Rayos and others were caught up in border defense, but after that, they just had to advance through the desolate land.
“This is different from the information I heard?”
“I don’t think I was letting my guard down.”
A lax atmosphere drifted among Rayos and others.
Several days later.
Suddenly, hidden soldiers emerged from holes dug in the ground.
They used mirages with wind magic and camouflage to avoid recognition.
“Hidden soldiers, hidden soldiers… how many are waiting for us!?”
Rayos’s astonishment was shared by everyone except Aiz and the other two.
“People of the West! This land belongs to His Majesty (the Lord)! Turn back immediately, and your lives will be spared!”
“What should we do?”
“What do you mean?”
“Kiiiaa, Kiiiaa.”
“It’s difficult to break through when we’re surrounded.”
“…”
“Did Aiz-chan and the others notice?”
“Those guys definitely won’t leave the beautiful Shifuru behind and go home.”
“Honey is a monster. Moreover, she has a plump body. She’ll be killed and eaten.”
“I won’t let that happen! I need to find a weak spot to break through quickly…”
▲ ▲ ▲
▲ ○ ▲
▲ ▲ ▲
A magnificent encirclement. Moreover, they were seasoned warriors who had bypassed Rayos’s detection ability (without detection magic).
Their adventurer rank was definitely B-rank. A-rank was for the World’s Strongest and those of noble blood.
Therefore, there were about 80 B-rank adventurers present.
Rayos and others replied, “We will turn back,” as they searched for a weak point in the encirclement.
“Alright! Or rather, that said! Leave the women and that lizard behind!”
Rayos thought, “Just as I expected.”
“Zagan…”
Tarune discovered a weak point in the encirclement.
Aiz and others had already found it, but to hide their abilities and usefulness, they stayed put, subtly guiding Tarune to find it.
“Ugh…”
Shifuru glared at Tarune resentfully for not being praised by Rayos.
“Okay, we’re breaking through. Let’s go in threes. One, two… three!”
Suddenly, Rayos and others dashed forward.
The man Rayos had been talking to ordered his encirclement to tighten, “Don’t let them escape!”
“Ku, we won’t let you pass!
He prepared to intercept Rayos and others. There was no gap. If they wanted to pass, they had to take a wide detour.
But before they could pass, the encirclement tightened, and they would be surrounded and overwhelmed.
“You won’t escape!”
“Is that so?
“Huh? —Ehhhhh”
The soldiers, standing in a line, had braced themselves with their shields, expecting to be blown away by an attack. However, they were suddenly overcome by a sense of floating.
They realized their footing had disappeared, but it was too late. They were pushed into the bottom of a nearly 20-meter-deep hole, screaming.
The unit commander, whose armor and helmet were of superior quality compared to the others, was the first to fall into the hole.
“Remember—Gyaaaaaaaah!”
His subordinates fell on top of him one after another.
Screaming as they were crushed, they gasped for air and suffered from suffocation.
Wind magic was used to create air.
*Swoosh, swoosh.*
The commander, taking a breath of fresh air, calmed down. The subordinates piled on top of him also groaned with difficulty breathing.
“You guys use wind magic too!? You’ll die if you don’t!”
While saying that at the bottom of the hole, Rayos and others leaped over their heads with ease.
The soldier at the very top experienced a lucky perverted event.
He missed seeing Rayos’s bare legs, wrapped in Aiz’s robe.
“Help me!? My arms and legs are tangled, I can’t move!?”
He kept yelling for help to other units.
If he had looked up, he would have seen bare legs. Rayos hadn’t seen them yet either.
“Wait—!!”
*DOGOOON!*
The fireball exploded in the air, and small fireballs rained down on Rayos and others.
“Take care of your skin!? What if you get burned?
A water barrier was cast around everyone, and they passed through the rain of fire. Then, they shook off their pursuers.
Rayos reflected on being surrounded and proceeded while using detection magic frequently.
“Stop. There are enemies ahead.”
“Again… How many?”
Every time a hidden soldier was detected, they stopped.
Everyone decided whether to go right or left. If the number of hidden soldiers was small, they would break through with a preemptive strike.
As expected of the rumored small countries. If one hidden soldier was found, it meant there were more than ten. The number detected by magic was like cockroaches in a kitchen.
Hidden soldiers = border lines of small countries.
“…We’re at a dead end.”
“Is there no path that doesn’t belong to anyone?”
Self-sufficiency within their own country. If lacking, invade neighboring countries.
Reduce population and steal food from neighboring countries. If lucky, they might even snatch territory.
“They’re really battle-crazy…”
“But if we conquer this land (Central Continent), we’ll be invincible in the surrounding areas.”
Aiz’s plan for a hegemonic nation. Rayos had also bought into this attractive idea.
Retreating to the Western Grabum Kingdom now was out of the question. Absolutely. Rayos’s primary goal was not just within the dungeon but to build a palace on the ground to surround his harem.
“If we don’t get information on the small countries, we can’t make a move.”
Hidden soldiers, deployed troops. They had to gather information. Rayos, not wanting to put Shifuru and the others in danger, acted alone, albeit very reluctantly.
“Honey.”
“Kyuuu.”
The giant rock lizard. It was conspicuous, but its imposing presence and intimidation meant it wouldn’t attack unless there were a considerable number of people.
“As much as possible… No. I’ll go quickly and come back quickly.”
“Kyuuuu, Kyuuuu (It’s my duty as your mate to guard the home).”
Rayos and the rock lizard hugged. Their size difference was so great that the rock lizard was crushing Rayos at its throat.
“Kuh~” “Kii~”
Shifuru and Tarune both thought, “That place is mine,” and bit their claws and sleeves.
Shifuru, the martial artist, was increasingly becoming girlish.
Tarune, the newlywed wife Taruune Seedlune, was becoming like a mother-in-law.
After Rayos left, the two began training with their weapons wrapped in scabbards or cloth.
“Certainly. Next time, I will be the one relied upon.”
*Clang, clang, clang.* They sparred with their self-taught swordsmanship.
“My, my. Zagan is loved, isn’t he~?”
“…”
Aiz and others leisurely spread a cloth on the ground and watched the two train.
They were properly on alert over a wide range with their
“Shaaa…”
The rock lizard raised its head, scanning the surroundings. Occasionally, it glanced at Shifuru and Tarune.
“If the females who came later get injured, I’ll be scolded. Won’t they just be quiet already?”
Since it wouldn’t understand in Lizard language, the rock lizard gave up and returned its gaze to scanning the surroundings.
