Ch.43Chapter 43. Conquering Symphonia (1)

Chapter 43. Symphonia Raid (1)

Princess Dina’s proposal had an enormous effect.

[Fallen Power Knight: Anyone join Dina’s special forces?]

[BasementFirstChoice: Is there no chance with the Pope?]

[PooPooPoom: I have two hidden skills! I can get stronger quickly! Please check my message!]

[UsingPresidentialPower: Only salvation… join Dina’s special forces…]

[TrustedMonkeyMister: This chilling sensation… time to return as ‘Demon Slayer’…!]

The name “Dina’s Special Forces” had already been coined.

There were many applicants, but few who met the conditions, as the wails of various users echoed throughout the community.

As for me, I’m just enjoying the reactions while waiting for Tuntuni’s return.

Still, it’s nice to see the energetic cries of people rather than responses like “save me” or “it’s all over now.”

At least everyone has hope now. I wish the number of users making extreme choices would decrease.

That doesn’t mean I’m thinking, “Princess Dina will somehow take care of everything~ What’s the big deal about ROA lol.”

Princess Dina claimed that several paladins of level 8 or higher would be needed to defeat the cloud demon.

How many paladins have reached level 8? One? Two? I’m skeptical.

How much time will be needed to form a special team and eliminate the cloud demon?

I was transported into ROA 2-3 months ago, George’s raid team was annihilated a year ago.

The first post appeared in the community 2 years ago.

It took 2 years for a level 8 user to appear in the community.

Of course, there was no way to confirm whether Princess Dina was an early user or not.

Princess Dina had only posted four times in total, including the three recent ones, so I couldn’t figure it out.

How many more years will it take to gather enough forces to fight the cloud demon? 2 years? 3 years?

How many more people will die in the meantime?

With perfect timing, I received a private message from Hanna.

[NotACatfish: I just reached level 5]

[NotACatfish: Somehow killed several lesser demons]

[Good]

See? Hanna is steadily growing too.

Whether it’s Dina’s Special Forces or whatever, the fact that I need to step up remains unchanged.

It’s not that I have some tremendous sense of justice.

But I’m also not shameless enough to try to survive alone while fellow earthlings who follow me are dying.

I’ve already succeeded in surviving.

I’m an immortal, after all. One who might survive even if all totems are destroyed.

I must keep moving forward.

With confidence that when I’m strong enough, I’ll be more powerful than the necromancer Charon or the cloud demon.

Those monsters who have taken so many lives.

I don’t care about anything else, but I really want to catch those two.

I need to give them a “ROA punch” to feel better.

[Solar has become a follower.]

This message means Tuntuni has arrived at the Ashen Mist tribe.

You’ve really gotten faster, our Tuntuni.

I used the “Divine Descent” blessing on a barbarian named Solar.

Without a totem, I can communicate through Divine Descent.

“Ma, Malak, are you with me right now?”

Solar was a priestess in her mid-40s.

– Yes. I have descended upon you.

“I-I am Solar, daughter of Bajawa and Dota, priestess of the Ashen Mist tribe!”

I scanned the Ashen Mist tribe while listening to her introduction.

Tuntuni wasn’t visible, having apparently just delivered the letter, and other barbarians were staring blankly at Solar.

“Pr-Priestess? One of your eyes is burning blue!”

Solar confidently answered a barbarian’s question.

“ROA is with me now!”

“Ooooh!”

“Malak! Is it really Malak?!”

Let me say something for my enthusiastic fans.

I briefly took over Solar’s mouth.

– I am ROA Malak. Ashen Mist tribe, it’s nice to meet you.

“Woooooah!”

“ROA! It’s ROA Malak!”

“Lord Malak!”

“I can die happy now…!”

Some barbarians were so excited they were jumping up and down.

“What?! ROA Malak?! Where!”

A muscular female barbarian rushed out from a tent some distance away.

Not the nice, compact model-type muscles like Lakye’s, but bulging bodybuilder muscles like Kanto’s.

No lie, if I fought her in my earthling body, I’m confident I’d be crushed in under a second.

Did she build her body with charging like Kanto?

“M-Mother! It’s true! ROA Malak is really…!”

Solar nodded.

“He is with me now.”

“W-waaaaaah-!”

The muscle woman suddenly let out a scream-like shriek. Just how moved was she?

With a thud, she knelt down.

“I am Hela, daughter of Yabu and Solar! And also the chief of the Ashen Mist tribe!”

– Chief Hela. I’ll remember that.

I calmed the excited barbarians and conveyed my message.

I also delivered my usual repertoire.

“Ah, you mean that civilized person! So he was truly a follower of Malak!”

Hela scratched her head.

This woman’s voice is so booming that every sentence ends with an exclamation mark.

– However, do not tell him that I have descended upon this land.

“Understood!”

Hela answered vigorously and suddenly pounded her chest.

That must be her way of showing she’ll keep it in mind? She hit herself pretty hard though—I wonder if it hurt.

I gave Hela and Solar the manual for dealing with the captive paladin and ended the Divine Descent.

I didn’t forget to tell them to make my totem. My role is now complete.

Whether the Morning Tent Knight will live with the barbarians or just take food and leave is up to him.

If things go well, he might become the first barbarian knight. He seems a bit dim-witted, but not a bad fellow, so that would be fine too.

Now once Tuntuni arrives, our war preparations will be complete.

***

Squeak~!

As soon as Tuntuni arrived, I went on a reconnaissance mission with Lakye.

Not just any reconnaissance, but scouting the enemy leadership.

We plan to secretly infiltrate the city to identify the mid-level demon in charge of this region and the lesser demons under it.

Lakye is perfect for this job with her excellent mobility and stealth.

She also has enough combat power to escape if discovered.

“I’ll speak quietly from here on.”

Lakye, carrying Totem #3 on her back, whispered softly. The city was already right in front of us.

I didn’t respond. If I answered while in Totem #3 state, my voice would echo.

Since I can’t control it, I plan to use Divine Descent when I need to speak.

Divine Descent is like a private message, only heard by the blessed person.

Lakye entered the city through the sewers.

She seemed to move faster than before, probably because she wasn’t wearing armor.

When I told her we needed to move very stealthily, she changed clothes.

Instead, she wore civilized clothing looted from another village, which looked like… well, like a female thief outfit often seen in fantasy games.

Harry explained it was the work attire worn by assassins from an assassination guild, but to me, it just looked like a typical sexy female thief costume.

They attempt assassinations in clothes like this? Are they trying to kill by causing nosebleeds?

I decided to accept it as game-like allowance. It was still unclear whether this world was a game or not.

“…The smell is terrible. The worshippers don’t clean the sewers, it seems.”

Lakye wrinkled her face.

Phew. I’m glad I don’t have a nose.

Moving nimbly and perking up her ears, Lakye carefully opened a manhole cover and emerged into a dark alley.

It’s not the time to think about this, but Lakye perking up her ears is quite cute.

Have you ever seen a dog resting at home perk up its ears and tilt its head when it hears its owner coming?

That’s exactly what she looks like.

People who have raised dogs would have seen it. Even if you haven’t, you’ve probably seen it on YouTube.

Lakye’s intelligent and bright yellow eyes remind me of a dog, which is probably why she appears that way to me.

Strictly speaking, isn’t Lakye also a dog? After all, her father is a wolf.

So is Lakye a wolf-person? Suddenly getting furry vibes here.

While I was having these useless thoughts, Lakye climbed onto a roof and surveyed the surroundings.

Well, people shouldn’t only have serious and grave thoughts.

Just because the world is dark fantasy doesn’t mean I have to be dark too.

Sometimes these useless thoughts help recharge my energy.

“The mid-level demon seems to live over there.”

I looked in the direction Lakye was staring. A large mansion with a spacious yard came into view (through Totem #3).

It was quite clean, probably managed by worshippers.

Hey, mid-level demon bastard, if you’re going to do that, manage the sewers too.

The worshippers acting as mansion guards were well-armed.

They patrolled the mansion with swords, shields, and armor, moving with disciplined precision.

The mid-level demon has a different class of worshippers.

This doesn’t look like an easy opponent.

“A demon is trying to enter the main gate. Seems to be a lesser one.”

I shifted my gaze to the main gate.

A dark-furred beast over 3 meters tall was opening the door.

It was an orangutan demon with long arms.