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I order my subordinates to deploy to the center, right and left wing with the tank corps of Iron and Hibiki at the forefront.

――Sarah, Flora, and Chloe corps, get ready for ranged bombardment!

Following my instruction, the three knead their mana.

――Hibiki and Iron corps, draw the enemy’s hate and make them converge in the center!

The orcs and living mails on the battlefield clang their shields.

――Takaharu, Kotetsu, Rina, and Red corps, charge upon my signal!”

“””Yeeeah!!”””

The corps of Takaharu and Red, who consist of many hotblooded folk, raise war cries and hit their gongs. I had Akira make those gongs to bolster the morale, but since their usability was kinda unclear, I’ve pushed them on Takaharu and Red’s corps. It’s become lively and the subordinates hitting the gongs look happy too, so everything’s all right in the end.

While taking in the atmosphere of the battleground with its mixture of all those sounds and noises, I focus on the humans approaching my position.

The humans are being pulled in…by the shield clanging. The distance…not yet. Sarah and Chloe might be able to hit them at this range, but the enemy is still too far away.

I fully concentrate, weighing the distance between the humans and us.

――Sarah corps, ready 《Earth Javelins》! Flora corps, prepare 《Fire Arrows》! And Chloe corps, get ready for 《Arrow Rain》!

…Now!

――Sarah corps, fire!

“Ay! Here we gooo!”

“””――《Earth Javelin》!””

The ground rises as if to block the humans’ charge. Many of them get stabbed by the earthly protrusions.

――Flora corps, Chloe corps, fire!

“Let’s gooo～”

“””――《Fire Arrows》!”””

“Set! Release!”

“””《Arrow Rain》!”””

Having the momentum of their charge thwarted, a rain of countless arrows and fire arrows pours down on the routed humans.

――All hands, charge!

“””Uuooooooooohhhh!!”””

My subordinates swarm towards the humans who’re experiencing pandemonium right now.

The curtain of the final, deadly struggle between the Aster Empire and the Kanezawa Liberation Army has been raised.

◆

Some of our ranks have fallen apart due to the hate control, but the whole army remains well-organized as of yet.

The humans fight by forming teams of 12 people and covering for each other. If they get injured, they pull back, and a new team joins the front line.

As if having seen through our plan, the humans deploy to the left and right, trying to circumvent the living mails who’re clanging their shields at the front line.

First we need to throw the enemy ranks into chaos, I guess.

“Izayoi, we’re going to the front line!”

“Yes, milord. As you command!”

――Takaharu, it’s a great opportunity! The enemy is surging towards me! Annihilate the enemy as you please while protecting me with your life!

“Protect ya with my life…how about usin’ a slightly different wordin’…? I’m goin’ to protect ya, though!” Contrary to his words, Takaharu reveals a ferocious smile.

――Sarah, command your corps to keep a close eye on my vicinity!

“Ay! Keep a close eye…Shion-cchi, you gonna start with ‘that’ like Hibi-cchi?”

――Hibiki, become my shield!

“――! Master…with pleasure!”

“Mine name is Shion! Disrespectful scum defying me, depart to the netherworld with mine name as your final gift!”

I plant Brionac’s butt end on the ground as I announce those words. That statement turns into 《Coercion》, resulting in the weak-minded humans around me to fall into a state of panic and the strong-minded humans to hate me even more. And then, after activating 《Coercion》, I take out my 【Megaphone】.

“A message to the two foolish leaders hiding themselves in the city hall while sending their comrades to their death! I am here! 『Kanezawa’s Sage』 and 『Kanezawa’s Saintess』, are you too chicken to come out here yourself!? Are you just going to watch how your comrades go back to the mud? That’s not how I do things, you know? I protect those precious to me together with my comrades while betting my own life!”

I provoke the humans’ leaders.

“Also, a message to brave yet pitiable humans! Are you people fine with that? Wasting your lives just because the orders of some 20-ish years old brats…haah, it must be really awesome to be in the 『Kanezawa Liberation Army』!”

At the end, I provoke the humans around me.

“…Kill!”

“Kill him! If we kill Demon King Shion, it’s going to be our victory!”

“Go, go, go! Take down Demon King Shion!”

“That bastard…as long as we slaughter that bastard…we’ll all be saved!”

The effect of my provocation coupled with the effect from 《Coercion》 is out of this world. All the humans in sight have bloodshot eyes as they rush towards me while hurling insults at me.

“What a big catch. You’re going to protect me with your life, okay?”

“Count on it! Let’s go, ya lazy bums! It’s all-ya-can-slay! Butcher ’em!”

“I shall protect you even in exchange for this lowly life, Master ~pyon. Pigs, it’s time to serve your lord ~pyon!”

Takaharu’s corps charges at the humans who are flooding towards me while Hibiki’s corps forms a defense perimeter around me.

――Rina, hit the flank of the humans rushing towards me from the left side!

――Kotetsu, hit the flank of the humans rushing towards me from the right side!

Rina and Kotetsu’s corps take a big detour, and launch an attack against the charging humans as if to pince them.

――Red, Chloe, and Layla corps, defend your location to the last! Tear apart all humans trying to cross the defense line!

It’s physically impossible for all humans on the battlefield to swarm at me, so I leave the humans, who’re left behind, to Red and the others.

“Kill…kill…kill…”

“Hah, I won’t be dying. Izayoi, let’s go!”

“At your command!”

While being confronted with the bloodlust of countless humans, I switch towards offense together with Izayoi.

Chapter 249 – Invasion of Nonoichi City ⑭

Six hours after the battle has begun.

I wonder, how many humans have I slain with my own hands? How many humans have been killed by my subordinates? At the end of the repeated battles to the death awaited me a level up.

I’m happy about the quick leveling, but it’s meaningless if I lost my subordinates, whom I’ve carefully raised, at the same time.

Just the combatants among the enemy already number 80,000, and if you add the civilians to that figure, it goes beyond 100,000 people. Bringing all of them down in one day is next to impossible.

I check the number of killed subordinates and the condition of the adjutant my leaders decided upon. If I measure by the condition of my leaders, my other subordinates won’t be able to keep up.

The loss rate lies at 30%.

As for the condition of the adjutants…the werewolf who’s recklessly attacking to match Takaharu’s pace, Noir and Rouge who are the adjutants of the combat maniac Red, and the orc adjutants following Hibiki are about to hit their limits, I reckon.

On the other hand, Kotetsu, Rina, and Sarah’s corps seems still good to go if compared to the other units.

I think we should retreat for the moment.

――All hands, we’re withdrawing! Iron corps is to act as rear guard! Begin to retreat with Sarah and Flora’s corps ranged attack as a signal!

“Nishishi, it’s our turn! Let’s gooo!”

“””――《Sand Storm》!”””

“Fire at will～”

“””――《Fire Storm》!”””

A squall that’s accompanied by purple lightning and a burning wind sweep across the battlefield, expanding over a wide range.

“Tsk! Out of time, eh!? I haven’t had my fill yet!”

“Uoooohh! I wanna keep rampaging!”

“Eeehh? We’re already going back home?”

The battle maniacs, who are still raring to continue, voice out their dissatisfaction, but as they’re unable to defy my order, they start to pull back. The other subordinates obediently follow my order, retreating.

“…The enemy is retreating!”

“We won! It’s our victory!”

The humans break out in cheers as soon as they see us withdrawing, but,

“Uuuoooooh! Victory! Shout out our victory at――”

『To all humans: We’ll be back tomorrow. Enjoy the brief moment of reprieve!』

Using my 【Megaphone】, I pour cold water on the joy of the humans, and then retreat myself.

◆

Ten days later.

We’ve been continuing our attack every day, but…the resistance of the cornered humans is surprisingly intense. The days of both sides chipping away each other’s combat forces as if in a war of attrition keep repeating themselves.

As two of my sectors have been stolen by Kaoru in the meantime, my irritation just keeps growing.

“Hey, Shion. Wouldn’t it be fine to attack a bit more forcefully?”

Just when I thought that Takaharu might be complaining here under the pretext of giving me a suggestion, Yataro reports the losses to me in a very practical, business-like manner, “Shion, it appears that Demon King Kaoru has realized that we don’t intend to defend the sectors. He has increased the invasion speed.”

“I’m aware.”

I’ve expected that the annihilation of the Kanezawa Liberation Army would take more than ten days to begin with. At present, things aren’t diverting overly much from my predictions.

Having said that, repeating a war of attrition like this is galling as well. Although the daily combat is a war of attrition, our side holds the advantage. Because our side’s morale has also been on the rise lately, it’s impossible to pull back here.

“Why is it pissing me off so much…even though we’re overwhelming them…?”

“…We’re too spoiled?” Kanon replies to my grumbling which I’ve unintentionally blurted out.

“Too spoiled?”

“Yes. So far we’ve never gone through a struggle that could be described as tough, have we?”

“Really? I think the battle against Alyssa was plenty tough though?”

“True…back then Silver-san and Hope-san…but the only former humans knowing about that time are Rina-san and me, you know?”

I search my memories due to Kanon’s words. Even Yataro, who I’ve been considering a veteran in my forces by now, has become my subordinate after the battle against Alyssa. If we’re talking about tough battles since then…only the confrontation with Kotetsu comes to mind.

“I see…even my second oldest former Demon King, Yataro, hasn’t experienced it, huh?”

“Yes.”

“U-Umm…I’ve become your subordinate before Yataro-dono…”

I feel like I’ve heard something, but Kanon continues speaking without so much as a care, “Ever since then…no, even before that, your plans, which might as well be called clairvoyant, have always succeeded, Shion-san. All of the subordinates, including me, who’ve become used to that…are irritated by the plain clash of military forces that doesn’t follow any strategy except to wear the enemy down, I think.”

“I see…That’s why ‘too spoiled’, eh?”

“Yes.”

Not knowing all my hardships…my subordinates sure are spoiled. That said, I think I should still come up with something.

If it’s difficult to raise the morale on our side, how about lowering the enemy’s morale? What would be the best method to achieve that?

“Say, Takaharu, what action by the enemy would depress you the most?”

“Hah? Of course gettin’ defeated by ’em, no?”

“Anything else?”

“Hmm…wouldn’t it be kind of a bummer if ya died for example?”

“Hooh.”

“D-Don’t misunderstand! If ya, the sole person to have defeated me, died, it could also be counted as my loss, ok? That’s the only reason!”

“Look, if I die…the Aster Empire is history, you know?”

“Hah? What do ya mean?”

“Kanon, you tell him.”

“If Shion-san is killed by the humans…we’ll all probably die as well.”

“Huh? Seriously!?”

“Yes, seriously. By the way, if the other party is a Demon King, we’ll be forcibly usurped by the enemy Demon King.”

“Don’t both options suck then!?”

“While assuming that it’s impossible for Shion-sama to die, I know a situation that will sadden everyone.” Saburou wedges himself into the conversation that has completely digressed at this point.

“Hoh, enlighten us.”

“It’s my death!”

“Hah?”

“Why!?”

“Creepy.”

“Like, totally impossible.”

“I’ll mourn you a bit.”

“I’ll avenge you, onii-chan!”

Everyone immediately objects Saburou’s statement who’s looking very smug.

“――Wh-!? B-But, I’m the Aster Empire’s secret weapon! I’m the commander of Team J ― the strongest unit that takes care of the Aster Empire’s dark side!”

“Do you actually understand the meaning of dark side?”

“Who’s the strongest!?”

“Aren’t you mistaking it as a shameful side by chance?”

Everyone looks scornfully at Saburou who’s frantically trying to explain himself. Still, Saburou’s opinion just now is interesting. The morale will drop if the strongest unit is defeated.

“I’ve decided on the strategy for tomorrow.” I chuckle after having come up with a certain plan.

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