The Moment the Era Changed

As the Great Tiger Empire's forces were about to arrive in the fields of

Parnam, the scouts they'd sent ahead saw clusters of field camps and forts

built to defend the capital, as well as the waiting forces of the Kingdom of

Friedonia. It was similar to how the Western Army in the Battle of

Sekigahara deployed in a formation that would engulf the advancing

Eastern Army.

However, unlike the Western Army in Sekigahara, which was a

mishmash of differing military forces without a common goal, the Kingdom

of Friedonia's army was united in their desire to protect the country under

the command of Souma and Liscia. The Western Army couldn't properly

use their formation because of allies who betrayed them or refused to fight,

but the Kingdom's forces could put this semi-encirclement formation to

good use.

Hearing about the formation from his scouts, Fuuga asked Hashim, "The

Kingdom's army didn't shut themselves inside Parnam Castle?"

"The castle's round walls are ill-suited to defense. If you consider both

sides have tens of thousands of men at their disposal, fighting the decisive

battle in the open field makes sense," Hashim said with a calm expression.

"However, I would have expected them to meet us in battle at Red Dragon

City..."

"Hmm. Looks like they pulled us in this far for a reason."

"A reason?" Mutsumi cocked her head to the side.

"Yeah." Fuuga nodded. "If there wasn't, Souma's retainers wouldn't

have gone against his wishes and risked their lives to buy him time like that.

There's gotta be a good enough reason for them to have done it."

Fuuga viewed Owen and Herman's actions in a serious light. Souma

wasn't the type to order his retainers to their deaths. The way his men had

fought at those two bases—prepared to blow themselves up to delay the

enemy—must have been a decision they'd made for themselves out of

loyalty.

Turning that around, there must have been something that made his

retainers think, If we sacrifice ourselves here, the Kingdom can definitely

win, and, Our sacrifices won't have been in vain.

After watching the Kingdom's forces for some time, Fuuga gave his

orders.

"All forces. Get in position. They aren't going to come here to attack us

when they're already holding advantageous positions. Keep your guards up,

and be ready to launch a general offensive at any moment."

"Yes, sir!"

The Empire's forces got into formation and entered the fields where the

Kingdom's forces were waiting.

◇ ◇ ◇

"Souma... It's almost time, huh?" Liscia murmured from beside me.

I watched from the main camp, near Parnam, with Liscia, Aisha, and

Naden as the Great Tiger Empire's forces entered the plains. For this battle,

we wouldn't be shutting ourselves inside the castle. That was partially

because Parnam Castle wasn't well-suited to defend, but also because the

city's structure, reaching as far as the walls, was part of the magic circle

used to summon a hero.

It might only be able to be activated once every several centuries, but

generations after I was gone, they might need to summon someone from

Earth in the past once again. To make sure it was still possible when that

time came, I needed to avoid any heavy damage to the summoning system.

Thus, I'd built defensive fortifications in the fields and prepared to meet the

enemy.

"All right," Liscia said to herself, thrusting her rapier into her belt.

"Well, Souma. I'm off."

Per Liscia's request, she would lead an army, just like she did in the

Amidonian War. I was officially in charge of this war, but Ludwin would be

giving commands. Defense Force Commander-in-Chief Excel had an

important role to play, so we decided that Ludwin would direct the entire

army, with Kaede as his advisor.

The army was split into east, central (south), and west groups. The

eastern side was commanded by Liscia, the western side was commanded

by Weist Garreau, and the center was commanded by Julius.

Because this was a battle between two much larger forces than those in

the Amidonian War, the decisions made in the field were vital. We couldn't

afford to leave Liscia, who had the ability to command, sitting in reserve in

the main camp.

Looking at Liscia, who seemed so dependable in battle mode, I said, "I

know you wouldn't stop if I asked you to, so I won't, but don't push

yourself."

"I ought to say the same to you. You're always getting yourself into

trouble."

"You think?"

"In the refugee camp, you rushed out to protect Juno from those ruffians,

and then in the Amidonian War, you were almost killed by Gaius VIII.

From what I hear, you acted recklessly during the demon wave, when you

fought Ooyamizuchi, and when you saved Maria. All that despite not being

very strong."

"Urkh... I've got no argument."

Having been together as long as we had, she knew all my weaknesses.

Liscia chuckled. "Don't worry. I'll protect it all—our family, our house,

and our country."

"You're one gutsy mom."

"Aisha, Naden. Take care of Souma for me."

"Yes, ma'am! Understood."

"Roger that."

Nodding with satisfaction at their responses, Liscia left the main camp.

Liscia, Aisha, Naden, and Yuriga—as well as Roroa, Maria, and Juna,

who weren't here—were working in their own ways. So that our family,

including the kids who were in Venetinova, could all meet together in one

place again someday.

Today, I'm bringing Fuuga's era to a close.

◇ ◇ ◇

At the same time, in the main camp, at Ludwin's command station,

Ludwin, Kaede, and Julius were reviewing the strategy together one last

time. Kaede's partner, Halbert, and his other partner, Ruby, were also in

attendance.

Kaede pointed at a map of the battlefield. "If His Majesty's plan comes

to fruition, the Great Tiger Empire's forces will gradually lose momentum.

Until then, we have to hold this half-encirclement formation and defend it

so that the Empire's forces can't advance any further. We must fight this

field battle as if it were a siege battle, you know."

"Yeah," said Ludwin. "Thanks to Kaede and her earth mages, we already

have bases to defend and tunnels connecting them. If we focus solely on

defending, we should be able to hold them off."

"I suppose so..." Julius nodded.

However, despite his verbal agreement, he had a troubled look.

"Sir Julius. Is something the matter?" asked Ludwin.

"No...I think we've done more than enough preparation for any ordinary

battle. But knowing that Fuuga and Durga have a way of turning such

things on their heads...it's hard to feel at ease. Despite our preparedness."

"I see where you're coming from..." Ludwin nodded with satisfaction.

"He's a single individual who's able to change the battlefield through his

own feats of bravery, after all."

If Fuuga came charging in on Durga's back, this formation wouldn't

have the defensive power to stop them. They'd deployed anti-air repeating

bolt throwers to create a situation where it was harder to send Fuuga to the

front line for fear of him getting injured, but if they put the Empire's forces

in a position where fielding him became necessary, then he would come

regardless.

And if Souma's plan worked, Fuuga's side would definitely find

themselves pushed into a corner.

"A wounded beast can be incredibly frightening, you know," Kaede

murmured, capturing the grave atmosphere in the room.

"And that's what we're here for, isn't it?" Halbert said, thumping his

chest confidently and dispelling that atmosphere. "If Fuuga shows his face,

then me, Ruby, and the elites of the Mobile Wyvern Cavalry will stop him

with everything we've got. It's the whole reason we were deployed here as

an anti-Fuuga unit."

The combination of Durga and Fuuga could turn the tides of any battle

by themselves. The former was faster and more agile than the dragons of

the Star Dragon Mountain Range, and the latter was a better warrior than

Aisha and could fire lightning bolts on the same level as Naden's. This was

why Souma and the others saw them as the greatest threat. For this reason, a

special unit had been formed centered around Halbert and Ruby with the

Mobile Wyvern Cavalry, and their sole mission was to counter Fuuga.

"Captain Castor's keeping half of the enemy's air force busy over in Red

Dragon City. That means we can throw everything we've got at stopping

Fuuga."

"Yes. I'm not about to let that big cat do whatever it likes." Ruby nodded

in agreement with Halbert. Being a dragon who carried a knight, she

apparently felt a sense of rivalry towards Fuuga's mount, Durga.

Kaede looked worriedly at the two of them.

"I know I shouldn't say this as one responsible for giving orders in this

operation, but still... Don't be reckless. If the war ends and we win, but you

two are gone, leaving me alone with Bill... I'll cry, you know."

Hearing Kaede speak to them not as their commander but as family,

Halbert and Ruby both nodded.

"Yeah! Let's all make it back home with smiles on our faces."

"I agree. You let me hold Bill, so I won't be dying until I let you hold

the child I'll be having with Hal."

"Hee hee, Velza must be worried too. Let's all make it back home

smiling."

Ludwin and Julius looked at one another and smiled wryly.

"Now I suddenly find myself wanting to see Genia."

"Likewise, Sir Ludwin. Let's put this war behind us and hurry to

Venetinova to pick up Tia and Dius."

They each reaffirmed their commitment while thinking of their loved

ones.

At this point, Commander-in-Chief Excel showed up. They all stood up

straight at her arrival. Excel smiled at the five of them, producing a fan

from the sleeve of her usual frilly outfit and pointing it in their direction.

"It's time. Now then, people, let's have you all get to your positions."

"""Yes, ma'am!"""

The five answered Excel's quiet words with a salute.

◇ ◇ ◇

The Great Tiger Empire's forces began deploying into position so they

could attack the Kingdom's defending forces...

"I-I have a report!" A messenger shouted as they rushed into Fuuga's

main camp. "The Kingdom's camps have begun making massive orbs of

water!"

Hearing this, Fuuga and the others stepped outside their tent. They

looked up to find great balls of water floating in midair. But the balls were

more than mere water—they appeared to be receivers used in fountain

plazas across the continent. It seemed Souma was intending to use them for

a broadcast.

"So you've still got something to say this late in the game, Souma...?"

Fuuga murmured.

Soon enough, Souma appeared on the receivers in his military uniform.

"This is an announcement for everyone seeing this image," he began. "I

am the king of the United Kingdom of Elfrieden and Amidonia, and leader

of the Maritime Alliance, Souma E. Friedonia."

Fuuga was perplexed by Souma's words. The people of the Kingdom of

Friedonia obviously knew him, and Fuuga's men all saw him as the enemy

they needed to defeat. Considering that fact, it was strange to start with an

introduction.

Souma wouldn't take long to explain why he was doing this.

"This image is currently visible in fountain plazas all over the world,

and anywhere there is a simple receiver. In other words, this is a worldwide

broadcast. The same as what was utilized by the Great Tiger Empire against

the former Gran Chaos Empire. They investigated the Gran Chaos Empire's

frequencies in order to hijack them and broadcast the image of Valois

surrounded by Great Tiger Empire forces..."

He paused.

"This is more or less the same thing. The difference is that we of the

Maritime Alliance have switched our frequencies to those used by the Great

Tiger Empire, as identified by our spies. I've also informed the Nothung

Dragon Knight Kingdom, Spirit Kingdom of Garlan, and even the Seadians

in the far north that I will be broadcasting on this frequency at this time."

With a bold expression, Souma held up one finger.

"Now, unlike the forces of the Great Tiger Empire, who've come all the

way to Parnam, the people back home can just turn off the machine and not

watch. But let me say...if you watch to the end, it'll be worth your while.

You won't regret it! What I will reveal will affect all of mankind, whether

they're in the Kingdom of Friedonia or the Great Tiger Empire."

Souma declared this with absolute confidence.

"Do you wish to charge in at once and disrupt the broadcast?" Hashim

asked Fuuga, but Fuuga shook his head.

"I doubt it's that easy to stop. We'll be in more trouble if we're

distracted by his words during the battle. Let's hear him out for now, as

long as he's not just buying time. But make sure the troops are ready to

move at any moment."

"As you wish."

The projection of Souma carried on while Fuuga and the others watched.

"Currently, the forces of the Empire have pushed all the way to our

capital, Parnam, and they're in a stare down with my own forces. We've

been able to conserve our war potential up until this point in order to meet

them at our best. The Empire's morale must be high too, since the future

rests on this one battle. It will be an intense struggle, I'm sure... But before

that, there's something I want you to hear. Oh, by the way, I'm not about to

start talking about the morality of launching an invasive war of aggression

at this point."

Souma gave a performative shrug.

"I know there's no point in that. I could condemn it, but the people

enraptured by the great man, Fuuga, wouldn't listen to a word I was saying.

They're only interested in seeing the conclusion to his epic tale."

The Empire's forces were surprised to see Souma demonstrate some

understanding of why they would invade. If you one-sidedly condemn

people, they stop listening. However, if you show partial understanding,

they momentarily set aside their bias and open their ears.

He's good at this kind of stuff, thought Fuuga, impressed by Souma's

eloquence. It's one area where he's better than me.

Souma continued.

"A great man, Fuuga Haan, appeared in a small corner of the Union of

Eastern Nations—changing a world locked in stagnation. He drove off the

demon wave, unified the Union of Eastern Nations, and defeated the

massive Gran Chaos Empire while seizing half of their land. All this to

build the Great Tiger Empire of Haan, the largest empire our history has

ever known. Then he resolved the issue of the Demon Lord's Domain,

which had long tormented mankind, and unveiled the true nature of the

Demon Lord and the Seadians."

Most of those achievements were made with the cooperation of the

Kingdom of Friedonia and the Maritime Alliance, but Souma didn't say

that. It was self-evident to the people of the Maritime Alliance, and he felt

as though it would be better not to boast if he wanted the Empire's citizens

to listen to him.

"Now, the time has come to settle things between Fuuga Haan and the

last powerful opponent that remains."

He raised his hand into a thinking pose.

"Many of you must be thinking... 'Fuuga Haan can go as far as it takes,'

or 'Fuuga Haan can conquer this continent.' Perhaps you're of the mind

that, 'Once we're all one country, world peace will come,' or 'Things are

hard now, but we'll be rewarded once Fuuga dominates the entire

continent.' Those living in countries ravaged by Fuuga may feel, 'It was

necessary for this historical achievement.' And seeing our nation invaded

by him, you think, 'If it's to realize his grand dream, you can't really blame

him for destroying them.'"

Souma understood the way Fuuga's supporters felt. It was these kinds of

thoughts that led people to support Fuuga, even when his actions were

inhumane. So long as their thoughts remained unchanged, Fuuga could rise

again, no matter how many times he was defeated. That was proof that he

was a great man and the reason he was the favorite child of this era.

"But...that's all an illusion."

Souma's demeanor changed. He looked almost pitying.

"Because even if he does defeat me, and brings the entirety of the

Maritime Union under his sway, and continues on to subjugate the

remaining independents like Nothung and Garlan...that still won't mean that

he's conquered the world. I want you to see this."

A map of the world then appeared on the broadcast. It was a familiar

map with the diamond-shaped continent, along with the outlying islands of

the Nine-Headed Dragon Kingdom and the Spirit Kingdom.

The people of the Empire cocked their heads to the side, wondering

what Souma was talking about, but Fuuga alone had his eyes wide open.

"I get it! You're going to use that information here, Souma!" Fuuga

shouted as another map appeared above the first.

The second map was mostly empty, but there was a tiny fragment of

land near the bottom-center of it with islands scattered around.

Souma didn't hesitate to identify this newly added blank map.

"You see...north of where we reside here in Landia is another world,

mirroring in size to our own. This far-off land is known as Seadia. It's

where the people we called demons—the Seadians—came from. Landia

and Seadia were cut off from one another by a mysterious magic. However,

a hole opened up connecting them, bringing swarms of monsters that

threatened this continent and endangering the Seadian refugees."

The joint declaration on the nature of the Seadians that'd been released

by the Maritime Alliance and the Great Tiger Empire had already made

public that they were refugees from another world. This is why people

understood that the Seadians had come from a place Landians didn't know,

and they could imagine it was somewhere up north in terra incognita. But

they never imagined the world of the north could be as large as the world of

the south.

People tended to believe the information they could see for themselves.

Based on the population of the Seadians, people assumed that whatever

nation they'd come from couldn't be any larger than the islands of the Spirit

Kingdom of Garlan. In order to prevent panic, the elites of the Maritime

Alliance and the Great Tiger Empire made no attempt to correct that

misconception. And this was why Souma chose now to reveal the truth

behind the information.

This is my proof that Fuuga's conquest of the continent won't lead to him

conquering the world.

This meant that what mankind had thought was the finish line was no

longer that now. They believed that if Fuuga could realize his grand

ambition and conquer the continent, that would be the end. The world

would be one, Fuuga's epic story would conclude, and true peace would

come to the world. That was why people supported Fuuga even when it was

painful, and even if countries had been destroyed or were about to be

destroyed, they just had to endure it until he crossed the finish line.

However, that finish line no longer exists...

If his goal was still world domination, even if he brought the Maritime

Alliance under his dominion and conquered Landia, the challenging days

would still continue. Of course, some might ignore Seadia and consider just

dominating Landia to be the goal reached. However, that wasn't a view all

of mankind could share.

The people who'd sacrificed for the grand dream couldn't be satisfied by

stopping at some point along the way. Those whose nations were annexed

by the Great Tiger Empire in the name of unifying the world would be

indignant, asking what they'd lost their homelands for if he stopped only

"halfway." The people who'd walked this hard road for his dream would be

angry, asking what all their efforts had been for.

Souma's words created a clear divide among Fuuga's supporters. Of

course, Souma understood this, so he went on talking plainly, as if it didn't

concern him.

"From what the Seadians have told us, Seadia is a world overrun with

monsters. The demon waves were the result of some of the monsters from

that world drifting into this one, so there must be a great number of them

indeed. Our lack of information and understanding means there's no telling

what lies in ninety-nine percent of the land there. We can't rule out that

there could be more kaiju like the one that attacked the Nine-Headed

Dragon Archipelago. The gate to that world has been closed, but the

monsters and Seadia still exist. If something were to connect the worlds

again, it's possible the same tragedy could be repeated."

Having said this, Souma raised his right hand to eye level.

"In order to prevent that, the Maritime Alliance believes we must

cooperate with the Seadians and advance into Seadia from our side. As a

first step towards that, let me show you this video..."

Souma snapped his fingers, and the projected image switched over to a

scene of a dense jungle.

The area shown was likely tropical, like the Spirit Kingdom of Garlan. A

cacophony of birds could be heard chirping in the background. The viewers

felt as if they could feel the heat and humidity from the other side of the

projection.

In the forest, four men and women were walking along. They were

dressed like an adventuring party consisting of a male swordsman, a male

brawler, a female mage, and a male priest. The brawler who was walking at

the back, keeping a wary eye behind them, called out to the leader, the

swordsman walking at the front.

"It's so hot... Hey, Dece. Are they really here? Maybe they moved

already?"

"This is where the reported sighting was. If they aren't here, then we

need to confirm that and report it."

The priest walking in front of the brawler turned and chided him.

"It's dangerous to let your guard down, Augus! There are reams of

monsters here that aren't recorded in the Monster Encyclopedia, after all,"

the priest said, tightly holding the encyclopedia of monsters that Ichiha had

published as if it were a holy text.

The mage who was walking beside him chuckled. "Ha ha. I know you're

a priest by role, but it's funny seeing you hold that encyclopedia so

preciously. Is it that important to you, Febral?"

"Of course, Julia. This is my bible."

Dece smiled wryly at this declaration from Febral.

A shadowy figure raced up to the four of them. It was a green-haired

female thief.

Dece wasted no time before talking to her. "How was it, Juno?"

"Yeah, they're here. At two o'clock. We're downwind of them, so they

haven't noticed us yet."

The thief, Juno, pointed back in the direction she'd come. The other four

nodded with serious expressions on their faces.

Then Juno glanced in another direction, away from the four. The people

watching the broadcast felt as though she'd just looked them in the eye.

Dece, the group's leader, pulled the sword from his belt and told his

companions, "Okay, let's go. It's hunting time."

◇ ◇ ◇

These events happened about a month before the war broke out when the

Kingdom of Friedonia was busy preparing for the coming of the Great Tiger

Empire.

Juno had come to Parnam Castle one night. She'd been by so many

times she'd lost count, joining King Souma and his queens for secret tea

parties. But that wasn't what she'd come for that day. Souma had used

Little Musashibo to contact her and say he had a job for her.

With practiced steps, Juno climbed trees and the walls until she reached

the balcony. Souma and Liscia were already there, with tea laid out on the

table like always.

Juno furrowed her brow suspiciously at this sight. "Is this the time to be

leisurely drinking tea? War's coming, you know?"

"Yeah?" Souma replied with a hint of resignation in his voice. "You're

right. There's probably no avoiding war with the Great Tiger Empire."

"Then this is no time for tea parties," Juno asserted, deeply concerned.

"Don't waste your time on me."

"Now, now," Souma chided her. "The part about us having a job for you

is true. Don't just stand around; have a seat, and let's discuss it over tea."

"Come on, Juno, sit down," Liscia urged. "You'll have black tea, right?"

"Uh... Sure."

Juno hesitantly took a seat. While Liscia served tea and coffee, Souma

spoke.

"What are the adventurers doing? We've broken off our contract with

the guild, so I don't believe adventurers have any responsibility to

participate in the war effort."

"You're right. From what I've heard, most of us are planning to high-tail

it out of here before the war breaks out," Juno said. "Though, if the Great

Tiger Empire and the Maritime Alliance fight, the whole world will be at

war, so nowhere will be safe. People are thinking of going to the

countryside, where the fires of war aren't as likely to spread..."

"I see."

"Oh, and there are some idiots who want to side with the Great Tiger

Empire and make a name for themselves. They must think that if they prove

themselves fighting for the aggressors, they'll be able to reap some tasty

benefits."

Juno gulped down the tea Liscia served her all in one go, then grinned.

"There's also an even smaller group of even bigger idiots, like us,

who're talking about serving the country as volunteers. There are a good

number of adventurers who love this country, even if they don't have ties to

you like I do. After all, it's a country where they earn good money and

never have to worry about missing a meal... Well, if you leave a fanatical

worshipper of Ichiha Chima like Febral alone, he'll help you with

everything he's got."

"As king, that's gratifying to hear."

"I agree. I appreciate the sentiment too," Liscia added, smiling wryly

along with Souma.

They spoke words of gratitude but didn't seem to want the help. Juno

cocked her head to the side, wondering why that was, and Souma

awkwardly scratched his cheek.

"The thing is, I have a job proposition for adventurers who are

cooperating with us. It's a far more important quest than joining us on the

lines of battle."

"An important quest?"

"Yeah. So, Juno..." Souma's expression grew serious. "Could you go

ahead of us on an adventure to the world of the north?"

◇ ◇ ◇

As Juno and her party walked through the jungle, a narrator with a deep

voice spoke over the footage.

"And now, those adventurers are traversing the undiscovered world of

the north."

Those in the know would have been able to figure out that this deep,

somewhat ostentatious voice belonged to Weist Garreau. However, Weist

was currently deployed among the defenders in the field outside Parnam,

showing this broadcast was different from those that had come before.

"This is the world that the Seadians, the people of the north, were driven

from by monsters. It is a world full of many unknowns for us, the people of

the south. The chief of the Seadians, Mao, has told us that there are

monsters out there so massive that they can change the landscape, giving

birth to new islands and erasing others. Thus, our maps will likely be of

little use."

The broadcast showed Juno and the others emerging from the jungle. In

the distance, they spotted something. It was red, hairy, and huge—

seemingly feeding on a deer the size of a grown man it had presumably

killed.

Juno and the party quickly hid in the grass at the sight of it.

"It's a redbear, just like in the report," Febrile announced. "They exist on

the southern continent too. It doesn't appear to be a monster, but...it's still

too large."

Augus sighed. "Redbears are, what, two meters tall at most? That thing

looks like it's at least three meters."

"It shows that even wild animals grow bigger and stronger here in the

lands of the north," Febral said, to which Dece nodded.

"Only the strong can survive in a world overrun by monsters."

"Survival of the fittest, huh?" Julia said in a relaxed tone.

Juno's expression grew tense. "So...what do we do? If that thing is

roaming around here, our camp's in danger."

Their eyes all gathered on the leader, Dece.

After some time, he said, "Let's hunt it. It'd be bad if we lost track of it

while heading back to report. Massive as it is, it's still a creature we know

how to handle, so we should be more than capable of beating it."

"Aw, yeah!" Augus clenched his fists as if he'd been waiting for this.

Dece and Augus would walk out in front of the group, drawing the

redbear's attention as they fought it, while Julia and Febral supported them

with magic, and Juno would stay in the middle, disrupting the beast so it

couldn't go after her allies in the rear. With those roles decided, they got

into position and slowly closed in on the redbear.

Just as Dece raised his left hand to signal them to attack...

"Huh?! Hold on, Dece! Above you!" Juno shouted, noticing something.

The sudden yell made the redbear stop and turn towards Juno and the

party. However, given the urgency of Juno's warning, she didn't care that

the redbear had noticed them.

The members of the party looked up. As they did, they saw something

descending rapidly from the sun's direction.

"Hide!" Dece commanded.

His companions reflexively concealed themselves in the brush. Soon

enough, the aerial assailant assaulted the redbear that was eyeing Juno.

"Gugahhhhh!"

"Gagwagh?!"

The massive creature that had flown down seized the redbear with both

legs, forcing the beast to the ground. It then bit into the redbear's neck as it

struggled to escape, twisting and breaking bones with ease. The redbear,

killed instantly, remained limp. Its assailant feasted on the remains, which

were now no more than a hunk of meat. The thick fur proved no obstacle as

it messily stuffed its maw.

As this scene from the wild unfolded, Juno and her party regrouped,

trying not to attract the predator's attention.

"That's a wyvern, right?! Why's it so big and strong?!" Juno whispered

Julia whispered in response, "It looks like five, maybe six people could

ride it."

Febral's face twitched. "We're used to seeing domesticated wyverns, but

it seems they're rather high up on the food chain in this world. Since we've

come here, it's just been one discovery after another that upsets all our

common understandings. My word..."

"So, what now, Dece? Our mission was to investigate the redbear and

eliminate it if possible, right?"

Dece thought about Augus's question a little before shaking his head.

"This is too far outside our expectations. In a situation like this, without

any hope of assistance from the other teams, it would be reckless to engage

that thing. Even if we managed to overcome it somehow, I doubt we'd have

the stamina left to get back to camp afterwards."

"It'd really suck to kill that wyvern, only to be wiped out by another

redbear on the way back!" Juno added.

"Yeah." Dece nodded in agreement. "Wild wyverns have a wide

territory, so it probably won't linger here. We've confirmed the death of the

redbear we were targeting. Let's pull out. We can report what we saw back

to headquarters."

""""Got it.""""

Juno and the party left silently so as not to be detected by the wyvern.

The video continued displaying the wyvern feeding on the redbear for

some time, but eventually, it moved to a close-up of Juno's face.

"Come on, Mister Little Musashibo! Quit filming; it's time to scram!"

With that, the video switched. Unlike the tense atmosphere up until this

point, there were images of jungles, forests, rivers, waterfalls, and beaches

unlike anything the people had ever seen. The video then showed scenes of

massive creatures struggling against one another in the vastness of nature as

the narration began to speak again.

"This is the land the Seadians were driven from. A land of new horizons

that we Landians of the south have never seen. This is a savage world

where monsters and other powerful creatures vie for survival, and no one

knows what has been left behind."

The video showed images of a ruin in the jungle and a pyramid sunken

beneath the sea. Were there truly such places in the world of the north?

"What awaits us there? Traps? Treasure? What will come to the

explorers? Glory or death? No one yet knows the answer. There are no

nations here. No kings. No class structure. Only villages of those who have

taken the first step. This is a world where anyone can become a great man.

If you can win the people's trust, you can establish a country where you will

be king. Or perhaps you will continue to roam in search of adventure."

The video looked from the high mountains to the jungle below and then

to the countless islands beyond. With that, the narrator delivered his final

line:

"What will all of you see in this world?"

◇ ◇ ◇

When the video finished, the Great Tiger Empire's camp was silent.

They would take a little longer to process what they'd just seen. But

with time...they would figure it out. The impulse welled up from deep

inside them.

I watched them from the main camp of the Kingdom's army.

"Is that the secret plan you were talking about, Souma?" Naden asked

from beside me.

"Yeah." I nodded. "I used the record and playback functions that became

available to me after I met with Mao in order to produce it. It's a

promotional video to invite people to the frontier."

When I was holding talks with Mao in Mao City, the topic of whether

she could release some of what Genia would call "overscience" for us to

use came up. Mao and Madam Tiamat had certain limitations placed on

them, so it would be difficult for them to release any technologies they

hadn't created themselves, but they could expand the functionality of the

jewels we were already using.

It turned out that the images being broadcast were stored inside the

jewel, and it was possible to extract and rebroadcast them. In other words, I

could use this recording and playback function. Using this feature, I wanted

to make a promotional video that would help shift people's attention from

'conquering the continent' to 'advancing into the world of the north.' What

I had Mao doing up until the last minute—even using the time Owen and

the others bought for me—was editing the video and preparing it for

broadcast.

"I'm sure someone out there's already said, 'War isn't a game.' But there

are guys who treat it like one. Fuuga and his supporters probably see his

ambition of conquering the continent as one grand game. The sort of thing

where conquering the world means you win, and losing means it's game

over."

"Ah... We warriors often liken victory and defeat to a board game,"

Aisha said with some awkwardness, possibly because she could see how it

applied to herself.

Well, Caesar himself said, "alea iacta est," so it was probably pretty

common to compare war to games or gambling. (Disregarding for the

moment whether he actually said it in reality.)

When I considered that, I had a thought. Fuuga and his men are playing

a simulation game. One modeled on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms or

the Sengoku Period, where you move forces around on the map and attempt

to unify the country under your rule...

But in simulation games, there was a pattern. Once your faction grew

and you overcame encirclement, it became boring since you would've

almost finished conquering the land. Being the most powerful force by the

late game means you're just repeatedly stomping on weaker powers, turning

the game into a chore. If there happened to be two major powers in the late

game, then it devolved into a slog where you had to fight the same enemy

repeatedly until they were destroyed.

This was the kind of situation Fuuga and his men were in currently.

They'd destroyed nations and had their own countries destroyed, so they

had to see it through to the game's ending. They would defeat the Maritime

Alliance, accomplish the grand feat of uniting the continent, and then all

their troubles would be rewarded. They just had to hang on until then.

But what if they were presented with a different game?

What would they think if they were playing a simulation game that

turned into busy work and saw a promotional video for a hunting action

game or one where they could explore an uninhabited land? Wouldn't they

want to play that game instead?

"Whether they win or lose, the game we know as the epic tale of Fuuga

is in the process of ending. What will the people of the Great Tiger Empire

think if they're presented with a much more fun game now? Where one can

advance into an unknown northern frontier. They've been told it's not just

Fuuga's epic tale waiting for them there, but a story where any of them

could become great men themselves."

"The more I hear, the nastier this whole scheme of your sounds," Naden

said with a sour look. "Come to think of it, you sounded like you thought it

was distasteful yourself when you said, 'I'm going to bring an end to

Fuuga's era.'"

"I see how it is... By forcefully bringing about an era where people no

longer need Fuuga, you cause him to lose his superiority as the favored

child of this one... This strategy seems entirely focused on taking down

Fuuga personally. If the people of the Great Tiger Empire realize that..."

Aisha trailed off as she looked at the forces of the Great Tiger Empire.

"Exactly." I nodded. "Seeing what we've shown them, can they still

continue this boring game?"

◇ ◇ ◇

Less than one percent of those who saw the video Souma showed

properly understood the meaning of it. But even those who didn't

understand it still felt something.

The people of the Maritime Alliance and other countries like the Dragon

Knight Kingdom that weren't siding with the Great Tiger Empire likely

thought, "Why's he showing us this now?" They could understand that

Souma and the other brains of the Maritime Alliance had some plan for

after the war. But in order to carry out whatever that plan was, they would

need to do something about the Great Tiger Empire first... There was no

point in dreaming about the future until they dealt with the crisis before

them. The video did nothing to raise their morale, but it didn't cause a great

deal of confusion either.

On the other hand, the people aligned with the Great Tiger Empire felt a

stir within their hearts.

The Great Tiger Empire had grown to become a massive state with a

large population. All of these people, originally from different countries

with different ways of thinking, were currently banded together by Fuuga's

charisma. You could say that the Great Tiger Empire was where people had

come together to entrust their dreams to Fuuga's grand ambition of

conquering the continent.

Fuuga understood that, so he'd held up his far-reaching vision for all to

see, gathering support by letting them think they were participants in his

epic tale. Those who pushed back against his narrative became villains in

the story, and those who supported him played the role of his allies, creating

a system that might be called the "theatrical way of domination."

Everything centered around Fuuga, including the era itself.

But now, that era has begun to waver. With so many people gathered in

the country, they interpreted the video Souma showed them in many

disparate ways. The old guard, who were warriors in spirit, like Fuuga

himself, couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. They were a bunch of

dreamers, not driven by any sort of profit, who'd come from a small corner

of the Union of Eastern Nations to race across the continent, declaring their

hegemony. Once they learned there was another adventure to be had—one

unlike any they'd ever known before, in a world being theirs—then of

course they would get excited.

"This...is going to cause a split," Shuukin murmured to himself.

Far to the west of Parnam, on the border between the Great Tiger Empire

and the Euphoria Kingdom, the stare down continued as both sides waited

for Souma and Fuuga to settle things. The two forces had done nothing but

glare at each other for days now, but out of nowhere today, a water sphere

for broadcasting appeared above the main Euphoria camp. Projected in it

were Souma's speech and that video.

"Lord Shuukin? What do you mean by a split?" Elulu asked from beside

him.

"Elulu." Shuukin looked at her with sadness in his eyes. "What did you

think when you saw that video?"

"Me? I thought the world of the north seemed pretty interesting..."

"Yeah. I'm sure it is for you," Shuukin said with a wry smile at Elulu's

earnest words. "But for me...I'm drawn to it so strongly that I can't help

myself. A world I haven't seen? Adventures I've yet to taste? Knowing it's

out there, I don't want to compete with the other nations of mankind for

dominance; I want to go and find it. I'd heard about the world the Seadians

came from, but I never imagined it was as big as our own world. And we

could actually go there? Honestly, I envy the adventurers."

Shuukin crossed his arms and groaned before continuing.

"If I'd known about that world before this war...I might've advised my

friend Fuuga to stop trying to conquer the south so that we could advance

into the north instead. Although...Fuuga and I were already in a position

where we could no longer do that..."

"Lord Shuukin..."

As Elulu looked at Shuukin with concern, there was a loud clatter

behind them. Surprised, Elulu turned to look and saw Lumiere had thrown

the rapier that hung at her hip down on the ground, scabbard and all.

"M-Miss Lumiere?"

"They changed the 'end' on us..."

Lumiere gazed up at the sky with a look of frustration.

"I thought...we were almost there. Just a little farther, and the continent

would be united. I wanted my name included in that great achievement...

That's what I thought when I stabbed my friends and Lady Maria in the

back to join this side." She spoke in a level tone, but it sounded like she was

crying. "Yet now...I've lost sight of where the end is. If the people want us

to conquer another world just as big as this one...how many more years will

that be? Can we maintain a country of this size for that long?"

Elulu tried to say something, but Shuukin put a hand on her shoulder to

stop her. He must have decided that all they could do was leave Lumiere

alone until she settled down.

"Elulu, we all gathered under Fuuga's dream. But we all pursue it with

different levels of passion. Some cheer Fuuga on of their own accord. Some

believe in him blindly. Some believe because those around them believe.

And some never had any choice other than to believe... Those differences

will appear in how they react after seeing that video."

"That's why you said...there's going to be a split?"

Shuukin nodded in response to Elulu's question.

The hearts of those who supported Fuuga were shaken up in a thousand

different ways after seeing the video. For one example, the Great Tiger

Empire's forces on the Republic front...

Nata the Battle Maniac was only interested in fighting tough opponents,

so the video didn't resonate with him. Whether in the world of the north or

the world of the south, he was happy as long as he could go wild.

In contrast, most former Zemish mercenaries who made up the Great

Tiger Empire's forces on this front felt differently. They had always seen

rising by their skill with a blade alone as a virtue, and they were powerfully

attracted to the world of the north, where that seemed possible. Mercenary

State Zem had already been annexed, and many of them would've rather

fought freely in the world of the north instead of under the regulations of

the Great Tiger Empire. The top commander on this front, Moumei, would

struggle to control his soldiers, whose morale kept falling.

For another example, there was the Lunarian Orthodox Papal State.

They had pulled back from the Amidonia Region and were hardening their

own nation's defenses, but this video caused mass confusion for them. The

existence of the Seadians in and of itself had already been difficult to

reconcile with church doctrine, and now a massive new world had just been

revealed. They argued over how to save a world that the Lunarians,

disciples of Lunaria, the god of the moon, had not descended to.

Because the Orthodox Papal State had seen repeated infighting,

suppression, and purges, there were sparks smoldering everywhere. There

were suppressed and purged factions trying to use this confusion in order to

make a comeback or take revenge, so there was no way they could take

unified action against the Maritime Alliance anymore. And in the middle of

all this, Saint Anne, who was the one who should have quelled the chaos,

had shut herself in her room.

She gazed idly up at the sky from her balcony.

If we lose the radiance of our Holy King Fuuga and his dream of

conquering the continent... Then...what was all of this for...?

The screams of burning heretics and the fresh blood of those who died in

battle, believing she was a saint, flashed through Anne's mind. She'd gone

on playing her role as a saint all this time, telling herself that it was all for

the faith, all for Lady Lunaria. However...the scriptures she'd believed in

were easily shaken by just one video.

Why were those people burned then? Why was blood shed? Why did she

have to send those who believed in her to their deaths on the battlefield?

These questions tormented young Anne. She had killed her heart to be a

saint, but now that the very existence of saints was shaken, she was starting

to feel a sense of heartache.

It might be easier to just cast myself from this balcony...

The thought tormented her.

Anne placed her hand on the railing, but another image flashed through

her mind—the look in Mary's eyes as the former saint extended her hand to

her. If Anne was going to run away now, she should have taken Mary's

hand back then. It was her own responsibility that she hadn't.

She had to face her decisions head-on. Anne would not let herself run

away. Even if a day of reckoning for her sins was to come, she would play

the role of saint until the very end.

That is how I'll take responsibility, she swore to herself.

In this manner, Fuuga's supporters had countless emotional reactions to

the video. It was the same with the main force that Fuuga led, which had

been psyched up to face the Friedonian army in a decisive battle. They still

thought that conquering the southern continent would be a great

achievement. That hadn't changed.

However, by learning about the existence of the world to the north, the

point of this war was shaken.

Even if they subjugated all the nations of mankind, they wouldn't

control the entire world. This would divide the hearts of the people. Some

would feel that dominating the southern continent was still a great

accomplishment, so it should be done first. Others would doubt the need, as

dominating the continent wouldn't mean they ruled over the entire world.

As for the people whose countries had been absorbed by the Great Tiger

Empire, the sentiment was this: While they'd been willing to accept the loss

of their nations for the sake of accomplishing something great, if there was

still a world that they could get their hands on without warring against their

fellow man, why did their old countries need to be destroyed?

Those who desired personal advancement thought: Even if they won

against the Kingdom of Friedonia, they only stood to gain so much from it.

The lion's share of the fame and land would go to the old guard, and unless

they made quite a name for themselves, all they'd get was maybe some of

the plunder. That being the case, they may have a better chance of making a

name for themselves by adventuring into the world of the north.

The people who didn't find their life's purpose in battle and were

mustering what courage they had for the sake of this grand dream—and

who made up the vast majority of the Great Tiger Empire's forces—

thought: Rather than face the unpredictable Kingdom of Friedonia, they

were probably safer fighting monsters in the world of the north.

In this way, you can see how the people's hearts were a chaotic mess,

but the doubt budding in all of them was the same.

Just how valuable is this war, really?

With that doubt sewn, there was no way they could fight to the best of

their ability. Even as he stood inside a country thrown into disarray, Fuuga's

expression remained calm.

Mutsumi spoke to him, her tone full of concern. "It seems...the men

really are shaken up by this."

"Yeah...I know how they feel." Fuuga nodded without hesitation, then

followed it up with a shrug of dismay. "I'm sure that if I'd been shown that

video all of a sudden, I'd have wanted to go north too. If I'd been presented

with the interesting dream of developing a new world in place of

dominating the continent... Well, the fact is, while I want to commit myself

to this war, my own heart is swayed by the unknown frontier. And the stake

that Yuriga pounded into my heart is still there."

The two of them thought back to their meeting with Yuriga at the

northern end of the continent.