Three days after the welcome banquet, we, the 'Fifth Pioneer Group', were to set out from the imperial capital of Leda with 100,000 Toluga warriors.

(Only three days, eh?)

　The fact that we were able to prepare in such a short period of time surprised me.

　In fact, there was a reason for this.

　Of the 150,000 Toluuga troops in the Imperial City of Leda, 100,000 of them were originally scheduled to be sent out to the northern part of the continent.

　The 'Black Great Ape' that inhabited the northern part of the continent would undergo a major breeding spree every seven years.

　In order to push back the Black Great Monkeys that were moving southward and protect the people of the Empire, the Truga Empire had sent out an army to the northern part of the continent in that year.

　This year, too, 5,000 people had been sent to the northern part of the continent in six units, for a total of 30,000 Toluga warriors.

　This year, however, there was an unusually large breeding population, even more so than usual.

''Probably three to five times as many as in previous years.

　is the word of Mr. Pardewan, who actually fought.

　The report was also delivered to the Imperial City of Leda by a messenger soldier, and under the orders of His Majesty the Empress Ameldas, a further 70,000 men were formed to add to the army.

　That was right around the time when we, the Fifth Frontier Corps, and the 5,000-man army led by the Heroic Pardewan, met.

　The 30,000 warriors returned to the imperial city of Leda once.

　Then, with the addition of 400 of us, we were sent out again with an army of 100,000 men.　

(Just in time, I suppose.)

　We were lucky.

　Because we were able to join up with Tolga's army just before they left for battle.

　And thanks to His Majesty Empress Ameldas, who believed our words that the northern defenses that would only push the Black Great Ape back to the northern part of the continent were a "world crisis," we were able to invade as far as the Demertus Mountains, which could be called the Black Great Ape's stronghold.

　Rattle rattle!

　With the sound of their wheels echoing on the stone pavement, 1,500 amphibious Tolga wooden ships departed from Imperial City Leda with 400 of us Fifth Settlers and 100,000 Tolga warriors on board.

"Waaaaaah!

　I can hear the cheers of the people of the imperial city as they see us off into battle.

　When we came, we were confined to a small hold, but now that our 'strength' has been recognized and we're in a cooperative relationship, we've been given an ordinary cabin.　

(Great!)

　The citizens of the imperial city seen from the window all seemed to have no doubt about the victory of the Toluuga army, and they were all smiling, waving their hands and ringing in support of our departure.

''Ah-la-la-la-la!''

　As the hero Pardewan roared at the bow of the ship and raised the new battle axe in his hand, the people's cheers grew louder and louder.　

　This is the very appearance of a 'hero'.

(Cool.........)

　The bodies of these well-trained warriors shining in the sunshine are very dazzling to me.

　In order to obtain the divine spirit stone, we left the imperial city of Leda and headed for the Demertus Mountains, the habitat of the Black Great Ape, which dominates the northern part of the continent.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


　It has been seven days since we set out.

　The 1,500 wooden boats have been moving steadily northward so far.

　We are now in a grassy field with a good view.

　On the deck of the wind-blown ship are myself, Iltimina, Kilt, Soltis, Poe, and our interpreter, Torquia, who is looking out at the view from the deck.

　There are about twenty other Tolga warriors.

　And one more.

It's a nice breeze.

　It was a beautiful woman, dressed in a lustrous traditional costume, who murmured this to me.

　Her braided white hair was fluttering in the wind.

　Holding her rampant hair in her hands and squinting her red eyes covered in blue eyeshadow, it was, whoever it was, His Majesty Ameldus.

　That's right, Her Majesty the Empress, the ruler of the Tolga Empire, took part in the Northern Expedition herself.

　We were surprised, too.

　But Her Majesty said.

'This is a fight about a 'world crisis,' isn't it?　Then it's impossible that the great Emperor of Toluga would not participate in the war.

　He said.

(That's a Trugan who prides himself on his 'strength'.)

　It's because he's the person who stands at the pinnacle of this, so he's obligated to go to the important battles himself.

　Come to think of it, I remember that His Majesty Emperor Azanad personally participated in the battle of the Arun God's Empire in the Kokyudo region before.

　Maybe both great powers have the same mindset.

　Goto-goto.

　The wooden fleet moved forward through the meadow.

　The wooden ship with Her Majesty the Empress Ameldas was about 60 maids, twice as large as the others.

　We were called into one of the cabins.

　There we were given information about the Black Great Ape by Her Majesty the Empress.

Currently, there are approximately 300,000 Black Great Apes living in and around the Demertas Mountains.

　300,000 bodies....

　That's three times as many as we have.



　We can also learn about the characteristics of these "Black Great Monkeys".

　It's the color of their hair.

　Apparently, the roles of the Black Great Monkeys, who form a troop, differ according to the color of their hair.

　Black, for example.

　Black is the most common color of hair, and is the most numerous and plays the role of a 'soldier'.

　And silver.

　This is the individual who leads the "soldier" and plays the role of the "general".

(Come to think of it, wasn't it the 'Silver Great Ape' with silver body hair that led a group of a thousand of them that we fought?

　They were highly intelligent and large in stature.

　And there is also a being who leads such 'general' 'silver great monkeys', that is, an individual in the role of 'king' at the top of 300,000.

''That is 'Monkey King Mujarna.''

　There was a sense of awe in the voice of His Majesty Ameldas.

　He was huge, about seven meds in stature, and his body hair was purple from the top of his head to his back.

　Its intelligence is especially threatening.

　It uses the terrain and deploys the ambush army, fighting exactly like a human.

　Until now, the Tolga Empire had invaded the northern part of the continent several times to exterminate the Black Great Ape, but the Ape King Mjaruna has rebounded from all of these invasions.

　As a demon hunter, Kirto and Illtimina, who know demons well, also have a grim expression on their faces.

　Wisdom turns.

　They say that such demons are particularly difficult to defeat.

　In fact, it's easier to defeat demons that attack with fighting instincts.

(Sounds like a pretty tough opponent...)

　I can sense it in the expressions on the two men's faces.

''There is always a 'Monkey King' in the Demertas Mountains. You, too, should you encounter him, watch out.

　His Majesty Ameldus warns us of that, too.

　We nodded our heads in agreement.

　Even so, it was somewhat ironic that against this powerful 'Toluga Empire', the only one who had secured their territory was the 'Black Great Ape'.

''........An awesome demon.''

　He muttered to himself.

　Even in the Albac continent, there were no such powerful demons.

　And then, I wondered if I had heard that voice, when His Majesty the Empress Ameldas looked at me.

That's the end of the little monkey that got the 'black blood'.

　I said.

(What...?)

　According to Her Majesty, the 'Black Great Ape' is a 'Monkey Demon' that was given the blood of the 'Black Giant' four hundred years ago during the 'Black Dead Earth'.

　That means.

(...the spawn of the devil!)

　We are stunned by this fact.

　If the people who are descendants of the devil are the People of Demonblood and the People of God, then the devil's descendants, the demon things, are the Black Great Ape.

　His Majesty Ameldas laughed.

His Majesty laughed, "After the Black Land of the Dead, it was the existence of the 'God People' that supported the fallen 'Toruga'.

　They protected the people from the demons, which is why the Empire was able to revive.

　However.

"Right now, the one who poses the greatest threat to us is the Great Black Monkey, who was also given the Black Blood.

　There was a strong anger and fighting spirit in his voice.

(What a fate...)

　Two tribes of demon blood are vying for supremacy over the land - this is the reality of the Dark Continent.

　Her Majesty Ameldas, the Empress, squinted her red eyes.

"It is my hope that this battle for the Stone of Brilliance will be the end of all this.

　I said, looking at the ceiling.


　◇◇◇◇◇◇◇


　From then on, the northward march of the Tolga army continued.

　Along the way, we sometimes found a group of 500 to 2,000 of the Black Great Monkeys that had been driven out of their habitat.

　However.

Shoot.

　At the word of His Majesty Ameldas, the 'magic cannons' like spears mounted on 1500 wooden ships were released to annihilate the flock.

　We didn't even get off the ship.

　Eventually, we never encountered a group of the Black Great Ape that had been driven out of their habitat.

　His Majesty, Ameldas.

"The 'Monkey King' may have heard of our movements and is gathering his troops near the Demertas Mountains.

　He said.

(Are you that smart?)

　That means that there is a concept of scouting and information gathering in The Black Great Ape,　

　Mr. Illtimina said.

''It's like a battle between people,''

　Yeah.....

　Seven days later, we had reached the wilderness of the arid land.

　In the distance, we could see the forest, and beyond that, the majesty of the Demertas Mountains, which rose in a blue haze.

　And in front of that forest.

　There, a large group of black demons had gathered and spread out to the edge of the horizon.

(............)

　The sheer number of them took my breath away.

　An estimated 100,000 of them.

　That's how many of the Black Great Monkeys were waiting in front of us.

　His Majesty, Empress Ameldas.

100,000 first. Hmm, "Monkey King", we'll just have to wait and see how it goes in the first round?

　His beautiful mouth twisted into a smile.　

　D'ong, d'ong.

　A gong sounds.

　With that, 100,000 'Toluga Warriors' descended from the wooden ship.

　All of them smiled fiercely, elated at the battle that was about to begin.

　The 100,000 'Black Great Ape' and the 100,000 'Toluga Warriors' stared at each other in the distance on the battlefield in the wilderness.

　Their fighting spirit.

　Their killing intent.

　Their clashing intentions and emotions converged on the earth.

　And then.

"Hoguah!

　The 'Black Great Ape' who had gathered together howled.

　A group of 100,000 of them rushed towards us, raising a cloud of dust and making the ground shake.

　A tremendous power.

　Not to be outdone by them, the 'Heroic Pardewan' at the front raised his battle axe.

　In response.

"Arrraraaah!

　The 100,000 'Toluga Warriors' also shouted and started running forward.

(They're going to collide head-on!)

　The proud warriors chose to go head-to-head with the giant demon.

　An overflowing heat swirls around them, and they ascend to the heavens.

　In the northern part of the Dark Continent, a battle between two hundred thousand people and demons is about to begin in front of our eyes.