69. The Defense of Niren and the Monster That Brings War
The bells throughout the city began to ring.
"Shouldn't we ring the bell in this tower too?"
Mizuki said. The church folk probably still didn't know about the Big Hopper invasion.
This church was near the city center, and the bell in its bell tower was likely the largest in town. Ringing it would alert everyone.
We didn't return to the bell tower.
We considered waiting inside the church, but not knowing the situation outside felt too risky.
In the end, we headed to the plaza in front of the church. We couldn't see the walls from here, surrounded by buildings, but it was for fighting Big Hoppers—flying enemies. Battling on the tower's exposed platform would just make us sitting ducks. For now, nothing had changed.
"This building looks kinda familiar..."
Mizuki murmured, gazing at the church.
"From our world? It's that Roman building that changed from a polytheistic temple to a monotheistic one, right? It burned down, but it was originally built by the first emperor's right-hand man."
"Yeah. The Pantheon."
Mizuki answered.
"Huh? What'd you say?"
I asked back.
"Pantheon!"
"One more time."
"Pante... enough already!"
She must've figured out what I wanted her to say, because Mizuki got mad. But she said exactly what I hoped for. If only she'd added that little "ee" at the end.
Pantheon means "all the gods." Fitting for a temple in this world. Looking closer, it even resembled a fortress.
"Know the name of that hole in the ceiling?"
"That hole... I think it meant 'eye' or something."
Mizuki touched her chin, thinking.
"Right. It's a hole."
Mizuki suddenly glanced at my face.
"Muuu! You're trying to make me say something lewd again!"
"No, you're the one repeating 'hole, hole' all by yourself!"
"'Hole' isn't lewd!"
Mizuki puffed up her cheeks and stopped thinking. It was oculus, but I'd tell her later.
"Wonder if the designer was a transferree too."
"Since it's modeled after one in a southern city, maybe a transferree built that."
"What were they thinking, I wonder..."
Mizuki stared at the Pantheon just like me. Knowing she wanted to go home made her gaze seem a little lonely.
"Maybe they built it reminiscing about our world. Why don't you try bringing something from home, Mizuki? Could make you rich overnight."
"No way. I'm good at remembering book stuff or solving problems with answers, but thinking up stuff myself? Super bad at it. Like summer vacation projects... or this situation."
Pretty self-aware evaluation. That's why she followed someone, huh?
"You could do anything if you tried. Me? Studying's my weakness."
Unlike her, everything was a weakness for me.
"But you seem pretty knowledgeable anyway."
"I liked reading. Mostly net knowledge, though. Biased, I know. Half-assed info, and I don't trust myself much."
"Why don't you try something from home for big bucks, Mash? I'll help."
"For real?"
"Yeah."
Mizuki nodded at my confirmation.
"Then I wanna develop a dildo. Test it on you, make the ultimate one—not even from our world—and become a billionaire."
"Dildo? Testing on me sounds sketchy..."
Mizuki asked back.
"No excuses—you're learning. Toy for ladies, shaped like a dick."
"No toys! Absolutely not!"
"Why? You offered to help."
"What if it's better than yours?"
"..."
Couldn't argue back.
While bullshitting with Mizuki, a black shadow passed overhead. Heavy wingbeats echoed. Not the distant dots from the tower—this was clearly a grasshopper.
Shadows streaked by. Big Hoppers had crossed the walls into the city.
One landed right in front of us.
It hopped up immediately, soaring over the church. More followed, landing one after another.
"Mash, let's fight for the city. Can't tell from here, but even this spot without fluid sprays is like this. Tons of Big Hoppers must be inside."
Myra said. I glanced at the others. All nodded.
"Right. Take down the ones landing here. Fam, Mizuki, Myra—frontline. Me and Cecily guard from above. Ira, support."
The five nodded, readying weapons. I drew my bow.
Test-fired at one Big Hopper.
The arrow pierced its head carapace. My shots worked, but it didn't drop.
The hit monster turned toward us, fluttering wings in threat, buzzing loudly.
Nearby monsters shifted. Grounded ones faced us too.
"Careful! It's warning allies. They know we're enemies!"
Myra shouted.
One leaped at us. Myra smashed its head with her mace—a powered counter that pulverized it.
Signal given, others jumped too.
Fam and Mizuki joined, slashing.
"Watch body slams, but jaws are the real threat. Don't get crushed!"
Myra yelled, facing the next.
Ira's protection activated; faint light enveloped us briefly.
Cecily wind-blasted a flyer. Disrupted, it crashed.
I desperately nocked and loosed at aerial foes.
Me and Cecily flanking Ira; Fam, Mizuki, Myra encircling us.
We yielded ground toward the church entrance under pressure. Worst case, we could retreat inside—back to the wall blocked rear attacks. Convenient.
Main damage dealers: Myra and Mizuki.
Big Hoppers slammed mostly. Myra countered flawlessly with mace, smashing them. Foes showed no fear, just swarmed. Corpses piled, shielding too.
Mizuki deflected slams off-point with shield, stabbing. Like a matador. Overzealous ones flew our way; Ira finished with mace. Less skilled than Myra, but solid in melee. Probably stronger than me.
Fam dual-wielded deftly, no damage but struggling. Couldn't parry one-handed, so slower than Myra/Mizuki's attack-defense combo. Normally dodged speedy strikes, but rear guards prevented it. Not her forte.
Cecily's wind downed aerials powerfully. Ineffective on leapers, great on flyers. Crash-landed ones recovered.
My bow felt useless. Low accuracy, weak damage.
"Mash, don't give up. You're covering air fine."
Cecily encouraged. I nodded via shot—hit a belly.
How many down?
Tough shells and leaps were nasty, but one-on-one manageable. Numbers overwhelmed. Started with five; endless waves.
Rear buzzers summoned more. Wanted to silence, but frontliners tied us. Occasional shots dodged easily.
Hoppers still raring.
Fam slashed head shallow from fatigue; unstoppable charge hit her gut, stumbling back. Mizuki covered, stabbed. Ira healed; Fam up.
Pinned at entrance.
Fam and Mizuki taking more hits.
Ira healing nonstop.
Bow arm ached. Arrows low. Switched to knife.
"Fall back inside once."
All agreed.
"I'll open the door."
Ira gripped bronze door. Attacks continued; I barraged stone orbs via earth magic at flyers.
"Everyone in!"
Ira yelled. Cecily dashed; I followed.
Glanced back—skies swarming.
Fam, Mizuki next; Myra and Ira last, barring door.
Monsters rammed; we braced, bolted it.
"Arm won't lift..."
Mizuki massaged hers. Fam panted. Fought too long thinning numbers. Should've pulled back sooner.
"Hold still for healing."
Myra hands-over-Mizuki.
"How many downed...?"
"Dunno. Even here, lightly guarded, it's bad. Way more than expected."
I told Fam. Arms shook—how many arrows? Myra healed; pain gone, steady. Miracle.
"Was I useful...?"
Relief spilled weakness.
"Mash. Your arrows created openings. And we're connected through you. You're the hub."
Myra gripped my hand tight.
"Right. Sorry for worrying you."
"You can say it to us. 'Together as six,' right?"
Myra smiled. Something welled up.
"Too soon to relax..."
Cecily said, staff aimed center.
A pink Big Hopper descended in central light beam, trailed by ten others.
Thank you for reading.
Thanks to everyone who hit like, bookmarked, or rated.
It motivates me. I'll keep trying.