Chapter 29: To the Battlefield

Upon entering the Adventurers’ Guild building, we were met with a scene of chaos—as if we’d stepped onto a battlefield—with furious shouts echoing everywhere.

“District C has been breached!”

“Doctors! Aren’t there any? Even someone who can cast healing magic will do!”

“Prepare the Tanka! Their legs are blown off—they can’t walk properly!”

“There are too many of them! We should abandon this town and retreat!”

“Where’s the branch manager?”

“If it’s the branch manager, they’re fighting on the front lines!”

We couldn’t help but be taken aback by a situation that was worlds apart from what we witnessed this morning.

In the lobby—which would normally be filled with cheerful chatter—countless injured people lay sprawled about.

Dozens of doctors in white coats were busily tending to the wounded, but it was clear there simply weren’t enough hands.

Some even had white cloth draped over their faces.

It seemed there were casualties as well.

What on earth could have happened?

With a sense of foreboding, we hurried to the reception desk.

“District C’s defenses have been breached! Anyone who’s free, please help evacuate the residents immediately! And District A—ah! 9th-sama!”

As we neared the reception, the busy receptionist—who had been issuing orders—noticed Sylha.

“You’re earlier than I expected! Did you hear about the situation from the messenger we sent to your home?”

“Messenger…? No, I don’t know anything about that.”

“Maybe there was a mix-up.”

Perhaps, as Professor Zenon said. None of us had been sent here—we were just here to earn a living.

But sending a messenger to our home… it must mean that something truly grave is unfolding.

“Ah, you’re Sage-sama! Why are you with 9th-sama!?”

“Due to various circumstances, I ended up joining this party as well. Nice to meet you?”

“As expected of 9th-sama’s party. I never imagined that Sage-sama would be among its ranks… How reassuring! I’ll explain the situation in detail, so let’s move to a different room.”

The receptionist led us into a small private room.

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“So? What in the world is all this commotion about? It looked as if a war had been launched or something!”

Liluria was the first to speak.

“Perhaps it might be even worse than war…”

“Monsters—they’re attacking!”

“Oh, really? …Eh, that’s all?”

Sylha’s eyes widened in surprise.

Monsters attacking humans is as ordinary in this world as fish swimming in the sea. Even if monsters suddenly attacked, I never thought it would cause such an uproar.

“Of course, it’s not the usual case of a few dozen monsters attacking. We’re talking about an estimated 100,000 monsters storming in!”

“100,000?! Is that really true?! Where on earth were so many monsters hiding?!”

Even if we gathered every monster from around Rozy’s border, that number would be hard to reach. After all, adventurers are constantly hunting monsters for money—there shouldn’t be that many at any one time. So why would such a massive horde suddenly attack this country…?

“…Perhaps a special individual has appeared?”

At that, Professor Zenon—lost in thought—mumbled, “Indeed, Sage-sama. That’s exactly what the Adventurers’ Guild has been thinking. Around noon, monsters—normally not known for coordinated behavior—suddenly launched a simultaneous assault near the border, as if they were an army. Based on the information we’ve gathered, the higher-ups suspect that a special individual resembling the 【Command Tower】 from the past has reemerged.”

“I see. Of all things, it’s a brain-type special individual… And to think it’s the reappearance of the 【Command Tower】—that’s just the worst. The area around Rozy already has its share of monsters; it seems misfortune is stacking up.”

At the mention of misfortune, I shot a sidelong glance at Liluria. Surely her bad luck hasn’t somehow spread to the entire country, has it…?

Receiving my look, Liluria immediately seemed to understand what I meant. She shook her head vigorously.

Really? It seems a bit suspicious, though normally, just being unlucky wouldn’t result in something this extreme, right?

“Individually, each monster isn’t much of a threat, but when this many attack all at once, it’s just too much… The Adventurers’ Guild, along with the national guards and knights, are doing everything they can to defend the country, but frankly, they’re overwhelmed.”

The receptionist said that and pulled out a sheet of paper.

It was a request form. Apparently, it was a targeted commission meant for us.

“Therefore! We are now commissioning you—the strongest party in this country! Please, locate and defeat that special individual! And save this country!!”

The receptionist pleaded with us, rubbing her head on the desk as she implored. The Adventurers’ Guild holds no real authority over us adventurers, so they have no choice but to beg with their heads bowed.

Liluria, Sylha, and Professor Zenon all turned to look at me, their expressions silently affirming their trust in my decisions as the party leader.

I knew I had to think calmly. My decision held all of our lives in the balance. Perhaps I even held the fate of everyone in this country in my hands.

I closed my eyes and thought deeply. After careful deliberation, I reached a conclusion.

“We’ll take this home and discuss it with the entire party before making a final decision. Thank you for today.”

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“Ugh, why did you agree to take the request?! Everyone was giving me that ‘leave it to me’ look!”

“I never expected you’d come up with such an indecisive answer!”

“Yeah. I was planning to run away if you said so, but I never thought you’d postpone the decision at a time like this…”

“Surprisingly, darling, you’re indecisive. Well, I guess you were just worried about our well-being or something.”

My desperate, hasty decision was met with a torrent of criticism from my party members.

What can you do? Do you think someone as ordinary as me could make such an important decision in just a few minutes? People’s lives are at stake here!

If we were Japanese, we’d probably hold endless meetings to dilute our responsibility before finally reaching a conclusion. So what I did wasn’t indecision at all—it was a proud, honorable postponement, typical of a true Japanese spirit.

But my party members—who aren’t Japanese—didn’t seem to appreciate my passionate Yamato spirit. They unilaterally accepted the request and dragged me outside.

…No matter how you look at it, that’s not the proper treatment for a leader.

Mounted on the horses provided by the Guild, we rode off. We were already far from the city, and it looked like we would soon reach the border—the very battlefield.

Ugh, why do I, an aspiring NEET, have to end up on a battlefield?!

I clung even tighter to Sylha, who was expertly guiding the horse. At that moment, the only thing keeping me sane was feeling the warmth of her back.

“Hey, Ao! If you keep clinging like that, you’re making me blush!”

Even in such a tense situation, Sylha was blushing and acting as girlish as ever.

“Hey, Ao! You’re clinging too much! Get a little further away!”

Riding alongside us were Professor Zenon and Liluria.

Liluria was shouting something, but I decided to ignore her. What if you let go even a little and I fall off?

I couldn’t let this chance to cling to Sylha in such a perfectly legal way pass me by. As our noisy banter and excitement grew, we finally caught sight of the front lines.

“What… is that…?”

There, in view, were adventurers, guards, and knights.

And then――――

Monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters monsters

From afar, it appeared as a black mass stretching to the horizon. But when I looked closer, I confirmed that each individual was a monster with its own free will, forming an army.

Goblins, kobolds, orcs, trolls, orcs, harpies, gargoyles, golems.

They varied in size, species, and strength.

Though they were so disparate, they were somehow united as they advanced toward Rozy’s city.

Is this the power of that special monster known as the 【Command Tower】?

I announced to everyone, staring at this surreal sea of monsters.

“All right, let’s run!”