◆ Above the Avangarde Royal Capital, Inside the Airship ◆
“If you crush the people below, I can’t guarantee what I’ll do next.”
Adding that was the right move. There have been those who resorted to such tactics before, but what I’ve learned is that killing hostages serves no purpose. Branburm, now transformed into Satanakia, is well aware of this, being from the Kingdom of Metallica, which loves information. I think that’s why my words had an effect. He should have a fair idea of what I might do if I got angry. Although Branburm has been throwing around grand words, he hasn’t shown any signs of attacking yet. After all, his original target is the Holy Nation of Uzei, and there might be no point in killing the people of Avangarde here.
“It’s been over three days since then, but there’s been no movement.”
“I wonder if the people inside Satanakia are safe.”
“I can’t say for sure if they’re safe, but judging by the reactions regarding the hostages, they probably won’t do anything reckless.”
“I can’t see what’s happening inside, but I can feel a massive amount of magic energy, albeit faintly. They are likely still alive.”
Meria’s Creation Magic has produced a Magic Echo that is truly convenient. It surpasses Elmera, who was saying she had no idea about a place she had never been to.
“What are we supposed to do… Should we just charge in?”
“That would be like going to your death, big bro.”
“Rua, you could destroy it, you know. At the very least, can’t we move that thing? If it’s over the sea, it should be fine if debris falls below.”
Tiferia is right. That leaves us with the problem of the people inside. That island—or rather, it might be more accurate to call it a continent. Even from this distance, it looks enormous, like a wall stretching endlessly. When I look up, it feels like it goes on forever.
“If we can infiltrate, there might be a core part inside, the so-called heart.”
“There is something that looks like it. It’s quite deep, and without someone like Rua, you wouldn’t be able to reach it.”
“Alright, it’s settled then.”
No one challenges Meria’s ability anymore. It was decided without my input, and in the end, it looks like I’m the one who has to do it. But the problem is still the hostages.
“Rua, are you seriously thinking of rescuing everyone from the Kingdom of Metallica?”
“I am.”
“But if you manage to do that, where will they live afterward?”
“I haven’t thought that far…”
“Geez, that’s a mountain of problems!”
“If you’re going to criticize, Elmera, you should think too! Imagine it!”
“I’m just raising issues here—”
“Wait! That unit!”
At Terrace’s reaction, everyone’s gaze is glued to the screen. The switched display shows a multitude of flying ships hovering in the air. Ships that should be floating on the sea are lined up in a fan shape, and there are countless of them. It looks like there are hundreds.
“Are those the flying ships of the Torkaria Federation?! Did they take Satanakia’s provocation?!”
“What’s this Torkaria Federation?”
“It’s a federal nation made up of five countries located in the Grada continent, north of the Ballad Continent! If we’re talking about large nations, it’s similar to Noibranz on this continent…”
“Wow, so they’re quite impressive…”
“In terms of military power, they are on a completely different scale compared to Noibranz. We must stop them at once!”
Those floating ships, both large and small, resemble airships. I never knew there were other nations besides Metallica that had flying vehicles. The relief of five swords overlapping upwards—that represents the Torkaria Federation. There are still so many countries in this world that I don’t know about, but now is not the time to be fascinated.
“Speaking of Torkaria, they are said to be on par with Metallica in terms of military power… They might actually take action.”
“Seigel, that assessment is naive! Terrace, is there any way to contact that army?”
“The communication methods are completely different… In fact, Hast would likely know more about this situation.”
“Hey, this is a warning from the 16th fleet of the Torkaria Federation! We are issuing a warning! Immediately disarm and relocate Satanakia to a safe area over the sea! Repeat… Immediately disarm and relocate Satanakia to a safe area over the sea!”
That wasn’t just communication; I could hear a loud voice coming from that ship. This is definitely a spell to amplify one’s voice, something the Comet Wolf Brigade’s leader also used. It’s not a lie that they possess military power comparable to Metallica. The intimidation emanating from that ship conveys that much. Even Noibranz, which claimed to be the ruler of this continent, would have hesitated in front of that army. I would have liked to visit the Torkaria Federation if I had the time. But that’s not possible. From the way they speak, they seem to believe that Satanakia is a weapon created by the Kingdom of Metallica. In reality, it’s something Branburm has fused with the island.
“If you do not comply with this warning, we will be forced to use military force! This authority has been granted to me by the central government, and I am Major Curtis! Our federation wishes to establish a serious dialogue with your nation!”
“How annoying. That’s why you’re incomplete, you fools.”
【Satanakia has unleashed Heartless!
8000 Pegasi have appeared! HP 4270
6000 Geminis have appeared! HP 2222
10000 Aquilas have appeared! HP 2400】
The metallic surface of Satanakia peeled away, and countless Heartless burst forth from the opened holes. They look like a swarm of winged insects, but each of them possesses considerable combat capability. No matter how many of them there are, the Torkaria soldiers won’t stand a chance.
“Concentrate fire on the front! Fireeeee!”
Countless orbs of light are shot from the massive launch tubes mounted on the front of the ship. I can’t tell what they are, but at that speed, even the armor of the Heartless won’t hold up for long. The beams of the Heartless’ long-range attacks are obliterated as they hit. With the first, second, and third shots, the Heartless are reduced to nothing but remnants.
“Whoa! Grandpa! Is that magic?”
“That’s a weapon of war. It uses skills on tools without consuming magic… Well, it’s not very common on this continent. It’s traded quite actively beyond the Ballad Continent.”
“Still, it’s only been three days since Satanakia appeared, and look at that speed and firepower. They must have been ready from the start, huh?”
I feel bad for Eeks, who seems impressed, but those people alone will eventually be overwhelmed. Just dealing with the Heartless is already a handful, and Satanakia must have more means of attack. We definitely have to step in.
“Still, those machines… How did they manage to gather that much metal and other materials?”
“The theory is unclear, but you can assume there are virtually no limits on quantity. We don’t have time; we need to calculate the entry point to Satanakia immediately.”
“Oh, I’ve already done that. It’s over there.”
Even when pointed out, I can’t tell where that is. Meanwhile, there was a change on the Torkaria Federation’s side. The number of flying ships is gradually increasing. It looks like they’re gathering from the distant sky.
“Comrade Curtis! The 13th, 14th, and 15th fleets have arrived at this moment!”
“Comrade Daharlun! Thank you!”
“Comrade?”
“The soldiers of the Torkaria Federation refer to each other as comrades. But right now, that doesn’t matter. While Satanakia is distracted by the Torkaria army, we need to get as close to the entry point as possible.”
I feel a bit guilty for using those people as bait. I truly want to help them, but if that swarm of Heartless keeps coming, it would be endless. In that case, we need to cut off the source.
“We don’t have time. While those folks are holding their ground, we should move as well.”
With that, Meria began to succinctly explain the operation. Infiltrating Satanakia and ensuring safety on the ground. If we make even one mistake, countless lives could be lost. This will probably be the most crucial battle we can’t afford to lose.
“…Alright, it’s done. They said they’ll come right away. In fact, they’re already on their way.”
“Wait, so they were already eager to help without me even saying anything?”
Meria’s magic allowed Kurinka to make contact.
“Oh, look!”
A massive swarm covering the southern sky. Among them, a particularly large dragon stands out, said to have ravaged this world long ago, the calamity that no human could ever handle. Leading that multitude of dragons, both large and small, is of course the Dragon God.
“Dragon God!”
“Yikes! What the heck is that?! Did all of those come from Dragon’s Valley?!”
“Both humans and dragons are devoted to those they love, Ord… And yet, to think they even brought along the Kaiser Dragon, said to be the strongest monster on the ground…”
“Meow, even Seigel is loved, meow.”
With a body so massive it could easily blow away a human with a single flap of its wings, the Dragon God glared fiercely at Satanakia.
“I don’t know what kind of foolishness humans are up to, but if you threaten the land beloved by the Dragon Princess, you will be erased.”
“What? Did you just call that human a failed transformation into a woman?”
Inside the airship, I found myself almost firing the Sonic Ripper. Thankfully, everyone jumped in to stop me with all their might. Even I can hold back at that point. I’m fine.
“Phew, phew… I was almost ready to wipe out the entire continent.”
“If there were no people inside, that would actually help. But Lua-chan got angry for my sake. Kya!”
“Ugh… I can’t watch this.”
“What’s up, Ord?”
“It’s a relief that the Dragon God has come! He helped us during the Vandalsia incident too!”
He’s trying hard to dodge the issue. Something feels off, and it’s not just teasing. But I guess it doesn’t really matter.
“I hope the Torkaria Federation troops don’t misunderstand. I wonder if they’ll realize that the Dragon Gods aren’t enemies.”
“The Dragon God has no intention of attacking, and they’ll understand that there’s no hostile intent from our side. Probably…”
“Comrade Curtis! We’ve confirmed a massive horde of dragons approaching from the south!”
“Comrade Dahalun! It seems they have no intention of attacking us! Just don’t let your guard down against the fire coming our way!”
I’m glad they’re understanding. I was worried about what would happen if they were like Noibranz, who can’t listen to reason. Meanwhile, our airship steadily approaches the entrance to Satanakia. The reason we haven’t been spotted by Branburm is thanks to Elmera’s Imagination Magic, which creates a jamming effect. Since Satanakia will detect us with all their radar, we just need to eliminate every element that could give us away. When I asked if she could handle everything, she told me not to be so reliant. I guess she knows I can’t do it all.
“Elmera is definitely more talented than her big sister. Good, good.”
“Big sister is the amazing one… hehehe.”
“Getting any closer in the airship is dangerous. Even with jamming, we don’t know the full capabilities of Satanakia.”
The time has come. It’s just me and Kurinka who will be making the entry. Elmera will maintain the jamming, and Platiu will provide aerial support against the Torkaria Federation troops. Meria will be on standby in case anything happens, and we can communicate through magic.
“Damn lizard! You’re just as incomplete as the rest of us!”
“U-urgh!”
There’s a reason the Dragon God is getting fired up. It’s to shift Satanakia even slightly away from this continent and into the sea. We’ll cling to the underside of Satanakia and push it up. Other dragons are joining in, but several have already fallen victim to Satanakia’s fierce attacks, and it’s painful to witness. The Dragonfolk are also riding their dragons to provide support, but with Satanakia’s attacks and the number of Heartless, it’s uncertain how long they can hold out, just like the Torkaria Federation troops. Everything hinges on our efforts. Still, Branburm’s tone has become quite rough. That might be his true nature.
“I’ll handle Satanakia’s attacks and the Heartless! Kurinka, trust me and fly to that entrance!”
“I’ve always believed in you, so I’m fine!”
Determined not to lose to the Dragon Gods, Kurinka spreads her golden wings and takes off with me.
“Feel free to try and invade my insides and destroy me, Satanakia! In fact, I invite you! Some pesky little bugs have already made their way inside!”
“Wait, who could that be…?”
“We can get in from over there! Let’s go!”
There are no attacks from the Heartless at all. Just as Branburm declared, it really feels like they’re inviting us in. I don’t know how confident they are, but they’ll definitely regret this.
What do they mean by incomplete? Everyone we’ve met so far is aiming to take down Satanakia. We’re not getting paid for this, and we might die.
“Everyone… they’re all such good people.”
“Well, you know, Lua-chan, you’ve influenced them a lot, right? Even Eeks and Tiferia… and the Wizard Kingdom led by Lord Hast, they were all saved by you. If Elmera hadn’t kept up with you, things would have been terrible for her too.”
“Hahaha… that’s true.”
“I can’t quite put it into words, but I don’t think everyone would go this far just because they were helped. I don’t know what each of them is feeling, but… what you’ve done up until now hasn’t been in vain. That much I can say.”
In fact, Beastkin, Elves, the Giant Race, the Demon Race, and humans. Right now, in this era, everyone exists together and lives side by side. They must have started off on bad terms; even Shin saw us as enemies. But before we knew it, we began to be together.
“Everyone loves Lua-chan. I’m sure of it.”
“Really? It feels a bit different… But that Dragon God really loves Kurinka. I can’t help but feel that if it weren’t for me, they wouldn’t be on our side now.”
“I’m a bit concerned that they still call you the Dragon Princess…”
It’s true; this result wouldn’t have happened without me. It’s because Kurinka and I have walked together that we’ve come this far, able to do something about Satanakia. Nothing has been wasted. I’m certain of that now.
“I… I’m really glad I went on this adventure.”
Kurinka nodded and dove into the gaping entrance.
◆ Shin Report ◆
Entry team: Lua and Kurinka. End?
No, no, Lua and Kurinka, Shin, and one more useless person.
I messed up.
Well, it’s better than getting caught up in the outside monster battle and having the airship crash.
I realized, but this is actually the safest place in the world.
The Torkaria Federation has sent troops in just three days. I hope they’re not as pathetic as Noibranz.
No one benefits from facing a new invading country.
That’s right, no one.
However, if we manage to shift Satanakia from the continent into the sea, wouldn’t that cause a tsunami? It’s not like we haven’t been bombarded by the likes of the Merika.
If it sinks, it would definitely be abandoned.
Lua can’t do that. Hmph, what a soft-hearted girl.
Hmm, if we destroy Satanakia and it falls, wouldn’t that mean no one would be saved anyway?
I didn’t think that far when I made the entry.
I don’t care anymore.
Monster Compendium
【Aquila HP 2400】
Zodiac, a Powered Suit modeled after a hawk. It’s specialized for speed over the Columba and excels in close combat.
With the AI of the Heartless, it charges at enemies at high speed like a missile, and can even self-destruct at times. It primarily employs hit-and-run tactics, gradually wearing down enemies instead of aiming for a single kill at once. If it’s a standard combat unit, they’ll likely be targeted by Aquila while being distracted by Columba’s PC Bomb.