Chapter 30
Chapter 30
Early next morning, I steadied my shaking right hand, which was holding the sword I got from the king, while looking at the vast plains before me.
“It will be fine… It will be fine…”
I said to myself, trying to persuade, trying to distract my mind from the uneasiness.
The battle will start as soon as the shadow of the demon army appears. To be honest, I think it would be better if the demon army doesn’t come. If they don’t, we won’t have to fight and none of the people I got to know in this world will die.
Senpai and my role as the hero was to intercept the enemy forces the moment they appear and clear a path to the enemy general and, if possible, take down the general, as well. Only if… it is possible. Sigris-san really emphasized on that part but… she probably said that being worried about us. As he is the army commander, he probably has feelings of guilt making us, former general public, fight in such a battle.
“Kazuki-kun, don’t overexert yourself. If you don’t like fighting, the rear—”
Senpai, standing beside me, began saying.
“It is fine. There’s no need to worry about me.”
“You say that but…”
“Senpai, don’t you have some worries, as well?”
“I do feel uneasy, if that’s what you’re saying… I feel kinda wrong about saying this at a time like this but, to be honest, I feel a sense of exaltation.”
Exaltation? I had accompanied her as the vice president in the previous world but I have never seen her use such a vague word.
But… I somehow understand what she is trying to mean. And so, I will—
“I don’t understand what you feel, senpai.”
“Fufu, thought so… According to Usato-kun, I am a ‘weirdo’. I just have a different mindset than normal.”
“Weirdo? Did Usato say that?”
Usato was able to say such a word about senpai?
“Yea, it was when Usato-kun and I went missing… Well, it’s not something we should be talking about now. I will tell you about it if we make it back
properly.”
“If we make it back… you say.”
“You have a reason for which you must return, right?”
She said with a smile.
She is probably the only person who can make such an expression in a tense situation like this. If you look at it negatively, you might say that she is never serious… and looking at it positively, she would seem very reliable.
“Yes. and besides… I have someone waiting for my return.”
“…Kazuki-kun, I think your way of saying that is a bit wrong…”
“What do you mean?”
“Eh?! Ahh, never mind… yep, never mind.”
I can’t help but feel suspicious as she suddenly turned pale and turned to look towards the plains. Did I say something weird?
I was about to say something about her somewhat suspicious behavior but right at that moment, intense chills ran throughout my whole body. And I reflexively turned my glance towards the plains.
However, there were no signs of the demon army yet… But I could tell that they were getting close.
Senpai was also looking at the plains with a tensed face.
“Senpai!”
“….They have come.”
Sigris-san has also probably noticed.
After all, just after I had felt the chill, messengers were sent out to inform all the squads. Just as planned, the soldiers specializing in magic started coming up front.
“….Let’s start preparing as well.”
“Got it!”
I took a deep breath to calm myself and started raising my mana.
My magic is light… I don’t know how much this will be able to affect the demon army but… I will the do as much as I can. I started accustoming my body to the flowing mana.
As expected, it really is hard to get used to. Feeling magic, that is.
[We are the kingdom’s army! Let’s fight to our limit to crush the demon army!]
Sigris-san was raising his voice at the back to raise the morale of the army. Hearing his voice, the soldiers’ eyes also lit up.
[We will fight for the king! For the people! For our Ringul kingdoM!!]
The anxiety from the soldiers’ eyes had disappeared and they also started raising their voice with Sigris-san. It wouldn’t be
be an exaggeration to say it was an amazing spectacle, seeing 1500 soldiers raise their voices.
“…….”
Among all this noise and shakes, a black shadow appeared on top of a hill in the plains. That shadow was very small — probably because it was very far away, but it was pure black — reminding us of the darkness.
“What… is that…”
Gradually, the shadow started surging out and kept increasing.
That form was clearly not of a human and was dispersed. Although there were a few points where it was shared, the points spread about was more. There were ones with horns and ones with dark brown skin, as well.
All of these were… taking human shape.
“You can’t be serious… that… doesn’t really have that much of a difference from humans, does it…”
‘Those things’ which came from the other side of the plains were also raising their voices and came advancing towards us with weapons.
I thought they would be shaped more like monsters. That they would probably have 6 hands, multiple heads or something… I had thought they would be like amoebas, without any particular shape too. Can I really attack this? They have the same form as humans… There’s no way I can—-
“Prepare, magic squad–!!”
“Wha–?!”
Being brought back to reality by Sigris’ loud voice, I shook off the cowardly thoughts that were coming to my head and looked forward towards the demon army sprinting towards us.
“We are the forerunners. Can you do it?”
“I will do it… I have no other choice!!”
I thrust my fist forward and gathered mana.
I had used it against monsters but this would be my first against human-shaped opponents… But I will get killed if I hesitate. I have no other choice.
“Don’t think badly of me now…”
The squad in front was also thrusting their fists forward to use magic matching us.
When the demon army enters the shooting range, we will all shoot at once.
“We must make the first move strong and flashy.”
Senpai also had lightning rus.h.i.+ng throughout her body. Seems like she was also ready.
I was also ready to release my magic anytime…
magic anytime… The other soldiers were also ready. Our preparations to intercept them were done but the demon army was not slowing down. That reckless strategy was just like a kamikaze attack.
[Fire at my signal!]
The distance between the two armies kept decreasing. I can’t go back anymore, I gritted my teeth, opened my eyes wide and—-
[Fireeeeee!!!!]
“Uuuuooooooooooohhhh!!”
I released white, dazzling light magic towards the demon army with all my might. After a bit, all the different kinds of magic fired by us flooded the demon army.
“….It has begun.”
I could hear a big explosion, along with angry voices and loud noise. I guess we could take this as the start of the war.
At present, we, the life-saving squad, were lined up in front of the our leader, Rose.
“I think you already understand but… The ones with healing magic are to standby here for the time being. The ones with black clothing are to go bring the wounded here.”
[Yes!!]
The strong-looking, black-clothed soldiers raised their voices with energy.
But… isn’t the design of their clothes kinda weird? For a jacket-like upperwear to be black… completely makes them look like criminals. Won’t anyone want to cry if they are caught by these guys?
“The grey clothing people will work here. But remember to escape in times of emergency.”
[Yes!!]
Orgsan and Ururu-san were wearing the same grey clothing as me and Rose.
These two are the two major people here, bearing the core responsibilities.
“And so, you and I will go out into the battlefield as the war progresses.”
“Understood.”
“Alright then, without delay… Tong, Aleck, Mill, Gomul and Guld, I leave it to you.”
[Yes!!]
“Hm, then go. Return alive like last time.”
They again raised their voice.
Although I don’t think I need to worry about these guys.. But still, I feel a touch of uneasiness. That these guys will be killed by the demon king…… Nope, probably not.
We saw off Tong and the others noisily exit the tent. We were still on standby inside the tent.
“I wonder if senpai and Kazuki are okay… The war has already started…”
“You worried about your friend?”
“Ururu-san… of course, they arecourse, they are my friends, after all.”
“I am… worried about Usato-kun~”
“What does that—”
Just when I was about to ask what she meant, one of the strong-faced men came rus.h.i.+ng into the tent.
That man was Tong, one of our organising members of the life-saving squad. He came walking towards us, easily carrying a woman, who was crying, on his shoulders.
“I have brought one!!”
“”That was fast!””
Ururu-san and my voice overlapped.
It hasn’t even been 5 minutes since the fight started.
“This is natural, it is war. It is normal for there to be injuries. They will keep coming one after another. Tong, leave her with Usato and bring the next.”
“Yes! Oi Usato, here.”
“Y-yes.”
She was badly hurt on her shoulder and feet by a sharp object.
“Uu… that face, scary…”
“How sad… She is probably crying because of the pain… yes, that must be it. But it’s fine now, the pain will disappear.”
“Usato-kun, you must not avert your eyes from reality…”
Can’t hear you.
For some reason, the female soldier kept persistently trying to cling on to me. Holding her down, I put my hand over the wounds and used healing magic. Wounds like this will be healed quickly.
The wound was healed in just a few seconds.
“Are you okay?”
“…You are…. Ri-right… after I got wounded in the fight… the plan failed… the demon army with illusion magic… a big monster and black enemy… kidnap—”
“Please calm down.”
Looks like her memory has gotten cloudy due to the shock. It’s probaly temporary but… The plan failing, illusion magic, a big monster and black enemy.
….Black enemy… wearing black armour….
“–!!”
Pain rushed through my head. A vision recreated in my mind–of a beast girl.
Why am I remembering that now… This makes it feel as if—-
“Like Kazuki and Senpai are going to die….”
“Usato-kun! Help here!!”
“Ah—! Got it!!”
They will probably be fine, since it’s Kazuki and senpai. They are much more stronger than me. They won’t die so easily.
But, if… if they are in danger, I will—-
“I have no other choice.”
Healing the injured is my job and saving the lives of my allies…. Is also my job.