New Party Member: Northern Plateau
The northern plateau. A place separated from the demon army by just a single hill.
Karenia Valkrod, captain of the Blue Claw Knight Order—one of the seven knight orders defending the empire—sharpened her beloved sword while glaring toward the hill.
"Captain. A decree from His Majesty the Emperor has arrived."
"Oh? What does it say?"
"It says the hero's party will arrive soon. The ones who took down Demon King Army's Four Heavenly Kings member, Bellamorta."
"One of the Four Heavenly Kings...! Then this battle's as good as over."
Karenia—affectionately known as Karni—stood up from her seat and gazed at the demon army beginning to set up camp on the hill.
"Call the others. We're starting soon."
"Haa... Yes, Captain."
The battle had dragged on for days now. The demon army's forces attacked without regard for night or day, wearing down the knights' stamina. They racked up decisive victories each time, and with healers on hand, wounds healed quickly—but mental fatigue didn't fade so easily.
Watching the demon army pull soldiers out like weeds from a field—somehow not decreasing but growing larger—made it impossible not to sigh.
"Gotta keep pushing."
As the empire's sword and shield, and as the eldest daughter of House Valkrod—one of the four ducal houses upholding the empire—she couldn't show any weakness.
"Everyone assembled?"
"""Yes!"""
"Heh."
Karni looked at her knights, brimming with resolve.
Her childhood friend and vice-captain, whom she'd trained with since they were kids; the long-time comrades she'd personally scouted one by one in fierce duels. Their numbers were fewer than other knight orders, but each was worth a hundred men.
Gazing at the mightiest force among the empire's proud seven knight orders, Karni flashed a bright smile.
"Let's go! Crush those ragtag mobs!"
"""Waaaah!!"""
Thud! Thud! Thud!
With massive booms, the demon army on the hill began descending slowly. They formed a moving fortress wall with enormous shields. But Karni and the Blue Claw Knight Order showed no fear.
Instead, they kicked off the ground harder, hurling themselves at that iron wall.
No fancy tactics or strategies. They didn't need them—the difference in power was overwhelming.
Shwick.
The shield the demon army had smugly erected—like solid slabs of steel—split in two as smoothly as slicing slime, crashing to the ground.
"Th-that's impossible!"
One lowly demon soldier holding the shield screamed at the dreamlike sight. And that became his dying words.
A one-sided massacre.
The demon army had rarely held the upper hand against humanity.
The blessed continent of Eldarion had been invaded and lost its light only due to a surprise attack. After that, humanity—centered on the empire—had focused purely on defense. The real threat to mankind hadn't been the demon army, but the monsters growing stronger as the continent weakened.
So humanity had concentrated on defense, gathering strength and unifying internally.
And now, with sufficient forces assembled, humanity's counterattack crumbled the demon army like a sandcastle before the waves.
"D-don't retreat! Hold your ground!"
"Uwaaaaaah!"
"Monsters! They're monsters!"
Her swift sword strokes wove patterns in the air, claiming demon lives. Hetero Antonetti, the vice-captain displaying that beautiful swordsmanship, smiled at Karni.
"Wanna make a bet, Captain? It's been a while."
"Hm? What kind?"
"Hmm... Loser—who kills fewer—pays for drinks?"
"Pfft, you're on."
Accepting Hetero's proposal, Karni began channeling mana through her body, boosting her physical abilities.
"Huh?"
Kabooom—!
With a massive roar, Karni leaped far ahead. All that remained in her wake were countless sword marks and chunks of flesh.
It happened in an instant. Scratching her cheek as she surveyed the slaughter that unfolded in the blink of an eye, Hetero muttered.
"Uh... she flipped the switch, huh?"
"Captain takes her bets seriously."
"Yeah, no helping it. You lot, herd 'em to one side! Drinks are on the captain today!"
"""Ooh!"""
⁎ ⁎ ⁎
Time passed into the afternoon, as the sun began to set.
After several breaks, the renewed battle raced toward its end.
"Block them! I said block!"
Karni slew yet another enemy commander—replaced countless times already—and asserted her dominance. Breathing heavily, she scanned her surroundings.
The cooling wind carried away beads of sweat. Were they really growing these soldiers like crops? The endless ranks showed no sign of thinning. Even rabble like this could inspire terror with sheer numbers.
"There's a lot of 'em."
Ants were still ants, no matter how many gathered. But when their numbers swelled to thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands... that was enough to breed fear. Even knowing hundreds died with every step couldn't fully suppress the rising dread.
"Next one's... Huh?"
As she searched for the next commander to fell, a brilliant white light pierced the distant sky, heavenly sunlight breaking through the clouds to illuminate the battlefield.
"Captain! That's...!"
"Haha, they got here quick."
Smiles spread among the weary knights.
The hope of ending this grueling fight ignited brightly.
Boom! Kraaack! Kaboom!
Fierce thunder crashed down, pillars of light piercing the clouds to annihilate the demon army. Holy light filled the field—bringing recovery to allies, ruin to foes.
"Wh-what the...!"
"Where's that coming from?"
"What...!"
Karni beheaded another commander distracted by the light, then turned to the bronze-skinned beauty charging across the battlefield.
"That's the hero?"
"...She's pretty."
"What, jealous?"
"Hmph, she looks like the type who screws around with every woman she sees! Jealous my ass..."
Karni patted the pouting Hetero's head and watched the hero.
Light mana poured from Kairan Borg's sword, dyeing the surroundings pure white. Unaffected herself, she mercilessly cut down blinded, flailing enemies.
Behind her, Eli fired silver bullets while gesturing like a conductor. A massive trumpet appeared with her, holy hymns flowing out to burst enemy heads.
"Man, it's too one-sided."
"Yeah... Demon army's always like that. They lost their initial surprise advantage quick anyway."
"Right. Our real enemy was never the demon army—it was the monsters."
"Yeah. Unless we kill the Demon King, the monsters just keep getting stronger."
Hetero, the adjutant, replied to Karni while rallying the knights.
The battle was over.
A total victory.
⁎ ⁎ ⁎
After the fight, cleanup fell to the vice-captain.
Karni was hopeless at this stuff anyway, and Hetero wanted to respect her downtime as much as possible—personal greed included.
After repairing tents and recovering bodies, Hetero finished roll call with the knights and stretched.
"Ah, Vice-Captain. Have you seen the captain?"
"Huh? Not in her tent?"
"Yeah... Do you know, Vice-Captain?"
"Hm... Hold on, lemme check. Something urgent?"
The knight shook their head at Hetero's question.
"Hey, know where the captain is?"
"Captain? She went off with the saintess earlier."
"She... did?"
Hearing that, Hetero headed straight for the saintess's tent.
Rumors about the hero's party—specifically Kairan and Eli—weren't great. Sure, they'd slain one of the Four Heavenly Kings, Bellamorta. But they were even more infamous as womanizers who slept around.
So she was worried.
Her childhood friend Karni had this pure side to her somewhere.
"Captain, you in here...?"
"...Uh, H-Hetero...? Wh-what's... up...?"
Hetero doubted her own eyes for a moment.
"Huh? Oh, n-no... Just wondering where you were... Y-you're okay, right?"
"Y-yeah. I'm fine. Really... C-could you... step out...?"
Hetero ignored Karni's words, scrutinizing her body.
Her face was flushed like she was ill, drenched in sweat all over. She could barely stand, leaning on the hero Kairan.
"You don't... look okay..."
"No, I'm fine..."
"Huh? C-Captain. You look... sick. Let me help you..."
"...I'm!"
Karni took a deep breath and spoke again.
"I'm... fine. Vice-Captain. Please, step out."
Karni forced a smile.
That smile hurt Hetero's heart. It was the same gentle one as always, yet it stung deep inside.
"Ah, uh... Y-yeah. Kar... ni..."
Using her nickname instead of "Captain" was Hetero's biggest act of defiance.
⁎ ⁎ ⁎
"Karni? Cute nickname~ Now, lie down already?"
"Y-yeah..."
"So adorable~ C'mon, get comfy?"
"W-wait... Don't touch me like that..."
The moment Hetero left, Kairan and Eli started groping Karni's body every which way.
Firm muscles and soft breasts, plump pussy lips and huge ass—they fondled it all, rubbing their cocks against her while teasing.
"Perfect, we needed an onahole."
"Hero, seriously? She's frontline for the party, not an onahole."
"Ahaha, right?"
Karni was immensely relieved Hetero hadn't heard that exchange.