“Aa! Just get lost already!! Kaido!! Can’t you go any higher!?”
I understood that heaven was enemy territory, but being overwhelmed by sheer numbers like this was truly troublesome.
I’d slice one down, then move to the next.
Even the strong individuals were instantly dispatched by coordinating with the instructors, but I wanted to conserve our strength as much as possible here for what was to come.
I tried to suggest reducing the attacks from the ground as much as possible, but…
“It’s impossible!! Even if we try to gain altitude, they just keep coming from that mountain, those that can fly, one after another!! Not with our heads being held down like this right now.”
Kaido’s scream-like voice explained that it was impossible in the current situation.
I guess the enemy knew we were trying to avoid attrition.
That’s why they deployed divine beasts above and below us, forcing us into a war of attrition.
If they could wear us down even a little, the subsequent battles would be easier.
I don’t know if this was divine instruction or someone else’s, but…
“It’s a small mercy that there are no individually strong ones… Should I prepare for the worst?”
Should I regret that I created time for them to respond by waiting a day, or is it pointless to think about whether it was like this from the start?
I downed my slight, self-inflicted regret along with a potion, then slammed the bottle into the eye of a monstrous bird-like divine beast, stunning it and severing its head.
“It’s better to strive for the best than to dwell on such thoughts!”
While the act of slaughtering divine beasts was becoming routine, I felt they were weak for beasts imbued with divine power.
I looked up at the sky as I flew.
The divine beasts here were weaker than those I had faced in the past, but their sheer numbers, forming a swarm, covered the sky.
Slaying them all would be far more than a strenuous task.
“Human King! Don’t fall behind!”
“I know!”
Just as I was starting to feel disgusted and resigned to having to deal with them, the Dragon King, who was nearby, flew towards me as I ran through the air.
Before I knew it, I seemed to have strayed quite far from the battleship.
The rear had not yet been cleared, but I quickly caught up by riding on the Dragon King’s back.
“You’re so persistent!!”
The flying divine beasts that were trying to catch up to its back were repelled by the Dragon King’s breath.
“Dragon King, you take the sky. I’ll rendezvous with the Oni King up front.”
“Do it! Do it!!”
With that, I turned and caught up to the battleship at once. The Dragon King then dropped me off and ascended rapidly.
“Instructor!”
“You’re late!”
And then, the disaster wasn’t just limited to divine beasts.
This was heaven, the gods’ stronghold.
Naturally, it wasn’t just divine beasts present.
We were getting closer to the foot of the mountain.
We had advanced to what was practically within reach, but an army, or rather a horde, awaited us.
“So, this is where the angels show up, huh?”
Enemies with a surprisingly familiar appearance.
Everything that emerged like mist from the mountain’s cavern was an enemy.
From a distance, it looked like mist, but once I enhanced my vision, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh at the sight of the endless swarm of angels emerging from the mountain like ants from an anthill.
“Ugh, they assembled that many? They’re crazy.”
“Hah, it’s pointless to apply our common sense to gods.”
It was an overwhelming, physical onslaught by the angels.
If you consider it the final defensive line, the sheer volume was understandable, but deploying all of them without any reserve was utterly insane.
Their quality was also the highest I’d ever seen.
Looking into the distance with my enhanced vision, I could spot a few angels with two pairs of wings mixed in.
“What do we do?”
If we, who had no knowledge of the land, changed course to avoid the exceedingly numerous angels, we’d just get lost in some strange place.
Therefore, this question of “what do we do?” was…
“I’ll handle it! Make way, senpais!!”
It was a question of who would step up here.
If the enemy was going to attack with numbers, we needed to unleash one massive strike here.
Kaido was the first to volunteer.
The battleship’s bow split open as if to widen its mouth.
“Magic power charging complete!! Firing the magic cannon!!”
Since it was just releasing already charged magic, there was no delay before the attack.
The moment I and the instructor dodged to the sides, a massive beam of magic pierced the space.
“Hey, Kaido, it’s fine to make a hole, but it’s like pouring water on a burning stone.”
Although hundreds, even thousands, of angels evaporated due to its power, it was meaningless if it didn’t suppress the area rather than just penetrate.
“B-but, I put a lot of magic into this too!?”
If they were replenished one after another, the hole would be filled in no time.
The instructor sighed, remarking that it hadn’t achieved much despite dodging.
I felt a pang of sympathy for Kaido’s flustered state.
“Well, I guess a senpai should clean up after his kouhai.”
If I’m going to sympathize, I might as well lend a hand or two.
“Let’s go, partner!”
“Roger!”
I poured magic into my partner, which now felt exceptionally good in my grip, and charged its blade.
“It’s the usual Takemikazuchi!!”
Releasing the fully refined magic power, I unleashed lightning property magic that spread wider and was more potent than the magic cannon fired by the battleship.
“Ugh, even this is like pouring water on a burning stone.”
This lightning-based magic generally paired well with area-of-effect spells.
After all, it would head straight towards its target, and upon impact, it would spread out radially.
Shock after shock.
The angels were electrocuted by each other, like dropping a power cord into a puddle of rainwater, naturally spreading the damage.
Even so.
“I’ll fire continuously. You guard the battleship, instructor. Kaido! Maintain current heading!”
“Understood!”
The resistance of sheer numbers couldn’t be overcome.
Although I showed results several times greater than Kaido’s attack, sheer numbers were truly troublesome.
Angels fell like a swarm of gnats being sprayed with insecticide, but the vacant space was already more than half filled within a matter of seconds.
Area-of-effect spells weren’t something that were meant to be fired repeatedly.
The more you achieved both range and power, the significantly higher the magic consumption became.
Simply put, the fuel efficiency worsened exponentially.
However, this was a situation that demanded area firepower, not single-target damage.
I had no choice but to keep firing Takemikazuchi, as if to turn the area in front of me into a scorched wasteland.
The descending lightning even shaved off the mountainside and incinerated angels attempting to take flight.
“Seriously, their numbers are too much!”
It was too many for me to deal with individually.
Still, if I kept chipping away, their quality was such that it might be manageable.
I could receive magic replenishment from Suella later to fill the deficit.
“Jiro!!”
Just as I thought that, the instructor’s warning cry echoed, and I dispersed the magic I was about to unleash, leaping back from the spot.
The moment I retreated, a black shadow descended from the sky.
“…Hahahaha, what the heck, seriously?”
At the same time, I felt a cutting wind pressure, and to avoid it, I sprang back and, upon visually confirming the source of the attack, my mouth involuntarily twitched.
It was no wonder I let out a dry laugh.
“A lion’s torso, a dragon’s tail, a bird’s wings… How arrogant can a god be?”
There stood a being that shouldn’t exist.
An individual pieced together from parts of divine beasts.
A monstrous form with other divine beasts forced onto a lion’s body.
The giant bird wings looked like those of a roc, the tail seemed to be a dragon’s, but it could be a snake’s.
The hind legs looked like a horse’s.
The forelegs had abandoned their function as legs.
On each of its forelegs, where eyes, nose, and ears should be, was a face.
And from its neck upwards was a human body.
“Judging by its appearance, it’s a fellow countryman. I feel sorry for it from the bottom of my heart.”
Its appearance was that of a familiar Japanese face, but its expression was one of manic laughter.
From its waist, it was fused with the base of a lion’s neck, and from its shoulders, mechanical arms extended to form its arms, which shaped into three-clawed swords.
It was a desecration of life that no sane person could create.
“K-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k
Kaido’s voice, that sounded like a scream, explained that it was currently impossible.
I guess the enemy knew we were trying to avoid attrition.
That’s why they deployed divine beasts above and below us, forcing us into a war of attrition.
If they could wear us down even a little, the subsequent battles would be easier.
I don’t know if this was divine instruction or someone else’s, but…
“It’s a small mercy that there are no individually strong ones… Should I prepare for the worst?”
Should I regret that I created time for them to respond by waiting a day, or is it pointless to think about whether it was like this from the start?
I downed my slight, self-inflicted regret along with a potion, then slammed the bottle into the eye of a monstrous bird-like divine beast, stunning it and severing its head.
“It’s better to strive for the best than to dwell on such thoughts!”
While the act of slaughtering divine beasts was becoming routine, I felt they were weak for beasts imbued with divine power.
I looked up at the sky as I flew.
The divine beasts here were weaker than those I had faced in the past, but their sheer numbers, forming a swarm, covered the sky.
Slaying them all would be far more than a strenuous task.
“Human King! Don’t fall behind!”
“I know!”
Just as I was starting to feel disgusted and resigned to having to deal with them, the Dragon King, who was nearby, flew towards me as I ran through the air.
Before I knew it, I seemed to have strayed quite far from the battleship.
The rear had not yet been cleared, but I quickly caught up by riding on the Dragon King’s back.
“You’re so persistent!!”
The flying divine beasts that were trying to catch up to its back were repelled by the Dragon King’s breath.
“Dragon King, you take the sky. I’ll rendezvous with the Oni King up front.”
“Do it! Do it!!”
With that, I turned and caught up to the battleship at once. The Dragon King then dropped me off and ascended rapidly.
“Instructor!”
“You’re late!”
And then, the disaster wasn’t just limited to divine beasts.
This was heaven, the gods’ stronghold.
Naturally, it wasn’t just divine beasts present.
We were getting closer to the foot of the mountain.
We had advanced to what was practically within reach, but an army, or rather a horde, awaited us.
“So, this is where the angels show up, huh?”
Enemies with a surprisingly familiar appearance.
Everything that emerged like mist from the mountain’s cavern was an enemy.
From a distance, it looked like mist, but once I enhanced my vision, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh at the sight of the endless swarm of angels emerging from the mountain like ants from an anthill.
“Ugh, they assembled that many? They’re crazy.”
“Hah, it’s pointless to apply our common sense to gods.”
It was an overwhelming, physical onslaught by the angels.
If you consider it the final defensive line, the sheer volume was understandable, but deploying all of them without any reserve was utterly insane.
Their quality was also the highest I’d ever seen.
Looking into the distance with my enhanced vision, I could spot a few angels with two pairs of wings mixed in.
“What do we do?”
If we, who had no knowledge of the land, changed course to avoid the exceedingly numerous angels, we’d just get lost in some strange place.
Therefore, this question of “what do we do?” was…
“I’ll handle it! Make way, senpais!!”
It was a question of who would step up here.
If the enemy was going to attack with numbers, we needed to unleash one massive strike here.
Kaido was the first to volunteer.
The battleship’s bow split open as if to widen its mouth.
“Magic power charging complete!! Firing the magic cannon!!”
Since it was just releasing already charged magic, there was no delay before the attack.
The moment I and the instructor dodged to the sides, a massive beam of magic pierced the space.
“Hey, Kaido, it’s fine to make a hole, but it’s like pouring water on a burning stone.”
Although hundreds, even thousands, of angels evaporated due to its power, it was meaningless if it didn’t suppress the area rather than just penetrate.
“B-but, I put a lot of magic into this too!?”
If they were replenished one after another, the hole would be filled in no time.
The instructor sighed, remarking that it hadn’t achieved much despite dodging.
I felt a pang of sympathy for Kaido’s flustered state.
“Well, a senpai should clean up after his kouhai.”
If I’m going to sympathize, I might as well lend a hand or two.
“Let’s go, partner!”
“Roger!”
I poured magic into my partner, which now felt exceptionally good in my grip, and charged its blade.
“It’s the usual Takemikazuchi!!”
Releasing the fully refined magic power, I unleashed lightning property magic that spread wider and was more potent than the magic cannon fired by the battleship.
“Ugh, even this is like pouring water on a burning stone.”
This lightning-based magic generally paired well with area-of-effect spells.
After all, it would head straight towards its target, and upon impact, it would spread out radially.
Shock after shock.
The angels were electrocuted by each other, like dropping a power cord into a puddle of rainwater, naturally spreading the damage.
Even so.
“I’ll fire continuously. You guard the battleship, instructor. Kaido! Maintain current heading!”
“Understood!”
The resistance of sheer numbers couldn’t be overcome.
Although I showed results several times greater than Kaido’s attack, sheer numbers were truly troublesome.
Angels fell like a swarm of gnats being sprayed with insecticide, but the vacant space was already more than half filled within a matter of seconds.
Area-of-effect spells weren’t something that were meant to be fired repeatedly.
The more you achieved both range and power, the significantly higher the magic consumption became.
Simply put, the fuel efficiency worsened exponentially.
However, this was a situation that demanded area firepower, not single-target damage.
I had no choice but to keep firing Takemikazuchi, as if to turn the area in front of me into a scorched wasteland.
The descending lightning even shaved off the mountainside and incinerated angels attempting to take flight.
“Seriously, their numbers are too much!”
It was too many for me to deal with individually.
Still, if I kept chipping away, their quality was such that it might be manageable.
I could receive magic replenishment from Suella later to fill the deficit.
“Jiro!!”
Just as I thought that, the instructor’s warning cry echoed, and I dispersed the magic I was about to unleash, leaping back from the spot.
The moment I retreated, a black shadow descended from the sky.
“…Hahahaha, what the heck, seriously?”
At the same time, I felt a cutting wind pressure, and to avoid it, I sprang back and, upon visually confirming the source of the attack, my mouth involuntarily twitched.
It was no wonder I let out a dry laugh.
“A lion’s torso, a dragon’s tail, a bird’s wings… How arrogant can a god be?”
There stood a being that shouldn’t exist.
An individual pieced together from parts of divine beasts.
A monstrous form with other divine beasts forced onto a lion’s body.
The giant bird wings looked like those of a roc, the tail seemed to be a dragon’s, but it could be a snake’s.
The hind legs looked like a horse’s.
The forelegs had abandoned their function as legs.
On each of its forelegs, where eyes, nose, and ears should be, was a face.
And from its neck upwards was a human body.
“Judging by its appearance, it’s a fellow countryman. I feel sorry for it from the bottom of my heart.”
Its appearance was that of a familiar Japanese face, but its expression was one of manic laughter.
From its waist, it was fused with the base of a lion’s neck, and from its shoulders, mechanical arms extended to form its arms, which shaped into three-clawed swords.
It was a desecration of life that no sane person could create.
“K-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k
