Attack Operation (5)

Morning of day 3. Current forces were as follows.

"Whoa… seriously…?"

"Tremendous offensive…"

I came to check on Fort 1. Every fort was rough, but the toughest offensive of all was at Fort 1.

To counter that, while everyone else dispersed their forces, Melvis's party was hardly dispersing at all.

Undead Knight Yufi, Necromancer Tytis,

100 Undead Warriors, 6 skeleton warriors.

Dragon Zombie Necron, Unique Monster Ia of Immortal Abyss.

Boasting this formidable lineup, Melvis was, among our current defense lineup, unquestionably the strongest.

… But a mass of Magical Beasts far surpassing even that was surging in all at once.

"This much of an offensive… no wonder it was rough even for Ursula."

"… They were probably targeting Ursula.

… In the three attack operations I've experienced so far, I've never come under an offensive like this.

A Demon General showing up at all is a first.

… This is rough even for me."

"… This bad, but with a Demon General coming, the success rate is still 30%, huh…"

"Reida said it too, didn't she? Most Demon Generals are just combat-strength braggarts.

There are no few smart ones among the Demon Gods.

But, well, many of the failed attack operations get hushed up, don't they?

Even in the one I participated in, who failed is off-limits to disclose.

There must be mountains of failed attack operations like that. The actual success rate is much lower.

… The current top 4 of S-Class are in a class of their own.

For lower-S-Class Masters, success is the rare outcome…"

So Melvis informed me.

"… Even so, I don't intend to be okay with failing. I'm absolutely going to succeed."

"… Yes, your command is precise, the Garumon's ability is solid, and morale is high.

… In a normal attack operation, you'd succeed with room to spare.

This time, the Magical Beast side is exceptionally capable.

… I'll say it again: in the attack operations I've experienced…

Magical Beast attacks are far more scattered and random.

Like, a development just a bit harsher than day one dragging on for 7 days — that sort of thing.

Even Demon Generals are rarely this heads-up.

Even then, the Magical Beasts pouring in endlessly is itself a pain, and many Masters fail…"

"Yeah… avoiding heavy casualties from all-target attacks via moderate dispersal, deploying LV 100+ powerful Magical Beasts in various spots, hitting in waves… if I were leading the Magical Beasts, I'd have them act this way too."

"… Glad you're not an enemy.

So if you were leading our side, how would you direct me?"

"… Let's see. The Undead Warriors are LV 40, not all that strong.

Have them form a Shield Wall to funnel the flow of Magical Beasts.

Once they've bunched up to some extent, smash them with Necron's or Ia's all-target attacks.

That way we can use all-target attacks more efficiently."

"Shield Wall…"

"The Undead Warriors all have shields, right.

Overlap those shields and line them up tight with no gaps.

That way you can make a simple wall, and use it to funnel the Magical Beasts."

"Understood."

The Undead lined up that way and braced their shields firmly.

The Magical Beasts couldn't deal effective damage slashing over the shields, so they tried to go around.

That created a flow of Magical Beasts, gathering them at the center, so…

"Necron! Poison Breath!"

Dogoooooo!

One breath, and a whole net in one go.

"… Amazing. The moment you took command, efficiency doubled in an instant.

Where'd you learn techniques like this…?"

"There were no Garumon or skills in my home world. These kinds of combat techniques are well developed there."

… I said it with a smug face, but it was just stuff cribbed from manga.

I think "Otherworld knowledge OP" only works when a competent local properly recreates an otherworlder's vague knowledge.

The truly competent one was Melvis, who could properly command the Undead.

Yet Melvis was impressed with me.

A bit ticklish… well, if she thought I was amazing, fine.

Like Hannibal's Cannae encirclement that always shows up in war stories. If I could pull it off, I'd love to try.

But no matter how well you know how, actually executing it is just impossible…

Well, in a 100-versus-thousands fight, encirclement tactics didn't apply.

Melvis funneled the Magical Beast flow nicely, mopping up with Necron and Ia,

And Yufi and the skeleton warriors picked off the leavings. Tytis and Melvis handled buffs…

Like that, they fought in a balanced way, holding this most brutal battlefield firmly.

"Over there, enemy long-range troops! Yufi, even if you have to push yourself a little, crush them!"

"Understood.

Demon Art - Nosferatu!"

Yufi, charging while attacking, used a vitality-draining skill to wipe the group all at once.

She took damage but recovered more than that as she took them down.

Per my orders, she pushed herself past reason and crushed the enemy long-range troops.

"Suppression complete!"

"Good. Well done, Yufi."

Yufi smiled, looking happy. Cute…

"… Forgive an S-Class Master speaking down to you, but as expected — your direction was truly splendid."

"Thanks. It makes me happy to be praised by Melvis."

I smiled at Melvis.

"… If we can win this battle safely… it might be all right for me to serve you more in earnest.

You're capable, and… I find you a Master I've taken a strong liking to.

I too… may have, for the first time, met a Master I'd be willing to serve."

So Melvis told me, blushing slightly.

Oh… meeting as an enemy, defeating them and bringing them in as a companion isn't bad, but having someone meet you as an ally and accept you in the course of fighting alongside is also nice.

… Or rather, becoming a companion originally means that, right. This was normal.

Melvis kept defending Fort 1's great offensive solidly.

"At this rate, we should be okay. I'm going to go check the other forts."

"Yes, leave the rest to me. Thank you. I'll absolutely defend this fort."

At that moment…

"A-aah…"

Himeno once more held her head and groaned.

"… Himeno. Calm down. Where's being targeted?"

"A, a, aa…"

Himeno's gaze drifted, hollow and unfocused…

"… It's too late…"

She slumped down dejectedly.

I rushed to the communications equipment.

"Naoto-sama, from Fort 8… an emergency message from Kishilia-sama!"

A knight told me.

"Naoto! Moruna's been wounded! At this rate we can't hold the line!"

Kishilia reported in a hurried tone.

"Moruna-chan!?"

I rushed to Fort 8.

"… Moruna-chan!"

Moruna-chan had collapsed in a daze, incapacitated.

For our army's top-level Moruna-chan to fall.

"… Targeted by the Demon General. They seem to have aimed at the moment when Moruna's Magical Beast Awakening ran out.

They observed carefully and didn't miss the moment her strength weakened.

The opponent is truly skilled."

So Kishilia evaluated.

"In any case, let Moruna-chan rest.

… Vivia, I'll have you fill this gap. I really didn't want to make you fight your former comrades, the Magical Beasts, but… sorry."

"Y-yes! Understood! It's fine. Leave it to me!"

Vivia readily accepted.

She might not have had much sense of solidarity with the Magical Beasts as former comrades.

"Maintain the defense until Vivia can use Demon General Awakening, and once she activates it,

smash through the Magical Beast horde in one stroke with Demon Art - Maelstrom!"

"Yes!"

And so the defense of Fort 8 resumed.

"Barlin! Dragon Breath! Girolo, Bumir, on defense!

Kishilia!"

"Mn, Demon Order!"

I dashed about maintaining Fort 8.

But once Vivia activated Demon General Awakening, she swept the Magical Beast hordes in one fell stroke, and things got a lot easier.

"All right, how about the other battle lines…?

Whoa, gah…! Yuria's spot is in danger!

A B-Class Master's wounded…!

Setsuna, head to Yuria's spot!"

"Y-yes!"

Like this, plugging gaps as they opened, which then strained other places, exhausting them further…

The more we fought, the more fatigue accumulated.

… Day 3 ended.

That said, they didn't let us rest completely. Even at night there were intermittent raids.

"I'm sorry, I messed up…"

Right off, Yuria apologized.

It was true she had the most damage, but I didn't think Yuria was at fault.

Everywhere, military power was insufficient.

"No way. It can't be helped. Everyone's tired…"

I comforted Yuria.

… But I couldn't go to her side and hold her. We could only talk between hurried directions.

"Knight count of 404… started at 620, so by the math about 1/3 were taken out…"

After 3 days, 1/3 — by simple math, not a bad pace.

But fatigue had accumulated all around. Mistakes were increasing too.

Incapacitations rise, fighting strength dwindles.

From here, damage would mount accelerando.

… One more slip, and total collapse wouldn't be unexpected.

"In any case, Miria's existence is the nuisance.

Seika and Moruna-chan both fell to her…

To begin with, the Magical Beasts attacking with proper tactics is all on Miria's orders."

Demon General Miria. Vivia's friend, like an older sister.

Put like that, you'd almost look forward to what cute girl she'd be, but as an enemy she was a piece of work.

Her orders to the Magical Beasts were precise. Magical Beasts she commanded grew several-fold in combat strength.

She herself was a cool sniper, chipping away steadily with long-range attacks.

If she kept doing this to the inexhaustibly numerous Magical Beasts, we were in trouble.

"… No good. Staying on the back foot like this, all I see is a future of collapse.

As things stand, we're clearly at a disadvantage."

I said so frankly.

"Naoto, such weak words…"

I was rebuked by Ursula.

"It's not weakness. It's a stark fact.

Everyone's skill uses haven't fully recovered.

… Everyone's worn down. Fighting 4 more days as we are is rough.

We need a fundamental breakthrough… need to take some kind of action."

The effective counter against Vivia had been possible because Himeno foresaw Vivia's attack in advance.

Yet Himeno's foresight didn't work against Miria.

It was undeniable that Himeno was inexperienced, but probably part of it was that sudden long-range sniping — a method rarely used before — wasn't foreseeable.

"If foresight isn't usable, we just need to predict.

Thinking normally, since 7 and 8 were attacked, tomorrow there's a high chance 9 is targeted.

… The massive offensive against Fort 1 also has a hint of targeting Ursula."

"… Indeed, that is so."

"So… I thought up a strategy. It's a cowardly strategy, and I really hate it…

But it's for the sake of winning. With no consideration for appearances… I'll go for it.

I want everyone to cooperate. Vivia especially."

"Fueh…?"

Vivia let out a cute sound.

… Tomorrow was exactly the middle day of the attack operation. I'd make it… the decisive day.

So I resolved.

"First, change the deployment.

Kishilia, Moruna-chan's gone but Luna and Lizalind can probably fill the gap.

Lizalind knows you well, and Luna is strong.

You should be able to fill it.

The hole Lizalind leaves at Lyuka's spot will be filled by Leone.

Then to Fort 9 we'll bring Ursula, Libera, and Vivia together."

"… Myself, Libera, and Vivia, the three of us, to fight a Demon General?

Prepare a second party. With only the three of us, if we lose there's no follow-up. And if we lose, what awaits is death.

… That, I cannot accept."

"But pulling three out makes things rough everywhere. This is the limit…"

"What is rough? Compared to thy life, what is a crisis or two to overcome!"

I got scolded sternly.

… She was right. If I died, it was over. To fight a Demon General, we had to prepare fully.

"All right. I'll prepare a second party too.

Three more…"

"The line's been holding up, so I can send Setsuna. This time I'll do my best."

So Yuria offered.

"… Then I can manage without Luna too.

Lizalind and I will manage somehow. I've teamed with Lizalind all this time.

… Leave it to me."

So Kishilia offered.

"… Right, to fight a Demon General we need a Seraph's power. For Seika's portion too, the two of TriAngel, please make it work."

One more.

"I can send Adelia. We've grown plenty accustomed to this battle, and this Fort 5 has been stable with light pressure all along.

If push comes to shove, we can rely on Reida-san too."

So Maika proposed.

"All right, counting on you, Adelia."

That rounded out the second party.

With this, Fort 8 became quite rough…

"If Fort 8 gets rough, Suzanne — have one person who can be sent as reinforcement at any time."

"Yes, understood."

Suzanne responded. Fort 6's offensive was intense too, but Suzanne was holding up well.

… Everyone wore deep colors of fatigue. With this high-burden state going on another 4 days, everyone would break.

Tomorrow was the decisive battle. The whole attack operation… hung on this.

I steeled myself.