34-34 Silver Waves




"That was close. ...... What the hell was that? And...

 After playing the red light that suddenly attacked me, I was looking in the direction the light came from.

 There, you can see a large number of people that filled the plains to the east, who had appeared due to Lean's [concealment removal].
 I can see a group of people armed with large swords and shields approaching us in an orderly formation.

What is that? That number looks like a lot. ......

The empire must have moved the ...... army. Thousands, maybe even more than ten thousand if it's that big. I don't even know how much of an army that is anymore...

 In response to my question, Lean's voice sank and his face turned pale.

 ...... Imperial army?
 I'm not sure what to make of it.
 I'm not sure I understand the situation at all. .......

I've never seen anyone like that before. What's going on here?

 A lot of strange things have been going on.
 Until the morning, there were many people bustling about, but except for us, I haven't seen a single person around.
 It's as if the capital itself is a complete wasteland.

I met my brother's men on the way here, so I heard a little bit about the situation. ...... A lot of demons appeared in the city, so it seems that everyone evacuated at once to a relatively safe area to the west.
 I think the soldiers in the capital are dealing with the demons and guiding the citizens.

"I see. Is that why you can't see anyone?

 I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that there are demons all over the city... Really, what the hell is going on in King's Landing?

But the strong light just now should have made them aware of something strange.
 I'm sure they'll send a force this way,......, but it'll take some time. In addition, even if they arrive, the forces of the royal capital will not be enough to deal with that many...

 It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

"Mr. Linneburg. This is it... let's get out of here. It's not a force we can take on alone.
"Yes, let's do that. We'll retreat and join my brother. ...... What about you, doctor?
Me? ...... Why are you asking me that? In this situation. You don't have to ask.

 I'm not sure what to do, but I'm not sure what to do. ...... Of course I'm going to run away with you.
 I'm sure you'll be able to understand that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this.
 What does this girl think I am? .......

You're right. I didn't have to ask. ...... It was a stupid question.



 Leanne said and smiled at me.
 I think she understands.

 You understand, don't you?
 I'm not sure, so I'm going to say it out loud.

Yeah, I'm gonna run, too.
Something's coming over there...!

 Suddenly, Inez raised her voice.
 When I turned my head in the direction she was looking, I saw a large number of magic bullets raining down from the sky.

It's the enemy's attack! It's not like you're going to be able to do anything about it.

 Inez quickly deployed her shield of light to block the storm of magic attacks.
 Thanks to this, the enemy's attack won't reach us.
 But...

I'm not going to be able to escape from this.

 From the sky above, magic bullets flew incessantly, gouging the ground around us in no time.
 You can't escape from this.
 I can't move at all.
 If it was just me, I could probably avoid those bullets and escape, but I couldn't leave the three of them behind.
 I failed.
 I should have run away as soon as I saw that army...
 As I was wondering what to do in this situation, Rollo now spoke up.

I'm not sure what to do in this situation, but now Rollo shouted out, "...... Oh, there ......! ......There's something glowing again...!

 In the direction of Rollo's pointing finger, there was a huge black cylinder with intricate patterns engraved on it, glowing red.

"The next one is coming...!

 Lean looks at the red light in the distance and has a bloodthirsty look on his face.
 If you let it go, that powerful light that dropped that giant dragon will come flying back.

"So... I have no choice.

 I made up my mind and took a step forward.
 It seems that the black sword I'm holding can somehow repel that light.
 Then, despite my misgivings, in this situation, I have no choice but to step forward.

"Sir, what are you...?
I'm going to step forward and buy you some time while you three run away.
But, sir...

 Fortunately, I'm confident in my ability to run.
 Even when I was living in the mountains, it wasn't that difficult to escape from wolves, bears, and swarms of bees.
 If I ran around as fast as I could, I would be able to escape the hail of magic attacks.

 I don't think I can recklessly run into that army and fight.
 At best, all I can do is distract them and buy some time.

 But it's worth a try.
 If I can buy enough time, the army of King's Landing might come to my aid, just like Lean said.


 I know I'm being overly optimistic but I'm willing to take that chance right now.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything crazy I'll be back. Don't worry.
I'll be back.

 Then Lean put his hand gently on my back.

"Okay, I'm going... prepare for impact.

 I'm going...?

 I'm going...?

 Shock?

Leanne, I don't think that's...
Don't worry. I'll adjust the power...

 Lean smiled at me.

 No, that's not it.

 At this angle, we're definitely on a course to run into that army.
 I'm not thinking of launching a suicide mission.
 I'm just going to run around the area to draw attention and disperse the enemy's attack.
 But I don't think she understands my intentions...

"Wait a minute...

"Wind Blast.

 Lean's magic was activated without regard to my confusion.

 Oh no...

 I'm still holding the sword in my hand.
 Lean's magic.
 If I were to take it directly to my body without the Black Sword in between, I would die... I thought, and kicked the ground in front of me.
 You will find a lot of things that you can do to make your life easier.

 Thank God.
 I managed to avoid instant death.
 But immediately, Inez's shield of light, which is blocking the magic bullets pouring down from the sky, was right in front of me.

 We're going to collide...!
 I managed to lower my posture and dove forward.
 Then, a storm of magic attacks hit me.

 I've already got a lot of momentum, so the bullets are coming at me at a ridiculous speed.
 I duck reflexively to see through the trajectory of the bullets and avoid them, but there's a limit to how far I can go.
 If I rushed into a dense barrage of bullets, it would be impossible to avoid them...

 I quickly cleave my black sword to the side.

"Parry!

 And then, the countless magic bullets that were approaching in front of me were deflected.

 I'm saved.
 But it's just as I thought.
 I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it.


 I don't know what the theory is, but it seems that this black sword is able to repel magic.

 But this black sword can only repel a few at a time.
 It's not like it can handle the massive amount of magic bullets that are coming at us.

 What should we do?
 I'm not sure what to do.

 ...... No, I really don't think so.

 I've been training with wooden swords all my life, playing with them.
 Or rather, that's all I've been doing for more than a decade.
 As a result, I can play a thousand wooden swords in a single breath. .......

 But when I held a slightly heavier weapon, it was completely different.
 The heavy sword did not work as well as the wooden sword he was used to.
 I could barely hit a few logs that the goblins threw at me.

 But I was getting used to it.

 As I swung the sword over and over again, the black sword became more and more comfortable in my hands.
 After being blown away by Lean many times, I became accustomed to its speed.

 And apparently, the magic bullets that flew at me had no weight.
 It's much easier than hitting a big tree.

 Then...

"Parry.

 I swung my sword as hard as I could, and hundreds of magic bullets were shot off at the same time and disappeared.

 That'll work.

 And then I swing my sword and step on it as hard as I can and accelerate.
 I can still do it.
 I'm getting used to it... the speed and the weight.
 My body is tired, but I'm in good shape.

 I'll go as far as I can.

 If we continue on this course, we'll run into the enemy's army.
 We've got so much momentum, I don't think we can change course.
 But... that's okay.
 I'm going to tear them apart from the inside.

 Fortunately, I'm confident in my ability to run.
 We can run as fast as we can when we sense danger.
 I'll run even when I'm surrounded.

 I made up my mind and accelerated further, crushing the ground.
 The space around me, my vision distorts.
 It's like I'm in another world.

 In no time at all, I reached the front of the enemy line.

 The first one... he was dressed in heavy armor, sword and shield at the ready.

"Parry!

 I swung my sword with all my might.
 Then, without any response, the long sword in his hand sprang up.



 Good.

 The other guy is heavily armed but moves like an amateur - he doesn't have the reaction time of a goblin.
 To my eyes, they seemed to be standing still.
 The other soldiers seemed to be just as slow.

 So...

Parisi.

 The next one hit a few dozen at once.

 There's still time.

 Then... a hundred.
 I still didn't feel much of a response.

 Then... two hundred. Three hundred.
 Then 400... then 500.

 It was a strange feeling.
 There's still room for more.
 Maybe it's because of this heavy sword.
 I don't feel the weight of my opponent's sword as much as a feather.

 Then the next step...

 I swung my sword with all my might, and all at once, a thousand weapons leapt into the air.

 What the...?

 That's nothing.
 This is just like the wood sword training in the mountains.
 A thousand swords in one breath... is quite possible.

 And so I've decided to keep playing with swords as long as I can... as long as I have the strength.

 Don't think about anything else, just concentrate on playing the object in front of you.

 Yes, just play it.

 I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do that.



 And then...



 At that time...

 A silver wave appeared in the sky.
 It undulated like a living thing, arcing gracefully like a bird soaring in the sky... and spinning loosely, it fell one after another to the ground.

 At first, the soldiers could not understand what was happening.

 In an instant, the Magic Sword, a gift from the emperor that was supposed to give them the power of a thousand battles, disappeared from their hands... and before they knew it, it was flying in the air.

 In order to prevent this, many soldiers went into a frenzy and held up the Magic Shield in their other hand.

 Fortunately, the power of the magic shield repelled the deadly blade that fell from the sky and created another silver wave in the sky.

 The soldiers were relieved to be safe for the moment.
 But that was short-lived.

 This time, the shield disappeared.

 Just like the sword, it disappeared before they could feel it.
 Naturally, the soldiers looked up at the sky again.
 And there it was again.


 兵士たちに無敵の力を与える筈の盾は、先程、自分達が盾(それ)で弾き飛ばした剣の遥か上を、優雅にくるくると舞っていた.

 そうして、一旦は弾かれた銀色の刃の群れが、防ぐ手段のなくなった兵士達へと降り注ぐ.

 ──阿鼻叫喚.

 次々と、敵を切り裂く筈であった『魔装剣(マジックソード)』が地面へと突き刺さり、兵の腕へ、肩へ、脚へ──運が悪い者の身体にはあらゆる箇所へと突き刺さった.

 兵たちは悲鳴を上げながら逃げ惑った.
 士気の高い者は再び剣を拾い上げ、正体不明の敵の攻撃に備えようと、覇気を振り絞り剣を構えたが、構えた剣はなす術もなく再び空へと舞った.

 兵士には何も見えなかった.
 何も感じられなかった.
 なのに、また武器が忽然と消えた.

 ──全ての兵が恐怖した.

 無敵の軍隊と信じていた自分達の脆さを、ようやく理解した.

 突然巻き起こった正体不明の攻撃.
 何処から、何をされているのかすら分からない.

 その場は混乱の極致となった.
 恐怖に駆られた味方の同士討ち.
 武器を投げ出して泣き叫ぶ者、神に祈る者、血まみれになり助けを乞う者──絶望を含んだ悲惨な空気に包まれ、何度も武器を拾い直す強い意思のある者も、二度、三度、四度と重なる怪現象に心を折られた.

 そうして戦場から急速に戦意が失われつつある中で、ふと、兵士たちは一際高く空に打ち上げられた大きな黒い影を目にした.

 ──まず、巨大な筒状のモノが、四つ.

 ──そして大きな十字架状のモノ. それが三つ.

 それは全ての兵士にとって、見覚えのあるモノに思えた.

 もっと言えば、それは、皇国軍の決戦兵器『光の槍(ブリューナク)』四門と、全てを防ぐ防衛魔導具『英雄の盾(イージス)』三機に見えた.

 それは栄光に輝く皇国軍の、勝利を約束する筈のモノ. 皇国の誇る最先端の魔導科学の象徴に他ならない.

 空を見上げる全ての兵が、疑問に思った.

 ──どうして、あれがあんなところに?

 ゆっくりと回転しながら降って来た七つの物体は、轟音を立て次々に大地に突き刺さり、その姿を見て、兵士たちは再び意気消沈した.

 巨大な筒状の兵器『光の槍(ブリューナク)』は四門全てがその重量で地面に深々と突き刺さり、十字架状の防衛魔導具『英雄の盾(イージス)』は無惨に歪んで壊れ、精緻な回路に刻まれた魔導の光を全て失っていた.

 誰の目にも、それがもう、ろくに使い物にならないことは明らかだった.

 主兵装の『剣』と『盾』、そして決戦兵器と聞かされていた『光の槍(ブリューナク)』と『英雄の盾(イージス)』を失う事──
 それはつまり、この行軍の失敗を意味する.
 そう理解するだけの理性ある者が、殆どだった.

 中には、その状況にさえ屈しない者もいた.
 何度も剣を取り、勇敢にも敵の姿を探して戦おうとする、強い心の持ち主が.
 だが、その心もすぐに折られた.
 掲げた剣と共に、姿すら見えない「何か」にガラス細工か何かのように叩き折られるまでに、そう時間はかからなかった.

「──なんなんだ、これは. 一体、何が、起きた──?」

 全軍の指揮を任されていた皇国の将軍は、そう呟くのがやっとだった.

 王都征服の意気に沸いていたその戦場は、今や、無力感と恐怖──そして絶望が支配する場となっていた.
 もはや、剣を拾おうとする者さえいなくなった.

 And so, by the time the back and forth of the silver waves counted seven times and became sparse, the morale of all the soldiers was gone...

 The army of 10,000 had been nearly destroyed without a single casualty.