Chapter 294: Drunken Sword Party

[Drunken Sword Party———— Lili Adamantine POV]

Before Jonato’s soldiers and the White Wolf Knights were stationed on the borders of Jonato and the Northern part of Mira———–

Our Drunken Sword Party, along with Shougo Oyamada and Emperor Zera, entered Jonato Principality from the north.

In the previous war against the Great Demon Emperor, our Drunken Sword Party fought in Jonato.

And now, here we are yet again.

The Goddess had already informed Jonato’s side of the visit of the Drunken Sword Party and the others.

Therefore, it was easy for us to pass through Jonato’s territory.

In fact, our Drunken Sword Party, who had fought through the fierce battle together with them, was welcomed by the people on Jonato’s side.

Our Drunken Sword Party stayed in Jonato for a while to prepare for the operation.

During this time, the White Wolf Knights entered Jonato by the order of the Goddess, accompanied by one of Vysis’ apostles.

Her name was Nyantan Kikeepat.

Although the time we’ve been acquainted with each other wasn’t really that much, it had been a while since our Drunken Sword Party had last seen her.

We did enter the Demon Zone together with the Heroes in the past.

Such a Nyantan seemed to be unusually shaken by Oyamada’s transformation.

Soon after, Jonato sent a small number of soldiers to the border with Mira, as instructed by the Goddess.

The White Wolf Knights and Nyantan Kikeepat accompanied them.

And our Drunken Sword Party————- is the team that was to eliminate the Mad Emperor.

As Mira’s attention turns to their Northern border, we are to sneak into Mira’s territory.

We moved south along the eastern areas bordering the edge of the Golden Demon Zone.

After leaving the Demon Zone, they entered a forest suitable for hiding.

A few hours later, Emperor Zera, who had left temporarily to do some reconnaissance, returned.

[Fumu…… It seems that a good number of Mira’s forces have gone to the border. Fo fo fo, as expected of the White Wolf Knights, the traditional heroes of the North. Their name still resounds well to the people even at this era…… No, their name even seems to be more well-known than it was back then. I suppose the Mira of this time too, isn’t something that can be left aside huh?]

[So, we were able to lure out the forces of the Imperial Capital as planned…… Are we now going to sneak into the Imperial Capital and kill the Mad Emperor? That would be unreasonable. For this mission, I brought 13 of the best from our Drunken Sword Party, including myself…… If you add Emperor Zera and Oyamada, we have a total of 15 people. Hmph…… It’s ridiculous to think that this many people could just simply enter the Imperial Capital and eliminate the Mad Emperor.

[Fo fo fo. I’ll take care of that guy, so I’ll be out in a bit.]

With that, Emperor Zera took off again.

The Goddess said that Emperor Zera would be in charge for the time being.

In other words, the full authority for the operation was entrusted to Emperor Zera.

Yes, not Oyamada, who appears to have such blind faith in the Goddess……

Speaking of Oyamada, he was also rather eerie.

His personality has drastically changed.

However, I’ve seen a glimpse of Oyamada’s character in his excessive rage against the siblings.

In other words…… Has he been educated?

As I was just beginning to think about Oyamada, Emperor Zera returned.

With a large number of Golden-eyed monsters in tow.

[Kuh!? Emperor Zera…… What is the meaning of this!? Don’t tell me…… You aren’t going to use these Golden-eyes to attack the Imperial Capital!? Are you stupid!? If we could get the Golden-eyed monsters to do our bidding, they wouldn’t have been any trouble at all! ……All members, prepare to intercept!]

Before I could issue my instructions though, the members of the Drunken Sword Party had already started to move.

[Indeed…… Mother had also said it…… that it would be useful to be able to give instructions to a large number of Golden-eyed monsters and operate them as we please. However, she said that would be impossible for those that aren’t the Great Demon Emperor……]

Oyamada said, calmly holding his greatsword in hand.

[However, Mother also said to leave this entire operation in Zera-dono’s hands. Mother’s words are absolute…… Thus, what are your odds against them, Zera-dono?]

[Fo fo fo, regarding that……]

At that moment, a medium-sized monster jumped behind Emperor Zera.

However, Emperor Zera quickly turned around……

[Gyaahh!?]

——-and grabbing the Golden-eyed’s face, he stopped it.

The monster’s face is larger than Emperor Zera’s hand.

Hence, his fingers ended up painfully buried in the monster’s face.

The monster’s movements———- It has completely stopped.

And then……

[———-Mutate———-]

As soon as Emperor Zera uttered those words……

The Exiled Emperor’s golden eyes began to emit a mysterious glow.

[G- Gii…… yeehh……? Gyaaa———-]

“Gyurukk……”, with the rapid sound of twisting flesh……

The next moment……

As if the monster was compressed……

It became smaller than a human head.

Immediately after, the mass of flesh seemed to expand——–

Plak!

A humanoid “something” plopped down, kneeling on the ground.

The expanded mass of flesh split apart, forming a total of four humanoids.

As I slashed away a small-sized monster that had leapt at her, I asked.

[What is that? That compressed mass of monster flesh…… turned into a humanoid……?]

A humanoid white creature.

The only thing it has on it is eyes.

Golden, inorganic eyes.

No nose, no mouth.

No ears.

No hair or any protrusions in their body.

A large build, having statures larger than even Oyamada, the tallest in our group.

The four white creatures stood up almost simultaneously.

Thereupon, the golden eyes of these white creatures looked down at Emperor Zera, who has eyes of the same color as them.

[…………………]

[Fo fo fo…… Good, this is good. It looks like it was a success. Creating four of them was quite as I had expected.]

[What does this mean? We haven’t heard any explanation for this though?]

Without answering my question, Emperor Zera put his hand on one of the white creatures’ thick chest.

[Immobilize the Golden-eyed monsters that you can handle until I get there. If the monster wants to harm you, you can beat it down. But if it’s possible…… I’d like you to keep them alive. Though I say that, move with emphasis on the safety of your lives——— Now, go.]

Thereupon, the four white creatures aimed at the monsters that started popping out in my line of vision.

Running towards them, they tried to immobilize the monsters.

In the direction opposite them, Oyamada is cutting down the approaching monsters with his greatsword.

Zwooosh!

[Gyieeehh!]

Oyamada stomped down on the fallen monster.

Ghak!

[Gueeehhh!?]

[Now, here you go, Zera-dono. Do as you please with it.]

Hearing Oyamada’s words, Emperor Zera immediately leaped towards his direction and landed beside him.

Thereupon, he put his hand on the motionless monster, whose breathing is starting to grow faint.

[———-Mutate———-]

Gyurukk!

He used whatever he did earlier again.

The monster was rapidly compressed and became a twisted lump of flesh again.

And then, just like earlier, in the next moment……

Plak.

The mass of flesh transformed into several of those white creatures.

Emperor Zera then gave the same instructions to the new white creatures as before.

Thereupon, the newly created white creatures rushed towards the monsters they had set their sights on.

[……I think I’m starting to understand what’s happening.]

I said, slashing away at the monsters in the vicinity.

While I provided supporting fire towards my comrades with a magic tool inscribed with an Offensive technique……

[Using the Golden-eyed monsters as “materials”———— with that mysterious power of yours to create soldiers for us……]

After Emperor Zera laughed like a good-natured grandfather……

[False Sacrament.]

(T/N: 模造聖体 / Mozou Seitai. Mozou means fake/counterfeit, seitai means body of the Emperor/God, or the bread that symbolizes the body of the God.)

[ ? ]

[That seems to be their name. I heard that the Goddess named them so.]

[Ahh…… Mother’s perfect and beautiful naming sense…… It’s glittering…… Flawless, too shiny…… As expected, Mother could only be a God……]

[This is the ability that the Goddess gave to me. Well, it’s like being given a share of the Goddess’ power. Now then, the purpose of doing this———-]

Gyurukk.

Emperor Zera transformed another monster into that white creature——— to that False Sacrament.

[Young lady, it was just as you have said. For you to have guessed so much just from the information you have seen, what a clever girl you are. How impressive.]

Having guessed his next actions and his purpose for our arrival in this area, I sharply looked towards Emperor Zera.

[I think there was an underground ruin near here…… You dared to lure out those monsters ? So that you can use them as “materials” to create this False Sacrament……]

[Fo fo fo, you discerned it well.]

Saying this, Emperor Zera looked in the direction of Mira’s Imperial Capital, Ruva……

[My descendants aren’t so dumb that just the 15 of us can just casually approach him. I also heard the Mad Emperor is the best of all Emperors of Mira. Fo fo fo, I’m looking forward to meeting him…… Anyhow, we’ll have these enter one ruin after another. As for the young lady and the others, try to fight while preferably making sure you keep the enemies alive. What, I won’t complain if you kill them. Well, I heard that the success rate of transformation is much lower with corpses, and the quality of the creations is also lower…… but it’s better if you keep them alive if possible. As long as they are alive, the quality shouldn’t change…… The Goddess said it’s a matter of spirit power or something like that.]

Spirit power.

The source of the power that makes Heroes gradually grows powerful, or so I heard……

[Using the Golden-eyed monsters created by the Root of All Evil to create obedient bio-soldiers….. Good grief……]

If she had something like this, it would have been better if she brought this out earlier.

However, such a thought remained unspoken, and I just inwardly clicked my tongue.

Emperor Zera produced False Sacraments one after another.

However, the underground ruins are overflowing with a considerable number of monsters.

I don’t think we would be able to transform all of them into False Sacraments.

Even among those monsters that we were just fighting, quite a number of them ran in different directions from where we were now, entering Mira territory.

[……………………]

The area had become completely quiet.

I couldn’t feel the presence of any monsters nearby.

There are only the False Sacraments, which are standing in line, silent.

They do not speak.

However, even though they have no ears, it seems like they’re able to hear voices and understand language.

They seem to be obeying the orders of Emperor Zera, who had transformed them.

[Fo fo fo! The ones who managed to escape, well, they’re still monsters…… They’ll just be one more thing for the people of the Imperial Capital to deal with.]

Meanwhile, Oyamada was looking at the Sacraments, seemingly overcome with emotion.

[Ahh, I can feel Mother’s sacred power within the Sacraments. This is quite glorious…… I want to see Mother.]

[Alright, we now have a good number of them. It’s just……]

Taking a map from his luggage, Emperor Zera beckoned us close.

Following his call, Oyamada and I approached and looked at the map.

[Look at this. There are so many underground ruins in Mira’s territory. And I have been bestowed the power by the Goddess to emit a special “voice” to call the Golden-eyed. Now then……]

Sheathing his sword, Emperor Zera clapped his hands.

[Let’s split up for the time being.]

Hearing his words, both me and Oyamada looked towards him.

Emperor Zera continues.

[After I explained the whole plan, I’m going to go on my own for a while.]

Oyamada grunted in response.

[You are going to go on your own? Is that…… also part of Mother’s orders?]

[Umu, that’s right.]

[Yes, then it’s alright then.]

Emperor Zera’s gaze then falls on me.

[Now then, young lady.]

[……Yeah.]

[I will give all these Sacraments I created earlier to your Drunken Sword Party.]

[No———- No, no, just wait right there. These fellows only listen to your orders, right? Even if you leave them to us……]

[There’s no problem about that. I will order them to follow the orders of the Drunken Sword Party from now on, so they will listen to you and your group’s orders, young lady.]

Hearing his words, I couldn’t help but leak out a nasty smile.

[Now ain’t that just very convenient……]

[The work of your Drunken Sword Party is very important in this operation. I would need to ask you to exert yourself.]

[…………………….]

[Oya? Something on your mind, young lady?]

[Hmmm, no…… It’s not something to talk about. Don’t worry about it.]

[No, no, you don’t need to be reserved. You can talk to me about it.]

“Hmmm”, scratching the tip of my nose, I pondered about it.

[You see…… If we had a power like that, we could have had you and those Sacraments…… as a force against the Great Demon Emperor back then, is what I was thinking.]

[Ahh, that would be impossible.]

Saying this, Emperor Zera chuckled again while stroking his long white beard.

[I mean, I too used to be a human in this world…… Of course, I would be weakened under the influence of the Tyrant’s Miasma.]

[Then, what about those Sacraments?]

[Hmmm?]

[They were originally Golden-eyed monsters that wouldn’t be weakened by the Tyrant’s miasma…… We could have created a lot of them in the rear and sent them against the Great Demon Emperor’s army for a long time. While in that battle earlier, I remember hearing that they are soldiers who don’t need food or sleep, right?]

[On the contrary, that makes it all the more impossible, young lady.]

[ ? ]

[I said it earlier, didn’t I? That I “have received the power of the Goddess”.]

[Ahh———-]

[That’s right, it was just as you guessed. The power of the Goddess may be powerful, but the weak point of the Gods is the Great Demon Emperor…… Yes, their Tyrant’s Miasma. And I, who had been bestowed the power of a God, allowing me to create the Sacraments…… You know what that means, right?]

[Just like the origins of your power, the Goddess…… In other words, these Sacraments would be weakened under the influence of the Tyrant’s Miasma.]

That certainly makes sense.

Emperor Zera’s abilities may be beyond ordinary———-

But against the Great Demon Emperor, they’re nothing but useless forces.

That is why they were sent to Mira.

However, Oyamada, who is a Hero, isn’t affected by the Tyrant’s Miasma……

(No…… If this person had been brainwashed that he had become this different, I guess she couldn’t let him meet the other Heroes huh. Especially that S-rank Hero…… Sogou Ayaka. I can see the trouble happening if she were to see him……)

That’s why, she decided to have him go to a different place than the other Heroes and make use of him.

Naturally, the Goddess factored in the fact that me and the others, who she had hostages against, wouldn’t tell Sogou————-

(———-so that’s why. I suppose this means the subjugation of the Great Demon Emperor will be done by Heroes, excluding Oyamada……)

After that, Emperor Zera finished explaining the entire operation.

[And so……]

Rolling up the map, Emperor Zera put it away.

[Let’s start the operation.]

▽

Our Drunken Sword Party led the Sacraments to take control of a nearby fortress.

The weapons and armors we’ve obtained from the fortress were given to the Sacraments to arm themselves.

Urging the opponents to retreat, the soldiers who did were allowed to escape.

This was also in accordance with the plan.

Soldiers were successively being sent to the Imperial Capital.

The same goes for the cities and towns we passed on the way to the Imperial Capital.

They were to raid, gain control of their homes…… push the people to escape and allow them to evacuate.

The objective is to force the mass exodus of refugees to the Imperial Capital.

I had already read the intention of this operation.

[Tsk, what a horrible operation this is———, ……Well, the one conducting this operation is us though.]

However, one unexpected thing happened during the operation.

Shougo Oyamada disappeared.

Hearing the voices of people running away in the distance, I asked my Deputy, Foss.

[You found him?]

[No, he wasn’t here.]

Foss is brown-skinned, with his hair brushed back.

He uses bastard swords, and although he’s the Deputy Commander, he’s the Drunken Sword Party’s raid leader.

His role is mainly to lead the way in battle.

“Hmmm”, closing my eyes, I put my fingers to my forehead and thought.

[Who was the last one to see Oyamada?]

[It’s Bigg…… He lost sight of him near the north gate. No one in the city has seen Oyamada since then. Perhaps, he may not have participated in the raid itself…… My bad, even though I said I would keep an eye on him.]

[It can’t be helped. I was being mindful about what would happen to our people if we poorly try to stop him. You saw it yourself, didn’t you? The way Oyamada changed when he lost his temper…… You will never know what factors would suddenly make him flip out.]

“Phew”, with his hands on his hips, Foss sighed.

At the end of our gaze was the Sacraments loitering around…… and the city ablaze, with black fluttering smoke rising above.

Letting out an unenthusiastic sigh myself, I shook my head and asked, moving away from my earlier thoughts.

[What do you think?]

[I can’t imagine that Oyamada ran away. He seemed to have so much faith in the Goddess. He would definitely carry out his operation no matter what. It’s just…… In the first place, that doesn’t necessarily mean he said anything about working with us. Neither the Goddess nor Emperor Zera said anything about him working together with us either.

[So, Oyamada had planned to work independently…… That means he may or may not be around anymore.]

[Sorry.]

[It’s alright. We just have to do our roles.]

[Leader, I don’t think…… there are any more people left in the city.]

A magician-like woman wearing a pointy hat——— Drowa arrived.

She has a glamorous face.

She has great curves which attracts the attention of the opposite gender.

According to her, the reason for her revealing attire is to catch the eyes of others.

Following her was a young man with a gentle-looking face———– Juon.

He is shorter than Drowa and looks like her younger brother when they stand side by side.

[Well, this operation…… might be the largest scale for our group. As expected, I’m also quite nervous.]

[Now, now, it can’t be helped! Elder Sis had already decided after all!]

The next person to appear after Juon was a man with short hair.

A cheerful young man with a smile that suited him———- Pozik.

After him……

[Ahh, you three, couldn’t you wait for me? You walk too fast…… Irritating.]

A small woman with glasses follows them with a trot———— Izerna.

The occasional small curse at the end of her sentences were the same as always.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

[……Sorry, Leader. I should have kept a better eye on Oyamada.

Awkwardly appearing was Bigg, whose name had just been mentioned.

He is the oldest person in this operation, and the oldest member of the current Drunken Sword Party.

Foss tapped Bigg on the shoulder.

[Don’t worry about it, Bigg-san. You have always been the foundation of our Drunken Sword Party, and it’s because of you that we are where we are today.]

[That’s right, it’s as we always say.]

I continued.

[It’s important we first determine whether the failure was intentionally malicious or not. If it’s due to a lack of ability, then measures should be taken to prevent the same mistake from happening again. You also need to determine whether the individual needs to improve, find a replacement more suitable for the job, or have a group of people lend them a helping hand. And if they’ve said they’re sorry and their feelings have been conveyed, then it’s no longer time for them to be blamed. It’s better to just move on.]

[Ufufu…… As expected, I really like this part of the Drunken Sword Party.]

[Drowa-san, I’m also grateful for this kind of thing……]

[Right?]

[Right you are~~]

Crossing his arms, Pozik laughed.

[What! Don’t worry about it, grandpa Bigg! I’ve made plenty of mistakes myself! Isn’t that right, Elder Sis!?]

Hearing his words, I smiled…… and smacked him in the head.

[Ghuk!?]

[You should learn from your mistake, Pozik!]

[Y- Yes……]

Harmonious laughter rang out.

Meanwhile, Bigg lowered down his helmet, covering his eyes.

[……I’m sorry for troubling you, everyone.]

The seven people who are currently here can be said as the main core of the Drunken Sword Party.

Come to think of it……

It was a good long time ago……

But oddly enough——— we made up the same group when we dived into Urza’s Mills Ruins.

[……………………..]

I wonder why I suddenly remembered that now though.

As I watched everyone laughing together, trying not to darken the atmosphere even at a time like this, my eyes narrowed.

(For not a single one to die…… I suppose asking that may be too much. Well…… Maybe the only saving grace is that we aren’t sent here to commit a slaughter…… It’s just……)

Putting my hand on my neck, I cracked it a bit.

(If it could come true, I’d really like to go home…… together with everyone.)

Eventually, our other comrades joined up with our group———– and our Drunken Sword Party began aiming for our next objective.

With the White Army in tow.

[Author’s Notes]

The next chapter is scheduled to be updated on May 18th (Wednesday), around 9:00 pm.