After safely concluding Towa’s coronation ceremony, Kousuke and the others were enjoying a period of relaxed days.
Kousuke himself was diligently working on creating new magic tools, while the other members were either overseeing the towers they were in charge of or attending to matters concerning their own species.
Floria, in particular, who was freed from the throne of queen (?), had become actively affectionate with Kousuke.
Of course, the ban on public displays of affection in the management layer remained unchanged, so their moments together were when no other members were around.
However, whether it was Kousuke’s余裕 as Floria’s partner or a pressure tactic to make Mia find a partner quickly, it was unclear why they would openly show affection in front of Mia.
Since Mia also took every obvious provocation from her mother head-on, Floria was likely finding it all the more amusing. Those gathered around them, however, chose not to point this out.
In the end, they were both pretty much in the same boat.
One day, while they were living such a daily life.
A loud noise, unlike anything they had heard before, echoed within the management layer.
It was so loud that it surprised Kousuke, who was concentrating on developing magic tools, indicating a significant volume.
Expecting the noise to stop immediately, it continued for a while. Even Kousuke, unable to bear it any longer, abandoned his magic tool research and headed towards the control room, the source of the sound.
By the time Kousuke reached the control room, everyone who was in the management layer had already gathered there.
“What in the world is that noise?”
Slightly displeased from being interrupted, Kousuke asked, and everyone present shook their heads.
Shurein replied on behalf of everyone.
“I’m sorry, but we don’t know. It seems only you can operate it.”
“Huh?”
Confused by the meaning, Kousuke asked again and looked at the control panel screen.
Upon seeing the screen, Kousuke nodded in understanding and began to operate it.
The screen displayed the text “warning” along with a message stating that only Kousuke, as the management chief, could operate it.
As Kousuke followed the instructions and began operating, the ear-splitting noise finally ceased.
Simultaneously, the screen switched, displaying a warning message.
The entire group, peering at the message from the side, looked astonished and slightly bewildered by its contents, which they had never seen before.
The screen displayed a declaration of war from Amamiya Tower to other towers.
“I see. This is indeed an emergency.”
After reading the warning, Kousuke nodded in understanding.
“Are you alright?”
Mia, sitting next to Kousuke and watching the screen, looked at his face with a somewhat anxious expression.
“Well, whether it’s alright or not will depend on how closely we examine it.”
After all, they had declared war before, but they had never been on the receiving end of one.
They couldn’t know the specifics of the declaration without confirmation.
The last time Kousuke had set something up at Bahem Tower, it was simply a battle to conquer the tower.
He knew that there were several other ways towers could engage in conflict.
Kousuke understood that in some cases, brute force alone wouldn’t suffice.
The exact nature of the opponent’s declaration of war could not be determined without a closer look at the warning message.
After making it possible to check on multiple monitors, they divided into several groups to confirm the details.
Kousuke, after reviewing everything with Mia, nodded in admiration.
“I see. They certainly have good reason to declare war, wouldn’t you say?”
Perhaps intrigued by Kousuke’s words, Shurein inquired,
“So, they are confident?”
“Probably. As I said earlier, it seems they can’t simply send Kouhi or Mitsuki to conquer it.”
Everyone nodded at Kousuke’s statement.
This battle was a “Suppression Battle,” distinct from a “Conquest Battle” where one progresses through floors via normal teleport gates.
In a “Suppression Battle,” the victor is the one who has suppressed more than half of the controlled territory on each floor of the respective towers.
A floor is recognized as “controlled” when less than one-third of the monsters inhabiting a certain area of the floor, or summoned monsters, are present.
Since monsters and familiars are the main combatants, Kouhi and Mitsuki cannot be deployed as fighting forces.
By the way, Kousuke believes that the residents of the city on the fifth floor would likely be excluded from the Suppression Battle, regardless of how they perceive the situation.
In any case, they have no plans to make the fifth floor a target for a “Suppression Battle,” so they are unsure how it will unfold.
The extent to which an opponent’s floor has been “controlled” can be confirmed on the control panel screen.
The management chief can relinquish control of each floor when they determine that no further progress is possible.
However, upon relinquishing control to the opponent, all summoned monsters are returned to their original master.
Considering the combat strength, it is more important to secure summoned monsters by admitting defeat oneself rather than waiting for the system to declare them defeated.
The above are the basic rules of a “Suppression Battle.”
The opponent who initiated the “Suppression Battle” against Amamiya Tower this time had incorporated even more detailed settings.
One notable example is the division of each floor’s conclusion into “daily” increments.
They have also implemented various other troublesome settings.
It is evident that they have engaged in “Suppression Battles” multiple times and are accustomed to them.
Furthermore, since the declaration of war came from the opponent, refusal is not an option.
It is undeniable that the situation is progressing in a manner advantageous to the opponent.
By the way, while the declaration of war may seem abrupt, it is not possible to do so without prior notice.
A declaration of war can only be made after repeated warnings to the opponent have been ignored.
This can be seen as a consequence of failing to check messages from other towers.
Kousuke, frowning as he reviewed past messages, noticed Floria puzzling over a different screen.
“Floria? Is something wrong?”
Kousuke asked, hoping to glean even a sliver of information. However, Floria uttered a surprising remark.
“No, it’s this name, ‘Sarita Tower’. I feel like I’ve heard it somewhere… but I can’t recall.”
“Hmm. I have no memory of it, so I must have heard it before coming here?”
“Before coming here, that would be in the Florece Kingdom… Aha!?”
Nana, who had been lounging nearby, suddenly sprang up as Floria clapped her hands.
“Ah, sorry, sorry.”
While stroking Nana’s back, Floria said to Kousuke,
“Sarita Tower is one of the towers controlled by the Santo-Emengo Kingdom on the East Continent.”
“One? …Does that mean?”
“Indeed. Your assumption is likely correct. The Santo-Emengo Kingdom controls three towers. Furthermore, they are a nation that has expanded its territory considerably through past disputes over tower control.”
“I see.”
Kousuke nodded in understanding after hearing Floria’s explanation.
This confirmed that his initial feeling that they were experienced when he saw the declaration of war and the conditions for the “Suppression Battle” was not mistaken.
However, this did not change the fact that war had been declared.
“What are you going to do?”
Kousuke shook his head in response to Colette’s question.
“What else can we do? Since war has been declared, we have no choice but to accept. They seem quite confident.”
“Are you sure it will be alright?”
Sylvie asked, looking at him with concern.
“Well, we can’t say for sure until we see how they proceed. We will be making our own preparations, of course.”
Kousuke himself could not make any definitive statements, as this was his first time dealing with such a situation.
Especially since the opponent might have had experience with the same tactic in the past.
If his suspicions were correct, the opponent would undoubtedly have a certain advantage.
And so, with a lingering sense of unease, Kousuke and the others began their preparations for the “Suppression Battle.”
Yes. It has finally begun.
A battle between towers.
For now, it seems they are at a disadvantage.
Unfortunately, it is undeniable that Kousuke and the others were too complacent.
A detailed explanation of the Suppression Battle will be provided gradually.
Please wait a little longer.
