Ch.966Towards Albheim

The Hestella airship took flight on the morning of the second day after I persuaded Ophelia van Sigmillus. It happened right after I was fitted with temporary armor—Werebeast Champion leather reinforced with dragon scales.

My ministers expressed concerns that we were deploying too early, but…

“…Anyone would think you’re the ones going to war. If you wish to discuss strategy and tactics in my presence, first accumulate enough military achievements to earn that right.”

What would administrative officials who’ve never experienced proper combat know about fighting? Their words weren’t worth listening to.

“There’s no such thing as deploying too early. If anything, even this is slightly delayed.”

So I dismissed their opinions.

“Had circumstances allowed, I would have launched a counterattack immediately after repelling their assault. But given the situation, preparations took some time.”

With the airship ready to sail, the sooner we deployed, the better. Further delays would only strengthen the elves’ forces.

According to Ophelia’s report from dissecting the mass-produced Guardians, Alvheim created them by implanting branches of the World Tree into the spines of ordinary elves.

In other words, they could produce as many Guardians as they wanted as long as branches of the World Tree remained.

Considering they carefully selected and sent only twelve mass-produced Guardians to Hestella, their production speed didn’t seem particularly fast… but that was no reason to feel at ease.

Any process becomes faster with practice.

If the same applied to manufacturing mass-produced Guardians, giving them more time could lead to an exponential increase in their numbers.

So we needed to strike as quickly as possible.

Not waiting for my power to fully recover, but right now.

Besides, the ministers’ concerns were excessive worries to begin with.

While I am significantly weakened compared to my usual state as they believe, by the time we reach Alvheim’s airspace after the long journey, I won’t remain in this condition.

At the very least, I was confident I would be back at full strength by then.

Whether it was because the divine power I had consumed as fuel to create the Karma Sun was recovering, or for some other reason, the power of Karma was accumulating at an increasingly rapid pace.

So much so that I suspected Hersella, who had fallen asleep due to insufficient Karma of Murder, would awaken again within three days.

Therefore, I had no reason to delay any further. With no reason to wait, I could dismiss my ministers’ concerns and insist on launching the airship immediately.

—-

The massive airship roared through the sky, its sails emblazoned with scales and wolf emblems fluttering as it chased the setting sun.

To destroy Alvheim. To cremate those thousand-year-old ghosts who couldn’t abandon their vain ambitions, along with those very ambitions.

Though we numbered only thirteen, we carried enough power to surpass an army of ten thousand.

I leaned against the bow railing, enjoying the cool breeze while exhaling mint-scented smoke.

I surveyed the companions on deck with half-closed eyes.

Truly, each one was uniquely eccentric.

“I wonder if there are enough stones… I suppose I can use elf corpses as materials for homunculi…”

Ophelia—not a witch, but something that had transcended even witches.

“No, Senior Frider. What are you eating?”

Demian—stronger now, but still not reliable, and quick to challenge me the moment I showed any weakness.

“Hehehe… the night breeze feels so refreshing…”

Perneisia—an alcohol enthusiast with alcohol instead of blood in her veins, who earned Ophelia’s admiration and respect through her cruel and inhumane elf abuse techniques.

“Ugh… this tastes absolutely disgusting! Demian, purification miracle, quickly!”

And Frider—who abandoned her stable future as the Snow Blizzard Princess to become a poison-drinker, driven by her burning desire to get back at me.

“……”

Looking at them all together, there’s not a single normal human among them.

I couldn’t help but sigh. It was rather disturbing how I’d managed to gather such lunatics.

“Why are you looking at me like thaaat? Want a drink too…?”

“…I don’t drink.”

Well, what could I do? These four lunatics were Hestella’s greatest fighting force at present. I had to accept it as my fate.

Yes, what did it matter if my allies were full of madmen? As the only sane person, I just needed to stay sharp and act accordingly.

Reaffirming my responsibility as the only normal person and leader, I tapped the burnt ash from my cigarette, letting it fall into the night sky where the moon had begun to rise.

It would take ten more days to reach Alvheim’s great forest.

Barring accidents or unforeseen changes, everything would be decided within fifteen days at most.

That fifteen days would be the World Tree’s remaining lifespan.

Though that was merely my hope.

—-

And then an accident happened.

“KRRARARARA—!”

“Imperial First Knight Division! Deploy immediately! We must destroy its wings before Lord Perseval’s strength fails!”

“Long-range mana cannons charging! Full barrage in 17 seconds! 16, 15…!”

“Unidentified airship detected in the right rear! Presumed to be a Hestella vessel!”

“Hestella? Leave them be for now! The dragon takes priority!”

A roar that tore through the clouds and shook the sky.

A black dragon with wings spread wide spewed lava-like breath toward someone, while two airships facing it released smaller vessels—no, small ships—and aimed their cannons at the dragon.

A battle between dragon and humans. A fierce fight we encountered just two days after crossing from Hestella’s airspace into Imperial territory.

“Charging complete!”

“All crew brace for impact! Commence firing!”

The captains of both airships raised their great swords toward the dragon and shouted loudly. Perhaps they amplified their voices with magic, as we could hear them clearly despite the distance.

“Fire!”

Then.

– KWAAAANG!

Two long-range mana cannons mounted on each airship’s deck. A total of four gun barrels spewed fire with a roar that rivaled the dragon’s.

Shells made of dragon bone covered with dragon scales became four streaks of light, racing relentlessly toward the black dragon.

The pinnacle of the Imperial weapons system, born from dwarven foundational technology combined with the blood and tears of all Tower researchers, including Floheta.

“KRRR!! Insolent…!”

Perhaps even the dragon, member of the strongest terrestrial race, couldn’t ignore their power.

The black dragon stopped its breath attack and growled, then spread its wings wide and spewed a storm of lightning.

– CRACKLE!

A dark blue web of lightning spread wide like a spider’s web, tearing the air apart with massive electrical charges.

– KWANG! PUNG! KWAAANG!

The shells that touched the edges of the web exploded with violent sparks and scattered. All except one.

– PUUUNG!

The last shell, half-melted from contact with the lightning web but not completely destroyed.

It penetrated one of the dragon’s front legs instead of its targeted wings, leaving a wound five times larger than its diameter with its immense physical force.

“KRAAAAAAAK!”

The black dragon, with one front leg blown off at the skeleton, howled fiercely in humiliation and agony.

– KWAOOOO!

Lava-like breath erupted from its wide-open maw. The scorching breath shooting straight toward the airship—

“Where are you aiming? I am still alive!”

With someone’s resolute cry, the breath inexplicably bent vertically upward like a joke.

Ah. That must be the current Imperial First Sword Eugene Perseval’s Tale of Heroes.

【 Guardian’s Chalice 】

A Tale of Heroes that draws all nearby attacks toward himself, serving as an invincible shield preventing the airship’s sinking.

Seeing it in person, it’s truly insane. That’s practically suicide.

From what I’ve heard, Perseval’s Tale of Heroes only draws attacks toward himself without any ability to protect himself from those attacks.

Using such a Tale of Heroes to block a dragon’s breath was literally something only someone willing to risk their life could attempt.

Unless he was confident in dodging the dragon’s breath coming his way, failing to evade meant burning to death while blocking an attack meant for someone else.

“Load the next shell! Hurry!”

“Begin reverse thrust! Full speed backward until charging is complete!”

The two airships, having confirmed the ambiguous results of their first barrage, backed away with busy noise. They seemed intent on staying out of the dragon’s attack range until their mana cannons recharged.

“Small airships, disperse! Target both sides of the beast!”

Conversely, the small airships carrying Imperial knights and mages spread out to attract the dragon’s attention, charging toward it. Having witnessed the wide-area lightning storm earlier, they circled around the beast without daring to approach too closely once they narrowed the distance somewhat.

“What should we do? Should we help them?”

Ophelia, watching from our deck, turned to me and asked. I understood her desire to help, but her question implied whether it was wise to waste our resources here when we were on our way to face Alvheim.

“Hmm…”

Just as I put down my cigarette and opened my mouth to answer—

“What are you saying? Of course we should help!”

With a flash of light, Demian, who had been standing behind me, suddenly disappeared. Using coordinate shifting to teleport away, he left no time for me to stop him.

Ah, really. That bastard.

I should just catch him and rip his legs off.

I had actually intended to help the Imperial forces from the beginning, but seeing him rush out before I could finish speaking made me laugh involuntarily at the absurdity.

Right. He has many flaws, but he is the Hero of the Holy Sword after all.

Indeed, how could a Hero ignore people threatened by a dragon?

“Ophelia, tell those below. Prepare the mana cannons.”

…And the same goes for a Saint.

“So we can’t just pass by after all…”

“Right. Let’s consider it a toll payment to Leopold.”

I extinguished my cigarette underfoot and drew Durandal from my waist, drawing upon my Karma power. All of my half-filled Good Karma and less than thirty percent of my Karma of Murder.

[Hmm, you intend to fight in that condition?]

Hersella, who had awakened the day before, whispered to me.

[How interesting.]

She kept snickering, seemingly delighted by my willingness to engage in a fight I could have avoided.