Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken (LN) - Volume 22 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Time of Despair 
 
 
In Sarion, the Sorcerer's Dynasty. 
 
After watching Benimaru and the others leave, Kagali and Tia disappeared, saying they’d track down Jahil. 
 
Maybe staying there was the right choice, but it was also the reason why it felt awkward to see Elmesia and the others 
 
Laplace, whom Kagali had resurrected as a Deathman, was Sylvia’s husband and, to Elmesia, her father. 
 
Laplace had been wiped out by Jahilu to protect Kagali, and she wasn't in this world. Even Kagari had mixed feelings about it. 
 
I can't even begin to fathom my grudge against Jahilu. 
 
Rather than staying behind and working with Elmesia, it was more like her to think of a plan for revenge. That’s what Kagali thought as she moved into action. 
Understanding that, Elmesia and the others saw him off without saying a word. 
 
And as for those who remained――They were so exhausted that they collapsed and rested. 
 
The Sacred Tree’s offensive and defensive battle was an all-out war. 
 
With Elmesia, the Heavenly Emperor, at the top, everyone had unleashed all the power they had. 
 
The only one who could still say he had the leeway was Zarario, the enemy general. 
 
「Let's eat first.」 
 
With those words from Elmesia, those who had only been watching the battle hurriedly began to move. As if it was finally their turn, combat rations were being distributed to the soldiers. 
 
In various parts of the battlefield, even cooking was done, and warm soup was prepared. 
 
She must have prepared it beforehand, because it was a wonderful feat. 
 
「I hope it suits your tastes.」 
 
As she spoke, Elmesia served Zarario and the others a meal as well. 
 
「...Sorry.」 
 
Zarario obediently accepts it. 
 
Zarario and the others, who had been fighting in the other world for so long, had long forgotten the concept of food. Their stomachs and the like had long since lost their shape and function. 
 
Sleep and hydration are more than enough to replenish our energy. 
 
Sleep doesn't mean that you're really going to sleep, but that you just need to rest and not move. 
 
Thinking back on it, I had been living a bland life. 
 
「This is the first time I've ever felt glad that I'm receiving meat.」 
 
Those were the words of Nice, one of Zarario’s adjutants. 
 
When it came to the Zarario army's food situation, there was a huge difference in individuality. Many of the higher-ranking soldiers were impressed, but the soldiers at the end of the line had only just gained free will. From here on out, things would change little by little. 
 
「So, what are you going to do now?」 
 
After gulping down the warm soup, Zarario threw a question at Leon. 
 
「Do you want me to be your partner?」 
 
With that, Leon took it coolly. 
I elegantly enjoy my post-meal tea. It gives off a relaxed atmosphere, making it clear that I have no intention of fighting the Zarario. 
 
「Let's not. I want to avoid further wear and tear in preparation for the next situation.」 
 
Zarario replied seriously. 
 
Gii's got a reputation for being uninteresting, but Leon likes him a lot. 
 

Protecting the Sacred Tree was like guaranteeing its safety for the time being. However, Milim was still out of control, and Feldway was still alive and well. If she didn’t rest when she could, it seemed like she’d be unable to move when the time came. 
 
“You’re right~” Leon nodded, trying to enjoy the momentary peace. 
 
However, the tragic news could be delivered quickly. 
 
The “apocalyptic declaration” Luminus had performed was projected near the sacred tree as well. 
 
＊ 
Important figures gather on the branches of the sacred tree above the vast sacred leaves. 
 
As guests, Leon, Zarario, and Daryth and Nice, who were Zaralio’s adjutants, were also participating. 
 
A simple desk had been set up, since they didn’t have much time to return to the royal palace, and military chairs had been prepared for everyone 
 
None of the higher-ups complained, either, and the emergency strategy meeting began. 
 
「Now then, what should we do?」 
 
And when Elmesia tilted her head, Sylvia, who had the same look on her face, agreed, 
“It’s a pain, isn’t it?” 
 
The Nightmare that destroys the world, the Ivarage, must be prevented from interfering with this fundamental world as the duty of all mankind. 
 

But still, the tragic news that Rimuru had disappeared, along with the report that Milim had once again set her sights on the Sacred Tree during her rampage, had come together. 
 
It was a big problem. 
 
I tried to talk to Benimaru and the others, but I couldn't get in touch with them. The communication with Tempest hadn't connected, as if it had been jammed. 
 
There was no doubt that something was happening. 
 
However, Elmesia and the others didn’t have the luxury of worrying about Tempest, the land of demons. 
 
They had to deal with the looming threat of Milim on their own.
If Milim destroyed the Sacred Tree, that could very well mean the end of the world. This was another problem we couldn’t ignore. 
 
This was no time to argue about which was more important. 
 
The problem was that they weren’t strong enough. In light of this, Elmesia and the others had been given the ultimate choice. 
 
In other words, they would either abandon the Sacred Tree and regroup with the Rubelios forces, or use their few forces to defend them to the death. 
 
If we focus our forces on a single point, we’ll be able to respond quickly. But that’s in agreement with abandoning the Sacred Tree, and by extension, the Sorcerer’s Dynastic Dynasty Sarion. 
 
If they didn’t take countermeasures against Milim, there was no doubt that the Sacred 
Tree would be destroyed along with Sarion 
 
Having said that, the army made no sense against Milim. Everyone understood that because they’d seen the threat firsthand. 
 
A force that wasn't even useful against Jahilu would be impossible to buy time against the Tyrant of Destruction, Milim Nava. 
 
Even now, Erald was leading the charge, guiding the evacuation of the people. He’d made sure to evacuate the sacred tree as quickly as possible, careful not to panic. 
Even so, it was impossible for everyone to escape. 
 
We don't have enough time. 
 
She’s throwing away all her personal belongings and making her run away on her own, but even if she runs all her magic devices at full power, there’s a limit to how much she can carry. 
 
Besides, there are many who seek to share their fate with the Sacred Tree. 
 
The longer the species lived, the more determined they seemed to be that this was their life span. 
 
Their fates would run out the moment Milim arrived. 
 
The time of tragedy draws near. 
 
If she was trying to avoid that, there was a limit to how many countermeasures she could naturally take. 
 
Leon opened his mouth to break the heavy atmosphere. 
 
「We have no choice but to do it. I will be your opponent, Milim. Elmesia, you must fulfill your duty as Heavenly Emperor.」 
 
Elmesia objected to this statement. 
 
「Please don't underestimate me. If it's my duty, I'll protect the sacred tree.」 
「But...」 
 
「Leon-kun, this is when you brace yourself. It’s not just the demon lord Milim who’s coming, but Feldway as well. Isn’t it fine to have more resistance?」 
 
Leon had no choice but to shut up about this, either. 
 
It wasn’t a problem that could be dealt with through sheer willpower or willpower, and even if we beat him here, if Leon lost, Elmesia would have no choice but to go on a business trip. 
 
It was Zarario who interjected. 
 
「Heh. I have a grudge against Feldway. I shall take him on.」 
 
Silvia followed suit. 
 
「I'm here too, you know? I'll leave the rest to my mommy, who's a little strong, and Elle-chan will lead the people.」 
 
I started to say that much, but Elmesia cut me off. 
 
「There is no way I could do such a thing. I am an emperor with my people.」 
 

As the Heavenly Emperor, Elmesia’s hegemony worked on her mother, Silvia. She was overwhelmed not by the difference in ability, but by her dignity as a ruler. 
As a ruler and bearer of the people, her responsibilities were heavy. Even if it meant putting off her own self-interest, Elmesia had prioritized her people’s lives. She was trying to protect that pride until the very last moment. 
 
Then again, Elmesia had built up an enormous amount of personal wealth while doing so. She had a reputation for her shrewdness, and she didn’t have the noble spirit of selfsacrifice. 
 
Elmesia’s basic idea was to make her people happy while also making herself happier. 
 
And besides... 
 
Even if they managed to escape here, it would be the same if the world were destroyed. 
 
In that case, I should have chosen a proud way of life until the very last moment. 
 
Leon and Zarario had no intention of backing down. 
 
Even if the defeat he’d promised awaited him, his expression was determined. 
 
The same was true for Elmesia. 
 
Sylvia broke, too. 
 
He wanted his daughter to be happy, but he realized it was his own ego. In that case, there was no need for further discussion. 
 
「Okay. Veldora's headed this way too, so let's do our best to survive.」 
 
Buying time meant something if reinforcements were coming. 
 
Hope is born not by simply waiting for death, but by acting with a purpose. 
 
「I'll leave the rest to you guys.」 
 
Elmesia finished her sentence for the dignitaries. 
 
The members of the Thirteen Royal Houses of Sarion had sour faces, but they didn’t voice any objections. They nodded gravely at each other. 
 
Their pride had fallen to the ground, being protected two or three times. However, they had no choice but to accept that even if they left, they would only die a dog's death. 
 
It’s humiliating, but she’s trying to throw away those emotions and do what she can. 
 
And so it was decided that the four warriors would meet Milim and the others. 
 
＊  
 
The troops under Zarario’s command decided to help the people of Salion evacuate. 
 
Since the chain of command is different, it's hard to cooperate right off the bat. Therefore, our main duties are to be cautious and supportive. 
 
Daryth and Nice had commanded them well, and they seemed to be quite useful. 
 
Relieved to see that, Zarario sharpened his spirit in preparation for the coming Feldway. 
 
There was nothing resembling a strategy. 
 
If I had to say, my life is precious. 
 
Against Milim, a single blow would be an instant-death course, so it was decided that the three specialized in speed would toy with her, preventing her from giving her a chance to attack. 
 
It would be the end if they fired a [Dragon Star Explosion Conqueror] at the Sacred Tree, so I decided this strategy would be most effective. 
 
But if that's the case, then the only one who can take on Feldway is Zarario. 
 
The Zarario trembled, thinking that this was a serious responsibility. 
 
Leon called out to her, perhaps out of concern for the Zarario. 
 
「Are you getting worked up?」 
 
「Heh. You're strong when you get serious, Feldway. I'll get fired up.」 
 
The Feldway had even taken out its main body, making it complete. It was a backwater formation that said there was a possibility that it would die if it was defeated, but its strength was unknown. 
Even Zarario didn't get many chances to see Feldway's true form. He hadn't seen it since he sealed it long ago. 
 
I was confident that I was superior when it came to strength, but I couldn't ignore the overwhelming presence of the dragon. It had energy that rivaled or surpassed that of a “dragon.” If I thought about it lightly, I might be destroyed by a single touch of armor sleeve. 
 
Zarario understood that, and he admonished himself that he would die if he let his guard down. 
 
「More importantly, are you guys okay?」 
 
The Zarario changes the subject. 
 
Leon and the others fell silent. 
 
Even Leon’s and Zarario’s ultimate techniques hadn’t worked on Milim. And they’d been easily blocked by the invisible barrier that was nothing more than a byproduct of the [Dragon Star Explosion], Drago Nova. 
 
Anyone would understand that the difference in ability between them was as great as heaven and earth. 
 
「Our goal isn't to win, after all. We don't need to defeat them, so all we have to do is draw their attention.」 
 
Leon answered as if to say it was nothing. 
It was actually a very well-dressed attitude, but it was very Leon-like 
 

Elmesia and Sylvia nodded, as if to say she was right. 
 
「That's right. I'd say it'd be impossible if you told me to defeat you, but it's not like I can't do it if I just have to.」 
 
「Yeah, that's right. We're confident in our speed. Leon-kun is my disciple, so he's pretty good at running away, isn't he?」 
 
Leon had a bitter look on his face at this, too. 
 
「I've been thinking about this for a while now, but could you stop calling me ‘Leonkun’? Also, I don't want you to call me “running away”. Shouldn't you be more positive?」 
 
Her expression told me that she’d said something that had been unsatisfactory for a long time. 
 
「You're so optimistic...」 
 
「It makes me sad to hear you say something like Operation Cobae.」 
 
Leon, who’d been listening, let out a heavy sigh as well 
 
「That's enough. I was an idiot for expecting anything from you.」 
「Me too.」 
 
「You're at the age where you want to look cool.」 
 
「......」 
 
Leon finally fell silent. 
 
Zarario patted Leon on the shoulder like that and gave him a sympathetic look, saying, 
“You’ve got it rough too, huh?” 
 
There was that ridiculous back-and-forth, but it was by no means a waste 
 
It was a plan to relax as much as possible in order to overcome the oncoming despair. 
 
There was no mistaking the effect, as the four of us were in top condition. 
 
And then, the target's approach was confirmed. 
 
「It's here.」 
 
That's what Zarario said bluntly. 
 
「I checked over here too.」 
 
「That's amazing... They're already here in just a few hours.」 
Elmesia’s murmur was a sentiment shared by everyone present 
 
The distance from the Holy Void to here to the Sacred Tree exceeded twenty thousand kilometers in a straight line. It was Milim, capable of abnormal flight speed several dozen times faster than the speed of sound, that was why she was able to return in such a short time. 
 
「It's probably not at full power. If you're serious, you should be faster. Are you guys really okay?」 
 
Zarario sounded worried. 
 
「Even if it's not okay, we have no choice but to do it.」 
 
「Well, that's how it is.」 
 
「I won't lose to you at maximum speed in an instant!」 
 
It was Elmesia, Leon, and Sylvia’s statements in order. 
 
I'm plenty fired up. 
 
All that's left is the spirit of becoming who you are. 
 
＊ 
 
The battle had already begun the moment I saw Milim. 
 
As planned, Leon, Elmesia, and Sylvia spread out around Milim. 
 
The three of them had a fellow student relationship with Sylvia as their master, so their movements were common. 
 
Oddly enough, even their power was similar. 
 
Leon’s Ultimate Abilities, Ultimate Skills, King of Light, Sullia, Elmesia’s ultimate Ability, Ultimate Ability, and Vayu all included powers specialized for speeding up, including Sylvia’s Ultimatum, Ultimate Skill, and Indra 
 
Unlike Zarario, it didn’t have wings, but all three of them could fight in the air without issue. By using their power to stabilize space and use it as a foothold, they could freely fly through the sky. 
 
It was thought that if he used this, he could toy with Milim. 
 
Furthermore, they were coordinated through A-un breath, and in that sense, they had become the best team, even if they were impromptu. 
 
And so, the three spread out members took turns stepping forward to keep Milim in check. 
 
「I'll go first.」 
 
Leon would be the first to make the first move. It was the most dangerous role, but he’d accepted it naturally. 
 
Without waiting for a reply, Leon set it up. 
 
「----The Meltbreaker.」 
 
That was one of Leon’s ultimate techniques. 
 
The principle is the same as Hinata's [Crumble Magic Spirit Slash]. The only difference is that in Leon's case, he uses his power to control the spirit. 
 
It went without saying that safety and stability meant Leon was higher up, and it was possible to maintain high-powered slashes for a long time 
 
If I were to use this with all my might, I would become a [Handred Breaker], but since it wouldn't work anyway, I thought I'd wait and see first. 
 
I don't know if that decision was the right one or not~ 
 
「Tch, you don't even feel like defending!?」 
 
Leon blurted out in frustration. 
 
It was the ultimate weapon known as a [Mythical class], the [Holy Flame Thin Sword], and the [Disintegration] light shining on the [Spirit Collapse]. It was a deadly sword that could even butcher a demon lord. 
 
And yet, Milim continued flying toward the Sacred Tree without a care in the world. 
 
As we passed each other, it was definitely a direct hit. 
 
There was a definite sensation in Leon's arm, and for a moment, my heart skipped a beat, wondering if he might have been seriously injured, but it seemed that was a needless worry. 
 
Leon was greatly aware that he’d been underestimating Milim’s [Crazy Stampede] 
 
On his back was a pair of jet-black wings. 
 
The crimson one-horn that sprouted from its forehead shone even brighter and shone rainbow-colored. 
 
Other than her face, her bare skin had a mysterious pattern on it, and it was covered in a hard, shining [Dragon Scale] that dulled and changed color. 
 
Milim’s form in battle had grown more sinister, but it wasn’t just her appearance that had changed. Even her abilities had become isolated. 
 
Leon’s sword had only inflicted damage on Milim’s Dragon Scale. Even the Spirit Particles, capable of cutting through all things, hadn’t been able to shatter Milim's Star Particles. 
 
Besides, [Dragon Scale] would grow back. If it couldn't regenerate, it would grow a new one, so the actual damage was zero.
Leon told himself that he had no intention of defeating him, so there was no problem. But no matter how anyone looked at him, he was a sore loser. 
 
Sylvia had set it up after Leon, but the result was similar. She was ashamed of her master, but there was no one here who could blame her. 
 
「It really is impossible, isn't it?」 
 
Sylvia grumbled. 
 
「...Heh. You knew this from the start, didn't you?」 
 
Leon replied with a determined look, but it was all too empty. 
 
Even if I use my ultimate technique, I can't even slow her down. It's understandable that she'd lose her willpower. 
 
Here, Elmesia shouted to encourage the depressed pair. 
 
「Okay, okay. I'll use the wind's blessing to increase your speed, so don't give up and keep provoking me!」 
 
With those voices, Leon and Sylvia pulled themselves together. 
 
It didn’t matter if she was a sore loser or a fake patient—if she lost her willpower here, it would all be over. Like Elmesia said, if she couldn’t do it just once, she could just repeat it. 
 
「I'll go again.」 
 
「Let's keep going!」 
 
Leon and Sylvia attacked in rapid succession, and Elmesia supported the two of them. That flow naturally formed, and the wave of attacks against Milim repeated itself. 
 
And finally, Milim twitched. 
 
A look of joy appeared on Leon and Sylvia's faces. But the next moment, a gust of wind knocked them away. 
 
Immediately after that, a mass of magical energy flew to where the two of them had been, passing them by, creating a massive explosion in the distance 
 
That explosion was Milim’s doing. 
 
She casually fired a magic bullet, as if she found their attacks annoying. 
 
Elmesia was the first to notice it, and she’d blown them both away one step earlier. 
 
「If you let your guard down, you really will die...」 
 
Elmesia’s pale face warned them, and Leon and Sylvia simply nodded silently. 

The Zarario was facing Feldway. 
 
The two of them stood still in midair, facing each other. 
 
It was Feldway who spoke first. 
 
「Why did you betray me?」 
 
Hearing this, even the mild-mannered Zarario was indignant. 
 
In the first place, it all started when Feldway tried to control the Zarario. Even if he ignored that and forced his own selfish reasons on him, from Zaralio’s point of view, it was unbearable. 
 
I retort sharply, as if to vent my dissatisfaction. 
 
「Isn't that my line? Why did you control me?」 
 
I tried to listen to what Feldway had to say, but what came back was a logic Zarario couldn’t understand. 
 
「Dominion? I didn't mean it that way. It's just that I strengthened our bond through my power. That way, I can convey my orders as lubrication, right?」 
 
And Feldway’s way of thinking was difficult to understand. 
 
「...What are you saying?」 
 
Confused from the bottom of his heart, Zarario asked back. 
 
However, this didn't work either. Feldway spoke his mind as if he couldn't understand why Zarario was so angry. 
 
「You were my friends. In that case, what problem do you have in unifying your will?」 
 
Consolidating one's will meant obeying Feldway completely. There was no need for individual wills, and no rebuttal was allowed. 
 
It was a statement that did not acknowledge Zarario and the others at all. 
 
Zarario shuddered. 
 
(Doesn't this guy even have the concept of respecting others?) 
 

That's the conclusion I'll come to. 
 
Zarario had no choice but to conclude that it would be impossible for them to understand each other without a conversation going this far. 
 
Feldway was lonely. 
 
She had carried it too much, and it had broken. 
 
Zarario realized that, and regretted himself for not not noticing the change in his friend. 
However, I reconsidered, thinking that I should still be able to make it. 
 
At the very least, I should have tried to convince Feldway while he had the will to continue the conversation. 
 
Besides, Feldway’s power, which even brought out the main body, was a light blow to the Zarario. Seeing it up close, Zaralio felt Feldaway’s hegemony on his skin and reaffirmed it. 
 
(This is more than I expected. It's as if the real Lord Veldanava has been resurrected...) 
 
Her appearance, her appearance, everything about her was exactly the same. 
 
Though there were minor differences in hair color and the like, Feldway was now the spitting image of Veldanava, the “Star King Dragon” from Zarario’s memories 
 
If I'm being honest, I don't feel like I can win. 
 
In terms of buying time, it was safer and more reliable to continue persuading them than to fight them. 
 
Zarario began to speak gravely, racking his brain over where to start. 
 
「Lord Veldanava doesn't want the world to collapse, does he?」 
 
「How can you be so sure?」 
 
「Why, you ask?」 
「Heh. I'm sure you don't know this, but that man tolerated everything. He allowed each life-form to evolve freely in a diverse world. What do you think lies beyond that?」 
 
「……」 

「It's a conflict. The world will come to an end after a fierce struggle for survival.」 
 
「In order to prevent that, the Demon Lord exists. In other words, Lord Veldanava wishes for the peace of the world as well.」 
 
As Zarario argued, Feldway looked at him with pitying eyes. 
 
「You're wrong. I realized something.」 
 
「What are you doing~?」 
 
「All life-forms born into this world were not allowed to evolve. In fact, it was the opposite, and they were destined to aim for it...」 
 
Feldway’s point troubled Zarario’s mind. 
 
Being forgiven and being fated to do so are very different things. It's not freedom, it's duty. 
 
However, the only one who knew his true intentions was Veldanava himself.
No matter how a third party like Feldway interpreted it, that meant it was nothing more than the truth to that person. 
 
People are creatures who believe in what they want to believe in. If you ignore the most important part of it, whether it's right or not, you'll never reach the path of truth. 
 
(To think that even Feldway, the administrator who should understand that, would make the same mistake as the foolish and petty ones...) 
 
The Word of God must be properly conveyed without altering it. 
 
All we have to do is take responsibility for the interpretation. 
 
That said, if those affected by it moved things forward with the wrong interpretation, even the large number of people following them would be unhappy... There was a wall here called the difficulty of understanding words. 
 
Zarario felt fainted at the thought of how difficult it would be to lead humanity in this manner, as the right-hand man of the God--Veldanava. 
 
Then again... 
 
(In the first place, Lord Veldanava is not omniscient. He said he could make mistakes himself, and the fact that we, his creations, made mistakes must be inevitable...) 
 
That's what Zarario agrees with.
It was useful as a basis for determining how to admonish Feldway from here. 
 
「If the goal of evolution is conflict, then that means it is God's will. To reach even greater heights, Dagrull, Twilight, and even Zeranus, who was born in another world, were given the fate of surpassing their parents.」 
「......」 
 
「It was hard for someone as perfect as us to understand that, but I think I've come to understand it a little better.」 
 
Zarario braced himself, wondering what she was going to say. 
 
In any case, no matter what he said, he mustn’t let Feldway’s words slip past him so that he could refute them. 
 
(Obera was better at this sort of thing, but...) 
 
My reliable coworker is now an ice sculpture. Since I can't expect reinforcements, this is the time for Zarario to work hard. 
 
Zarario psyched himself up and listened intently to Feldway’s story. 
 
「Beyond parents is, in other words, a god-killer. By struggling to surpass Lord Veldanava, they must have gained a definite connection. I don't even have that...」 
 
Feldway spoke with sad eyes. 
 
Zarario spends his time nervously, unable to understand how the conversation connects. 
 
It would have been fine if it had bought her time, but going along with her former friend, who was talking nonsense, was filled with more mental anguish than she’d imagined 
 
However, Maomao was one of Zarario’s strong points. 
 
Zarario grits his teeth. 
 
「All I can do is... Yes! I will fulfill the wish that Veldanava-sama wished for!!」 
 
「---!?」 
 
「I will accomplish the end of the world with my own hands. That is the only mission I have left.」 
 
Feldway declared that with a very refreshing expression. 
 
No, no, no. I'm not sure how to react to that. 
 
「Isn't that a misunderstanding on your part? What are you going to do if Veldanavasama doesn't wish for the destruction of the world?」 
 
It was a sound argument. 
 
It’s not like I was ordered to do it directly, so stop acting on your own discretion. In other words, that’s the Zarario I’m trying to say. 
 
However, Feldway’s response to this left Zarario speechless. 
 
「I don't mind, then. If your foolish subordinates are trying to take the wrong path, shouldn't you fulfill your responsibilities as their master and stop them?」 
 
「Wha~」 
「You see, I'm angry. At the foolish human race that killed God, and at everyone who forgave them.」 
 
Feldway's going to make a fool out of it here. 
 
And then, all at once, she unleashed her anger. 
 
「More than that, to Lord Veldanava, who will never come back to life.」 
 
In other words, she was angry at Veldanava. 
 
She must have felt abandoned and abandoned by the Otherworld for a long time. 
However, from Zarario's point of view, it is the logic of spouting rice. 
 
With that face that looked exactly like Veldanava’s, she felt like telling him not to say anything spoiled. 
 
Among the Primogenitor’s Seven Angels, Feldway was favored by Veldanava more than anyone. 
 
She trusted me the most, and she was useful to me. 
 
That's why I was given the important task of monitoring the Ivarage. 
 
More than anything, Feldway’s body was proof of that. 
 
In contrast to Veldanava, who had long, jet-black hair that held the glow of the stars like the world itself, Feldway had long silver hair that represented a shining light 
 
Veldanava himself had created a body that resembled his own and given it to Feldway. It was hard to believe that he would still voice his dissatisfaction despite receiving such special treatment. 
 
That's what Zarario thought. 
 
「Don't be spoiled.」 
 
「What?」 
 
「Don't forget your mission and line up your own logic!!」 
 
The Zarario howled. 
 
As a warrior, Feldway’s frailty had made me salivate. 
 
There's a part of Feldway that makes sense. That's for sure, but it's something you shouldn't say. 
 
At the very least, he should have consulted with Zarario and the others, who were in the same position, and if he thought he’d been abandoned by Veldanava, then what about his treatment of Zaralio and the rest? 
 
Feldway is too selfish. 
 
Even I can't sympathize with her when she's using others as she pleases. 
 
「Draw your sword. I'll reforge your willpower.」 
 
With that declaration, Zarario drew his hard sword and readied himself. 
 
It goes without saying that Zarario’s sword, capable of cleaving even a bug-demon with an exoskeleton of solid living foreign steel, is a Mythical-class Gods. I may not have been able to match Feldway in overall strength, but I was confident that I was above him in terms of skill. 
 
She’d been ready to give him a hard blow to wake him up. 
Feldway looked at the Zarario with cold eyes, imbued with the will to fight like that 
 
「Are you sure? You don't have to buy time.」 
 
No matter how much he’d lost his mind, Feldway’s brain was still intact. He’d seen through Zarario’s plan from the start, and had only been playing along with the farce. 
 
「...I don't mind.」 
 
Zarario realized that persuading him had been pointless in the first place. 
 
After all, Feldway could even see through buying time until Veldora arrived... 
 
「Then prepare yourself.」 
 
Feldway drew his sword as well. 
 
Looking at the Ark in his hand, Zarario felt a little sad. 
 
Zalario swallowed the words “We're not friends anymore, are we?” and fired a sword attack at Feldway. 

By the time the full-scale battle between Zarario and Feldway had begun, the members of the anti-Milim faction had already been driven to extremes 
She didn't let her guard down for a moment, and her response continued like a tightrope walk. 
 
In any case, I kept taunting Milim over and over again, making sure she wasn’t in a position to shoot the [Dragon Star Explosion Conqueror], Drago Nova 
 
The basic pattern was for the two of them to set it up, but there was also a pattern for Elmesia to intervene on the fly. 
 
If they were hit, it would be over immediately, so all three of them ignored their defenses. 
 
She simply put all her strength into speed and toyed with Milim. 
 
All three of them were known as the strongest members of the top of this world. And yet, while this passive tactic was saddening, it couldn’t be helped, given how dangerous Milim was. 
 
The three of them had been fighting desperately, hoping that they could buy as much time as possible. 
 
However, she suddenly reached her limit. 
 
Elmesia, who’d been putting a lot of emphasis on support, had been targeted by Milim 
 
Despite her out-of-control state, Milim’s combat instincts were superior. She’d seen that Elmesia was the key to the trio’s coordination, so she’d ignored Leon and Sylvia and started relentlessly pursuing them. 
Now that it had come to this, it was as if there was nothing left to do. They’d taken safety measures by dispersing Milim’s attention, but if they didn’t react, there was no helping it. The only option left was for the target himself to keep running away. 
 
Bad things keep happening. 
 
The plan had been based on the assumption that in terms of instantaneous maximum speed alone, it would be higher than Milim’s, but in just a short amount of time, Milim had increased her reaction speed. It was bottomless, and Leon and the others’ superiority had been steadily lost. 
 
What’s more, out of the three specialized in speed, Elmesia was the slowest. Since she’d been targeted like that, it was only a matter of time before she was caught. 
 
「This is disgusting.」 
 
「Kuh, it's like you're ignoring a lightning strike. You're unharmed even after a direct hit, so there's no stopping you...」 
 
Time flowed on, unable to do anything as Leon and Sylvia’s impatience only grew. 
 
Even Elmesia, who’d been targeted, had steeled herself. 
 
「This is impossible... I don't think I'll be able to shake it off no matter how hard I try.」 
 
Even if I tried to to toy with Milim in irregular orbit, I’d be able to use Magic Sense to catch all of her movements 
「Oh man... You're amazing, but you're only moving on instinct. I'm surprised you were able to take on Milim when she's like this, Rimcchi...」 
 
It was a little late for that, but Elmesia understood how amazing Rimuru was 
 
In the blink of an eye, Rimuru was accompanied by the monsters of the forest, carrying out civilization and enlightenment. 
 
No matter what era you look at it from, there aren't many people lined up. They're monsters, though. 
 
The speed at which they’d developed was terrifying, and from Elmesia’s point of view, it was dangerous 
 
The first time I saw a Primogenitor working under him, I doubted his sanity. Not to mention, when he went from one person to four, he almost screamed, “That’s weird!!” 
 
“Primary”—what if Diablo went berserk?—in response to Elmesia’s question, Rimuru calmly replied, “I’ll stop him before he loses control.” 
 
At the time, I hadn't taken her seriously. I was just impressed by her guts... 
 
“So that was how you really felt, huh?” Elmesia agreed, though it was a little late for that. 
 
Rimuru’s ideals boiled Elmesia’s withered heart 
 
(Ahh, that was fun~) 
 
Together with Rimuru, Garde, and the humans known as Mjöllmile, she’d schemed to create a secret society as well 
 
They’d built a new ruling system in the western countries, which had been ruled by the 
Roszo clan 
 
As much as possible, I tried to make the system so that no one would fall out, not just a pipe dream. 
 
She was softhearted, surprisingly loose, but she also had a cunning side... A friend overflowing with humanity. That was the slime called Rimuru. 
 
Elmesia was someone Elmecia respected, someone who could overcome any obstacle. Not that I would ever tell her myself. 
 
Rimuru’s existence was what you’d call a wild card in a card game—an absolute trump card that gave you a sense of security just by possessing it 
 
(I wonder what Rimcchi's doing right now...) 
 
He was more concerned about Rimuru’s whereabouts than Luminus’s “Apocalyptic 
Proclamation” or Milim’s rampage 
 
Now that the reassurance that things would work out as long as Rimuru was here was gone, Elmesia’s responsibility was grave 
 
That's what I was trying to do, but this is what it looks like. 
 
At this rate, I’ll never be able to face Rimuru in the afterlife~ Elmesia thought. 
 
(Well, I feel like I'm living aloofly somewhere.) 
 
Elmesia couldn’t imagine Rimuru in such dire straits—because he was the one who’d always done something about it, even in a situation where there was nothing he could do from the sidelines.
 
I’d thought Elmesia would want to learn from her example, but... 
 
So this is a revolving lantern, Elmesia thought. 
 
Milim was thinning out. 
 
They’d probably catch up to us soon. 
 
That meant the game of tag around the sacred tree was almost over. 
 
Along with Elmesia’s life... 
 
“Elle-chan~?!” 
 
“Kuh, don’t give up!” 
 
I could hear Sylvia and Leon shouting their thoughts. 
 
Elmesia understood that if she gave up, she would die. 
 
But it's impossible. That's the correct explanation. 
 
With a desperate look on his face, Leon was coming toward them, as if telling them to push themselves past their limits. 
 
However, they couldn’t catch up to Milim 
 
In an ultra-high-speed aerial battle, it takes time to regroup between passing each other and facing each other again. 
 
It would be one thing if they’d been chasing each other in the same trajectory, but overtaking Milim, whose speed continued to increase, and protecting Elmesia would be impossible, no matter how much superior skill Leon had. 
 
Then again, even if we made it in time, they’d probably just kill us both. 
 
The demon lord Milim was a genuine transcendental being. 
 
The daughter of the Creator God, the Dragon Princess. 
 
He was the master of many legends. 
 
The real thing was amazing enough to make them fade away. 
 
When she was next to Rimuru, she’d just looked like a normal girl... 
 
Right now, it was nothing more than a Catastrophe. 
 
The approaching super-high-density energy body would pulverize Elmesia just by colliding with her. Even Elmecia, who was powerful enough to sit in the strongest corner of this world, could only wait for her final moments. 
(That's why, Leon, you don't have to think it's your fault.) 
 
Unlike his cool appearance, he was the Demon Lord Leon, whose tears were fragile and whose soul was hot. He’d been misunderstood all the time, and now the villain had entered the hall, but from Elmesia’s perspective he was her beloved younger brother apprentice. 
 
Elmesia wanted to do something for him at least for the last time, but there was no time left.
 
Elmesia closed her eyes. 
 
However, at that moment... 
 
 
「Kyuuuu!!」 
 
I thought I heard a cry. 
 
There was no way it would reach her before Milim, who was approaching at several dozen times the speed of sound, so that was probably an illusion 
That’s what I’d thought, but the shock that should’ve come didn’t come. 
 
Realizing something was wrong, Elmesia opened her eyes thinly, revealing a shocking scene. 
 
「~~~!?」 
A small dragon, just under a meter in length, had flown in front of Elmesia with its back to her. 
 
Milim had seen that [Small Dragon], heard its voice, and stopped moving for a moment. That opening had saved Elmesia. 
 
And then... 
 
A young girl still floats in the air, holding that [Small Dragon] [Minidora]. 
 
Her hair is a rare color. It looks like silver mixed into black. In any case, she's a beautiful girl with mysterious hair. 
 
Leon started making a fuss about something in the distance, but from Elmesia’s perspective, it didn’t matter 
 
I was at a loss for words, captivated by the girl. 
 
That girl was one of the children Rimuru was in charge of, and her true identity was— 
 
「You can't, Gaia. It's dangerous here, so stay put.」 
 
With that, the girl entrusted the mini-dragon to Elmesia. 
 
He then turned back to Milim and braced himself as if he were going to take on her. 

At first glance, it looked reckless. It had happened before. 
 
However, Elmesia was relieved. 
 
That this connected our hopes. 
 
After all, that girl is the one who bears the fate of this world. 
 
「I'll be your partner.」 
 
When I told her that, the girl wasn’t there. 
 
There was a beautiful woman with long, black-and-silver hair that seemed to be studded with silver light, fluttering smoothly. 
 
In her hands is the Moonlit Sacred Sword, and in her defense is the Divine Spirit Arms. 
 
Needless to say, it was Chloe, the “Hero” who had taken on a fighting form. 
  
＊ 
  
Chloe produced a barrier to parry Milim’s charge. 
 
This helped Elmesia escape from danger. 
 
And right after that, the decisive battle between Milim and Chloe had begun. 
Leon and Sylvia came up next to Elmesia, who was taking a breather. 
 
「I'm glad you're safe.」 
 
「Yes, really...」 
 
「It's all thanks to Chloe, the transcendentally beautiful girl. You should be grateful.」 
 
「Why are you bragging there, Leon?」 
 
「Yeah, that's right. You say you're transcendent, and Leon-kun can be weird sometimes.」 
 
「Shut up.」 
 
Leon, who had returned to his serious expression, stopped the noisy mother-daughter pair. If he didn't say something back, they'd keep toying with him, so the correct course of action was to end things quickly. 
 
That aside, it was true that everyone had been saved by Chloe’s appearance 
 
「Kyui!!」 
 
And then Gaia, the mini-dragon in Elmesia’s arms, squealed. 
 
............... 
... 
 
Why is Gaia here? 
 
Currently, the Control Room inside Tempest’s labyrinth was the safest place in the world. 

That was why the waiting room adjacent to the “control room” had become a refuge for those with heavy bodies like Momiji and Alvis, as well as children. 
 
Chloe was there when she woke up. Everyone had explained to her that she wasn't feeling well, but she had evacuated with Kenya, Alice, and the others to distract herself from her anxiety by playing board games with them. She was trying to recover her stamina so that she could fight when the time came. 
 
But just then, there was a report that the Evil Dragon Beast Vega had fired was approaching, aiming for the lowest level. 
 
In order to intercept this, Hakuro, who was her guardian and bodyguard, had been deployed. 
 
Immediately after that, something strange happened to Gaia. 
 
Chloe was the only one who could react. 
 
Instinctively, he guessed that something must have happened to those connected to Gaia—the demon lord Milim—which meant that Rimuru, who’d been trying to do something about Milim, was also in serious trouble.
There was no way Chloe could stay put. 
 
He’d sensed that Gaia was about to do a “space-time jump” due to the bonds of her “soul” with Milim, so he’d come with her without the others noticing. 
 
......... 
...... 
... 
 
In the nick of time, Chloe the Hero made it in time. 
 
Leon and the others obediently accepted the situation. 
 
「The Masked Hero, hailed as the strongest in history, really is different...」 
 
Elmesia marveled at that. 
 
She looks dignified and cool in her mask, but her real face is pretty and cute. She's giddy. 
 
Leon gave a big nod and expressed his approval, saying, “Exactly.” 
 
「You're a little stronger than me. It's only natural that you'd be the strongest in history.」 
 
And so on, adding even dramatizations that were convenient for her, to praise Chloe. 
 
The one to wait for this statement was Elmesia’s mother, Sylvia. 
 
「I wish you'd wait a moment. The strongest is Ludora, the Hero of Beginnings. His disciple, Granbell, is also hard to abandon, but he really is inferior in strength.」 
 
She had even started talking about her theory of heroism, including poop. 
 
Sylvia was a rather serious “Hero” maniac, as she had the “Wandering Hero” Sarion as her husband. From her perspective, she couldn’t accept the theory that Chloe was the strongest. 
 
「Why? No matter how you look at him, he's the strongest!」 
 
Elmesia gave Chloe, who was fighting right in front of her, a look of admiration in her eyes as she passionately emphasized her point. 
 
Chloe’s real age wasn’t even below Elmesia’s. She’d just turned twelve, and she was far younger than Elmecia, who was over two thousand years old. 
 
However, the number of years of experience Chloe had accumulated was reflected in her strength by the sheer amount of time that numbers couldn’t tell her. 
 
From Elmesia’s point of view, it was only natural she would call him “him” and admire him. 
 
Behind history, there was its existence. As far as Elmesia knew, the “Masked Hero” Chronoa had saved the world from countless crises. 
 
However... 
 
If she was going to say that, Sylvia had a point. 
 
For Sylvia, who had lived in the same era as her, the tale of the hero of the beginning, Ludora, was reality. 
 
As far as Sylvia knew, Ludora was the only one who could fight on equal footing with that strongest demon lord, Gii Crimson 
 
Sylvia passionately recommended Ludora, emphasizing this point. 
 
In a way, they're mother and daughter alike. 
 
But here, Leon’s opinion tipped the scales. 
 
「Heh, I will admit that this so-called Ludora is a great person. If she drew with that gii, then her abilities are certain. But Chloe is a perfect beauty with both beauty and cuteness. In that regard, you could say the superiority and inferiority are clear!!」 
 
Leon had stated his absurd logic with a straight face. 
 
Elmesia nodded sweetly, and Sylvia clicked her tongue in annoyance, having lost her edge. 
 
「Hey! The blond hero is out of range, so why don't you stay quiet over there?」 
 
With that, Sylvia vented her frustration on Leon. 
Leon was a former “Hero” too, but he wasn’t treated well. 
 
For Sylvia, who was a “Hero” maniac, Leon’s reputation was at rock bottom. 

Unlike Elmesia and the others, who were excited with relief, Chloe’s expression was stiff 
 
After all...Chloe had been defeated by the demon lord Milim many times in the past time 
 
He’d even faced Milim as the strongest “Hero” Chronoa 
 
Even so, I couldn’t win. 
 
Milim, who’d gone mad with Rimuru’s death, had slaughtered the strong with unbelievable strength. Chloe was one of them, and there was no way she’d be able to help but be nervous from Chloes’s perspective, who remembered the situation. 
 
But there is hope. 
 
Because now Chloe had all three elements of “courage,” “hope,” and “justice” together, making her far stronger than Chronoa in her memories 
 
And Chloe, who had awoken from her slumber, sympathized with the core of the divine wisdom, Chronoa, even more deeply. Chloes naturally accepted it, and Chronoa's sense of self disappeared. 
 
 
-No, the truth is different. 
 
With Chloe's growth, the role of the core of Divinity, Chronoa, came to an end. And at that point, Chlonoa had returned to the past and assimilated with the young Chloes. 
 
“Don’t worry. I’ll pretend to be steeped in madness and guide you to this future without fail.” 
 
That was Chronoa’s determination. 
 
It would be lonely to part ways with Rimuru, but Chronoa smiled 
 
After all, that's right. 
 
I'm sure we'll meet again~ 
 
 
Chloe didn’t know that, but she was no longer a young child. 
 
He was the strongest “Hero” Chronoa had ever believed would be all right. 
 
In the future world Chloe remembered, Chronoa had taken everything she had just to use her Ultimate Abilities, Ultimate Skills, and Yog Sotos. Even so, she’d been strong enough to reign over the top of the world, but right now, she had awakened to her ultimate Ability, Ultimate skill, and the God of Time and Space, Yogh Sotohoto. 
This was something else entirely. 
 
Even without the Sacred Ancestor, Chronoa was able to control her power naturally. 
 
In response to Gaia’s request, she’d instantly “jumped into space-time” toward Milim, but Chloe understood what she had to do 
 
(So that's what the teacher wants, Rimuru...) 
 
She couldn’t let Milim commit any more crimes. 
 
This very moment was the reason Chloe had obtained her power. 
 
「I will protect your fate.」 
 
「Gaaaaah!!」 
 
Milim howled in response to Chloe’s declaration 
 
The air trembles. 
 
And so, the “Hero” joined the war, with humanity’s hopes at his back. 
 
Chloe had chosen a prolonged battle against Milim. 
 
Against Milim, who had an inexhaustible amount of energy, it would be a bad move if you thought about it normally. But Chloe didn’t hesitate. 
After all, judging from her experience fighting Milim many times, she was confident that was the best course of action 
 
Chloe blocked Milim’s dragon fist with her Moonlight Sacred Sword, Moon Mistress. 
 
The [Moonlight Thin Sword], which had evolved to [Mythical-class] [Gods], easily withstood the fist pressure of Milim Nava, the strongest demon lord, and didn’t break. 
 
But that was only possible because of Chloe’s superior level of skill. She’d exquisitely let her power slip away and stood around to avoid taking a direct hit from Milim. 
 
Chloe parried Milim's dragon fist, putting the counter together well. She was about to follow up with a follow-up attack. 
 
「Goff!!」 
 
Chloe's body went limp as she coughed up blood. 
 
Milim’s tail had pierced Chloe’s abdomen 
 
Milim toyed with Chloe, her movements unconventional. 
 
Man, I was supposed to be toying with her. 
 
Chloe, who should have vomited blood and suffered a fatal wound, had returned to her beautiful face as if nothing had happened. And calmly, she pointed her sword at Milim. 
There was no scar on her abdomen, and her clothes weren't torn. The Divine Arms were still intact, and strangely enough, it was as if Milim's attack earlier had been a dream or an illusion. 
 
Such was Chloe’s plan for Milim’s onslaught. 
 
Unlike before, Chloe remained expressionless as she greatly avoided the attack. 
 
A dragon fist and tail passed in front of me. 
 
She’d lost her chance to set up a counter, but that was just a repeat of what she’d seen earlier. This time, however, Chloe’s maneuvering hadn’t been a mistake, as if to say that was the correct answer. 
 
Yes, that was only natural. 
 
After all, Chloe knew the right choice. 
 
As a matter of fact, Chloe had almost died in the previous attack and defense. However, the moment she realized her mistake, she activated her power, Ultimate Skill, and Yoghan Sotohoto to pretend that she hadn't. 
 
After experiencing it once, she returned to the past. This was the true essence of Chloe's power. 
 
By using Yogh Sotohoto, Chloe had been able to freely jump only her consciousness into the past. By imbuing and synchronizing with her being there, she could recall the memories she’d experienced in the future. 
 
In other words, Chloe could always choose the best move. This was an absolute advantage in battle. 
 
Chloe was able to go up against an opponent like Milim, who couldn't even make a small mistake, on her own. The reason for that was because of Yogh Sotohoat, the God of Time and Space, who was said to know the future. 
 
The greatest advantage of this power is that it has zero wear and tear. It consumes energy in the future, but at present, it consumes nothing. 
 
Chloe had chosen a prolonged battle to make use of exactly this advantage 
 
Chloe knew. 
 
“It’s impossible to beat Milim,” she said. 
 
In that case, I had no choice but to suppress it and incapacitate it. 
 
Chloe understood all too well that she was the best person for that role 
 
「That's amazing...」 
 
Elmesia murmured. 
 
There were no mistakes in Chloe’s battle. 
It was as if she’d read through everything, bringing battle into a shape that should have been perfect, without stagnation. 
 
It was a battle as beautiful as a performance, with no wasted effort. 
 
What's more, even the impact on our surroundings is slight. 
 
How much concentration would it take to pull off such a feat...? 
 
Even now, Chloe had perfect control of Milim. It would have looked like Milim had plunged into the spot Chloes had dodged, and a stray bullet from the magic bullets Feldway had fired just happened to land there. 
 
But reality is different. 
 
With conviction, Chloe had chosen the optimal course of action, just as she’d intended. 
 
All that remained was the perfect, ultimate result. 
 
To those watching the match other than Chloe, it was an unreal sight. 
 
But, but... 

Chloe didn’t even have the leeway to do so, even with the overwhelming power of recalling memories from the future 
 
With Milim as her opponent, she would never let her guard down. 
In fact, Chloe had already made a few fatal blunders. Milim moved on instinct, but her combat sense, which surpassed even her skill level, remained the same. 
 
(She really is strong. I think she'd be better off with this...) 
 
Those were Chloe’s true feelings. 
 
Gii would be able to cross paths with skill. 
 
They should be able to read each other’s intentions—high-level psychological warfare. 
 
For Chloe, who knew the future, such opponents were easy to deal with. 
 
But Milim was different. 
 
What’s more, it was impossible to even kill him with a single blow. 
 
Unlike Rimuru, Chloe could be endlessly coolheaded once she decided that was the best course of action. Naturally, she considered eliminating Milim as well, so she actually tried it out. 
 
But that led to the worst possible outcome. 
 
All kinds of Chloe’s ultimate techniques didn’t work on Milim 
 
Even the strongest magic of the mental system, [Invitation to the Abyss] and [Hypnos], had no effect. 
Even the normally strongest skill, Absolute Cut, Absolute End, was blocked by a barrier, and it wouldn’t work on Milim. So even if I captured her with Infinite Prison to seal her away, she’d easily break through and come out... 
 
Even the “Fate Flow” and “Reverse Fate” that led to Chloe’s desired outcome couldn’t bring Milim back to her senses. It had been proven that she wouldn’t reach the best course of action unless she removed the cause of her rampage. 
 
In that case, I had no choice but to use the ultimate technique of time-consuming and crushing death, Fatal Lost, but this was the worst. 
 
This technique is the ultimate technique that the living cannot resist—to accelerate the target’s time flow and invite them to the very end of time. 
 
But for Milim, it was different. 
 
Just by making them store more power, they ended up destroying the world. 
 
Chloe was also a child. 
 
The [Dragon Star Explosion Conqueror] had been fired repeatedly, as if playing around, and the Axis world had collapsed in the blink of an eye. Chloe had witnessed it all the way to the end, then returned to the past...but she firmly carved into her heart that it was a nightmare she must never repeat again. 
 
That said, the situation was getting worse and worse.
Chloe had been carefully acting while testing various things, but there were times when she made a big move, prepared for damage.
 
It looks like I misread it, but it's actually not. 
 
There was a time when Milim’s attack motion would lead straight to the Dragon Star Explosion Conqueror, Drago Nova. 
 
Leaving this alone will shatter the sacred tree. Or, it will cause severe damage to the ground. 
 
In order to prevent that, Chloe needed to push herself, even at the cost of a few sacrifices. 
 
(That's harsh~) 
 
Or so Chloe thought calmly. 
 
Even though she’d continued to choose the best move, Chloe had suffered far more damage. On the contrary, Milim hadn’t been able to inflict any pain at all, and the situation was still bottomless. 
 
Chloe was, without a doubt, one of the strongest. 
 
He could probably even fight on equal footing with the Hero Ludora and the Demon Lord Gii. Even the many ultimate techniques were unrivaledly powerful. 
 
But, but... 
 
The demon lord Milim was too bad of an opponent. 
I don't know how much more time I'll be able to buy... Just being able to see the future, the endless agony continues. 
 
Even so, Chloe didn’t give up. 
 
Yes, it's almost time~ 
 
「I am here.」 
 
「It's fine, just take the front.」 
 
「Eh?」 
 
「Don't say “eh”! Hurry!!」 
 
Veldora came flying at supersonic speeds, but he didn't even let me greet him properly. He ended up under Chloe's command. 
 
I don't have time to be smug. 
 
But that was fine. 
 
With this, Chloe finally had some leeway. 
 
Veldora was pitiful, but that was also fate. 
 
＊  
 
Veldora had been through something unreasonable. 
 
(Wait, wait, wait! Isn't that strange?! When I appear as my helper, shouldn't those who have been in a pinch be showered with gratitude? And yet... why?) 
Standing directly in front of Milim, exposed to her onslaught, Veldora is greatly bewildered. 
 
She was supposed to be praised, but she was being abused. 
 
Zarario is also having a hard time dealing with Feldway, but he’s no match for Veldora’s misfortune. 
 
「Leon onii-chan, you've rested long enough, haven't you? Hurry up and go support that person!」 
 
「What did you say?」 
 
「Hurry up and move!」 
 
「Okay...」 
 
It might be the fate of those born as older brothers to be swayed by their little sister’s selfishness. Even if they weren’t related by blood... 
 
Not to mention that to Leon, Chloe was a transcendentally beautiful girl and beloved little sister. If ordered to, the only reply he could give was “YES.” 
 
Thinking it was a reward, Leon stepped in to support Zarario. His thoughts had changed quite a bit, but he didn't say it out loud, so he maintained his cool image. 
 
Leon struggled to show Chloe his cool side. Inspired by this, Elmesia plunged into the Feldway War as well. 
 
「We'll avoid direct combat so we don't get in the way!」 
 
After calling out to her, she resumed her support role. 
 
Elmesia’s Ultimate Ability, Ultimate Skill, and Veru specialized in atmospheric manipulation. Since scaffolding was important to a swordsman, she’d fixed the space to match Leon’s movements and adjusted it so he could use the recoil well. 
 
Leon was also greatly saved by this. 
 
Zarario and Feldway had wings, so they were also skilled in aerial combat using swords. However, in Leon’s case, his specialty was ground combat after all. 
 
It would have been one thing if she’d just kept him in check like Milim had, but when it came to counterattacks and the like when she saw an opening, it was preferable to have a proper foothold 
 
With Elmesia’s participation in the war, not only Leon, but Zarario’s momentum was increasing. Having a foothold really was more convenient for a swordsman. 
 
On top of that, Sylvia wasn’t slacking off, either 
 
She’d reflected vehemently on the fact that she hadn’t been able to do anything during the crisis with her own daughter, Elmesia, the next time the same situation came up, she’d braced herself with nerves so she could deal with it. 
 
Leon, Elmesia, and Sylvia. These three had something in common in terms of speedincreasing power, but they all actually had their own characteristics. 
 
Elmesia had excellent endurance and boasted the fastest speed in long-distance travel 
 
In contrast, Sylvia was the fastest power in the short range: Ultimate Ability, Ultimate 
Skill, and Thunderbolt King, Indra 
 
Naturally, Sylvia was also the one with the shortest amount of time to reach Top Speed, and in an instant, she boasted a speed of one hundred kilometers per second—a speed unrivaled, let alone Milim’s. 
 
Then again, this would require advance preparation. 
 
If she had been able to move freely, Sylvia would have wanted her strongest name. But that wasn't the case. 
 
Just as lightning created a path by partially ionizing air that didn't conduct electricity, Sylvia's movement required a process similar to that. It wasn't as if she could change her trajectory at will in an instant, but this power, Lightning, was her weakness. 
 
Still, there was no mistaking that it was useful. 
 
If he could make use of that speed, he should have been able to dodge it later, even if someone was in a pinch. 
 
That was what Sylvia believed, and she decided on her role. 
 
Now that we’re in a three-plus-one situation, the psychological and physical burden on Zarario has been reduced, and we’ve begun to see a way out of this anti-Feldway battle. 
 
But that wasn’t the case for Veldora. 
 
It's the real deal, without any explanation. 
 
Furthermore, if she made a small mistake, Chloe would shower her with harsh reprimands. 
 
Unlike Leon, Veldora had no interest in getting angry at him. In fact, because his two older sisters had planted fear experiences in him, the psychological trauma of “beautiful women = scary things” had been carved into his heart without him knowing it. 
 
This left Veldora unable to defy Chloe and being manipulated as he pleased 
 
「There! Don't use brute force against Milim!! Be sure to parry.」 
 
「Y-Yes!」 
 
Veldora would be severely reprimanded just for trying to catch Milim’s fist and bring her into a contest of strength 
 
It made me sad, but it went without saying that Chloe's instructions were accurate. It was just that she was getting stricter because she couldn't afford it, and there was meaning in all of her statements. 
 
Chloe, who had rewound time and guessed about Milim’s power many times, had come to a single conclusion 
 
That meant Milim’s power was inexhaustible, and the more she fought back, the higher her power would rise. 
 
This wasn't wrong. 
 
Milim’s Ultimate Ability, Ultimate Skill, and King of Wrath, Satanael, were truly simple and clear powers—the effect of creating and amplifying magicules in response to Milim's anger 
 
Its upper limit was that it didn’t know the ceiling, and in a berserk state, it could end up “infinitely multiplying” 
 
Chloe had picked up on this with almost perfect accuracy, preventing Milim from using her power.
 
The more Milim activated Satanael the Wrath King, the more she would have to defend against it with more power than she had now. Not letting Milim strengthen herself any further was the most important thing in this battle. 
 
“Sorry. I can’t afford to explain, so you’ll have to follow my instructions for now.” 
 
“Hmm, you have a reason, don’t you? Very well. In that case, I shall obey you!!” 
 
Knowing the danger, Chloe carried out her Thought Communication on Veldora. Chloes was the strongest on her own, so she wasn’t used to fighting in tandem. Considering the possibility of the operation being intercepted, she really didn’t want to expose too much of her hands. 
 
Veldora accepted this. 
 
Or rather, the idea of disobeying her never occurred to me. 
 
Since he couldn’t complain at this point, there was no turning back. He’d followed Chloe’s lead and ended up being forced to work like a carriage horse. 
 
＊ 

Feldway was by no means skilled with a sword. 
 
In terms of overall strength, he was superior to Zarario, but judging from his combat ability alone, there was a chance that Zaralio would win. 
However, that was assuming that Feldway hadn't brought out the main body. 
 
Now that Feldway had brought out its main body, it had become overwhelming compared to before. 

Even if you only look at the amount of energy and stats, it’s more than a few times that of the Zarario in every way. 
 
It wasn’t an opponent she could win in a normal fight. 
 
The only thing Zarario is winning is his swordsmanship, so if he doesn’t find a chance here, he won’t stand a chance. 
 
From the first move, Zarario had given his all against Feldway. 
 
He’d launched a fierce attack, thinking that if there were no openings, he’d just have to create them. 
 
And then, something felt off. 
 
(Was this guy this strong?) 
 
The reason I felt that way was because my own sword was easily parried. 
 
Zarario is coolheaded. 
 
He was a warrior who steadily did good work without overconfidence in his own power. 
 
That [Skill] [Level] is also high. 

His straightforward swordsmanship, without using many techniques, was simple and solid, and he was a master of the “Strong Sword” that could slay any enemy with a single stroke. 
 
It wasn't as powerful as Feldway's Arc, but Zarario's beloved sword was also a wonderful sword. As a result of slashing at Feldaway with such a reliable partner, he was swept away. 
 
I could accept it if I could take it in stride, but that reaction was unexpected: Zarario. 
 
His speed and power were higher than Zarario’s, so he thought it would be easy to block and deflect Zaralio’s sword with ease.
 
That’s what Zarario had assumed, and he’d been aiming for a follow-up attack after it was deflected...but now he’s been able to stop the flow splendidly. 
 
Zarario is wary that this is abnormal. 
 
I observed Feldway, but I couldn’t read anything from his beautiful expression. 
 
Her intuition as a master told her this was dangerous. 
 
(He parried my sword? Feldway didn't have this level of skill...) 
 
When it came to parrying Zarario’s hard sword, it was impossible to do so with more power than it did. It should have required a certain amount of skill and skill. 
As far as Zarario knew, there was no truth to the fact that Feldway had practiced swordsmanship. He had no experience fighting on the front lines, so he should have always been in the position of commander. 
 
I admit he was strong, but he shouldn't have been a warrior. 
 
Perhaps that question was written all over his face, because Feldway looked at the Zarario and laughed. 
 
「Heh, is that strange?」 
 
「Yes. You weren't interested in martial arts, were you?」 
 
「That's right. The strong are those born strong. Unlike the weak, who have natural enemies, there's no need to train themselves.」 
 
「Then why--」 
 
「How was I able to parry your sword? It's simple. Once you learn the basic movements, you can 'see' your target just by looking at the initial angle.」 
 
That was what Feldway explained, as if gently teaching her. 
 
But Zarario wasn’t convinced. 
 
「Don't be ridiculous. Just because you can see it doesn't mean you can deal with it that easily!」 
Those with weak hearts, those without confidence in their own skills, would have been easily fooled by Feldway’s words. 
 
However, the Zarario was different. 
 
Sensing that it was a lie, she snorted. 
 
Having that pointed out, Feldway grinned. 
 
She continued her conversation with Zarario, as if she had no intention of hiding it. 
 
「Fufufu, you seem to understand me well. However, you didn't see through my tricks, did you?」 
 
「It's in your hands?」 
 
「That's right.」 
 
Feldway went on the offensive. 
 
Her movements weren’t as monotonous as they had been before—they were those of a seasoned swordsman who was well versed in swords. 
 
And that mold was familiar to Zarario as well. 
 
(It's similar... Is this Leon's movement?) 
It wasn't a misunderstanding on Zarario's part. There was no way he could mistake the movements of his rival, who had been his enemy until a short while ago. 
 
Feldway spoke to the confused Zarario. 
 
「I've never neglected my research. I've been constantly observing every event and thinking about what's best for me. That applies to those ruled by me and Lady Michael.」 
 
「...?」 
 

「The emotions, thoughts, experiences, and other things of those who ruled with Ultimate Abilities, Ultimate Skills, and Michael were all shared with me. In that case, the skills they learned were also within my grasp.」 
 
That's what she explained, but I honestly can't accept it. 
 
「--Huh?」 
 
Even though we're in the middle of a battle, I'm speechless. 
 
I can't blame her. 
 
She’d been told that all the knowledge she’d gained through hard work, her experience fighting strong enemies, and the many techniques she’s honed had been taken from her without her knowing it. 
「Don't be ridiculous... Our technique isn't something that can be stolen so easily!!」 
 
Zarario screamed, brushing aside his polite tone of voice. 
 
And just like that, she’d turned her frustration into anger and unleashed a powerful, unrivaled attack with all her might. 
 
However, the result was cruel. 
 
In an impressively similar stance, imbued with the same amount of power, Zarario’s sword was caught directly in front of him. 
 
As if to prove his own words, Feldway had imitated the Zarario. Moreover, he had even adjusted it to the point where he wouldn’t kill Zaralio, as if to show off his power. 
 
「...Don't be ridiculous.」 
 
The only one wounded was Zarario. 
 
The two forces, which were exactly equal in strength, collided, but Feldway had more than enough energy left. Thus, the recoil only sent Zarario flying. 
 
「...How many times do I have to mock a warrior?!」 
 
Zarario howls. 
 
Geniuses have nothing to do with ordinary people's anguish. 
From the perspective of someone who can memorize the contents of a textbook by reading it once, an ordinary person who reads it over and over again and desperately tries to learn it must look like nothing more than a slacking off. 
 
There was no value in hard work. All she saw was results. At the very least, if she realized the difference between herself and others and showed a willingness to walk toward them, she would be able to build a different kind of relationship... 
 
There was no heart in Feldway that cared about others. 
 
She was always thinking of believing she was right and guiding the fool. 
 
I don’t think I’m wrong, nor do I place any importance on other people’s words. 
 
He’s a very dangerous thinker, but sadly, that’s what he’s been made of up until now. 
 
That's why I don't understand. 
 
Why did Zarario get angry? He couldn’t find any value in that reason. 
 
As such, I ended up asking a mercilessly cruel question. 
 
「I don't get it. Why are you angry? Skills are supposed to be seen and stolen, aren't they?」 
 
Even the many techniques passed down from master to pupil are all things you see and experience and learn. 
 
There were various conditions, such as the presence or absence of permission, but there was no difference in the process. 
 
It may have been a school he himself had created, but if he followed the origin of that “bu” there would be a limited number of places he could reach. 
 
Only a handful of people can create something from nothing. Now that history has accumulated, you could say it's an almost impossible feat. 
 
In that case, the correct course of action would be to develop from imitation. 
 
If you're going to ignore good and evil, then the method Feldway employed isn't wrong. Zarario has no choice but to acknowledge that, but... 
 
But that's not it. 
 
You're fundamentally wrong. 
 
After all, the techniques needed to be inherited along with the feelings of their master. 
 
Zarario is the founder himself. 
 
He’d taught his own subordinates techniques, and they’d both polished them while subjugating the [Insect Demons] [In Sector]. 
 
There was a definite sense of pride there. 
 
Leon was no different. 
 
There was a difference in power between them, but his skill with the sword was enough to make Zarario growl. 
 
That’s why I was able to acknowledge her as a worthy opponent and communicate with her. 
 
There was a certain feeling there. 
 
I had something to bear. 
 
Ignoring all of that, Feldway only saw efficiency as simple. 
 
Zararios are water and oil, and they will never be compatible. Confirming that again, Zaralio bites his lip. 
 
However, she was calmly analyzing it as well as angry. 
 
If they had observed all of their techniques, they knew they had no chance of winning. 
Right now, Feldway was holding back against Zarario, perhaps trying to show off the difference in their abilities. If this had been serious, Zaralio would have been forced to leave the stage as soon as it began. 
 
To Feldway, the Zarario wasn’t a threat—he didn’t feel the need to dirty his own hands. 
 
Once she understood that, it would be foolish to feel it was an insult. 
 
With the timing that Zarario understood that, Leon and the others joined the battle as reinforcements. 
 
Zarario hesitated. He wasn’t sure if he should tell Leon and the others the truth. 
 
No matter what I did, it probably wouldn't work, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't beat Feldway. It wasn't even possible to outwit him, and even buying time had been established through Feldaway's indifference. 
 
If the outcome would be the same even if I didn't do anything, it might be better to just sit back and watch. 
 
(No, that's not it. I don't even know if I should believe him in the first place...) 
 
Almost without a doubt, Feldway was telling the truth. 
 
But at the same time, I didn't think she was telling me everything. 
 
Zarario had instinctively assumed that he might be hiding something decisively. 
 
That was correct. 
 
As far as Feldway was concerned, it would be a problem if Milim awakened. 
 
One of Feldway’s goals was to take in the “dragon factor” from Veldora, but the situation wouldn’t allow it.
 
Because if Feldway tried to take on Veldora, he wouldn’t be able to afford full control of Milim. 
 
Right now, Veldora held that much power—Feldway had seen through it and couldn’t act carelessly.
 
(Our long-awaited prey has arrived, and now we have no choice but to leave it alone...) 
 
And so, Feldway decided to leave Veldora behind. He could win if he fought with all his might, but he decided that things had to be prioritized. 
 
However, that didn’t improve the situation. 
 
If he’d participated in the war not just with Chloe, but with Veldora as well, there was a fear that his rule would be dispelled at some point. Thus, he had to constantly strengthen his control, and he had no time to deal with Zarario and the others. 
 
That’s why he’d dared to face them with such a composed attitude and try to make Zarario and the others despair. 
 
And yet, Zarario remained unfazed. 
 
(Tch, what an annoyance. I liked her stupidly honest personality, but now that she's my enemy, it's troublesome.) 
 
My colleague, who had been fighting tenaciously against the [Insect Demons] and the [Sector], was a reliable ally. But right now, his tenacity to not give up on victory was interfering with Feldway’s plan. 
 
At the same time as he thought that the Zarario was magnificent, Feldway pondered that this was no time to let his guard down. 
Though they were on a lower level, Leon and Elmesia weren’t opponents to be underestimated, either. A direct hit or two from them would only cause a slight amount of damage, but it would be a problem if their concentration was disrupted. 
 
At least until Milim destroyed the Sacred Tree... 
 
(If I had been able to destroy the Sacred Tree with my power, I wouldn't have had to resort to such troublesome measures...) 
 
The Sacred Tree was an important base of operations for this pivotal world. Its defenses were flawless, impossible to destroy with half-baked strength. 
 
Even the immensely powerful Feldway couldn’t completely destroy the Sacred Tree. 
 
Even if Sarion, the land of the elves, dies, the only one who can destroy the sacred tree itself is Milim’s [Dragon Star Explosion Conqueror], Drago Nova. 
 
And if he couldn’t destroy the Sacred Tree, he wouldn’t be able to destroy the Tentsukaku in Damargania, either. That was what Feldway realized when he saw Tentsu Kaku enduring Milim’s Dragon Star Explosion, Drago Nova. 
 
Then again, as long as we defeat the Sacred Tree, there's no problem if we can't destroy the Tentsukaku. The world will naturally collapse, and the Ivarage, which will descend soon, will destroy the entire riffraff. 
 
For that reason, she couldn’t afford to fail to control Milim here. 
Feldway secretly put his heart and soul into it, thinking that this was the moment of truth. 
 
Thus, the second offensive and defensive battle over the sacred tree grew overheated. 
 
Chloe and Veldora’s duo were trying to stop Milim. 
 
An impromptu team with Zarario at the top, trying to eliminate Feldway. 
 
The whereabouts of that battle were still difficult to predict. 

In the old Eurazania, the battle between Gii and Velzard was growing more intense. 
 
At the Divine Tree’s knees, the heroes were fighting for the fate of the world to stop Feldway’s ambitions. 
 
At the same time... 
 
Heroes had gathered on the frontier of Rubelios, the Holy Cloistered Kingdom bordering the dying desert.
 
With the help of Vergrind, they had gathered from all over the world one after another. 
 
There were about five hundred heroes gathered from each country. 
 
From the armed nation of Dwargon, there were five hundred Pegasus Knights, led by the hero King Gazel. 
 
From the eastern empire, there are a hundred new Imperial Guardsmen. They have Caliglio as their marshal, and the Minutes as their adjutant to support him. 
 
And the Rubelios forces and the giants that had clashed in this land until just yesterday. Now they had reconciled and joined forces to fight together. 
 
From Rubelios, there were three hundred Holy Knights and Crusaders led by Hinata. 
 
Saare and Gregory, former members of the Sanbusen, who had temporarily returned, were also under Hinata’s command, along with thirty members of Rook Genias, the Imperial Guard under the direct command of the Cloistered Emperor. 
 
There are just under four hundred Bloody Knights, led by the Cloistered Emperor Rui. 
 
As far as the giants were concerned, Dagla took over in place of the sleeping Dagrull. Basara, the leader of the Five Great Warlords, served as Dagura's assistant, accompanied by over a thousand elite warriors from the Binding Chain Giant God Brigade. 
 
Other than that, a small group of elites, including a hundred Musketeers from the Three Wise Drunken Riga, were running as fast as they could. 
 
There were just under three thousand of them in total. 
 
This was the full extent of the anti-Demon Realm Dragon Ivarage Alliance at this point. 
It hadn’t even been a full day since Luminus’s “Apocalyptic Declaration” 
 
It seems long, but it's actually a very short time. 
 
Having such a large force gathered at such a speed was a feat worthy of past common sense. 
 
However, the real performance hasn't even begun yet. 
 
The fate of humanity will be decided by the battle to come. 
 
 
Five hundred heroes from all over the world had gathered in one place as a single group. 
 
Everyone was powerful enough to be an A-Rank over, but there was nothing to be proud of here. It would be one thing if they were more protruding individuals, but in a cohesive state, they were determined not to count as a force to be reckoned with. 
 
In that case, there was also the question of who would lead them. 
 
Everyone probably thinks that the role should be left to Masayuki, but it’s actually a bad move. Masayuki is good at boosting good fortune, but doing whatever he wants with a group that can’t even coordinate doesn’t have much effect. 
 
The guilds of each country were well-known, so they didn't have much experience working for others. In the same way, they weren't suited to leading others. 
 
I needed someone to put these heroes together. 
 
Anxiety oozed from everyone’s faces, and they looked nervous. 
 
In the midst of all that, there was someone who was actually speaking casually in an easygoing tone. 
 
It was Yohm, who had been celebrated as a hero and had finally ascended to the throne as the king of a major power. This time, he had summoned his former comrades to join the war as the King of Farmenas. 
 
「Look at that. It's pretty impressive. Well, they call me a hero too, but compared to a real hero like King Gazel, it's a pretty good downgrade. I'm not sure if I'll be of any use...」 
 
Shrugging, I spoke to the wolf beastfolk lycanthropes standing next to me, Gruecith. 
 
Then Gruecith laughed off Yohm’s unease. 
 
「Hah! Don't make me laugh. It doesn't matter if it's real or not, just standing here is a hero. If the world is going to be destroyed if we lose, there's no point in freaking out and hiding. Whether it'll be a pointless death or a dog's death, we've got no choice but to face it.」 
 
“Exactly,” Yohm nodded. 
 
From the start, we weren't conceited enough to be of any help. We just wanted to help, even if only a little. 
My still-young daughter, Mime, is watching the house. 
 
King Edmaris, who had retired, had now changed his name to Marius and become his advisor. His son, Edgar, was also reliable, so he believed that he could handle the succession problem, that he should be able to do something about it. 
 
If she could survive, that was the best course of action. 
 
Even if that doesn't happen, if we win this battle, we can leave the rest to the ones who left us. 
 
That was why Yohm was standing here, accompanied by his wife, Queen Myu, and his best friend, the knight commander, Gruecith 
 
「Normally, I'd boast that I'll at least buy some time to escape. But since there's nowhere to run, I can't dress up. I have no choice but to step forward.」 
 
Razen grumbled in an elderly tone despite his young appearance. 
 
「Hahaha, you're not wrong!」 
 
And Yohm responded with a big laugh. 
 
「Tch, it was my turn to be happy with Muuran after you...」 
 
「Don't worry. I didn't promise anything like that.」 
Here, the two idiots glared at each other over Queen Myu. 
 
Her demeanor was the same as always, and it helped ease the tension of those watching the exchange. 
 
The heroes thought. 
 
This man could believe it, she thought. 
 
They were convinced that Yohm, who also had a friendship with the demon lord Rimuru, could entrust their lives to them 
 
「Hey, Yohm-san. I'm not a member of the state, so please don't be so formal with me, even if you're the king.」 
 
「I don't mind. I used to be a small-time thug too.」 
 
「Hahaha, you get what I'm saying!」 
 
「Heheh, I guess so.」 
 
「I'll do the same.」 
 
「Yeah!」 
 
「And while you're at it, we'll be counting on you to be our general!」 
「Leave it to me. Huh?」 
 
Those who were enchanted by Yohm's personality called out to him one after another, forcing him to play the role of general. 
 
The reason I can't refuse here is because I'm a Yohm. 
 
「Y-Yeah. Are you okay with me? Are you sure?」 
 
「I'll leave it to you.」 
 
「You're the only one who can do it!」 
 
「It was mostly solo activities, so use it for guerrilla warfare or something.」 
 
Todoroki had no complaints about appointing Yohm as general. 
 
Yohm's friends burst out laughing at this. 
「You're like a general.」 
 
「Looks like I'll have to write more heroic tales again.」 
 
「I won't hold a grudge against anyone if I fail. We'll all be together then anyway.」 
 
Pushing on Yohm’s back like that, it was decided that this group would be led by him as the supreme commander 
「You're as stupid as ever to take on such a difficult role without really thinking about it...」 
 
And Muuran looked exasperated, too. 
 
But at the same time, she saw the man she loved live in a turbulent state, and her pale cheeks gently flushed red. 
 
＊ 
On the other hand, Luminus, the one who’d started it this time, didn’t have the luxury of heartwarming 
 
They were huddling their foreheads together with Velgrind and Hinata for a detailed meeting. 
 
「We'll aim for where they're trying to leave Tentsukaku. That's the least damage we can do.」 
 
「That's right. We've only gathered a little under three thousand people, but it's the best force we can hope for. It looks like we'll have a little more, but let's think about deploying them soon.」 
 
Vergrind nodded at Luminus’s words. 
 
Then, while pointing at the blueprints spread out on the table, he began explaining the structure of Tentsukaku. 
 
「The 'Tentsukaku' is a circular tower that revolves around the spiral staircase in the center. There are living quarters on the outer wall as well, but you can ignore them. The problem lies beyond the door.」 
 
The diagram is a three-sided diagram. 
 
From above, it looks like a perfect circle, and from the front, it's almost the same width, stretching up to the heavens. It's the same from the left and right, with no strange design. 
 
The entrance and exit are located on the part bordering the ground. 
 
It was a series of arched openings, designed to allow anyone to come and go freely. 
 
The tower’s diameter was about five hundred meters. 
 
As you can tell from the size of each opening that the [Giant] can easily enter and exit, it's fairly huge. 
 
「----It's probably impossible to concentrate our forces on a single point.」 
 
The Tentsukaku can't be destroyed. In other words, it's extremely difficult to seal off the entrance. 
 
There was the option of blocking it from the outside with earth magic and the like, but there was no point if it was destroyed.
In the first place, there were more than three hundred openings. It was a decision that sealing all of them off and guiding the enemy according to plan would be difficult even in terms of time. 
 
「If there's a door inside, why don't we seal it?」 
 
Hinata asked, but Velgrind denied this, too. 
 
「I may have misunderstood you because it's a door, but the image you're imagining is wrong.」 
 
As I said that, I used [Thought Communication] to relay the image of the internal information to Hinata. 
 
The spiral staircase inside Tentsukaku was wide to the side, and the door in the middle was also huge. 
 
The axis was over three hundred meters wide, so the width of the stairs was also large. The steps were also too large for humans. 
「I see... This is already a huge gate, so to speak. Even if we wait inside, there's nothing we can do if we're pushed all at once...」 
 
As a general rule, attacking from top to bottom was more powerful. Waiting for them on stairs with poor footing was disadvantageous for the defending side. Hinata agreed and withdrew her opinion. 
「We will deploy our forces on all sides of the Tentsukaku, bringing the strong to the fore to meet the enemy's main force. This is our only option.」 
 
Luminus declared as much. 
 
It was a circular tower, and if going in and out of it was possible from anywhere in the entire circumference, they would have to deploy an army to surround it. And they wanted to split their forces evenly so that they could deal with it equally from anywhere. 
 

「It's tough, but we'll have to do it.」 
 
「Yes, that is correct.」 
 
「We'll have the rear group take out the enemies that escaped from the encirclement and the ones that escaped. Is that good enough?」 
 
Hinata, Luminus, and Velgrind all agreed. 
 
「Well then, shall we call the heads of state together and decide on roles?」 
 
We’ve decided on a course of action, but there’s a mountain of problems. 
 
If an army of [Phantom Beasts] appeared from the opening as if they were welling up, there was a possibility that they would be overpowered by quantity. In order to prevent that, they had to make proper use of their forces.
That said, everyone gathered here has their own wills. 
 
No matter how much of a crisis the world was in, it was questionable whether they would obediently obey. 
 
(Well, it looks like it'll be my role to convince her.) 
 
Hinata made up her mind. 
 
We didn't have much time, so this wasn't the time to be fighting amongst ourselves. 
 
Hinata braced herself, thinking that the fate of the world would be decided by this meeting. 
 
＊ 

A simple tent was set up, and the heads of state gathered. 
 
Just when I thought the famous adventurers would want to participate, they saw the distinguished faces of kings and celebrities from all over the world and gave up, thinking it was too much for them. 
 
That's why carefully selected people are seated around the round table. 
 
If you're going to introduce famous places... 
 
Sitting in the upper seat was Luminus, the host. 
I took responsibility for carrying out the end-of-life proclamation on a global scale and volunteered to be the leader. 
 
To Luminus’s right sat Hinata, and to her left sat Rui. Behind her stood Günter, dressed as a butler. 
 
Also, Cardinal Nicolaus is standing behind Hinata. 
 
Even though he’d been unconcerned during the decisive battle with Dagrull, when Hinata took part in the war, it seemed things would be different. His expression was full of enthusiasm, and he was fully prepared to be useful for her sake. 
 
In addition, Leonard Jester, the second-in-command of the Crusaders, stood in line with Nicolaus. Four captains were waiting behind him. 
 

After training in the labyrinth, my skills have increased greatly. I'm expected to be a force to be reckoned with this time as well. 
 
On the opposite side of Hinata was Sion. 
 
Her exhaustion from the last battle hasn't completely worn off, but she looks good. She smiles fearlessly, with an expression that says she's motivated and has nothing to fear. 
 
Sitting side by side on Sion was Dagla, who had taken Dagrull’s place. Behind him stood Basara, intimidating everyone gathered here. 
 
It might have been out of consideration for Dagger not being able to lick it, but it was quite out of place here. 
As far as the royal aristocratic group was concerned, Gazel, Yohm, and Masayuki were there.
 
Gazel was accompanied by a man in a martial arts outfit. 
 
It was Agera, the reincarnation of Hakuya Byakya Araki, Hakuya's grandfather. 
 
Even here, Agera stood boldly, aloofly, and naturally as flexible as a willow, protecting 
Gazel’s back.
 
Yohm, along with Queen Myu, would be joining in as husband and wife. 
 
Yohm is a hero, but he’s not good at talking about difficult things. 
 
This wasn't so much a staff officer as it was Queen Muu, who was in power, who had the right to take the initiative. 
 
Razen and Gruecith were waiting behind Yohm. 
 
Incidentally, Saare and Gregory were also at the edge of the conference tent, adjusting the angle to avoid eye contact with Hinata. 
 
She's still on the run, so she seems to be feeling really awkward. Hinata noticed that, but she doesn't have the kindness to call out to her, so I leave her alone. 
 
Actually, Hinata thinks that calling out to her will only freak her out, so she pretends not to know and pretends she doesn't notice. 
 
There was no doubt that this was the best course of action for both of us. 
 
Just like Saare and the others, there were those who felt awkward. 
 
It's Masayuki. 
 
She was the former high school student who wanted to run away from this place more than anyone else. 
 
That's how Masayuki is, but he's the leader of representatives and sympathizers from all over the world. 
 
She’d been given the role of a symbol of hope, so there was no way she’d be able to fulfill her desire to run away.
 
She was more aware of that fact than anyone else. That was why she was still in a state of nothingness, staring off into the distance. 
 
Next to Masayuki is a peerless beauty. 
 
It's Velgrind. 
 
I used [Space-time Connection] to gather the heroes from all over the world, and the Hachimenroppi did a great job. Right now, I was ready to dispel all the [Other Body] and protect Masayuki. 
 
Behind Masayuki was Venom, now in his best friend position.
Naturally, Caliglio and the Minutemen were participating as well, standing upright and not moving an inch like a sculpture, faithfully fulfilling their duties 
 
Away from the round table, Ultima was relaxing on a one-person sofa. 
 
There was tea prepared on the round table, and Zonda was serving it. 
 
Veyron is waiting with a cool look on her face, but she has just recovered from her fatigue. 
 
Ultima's two confidants had also been working hard behind the scenes during the last battle. Starting with holding Dino and the others back, they had fought to the death against the Giants, who couldn't use magic, so their bodies and minds hadn't had time to rest. That said, there was no way they could cry in front of her... 
 
Middle management is a very difficult position. 
 
Compared to that, the Adalmanns were carefree. 
 
Adalmann and Gadora had rejuvenated appearances and were taking up positions at the far end of the round table. Albert and Venti were waiting behind them, chatting happily. 
 
Despite the pre-conference of the conference risking the fate of the world, she was still doing things at her own pace. On the other hand, no one complained, perhaps because watching them like that eased the tension. 
 
It's because everyone thinks it's fine. 
 
The same held true for those in the lower seat of the round table. 
 
That group, which had nothing to do with nobility, had the air of a ruffian if anything. 
 
That was to be expected. Those people were the ones who controlled the underworld of human society. 
 
The person sitting in the seat as a representative was none other than Glenda Atlee herself, who had joined the group of elites dispatched by the Three Wise Drunks. 
 
They had no choice but to move in the face of the world's crisis, so they chose only about a hundred direct subordinates, the Musketeers, and the strong among those who had recently grown up. 
 
That's the number of strong people, but about fifty. 
 
There were about two people here, too. 
 
Standing behind Glenda were Girard, who had once been the leader of the Green Apostles, and Yang, who was leading the Black Claw Brigade, a militant mercenary group made up of all A-Ranks.
 
The strong who belong to the Three Wise Drunken Riga are baptized in Tempest, the land of monsters. We're still adjusting a lot, but the members we brought with us this time are the ones who passed the strict test. 
 
Though there were less than a hundred of them in total, they’d been given special equipment appropriate for each individual through special training in hell that made use of the labyrinth, and now they had fearsome combat abilities.
There is a generic name for these passersby. 
 
He’d provided an insignia with a water lily motif, likening his loyalty to the Three Wise Drunks to his faith, but Rimuru had called it the Suiren’s Badge, meaning “those who serve drunks.” 
 
That was the origin of the name Suirenshu. 
 
Our missions were all over the place, but this time, we had been summoned to an emergency meeting and had come from all around the world. 
 
Jan was at the top of the list, and he was so promising that even Girard and Glenda took notice of him. 
 
One of Girard’s arms, Ein the Spirit Emissary, the former leader of Team Green Rebellion, was commanding a ritual summoning outside. 
 
She was trying to summon as many high-ranking spirits as possible, such as the [Flame Giant], [Earth Knight], and [Warnome], the [Water Saint], undine, and the [Wind Maiden], Sylphid. 
 
They looked like nothing more than ruffians, but they were a group worthy of being here. 
 
Incidentally, unlike Saare and the others, Glenda was actually quite bold. 
 
Even though he betrayed Hinata in the same way, it seems he's already decided it's a thing of the past. The difference in courage between him and Saare and the others is what separates him from the others, but whether he should follow Saare's example or not is a matter of disagreement... 

＊ 

Just as the meeting was about to begin, Velgrind looked up 
 
After using her presence to attract everyone’s attention, she slowly opened her mouth. 
 
「About my sister, Velzard the White Ice Dragon, and the Demon Lord Gii...」 
 
It was a casual conversation, but that alone was enough to silence the entire venue. 
 
Compared to the fate of the world, it may be less important, but it would normally be a major incident. 
 
Not only that, but I couldn't ignore her. 
 
After all, if Gii had been defeated, the threat known as Velzard could have attacked him from behind. 
 
Right now, humanity didn’t have the energy left to deal with that. 
 
Everyone tensed up and waited for Velgrindo to speak. 
 
「----A third party has been confirmed to intervene.」 
「「「──!?」」」 

After the worst-case scenario I had anticipated, it was a report I didn't want to hear. 
 
It went without saying that the worst was Gii’s defeat. 
 
Even if it was better than that, no one felt good about it. 
 
「Just to be clear, are you helping Gii?」 
 
Luminus asked on behalf of everyone else. 
 
It was a question I’d asked in anticipation of a faint hope, even though I knew that wasn’t possible. 
 
「Unfortunately, that's not it.」 
 
Everyone murmured. 
 
I hadn't expected the situation to improve, so the atmosphere was filled with “I knew it.” 
 
However, Velgrind’s next statement brought everyone back to their senses. 
 
「Don't worry. Testarossa moved to find out who it was.」 
 
Everyone was relieved to hear that. 
It would be terrifying if she were an enemy, but if she was an ally, she would be reliable. Because that was Testarossa, the White Queen. 
 
Ultima and the others smiled upon hearing the name of their rival. 
 
「Oh? I thought it was my turn, but it's okay to leave that to you♪」 
 
Despite saying that, she's already done talking about it. 
 
The speed at which she switched gears was impressive, but that was the correct answer here. If she left something to worry about, she might get scooped up in the coming Great War. 
 
Luminus seemed to be of the same opinion as Ultima, so she went along with his words 
 
「Yeah, you're right. There's no point in thinking about it right now, so let's get down to business.」 
 
With that, he urged Vergrind to continue. 
 
Accepting this, Velgrind stood up. 
 
「Before I start explaining, there are some people I need to introduce you to. I'm sure you know them, but...」 
 
As he spoke, Vergrind performed a “space-time connection.” And so, the commanders of the Magic Knights, under the command of the Demon Lord Leon, came out. 
「We serve the Demon Lord Leon. We are the guardians of the Golden Land of El Dorado. We heard about the state of the world from Lord Vergrind, and came to visit.」 
 
Arlos, the leader of the group, greeted me. 
 
The commanders of each knight order nodded in agreement. 
 
As a matter of fact, the scars on Feldway’s target hadn’t healed, but there was no comparison to the dangers of the world. Even if he only thought about his own country in this situation, all that awaited him was destruction. 
 
Deciding so, they decided to join the war with just their respective knight commanders, with Arlos at the top. 
 
I'm worried about the Golden Land too, but the people are strong. 
 
So much so that even after being exposed to Carrera's nuclear attack magic, she continued to have nerves of steel to enjoy it as a form of entertainment. 
 
Even this time, she smiled and said, “It’ll work out somehow!” and gave Arlos and the others a push as they hesitated. 
 
That’s why the greatest forces under Leon’s command were gathered here. 
 
Claude, Black Knight of the Knights of Favonius. 
 
The commander of the White Knights, White Knight Metel. 
 
He was the commander of the Blue Knight, Blue Knight Oxyan. 
 
Fran, commander of the Red Knights. 
 
Kizona, commander of the Yellow Knights. 
 
With Arlos at the top, there were six of us in total. We participated without missing a beat. 
 
And there were other members of the group whom Velgrind had summoned. 
 
「Nice to meet you, everyone. I'm Misora. I know you don't know me, but I am the leader of the Demons. I never dreamed I'd become a united front with humanity, but given the circumstances, we'd like to do our best this time. It's only for a short time, but we hope you'll throw away any lingering doubts.」 
 
The one who greeted him and smiled was Misora, the head of Lain’s subordinates. 
 
The girls who had been helping defend and restore El Dorado had also arrived in this critical moment. 
 
-Or rather... 
 
Their king had been taken away by Gii's order, so it was no longer the time for them to be taking it easy. 
 
That was something Misora’s colleagues, Skjor and Ulrich, agreed. 
(If we were the only ones having fun, we'd probably end up with unnecessary grudges. 
Lady Misery wouldn't mind, but unfortunately, our Lady Lain...) 
 
More than that, just thinking about it in my mind is disrespectful. 
 
Misora has no intention of slacking off. 
 
They love the beloved monarch of their lineage, so they throw everything they have wherever and whenever. 
 
However, remembering the sad look in Lain’s eyes as she’d been taken to the danger zone, he’d thought, “We can’t be the only ones in an easy-going place.” 
 
That was why he’d volunteered to join the war against Velgrind himself 
 
(Ah, Lady Lain... Are you sure you're all right? Are you going to get mad at the Great Gii again? Or maybe make him angry? Or cry?) 
 
Well, there's no end to my worries. 
 
But it seems like she's thinking about things, and I'm sure she'll be fine since Rein's surprisingly quick on the uptake. 
 
Whatever the case, right now, Misora is praying for her master’s safety while facing the problem in front of her, trying to focus on it. 
 
On the other hand, there were those under Misery here as well. 
Their representative, Khan, followed Misora in greeting. 
 
「Tch. It's as if we weren't expected to be active out there. Under normal circumstances, there would be no such thing as a joint battle.」 
 
Kahn glanced around the venue as he said that. 
 
The only ones lined up are the strong in this world. 
 
Some of the people in this tent were wondering why they were here, but if anything, Khan and the others were more like weaklings. 
 
It’s also interesting how the original adjutants, who have reached the Demon Lord and become as powerful as the old Demon King’s forces, are faster to count from below here. 
 
It was out of the question to brag about it here. Khan had never intended to repay him in the first place, but he felt a strange sense of wonder as he wondered if it would actually be his turn. 
 
(Hmph! I won't be able to do anything behind the scenes, but that's when it happens. I'll do my best to prove that we're capable!) 
 
That was the conclusion Khan came to. 
 
From the start, Misery's subordinates were all diligent and capable. There was no shortage of talent, and there were no protruding individuals, but many of them were of high quality. 
 
Aside from Georg, who was a member of the Red Familia, his characteristics were that he was highly cooperative. 
 
Incidentally, Ulrich, a member of the Red Familia assigned under Lain, was in a difficult position for some reason. She used to be the haughty type who thought she was the best, but strangely enough, there was something about her. 
 
It would be strange if they crossed paths with Vermillion, but since her master, Lain, didn’t seem to be having any trouble, she was probably steeped in her coworkers. 
 
After all, Rain’s subordinates were all super-excellent, with Misora at the top. 
 
No. There should have been a lot of lazy people, but for some reason, they grew up to be capable. 
 
Even Ulrich, who was supposed to be a good-for-nothing, had a calm expression on his face, and he didn't seem to be asserting himself at all. That was proof of his growth, and even Kahn couldn't understand what kind of education he had to give him to become like that. 
 
Kahn's master, Misery, often interprets things like “That's one of Rain's great points” in a way that doesn't make any sense...but if you think about it too deeply, it's probably a loss. 
 
In any case, if you educate them, everyone will turn into capable people. 
 
Thinking that he couldn't afford to lose, Khan concluded his greeting. 
「This time is special. We'll support the unreliable outsiders just enough that they won't have to worry.」 
 
With that, she took a seat in the chair that had been prepared for her. 
 
His colleagues Alban and Georg didn't seem to have any complaints about Khan's declaration. They stood side by side behind him and quietly went with the flow. 
 
 
Incidentally, it was a declaration of participation by the Demon Tribe, which would normally cause an uproar, but there was no one making a fuss on the human side. 
 
It’s because not only is the Demon Lord the one who started it, but ‘dragon species’ are also appearing as if it’s the most natural thing in the world, so I’ve got a strong feeling about it now. 
 
Testarossa has become famous in the Council of the West, so I’m not surprised to see Misora and the others. 
 
Everyone agreed with a hmm, and the meeting proceeded without incident. 

＊ 
The actors are all here. 
 
Finally, Velgrind began explaining the situation. 
 
「The Inglacia royal family has given him a word of apology. The scars from the previous attack haven't healed, so he wants to minimize the dispatch of troops.」 
 
As he spoke, Velgrind turned his attention to a corner of the tent. 
 
There sat Ingracia's representatives, who had come as messengers. 
 
It's a minimal force, but there's still a decent number of strong ones. That said, they're weaker than the rest of us gathered here, so it's like they don't have the strength to speak. 
 
She nodded at Vergrind’s words, and was ready to watch the rest unfold. 
 
「Therefore, think of it as no more reinforcements.」 
 
That was what Velgrind declared, urging everyone to be prepared. 
 
It might actually happen, but I can't expect much from it. At the very least, it's only a small amount from Velgrind's perspective. 
 
That's what she said. 
 
Luminus nodded at this and urged him to continue, “And?” 
 
In response, Velgrind began to disclose the information he was sharing with Testarossa. 
「In the old Eurazania, my sister Velzard and Gii are fighting. As I mentioned before, there was a third party involved, but Testarossa stopped them and the war situation has returned to square one. A few of them are doing their best not to affect this planet, but...」 
 
I don't think the situation is good. 
 
If Gii and Velzard got serious like this, the effects would be immeasurable. 
 
Ideally, it would be settled before that, but it wouldn’t be so naive. 
 
In the worst-case scenario, there could be a future where Velzard would be freed by Gii’s defeat. 
 
「If Velzard attacks you from behind, humanity will be doomed. Pray that doesn't happen.」 
 
Vergrind had only spoken the truth, but the feelings of those who heard it were complicated. But he couldn't argue, so he had no choice but to swallow. 
 
All we can do is pray that doesn't happen and deal with the problems before us. 
 
「Well then, regarding the current threat, the Ivarage, we would like to discuss how to deal with it.」 
 
The one who broached the subject was Cien, who had been waiting at his side without taking a seat. 
 
I volunteered to be the host here and stood in front of Velgrind. 
 
「We must complete the operation before the Cryptids' forces arrive. Currently, the entire perimeter of Tentsukaku is a war zone, but it will be difficult to cover the entire area even if we split our forces. I ask for your opinion on this.」 
 
Cien asked Velgrind. 
 
Of all the people present, the wisest one was Vergrind, so in practice, a role like that of the commander-in-chief was naturally required. 
 
Even as a velgrind, I have no objections to this. 
 
He had been in the position of marshal in the Empire for a long time, so he spoke his strategy without hesitation. 
 
「It would be foolish to deploy troops all around us. First, form a formation so that the battlefield has an advantage and guide the enemy.」 
 
「What do you mean by that?」 
 
「There's a barrier, isn't there? You can set up my Hachimon stratum, but that alone won't be enough to capture all the troops. So...」 
 
Velgrind turned to look at the Holy Knights. 
 
Hinata nodded and took the words in. 
 
「I see. Holy Purification Barrier [Holy Field]. Are you certain that the Aggressors from the other world are also aware that their bodies are composed of magicules?」 
 
「Yes, half of it is made up of magicules. It may contain unknown substances that don't exist in this core world, but Holy Cleansing Barrier [Holy Field] will work well enough.」 
 
“I see,” everyone agreed 
 
As a matter of fact, the Hachimon Katagami is useful as a stopgap measure, but it puts the guardians at a disadvantage. It's useful in situations where the enemy's main forces want to take control of the battle in an absolutely superior situation and keep them out of the way, but this isn't a spell suited for defensive battles. 
 
Also, now that the enemy’s total numbers were unknown, setting up camp to swallow everything up was difficult in many ways 
 
If the Ivarage appears, Velgrind will be the only one to face it. Even Hinata and Luminus are no match for the others, Velgrind thinks. 
 
Since he had to focus on the enemy’s leader, Ivarage, he needed to conserve as much power as possible. It was Vergrind’s true intention to leave the familia’s opponents to Luminus and the others.
In that sense, Holy Purification Barrier [Holy Field] is the optimal solution. 
 
It was probably a circular tower that could come and go from anywhere in the entire circumference, but once it was encased in a barrier, it would be possible to guide the enemy’s movements 
 
However, there was a problem. 
 
「However, the Holy Purification Barrier and Holy Field can't be established unless it's connected by air. The Tentsukaku is a structure from the age of the gods that reaches all the way to the heavens, so I wonder if it can fulfill the conditions for the spell's completion.」 
 
Cardinal Nicolaus, who had been waiting behind Hinata, pointed out the problem. 
 
Hinata noticed this too. 
 
In order to activate the Holy Cleansing Barrier, you must deploy at least three casters evenly spaced to form a polyhedron so that they can connect to a point in the sky. It was considered the most effective way to operate it in a pyramid-like square pyramid, without needing to be a regular polygon. 
 
The problem this time is that the tower gets in the way and it's impossible to form the important parts that should intersect in the sky. It's not like there's no way to solve this, but... 
 
「Even if it's impossible to surround them with a face, there's still a way to do it...」 
 
Hinata murmured. 
 
「Yes, that's right.」 
 
Luminus nodded. 
 
The Tentsukaku is connected to the surface by a series of doors, but once you reach a certain level, there are no windows. 
 
In other words, there was no need to worry about flying cryptids overflowing from the top of the tower, and if we prepared a relay point for the barrier in the top window, forming an irregular Holy Cleansing Barrier, Holy Field, wasn’t impossible 
 
However, the danger of those stationed at the top was too high. 
 
「We will deploy our forces on all sides of the Tentsukaku and await the enemy. That is the safest and most certain course of action.」 
 
They had to lure the enemy into a formation where even a small number of them could surely meet them 
 
If the tower was surrounded by an equilateral triangle, the overflowing monsters would be concentrated in three directions. If that were the case, the density of each place would increase too much, and some peak would be dropped. 
 
On the other hand, if you set up a square formation, the enemy would also be dispersed in all directions. The density of each location would decrease, and the number of enemies bordering the barrier would decrease. Even in the unlikely event that a base of operations was dropped somewhere, there was the advantage of being able to move the base irregularly and transform the barrier to maintain the effect somehow. 
 
It was only an emergency measure, and the burden was great, so it was an impossible tactic for long periods of time, but there was a huge difference between the possibility and the lack of a chance to recover. 
 
For that reason, setting up Holy Cleansing Barriers and Holy Fields would be ideal for setting up bases in four places on the ground, with squares. 
 
In that case, what would happen to the higher-ups? 
 
The need for at least three people was no different from activating them on the ground. However, if they were to set up a square formation on the surface, the higher-ups would need four to respond to that. 
 
That was the downside. 
 
The Holy Cleansing Barrier [Holy Field] is formed in this way. The lower part is square, but the upper part is circular. The holy force must run along the wall of the tower to form a circle at four points connecting it to the ground. 
 
In other words, we’ll need a force to protect four places. 
 
Not only did they have very few air forces, but they had to divide their forces, and they also had to fight while protecting the caster. It would be a difficult mission, but failure was not an option. 
 
「It's hard, but we'll have to do it.」 
 
Hinata came to that conclusion. 
 
「It's hard to defend, so if we don't do it, it'll be a disgrace to our reputation. Now's the time to show off the true value of the Holy Knights and Crusaders.」 
 
Leonard nodded firmly at Hinata’s words. 
 
In response to this, the other captains in charge of sky, earth, water, and wind also put their spirit into it. 
 
「The four of us will be in charge of the sky. Thanks to our training, we're able to use the Holy Spirit Armor, and we can fly, so we'll be perfect, right?」 
 
Arnaud Baumann declared that. 
 
The people in the hall were impressed by her willingness to volunteer for a dangerous place. 
 
The other captains hadn’t lost, either. 
 
「Exactly. Compared to that training, this mission might be easier.」 
 
Bacchus agreed with a laugh. 
 
Following this were Rits and Fritz. 
 
「That's right. That was hell, wasn't it?」 
 
「It's fine to come back to life even if you die, but we're the only ones who don't have a sense of pain reduction, y'know? Are you trying to harass me?! Thanks to that, everyone's gotten the Pain Nullification skill, but...」 
 
Fritz’s complaint was no longer a complaint. 
 
Masayuki and the others are frozen in place, unsure whether to laugh or comfort her. 
 
「Do you have a problem with that?」 
 
「...I don't.」 
 
Fritz gave a small answer to Hinata’s cold question. 
 
This exchange had become like a promise. Fritz had intentionally made fun of it to ease the heavy atmosphere in the room. 
 
Hinata understood that, too, and she’d decided to focus on being the villain. 
 
Everyone feels a little better now that a little laugh has occurred. Now that it's easier to voice our opinions, Hinata touches on the core issue. 
 
「Well then, as for the other three...」 
Currently, five people are engaged in the operation, including Leonard. In order to activate the Holy Cleansing Barrier and Holy Field, we need three more high-level casters of holy magic. 
 
「Nicolaus, you can do it, right?」 
 
「Understood.」 
 
Cardinal Nicolaus Spertus--Hinata's confidant, and a fan of the zealous Hinata. He held the highest rank as a cardinal, but the object of his faith was Hinada. 
 
Nicolaus thought himself to be Hinata’s loyal dog, so since he’d been ordered to, answering whether he liked it or not wasn’t an option. 
 
Incidentally, despite Nicolaus’s abilities, he had naturally reached the rank of adeptus, as it was clear from the fact that he could activate [Spirit Disintegration] on his own. And since he was more powerful than his second-in-command, Leonard, he was capable of fulfilling his mission well enough. 
 
The fact that he wasn’t inferior to the captain of the Crusaders of the Holy Knights had been kept secret, but Hinata had seen through it. That was how she’d chosen him for the big selection this time. 
 
With that, there were only two left. 
 
Hinata’s gaze pierced Saare and Gregory, who were desperately trying to avert their eyes 
 
「How long are you going to keep quiet about this?」 
 
Hearing that bluntly, Saare finally resigned himself to his fate. As he raised both hands in surrender, he reluctantly raised his head and opened his mouth. 
 
「Okay. I'll take charge of one corner. The other is Gregory, and you're in charge.」 
 
「Wait a minute.」 
 
「----Yeah?」 
 
「I'm not good with barriers.」 
 
「「「......」」 
 
Everyone fell silent. 
 
Gregory of the Great Rock. The man who was the guardian of humanity. 
 
He used to be one of the heroes who served as one of Luke Genia's Three Immortals of the Cloistered Emperor's personal guard. 
 
He was on the same level as the captains of the Holy Knights and Crusaders, and in terms of combat ability, he was more powerful than average 
 
They took it for granted that they could handle the Holy Purification Barrier and Holy Field spells. 
 
And yet, she couldn't possibly be coming out. 
 
「...Huh? You're kidding, right?」 
 
Saare asked honestly. 
 

「Seriously.」 
 
Gregory blushed as he answered. 
 
Everyone guessed that she really couldn't use this. 
 
Any Holy Knight or Holy Knight belonging to the Crusaders would be an A-Rank overpowered fighter. Anyone could do it just by assisting them, and there were those who could handle a normal Holy Purification Barrier or Holy Field without a problem. 
 
But this time, it was a different story. 
 
If there are people with significantly inferior abilities, maintaining the barrier won’t be possible, and activating it to match the weak will weaken the barrier’s strength, meaning it’s meaningless. This is because the objective is to guide the Cryptids, and the operation will collapse the moment the barrier is broken. 
 
Which means we need to match the caster’s strength, but... 
 
Luminus was the inventor of the spell, so she could handle it without a problem. But she couldn't take on such a role in this situation, so it went without saying that she rejected it. 
 
Hinata is also possible. However, just like Luminus, not being able to use her combat abilities is a treasure trove. Naturally, it is rejected. 
 
The demons were too incompatible and out of the question. 
 
The White Knight Metel, who excelled at recovery magic under Leon’s command, and the Blue Knight Oxyan, who specialized in support magic, would probably be able to handle it with just a little training, but... I wasn’t sure if I’d be the main caster. In the first place, if I was going to be practicing now, I wasn't even sure if there would be enough time. 
 
Cien, the host, sent Luminus a look to urge her to come to a conclusion 
 
Prepared for a great loss, Hinata had no choice but to take part in it. Luminus considered this as well and opened her mouth to convey her plan. 
 
The one who raised his hand here was Queen Myu, also known as Myulan. 
 
「I'll take charge of one corner. I'm good at barriers and stuff, so I should be able to do it.」 
 
I can't bet on the success or failure of the operation. Normally, everyone would think that, but this time, it's different. 
 
If she says she'll do it, then she should take responsibility for it. 
Besides, Muulan had a track record of working with Shuna to maintain a large-scale barrier. He’d taken advantage of his remorse during the invasion of Farmus to research the Holy Cleansing Barrier and Holy Field on his own. 
 
If I wanted to come up with a countermeasure, I needed to touch the real thing. In order to clear that problem, I had asked the sent Holy Knights to actually experience it. 
 
It wasn’t as if he’d expected this kind of situation, but if he didn’t make use of it here, there was no point in Rimuru letting him live. That’s what Muuran thought, and he made his decision. 
 
「In that case, I shall assist Queen Muu. I will learn the spell on top of that, and prepare to switch places when the time comes.」 
 
Then, Metel applied. 
 
Taking advantage of this, Oxian agreed. 
 
「In that case, I'll do the same. I'm going to cast support magic on them first, then go help them out.」 
 
Even as an Oxyan, I intend to be a replacement just in case. 
 
It’s not like everyone’s safe. 
 
We don't know what will happen on the battlefield, so we need to prepare as much as possible. 
 
These opinions were approved. 
 
And with that, it was decided who would activate the Holy Cleansing Barrier, Holy Field, that would be the key. 
 
 
 
＊ 
 
 
 
Arnaud Baumann of the Sky is in charge of the upper echelons of the East. 
 
Fritz of the Wind, to the west. 
 
Rith of the Water is to the south. 
 
Bacchus of the Earth was left to the north. 
 
Nicolaus is in charge of dealing with Arnaud. He's hard to beat, so it's a well-balanced combination. 
 
Bacchus had Leonard. Leonard was superior in terms of raw power, but he was a comrade who had been through a lot of hardships for many years. He could follow up a little, and Bacchos would be able to show his strength in a stable manner. 
 
Muulan, a fellow woman, dealt with Rith. 
 
Saare would hit Fritz, but our compatibility seemed bad at first glance. We both had bad mouthings, so it would turn into a fight right away. 
In reality, however, Saare had taken a liking to Fritz, who had an honest personality. He also appreciated his guts to toy with Hinata, so it was a surprisingly good combination. 
 
And so, the key personnel on all sides were decided. 
 
Next, the problem was how to deploy our forces. 
 
「We'll protect Minami.」 
 
Yohm made that declaration. 
 
She had no intention of leaving the role of protecting her beloved wife to another man. 
 
No one objected to this, and a group of Yohms would guard the south. 
 
In addition to that, Leon’s subordinates had also been decided here. 
 
「If Metel and Oxian are involved in the barrier, I think we should protect Minami too. What do you think?」 
 
Luminus nodded elatedly at Arlos’s statement, and it was decided quickly. 
 
The next to speak was Gregory, Saare’s friend. 
 
「I'll protect Saare, of course.」 
 
「Yeah. I'm counting on you, Gregory.」 
 
I didn't complain about this, either. 
 
Razen looked at his disciples with concern, but we were in a position to protect Yohm, so we couldn’t move 
 
But there was no problem. 
 
They weren’t in the tent, but the members of the [Father Emperor’s Direct Guard Division] and [Rook Genias] adored Saare and the others, so it had been decided that they would be under their command. 
 
Saare and Gregory shook hands firmly. 
 
It was a beautiful scene of friendship, but here Glenda raised her hand as well. 
 
「I'll go there too.」 
 
If Glenda were to join them, the former members of the Three Immortals would all be together. However, from Saare and Gregory's point of view, it was unwelcome. 
 
「Don't be ridiculous! We were forced to live on the run because you betrayed us!!」 
 
「That's right! I was dumbfounded when I heard about it later, but I can't trust you!!」 
 
Saare and Gregory were quite seriously furious, but those feelings were understandable to those who knew what was going on, and yet Glenda snorted 
 
「You're all so small-minded. The reason I betrayed you guys was because I was certain I'd lose. If you're frustrated, make arrangements so you can definitely win.」 
 
Glenda had come up with an outrageous theory, too 
 
Everyone thought so. 
 
The people who were told that were especially angry. 
 
「Seriously, cut it out already! I was doing everything I could at the time, and I thought I could win with ease! My opponent was just more of a monster than I imagined!!」 
 
As a matter of fact, hearing about Diablo’s true identity later, Saare was terrified that he hadn’t been killed very often. At that point, he’d already stopped talking about winning and losing. 
 
The same goes for Gregory. 
 
If his opponent had been Diablo, there was no doubt that he would have been in even more dire straits than Saare. He’d been mostly up against Ranga, but a primogenitor demon like the very embodiment of fear was something he’d never wanted to face in his life. 
 
Even after hearing that Saare had lost, I couldn't help but think that was the case. We were both grateful for each other's good fortune that he was safe. 
 
Because they were like that, Glenda’s betrayal was unforgivable 
 
And yet, Glenda was aloof. 
 
「I won't betray you this time. There's nowhere to run anyway, so I promise I'll do my best.」 
 
And so, without a hint of remorse, she spoke boldly. 
 
Saare and the others couldn't respond to this. 
 
It was irritating, but Glenda’s words were sound. 
 
If there was a place to run, the premise wouldn't be established, so there was no reason to doubt her words. 
 
「Tch, oh well. I can't trust you, but I can trust your strength.」 
 
「Pretty much. I don't intend to entrust my back to you, but since Saare can't move due to maintaining the barrier, I'll do my best to make you useful to us.」 
 
And so, despite Saare and Gregory’s reluctance, they approved of the joint fight with Glenda. 
 
Even though it was a bit of a slump like this, we each proceeded to discuss which forces would protect which points. 
 
And so, we decided on a course of action. 
 
In that case, the rest was too soon. 
 
Thanks to Vergrind’s “space-time connection,” they had made their way to the site and were quickly prepared to intercept. 
 
 
He was the supreme commander, but this confirmed once again that this was Luminus 
 
He was the one who started this, and since there was no one else better suited for the job, it was perfectly reasonable. 
 
Luminus would be floating in the air and grasping the battlefield. She wasn't taking command, but she was also planning to reinforce the Holy Cleansing Barrier and Holy Field, which were the key elements, so she would probably play an important role. 
 
Next up was Velgrind, who decided to deploy a separate body on all sides to prepare for the appearance of the Destruction Dragon and Ivarage. 
 

As such, they weren’t included in each force, but were given their own discretionary powers. They’d probably stick to Masayuki, but since no one could stop them anyway, it was a form left up to Velgrinde’s judgment, including that. 
 
Excluding these two, they would be assigned on all sides to protect them, but before that, they suggested the need for reserve forces.
「This is just a hypothetical, but in the event that even one place on all sides collapses, it would be best to prepare a force that can respond immediately, wouldn't it?」 
 
It was King Gazel who said that. 
 
Five hundred of the Pegasus Knights, led by themselves, are excellent aerial forces. There are probably flying cryptids out there, so eliminating such threats is also a mission. 
 
No one objected to this opinion, and this, too, was decided smoothly. 
 
Those who remain will be the main force. 
 
During the meeting, their forces had been slightly bolstered and deployed throughout the country. 
 
It's in the east, but there's only six hundred of them. 
 
Three hundred Holy Knights, Crusaders, and a hundred new Imperial Guardsmen will be deployed to protect Arnaud and Nicolaus. 
 
Hinata and Masayuki were at the top of both groups, but the person in charge was Hinata. 
 
Caliglio had no objections, either, and he was resigned to his position as a staff officer to support him.
 
Cien had been ordered by Testarossa to protect Hinata. 
Two hundred members of the Black Numbers under Testarossa's command had gathered and were now under Cien's control. They were ready for battle. 
 
Venom was now acting of his own free will to protect Masayuki. 
 
As actual commanders, the Minutes took the form of standing on the front lines, and Hinata and Caliglio were ready to deal with the unexpected appearance of the strong. 
 
Next to Masayuki was Velgrindo, who had become the minimal “different body”...but as planned, we’d come up with a plan to pretend he wasn’t here. 
 
There are about a thousand and two hundred and eighty of them in total in the west. 
 
The maximum number of forces had been deployed to protect Fritz and Saare. 
 
The land to the east facing the dying desert is the same, but it's also easy to deploy a large army here. However, this is a beloved home for the Giants. 
 
They had bought the protection of this land, as if to protect their own land. 
 
That’s why the elite warriors of the Binding Chains Giant God Brigade alone numbered over a thousand, but that wasn’t all they had. 
 
As the boss of Dagura and the others, Shion and her subordinates, Yomigaeri, had joined them. 
 
「You guys, get fired up! Death is terrifying, but meaningless lives are even more terrifying!! Live, survive, and prove that your lives are valuable!!」 
 
The warriors responded to Sion's exhortation with a frenzy. 
 
I feel like I'm going in the wrong direction a little, but in this situation, I can count on her. 
 
Unlike them, who were united and elated in morale, there were also those with strained atmospheres. 
 
It's Glenda and Gregory. 
 
Thirty members of the Imperial Guard under the direct control of the Cloistered Emperor, and a hundred members of Glenda's Musketeers, plus fifty members of Liga's elite group, Drunkards, joined the war, but the fact that the former leader, the Three Bushens, was at odds with each other was a cause for concern. 
 
What in the world was she doing in the face of humanity’s crisis? However, since no one was trying to stop these two, there was a barren argument going on. 
 
Saare thought that if that was enough to make her feel better, she could do as she pleased. 
 
She’d been betrayed once already, so she wouldn’t trust Glenda. But she was sure of her abilities, and she didn’t think she was stupid enough to betray her here. 
 
That's why even Saare is acquiescing to this situation. 
「Preparations complete. I've summoned four high-ranking spirits, so I'll add them to base defense.」 
 
Ein, the [Spirit Emissary] [Elementaler], announced as much. 
 
She had summoned a ritual summoning to uproot her subordinates' magical energy, summoning a higher-level spirit of earth, water, fire, and wind. One of them had even successfully “undine” the Saint of Water, imbued with her own body. 
 
「The only thing that goes well with me is earth, I guess.」 
 
As Gregory spoke, he unreservedly “unified” with the [Earth Knight] [Warnome]. Razen, his master, was good at summoning spirits, and he was used to handling them. 
 
As far as Ein was concerned, it was a surprise, but he managed to convince himself that he was a former Sanbusen. 
 
Girard imbued it with [Flame Giant]. 
 
This was just as I’d planned. This was the result of Ein and I repeating the real battle over and over in Ramiris’s labyrinth, and learning it through blood-breathing thought. 
 
He’d worked hard to play the substitute for the boss of the Three Wise Drunks Rimuru and the others had bestowed upon him. 
 
That’s why he’s being kept alive in this situation, but... Girard smiled wryly, overcome with emotion, thinking that life is something you don’t know what’s going to happen to you. 
 
「Hmph. In that case, I'll be the Wind Maiden Sylphid.」 
 
The last remaining spirit was to be housed by Glenda. 
 
Glenda had also trained with Girard and the others. Glenda, who was good at long-range attacks, had excellent compatibility with wind spirits. 
 
That’s how the spirits were assigned to where they should be, so they’re ready to go. 
 
It was located in the southern part of the country, but the total number exceeded seven hundred and approached eight hundred. 
 
The heroes gathered from all over the world are deploying to protect Lithis and Myulan. 
 
Among those heroes were the commanders of the Magic Knights. 
 
Metel and Oxian assisted Myulan. They had been given the important responsibility of learning about barriers during actual combat and having to respond immediately if something happened. 
 
In order to protect such colleagues, those under Leon have entrusted themselves with the final defense. 
 
Of course, even the heroes who’d fallen in love with Yohm had plenty of motivation and spirit.
They weren't organized, so they couldn't be called an army, but they were strong enough to take on a single unit. They were in a hurry, but since they had organized their chain of command, they weren’t so lacking in strength. 
 
Besides, there was the Black Numbers under Ultima’s command in this area. They were exhausted from the previous battle, but there were a total of two hundred of them, and they understood they weren’t allowed to whine. They all participated as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and even now they were diligently trying to recover their magical energy. 
 
「Hey, Khan.」 
 
「What is it, Misora?」 
 
「Shouldn't we call our subordinates here as well?」 
 
「Hmm. Those who have been granted an audience with the Demon Lord, Gii-sama, are more capable than those over there.」 
 
「Isn't that right? It's scattered all over the world, but I'm sure we can still make it.」 
 
Truly calm, Misora made her decision. 
 
It's unheard of for all operations to be canceled. However, Misora's expression didn't change as she carried out her proposal. 
 
That also proves Misora’s ability and decisiveness. 
 
A cold-blooded Misora. 
 
He was Rain’s most capable confidant. 
 
Without her, Rain would have fired Gii’s maid long ago. 
 
Incidentally, Rain was the only person in the world who could change Misora’s expression...but that didn’t matter here. 
 
And so, the demon summoning ceremony was held in secret. 
 
“““We have come before you, Master!!”” 
 
The Archdemon, a high-ranking demon with sixty “names”, threw out all his missions and came running. 
 
Normally, it would be such a great force that it would shake the world. 
 
But right now, we're reliable comrades. 
 
There are about five hundred of them in total in the northern region. 
 
Because the terrain is rocky and cramped, the number of people is the lowest. In exchange, it has the advantage of being able to concentrate our forces. 
 
A little under four hundred Blood Crimson Knights and Bloody Knights are deployed to protect Bacchus and Leonard. With this as a point, they’re ready to intercept the enemy with guerrillas. 
 
Leonard murmured as he gazed at his own troops in formation. 
 
「...I understand it in my head, and I thought I understood it well enough, but to be protected from the demons who were taught to be enemies of humanity, as well as the higher-ranking vampires... Honestly, it's still hard to believe.」 
 
Those were Leonard’s true feelings, which he’d let slip without thinking 
 
Bacchus nodded gravely at this. 
 
「Well, I agree. Even if I tell my old self, he'll never believe me.」 
 
Rui, the Cloistered Emperor they served, is the boss of those vampires. It's not like I don't believe it now, but my instincts reject me more than my reason. 
 
Then again, that wouldn’t affect the operation right now. 
 
Because even Leonard and the others understood that the demons weren’t all bad people. 
 
They’d trained in Tempest, enjoyed delicious food and alcohol with the demons, and even made close friends. That was why Leonard and the others’ sentimentality was selfdeprecating for their elaborate stereotypes. 
I felt a little ashamed of myself for still harboring those thoughts in my heart even after seeing so many facts. 
 
「Heh, that's what humans are all about. They don't seem to change, but it's easy to change people's minds. The downside is that there are good times and bad times.」 
 
Hearing Leonard and the others’ conversation, Günther consoled them. 
 
Even the Old Teachers of the Seven Days were once heroes worthy of the name of humanity's guardians. They were destroyed by old age at some point, but as Günther, who knew of their shining times, he didn't want Leonard and the others to lose the brilliance of their souls. 
 
The seven archnobles, the “super victors,” had similar thoughts, and each of them intended to move to protect Bacchus and Leonard 
 
Adalmann and Gadora were the ones eager to intercept those who focused on such defenses. 
 
Both of them had surprisingly handsome appearances, so it was unfamiliar to those who knew nothing but skeletons and old men. However, a dangerous-looking group of people, united in black uniforms, had gathered around them. 
 
Even among the Black Numbers, they were a hundred directly under Diablo. 
 
Gadora had made a habit of being a newcomer, and now he was in a position to lead this super-elite group with one or two quirks.
It was precisely because of their individuality that they wouldn’t be buried even if they were in a bizarre group, that everyone clearly understood that they were there, regardless of how Adalmann or Gadora looked 
  
＊ 

With that, the warriors finished their preparations and waited for the time to fight. 
 
In the end, the time has come. 
 
However, it was accompanied by a sudden, frightening despair, as if sneering at the perfect preparations. 
 
“Kyaha♪ Let’s play, let's play♪” 
 
It was the tone that signaled the end of time. 
 
What echoed in the warriors’ minds was fear itself 
 
Those who heard the word 'voice' understood the lukewarm difference in nature, and lost their will to fight in an instant. 
 
Faced with that misfortune was the land of the east. 
 
A young child suddenly appears in front of the warriors who were preparing for the appearance of the enemy by deploying the Holy Purification Barrier, Holy Field. 
 
A small child, out of place on the battlefield. 
 
Her face was flat, with no crisp edges, but her gender made her look like a girl. 
 
But, but... 
 
I had no time to wonder why I was here. 
 
Only three of them were able to respond to the threat. 
 
Hinata yelled first. 
 
「Spread out and get down!!」 
 
With intense thoughts riding on him, he desperately ordered, praying that there wouldn't even be a slight time lag between them. 
 
The moment Hinata saw Ivarage, she’d used her Ultimate Abilities, Ultimate Skills, and Fortuna, which had been activated at all times, to “see” the future of despair. 
 
It was a scene where most of the warriors turned to dust, and a small number of survivors fell to the ground, as if wandering between life and death. 
 
It was a future of despair that could hardly be overturned.
It was unclear how much damage he could reduce with his own warning, but it was an order with the desire to increase the number of survivors as much as possible. 
 
There was no incompetent person here who couldn't respond to this. 
 
All six hundred of them instantly tried to move. 
 
But it's already too late. 
 
“Kyaha♪” 
 
The Ivarage unleashed a merciless flash of light. 
 
At a speed that surpassed human comprehension, even the speed of sublight, a theoretically unknown beam of destruction filled the space. 
 
The second one to respond immediately to this was Velgrind. 
 
The “different body” next to Masayuki had become the main body without a time lag, and he’d deployed a protective barrier at full power 
 
It was unfortunate that the Ivarage appeared in this area. 
 
If it hadn’t been for Velgrind’s “different body”, everything would have been over at this point 
 
Fortunately, thanks to Hinata’s thoughts reaching me and moving at the same time, I was able to activate the protective barrier in time. 
 
But, but... 
 
Reality wasn’t so naive as to be saved by that. 
 
Even with the full power of Vergrind, it was impossible to defend against the power of the Ivarage. 
 
Most of them died in the aftermath alone. 
 
Because it was impossible for a human body to resist the power of God. 
 
The Battlefront collapsed. 
 
Azuma instantly transformed into a hellscape, but here the third one moved. 
 
「Awaken, Sanctuary Resurrection.」 

Luminus, who had been watching the war unfold from above, had cast a holy spell called [Resurrection of the Dead], which had been created by using the brain regions of those who believed in themselves in parallel to create the ultimate. 
 
As a result, those who died were resurrected due to the effects of the magic that had been expanded into a Sanctuary.
Of course, if his body had been lost, it would have been impossible for him to recover on the spot. However, thanks to Velgrindo's presence, he was able to avoid a fatal situation despite the severe damage. 
 
Nicolaus, who had been responsible for the barrier on the ground, died instantly, and the Holy Cleansing Barrier and Holy Field crumbled for a moment, but Hinata recovered them. Nicolaus also took the opportunity to revive, and as if the pain of death had never been there, he took over maintaining the barrier from HINATA. 
 
It was a side of him that showed Nicolaus’s mettle that he couldn’t let the woman he worshipped see him uncouth. 
 
But no one cared about such a beautiful story. 
 
This comeback took place in an instant, but the losses on the human side were endless and huge. 
 
While the dead were suppressed to zero by Luminus, it was a different story if you asked if that was why they could fight next. 
 
Someone like Nicolaus was an exception, and most of them hadn’t recovered from their fear experience. 
 
The Holy Knights, the Crusaders, the Reborn Imperial Guards, and the Imperial 
Guardians are all veterans, but no, that's exactly why I couldn't help but feel awe at their overwhelming existence. 
 
The experience of dying and coming back to life was a fairly experienced one. There were those who’d trained in the labyrinth and those who had been resurrected by the hand of the demon lord Rimuru, and though they’d been greatly shocked, it wasn’t so bad that they couldn’t recover. 
 
However, faced with the absolute existence of the “Destruction Realm Dragon” Ivarage, my heart had been broken. 
 
If they lost the will to fight, they would lose the war they could win. 
 
Even though he understood that, no one could move in the face of despair. 
 
That's understandable. 
 

After all, even Vergrind, the strongest force in this place that could be called their emotional support, had suffered heavy damage from that attack... 
 
As a matter of fact, Vergrind was on the verge of collapse, supported by Masayuki. It would have been nice if this hadn't been at full strength, but it was already in a state where all the “different bodies” had been integrated. 
 
That was just how powerful the blow had been, and if Velgrindo hadn’t bet everything on it, this area would have been annihilated without a doubt 
 
It was a stroke of luck that she had endured it, but there was no next time. 
 
「Fufufu, you're an unbelievable monster. I have to admit I underestimated you.」 
 
Velgrind was impressive enough to be able to laugh at himself like that. 
But to anyone, that was nothing more than a sore loser... 
 
Even Masayuki, who supported Velgrind, had half-resigned himself to his fate, saying, 
“This might be no good anymore...” 
 
It wasn't just Masayuki. Everyone was the same. 
 
What terrified the warriors above all else was the appearance of the Ivarage. 
 
She's still a child. 
 
She's a young girl, too. 
 
In other words, I'm forced to think that there's still room for growth. 
 
Even now, I can’t do anything about it, but if I get any stronger... I’m seized by that anxiety. 
 
Everyone thought. 
 
It's pointless anyway, but I wonder if there's any point in fighting any more. 
 
Even so, the battle continues. 
 
From the sky to the ground in the east, a battle had begun between the cryptids and the Pegasus Knights, led by King Gazel, who had successfully escaped the Holy Purification Barrier. 
 
I dealt with them on behalf of those who couldn't move, but the forces that needed to be conserved had been consumed from the start. 
 
We've been at an overwhelming disadvantage since the war started, but humanity hasn't lost yet. 
 
Even in times of despair, she hadn’t given up hope yet. 
 
Luminus, as a god, gave the order. 
 
「Don't give up! Even if you die, I will revive you, so abandon your fear and challenge the enemy!!」 
 
Hinata followed suit. 
 
「Exactly! Rather than give up here and die a miserable death, I want to live proudly until the end as a warrior. You all feel the same way, don't you?」 
 
Those words echoed in the warriors' hearts. 
 
The will to fight, which had been cut off and about to disappear, had just barely connected. 
 
Emboldened by this, Caliglio issued a manifesto. 
 
「Listen!! Our goddess put her life on the line to protect us. Even if we were united, she would be no match for you in terms of strength!!」 
 
There are no officers and soldiers in the Eastern Empire whose words don't resonate with their hearts. Everyone understands that they're being protected by the mercy of the Goddess Vergrind. 
 
And now, she felt the benefits of it. 
 
If I don't get fired up now, I won't be able to avoid the accusation that I'm a weakling who doesn't have the right to be here. 
 
The enemy was probably despair itself, but it no longer mattered. 
 
Even if it came down to it, the Imperial officers and soldiers did not retreat. 
 
Seeing the change in the humans, Testarossa’s confidant, Cien, burst out laughing loudly 
 
「Fufu, fufufufu, that's exactly right!! If you guys were seen in such an uncouth state by Testarossa-sama―」 
 
It seemed that saying that much was enough. 
 
Before Cien could finish, two hundred members of the Black Legion stood up. 
 
She's standing upright. 
 
And then... 
 
With glaring bloodlust directed at the [Phantom Beast Tribe], they bravely resumed their battle. 
 
And so, the human side regained its momentum. 
 
Even if he was going to lose anyway, he had roused himself to struggle until the very end. 
 
And so... 
 
A long, long despair reached its beginning.