“Are you really one of the Seven Heroes, like the Champion of Light?” Griffith reflexively asked.
“Hurts a bit when you ask like that,” Yoshida said while scratching his head. “I admit, people say that I’m just a coward who was lucky to be surrounded by great people and get their leftovers, and it’s pretty much the truth. I can’t do anything special.”
“Not only does that man—one of the Seven Heroes, like you—have nothing special going for him, he became that strong because he had nothing, you know?” Griffith asked pointedly.
“I really wish you wouldn’t use Alan as an example. That guy isn’t right in the head. I’m just an average person who’s terrified of the front lines. At least I can handle logistical support, so I’ll help in that area.”
“Is that so?” Griffith ignored the hand Yoshida offered him and walked back to his group.
“You look irritated, Griffith,” said the large and muscular man, Strong Garfield.
“Yeah, it makes my blood boil that a guy like him gets treated the same way as the Champion of Light,” Griffith replied.
“You’ve become a total fan, huh,” said the gaudy woman, Stephan Goldeagle, in a teasing tone.
“I’m not his fan,” Griffith snapped. “He’s my objective. I want to become a warrior like him. Isn’t the same true for each of you?”
None of the other five replied to Griffith’s question, but no one denied it either. They had their own opinions when it came to the Seven Heroes.
“Either way, by stepping up to fight, at least we’re better than the coalition’s top brass,” Griffith concluded.
✦ ✦ ✦
Yoshida pulled his hand back after Griffith ignored him.
So that was Griffith, huh? He shows promise, just like Alan said.
A youth prone to showing complete disrespect for his seniors, that was Yoshida’s evaluation of Griffith. From Yoshida’s perspective—no, from the perspective of anyone who’d survived that hellish war—it was actually better to have a little attitude.
At any rate, Yoshida didn’t consider himself a man worthy of any respect at all. Griffith had said as much and Yoshida agreed. As his title indicated, he was a mere “Villager” with no special abilities to speak of who’d happened to survive the Titanomachy. Showing him respect for a superficial reason like him being one of the Seven Heroes or an elder would be wrong. Griffith was someone who understood the importance of perceiving the truth about the situations around him. That was a valuable quality for the battlefield, a place where putting on airs without the strength to back it up would lead to your death.
The strong will he displayed when he ignored my handshake and left is a brilliant trait in a fighter. I imagine he’s the type to face his fears directly and boldly in the middle of the fray, always moving forward. I’m so jealous.
While Yoshida looked up to the other heroes for taking down foe after foe with their unparalleled abilities, he was also envious of them. However, he lacked both the skill and resolve to imitate them.
“That’s why I still do odd jobs and logistical support at my age. I have to help in whatever way I can,” Yoshida mumbled to himself. A second later, he felt a chill in the air around him, something beyond his five senses.
“Someone’s approaching from straight ahead!” a female lookout shouted.
“So it’s time.” Yoshida turned toward the horizon and saw a man walking toward them.
He stood at the approximate height of an average human male and wore an elegant white shirt and dark necktie, with gloves covering both his hands. However, he was far from human, evident from the third of his body that was mechanical. Half of his face, his left arm, and his right leg were formed from a black metal. Like a machine in motion, he made a clanging noise whenever he moved.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Just what kind of monster is he based on? A machine golem, perhaps?” Yoshida searched his memories but couldn’t come up with anything that fit the situation. The demon had many traits resembling the underworld’s mechanical life-forms known as machine golems, but something seemed off. There was still one thing Yoshida could be certain of. “An appearance similar to a human’s with just a few monster traits would make him a shenmo, wouldn’t it?”
Even someone with limited ability to detect mana like Yoshida could tell. As the demon walked in their direction, immense mana rose like a wall of darkness around him. The sheer amount and quality of his mana put the Seven Black Stars of the Titanomachy to shame.
Another clanging sound like a train coming to a stop signaled a pause in the shenmo’s approach.
“Ladies and gentlemen! My name is Loki the Mythical Creature!” He had his arms spread wide and spoke in a voice loud enough for everyone around him to hear. He raised his face to the sky and said, “Our world is both a tragedy and a comedy. I’d like to make the play we’ll perform together tonight a show to remember.”
Yoshida blinked in confusion at the enemy who’d started talking like they were in some kind of theater. “What is he talking about?”
“I would very much like all of you to struggle, fight, and move your audience to the full extent of your abilities!” With his arms still spread and his head tilted to the sky, Loki swept his eyes over the humans. “And now, let me introduce tonight’s actors!”
“Ugh, are you kidding me?” Yoshida muttered.
The earth rumbled behind Loki and a cloud of dust rose ominously into the air. One by one, massive machine golems, each over twenty meters tall, lined up and completely covered the horizon. Inexorably, they started lumbering toward the human forces. “It’s showtime!”
With those words, the curtains rose on the drama that would be the Seventh Kingdom’s struggle for survival.
✦ ✦ ✦
The machine golem army advanced, stirring up a massive cloud of dust and causing the ground to tremble beneath them. They were like giants, towering creatures described in ancient legends, said to have been born solely to eradicate humanity. The Seventh Kingdom’s knights shuddered in fear at the sight.
I get how you feel. Those things are terrifying. Yoshida couldn’t blame any of them. Like the other human kingdoms, most of their troops were young and had no experience with deadly fights against demons. It was only natural they’d be too scared to move just as they had been taught. Yoshida shivered from head to toe himself.
Well, I also experienced war twenty-five years ago, so I should have gotten used to it by now, but it’s easier said than done. He cursed his lack of growth and mediocrity. “But I have to get moving if I don’t want to die.”
Yoshida walked up to a nearby gunner, placed a hand on his shoulder, and cast a recovery spell. “Ether Magic, Light Cure.”
“Huh? Uh, I haven’t taken any damage yet,” the gunner said.
“I know, but recovery magic can also calm emotions. The better you gunners perform, the fewer casualties we’ll have. Try your best, okay?”
“I guess you’re right.” The gunner nodded, then instructed his platoon to get ready to fire.
“Wait for it... Fire!”
The Humanity Defense Coalition magicite artillery fired their shells in a deafening barrage, hitting their targets with ease. Although, with so many large targets lined up for them, that was hardly a great feat, and a single blow wasn’t enough to destroy a machine golem. At most, they acquired some dents and slowed down a little.
Regardless, the first volley landing on target carried major significance. Thanks to their success, the other knights remembered their duties and continued the bombardment, one after the other. Unease and fear spread as easily as a contagious disease on the battlefield. It was during those times that someone calmly performing the correct action would lead the people around them to follow and smooth over their fear.
“Yep, things are looking up. Now, I have a mountain of things to do myself, like delivering messages or supplies. Though it’s all stuff anyone else could do.” Yoshida pulled a cart behind him as he rushed across the battlefield’s back lines.