Chapter 337
What is the most crucial aspect of FBO tactics?
It's to diminish the enemy's strengths and make their weaknesses more致命的な (fatal).
That's all it boils down to.
In essence, it's about preventing them from utilizing their strong points and bogging them down in their areas of weakness. Hearing that, you might think it's just common sense and idealistic theory.
However, in FBO, whether you could actually *do* this depended greatly on your pre-battle preparations.
"Hurry! We're running out of time!!""What's the status of the magical tool deployment!?""Bring the observation team's compiled data over here!!"
Since I declared we would win, the knights have been running at full speed, dedicating themselves to their tasks.
"Lord Liberta, the earth-attribute mages have finished leveling Area A. Area B's progress is currently around thirty percent. Regarding Areas C and D, may we allocate personnel from Area A to work on them simultaneously?""Please do. The red-armored warriors assigned to guard the Area A mages will continue their escort duty."
The fact that thunder still echoes from afar means the spirits are still buying us time.That thunder feels reassuring, but the cursed poison's area of effect is gradually expanding, and its influence is beginning to affect the air as well.
No matter how advantageous our aerial position, it's only a matter of time.We don't have much leeway with nature on our side.
"Liberta, a report came in that the choir from the Temple Knights has arrived.""Understood. Please have them form their formation centered around that specific magical tool. Once formed, proceed with sound checks and rehearsal with Amina's band and their instrument playing."
The groups sending messengers from the command post are the Knight Order, the Mage Corps, and the Temple Knights who joined this expedition.Using Claudia's connections, we arranged for this choir to accompany the Temple Knights on this expedition. We asked the Temple Knights to escort them and bring them to this front line.
Normally, there should be no room to involve non-combatants in a boss battle, especially against a world-ending threat. But against Azhdaha, this choir becomes a crucial card for our chances of victory.
I leave all interactions with the Temple Knights to Claudia.
"Messenger!! The Serpent Dragon Kin are gradually beginning to encroach on the surroundings! They seem to be flowing particularly towards Area B, where many workers are concentrated!!""Send Nell and Ingrid that way! Genjiro and the Otoban-shu will guard Areas C and D!"
Azhdaha's specialty is environmental pollution. Unless we deal with that, we can't even fight properly, let alone find a path to victory.
"Liberta! I've brought them!"
Our forces haven't reached the recommended level for this boss fight. Yet, due to the Mirror Image Homunculus—Boldrinde's parting Joker—we're now forced into consecutive battles against a copy of Azhdaha, leading to the real one. I'm so angry I want to give the middle finger to the 'management' named Fate and file a complaint. But since the world will end if we don't act, I motivate myself by vowing to squeeze enough rewards from the King to make him live on bean sprouts for a year. While considering damages against the indecisive King who let the noble factions—the root cause of this situation—run amok, I jot down the incessant reports on the map and process the plans in my head one after another.
"It seems things have gotten quite serious.""Fuhahaha!! So this is the 'world crisis' mentioned during the contract! A battlefield worthy of me!!""Master, Clarice Noland has arrived with reinforcements!"
Above all, we lack combat power.The Thunder Sisters are desperately holding back the Azhdaha copy and the Serpent Dragon Kin at the ancient ruins, but it's like barely stemming a raging torrent about to overflow.Some spillover exists, and the resulting damage is unavoidable.
Having reinforcements from heroes of other continents to help prevent this, even a little, is nothing short of a godsend.
"Sorry to ask right after you arrive, but I need your help.""While the contract states that's the premise, I owe a huge debt to you, Master. If I can repay even a little here, then this Kon will help with all his might. Right, everyone?"**" " " " "OU!" " " " " "**"Master, if not here, when will we use the wisdom you bestowed upon us? Grant us the honor of fighting alongside the spirits. Isn't that right, everyone?"**" " " " "Hah!" " " " " "**"Fuhahahahahaha!! When else should we show the martial prowess we gained under Master's guidance if not here?! No warrior here would turn tail and run!"**" " " " "Indeed!!" " " " " "**
These hero units each have unique characteristics, making them very useful in this situation.Most importantly, thanks to training them all wholeheartedly, we've built a cooperative relationship without ulterior motives, which is significant.If there were nobles here thinking about stabbing allies in the back for post-war interests, we'd lose even a winnable fight.
"Kon, join up with the Edelgard Mage Corps in Areas B, C, and D and help with the work! Your Shikigami Corps can drastically increase work efficiency. Ask the unit commanders already on site for details. I'll leave the guarding to your samurai.""Understood. Everyone, let's go."
Not having to worry about that point is a genuine relief for my mental stability.If there were people trying to hold us back here, I honestly can't think of any solution other than punching them into silence.
Kon's unit is a Japanese-style combination of Samurai and Onmyoji.Samurai are close-combat jobs similar to Genjiro's men, specializing in physical attacks. Onmyoji, a unique job from the Eastern Continent, use talismans to create Shikigami familiars or perform special moves to activate magic.Unlike mages, they require talismans as a medium, and since these are consumables, they have a steeper learning curve, but they can demonstrate great strength depending on how they're used.
The biggest point of differentiation from mages is the fewer attribute restrictions.By simply swapping talismans, a single Onmyoji can handle all four basic attributes: Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind.The drawback is the hassle of managing the consumable talismans.
But in this case, we are critically short of earth-attribute mages for the emergency construction.
The original plan was to subdue Boldrinde, then take considerable time to construct a fortress against Azhdaha centered around the sealing-site ruins, aiming for a complete lockdown like we did with the Rainy Devil.
That plan has been completely scrapped. Now we're conducting rushed construction while buying time.
I intended to make it work somehow, but with the support of Kon's Onmyoji unit, we might not just avoid schedule delays but potentially move it forward.Having grasped their tasks, Kon and his men quickly began moving at a run.Even with their magic-oriented stats, my Spartan-leveling methods have given them speed and stamina beyond ordinary people.This should allow work to progress in the lagging Areas C and D until completion.
"Clarice, I need you to support the spirits fighting Azhdaha. Any reduction in their burden extends our preparation time. Focus your Elven Spirit Users on supporting the spirits in aerial combat. Have the Dwarven ground units be careful not to enter the polluted zones while digging up the ground to阻止 (prevent) the toxic swamp's contamination from spreading further.""Understood. Everyone, let's go."
Clarice's unit is perfectly suited for supporting the spirits currently buying us time, and they can also handle containing the pollution spread.
I considered asking the spirits to help with construction, but given the need to support the Thunder Sisters, Clarice's group from the Western Continent—Elves and Dwarves—find it easier to build relationships with spirits.Their presence might create some breathing room for us.Knowing it's to aid the spirits boosts their motivation. This should be the optimal placement.Seeing Clarice off, the last one remaining is the Beastman Barbatos.
"Barbatos.""Hahaha! My turn has come!!""Yeah. You and your men join up with Nell and exterminate the Serpent Dragon Kin emerging from the polluted zones. Don't let them cross this red line on the map. Clarice's group will likely monitor the pollution spread, so coordinate with them.""Hmm! Understood. I won't let a single one escape!!""I'm counting on you."
They possess the fastest ground movement speed of anyone here, coupled with superior嗅觉 (sense of smell) and hearing, making them excellent at search-and-destroy missions.
My biggest concern is that even one Serpent Dragon Kin might reach a settlement, attack it, offer sacrifices, allowing the true Azhdaha to accumulate power and revive as a complete entity prematurely.
I initially thought the true Azhdaha would revive simultaneously with the copy.But currently, only the Mirror Image Azhdaha has manifested.
Why is that?
I've considered several patterns, and the most likely one is this:The possibility that the true Azhdaha is using the Mirror Image to attempt a *complete* revival.The original setting was that Azhdaha's seal was cast by the gods.A god's hand, not a human's.Among these divine seals, there is one absolutely unbreakable seal.
It's precisely because of this seal that I believe this hypothesis has the highest probability.
That seal is 'Forced Weakening'.A seal that, if broken by some chance, uses the remaining seal energy to forcibly weaken the sealed Azhdaha.An Azhdaha subjected to this revives with stats reduced by ten percent compared to a full revival, and with several skills sealed.
'Just' ten percent, but it's *ten percent*.This difference is huge, and the seal lasts permanently.It can spread pollution and consume cursed poison to recover MP and HP.But the seal will never break in its lifetime.
Azhdaha is intelligent enough to realize this. If it's aware that three other entities of similar caliber exist, it would want to avoid this state.
Therefore, it's probably using the convenient pawn, the Mirror Image Homunculus, to revive completely and face the other three monsters in perfect condition.
I'm operating under this hypothesis, and I don't think I'm too far off the mark.Of course, there's also the possibility it hasn't revived yet for other reasons.But realistically, having only one entity manifest is more convenient for me personally.Facing them one at a time twice is far better than fighting two simultaneously.
For this reason, preventing the Serpent Dragon Kin—who are easy to overlook—from escaping the ruin's area and reaching villages or towns is crucial to stop Azhdaha's complete revival.This should also reduce the burden on Nell, Ingrid, and the Edelgard private soldiers.
"Lady Esmeralda, have you contacted His Grace the Duke?""It's already done. I reported the current situation and requested that he advise His Majesty to mobilize the Royal Army knights in addition to the Edelgard Knight Order."
However, relying solely on field response leaves no room for recovery if we make a mistake.Even with this much force assembled, we're barely scraping by in terms of manpower.A single mistake could easily lead to致命的な (fatal) consequences for the rear.
So, I had Lady Esmeralda use the crystal communication tool given by Duke Edelgard to contact him, report the emergency, and request the deployment of knights to villages and towns near the ruins.I assume it would be Lord Lotus and his men in Hokushi, but if we need to cover a wider area, we'll have no choice but to ask the King to mobilize knights from the capital or those stationed at the northern fortress.
There might be nothing happening, but it's insurance. We just have to accept it.Neglecting preparations for potential incidents could lead to致命傷 (fatal wounds) if damage occurs.
"Now, it's a question of whether we'll make it in time."
Work efficiency, high morale.Even with both, it's going to be close.
While feeling grateful to the spirits fighting devotedly for us, I watch the lightning flashes striking down, accompanied by the lingering thunder.