“Kanzaki-san!”
It was Minazuki, the leader of a Seeker Clan, who called out to him.
“Would you be willing to fight alongside us? The plan is for B and C-rank Seeker Clans to attack together, drawing the Goblins and Orcs. It would be a great help to have you all with us!”
Minazuki looked at him with a serious expression. The Sakura Port Company members behind him also looked desperate.
“Oh, sure! Let’s do it together.”
When Kanzaki answered casually, Minazuki and the members broke into smiles and sighed in relief. They must have been very anxious. Minazuki stroked his chest and continued.
“Thank you very much. The attack will begin soon at Tennoji-san’s command. We’ve informed the other Seeker Clans as well, so we’ll do the same.”
“Ah, got it.”
Kanzaki nodded and looked ahead. The Goblin and Orc horde was right in front of them. Even in this tense situation, everyone was able to remain calm because top-ranked Seekers, including the Roar of the Raijuu, were leading the way. Those present strained their ears and concentrated. And then—
“Now! Charge!!”
Tennoji’s command echoed across the dry earth. At that signal, the B and C-rank Seekers charged. They attacked the Goblins and Orcs from the left and right flanks. The top-ranked Seekers did not move. The initial goal was to separate the Goblins and Orcs from the Abyssal Monsters. And as planned, the horde of Monsters separated from Hell Garm and the Ogres, heading towards the small and medium-sized Seeker Clans. The large and semi-large Seeker Clans glared at the dozens of Hell Garm. In the tense atmosphere, Tennoji put his fists together in front of his chest and spoke loudly enough for the surrounding Seekers to hear.
“Leave the Hell Garm to us. Roar of the Raijuu will take down that Ogre!”
Tennoji’s gaze pierced the Ogre.
◇◇◇
“Oraaa!!”
Kanzaki’s swung Hexagonal Rod caught a Goblin’s head. The green imp lost its head and collapsed powerlessly on the spot. The surrounding Goblin comrades raised their voices in strange cries, brandishing clubs and old Longswords. Kanzaki calmly channeled Water Magical Power into his Hexagonal Rod and swept away the two Goblins that were coming at him. The imps, struck by the powerful blow, raised smoke and turned to sand. Minazuki also swung his Torrential Waterfall Sword, which glowed blue, and slashed at three Goblins. Two turned to sand and disappeared, while one writhed in agony. A Sakura Port Seeker finished it off and pushed back the Monsters that were coming at them. Tanaka also slashed at the small Goblins with the Water Vein Daggers in both hands, taking them down. Yuma decided to try out his magical power without Metallization. He gripped the Water Vein Club with both hands and channeled Magical Power into it. The entire club glowed blue. Yuma used the handle of the club to strike the Goblin that was attacking him from below. When it hit its chin directly, smoke rose from its jaw and neck, and it began to suffer. Burn-like scars spread.
“This is magic…”
Yuma swung the club down and finished off the Goblin. He exhaled and turned around, only to see an Iron Hammer approaching.
“Whoa, dangerous!”
He barely dodged it and took a step back, revealing an Orc, a pig Monster about one hundred and eighty centimeters tall. It was wearing crude armor, and the weapon it held was clearly man-made.
“Be careful, Yuma! Those guys are intelligent. They steal the weapons and armor that humans use and use them in the same way. Fight them as if you were fighting humans!”
Yuma answered Kanzaki’s advice with a strong “Yes!” and glared at the Orc. The Orc was the first to move, raising a strange cry. It lifted its Hammer and swung it down at Yuma. Yuma dodged by a hair’s breadth and circled around to the side, slamming the glowing Water Vein Club into the Orc’s face.
“Buhhiiiii!!”
The Orc covered its face and staggered. Seeing that his opponent was faltering, Yuma immediately thrust the club into the enemy’s throat. The club pierced its neck, and the Monster limply lost its strength. When Yuma pulled out the club, the Orc’s body tilted and fell to the ground. It stopped moving and returned to sand.
—Alright! I beat an Orc without Metallization. If I use Magic, I can too…
Yuma looked around. The C and B-rank Seekers fighting the Goblins and Orcs seemed to be putting up a good fight. The large Seeker Clans fighting the Hell Garm seemed to be struggling, but the bigger problem was—
“Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
Yuma turned around at the loud voice and saw a wall of flames rising in front of him.
“What?!”
The wall of flames disappeared after a while, leaving behind Seekers and Goblins engulfed in flames.
“This is bad! Quickly put out the fire with Water Magic!!”
“This one is seriously injured! We need to get him out of here immediately!”
The Seekers who were unharmed were trying to help the fallen. The scene was in chaos. Yuma didn’t understand what had happened for a moment, but when he looked around, he saw an unbelievable sight. Many of the top-ranked Seekers had fallen. Those who had fallen to the ground were blackened all over, and some parts were crackling and burning. Even the members of the Roar of the Raijuu, who were said to be the strongest, were no exception. As he looked around in confusion, a Red Monster came into view. The Monster was standing with its right fist thrust out. Yuma suddenly realized. A scorched track ran in a straight line from the outstretched fist. Along that track, Seekers and Goblins were lying. The wall of flames he had seen earlier was an attack by this Monster. As he thought this, a chill ran down Yuma’s spine.
—This guy… he incinerated his own comrades in one shot!?
In front of the Monster, several Seekers stood fearlessly. The leader of the Roar of the Raijuu, Tennoji, and his members… and Rui.
◇◇◇
Lightning ran through his left fist. Lightning Magical Power flowed into Tennoji’s Magic Enchanted Armament, the War God Gauntlets, drawing out its abilities to the limit. The electricity charged in the soles of his feet was released all at once the moment it bit into the ground. He approached the Ogre with explosive speed. It was not a human movement. He dodged the Oni’s powerful arm and struck its chin with a fist charged with Lightning. Tennoji relentlessly pursued the Ogre, who had taken a step back. Its side, arm, shoulder, face. Every time the fist protected by the gauntlet struck the Monster, a crackling sound of electricity erupted. The Ogre’s movements could not catch Tennoji. The Monster used its thick arms as a shield, taking a defensive stance. In that instant, a large Battle Axe was swung down from the side.
“Uooooooo!!”
Ishikawa’s swung Water Vein Battle Axe struck the Monster’s shoulder directly. Water burst out with the impact and scattered around. Ishikawa felt a solid response, but the Axe stopped at the shoulder. The Ogre’s body was too sturdy. When the Axe was brushed aside, Ishikawa lost his balance greatly. Rui, the Scorching Magic Longsword user Misaki Bluewell, and Rui, who had raised his Flame Heat Katana, jumped in without a moment’s delay. The two Longswords slashed at the Ogre’s body in a flowing motion, and they quickly jumped back before the opponent could counterattack. The flame-covered slashes didn’t seem to be effective. As expected, flame attacks seemed to have little effect.
“Get out of the way! You guys!!”
Akira Taizen, who had been gathering power in the back, pointed a large cannon barrel equipped on his right arm at the Ogre. Plasma ran around it. As if they had agreed beforehand, his comrades jumped out of the line of fire. A flash of light flickered, and the atmosphere screamed. The Ogre was caught in the explosion. Taizen’s cannon, which had spewed fire, was crackling and discharging electricity while emitting smoke. The ground where the Ogre had been was blown away, and black smoke rose.
“Did we get it…?”
Tennoji looked at the smoke with anticipation, but he gasped as he gradually saw the Monster’s figure. The Ogre had braced its thick arms and completely blocked the bombardment.
—It didn’t work!?
Taizen’s Railgun had the power to blow away ordinary Monsters without a trace. It took that and was unharmed. Tennoji grimaced in disbelief.
The Ogre slowly lowered its arm guard, looking as if it was faintly smiling.