Palinkron’s location and the direction Sis flew in match. If we head straight, we should eventually catch up to Sis’s back.
While thinking about how to move to catch up to Sis the fastest, I expand my ‘Dimension’. In the process, I sense that Cork soldiers are gathering around the mansion.
“Before I knew it, we’re surrounded… No, it’s natural since we fought so spectacularly twice…”
Rather, it’s a wonder we haven’t been attacked yet.
Maria reacts to my muttering.
“After the fight with the Guardians, soldiers came to check on the mansion. Since they didn’t do anything, I left them be…”
“The soldiers are probably waiting for reinforcements, unsure of the situation. Anyone would be wary seeing how this garden has changed.”
The ground is gouged out, yet plants are growing lushly. Anyone would be bewildered by such a sudden change in just one night.
Besides, the residual magic power remaining in the garden is also strong. It’s natural that the soldiers aren’t carelessly rushing in and are just observing.
Cork’s forces are continuously gathering around the mansion.
“But, this is perfect.”
However, I don’t feel the gathering forces as an obstacle. I actually consider it fortunate.
I find the procedure for the fastest way to move.
“Maria, can you ride those horse-like things?”
Many of the soldiers were riding horse-like creatures.
Perhaps because the battlefield is surrounded by plains, they have an abundance of cavalry.
“Horses? You mean the military ‘Arrouna’? I can ride them, but…”
Arrouna?
It’s a word I’ve heard before.
I should probably think of horses whenever I hear Arrouna from now on.
For now, I decide to chase after Dia riding that warhorse.
I have no experience riding, but I should be able to copy the skill. I won’t say I can become top-notch immediately. However, I am confident I can reach a level where I won’t be thrown off. Rustiara also answered “I can ride,” so I have enough people to copy from.
“Alright, you saved me. Now I have ‘legs’ to chase Dia.”
“…Um, are you going to steal them from Cork’s soldiers?”
Suppressing my guilt, I nod back to Maria.
If it were purely about speed, Rustiara and I would be faster running on our own feet. However, considering long-distance travel, relying on other ‘legs’ is the most efficient. In that regard, those horse-like mounts are ideal.
“I don’t have time to explain things to the soldiers, so I’ll take them. Since we’re going to break through by force anyway, I’ll take them as well.”
“That’s a good decision, Kanami-san.”
I expected Maria to object, but she is instead impressed by my bold choice. It was completely different from me, whose conscience was bothering him.
“There are twenty-seven soldiers. …Let’s attack a few soldiers to the north. This way.”
Using ‘Dimension’ to find a less guarded spot, we quickly head north of the mansion.
Then, we leap over the garden fence and launch a surprise attack on the waiting soldiers.
There were six soldiers on the north side.
As soon as we land, Rustiara takes position behind one soldier and chokes him into unconsciousness.
I thought about doing the same and applying pressure to the carotid artery, but I gave up because I have no martial arts experience. As usual, I use my strong swordsmanship and lightly slash at their legs.
“What, where did you come from—!?”
To the soldier who started to cry out, I embed a fist into his solar plexus. I incapacitate him with difficulty breathing, so he can’t call for help from his comrades.
With the swift surprise attack by Rustiara and me, half the soldiers are unconscious, and the other half have fallen.
The fallen soldiers will soon recover from their breathing difficulty and call for their comrades.
Before that, we secure the warhorses.
As all three of us mounted the warhorses, I glance back at the groaning soldiers.
My heart aches.
No matter how you look at it, what we’re doing is robbery. No, before that, it’s obstruction of official duties.
For a moment, I thought about leaving payment for the horses, but I shook my head, knowing such self-satisfaction was meaningless. Even if I left enough money, it wouldn’t compensate for what I stole.
I tell myself it’s for Dia, my comrade, and take the soldiers out of my sight.
I can clearly see the morals I developed in my original world eroding. You could say I’m adapting, in a good way. However, I knew this adaptation wasn’t a good phenomenon.
It’s the ordeal in the other world—and more than anything, it’s because of the dream.
Because of the dream’s memories, I feel like I’m rapidly adapting to this other world. I haven’t even spent a month here, but because of that dream, I feel like I’ve lived here for years.
Shaking off that unsettling feeling, I control the reins.
The warhorse bucked a little, but I managed to calm it down by imitation. I was able to control it without much trouble. Was it because Rustiara and Maria were nearby as examples? Or was it due to skill copying, status, or—the dream? I couldn’t tell.
We immediately mounted the warhorses and departed north from the outskirts of Cork.
Rustiara, following behind me, shouts a question as she watches my direction of travel.
“Kanami, are you really planning to break through the northern checkpoint like this!?”
“Yeah, that’s the plan! After leaving Cork, we’ll head northwest!”
“Got it! Then, I’ll take down the checkpoint soldiers with magic!”
We proceed along the street.
It’s the outskirts of town, so there aren’t many people, but there are still people walking on the road. We gallop the warhorses roughly, with people on the street yelling at us as we pass.
We advance for a few minutes and reach Cork’s city wall.
Even from the inside, it’s a high wall.
To get over this, we’ll have no choice but to go through the checkpoint gate. I’ve already identified the checkpoint’s location with ‘Dimension’. Of course, I’ve also assessed the checkpoint’s situation.
At the northern checkpoint, there are a few guard soldiers and one giant wooden door.
It’s too weak a checkpoint to stop us.
There’s no need to even stop.
“Maria, blow a hole in the door!”
I give instructions to Maria, who is running alongside me. Without any hesitation, Maria nods and begins to construct magic.
Meanwhile, I take out a throwing knife from my ‘Inventory’. Rustiara understood her role without being told. She has finished constructing several long-range spells.
As we approach within earshot of the checkpoint, the guards notice something is amiss.
They shout loudly to stop us, three figures approaching at terrifying speed.
“Wh-what!? Wait, you there! Don’t come any closer!!”
“—’Flamesphere’!”
Maria’s spherical flame flies in response.
At the same time, I throw my knife, and Rustiara launches a wind magic spell with low lethality.
I take responsibility for the soldiers on the left half, and Rustiara takes responsibility for the soldiers on the right half. The attacks are intended to slow them down, but also to prompt them to move so they don’t get caught in Maria’s magic.
Maria’s fire bullet hits the door.
Then, with a blast like exploding gunpowder, the large door is blown away.
There’s not even a wind hole; the entire door is gone.
Most of the soldiers are brought to their knees by the impact.
Without hesitation, we rush through the smoldering remains.
Ignoring the shouts from behind, we clear the gate, and a plain spreads before our eyes.
We’ve now escaped Cork.
All that’s left is to charge across this vast plain.
However, traveling across a plain that stretches endlessly without change is difficult. Maria, who knows this, asks for confirmation again.
“Kanami-san, are we really going in this direction?”
I accurately measure the direction with ‘Dimension’ and compare it with the map from my ‘Inventory’.
“We are. We’ll ignore the towns along the way and head straight for the fort where Palinkron is.”
Looking at the map, it seems we can reach it in a night by heading northwest. There are about three towns in between, but I tell them we’ll proceed straight without looking aside.
Presumably, Sis, who is flying, is heading straight as well.
However, a calm voice interrupts.
“No, Kanami-san. Even if it’s a slight detour, it’s better to stop by the towns. It will be faster in the end if we switch horses frequently.”
“…That’s true. Then, we’ll stop by just one town.”
Since we’re only stopping at one, it won’t be a major deviation from our path, so I adopt Maria’s suggestion.
I slightly adjust our direction of travel and choose a path that allows us to stop by a town.
Even with ‘Dimension’ and the map, there’s a possibility of getting lost. The closer we are to the main road, the easier it is to grasp our direction, so it’s not a bad route.
Thus, we advance across the great plain without getting lost.
We took the best course of action and left the mansion as quickly as possible.
However, an uncomfortable sense of clinging remains.
I still feel like I’m making a mistake somewhere.
The numerous failures up to today cast doubt on the best course of action I’ve taken.
Still, I had no choice but to ride the warhorse.
I considered everything I could with ‘Parallel Thinking’ and followed the instructions of ‘Sensation’. If even this is impossible, then it has exceeded Aikawa Uzunami’s tolerance.
—And I already have the feeling that it has.
However, I’m used to such situations.
Just because I’m past my limit doesn’t mean I’ll stop.
With that resolve renewed, I continue on my path.
Continue moving forward—
◆◆◆◆◆
Continuing northwest from Cork, we arrive at a new town as dusk falls.
The town’s name is Coral.
Unlike the port town of Trade Center, its size is small. It doesn’t have high walls like Cork, just a boundary of stone walls. Naturally, as a town in the midst of war, there are many guards.
However, for us with ‘Dimension’, it was as porous as a sieve.
Paying attention only to the ‘Magic Stone Line’, we intrude into Coral.
The sun has disappeared from the sky, and the town is starting to darken and quiet down.
The faint orange light emanating from buildings indicates only large mansions or inns.
“—Hey, Kanami. The sun has completely set, are we staying in this town tonight?”
“No, we’re not resting.”
I answer Rustiara’s question immediately.
Ideally, I want to reach Palinkron before Guardian Aid or Apostle Sis. Having fallen behind, the truth is I don’t want to waste a single second.
“You’re going to proceed without rest…?”
Maria responds to the suggestion with an anxious expression.
“Don’t worry, Maria. I’m fine even if I don’t sleep for a day. Besides, I had a much worse time during the ‘Dance Battle Tournament’…, actually, I learned that not sleeping for a day improves my concentration…”
I say it lightly, as if it were a joke.
There’s no lie in my words. In fact, the battle against the ‘Seven Knights of Heaven’ in the second round of the ‘Dance Battle Tournament’ ended in a decisive victory.
However, the expressions of the two are not good. They seem to be against forcing a march without rest.
I knew this would happen.
So, I use the words I had prepared beforehand.
“Of course, only I will proceed without rest. You two go back to the ship and rest. Also, I need you to explain the situation to the three on the ship.”
Then, I deploy the magic ‘Connection’ in a corner of the town.
This is the most rational method.
However, Rustiara’s face hardens as she sees the purple door.
“It’s true you’re stronger when you’re weakened, Kanami… —Are you perhaps planning to fight Palinkron alone from here?”
I shake my head.
“No, it’s the opposite. Before I make contact with Palinkron, I will definitely call all six of us together. Then, I want the six of us, in perfect condition, to apprehend Palinkron and Apostle Sis. That’s why I want to minimize fatigue for only myself.”
I won’t be stubborn here and try to fight alone.
That would be a repeat of the Christmas festival night. This time, like with Rowen, we will all fight together and all return safely to the Allied Nations.
Rustiara looks at my face.
She knows I’m not lying. However, because of a lingering sense of unease, she doesn’t immediately nod.
Then, after a sufficient period of deliberation, Maria speaks up before Rustiara can answer.
“Rustiara-san, let’s go back.”
It was unusual for her, who has little to say in decision-making despite having much to advise.
Maria calmly communicates the current situation to Rustiara.
“We need to rest. Frankly, even if you, Rustiara, try to keep up now, you’ll just be a hindrance. Let’s go back together and restore our condition. —Please.”
“…A-alright. If Maria-chan says so, then I will.”
Rustiara looks away for a moment, deliberating, but quickly agrees with Maria’s point.
She seems to realize her own poor physical condition.
“Then, Kanami-san, please leave Rustiara to me.”
“See you, Kanami…”
Led by Maria, Rustiara obediently passes through ‘Connection’.
Thus, I am left alone in the dark backstreets of the night town.
While feeling lonely, I also feel a sense of relief.
Heading towards Palinkron means proceeding through war-torn areas from now on. Frankly, it will be easier for me to infiltrate enemy territory alone.
To put it in game terms, only Reaper and I have scout potential. Everyone else is too specialized in combat.
Using ‘Dimension’, I search for places where I can obtain warhorses. Then, I use money to replace my ‘legs’.
Although I strongly warned the shopkeepers, they won’t keep my presence a secret forever. The longer I stay, the more likely it is that I, an anomaly, am mixed into the town.
With my ‘Dimension’ spread thinly, I gallop away on the warhorse. I climb over the stone wall and leave the night town of Coral.
Outside the town, a plain dyed in a dark blue, almost black, color awaits.
While running, I take out water and food from my ‘Inventory’. I drink from my canteen and re-examine the map, sacrificing mealtime.
There are two routes from Coral to Palinkron’s fort.
Do I shorten travel time by going through the forest, or do I take a detour and continue across the plains?
If I advance without considering accidents, going through the forest would be the fastest.
With my mastery of controlling warhorses and my ‘Dimension’, it’s possible to proceed without slowing down. Even if there are trees blocking my path, I can extend my sword and cut them down in advance.
However, there is one major problem.
I’ve been sensing the occasional presence of people within the thinly spread ‘Dimension’. And they are all highly leveled individuals who are armed.
Observing their equipment closely, I could divide them into two types. I found what seemed to be their main camp in the distance, so they are likely soldiers during wartime.
It seems we’ve completely entered a conflict zone.
There are many soldiers in the forest as well, and every time soldiers clash, a battle to the death begins. I grimace at the sight of this killing that transcends good and evil. Then, I quickly compartmentalize.
I don’t know the style of warfare in this world, but it doesn’t seem to be just densely packed armies clashing. Outside the main battlefield, skirmishes involving separate units are occurring.
However, even though they are skirmishes, they are quite different from my image of war.
The infantry are dispersed and make no attempt to stay together.
Given the existence of magic, would they become easy targets if they stayed together? Or perhaps a unique tactic of this world has spread.
It’s an interesting thought, but I quickly put an end to my contemplation of this world’s warfare and strive to grasp the current situation.
What’s important now is simply how to proceed to reach the destination fastest.
And I decide to proceed through the forest without thinking.
Reining in the frightened warhorse, I charge into the trees.
This means I will be pushing through the middle of a skirmish.
However, none of the soldiers are above Level 10. If I’m mistaken for an enemy, I should be able to handle it.
On a path barely wide enough for a person, I forcibly secure my safety using ‘Dimension’ and my sword.
Branches of trees brush against my body. There are many obstacles for the horse, so my hands don’t get a moment’s rest.
This speed is noticeable in the quiet night forest.
I quickly sense soldiers approaching me with ‘Dimension’. However, I ignore all of them.
Along the way, I am asked about my affiliation by soldiers I pass, but I pass them by in silence.
Of course, if I keep repeating such actions, I will soon be judged as an enemy. Within half a day, soldiers will start attacking me. However, I parry the arrows with my sword, defend against magic with ‘Dimension Winter’, and maintain my silence.
I continue this endlessly, boldly traversing the war zone.
Then, after several hours of running the warhorse until dawn, I finally managed to break out of the forest.
The sun is beginning to rise in the east, and the sky is turning white.
I immediately compare the map with my current location.
It seems I didn’t make a mistake in my direction by pushing straight through the forest. I have arrived at the planned plains.
I sense many forts built nearby. All of them are temporary forts hastily constructed for the war.
According to the letter I received from Shiah, Palinkron should be in the largest of those forts.
I immediately turn the warhorse’s head towards it and depart.
At the same time, I expand my ‘Dimension’ to a wider area.
This is to scout the fort in advance.
I extend my consciousness. It’s like subjectively feeling a bird flying in the sky. My senses reach the fort, and information about the space enters my mind.
Then, I find the large fort.
Its size is about one square kilometer. It’s composed of tall towers and flat stone buildings densely packed and connected. The defensive walls are set up in a triangular shape, and their height is nearly double that of Cork’s city. Among the buildings I’ve seen in this other world, it has quite magnificent defensive walls.
It’s certainly inferior to Fuziaze Cathedral in the Allied Nations, but it has a more imposing atmosphere that repels external enemies.
There’s commotion inside the fort.
For a moment, I’m surprised, wondering if my actions in the forest have been reported. If they’re using the ‘Magic Stone Line’, it’s not impossible for information to reach them faster than me.
However, I soon realize that I am not the cause.
Observing the situation, I see that there are already intruders. There are stunned soldiers here and there in the fort, and the entire fort is in a state of alert.
Among them, the place where the anomaly is most striking is the central garden.
In the center of the fort, there is an open space of several tens of meters on each side.
People are gathered there.
Amidst the traces of magical combat, I find three people with abnormal magic power facing each other.
Guardian Aid, Apostle Sis, and—Palinkron Legacy.
“Found you…!”
I feel my heartbeat quicken.
There is a hated enemy. And there are comrades to be saved.
Tension and excitement stiffen my body.
Judging by ‘Dimension’, Palinkron alone was fighting against Apostle Sis and Guardian Aid. From their expressions and the state of their clothes, it’s clear that only Palinkron is not in a favorable position.
If I’m going to launch a surprise attack, now is the time.
It’s just as dawn is breaking.
The distance to the fort is still a few kilometers. If I keep riding the warhorse, I’ll reach it in just a few tens of minutes.
The timing is perfect.
It’s time to call everyone waiting on the Living Legend via ‘Connection’. Thinking so, I slow down the warhorse’s speed.
At that moment, ‘Dimension’ captures a person making strange movements.
One person emerges from the fort, riding a warhorse, and heads straight towards me.
I slightly change my direction of travel to avoid an encounter.
However, the warhorse also slightly changes its movement to match.
I’ve been completely detected. I realize evasion is impossible.
Like me, she has the ability to not let her enemies escape.
Emerging from the fort is a white maiden—Hairi Weissprope.
