Chapter 154
Chapter 154
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 154
Chapter Title: Preparations (4)
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The main story went something like this. The journey to defeat the Demon King was undertaken solely by the protagonist's party, while the other hero candidates operated separately. They would occasionally appear and join up, but they'd leave just as quickly.
I decided there was no need to follow that same path. These guys were more than capable of pulling their weight, so why let them go to waste? I had to use them to their fullest potential. Choosing the most advantageous path would make my life easier.
In the end, they were all meant to work their asses off for me... no, for the peace of the world. With the grand cause of annihilating the Demon King's army, using them was perfectly justifiable. However...
“I can't take this anymore. I want to quit right now.”
“Fine. Get lost, then. We don't need the likes of you.”
“What?”
“You haven't already forgotten that we wasted our time because of you, have you?”
“Nonsense! If you hadn't been so stubborn…”
“...”
Well, look at that. Fighting amongst themselves. A scene completely devoid of camaraderie. It was pathetic, truly pathetic. Far from being role models for the other students, they were busy blaming each other and making a scene.
Perfect timing. If I seized on this and gave them a sharp rebuke, things would go the way I wanted. But just as I was about to intervene, a painful truth suddenly came to mind.
Hmm, come to think of it, this was my karma, wasn't it? After all, forming this B-team was my idea. It was composed of people with awkward or bad relationships, so problems were bound to arise.
Right. It would have been weirder if things had gone smoothly. I'd basically poured oil on a raging fire. Their bickering was inevitable, and my conscience pricked me at the thought of calling them out on it. For now, I'd just have to watch a little longer.
“Damn it! This composition was wrong from the start. Personalities aside, our roles are overlapping!”
The B-team's temporary leader, Gale, let out a cry of frustration. The team consisted of three frontline fighters and two mages. It was a total mess, with no consideration for balance.
Gale, fuming, suddenly looked at me. His gaze, filled with resentment as if I were the most hateful person in the world, made me flinch.
This was a lost cause. I couldn't possibly reprimand them for being late now. I scrapped my original plan and threw out some new bait. When you're in a corner, changing the subject is the best strategy.
“That's enough. This isn't the time to fight amongst yourselves.”
“Comrades? What comrades…!”
“The Demon King's army might be planning an attack.”
“...An attack? On the academy?”
“Yes. There's a high probability they'll invade.”
“---!!”
Attack. That one word silenced them all. In the tense atmosphere, Gale began to mutter to himself.
“I see… It makes sense they'd target this place. The students, including us, and the newly chosen heroes… From their perspective, it's worth a shot. They even sent a spy, so they must have a rough grasp of our situation.”
Quick on the uptake, just like a mage. This proved he was the only one I could entrust the B-team to. But with his cunning nature, he might just bail at any moment. I'd have to tame him with a mix of carrot and stick.
“What are the preparations?”
“They're more or less in place. Now that you've joined us, we can rest easy.”
I boldly deviated from my original plan. Skipping the part about discipline, I framed it as though they were essential, and they all puffed up with pride.
Could I really trust these simpletons? They weren't weak enough to be ignored, but not strong enough to be relied upon. It was a very ambiguous situation.
Of course, having them was much better than nothing. As I tried to suppress my unease, Baken and Crow started spouting nonsense.
“Finally, a chance to crush those bastards!”
“I don't know how many will come… but I'll take on half of them myself.”
“Half? Hmph, you won't get far with that flimsy spear of yours.”
“Says the one who runs his mouth relying on nothing but his fists…”
“...”
“...”
A hostile confrontation. They stared each other down in silence for a long moment. Men whose pride was all they had were always a problem. They looked ready to throw down at any second, but given the circumstances, things didn't escalate into a full-blown disaster.
“Let's use this chance to settle our ranks. What do you say?”
“How?”
“We'll count heads, see who takes down more…”
“But what if some of them are exceptionally strong?”
“Commander-level? We'll have to count those higher, then.”
“One of the Four Heavenly Kings might even show up.”
“Really? Then whoever takes that one down wins.”
Ah, this is driving me crazy… They were making a bet on their own. If it were just a simple competition, I might let it slide for the sake of motivation, but bringing up the Four Heavenly Kings? That was crossing a line.
Instead of cooperating, they'd just get in each other's way, creating a fantastic duo of trolls. I put them together specifically to avoid this kind of mess, but they still managed to get on my nerves.
Was talking nicely really not an option? I wanted to go beyond a rebuke and roar at them... no, I wanted to unleash a lion's roar, but alas, my dignified status wouldn't permit such a thing.
“Do you two have any idea how strong the Four Heavenly Kings are?”
“Hmm, as strong as us, maybe?”
“...”
“Stronger? If I fight with the resolve to die, I'm confident I can take one down…”
Hoo, a sigh escaped me. Ignorance is bliss, they say, and this was a perfect example. Well, to be fair, I guess it couldn't be helped.
How many people truly knew the specs of the Four Heavenly Kings? They're just known to be ridiculously strong, capable of taking on an army alone. That's usually the extent of the vague, pie-in-the-sky information people have.
“Listen carefully. The Four Heavenly Kings are stronger than me.”
“---??”
“If I faced one alone, I would surely lose. I'd just be waiting for death…”
“Huh? But you're the Hero, aren't you?”
“What's that got to do with anything? It hasn't even been half a year since I became the Hero. The Four Heavenly Kings would treat me like a novice.”
“...”
Even after all that, they still looked unconvinced. Seriously, do they think I don't need time to catch up? Do they think being chosen by the Holy Sword instantly makes you all-powerful?
At this point, it was clearly impossible. The normal progression is to go through stages, gradually becoming a true Hero capable of facing the Demon King, right?
Anyway, the point was simple. Even I, the Hero, am outmatched, so what makes you think you can act so cocky? They should have gotten the picture by now.
“So you're saying you'll take on the Heavenly King?”
“If I cooperate with Esterize and Aruru, we should manage somehow…”
“What about us? You're not telling us to just stand by and watch, are you?”
Wow, incredible… I really didn't expect them to be this stubborn. Do they need to get thoroughly beaten to come to their senses? I shot them a sharp glare, and they flinched for a moment, but then they opened their mouths again.
“W-wait… I'm not just being stubborn for no reason.”
“...I think we need to face one directly at least once. We need to gauge the level of a Heavenly King.”
“...”
In its own way, that was a valid point. In the long run, it might be better… No matter how unreliable they were, the fact that they were S-rank didn't change. They wouldn't die easily, so maybe I could let them off the leash a little.
After some thought, I came up with a compromise. These guys were the type you couldn't reason with through words alone.
'You're no match for them, so run the moment you see a Heavenly King!' If they were the type to readily accept that, I wouldn't have this headache.
“Alright, then. How about you guys attack first, and if you think it's too much, we can switch out.”
It actually sounded pretty good. If I sent the B-team in first, there was a small chance the enemy would let their guard down. And if not, well, whatever. If things went wrong, they'd be the ones getting hurt, not me. No loss on my end, right?
“Don't you dare let your guard down. And drop that pathetic competition.”
“...Got it.”
Their attitude became quite obedient. I'd halfway fixed the mentality of these buffoons. The other half would be personally educated by a Heavenly King.
Using even the enemy's commander... what cunning... no, what a brilliant stratagem. I was on the verge of admiring my own abilities.
“Um… is it okay if I sit this one out?”
Erich spoke up, watching my expression. He looked a little scared, his complexion pale. It seemed he'd judged that while he could handle most enemies, a Heavenly King was too much. Seeing my silent stare, he added an excuse.
“M-my attacks probably won't work on them anyway, right? If I just get in the way, I'll be a hindrance to you all…”
Erich was a classic knight type. As an affluent royal, he was equipped with the best armor and shield. In other words, a pay-to-win wallet warrior who relied on his gear.
His own abilities were at the bottom of all the S-ranks, but his defense was considered the very best. Naturally, there was no reason to exclude the tank.
Especially in this case, he was practically essential. Taking on a Heavenly King was like running a raid. A raid without a tank? As the raid leader, my blood pressure would skyrocket.
“Don't be ridiculous. You're on the front line.”
“W-wait! Are you telling me to go die?”
He pleaded with a tearful face, as if he'd apologize for any wrongdoing. Was it because he was raised in luxury? The one who could endure the most was whining like a baby. How could I tolerate such absurdity?
“I'm not telling you to charge in alone. What's with all the fuss?”
“Then?”
“You don't need to attack. Just play to your strengths.”
A tank's role is to protect the damage dealers. He should be blocking the Heavenly King's fierce attacks aimed at them with his own body.
A royal who should be a model for others wouldn't be afraid of a little sacrifice, would he? As Erich resisted with his entire being, I subtly tossed him a ray of hope.
“Even if you get badly hurt, Luciel is here, so you can rest easy.”
“Ah, that's right... Hmm, if I play my cards right, this could be a chance to…”
The mere mention of the Saintess sent him spiraling into his own thoughts. It was obvious his delusions had begun. Showing off his cool side in front of Luciel, getting closer to her while she treated his wounds, and so on…
Judging by the faint smile forming on his lips, he'd probably already planned out their future children. What incredible delusional power... It couldn't get any more pathetic, but I felt more pity than anything else.
Some dreams are beautiful precisely because they can never be achieved. Anyway, as long as he was motivated, that was enough. I turned away from Erich and looked at Gale and Skadi.
“You two, wipe everything out with your area-of-effect spells. If you have a moment to spare, help out anyone who looks like they're in danger.”
“Anything else?”
“Act according to your own judgment.”
“Once things are mostly taken care of, we'll join you over there.”
The mages, at least, were easy to talk to. They'd do fine without me micromanaging them. Although I'd classified them as the B-team, they had gained experience clearing dungeons, so they should have met the minimum level requirement. Plus, they had farmed for gear as I'd instructed, so their equipment wasn't half bad.
With that, all preparations were complete. All that was left was to wait for the Heavenly King's attack. As for any unexpected situations or sudden variables, I'd just have to improvise.
Well, you never know. There's no rule that says variables have to work against me, right? Considering how things had gone so far, I could even hope for the opposite.