Chapter 43 - Super Giant Groot (2)

* Thud——thud——

"Is everything ready?"

The earth-shaking footsteps of the colossal tree monster, Riglsilva. And the imperial army rapidly retreating to evade Riglsilva's advance. Adrian, the commander of that imperial army, asked the soldier who had come as a messenger.

"Yes! As you commanded, we've halted movement, and the mages and soldiers are standing by to ignite it immediately!"

The soldier's name was Matthias Creek. Gallery user 'HateNightWatchSoMuch'. He had been serving as Adrian's messenger from the eastern expedition all the way to this experiment.

A soldier handpicked by the duke for his swift feet. Despite his low rank, he often saw the faces of high-ranking officials, so he could tell that Adrian's expression held a hint of bewilderment.

"Is the battlefield situation the same as before? You checked on the way, so explain it concisely."

"Understood! It's worsened since Your Grace entered the mobile command post! The front line is holding, but with more wounded soldiers, it's thinned out considerably!"

Adrian couldn't hide his distress at Matthias's report. The mounting losses from the retreat were just too heartbreaking.

With their current forces, they could block the Vinesilvas' advance. And with reinforcements, stopping Riglsilva wouldn't be an issue.

The Hero was heading here, after all.

But they couldn't protect the fertilizer while retreating until those reinforcements arrived.

He had thought they were fully prepared. The elite troops whose training had proven effective in the eastern expedition, and the mages eager to finally shine beyond their role as mere water sprinklers.

Even as a precaution, they hadn't unloaded the fertilizer from the wagons for the experiment.

Yet despite their best efforts, it wasn't enough to hold out.

The plant-type magic beasts charging out of their native territory. And the aberrant individual born from those plant-types slaughtering their own kin.

Adrian painfully realized that his assumption everything ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠would be fine had been arrogance.

"We must always prepare for the unforeseen, yet I was the fool. It looks like I'll have to burn the empire's hope with my own hands."

"...I don't think it's Your Grace's fault. You've done everything possible to prepare. Thanks to that, we're retreating without sacrificing soldiers, aren't we? If Your Grace weren't commanding, many would have fallen to the magic beasts."

The duke knew that was true as well. He could judge his own abilities and others' more objectively than anyone.

But over half the fertilizer supplied by the Moderator was here, and the unused portion was half of that. Protecting this much while retreating safely was nearly impossible.

He hated the reality of having to burn precious fertilizer without gathering enough data. The experiment's results would determine fertilizer use for next year's planting season, after all.

"Hoo... Halt the fertilizer transport. If the landslide blockade fails, burn it immediately. Relay to the field commanders to stand ready for incineration on my order."

"Understood! Yes, sir!"

With that, Matthias left the command post and dashed toward the lead transport unit. The messenger's flag fluttering on his back felt heavier than usual today.

The order he had to deliver now was to burn the empire's hope.

Reaching the rearmost unit in an instant, he relayed Adrian's command.

"The duke's orders! Halt fertilizer transport! The landslide is our last attempt! If it fails...! Prepare to burn the fertilizer on the duke's command!"

Thanks to mana amplification, his voice carried far. The knights in command couldn't hide their gloom at the news.

Knights with broken swords and wounds all over their bodies. Soldiers bowing their heads with torches in hand. Mages clutching their staves and sobbing.

Everyone present began preparations to obey the duke's order.

"The landslide's coming soon! Get ready! Soldiers, light your torches! Mages, gather your mana! The moment the order comes, burn it and join the front line to aid the retreat!"

"""Yes, sir!"""

Voices filled with grim determination pushed aside the heavy mood. Matthias listened, then raced back to the duke's command post.

He arrived in a flash, just like before. He plunged inside without hesitation to report quickly.

But in that short time, the command post's atmosphere had completely changed.

"You're back, Matthias. Cancel the landslide. We'll try blockading with this weapon."

Adrian, his expression altered, was inspecting a pile of strangely shaped objects in the command post.

"Cancel, Your Grace? Ah, understood!"

"You're reliably fast, as always. I'll issue a new order. Pull yourself together and relay it clearly. To the front line and the transport units."

Adrian smiled in satisfaction at the soldier who prioritized obedience over questions. Feeling his judgment was still sharp, he issued the new command.

"Take this weapon forward and attempt a blockade. Knights and mages, protect the soldiers wielding it and advance the front line. Soldiers, advance together and use the weapon on Riglsilva. The Moderator posted usage instructions in the gallery notice, so inform the troops to read it. Distribute the weapons here first. Hurry and relay it. Time's short."

"Yes, sir! Understood! Yes, sir!"

The advance-and-blockade plan bought a bit more distance and time before Riglsilva reached the fertilizer. Adrian planned to pour as many weapons as possible using that margin and maximum manpower.

He prayed it would succeed. He was betting on the Moderator's weapon over the low-odds landslide.

"A magic wand, was it? Why on earth is a weapon shaped like this called a magic wand...?"

The Moderator had said it was someone's magic wand. A weapon with the desired firepower and penetration, so test-fire a few shots before deciding on burning the fertilizer.

"Did you call for me, Your Grace?"

A voice interrupted Adrian's serious pondering over the weapon's name. An elf dispatched as support personnel. Vice Captain Bellora Antesil. Gallery user 'FunTeasingCaptain'.

"Yes. Elves truly are swift. Can you take this weapon, approach Riglsilva, and use it?"

"Hmm... Approaching isn't hard. Retreating ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠after should be doable too. But what is this weapon that it's suddenly changing the plan?"

Bellora voiced her doubt to the duke. It wasn't like the always-cautious duke.

"It's a weapon from the Moderator. He suggested trying it for the blockade instead of the iffy landslide. Said it has strong destructive power and penetration."

"If that's true, it's intriguing. Got it. Two of us, including me, will go use it. We'll aim at the upper body so you can confirm from here. Sound good?"

"Perfect. We can check quickly. The Moderator posted instructions in the notice, so read and use them."

Adrian planned to confirm the effect and adjust the plan accordingly. He was truly grateful for the elves here, each worth more ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠than a knight.

"By the way, what's this weapon called? The shape's so weird."

A droplet-shaped head with a giant straw-like body adorned with bits and pieces. A pure question born from inability to fathom its mechanism.

"The Moderator called it a magic wand. Hard to understand, but there you have it."

"The Moderator's magic wand... Well, if it works, the name doesn't matter. Be right back."

"Understood. Good luck, Vice Captain."

With that, Bellora grabbed the weapon and left the command post.

"You heard all that? Let's move. You too, read the notice quick."

"Yes, Vice Captain."

She handed a weapon to the waiting elf outside, then checked the notice while moving.

Strange weapon, strange usage instructions, and even a bizarre distance unit. It was all weird, but easy enough to understand.

"Approach to effective range, then use it. Okay?"

"Yes, Vice Captain. But this droplet stick? Is four enough?"

"Yeah. Goal's confirmation, not kill. Use all four and retreat immediately."

Two rounds per person. Firing all four into its chest would be visible from afar.

Thanks to the elves' swift feet, they reached effective range without combat. They quickly prepared to test.

"I'll go first? Push till it clicks, no one behind, target in the hole, fire..!"

She pulled the trigger without hesitation. In that instant, fierce flames erupted from the weapon's rear.

"...!"

Bellora froze at the unexpected blast. Against her stunned face, the droplet stick hurtled unerringly toward Riglsilva.

Trailing smoke like a tail, drawing ever closer. Bellora and her subordinate elf watched dumbly.

And then——BOOM——!

"Kyaa, kyaack..!"

"Guh..!"

With a deafening explosion, Riglsilva's face vanished in smoke.

"Effect... how effective?"

Bellora calmed her pounding heart and waited for the smoke to clear to check.

The colossal magic beast gradually came into view. The giant that hadn't been halted even momentarily was now "Groooar, gruuuuhhh!" clutching the center of its chest where the weapon had hit, writhing in agony.