Chapter 479: Alteria Decisive Battle

The enemy monster opens its mouth as wide as possible and lets out a low-pitched roar that shakes the earth.

Pochi falters slightly, however it manages to reply with a determined growl with Pipi’s encouragement.

The two monsters glare at each other while walking cautiously in a circle.

I can hear the panicked neighs coming from the horses in both the enemy and ally camps.

Soldiers also cause a commotion unlike one originating from spectating a duel between humans.

「Lord Hardlett, what is that? Could it possibly be a dra-」

A messenger visits from headquarters. Erich probably instructed him to.

Almost all the allied soldiers are looking at me for an answer.

「It’s our own giant lizard. I picked up an egg from a cave in the past and this is what hatched out.」

「How vague……」

The messenger runs back to deliver his message, puzzled by my response.

The allied soldiers don’t shift their gazes from me.

「Argh, who cares about such details on a battlefield!」

I yell and chase them away.

Have Leopolt explain it after everything is over.

Anyway, back to the crucial fight.

「In terms of size…… the enemy has us beat.」

Celia’s right, Pochi is 10 m long whereas the enemy is 15 m long.

Additionally, the enemy has a stout build and a greater weight compared to the slender Pochi.

「The enemy is attacking!」

After briefly distancing itself, the enemy monster charges swiftly and pounces at Pochi’s chest.

It uses the sharp nails on its front leg to strike Pochi.

Part of Pochi’s armor gets shaved off and fragments scatter.

Small cheers well up from the enemy side.

「Now Pochi’s attacking!」

Pochi roars and runs close to the enemy, then swings both of its arms from above the enemy’s head.

A metallic clink resonated when the enemy’s chin hit the ground.

Someone let out a quiet ‘ooh’ from the crowd of allies.

However, the enemy shakes its head once and gets up like nothing happened.

「Neither side’s attacks are working.」

Pochi’s scales are as hard as steel and the enemy monster also seems tough.

If both are wearing armor on top of that, it’ll take more than a fist fight to bring either of them down.

「But Pochi has…… aah!」

Celia stops her sentence midway.

The enemy monster leaps with its hind legs and bites Pochi on the face.

I guess Pochi did not expect such speed to come from the large creature and could not react in time.

Pochi cries out in pain and claws at the monster to get it to let go, but the enemy monster is hanging on tightly with its front legs. Fangs as big as myself press down through the armor with a distinct crack.

Immediately after, a stream of fire shoots out, passing just barely above the enemy’s head.

「Uoooh! It breathes fire!?」

「A large lizard with four legs and giant wings on its back?」

「Isn’t that a dra-」

I ignore the comments and click my tongue.

「That idiot, missed the perfect chance.」

The enemy didn’t expect Pochi’s flames.

If aimed properly, Pochi should have landed the attack.

Now, the enemy knows to look out for it, making it hard to get a second chance, especially with how quick the monster moves.

Once its flames are exhausted, Pochi raises its head to take a breather.

The enemy won’t let such a big opening slip.

The monster turns its head to the back and does a spin.

Its thick tail whips around and hits Pochi right in the middle of its torso.

「Aah, Pochi’s down!」

With a sound similar to the simultaneous firing of ten cannons, Pochi falls on its side.

A sorrowful screech echoes.

No matter how hard its scales are, the impact from a blunt instrument travels through to its internal organs.

That was definitely a critical blow.

「Get up, Pochi! You can do it!」

Pipi shouts from the cage-like saddle attached to the back of Pochi’s armor.

That thing must be sturdy if it didn’t get knocked off from the powerful attack.

Aided by Pipi’s encouragement, Pochi slowly stands up.

It gets up on its hind legs, raises its arms high…… and with a loud roar, charges at the enemy.

Pochi unleashes a series of swipes, alternating between its left and right arms, while also occasionally throwing in some kicks.

「Aegir-sama, this is a little hard to say.」

I get why Celia’s hesitant.

That kind of reckless attack is something a child who was made to cry by a scuffle would do.

Pochi sobs while wildly flailing its arms.

The enemy was bewildered by the continuous attack, but because Pochi didn’t put weight behind its attacks, not much damage was done.

Moreover, when a nail coincidentally slides into a gap in the armor and scratches the enemy’s skin to draw blood, it was Pochi that paused.

That gave the enemy room to land a headbutt, forcing Pochi to stagger backwards.

I unconsciously rest my head in my hand.

「There was no way that kind of personality would be beneficial in a brawl.」

That stern face probably got scared after seeing the enemy’s blood.

And the initial flame attack was also missed on purpose.

Actually, Pochi was being bullied the entire fight, it just didn’t stand out because of the size difference and the steel scales deflecting all of the enemy’s attacks……more importantly, Pochi is the type who cries and runs without getting angry when punched.

The purpose of wearing all that armor is not so it can protect its body, but so that it can feel safe.

I’m sure Pipi also had to constantly spur Pochi on to finally fight.

「Ah, Pochi is running!」

Pochi spreads its wings and lifts itself in the air.

Its back is completely turned to the enemy with the intent to run away.

But the enemy doesn’t allow that.

The enemy monster builds up momentum by accelerating, launches itself using its hind legs, bites Pochi’s hind leg and then pulls the lizard to the ground.

The impact created by the crashing of the two giant bodies sent tremendous shockwaves rippling out, causing enemy and ally soldiers to stumble and knocking knights off their horse.

「Ukyaa!」

「Wah!」

「Hinya.」

Celia also rolls off her horse, Myla somehow stabilizes, and Sekrit turns a somersault.

Wait, that last cute shriek was you?

Pochi flops around, hastily trying to get up――then suddenly freezes.

It realizes that falling on its back means the cage Pipi was in got flattened.

Pochi disregards the enemy and cries sadly as it fumbles for the broken pieces of the armor.

However, it could not find the tiny Pipi.

Despite the racial difference and armor covering its face, I can clearly tell the dread in Pochi’s expression as it looks to me for salvation.

Tears are pooling in its eyes.

Seeing Pochi’s vulnerable back, the enemy monster pounces.

Its giant claws dig into the lizard’s wings, making ripping sounds.

「It’s trying to tear off its wings!」

I stay silent and close my eyes.

Pochi’s miserable whines cease and it closes its eyes overflowing with tears.

「There are variations when it comes to cowards too. Some are cowards down to the core and only know how to run――」

Pochi’s nail grinds against the ground.

「And then there are those who have a line indicating the limit of how much they’ll yield.」

Pochi’s eyes suddenly open wide.

The pupils inside its familiar eyes split vertically.

This is also a sign easily discernible irrespective of race, burning anger.

Pochi uses its wings which the enemy was grappling with to envelop the monster and rolls its body to throw off the enemy.

The force kicks up dirt and dust and also causes the enemy to lose its grip.

However, Pochi also tumbled over, slowing its get-up time.

The enemy, who stood up quicker, attacked in order to prevent Pochi from recovering.

「T-the attack was blocked!」

Pochi uses its own front legs to match the enemy’s front legs…… I guess it’s fine to consider them arms in Pochi’s case……and stops the strike.

Although somewhat startled by the reaction, the enemy quickly proceeded to growl and bite down on Pochi’s exposed shoulder.

The human-sized teeth press down against the lizard’s flesh――then snap with a moist bursting sound.

「Pochi was wearing armor when its head was bitten, that’s why teeth could sink in. Pochi’s stupidly hard scales are way too strong to allow a mere lizard’s fangs to penetrate them.」

With the enemy monster reeling from the pain and shock, Pochi returns the favor by biting down with its fangs.

The merciless chomp pierces through the lizard’s thick skin and spills purple blood.

Pochi, with the enemy still held in its mouth, lets out a terrifying roar to the point it seems like an entirely different lizard, and thrashes its head left and right before slamming the enemy into the ground.

The enemy was fast to stand back up, however its eyes were spinning and its legs were wobbling.

「It’s a follow-up attack!」

Pochi inhales and spits out a large fireball.

This time, Pochi doesn’t try to miss. It lands a direct hit that engulfs the enemy from the face to the tip of its tail.

As a result, the monster becomes a mass of flames and rolls around like a moving forest fire.

「It’s not over yet.」

Pochi spreads its wings and takes to the sky.

It isn’t running this time. It is to finish off the enemy.

Pochi hovers over the flaming lizard and grabs it, then furiously flaps its wings.

「……it’s going to pick that thing up? W-will that even be possible?」

「That’s what it looks like. How interesting.」

The enemy monster weighs at least two times Pochi does.

But Pochi roars and flaps hard enough for the wind to blow us away even when we’re standing at a considerable distance from the battle as it slowly lifts the lizard.

Although the air pressure snuffs out the fire, there is nothing the monster can do to its carrier no matter how much it struggles.

Pochi, as if to convey its victory to Pipi, flies one lap above the enemy and ally armies and then rapidly descends before dropping the monster to the ground.

Even a monster of that size is powerless to falling from that height and speed.

The armor it is wearing shatters on impact with the ground, and the monster lets out an agonizing squeal…… then it stops moving entirely.

「「「Uwaaah!」」」

The subsequent earthquake is violent, throwing us off balance and putting our hands on the ground to support ourselves.

Schwartz, who was carelessly sniffing a woman’s butt, flipped onto his back magnificently. Hah, serves him right.

「We won……right?」

Celia’s small victory declaration triggers our allies to gradually cheer louder.

「What an incredible dra――I mean, lizard!」

「To be able to breathe fire, I expected nothing less of the legendary dra――lizard!」

「That’s the Lord Hardlett I know, leading a guardian dra――lizard!」

But Pochi, who the cheers are directed to, doesn’t react.

Pochi ignores the rejoicing allies and the fallen enemy, simply looking up at the sky and crying.

「I feel sorry for it, so it’s about time to tell the truth.」

I call Pochi and point a finger at its forehead.

Pochi’s teary eyes converge to the center of its head.

「Good job Pochi. You were so cool.」

Just before the cage was crushed, Pipi escaped and she had been clinging onto Pochi’s head the whole time.

It was immediately noticeable since we’re watching from afar, but Pochi’s enraged state would likely revert back to normal if anything was said, so I kept quiet.

Pochi trembles briefly, then puts Pipi carefully on its back and starts to dance.

After a few steps, it slumps over sadly and whines.

「……there’s blood coming from its wings after all.」

「Several scales got ripped off too.」

「Two nails on its foot also broke.」

Pochi without anger doesn’t have the guts to push through injuries and fight.

This is where it will retire.

「You did well.」

I leave a parting remark to Pochi as it drags its leg back home.

Well, the morale of our allies have increased with the victory in the monster battle.

Now, it’s time for Erich and Leopolt to show me their command.

「What is a prisoner doing over here!?」

I hear an ally soldier yell behind me.

A prisoner? Hm, did Piris slip outside again?

Damn Yakov, I’ll have to kick his ass.

「If you don’t stop……hey, you’re covered in blood.」

The soldier’s strict tone changes to a surprised tone.

I turn around and see Benel standing there.

「Why did you come here? Didn’t you tell me you weren’t going to go close to the frontlines so you can avoid any misunderstandings?」

Benel walks unsteadily and slowly extends her arms toward me.

「Why……do you have a sword stuck in your body?」

I could tell the pitch of my own voice has raised.

A short sword was stabbed deep in her abdomen.

I also stretch out my arms to catch her.

「Agh.」

She lets out a small groan as something light hits her.

Benel’s chin suddenly tilts back, revealing a blade protruding from her chest.

「Hey.」

The sword thrown at her back pierced through.

Blood squirts out.

At the same time, a woman wearing an ally soldier’s uniform runs by, passing me and going straight to the enemy side.

Without looking at the woman, I support the falling Benel.

The blood which flows out from where the sword stabbed her trickles down her waist and dyes her legs red.

Blood also radiates from the sword stuck in her chest, creating a red circle on her upper body.

Everytime she moves, she coughs out a little blood.

Once Benel lands in my arms, I gently lay her on the ground.

There’s no time to speak.

I quickly place one hand on the sword in her back and place the other hand on the sword in her chest, then let go without doing anything.

She’s losing a lot of blood. If I remove the swords, she’ll bleed to death.

The sword that entered her back pierced her lung and the sword that stabbed her in the abdomen pierced her liver.

Both are fatal injuries to her vitals. Those I’ve seen with these kinds of wounds――don’t survive.

I try to search for Pochi, but the lizard has already disappeared.

There’s no time to call it back either.

「……kah.」

Benel grabs my hand.

She coughs out blood when she does, which splatters on my cheek.

Normally, I should be asking “what happened?” or “who did this?”

But, with those serious injuries, her life might vanish after answering.

「……don’t say anything. A doctor will come soon.」

I speak in a calm, composed manner.

Only a hint of restlessness was in my voice as I embraced Benel reassuringly.

Still, she tries to painfully squeeze out some words.

「……ga……gh……」

I couldn’t tell her not to speak when she’s trying so hard.

「……gh……gh……so-sorry. I was a spy.」

「I knew.」

The cute voice perfectly fitting my preferences weakly strings words together.

「But……it was fun. The sex also felt great.」

「I had a blast too.」

The blonde hair that I like tickles my nose.

「E-everyday, I did my gehoh……spy duties.」

「What a bad girl.」

Heat slowly leaves the soft body of my dreams.

「Yet why……uugh……didn’t you tell your allies? What did I do wrong?」

Tears spill from her charming eyes.

「I thought about it……and couldn’t figure it out.」

Benel shows me one final lovely smile before her head slumps over and dangles lifelessly.

「Sorry for the wait! Th-this is horrible……surely there’s nothing that can be done……」

The doctor who Celia called makes a quick observation as soon as he arrives.

I also hear Pochi’s roar from a distance probably after being called back by Myla.

I carefully lay Benel’s body down. I purposely avoid looking at her breathing and her pulse.

Hope is faint……I know that without needing a doctor to tell me due to the amount of blood loss.

I stand up and look ahead.

「This is the fate of a spy.」

I let out a big sigh.

「And this is war. It’s not surprising for there to be foul play. It might also be a misunderstanding of orders.」

I wipe the blood off my hand and face on my armor.

「It’s my fault for not protecting you.」

My eyes slowly blink twice.

「Could this be some sort of plot?」

I knew it.

Knowing that, I can’t contain my anger.

I can sympathize with what Pochi was feeling earlier.

The blood in my dick, which kept it erect for several weeks now, drains and shoots up to my head.

The war, victory, and even my own life doesn’t matter to me at this very moment.

My woman, the woman who I’ve grown to love, was killed in front of me.

Where is the person I can vent this anger to?

My eyes lock onto the woman wearing an allied soldier’s uniform and entering the enemy camp.

I am fully aware of the killing intent directed to her.

I want to kill her even though she’s a woman.

The doctor puts his mouth over Benel’s mouth and blows air into her lungs.

She’s not breathing anymore, meaning she’s essentially dead.

「I see, so you killed her. You killed my woman, huh?」

I did not speak to anybody in particular.

I said it to myself so I alone would get angry.

My vision slowly tints with a red color.

From both armies starting to advance forward, to messengers running around, to Celia and Myla pulling my arms, everything slows down.

My mouth opens unconsciously.

Air travels up from my lungs, through my throat and out my mouth.

There was no sound at first, then eventually my larynx vibrated, and by the time my vision went completely red, I was emitting something close to a roar.

Nearby horses rear up, monsters flee from the enemy camp, and Celia and Myla stumble to the ground.

If this was a play, I would scream “how dare you kill my beloved Benel. I won’t forgive you. I’ll get my revenge”, at this time. But all I could do was release all my frustrations at once.

Words are not needed. Neither is logic or thoughts.

The one who killed my Benel was the enemy. In that case, I just have to kill them all.

I ran straight towards the enemy camp.

「A-Aegir-sama! You must not charge in like that! Aaah, you left your sword behind――!!」

Fast, I have to kill them all as fast as possible.

I simply move my legs without thinking of anything else.

「Listen, headquarters implemented a plan. If it goes well, Hardlett’s army will either protrude or fall into disarray. Get ready to surround and annihilate them.」

「Umu, then let us have one squad on standby――wait, is Hardlett’s army already here…… no, he’s charging by himself!」

I hear the enemy’s voices, but I don’t try to understand what they’re saying.

「Idiot, he fell right into the trap!」

「It’s over when you let blood rush to your head!」

「Hey, he’s unarmed…… you’re kidding, right!?」

Skirmishers wielding swords jump out in front of the enemy camp to face me.

Oh right, I didn’t bring my sword or spear with me.

One comes from the left and two come from the right.

As they enter my red field of view, they move as slow as caterpillars.

「I’ll kill everyone.」

I mutter.

I grab the arm swung at me from above and pull the enemy’s other arm toward me to bring the enemy closer, but I end up tearing both arms off with wet squelching sounds.

I grab the second enemy by the throat and pull him similar to how I pulled the first guy, and his arms also come off shortly after tugging.

For the last soldier, I grab his sword, trip his feet and stomp on his stomach when he falls.

With those three killed, I move on to my next opponents, whose expressions don’t change.

Their eyes and brains probably can’t follow what’s happening.

It was only after I ripped apart my eighth soldier when the enemies’ expressions changed and started to scream in horror.

Time seems to flow even slower as I occasionally hear my heartbeat in my head reminding me of my own actions.

「He tore eight people in pieces――!? It hasn’t been two seconds yet!」

「I-it’s no good! He isn’t someone we can surround with skirmishers! That guy can’t be treated as a human! He’s a one-man army, we have to fight in formation!」

The skirmishers take refuge within the enemy camp and a spear unit steps forward.

That’s right, gather together. It’ll be easier for me to murder you lot.

I ran at the enemy, still empty-handed.

My eyes fixate on the forest of spears, allowing me to jump at the last second.

「He’s charging in!」

「Don’t ease up! You saw how he ripped our allies with his bare hands, right!?」

Of course I’m not Schwartz and I don’t have the leg power to leap over a wall of spears, so I jump in the middle instead.

The spearheads converge on me in slow motion.

I don’t panic.

Such slow spears can’t kill me.

The enemy soldiers think they thrusted collectively, but it’s not strictly at the same time.

The normally unnoticeable gaps just seem clearer when I’m in this state.

I twist my body to fit those gaps or throw out the spear with the soldier to create a gap.

「Breaking a wall of spears with his bare hands!?」

「This must be some kind of……bad……dream.」

I bypass the spears and stand in front of the enemy soldiers.

Now I can finally kill you.

I send my fists at two separate enemies.

It’s apparent even to me that power on a different level manifests itself when I’m angry.

My fists crush the soldiers’ noses, break the bones of their faces and sinks inside their skulls, causing blood to gush out of their ears like a fountain.

I have to kill that guy in between my arms too……in other words, the guy in front of me.

I bite down on the area below his chin, then jerk my face up, peeling off the skin up to his forehead.

「D-demonnn!!」

The sound of plucking string perks up my ear.

I snap two long spears and block the flying bolt.

「……huh? What happened?」

「I didn’t see…… the bolt got deflected……? It was shot at less than three meters though!」

The string of the crossbow twanged again.

I spin around, immediately scanning the air for the flying bolt, and knocking it down.

It was impossible to evade one of them, although it only stabbed into my shoulder, which isn’t too much of a problem.

I feel the slight impact on my shoulder, but absolutely no pain.

My anger erased painful sensations entirely.

「I’m killing you too.」

I throw the two broken spears.

The soldier who props up a shield and the soldier who tries to block with his arms both get skewered and die.

「A chance!」

「Kiieeeeee!!」

Keysian mercenaries jump over the spearmen and attack me with their strange swords.

I catch the swords with my bare hands, stopping them temporarily in midair before slamming the two mercenaries to the ground.

That makes two fruit smashing sounds.

I notice cuts on the palms of my hands, but don’t pay much attention to it since I can fight unobstructed as long as my fingers are attached.

Next, the Keysian mercenaries ride in on giant beasts with a large nose.

I pick up the strange swords dropped by the Keysian mercenaries without hesitation, one in each hand, and rush at the unknown beast.

The monster swings the nose which is comparable to steel.

It’s completely unlike the one from yesterday――and it moves sluggishly like a broken pendulum clock.

Maintaining my speed, I run until I’m in front of the beast and then slide under it.

The monster squeals, raising its foot to try and crush me, but it’s too late.

As the momentum carries me forward, I use my two swords to slit open its belly.

I relocate myself before the guts splatter on me, and run past the surprised Keysian monster tamer, then plunge one sword in the left and right eye of the monster in the rear.

「In that case, even though it’s risky, bring them out!」

The door to a transportable cage opens and a club-wielding orc wearing a chain collar walks out grumpily.

「It’s an especially violent and massive orc! It’ll easily trample a human――」

I start running toward the orc before the enemy finishes speaking.

I don’t care if I fight humans or monsters.

I’ll kill everyone who gets in my way.

Responding to me charging at it, the orc swings its club at me.

I decide to accept the full brunt of the heavy and way-too-slow strike.

A subtle crunch comes from my molars chipping as I clench my teeth to bear the orc’s power.

Naturally, my arms strain and I hear my flexed muscles begin to rip.

I could have easily avoided this predicament by dodging.

I just……didn’t want to waste time. I wanted to kill this guy faster, even if it is only by one second.

「So South Yuguria is able to get a dirty orc on their side?」

I grab the orc’s club and pull it towards me.

The monster that is easily over 3 m tall leans forward, dangerously close to stumbling.

「Then I can’t let you return alive.」

I hold the orc by its ugly ears and bite down on its neck, suspending my body by grappling with it.

I ignore the unpleasant stench of grime and grease, and with my canines sunk into its skin, shake my head, growling like a rabid dog.

The orc lets out a nasty scream and struggles, but I hang on by its half-torn ears and don’t let go.

My teeth pierce the orc’s thick skin and push its way through the fat to bite through its carotid artery.

Fresh blood spurts out and the orc roars in pain as it falls down trying to cover the hole in its neck with its hands.

I chew the various things torn off in my mouth a few times and then spit it out.

「Fuuuu.」

「Ah, aaah……he bit the orc to death.」

「He’s a monster. Humans can’t match him.」

The moment I groaned, the enemy soldiers fled from me.

Hundreds of people scattered.

Hey, I haven’t killed everyone yet. Come back here.

The sound of horseshoes draws closer.

「Aegir-sama, please come back! You’re the only one in the enemy camp! You’re completely isolated!!」

Celia voices her concern.

The escort unit is also with her.

「Hand me my weapon.」

I stretch out my hand.

「Anyways, we should ret――」

「Hand me my weapon.」

Celia shivers in surprise, then gives me the Dual Crater and Keravnos.

「You, follow Leopolt’s instructions.」

I use my remaining sense of reason to order Celia and mobilize the soldiers.

Because I have to kill the rest of those guys, I can’t bring her with me.

Thousands of enemy soldiers are gradually surrounding us.

What else could I expect? That much is obvious after I ignored my allies and charged in.

The flag of South Yuguria enters my field of view.

It’s the flag that betrayed and killed Benel.

「Unforgivable……I won’t forgive you guys.」

I raise the weapons in my hands.

Various murmurs come from the enemy.

Hurry up and come at me already.

「Haven’t we fallen into a trap!? I mean, our allies were so easily routed!」

「B-but we have certainly encircled Hardlett and his small group of soldiers. We should not carelessly challenge him in close combat, and take him down with a rain of arrows.」

Hundreds of archers fix their aim at me.

If I take the hit, I’ll turn into a porcupine. Then, I wouldn’t be able to kill anyone else.

「Loose!!」

At the same time the enemy yelled, I used my Dual Crater to strike a rock in front of me with all my might.

The impact even shattered the part buried in the ground to pieces, scattering rock chips and pebbles everywhere.

I then swing my Dual Crater horizontally, deflecting the debris with the blade of my sword.

The rock fragments spray all around me with more than a few arrows getting knocked down in the process.

Of course, there’s no way I could intercept all the arrows like that.

So I concentrate and eliminate the arrows I missed with my two weapons.

The sixth, seventh, and eighth were cut down, but the ninth one stabbed me.

It really doesn’t hurt, therefore it looks like I have to worry too much unless they hit a vital organ.

I yank out the arrow as I walk toward the archers.

Frightened, they hastily nock another arrow and――

「Charge――!!」

And then, Celia’s squad charges at the archers. Celia, she ignored my order.

The enemy directs their aim away from me.

「……using this opening-」

Logically speaking, this is where I might consider retreating with Celia.

However, in my current mental state, there is only one conclusion my mind leads me to.

「I have to kill more enemies.」

My vision begins to dye red again.

The voices of the enemies turn into mere background noise.

「Hardlett’s army made a move! It’s an all-out charge!」

「Why didn’t you kill him when he charged in alone!? If you don’t kill him quickly, he’ll escape in the melee!」

「Was this a calculated move? I thought it was strange for someone of Hardlett’s caliber to fall so perfectly for our plot.」

I can almost hear Leopolt sighing, but my anger erases the unnecessary thoughts.

Have I gotten halfway into the enemy camp?

Nearby infantry are distancing themselves and light and heavy cavalry are running over.

「Cavalry next, huh?」

At that moment, a familiar voice calls out beside me.

「R-reinforcements have arrived!」

Christoph……and the penal unit.

I don’t intend to reply though.

「G-general? Is it possible that you’re totally livid?」

If you can tell, then don’t talk to me.

I might cut you too if I get more annoyed.

Ignoring Christoph, I stick my Keravnos in front of my body.

The spear grazes the neck of a charging horse and the side blade tears off the arm of the rider.

「Gyaa! They’re here, they’re here! Do it, you guys, do it!」

I don’t have time to worry about Christoph.

Up next is a double-rider cavalry……South Yuguria’s version of a bow cavalry where the rear rider wields a crossbow.

When I focus, time once again seems to slow down.

The crossbowman steadies his aim and slowly places his finger on the trigger.

Approximately 15 meters apart, the soldier’s index finger bends……freeing the clasp holding the bowstring back and releasing the bolt.

「Shh!」

I match the timing of my exhale with the lifting of my Keravnos.

My spear perfectly lines up with the trajectory of the bolt and encounters minor resistance as it deflects the projectile.

Shock fills the faces of the two enemy soldiers. You also have to die.

Keeping my Keravnos raised, I switch to a one-handed grip and throw it with my right hand.

The spear doesn’t veer off course and skewers both the front and back riders.

「One more.」

I spin with my Dual Crater in hand and sweep the horse’s legs.

Since the fallen rider isn’t dead yet, I swing again and smash his head open.

Where should I go next? Who should I kill next?

The one on the left……changed direction and ran away.

The one on the right……was killed by one of the penal unit guys first.

「Then, behind?」

Immediately after turning around, I grab the lance thrusted at me, catching it in my arms.

It isn’t easy to do with the horse’s momentum added to the attack, however the impact also affects the rider above me similarly.

Moreover, the current me can output more strength than usual.

As a result, even though I get pushed back a little, I’m able to dig my feet into the ground to withstand the force of the charge while lifting the rider up off the horse.

「Guh, I give up! I surre――」

No matter what you say, it’s too late.

You have to die.

Carrying the knight wearing full plate armor on my shoulder, I wrap my arms around his waist and back, then squeeze tightly to break his body in half, armor and all.

「He crushed a fully armored knight……is Hardlett really human?」

「Apart from that, he reacted to an enemy directly on top of him. That guy……isn’t he actually a demon?」

「How on earth did Dirty Angel manage to slash him……?」

Yes, right now I can even see enemies above me clearly.

But that doesn’t matter. I have to kill more South Yuguria scum.

The next thing I know, my army led by Leopolt has reached my vicinity.

Noises generated by the enemy soldiers grow louder.

「I-it’s an all-out attack by the Goldonian army! They’re transitioning to total offense!」

「No way! This is completely different to the initial strategy! Are you sure this isn’t a diversion!?」

「Yes, the enemy army has begun to charge with enthusiastic war cries!. It can’t be considered a diversion!」

「We can’t afford to focus solely on taking out Hardlett anymore!」

The enemy clamors and deviates from the path toward me.

Damn, I still didn’t kill them all yet.

I’ll have to find others to kill.

Myla and Luna are shouting something nearby, but I can’t understand what they’re saying.

Anyways, I have to kill the enemies.

As luck would have it, I spot light from a particular group in the corner of my eye.

Red and yellow beams are being shot at my allies.

「That’s some cheeky light show you’re putting on after betraying Benel.」

They’re my new goal.

I brush off Myla and Luna and run.

「Red Unit 3, fireball attack on the enemy vanguard! Yellow Unit 2, lightning attack on the enemy siege weapons!」

「Yellow Unit 4, preserve your magic! Red Unit 2, those whose magic has dried up retreat to the back!」

Man, what a racket and those flashes are so irritating.

The smell of burning flesh is also unpleasant.

「Uwaaaaah! S-such intense fireballs!」

「These guys are magic users…… part of a squad made of hundreds of magic users! W-we don’t stand a chance!」

「We can’t get close! Fall back and use the siege weapons to――they destroyed the catapult!」

The allied soldiers running around like headless chickens are also in my way.

But they didn’t kill Benel so I don’t need to kill them.

Holding my Dual Crater in my right hand and my Keravnos in my left, I walk in between both sides.

「Lord Hardlett, they’re a magic squad! Somehow, all the members have the same high magic power and――」

I put my Dual Crater up against the neck of the allied commander.

「Quiet. Stand down.」

I leave the dumbfounded commander and step in front of the enemy.

「That is…… a high priority target! Red Unit 4 to 7, shoot!!」

Countless fireballs fly at me.

All the blazing orbs accurately fall from the top of my head.

They move at an excruciatingly slow speed though.

I swipe at one with my Dual Crater.

The disappointing fireball vanished accompanied by the sound of shattering glass.

「Ueh?」

Next, I jab my Keravnos at a fireball.

With the beating of a drum, the fireball bursts, releasing a gust of hot wind.

「Oh?」

I don’t care about the strange sound made by the enemy or ally.

I lower my waist and swing my two weapons.

Fireballs are knocked down, swept away, erased and crushed.

The hot air burns my face, scorches my hair and the embers sears my skin.

Yet, I don’t feel an ounce of pain.

I advance steadily while eliminating the fireballs along the way.

「There’s no effect…… all of them are being struck down!」

「Red Unit 4 has depleted their magic……Unit 5 barely has any magic left!」

「Yellow Unit 4 to……arrgh forget it, all of you attack!」

Lightning bolts mix with the onslaught of fireballs.

As one would expect, lightning is faster and harder to react to.

I get hit once and my entire body convulses.

Damn, taking consecutive lightning bolts like that will render me unable to fight.

I try blocking the second shot with my Dual Crater, but I incorrectly position my arm, allowing the lightning to surge through my arm, numbing my right hand.

Now I get it.

I slice the third shot with my Dual Crater.

There is a gap between when the magic activates and when it transforms into lightning, and I just grasped the faint presence.

To prove my theory, I cut the next 10 bolts of lightning.

「L-lightning magic doesn’t have any effect either! What should we do ne――」

There won’t be a next time.

My Dual Crater starts to glow red.

Right, it absorbs magic or whatever, but it’s troublesome to even think about it now.

（Madness――very well. Just channel your anger through the current of magic.）

I swing my Dual Crater without paying attention to the voice inside my head.

The distance separating me and the enemy is 50 meters.

It’s nowhere close enough for――

Blistering wind burning a crimson color emits from the Dual Crater which I swung with all my strength to cut the air.

It is an emission of magic accumulated by the Dual Crater.

「What is――」

The gust generated by my sword flies toward the enemy magic soldier at chest height and separates his upper body from his lower body.

That’s not all. When the corpse halves fall to the ground, they ignite like they were doused in oil.

「W-was that……magic?」

「Hardlett should not be able to use magic!」

The commander loses his head as he says the last syllable of his sentence.

「Use defense magic! Green Unit 1, put up a wall!」

「O spirits of the wind, blow fiercely and become my impenetrable protection――Wind Barrier!」

A whirlwind appears in front of the enemy.

My sword’s gust hits the wall of wind……splits it open and sends the wind and the enemy soldier flying.

「The defense magic was penetrated!」

「The wind magic that can even block cannonballs!?」

Once again, I walk toward the enemy one step at a time.

Of course, I don’t intend to let anyone survive. I have to decapitate everyone.

「General! Watch out!」

At a distance of about 20 meters from the enemy, Christoph’s yell coincides with something stabbing my back.

I feel blood spray out and slowly turn around, then look above.

「A giant bird……?」

「Be it a monster or a demon, you can’t fly! I’m going to torture you to death!」

The Keysian tamer shouts.

Just you wait.

It seems I’m not the only one the giant bird is attacking, other allied soldiers nearby are also getting assaulted.

I try thrusting at it with my spear. Obviously, my reach is not long enough.

The gusts from my Dual Crater won’t be enough to bring down a bird which can freely fly in the sky either.

Not good.

As long as they’re on the side of South Yuguria, I have to kill them too, but I can’t even touch them.

I cross the glowing red blade of my Dual Crater with the Keravnos.

（Hey, what are you doing? Stop, magic is being sucked――）

A rumbling sensation travels down to the bottom of my stomach.

And then, suddenly lightning――a rising lightning bolt so to speak, originating from me ――shoots up into the sky.

「Uwaaaaah!」

「Guuuuuuh!!」

Electricity surges through my entire body, shocking me worse than the lightning bolt I received earlier and briefly causing my consciousness to fly away.

What flashes in my mind is the sight of Benel suffering beneath me and the sword in her chest――

I regain my consciousness and plant my foot firmly on the ground to support myself before falling.

The burnt smell rising from my own body enters my nose.

Because of the ridiculous method of discharge, the lightning also fried me.

But as long as the numbness goes away, I don’t feel pain and my ability to fight is unaffected.

The burnt giant bird falls out of the sky and lands in front of me with a thud.

A moment later, smoking bird corpses incessantly pour down from the sky.

「Crap, the captain got hit!」

「Dammit, does Hardlett intend to bury Dirty Angel as well!?」

The penal unit withdraws.

What perfect timing, they were in the way.

Before I knew it, the enemy camp was no more and the walls of Alteria towered over me.

If I want to kill more, I have to go inside those walls.

The ballistae and catapults have not started launching yet.

I’m sure nobody expected me to charge in before the decisive battle, but it’s just a matter of time.

If I don’t hurry, things will become more bothersome.

I slowly approach the city wall.

When I make eye contact with the archer aiming at me on top of the wall, he inadvertently drops his bow.

「H-he’s smiling? No, he’s angry, he’s crying? What a creepy expression.」

「I’m done. I can’t do it……that’s not a face a human can make.」

That reminds me, I don’t know what kind of expression I have.

Well, it doesn’t matter.

「You guys aren’t getting away. I’m killing you for sure.」

I can tell that some of the enemy soldiers fell over on the other side of the wall.

Wanting to get beyond the walls, I raise my Dual Crater in preparation for a swing.

（Wait. All my power was sapped. If you do that now, the sword will break. Please wait.）

「Hold it!]

Something hits my back again.

It was Sekrit, who hugged me from behind.

「That’s enough. Move aside for now……please.」

I take Sekrit’s hand, careful not to be too rough.

Then I speak to her in as calm a manner as possible.

「Let go. I have to kill those guys in the city.」

「――!」

Sekrit kicks me in the crotch and sits down next to me.

「Fire――!!」

Immediately after Sekrit kicked me, a barrage of cannonballs and iron shells rained down.

「The Royal Army……」

I was so obsessed with my own situation that I didn’t notice them also rushing to the walls.

Erich is signalling me to fall back.

Sorry, I can’t. I must charge forward.

Although the cannonballs land on target, the reinforced city walls don’t take damage.

The walls repel the iron shells and the bolts snap like toothpicks.

「I can’t get in like this.」

（It’s impossible for me. It will really break.）

I survey my surroundings.

If there is really nothing else that can be done, I’ll have to scale the walls on my own.

「Abnormal secretion of adrenaline in the brain confirmed. Normal thought process is doubtful.」

Tikuku coils around me from out of nowhere.

「Injury status――critical. Prompt treatment is needed. Continuation of combat is not recommended.」

Release me, I have to go no matter what.

「Not recommended, not recommended. Please move out of the designated area as soon as――」

I grab Tikuku’s shoulder.

「I have to go.」

–Third Person POV–

At the Time the Attack Commenced. Goldonia Royal Army Headquarters.

「That idiot――!!」

Erich kicks over a chair as he stands up.

There is a man running in front of him――not only is he running at the enemy by himself, he is doing so unarmed and yelling like a madman.

「What is that fool thinking!? Is that some kind of plan!?」

He roars at the staff officers, but they all shake their heads in unison.

「The Hardlett army is a mess. A truly unforeseen incident must have occurred.」

「Word just arrived! There was an attack in Lord Hardlett’s camp. A female prisoner was assassinated by an enemy spy. That woman……was apparently being treated as one of Hardlett’s lovers.」

Erich mutters, “so that’s it” as he pounds his fist on the desk.

「Assassinating a woman in front of him!? It’s an obvious trap that he got caught in, why didn’t anybody stop him!!?」

「H-he seemed like he would tear me limb from limb if I tried to stop him……my apologies!!」

After staring at the staff officer, Erich slumps his shoulders.

「Charging alone at close to 100 000 enemies……that guy can’t be saved anymore. If we go back him up now, I’ll be putting the entire army at risk.」

Erich bangs the desk hard in frustration.

The wooden plank breaks, scattering the map and various documents.

「A small amount of heavy cavalry left Hardlett’s group!」

Erich looks in that direction, and after seeing Celia’s figure, makes a face like he stuffed his mouth full of astringent persimmons.

「It’s that girl. I see, she’s planning to go together with him. Idiot, what are you doing, dragging women to the grave with you?」

Erich opens his eyes wide and continues to watch, hoping to at least see the man’s last moments.

「It’s a foolish end, but one fitting for him, I guess. However, we can’t lose here. I need a replacement commander for Hardlett’s army……no, I’ll grant the staff officer within his army a temporary promotion to commander――」

「The Hardlett army has begun their attack――it’s an all-out attack! The entire army is charging forward!」

Erich falls flat after reseating himself on his chair.

「What did you say!? They’re not going to act as a decoy!?」

Erich hurriedly leans over.

The close to 20 000 soldiers of Hardlett’s army fulfills a pretty large role overall.

Naturally, they’re incorporated into the foundation of plans and selfish actions will ruin everything.

「No, each squad is departing in haste separately! They’re focusing on pushing out in front…… and the adjacent vassal armies are seeking instructions on what to do!」

「I knew Hardlett was stupid, but wasn’t that staff officer of his really the one in command!? What is that calm man doing? At this rate, the entire operation will fall apart.」

Erich, who was partially watching the warfront in a daze, noticed that the commotion on the frontlines had not yet been settled.

「Hardlett is…… still fighting?」

「W-well, he charged in alone. I know this is the Margrave, but it wouldn’t be strange if he was killed in a few seconds.」

Erich strains his eyes further.

「The cavalry are rotating around a certain origin point. They are also concentrating their arrows on the same spot…… that guy is still alive!」

The staff officer groans as he repeatedly smacks his head.

「Military Commissioner, the enemy formation is starting to fall into disarray.」

「The enemy is extracting units from the right wing and a hole is becoming more prominent.」

Erich looks up in disbelief.

The rampage following the unaided charge shifted the whole battle situation.

「The Hardlett army has broken past the halfway point of the enemy camp! The enemy is trying to keep them at bay, but the offense is being maintained. They have not been stopped!」

Erich adjusts the plan in his head.

However, the situation is chaotic and already beyond repair.

In addition, he sees a new possibility.

「Bring out the overall war plan.」

The chief staff officer hands Erich a thick stack of documents.

All the staff officers spent many hours creating those documents for today.

Erich throws the fruits of everyone’s labor into the campfire and stands up.

「Gentlemen, your polished strategy has been mercilessly ruined by the rampage of the idiot Hardlett and his crew.」

He proceeds to bare his canines, smiling belligerently.

「But we can win――we can win! All units, charge――tactics are unnecessary, just keep pushing to the end!!」

The staff officers, who can be considered crystallizations of wisdom, get fired up by the primitive orders.

It was a strange sight.

The strange development continues even after the Royal army charge.

「Enemy magic unit spotted and inflicted serious damage to the attacking squad――wait, it looks like an allied squad defeated them! Details unknown!」

「Monsters appeared in the sky! All units are in disorder――wait, an unidentified lightning magic annihilated them! Details unknown!」

「S-siege unit demolished the city wall! The battering ram smashed the east side to smithereens!! Eh, a three-person battering ram did it?」

Erich’s subordinates look at one another.

「What’s going on?」

「I don’t know either.」

Erich hops on a horse.

「I’m heading to the front too. ……don’t tell me this is all your doing.」

–Aegir POV–

The city walls crumble.

The Royal army soldiers wielding the battering ram stare at each other in shock at what they just accomplished.

「W-we did that? To a wall that deflected cannonballs?」

「It felt like toppling a stack of toy building blocks, but it didn’t seem like anyone besides us attacked.」

「We’ve awakened. To the power of legendary heroes!」

「Not recommended. Not recommended. Cooldown: 20 000 seconds. Recharging in 1 555 200 seconds.」

I ignore the prattle from the other allied soldiers.

The smoke coming from Tikuku’s face is nothing of concern either.

No debris remains from the destroyed outer walls as it has all turned to fine sand.

In any case, I only have business with the South Yuguria army.

「I didn’t think the walls would be destroyed so easily. But that doesn’t mean the army outside the walls has been eliminated. If we hold on, reinforcements will definitely come. We absolutely cannot surrender the city of Her Majesty!」

The commander spurs his subordinates on.

「Of course!」

「Agreed!」

「We’ll do it!」

Three subordinates reply.

「Oh, is that so? I’m glad.」

My Keravnos pierces the commander in the face and my Dual Crater lops off the heads of two subordinates.

「Hiiiiiih!」

I grab the last person who tries to run away by the collar and drag him back..

「やS-stop, I don’t want to die!」

「I want to kill.」

I hold his head and twist it 90 degrees to the side.

「Lord Hardlett.」

Oh, it’s Leopolt……man, today’s been busy.

I don’t really feel like talking.

「You have a plan, don’t you? Go over there.」

I say as I search for my next goal.

「A certain idiot ruined the plan, so I don’t have one anymore. You broke through the enemy by force, however you have not surrounded or annihilated them so their forces remain strong. If our offense loses momentum, our rear will be sealed and we risk being annihilated.」

I don’t say anything.

「Therefore, we don’t have any choice other than continuing the charge. I hope that you fight like a fierce demon and settle the battle. In this moment, that is the only thing that will lead us to victory. Head in this direction.」

Leopolt points to the greatest building in Alteria……it was once the temple of Altair.

Well, that makes things easy to understand.

Without relying on any petty tricks, I get on the main road where most of the enemies are located and run in a straight line towards the temple.

Sekrit and the Celia-led escort unit are following closely behind.

「There are barricades installed on the main road. Overcoming them one by one is――」

I don’t respond to Celia and run into a house along the main road, bulldozing my way through walls.

Be it a stately mansion or a common residence, the thickness of the walls is insignificant, and the hedges and iron lattices are nothing I can’t kick down with my steel boots.

「People normally can’t break those. You’re the exception.」

I eye the enemy soldiers stationed at the bypassed barricade.

Wait for me, I’m definitely coming to kill you later.

And then an arrow stabs into the nape of my neck.

「Kyaaa!!」

Celia screams, but I calmly pull it out and press down on the wound with my hand to stop the bleeding.

I guess I’ll find a torch to cauterize it.

The exit is……there, huh?

So an archer was hiding on top of a roof.

「I’ll be the decoy. You go behind him and throw a dagger――」

Before Sekrit finishes speaking, I place my hand on the ceiling.

I clench my teeth and exert all my might, shattering the part connecting between the ceiling and the pillar with a loud crack.

With the pillar separated, the roof gets lifted up by me and tilts to one side.

I’m glad there is only one roof.

「W-what the-, is the house collapsing!?」

「No, it’s tilting! The demon is lifting it up!!」

After the enemy soldier falls, I return the arrow he shot at me right to the center of his forehead.

I take the opportunity to grab the torch adorning the wall and hold the flame to my neck.

That will completely stop the blood. Yep, I can confirm that I don’t feel any pain.

「This is a five-room house with a stone roof.」

Sekrit’s expression changes from one of surprise to a grim one.

She lightly touches my arm and thigh.

「Your pain receptors are dulled because of the anger……but it won’t last long. If you don’t return to normal, you’ll really drop dead.」

「I’ll do it after killing them all.」

I casually answer and continue forward.

Leopolt and Tristan follow after me and gradually make their way further into the city of Alteria.

It was at this time that I began to think capturing the temple was going to be easy.

「Sniff……this smell……get down!!」

Sekrit trips my feet, causing me to fall.

Celia jumps on my back, covering it with her body.

And then, a massive explosion occurs.

I peek up and see the road and houses sent flying, which levelled the immediate area to flat ground.

It resembled the grounds of an arena.

All of a sudden, multiple cavalry came running into the vast space that opened up in the city.

「You’re really one of a kind, Hardlett. I don’t know any other man who would act this recklessly.」

The one who appeared was Maestus. He truly is a disgusting and unpleasant guy――

「I heard from intelligence that Benel died. Poor girl, she was just 22.」

I hear my blood instantly rush to my head.

Celia and Sekrit fall to the ground after failing to restrain me, and I pounce at him while brushing aside any obstructing rubble.

「――ooh, I almost forgot. The one who gave the order……was that me?」