Chapter 325
"Liberta."
"What is it, Nell?"
"You've overdone it."
"To be perfectly frank, this seems like excessive force."
"I can't see it any other way."
"I have no sympathy for the enemy, but we are overwhelmingly advantaged."
We watched the battlefield with Amina's hymn as the BGM.But, can you even call this a battlefield?
The operation was going smoothly, you could even say extremely smoothly.After all, Boldrinde's stronghold was currently turning into a hellscape of screams and chaos.
* `'Leave it!! Leave that head behind!!!'`* `'Die!! Die with honor!!'`* `'Those who run are cowards!! Leave your head and die!!!'`
Yeah, I made them too strong.Even the bandits, who were desperately fighting back at first, would understandably want to run when faced with such magnificent coordination and overwhelming numbers.
* `'I've taken the enemy general's heeeead!!'`* `' ' ' ' ' 'Ooooooh!!!' ' ' ' ' '`
Wielding just a single sword, they plunged into the enemy base, trampling the foes, and any enemy who showed even a hint of resistance was swarmed and crushed by Genjiro and his men in their red armor, as if declaring "evil must be cut down."
Even I privately thought it might be better to call this a massacre.
Seeing this carnage, some tried to jump into the moat and escape from the ruins, but...
* `'Don't let the bandits escape!! Archers, fire!!!'`
The private soldiers of Duke Edelgard's house, surrounding the ruins, cut down every bandit trying to flee.
* `'We surrender!! We surrender!!'`* `'What did you do to the innocent people who begged for help saying that!? At this point, do you think we'd listen to your pleas for mercy!? Die! Die and beg for forgiveness from God in hell!!'`
We weren't taking prisoners.That was decided beforehand.
Leaving bandits alive brings a hundred harms and not a single benefit.That was the common sense of this world.
"Alright, it seems the main entrance is secured, so let's head out too.""Yes.""Understood.""Our objective is to secure or eliminate Boldrinde, correct?""Yes, Father said he doesn't care whether we take him alive or dead."
Steeling ourselves for the battlefield, we also began our assault.Although, intervening in a battlefield that had essentially become a musou game would only accelerate the speed of the rout.
No matter how elite Genjiro and his men were, it would take time to finish off thousands of bandits.
* `'Don't you care what happens to these people!?'`
Some bandits started trying to use the civilians they had kidnapped and imprisoned as hostages to resist.
* `'Fubero!?'`* `'Hahahahahaha!! Where there is evil, we are there!! Entertainer! Jack has arrived!!'`* `'Of course! Minerva-chan is also making her appearance!!`
It wasn't like we hadn't prepared countermeasures for that; we had sent in the Entertainers to take advantage of the confusion and free the hostages.Despite their flashy entrances and posing, they properly kicked the faces of the bandits trying to take hostages, twisting their necks in directions they shouldn't go.
For the Entertainers, this kind of kidnapping crime was a big no-no, so Judes showed no mercy.Sharia, who called herself Minerva, also lightly wielded her dagger against the bandits, reaping their lives.
* `'Leave the hostages to us!!'`* `'Oh! You are our Lord's shadow operatives!? My thanks!!'`* `'Now we can fight without holding back!! Men!! Crush them!!'`* `' ' ' ' ' ' 'Ooooooooh!!!!' ' ' ' ' ' ' '`
Since we had informed Genjiro and the others about the Entertainers beforehand, they could form a united front without confusion.
Hmm, is my current faction actually composed of some pretty dangerous people?Exhibitionist Entertainers and the head-chopping, Satsuma-brained Otoban-shu.
I've really gathered a cast of characters with strong personalities.
Well, having them clear the path easily is fine, I suppose.
The castle gate, the key point of the ruins' defense, had already been chopped to pieces by Genjiro and his men, and a scene was unfolding where the private soldiers of Duke Edelgard's house, who had entered with us, were beginning to slaughter even more bandits.
Ballistae? Archers?We took care of those with long-range attacks from super-long-range longbows that outranged their arrows.
The death throes of bandits could be heard from everywhere.
At this rate...
* `'Monsters have appeared!!'`* `'Here too!! Snake monsters!!'`* `'No, these are people!! They just transformed!!'`
"Huh?"
Just as I thought the suppression was complete, I started hearing ominous shouts about something.
"They're saying monsters have appeared.""That's strange. This entire area should be outside monster spawning zones."
Nell's ears twitched, beginning to pick out information from amidst the screams.Hearing that information, Claudia placed a hand on her chin and muttered, "Strange."
"Monsters that transform... could it be..."
I also concentrated, straining my ears to pick up the voices of the Otoban-shu and Duke Edelgard's private soldiers fighting and shouting, gathering information.
"They've already started scattering that troublesome thing around!?""Liberta?"
I quickened my pace to verify the facts, heading towards the direction where the sounds of combat were intensifying.I could feel Nell and the others following behind, so I advanced without worry.
Until a moment ago, I couldn't hear any real combat sounds.All I heard were the sounds of one-sided slaughter.
But that one-sided massacre had turned into a battle.
There's only one thing I can think of regarding that.
"Ah—, as I thought."
Arriving at the scene, I covered my eyes with my palm and looked up at the sky.Really, now it's become a hassle.
"What is that?"
Nell, who had caught up, asked, her voice trembling as she looked at the scene before her.
"Is that a Naga?""No, it's not. That's not a Naga."
Claudia was also watching. Monsters with reddish-black scales, snake-like lower bodies, human torsos, and snake faces.Monsters that, while being half-human half-snake, had a high proportion of snake, were fighting the Otoban-shu and Duke Edelgard's private soldiers.
At first glance, they resembled the monster Claudia mentioned.I don't know if they were modeled after Indian mythology or something else, but in FBO, they existed as water-attribute monsters.Half-human, half-snake monsters with pale blue scales.Those are Nagas.
But these monsters are artificially created monsters.Using an item called the Serpent Dragon Factor, you can transform a person into a snake monster.This could also be used by players; once used, you'd become a fixed class and level, and your skills would change accordingly.
"Serpent Dragon Kin, that's what they're called."
Once used, you maintain that form until death, and thanks to the skill 'Serpent Dragon's Blessing', your stats are enhanced.
"The cuts from being slashed aren't healing?""They have the Regeneration skill."
You couldn't max out EXBP with it, but you could still get stats surpassing monsters of the same rank.On top of that, half of their skill set is specialized for survival, making them a pain to defeat.The regeneration skill level is the maxed-out Class 10 level.
It was extremely troublesome; the red-armored Otoban-shu would slash their arms, but steam would rise from the wounds and they'd heal instantly, a truly annoying sight.
Even Claudia was wide-eyed at the reverse regeneration of the wounds.
"Even when their heads are cut off, they survive.""They have the skill 'Endure'. They can survive a single instant-death attack."
Furthermore, these guys had resistance to instant-death attacks, and could normally withstand attacks that would instantly kill a regular person.Genjiro had cleverly sliced off one's head, but as the remaining body thrashed about, a new head sprouted grotesquely from the stump, causing Lady Esmeralda to recoil in disgust.
"A head is growing back.""It's a technique only possible because they're not human. In that state, they have stats equivalent to the latter half of Class 5. What you should be careful of is..."
Ingrid, calmly observing the Serpent Dragon Kin, seemed to be thinking about how to kill them.
"Those individuals over there, with multiple heads."
Pointing towards a two-headed monster fighting nearby Duke Edelgard's private soldiers, as if to teach her.A monster covered in reddish-black scales, with a giant body rivaling a giant's, and two snake heads growing from the base of its neck. It exhaled poisonous mist from one mouth while using its extending tail to keep the soldiers at bay.
Nagas have one head, are water attribute, never spit poison, and don't try to slash with sharp claws like that.
"Very rarely, special individuals like that are born. When that happens, they become tough Class 6 monsters. They can grow up to a maximum of four heads, so be careful.""How strong is a four-headed one?""It doesn't quite reach Class 8, but it becomes about as strong as mid-tier Class 7. That said, the probability of one appearing should be quite low..."
We had already confirmed three of these Serpent Dragon Kin.Fortunately, the Otoban-shu and the private soldiers were handling them, so I thought it would be fine if this continued, but...
* `'A four-headed one has appeared now!! This one is strong!!'`* `'Don't break formation!! Mage squad, prepare!!'`* `'Damn it!! Just cutting off one head isn't enough to kill it!!'`
As if my line had been a flag, the most troublesome individual had appeared.
**" " " " "........" " " " "**"It's not my fault!?"
They all looked at me simultaneously, but I protested that it was unfair and rushed to the scene.I had trained them to be able to defeat even a four-headed one, but thinking of the worst-case scenario, it was better for us to handle it.
* `'Hahahahahaha!! I, Genjiro, the blade of our Lord!! Do you think I would fall to such adversity!?'`* `'What's wrong, monster!? Is that all you've got!?'`* `'I'll cut that head off as many times as it takes!!!'`
Just as I thought that, the red-armored warriors swarmed the four-headed Serpent Dragon Kin, pressing their attack with a momentum that overwhelmed its proud regenerative ability.
"Humph! A tricky one!!"
Seeing them fight without any apparent danger, I thought my support might be unnecessary, but then Genjiro launched a slash towards a shadow behind a rock.
There should have been no one there, but a man revealed himself, throwing himself aside to dodge the slash.
"Really, I didn't hear about being attacked by monsters like this."
He was clad in a robe, but exposed by Genjiro's attack. I recognized that robe, and I also recognized that voice.
"Genjiro!! Don't let that guy escape no matter what!! Finish him off for sure!!"
Before I knew it, I was shouting, scythe-spear in one hand, and breaking into a run.
* `'! Understood!! By our Lord's command!! I shall take that head!!'`* `'Sorry, but I still have things I want to do, so I'll have to decline!!'`
The man possessing the God-Hiding Robe, an extremely rare stealth item, hiding within the bandit hideout.In FBO, a person who only brought trouble, hated by players like poison.
"Grundt!! Die here!!!"
Even if it wasn't him, if he was here with the bandits, he was guilty.
Chasing the back trying to escape amidst the chaotic battle, Genjiro and I gave chase.
"I believe this is our first meeting!""Think about your crimes!!""When you put it that way, this old man can't make excuses. So, here, it's your turn!"
The difference in physical ability allowed me to catch up instantly, and I tried to stab him to death, but the well-prepared Grundt summoned a Serpent Dragon Kin he had hidden in the shadows, obstructing my path.