with two water buffalo horns, answered casually. Despite being on the brink of execution, he maintained a sense of humor, seemingly resigned to his fate with a calm demeanor.
Perhaps it’s a cultural difference, but it seems people from the Abyss continent, whether demon or human, are prone to intense emotions that quickly cool down. They fight fiercely but don’t fuss too much once the outcome is decided.
「Is it unusual for a naval general to command ground battles?」
「You’re quite the detail-oriented knight. Since you wiped out the land commanders like Barbariccia and the others, I was left to lead the unfamiliar land battles… Ah, I see, that gleaming magical silver armor. I heard from the griffon unit reports that all those generals you’ve killed were your work.」
Damons seemed perceptive, as expected from someone who led a force of twenty thousand. The difference in armor alone was enough for him to identify me as part of Abysspanian forces.
Damons, who had mistaken me for a demon knight, was far more perceptive than the bumbling soldiers.
「That’s right. Those two black cedar warships are also my reinforcements.」
「I see. So that fire-breathing cannon was your work too. Ha ha, it’s better to be defeated by Abysspanian forces than to suffer continuous losses. As a brave who kills generals, at least tell me your name as a memento of the underworld.」
「A memento of the underworld? Isn’t that something the executioner gives?」
I wondered if even demons with their belief in the Mother of Chaos had such a concept of the afterlife.
「I’m Sawatari Takeru, the King General of the Kingdom of Silesie.」
「Takeru, huh? I’ve never heard of such a strange name from a country I don’t know, but as a King General, it makes sense. You’re the second man to defeat me. I shall etch your name into my soul even in death. I’ll be waiting in hell, and I hope we can have another battle there. I won’t lose next time.」
Despite his defeat, Damons spoke with an air of arrogance. Though he might be a mighty general, commanding a fleet of five hundred ships with twenty thousand soldiers, losing such a force could understandably make him feel doomed to hell.
「Actually, I won’t be going to hell.」
「What? For a distinguished general like you, the number of soldiers you’ve killed would surely condemn you to hell. Even there, you’d likely attain a high rank.」
Damons spoke with a tone that suggested this was a given, not a mere expression of sarcasm. It seemed that for demons of the Abyss continent, the concept of hell might be viewed more positively, akin to a warrior’s paradise like Valhalla.
「No, I’m not going to kill you. In fact, I won’t make you a slave either. With my arrival, Abysspanian forces will no longer kill or enslave demons. This country will become one where humans and demons live as equals. Isn’t that right, Knight Commander Barland?」
When I said this, Barand nodded quietly.
「Equality between demons and humans? What fairy tale is that… I don’t understand at all.」
「I’m not planning to take you as a prisoner, so I could set you free. But if possible, I’d like to hire you and your soldiers.」
「Hire us? Have I misheard? Are you saying you want to hire the enemy you’ve captured? What in the world are you talking about? I don’t understand…」
Damons was visibly confused by my offer. It seemed that my proposal was so far removed from the norms of the Abyss continent that it would take some time to grasp. I hoped to somehow persuade Damons and his men to join my side.