291 The Elven Village Defense and Assault ①

Second chapter posted. If you haven't read the previous chapter, please start from there.

Regardless of everything, the only remaining task is to break the barrier and breach the entrance.

But as for this barrier—seeing it with my own eyes, it's terrifying.

One word: overwhelming.

Not just strong—overwhelming.

That’s how dire the barrier truly is.

Its strength is such that even the Demon King cannot break it—already an anomaly.

The Demon King’s stats are just below the cap, around ninety thousand.

If even that cannot breach it, then within the parameters of this world’s stat system, destruction is impossible.

It would require a Limit Break.

And yet, such a barrier cannot be created by the system’s power.

Therefore, this barrier was crafted using technology outside the system’s influence.

And in this world, technology outside the system’s influence—there’s only one kind.

A super-technology utilizing MA energy.

Moreover, this barrier consumes MA energy at a prodigious rate to maintain its integrity.

Who would have thought someone would actually consider using such an absurd barrier?

This is nothing short of a defective device that shortens a star’s lifespan with every use.

Black, why did you leave this unattended for so long?

Well, that’s changed today.

There’s only one solution for something this dangerous—destroy it immediately.

Thus, the golden bat is retrieved!

Time for grilling!

“Huh?”

The Demon King makes a foolish sound, but this bat is extraordinary.

After all, it came from House D.

A convenience item from the one-use series, second installment!

With a full swing, marvels occur!

Anything solid, reduced to splinters!

Even the barrier—no exception.

Frankly, breaking this barrier with my own power alone would have been quite difficult.

My base stats are rather unbalanced, so.

There's a risk of excessive MA energy consumption, if I'm not careful.

So I use whatever's available.

Even if it's a D-class item!

The imperial army is about to unleash a great spell.

I'll time my swing to match.

Then.

Batter's box, ready!

Shiro, hit it!

Home run!

What an extraordinary feat!

I swung the bat in perfect synchronization with the imperial army's great spell.

The bat shattered the barrier into fragments, and the bat itself broke apart upon completion of its purpose.

Hmm.

Then, let's go.

"Shiro, what was that bat just now? It radiated something dreadfully ominous."

"Evil One, there are many things in this world better left unknown."

The Evil One inquires about the bat, but I'd prefer not to elaborate on the D-class convenience item it was.

Convenient, yes—but after use, nothing but fear remains.

It's because it was made by that D, after all?

Feels like there's some really powerful curse attached to it—scary, isn't it?

I check thoroughly, confirm there’s nothing like that, then use it.

Given who he is, it wouldn't be surprising if he bypassed my inspection entirely.

Still, they use it when necessary.

It's convenient, that's all!

Even so, only one remains.

The clock was used against black, and the bat was used up just now.

There should have been another card, but somehow it disappeared.

Where was it again?

Now is not the time for words. Action is all that matters.

From a vantage point spanning a thousand miles, the entire elven settlement lay exposed. With the barrier gone, the elves panicked. The imperial forces advanced boldly, led by Natsume, their morale high.

Focus on the Reincarnated Residents' Quarter.

No sign yet of the elves acting against the Reincarnated Residents.

A contingent of my subsidiary forms—gastric fluid sisters—has been discreetly positioned within the barrier, as a precaution. Should anything occur, immediate extraction remains possible.

There is an air of discord among the Reincarnated Residents themselves. Could this be the Pope’s spy, Ogihara, infiltrated under false pretenses?

Something seems amiss.

Hmm. Still, no issue if left unattended.

While the elves’ attention remains fixed on the Imperial forces, we shall proceed with our own duties.

Thus, movement initiated.

I lead, guiding the Demons forward.

I alone could traverse via teleportation, but the Demons cannot.

Moreover, using teleportation would likely trigger spatial disturbances, revealing our movements.

Possibly already detected. Possibly not. For now, maintain stealth operations.

Choose a place without elves and press forward.

Dash through the forest at the absolute limit of what the demon puppet, Talatekt, can follow.

Even so, maintain long-range surveillance without pause.

Despite the desperate search by the gastric sisters, Potimas’s precise location remains unknown.

Seems thoroughly concealed.

Typical of Potimas’s caution.

Yet the fact that he cannot be found is itself a clue to his whereabouts.

If they have searched this extensively and still not found him, he must be in a place that cannot be found.

Still, the option of being outside the village is impossible.

Potimas would not risk placing his core outside the barrier he has erected—especially one of that magnitude.

His core must be within the most secure barrier.

And within that barrier, in a location that remains undetectable.

With that logic, the location becomes clear.

Underground.

There’s nowhere else it could be, if it can’t be found by searching the surface thoroughly.

What we must locate is the passage leading underground.

But there’s no need to search.

No robot built with the super-technology that Potimas should possess was present on the surface.

Therefore, it must be concealed underground, just like Potimas’s core.

This attack cannot be survived without deploying those forces.

They will be brought in at some point.

Once they emerge, we strike.

The point where they emerge must be the path to Potimas.

Even as I say this, the ground about a kilometer ahead splits open, and robots swarm out.

Wow.

Looks like something out of a certain war movie.

Four arms, four legs.

Each of the four arms has a firearm attached.

A robot, out of place in this fantasy world—something straight from a certain sci-fi war film.

The robot emerged onto the ground and immediately began moving toward them.

Seems the enemy had already detected their position.

It moved through the forest with agile precision, using all four limbs at high speed.

Fast.

Converted to stat value, approximately 5,000.

For me and the Demon Lord, such speed is negligible. But the Puppet Talatects might struggle.

The Puppet Talatects each exceed 10,000 in stat value, but the exact destructive potential of the robot’s mounted weapons remains unknown. And there are too many of them.

"Engagement. I will handle it."

A brief report to the Demon Lords.

Without pause, they accelerated, activating magic just before the robot came into visual range.

Shadows burst forth in multiple projectiles, descending upon the robot legion.

The robot offered little resistance before being pierced and destroyed.

...fragile.

Is this Potimas's strength?

No, surely not.

It couldn't be just junk like this.

Still, the entrance to the underground was found.

Ignoring the wreckage of the destroyed robot, they reached the entrance from which the robot legion had emerged.

The entrance cover attempted to close hastily, but was forcibly held open.

In fact, the cover was shattered outright.

The entrance the robot legion had emerged from was a steep downward slope.

Below lay Potimas.

The Demon King glanced toward the魔王, who nodded silently and descended without a word.

From here on, the Demon King would proceed alone.

That was his wish.

We would not interfere.

Only a tiny, detached fragment followed, unseen.

Don't die, Demon King.

Then, I shall do what I am capable of.