NOVEL NEXT Chapter 23: (1)
Trampling Down IV
Brutus’s strategy ended up in failure.
The power to pulverize dragons to oblivions with a single blow. It was clear that those monsters possessed such a power in them.
However, those monsters didn’t opt to deal with the coming dragons with powerful attacks. As a result, a total of four dragons succeeded in getting into close range with them. And yet, despite those monsters holding their power back, the dragons still arrived there in the state where their whole bodies were covered in wounds already.
And from there on, the one-sided trampling down began. The dragons’ limbs were all blown off at once to prevent them from escaping, and then one by one their lives were reaped soon after.
Those monsters did all of that seemingly as though they had seen through her plan. ‘Even as we held ourselves back, in the end you were merely on this level, huh’ or so they seemed to be implying… that even if they were to get into a close range battle, those monsters would simply toy with the challenging enemies in such manners.
In fact, however, it was nothing more than a pure coincidence. Team Tanaka were simply acting on a spur of the moment, completely oblivious to the scheme that was specially arranged for them. However, Brutus, who was reading too much into the situation, inevitably got herself stuck in the mire of her own thoughts.
Brutus, for her part, was well aware of the difference in their power from the beginning. The fact that the dragons were slaughtered so easily didn’t bother her all that much.
However, she shuddered at the thought that those monsters had seen through her plan. Which meant those monsters were not simply all about power. She got to realize that their wisdom was similarly no less of an unfathomable threat.
She wondered if she should take a gamble and deploy all of the remaining dragons against those monsters. However, she soon judged that now wasn’t the right time, so she proceeded to advise the stunned General who was standing next to her.
「General. From the battle just now, I believe it’d be impossible for us to deal with those monsters with our current strength. I think we should retreat for the time being, and report to the upper echelons about these monsters. Then, we have to come up with a countermeasure…」
「I know! I don’t need you to tell me that… But what would happen if we retreat here? Do you expect me to simply sit back and let those monsters trample down our country?」
The General bellowed and interrupted Brutus’ advice. He couldn’t contain his emotions as he witnessed the sudden turn of the events. However, you couldn’t really blame the General either. For the monsters they were currently facing were simply that much of abnormal existences.
「The only outcome would be for us to be wiped out at this rate.」
「…..」
Brutus advised him of an even harsher possibility. However, even then the General was still unable to make a decision. In the end, Brutus was the one who had to give in.
「Very well. The chance of this plan succeeding is next to none, but let’s send all of the remaining dragons to face those monsters. At the very least, it should be able to buy us some time. Fortunately, those monsters seem to enjoy dealing with dragons, after all. Please have the troops retreat in the meantime. They are necessary forces to deal with the rebels, after all.」
「… Alright. Unfortunately, it indeed doesn’t seem like the military can do anything against those monsters.」
The troops on the right and left wings were spared from the previous giant tornado. However, they were unsure of what to do with the appearance of such out of the norm enemies, so all they could do was stand alert and watch the unfolding scene where the dragons were being trampled down by the monsters. The headquarters issued a retread order to such troops of the right and left wings before long. Eventually, the Republican army began to move and retreat their troops.
In the meantime, the monsters’ trampling down scene was still on the play. One by one, the dragons were showered with attacks and tortured to death by them. There were only a few dragons left circling around in the sky.
「I’m going to pull back the dragons surrounding the rebel army, and send them to distract those monsters as well.」
「Alright. I’ve sent a messenger to report the situations to the upper echelons. From there on, everything is up to them. All we can do here is continue stalling for time for as long as possible.」
「I understand.」
Only the headquarters remained on the battlefield, watching the monsters’ trampling down scene at play.
At the expense of numerous dragons, they did obtain the time they wished for. Using every bit of it, they eventually managed to successfully have the army retreated completely. The headquarters also then promptly retreated, thus hereby bringing down the curtains of Tenohira Plains war.
◇ ◇ ◇
Dragon corpses scattered in a large number on the ground. In the midst of this all, Tanaka was performing a dubious dance atop one of the dragon corpses.
「Fu, Fufufu.」
In this battle, Tanaka and Suke-san had slain a large number of dragons. Thanks to this, they had obtained a large amount of experience as well as the power of Dragon Slayer. Tanaka was overcome with happiness as he continued with his dance. Then, Kaku-san suddenly called out to such a Tanaka.
「Oi. By the way, what are we going do with these dragon corpses?」
「Leaving such a large amount of dragon corpses in a place like this…. that’d cause nothing but trouble-degozaru.」
Tanaka leaped off the dragon corpse and landed in a cool manner.
「Umu. These dragon corpses seem to be going to fetch for a high price as materials. Let’s store them all for the time being. Kukuku… what a lucrative trip it turned out to be.」
Tanaka touched the dragon corpses in sequence. One by one, the dragon corpses were stored into his item box. Just as he finally finished storing the last dragon corpse, Suke-san, who had been taking a rest in leisure, let out a warning.
「Someone seems to be heading this way-degozaru.」
A person, riding a horse-like creature, was heading toward their direction. The three of them waited cautiously for the person to arrive.
「Hou.」
Just as the person arrived there, Tanaka couldn’t help but let out a voice of admiration. The person who had come there was a considerably beautiful girl. Thus, Tanaka temporarily upped his dandy factor at once.
The girl dismounted from her horse as she arrived in front of team Tanaka.
「What can I do for you, young lady?」
Tanaka welcomed her in a gentleman-like manner. Naturally, this action of his was full of ulterior motives.
「I’m Taisa (Colonel) of the Western National Alliance. First of all, let me offer you my gratitude for your assistance. A lot of our compatriots were spared from dying thanks to you slaying the dragons. Thank you.」
It appeared that she was aware that team Tanaka were the ones who had slain the dragons.