'Umm ... hmm ...'

　We were watching the live video of the heroic party together, Kanon let out a moan.

'Toilet?　It's about time we got our act together--
No!

　My kindness shown to my subordinate canon is kicked to the curb.

'Then what's the matter with you?'
I thought it was strange.
What?
That's the situation.

　I twist my head at the wordless canon's answer.

''Let's see, Sion-san's strategy was on target, and the brave men are struggling wonderfully, aren't they?
Yeah.
'It's not that I was almost killed, but... aren't you too weak?　Even if they were, they are the strongest humans in Kanazawa City who have liberated the four dominant domains, right?

　The group of heroes shown on the smartphone were struggling just as Kanon had said, and the three companions were already rotting away.

''Is that how it happened?''
I don't see why not. I don't know!　I was pretty scared to call it a day.

　I snicker, and the canon is indignant.

'The reason they're struggling is simple.
Is it simple?
Oh. They've given up their greatest strength. That's the only reason.
Is that your greatest strength?
What do you think it is?

　I began to enjoy conversations with Kanon. After graduating from isolation (blah blah blah blah), I had learned how to enjoy conversations with others.

''Well ... level up fast?　Too many?　.........................Rear?　I'm sorry. I surrender.
Well, I'm running out of time, so I'm going to announce the correct answer. They - mankind's greatest strength is that they have so many options.
Choice...?

　When I told him the correct answer, the canon twisted his head.

'They have a lot of options. For example, they can choose to retreat from my controlled territory. 'I'm not leaving!　And even if you stop them, they'll just back off, right?　What's more, we don't have the option of retreating.
Yeah, I guess so.

Other than that, they can choose the territory they control to invade, and they can invade whenever they want. As opposed to us...?
We can't choose a human race to invade us.

　I look at Kanon as I tell him the correct answer, and he tells me what I want to say.

'Correct. That means we can only wait for the humans to invade us. When?　How?　Who?　How many?　We don't know if they're going to invade. We just have to wait and see. Furthermore, our source of strength, the CP, is finite.

It's an unreasonable world, isn't it?
Yeah.

　I agree with the sighing canon.

''However, this case is different. They are Kanazawa City's official brave party, and they politely declared their invasion. They abandoned the greatest advantage of being able to invade at any time. Moreover, as celebrities, their information, from their strength to their specialty, was easy to research on the internet.

　From Mr. Eewww, who updates his social networking sites so often, it would be better for humanity if we took away all the internet devices, right?　I think, but the other members of the company also supported the company - in other words, as long as there were 'sponsors', they were required to have more exposure than necessary.

''The point is, if we can figure out the date and time and strength of the invading enemy, we can take countermeasures.

　In fact, if the Brave Lord's party had invaded, many of my men would have been turned into their experience, and the damage I would have suffered would have been enormous.

I see.

Now, the guests should be arriving on the third floor. Get ready to go canon.
Yes!

　It's about 500 meters until the brave party reaches the stairs leading to the third level, which is about an hour or so.

　I began to make preparations to greet the brave party.


　◆


　I'm waiting quietly for the brave party to appear in a little while, along with my men in position.

　The concept of the third level is - a surprise attack.

　The brave party that advanced to the third level is waiting for a long passage surrounded by silence. At the end of the passage, a small room where the material of the floor is different from the others and can be recognized at a glance. A forbidden small room where those belonging to us [Chaos] never stepped in - a resting place had been set up.

　--!

　The voice of the echoing person reaches my ears.

'Eeeewww, look at that thing!　Hey!　Isn't that a rest stop?

　I can hear Mr. Eewww making a noise in an excited tone.

'You can finally rest...'
Let's go to the rest stop and make a plan for the future.
I'm tired...

　What follows are the mixed, exhausted voices of men and women.

　The voices of men and women trembling with joy approach with the sound of running footsteps.

　I, along with my carefully selected subordinates, duck into a side street that stretches to the left and right, created a little before the passage leading to the resting place.

　--Team A, K, and X at the ready!

　Team A--a long-range strike force made up entirely of goblin archers, led by canon.

　Team K--a long-range strike force of dark elves, led by canon and made up of dark elves who are good at magic.

　Team X--A tiger squad made up of dark elves who are good at archery, led by Chloe.

　--Release!

　Team A and K have been instructed to shoot indiscriminately at the Brave Lord's party.

　Mr. Eewww. I'll reward you for your accomplishments so far with the largest force you've ever seen.

　The number of dark elves in Team X was 10. All of them were training in archery on a daily basis. The name of the arrows that all of them held in their dominant hands was - Lunatic Arrow.

　The instructions issued to Team X were--Eeeewww's sniper.

　In the midst of the countless bows and arrows raining down from Team A and the countless spells from Team K - 10 arrows filled with murderous intent shot from Team X pierced the leader of the team, Mr. Eewww.

''Eee--''

　Probably overkill. The ten rank A arrows that were released easily took away the life of the brave man with the eewww Mr. -- my life-threatening Silver Spear.

''--na!
''--What!
''Whaaaaah!
!
What's going on?　What's happening?

　Hope.... the brave group is plunged into a state of panic as the rest stop is just around the corner.

　--Team B, S assault!

　Team B--Blue led by an elite group of highly ranked equipment-clad elites and Team S--Silver led by highly ranked equipment-clad kobold knights, attack the heroes' party.

　The group of ghouls led by Team H--Hope has already been instructed to defend the resting place to the death.

　The group of attacking demons equipped with items higher in rank than my own, the hero-sama's group's state of panic worsens.

　I'm alone in hiding my appearance with the Darkness Book and slipping by the side of the heroes' group, which has turned into a melee.

　It's not stealthy enough to completely erase your appearance, and its effect is to the extent that it dilutes your presence as much as possible. However, since they were in a state of panic, they didn't notice my presence, and I easily took the rear of the heroes-sama's party.

　I put my strength into my dominant hand holding Mithril's spear and stabbed the target - the female intruder who dealt with fire magic - in the heart position from behind.

''........Huh?''

　The woman, who had a streak of blood flowing from her mouth, slowly turned around and fell down as it was.

''Kyaaaah!

　The female intruder, who is good at recovery magic, screams when she notices her fallen comrade and the being she defeated (Sion).

''--!''

　The man who was holding a bow and arrow trembles and clutches his buttocks when his gaze meets mine, and the two surviving back ups attempt to flee from the state of panic.

　I focus my attention on the butt-covered man and snap my right thumb.

　--[Dark Induction]!

　When the head of the man who was on his buttocks was covered with a black haze, the man stood up and with empty eyes shot through the right leg of the woman who boldly swung the black iron sword - the 'Black Sword Hero'.

''Huh?　Why, why...?

　The 'Black Sword Hero' who was shot through the right leg looks at the man who shot the arrow with eyes as if he had seen an unbelievable thing.

''Eh!　Oh, what in the world am I........

　

　Hmmm. Dark Induction is easy to apply if you're under the control of fear, but if you're dealing with humanity, the effect time is short.

　I was disappointed that the effect of Dark Induction wore off quicker than I had imagined, and I pierced the man with my mithril spear as he threw down his trembling bow and arrow, screaming like Kowaleta.

　The winner was decided.

''Whaaaaaaah!
''Wha!　........Well, wait!

　The hope of humanity, called the brave, runs away - first to the stairs that lead back to the second level.

'What?　Well, wait....

　The 'Black Sword Brave', who was unable to escape due to his injured right leg, reached out to his friends for help.

''Shut up!　It's all your fault!
'Don't let Rina's selfishness get in the way of me!

　The reply to the Black Sword Hero was cursing.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's going on in the world.

　I look at the Black Sword Warrior, who was prepared to die, and think about what I should do about the escaped heroes' party.

　Hm?

　The 'Black Sword Brave', whose gaze met mine, has accepted death - but not Kowalethe.

　--Prohibit the attack!

　I'll have my subordinates cease their attack and approach the 'Black Sword Hero'.

　Until now, even if I handed them the 【Blood Cup】, humanity was too fearful and cowering in their hearts to join my family. The normal human race is instinctively disgusted with me, the [Chaos], and cannot join my family.

　Can a human being who has been attacked, betrayed and discarded by their friends, but still has a heart that is not cowardly?

So, now that all your guys are gone, what do you want to do?　--The Black Sword hero?

　I looked down at the 'Black Sword Hero' and smiled.