CH 182

Chapter 182. Preparing For The Decisive Battle



***



We have three days until the decisive battle against Peony. 



Coincidentally, that’s the same amount of time we had when we were dealing with Titan.



Within three days, we had to satisfy the conditions for the expansion of the Mayor’s “Safety Zone”



(…That took a lot of work as well.)



I had to go to the neighboring town with Fujita-san to ask the Self Defense Force for assistance.



On the other hand, Ichinose-san had to collect materials with Momo in order to enhance our weapons.



Nishino and his friends also did their share of the work by raising their levels.



We did everything we could at the time to defeat Titan and Alpha. 



There were still things that we could have improved on, but the time limit of three days hindered us from doing so.



(Things might be even tougher than before this time…)



What we can do right now is very limited.



Peony’s vines have latched onto the barrier of the “Safety Zone”, so they’ll prey on whoever dares to step outside carelessly.



(Peony’s hunting ground is spread out over an extremely large area…It’s safe to assume that its vines and roots could reach anywhere inside the town.)



We won’t be able to hunt monsters and raise our levels, neither would we be able to replenish our supplies. 



Without having the ability to enter or exit freely, we’re pretty much trapped in this cage known as the “Safety Zone”.



(But there are still things that can be done.)



We have a chance at victory, not to mention that we’ve prepared an escape route. 



For now, I should concentrate on what’s before me.



I must help Nishino-kun confirm something.



“Sora, it’ll be all on you from now.”



‘Umu.’



Thus, Sora and I begin our preparations. 



*****



Meanwhile…



“—So we have to keep doing this?”



Rikka asked Nishino a question while swinging the hatchet in her hand.



“Yeah. Right about now, Kudou-san and Fujita-san should be busy making their preparations. We should also do what we can.”



“You mean endlessly cutting down the vines on the barrier?”



“Yes.”



Since early morning, Nishino and his friends had been hacking down Peony’s vines that were stuck on the barrier.



However, each of these vines was as thick as a person’s arm.



As such, cutting them down required a decent amount of physical exertion. 



Furthermore, they had to be careful not to wander out of the barrier in fear of getting preyed on by Peony.



Although it sounded like a simple task, it needed a lot of strength and concentration. 



As the person with the highest status in the group, Rikka was the only one who could continue without break. 



“What’s the point anyway? They’re going to regenerate as quickly as we cut them down.”



“No need to worry about that. Or rather, didn’t I explain everything beforehand?”



“Did you? I forgot.”



“You…”



While feeling exasperated, Nishino stared at the stopwatch on his hand.



“Three seconds…”



Next, he opened his status screen and sent someone a “Mail”.



A reply immediately came back.



“—Good. Everyone, cover your ears!”



“Huh?”



Rikka was confused for a second, but she followed her instincts and covered her ears when she felt an electric signal travel down her spines. 



Soon after—



ZUDOOOOOOOOON!!!



They heard an explosion which shook the earth.



“W-what was that?”



“It was from Sora’s breath attack.”



A huge pillar of fire appeared where Peony’s main body was supposed to be standing.



A single glance at the scene was enough to tell that Sora’s attacks had become much more powerful compared to the previous day.



Rikka was aware that the attack had been unleashed from an ally.



Nevertheless, she trembled at its destructive power.



“I-incredible…”



Sora had over 100 SP at her disposal.



With that many points, it was no wonder that she had become this strong over the night.



Several skills, especially the offensive ones, should have been raised to their upper limits.



That said,



“—It was no good after all.”



Nishino calmly muttered these words as he stood next to Rikka.



He had taken out a binocular before anyone realized. 



The dust settled, and Peony was found standing as erect as before.



“This has to be a lie…”



“Even though the breath was powerful, it seems like the distance between them was too big. The attack was blocked before it could reach the main body…”



He had somewhat expected this outcome, but he couldn’t stop himself from flinching.



It wasn’t just its size.



Peony’s defense and reaction speed were monstrous as well.



“Still, it received some injuries.”



“Eh?…Oh, you’re right.”



When they looked more closely, they saw that dozens of Peony’s roots and vines had been burnt to crisps.



Peony probably sacrificed a considerable number of them to block Sora’s breath.



Nishino quickly checked his mail.



“—Around 10 seconds…”



He scribbled down the result on his notebook.



Rikka quietly watched him as he did so.



“Okay, let’s get back to work, everyone.”



“…”



“Something bothering you, Rikka? If not, stop loitering around and get back to work.”



“Hmm? Ah, I was just thinking about how Nisshi seems to be back to normal.”



Hearing that, Nishino smiled.



“What do you mean ‘back to normal’? It’s not the time to be cracking jokes. Go back and do your job.”



“Okay~”



They continued their task of cutting down the vines from the barrier.



In the background, they heard Sora shooting out breaths over and over again.



*****



Ichinose was on the rooftop of the City Hall.



“I’ve gathered as many as I could, but there aren’t that many materials…”



She had lined up all the materials that she could use as a “Weapons Craftsman”.



The floor was filled with things like metal scraps, magic stones, shells of Giant Ants, bones of Skeletons, branches of Treants, and many others.



She let out a sigh.



(With only these, I can’t make weapons like the “Pile Bunker” and the “Anti-Castle Rifle”…)



To activate “Weapon Creation”, she needed a lot of materials.



When they were facing off against Titan, she had been able to make powerful weapons thanks to Momo and Kazuto doing their best to collect materials from outside.



Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option this time around.



It was really frustrating.



Now that her level was higher, she would’ve been able to make weapons that were more powerful than the “Pile Bunker” if she were provided with the materials.



(Then again, the request this time was for something completely different, so things might work out one way or another…)



Her task wasn’t to make a weapon that was stronger than the pile bunker. 



She had been asked to create something different.



With her “Weapon Creation” skill, she was capable of crafting existing weapons and their components.



She read the documents that had been handed to her.



(Wow, it’s extremely complicated…There are so many technical terms and components that I’ve never even heard of…)



On top of the commission from Nishino and Fujita, she had also received a commission from Kazuto.



Both of these commissioned weapons would play critical roles in the decisive battle that was to come in three days.



In a sense, her creations would determine the result of the battle.



(Uuu, my stomach hurts…I’m about to throw up.)



A lot of people had encouraged her on her way up to the rooftop.



However, “Do your best”, “You can do it”, and “We’re expecting a lot from you” were the three things that shouldn’t have been said to a hiki komori. 



If she had been her former self, she would’ve thrown up and escaped because of the pressure.



But she was different now. She was no longer the shy girl that she used to be.



(That’s right. Kazuto-san is working hard right now, and so are Ricchan and Momo-chan. They’re all trying their best.)



Everyone was giving their all and squirming to survive.



Knowing this, she couldn’t bring herself to remain as a bystander.



“Huu…Okay, let’s do this, Aka-chan!”



“…Furu furu!”



Motivating herself, Ichinose began working alongside Aka. 



The pain in her stomach had faded away before she knew it.



*****



Igarashi Touka was at the entrance of the City Hall with a large crowd standing in front of her.



“Group A and Group B, prepare some soup in the kitchen. Group C and Group D, go to your assigned locations and organize our luggage. Group E, wait for Nishino-kun and Fujita-san’s groups to return and provide them with your assistance.”



“““Understood!”””



The residents listened to her commands and heeded her orders.



The fear and anxiety from yesterday were nowhere to be found.



(I had to shave off my sleep hours and cast “Enchantment” repetitively, but it paid off in the end…)



She had been tasked with suppressing the turmoil and taking control of the residents.



In a short amount of time, Touka had executed Kazuto’s orders flawlessly.



By sacrificing her sleep and casting “Enchantment” over and over again, she had eventually leveled up her skill.



This in turn allowed her to “Enchant” an even great number of people.



The residents had been at their wits’ end due to the attacks from Sora and Peony.



As such, their unstable hearts soaked up Touka’s words like sponges would water.



Now, they eagerly listened to her words and followed her will.



Their attitudes were like that of a devout believer’s. 



In fact, they were something of that nature. 



She wasn’t particularly bothered by this since things were more convenient this way.



The City Hall was sorely lacking manpower. 



Even though these people couldn’t fight, they could handle other things beside combat.



(The people have come together under a single banner. Oh, what a lovely sight…)



Touka was delighted to witness such a scene. 



It felt good to have people move according to her will.



Tens if not hundreds of people were obeying her orders.



She felt a sense of superiority that was downright irresistible.



By some twist of fate, she had gained what she desired after being disciplined by Kazuto.



(Convincing Gramps and that f*cking father of mine was a massive pain, but I’m glad it turned out well.)



Although they were pretty shocked when she first told them about her “brainwashing” abilities, desperate times called for desperate measures.



Fujita and the others reluctantly agreed to her measures as they were so busy that they would’ve gladly accepted help from even a cat. 



(Things might become messy when the battle is over, but I can just ask that person for protection when the time comes. Fufufu…)



Kazuto and his companions were the strongest powerhouses in the City Hall. 



Nobody dared to go against him, not even the adults. 



As long as she did her job properly and remained as someone that Kazuto needed, she would be protected by the strongest shield. 



“That’s right. It’s his responsibility. After subjecting me to such a terrible treatment, Kazuto-san should take responsibility for it. Fufu…ufufufu….”



“Ah, as per usual, nee-chan’s smiles are dark.”



“You’re right, little brother. That’s the onee-chan that we all love.”



Beside her, Shiori and Shido, her twin siblings, were laughing innocently.



“M-my smiles aren’t dark, thank you very much! That was very rude of you two.”



“That so.”



“That so?”



The twins cocked their heads. 



Oh well.



Touka sighed lightly.



“Shiori, Shido. There’s something that you two must do. Can you hear me out?”



“Okay, onee-chan.”



“Understood, onee-chan.”



Touka gave them some new instructions, instructions from Kazuto himself.



*****



Fujita had come to a certain place with Towada and the other Self Defense Force personnel.



“I guess it’s time for us to get to work. Let’s see… around once per five minutes. Can you do it?”



“Of course. Let’s get started.”



They dove into their work.



“It’s a good thing that two people who acquired ‘that’ skill in advance joined us.”



“Yeah, thanks to them, we can work more efficiently.”



Towada took a glace at Fujita as they worked. 



“Your daughter’s really amazing. To think she’d come up with such a strategy.”



“It wasn’t Touka-chan. Nishino-kun was the one that came up with it.”



“Oh, so it was him. I’ve exchanged a few words with him a couple of times, and it makes me wonder if he’s really just a high school student.”



The strategy to subjugate Peony.



They were taken aback when they heard what the plan entailed, and they were flabbergasted that the idea was from a high school student.



“He has matured a bit. He’s no longer holding himself back.”



“?”



“I’m saying that he has grown mentally. When he first arrived here, there was a shadow hanging over his face. However, that shadow has disappeared. Things are about to change. I have no idea who counseled him, but that person has done something big.”



One must look at a boy in a different light after three days of not seeing him.



Watching children grow always filled with him joy.



Ironically, his daughter had become somewhat twisted, but he was still happy to witness her growth. 



“I was surprised, you know? I didn’t think you guys would take part in this operation.”



“Really?”



“Yeah. You were constantly shaking in fear until now. What brought about this change?”



“…Running away won’t change anything. Also…” 



“Also?”



Towada looked towards a certain direction as he continued on with his work.



“…When I saw the Dragon, I recalled something. Someone had entrusted us with something. I can’t remember who it was, but…I get this feeling that he’ll laugh at us if we continue to cower before that big tree…”



“Who do you mean by ‘someone’?”



“No idea, but—”



Towada searched his memories but failed to recall the details.



What had he been entrusted with?



Who entrusted him with it?



Even though he didn’t have the answers to these questions—



“—I want to believe that ‘he’ was a good father and an ideal family man.”



Their memories of the time before they moved to the City Hall were nonexistent. Nay, they had been deprived of their memories.



Towada devoted himself to his work, almost as if he was trying to desperately dig out memories from the past.



*****



Everyone was trying their best.



Be it Kazuto, Ichinose, Nishino, Rikka, Shibata, Goshogawara, Igarashi, Momo, Aka, Kiki, Sora, Fujita, the Mayor, Shimizu, Nijou, Towada, the members of the Self Defense Force, the staff members of the City Hall, or the residents without levels, everyone was pouring out their souls to prepare for the decisive battle. 



Their enemy was huge beyond comparison.



Even so, they had to keep moving forward while believing that it was their only hope for survival.



—Three days went by in the blink of an eye.



*****



On the night of the third day…



I’ve wrapped up my preparations and had my dinner. 



I’m currently relaxing on the rooftop and sky gazing.



“What are you doing up here?”



“Nishino-kun…”



Nishino-kun greets me. 



He has two cans of coffee in his hands. 



He offers one to me, and I gladly drink it. 



“Can’t sleep?”



“No, I was just thinking about tomorrow.”



We’ve done everything that could be done. 



The only thing that’s left is to execute the plan. 



Nevertheless, it’s nerve-wracking.



“We’ve done what we could, so we should be proud even if we were to fail—as if.”



“Indeed. Failure is not an option.”



Failure means our deaths.



We’ll be devoured by Peony and forgotten by everyone, leaving behind no evidence of our existence.



I wouldn’t want such a future.



(I’ve learned a lot in the past three days.)



Without being able to hunt monsters, my level didn’t go up. 



However, I was able to gather a lot of information. 



In these three days, I’ve thoroughly analyzed Peony’s abilities, its biological traits, and its thought processes. 



We even had an unexpected harvest thanks to Kiki.



What’s more, Ichinose-san has completed what I asked for.



(Sora’s eyes have completely healed as well. We’re ready to go—)



All that’s left is to win.



“Let’ win.”



“Definitely.”



We clink the coffee cans in our hands and return to our respective rooms.



Afterwards, I chat with Ichinose-san for a while and stroke Momo to my heart’s content before falling asleep.



*****



The next day…



We’re at the edge of the “Safety Zone”.



Peony is still standing guard in the perimeters of the town.



Standing before Peony’s towering figure, I look back towards Ichinose-san and the others that are behind me. 



“Everyone seems to be in their position.”



“Yes.”



We confirm each other’s position with “Mail” and go over the strategy one last time.



The operation will start in one minute.



Huuu…



I exhale heavily.



“Ichinose-san.”



“Yes.”



“Momo.”



“Wan!”



“Aka.”



“…Furu furu.”



“Kiki”



“Kyu!”



“Sora.”



‘…Fuun.’



One by one, I look at their face and nod.



The sound of something being fired is heard.



That’s the signal that indicates the beginning of the operation.



“Okay. We’re up first. Let’s start off with a bang, Sora.”



‘Umu.’



Sora flaps her wings and soars into the sky above. 



She stops just before she crosses the invisible barrier of the “Safety Zone” and takes a deep breath.



“Cover your ears, everyone!”



We all close our ears in an instant.



I wave at Sora.



Sora nods and opens her mouth.



“GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”



A blinding light flashes by as Sora’s roar echoes in the surrounding.



“~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!!”



The roar is accompanied by a fierce wind. 



A huge column of fire appears, and Peony screeches.



“—It’s the time for conquest!”



With this, there’s no turning back. 



The curtain to our battle against Peony finally rises.