29 – How the tables have turned

The battle silently began. The kingdom’s troops began their advance just as scheduled and made contact with the enemy. Kaguya and the others, who were quite a few ways behind the frontlines, felt the air of the battlefield with their skin.

But the situation was a bit different from expectations.

It is certain that the allies’ strength increased quite a lot. Even Kaguya who was half in doubt could see in plain sight that they had the advantage in terms of numbers.

However, she didn’t feel as if their enemies were being reduced. It is not like she herself entered the battlefield to confirm but, they didn’t seem weakened to the point of being halved.

Even so, the progress of the battle was going favorably. The human side had charged a number of times in the field and were scattering the demon race as if ripping scraps of paper. There was not even a single instance where their side was forced back.

It was a progress that would make one think the only thing left is the inside of the fortress. The kingdom and also the empire pushed their troops until the front of the fortress. The front part of the fortress that was widely open by the demons themselves. Consequently, there were quite the numbers that began flooding the fortress.

The morale was high. It was just a matter of time before they could assault the inside of the fortress.

But all these chain of events in the battle were done without the assistance of the heroes, and the empire has not made any reports of the demon general appearing. All these points made Kaguya have doubts. The alarms inside her head were ringing at full force, trying to tell her something.

“Ne, Leo. This is kind of weird. No matter the circumstances, this is way too easy. This place is the impregnable fortress right?”

“Yeah, there’s no way this will end without us doing anything. Could it be that the empire’s hero-sama is doing quite the participation?”

“But! As long as we conquer the gate, the battle will be decided! Finally we will be able to do the first step to revive the continent!” (Cassius)

Even Mina was getting a bit used to the battlefield, but she still held fear of the air in it. It was like she was somehow able to stay firm by staying at everyone’s side, but she also felt it was a bit weird.

“I just can’t brush off this bad feeling. Irina, Mina-chan. Just in case, prepare a suspended spell formation for defense barrier and high-speed movement.”

“But doing that for everyone is impossible. It would cost me an eye to even do our surroundings. Besides, I'm a warrior based class and barely learned that skill for myself.” (Mina)

The amount of magic power doesn’t directly relate to the range a spell can reach. She was not good at expanding the area of her spells.

“If it’s only the party, I can cast the high-speed movement. But all the unit is just impossible. I am not a spirit after all. And my healing abilities will be reduced during it.” (Irina)

Irina, on the other hand, didn’t have as much magic power amount as Mina. Even if she is able to control it, the usable magic power couldn’t handle it.

“Then I don’t mind if it’s only us. We are doing nothing anyways, so please.”

While having puzzled feelings, the two of them accept the request of the hero. They form the spell and leave it in a standby state. They are still a hero party after all. This level of feat is possible for them.

If it were me, what would I prepare? The thing I would do if the empire army and the kingdom army gathered in one place would be…

Kaguya ponders. The cliffs at both sides of Urkbezl. It was originally a fortress that worked as a bottleneck. Rather, she didn’t understand why the demon race had the front part of the fortress, which was narrow to begin with, open before the battle, making it easier to assault. To have soldiers stationed on the cliffs and have them attack from above. But that is already something they have been doing. The army received attacks from the upper part of the fortress and the cliffs.

Could it be… the one where walls on the left and right close in like in the movies of treasure hunters? That is exactly what one would use when the enemy is advancing in a narrow path. Just what in the world do they plan on doing? Well, if I can at least make it so we can return to the camp, we should be able to cope with most of anything that could come… probably.

This is madness. This was truly a space where madness took control. Even though the goal is right in front of their eyes, the soldiers that are in the front line could only see the gate and the capitulation of it. Moreover, in the battlefield before the gate that should normally only have front line soldiers, there are units from the middle area and even spell casters that should be in the rear. Furthermore, the same was happening with the Empire’s army.

“Ah, the gate is…”

“Opening!”

Leo and Cassius’s words. Kaguya thought those were her own words, but she felt relief that it would end in just her pointless fears.

But at that moment, when everyone charged in towards the open gates...

The pointless fears that Kaguya had thrown away, had suddenly become real.

The ground… collapsed.

In a fortress that is on the top of a gentle hill road, just before the gates the ground opened up. Everything. It collapsed in a breath. Saying it more precisely, it disappeared. Below it, darkness. Even when taking into account it was night, the scenery below still felt like a deep gorge.

"The ground… disappeared?!"

Was it surprise or stupefaction? A strange space with the voice of no one spread in the battlefield. Just how many managed to understand that the ground had disappeared just like the Kaguya?

“Irina! Mina-chan!”

Kaguya had prepared just in case, so she was able to react faster than anyone else. It was a situation where the two spells prepared could serve.

After another few seconds later, the spell activated and Kaguya’s party was able to avoid dropping. A faint light blue barrier is activated as well and a magic defense dome was created.

“Aaa… aaahh…”

The voices of the falling allies were heard by the party.

There is no way to know how far this hole continued on, but since they didn’t prepare any countermeasures for it, the result that was awaiting them could already be predicted.

More than half of their forces fell inside the Abyss. While constantly praying that the ones who fell were able to cope with it somehow on their own, Kaguya, without caring about the place, yelled out words to her party as if trying to suppress the scream that was trying to come out.

“Cassius, for now return up! Please try to move as much to the rear as possible. Mina and Leo will come with me and find as many units remaining as possible. Irina, support us and provide healing, okay?!”

Kaguya looks up. It is something to be expected but… arrows and stones, as well as spells of many colors began to rain at them.

“… Fuck! We can't do that!"

"Change of plans. Until we are able to return up, intercept! Come out as well Horn! We are going to survive!”

While Kaguya calls from the silver belt the guardian eagle beast, Horn, her words were also to encourage herself, but inside her heart, despair was spreading.