“Now, Zombie Soldier, give me a piggyback ride!”
Having seen that the Demon Kingdom’s ground troops safely reached the north gate, I quickly decide to make my way back to Kirose.
Speed is more important than stealth.
If I can bring the news of our successful ambush to Kirose Headquarters quickly, I can call for reinforcements, and the fact that I brought that information back will surely be counted as one of my military accomplishments.
…If that’s the case, then once we win this battle, I can surely expect even greater rewards!
Surrounded by zombies, I ran down the main road from Elden to Kirose, where there should be no landmines.
“…Hmm?”
Along the way, the sky color changed again.
Looking up, I see red fireworks above me. They seem to be coming from within Elden city, heading in this direction.
“Fireworks… No, wait. Could that be a distress flare…?”
It’s probably from the Kingdom Army.
But why is it being shot from the north gate? The Kingdom’s other cities are to the south, so why shoot it in the direction of Kirose, a city of the Demon Kingdom…?
A chill runs down my spine.
Almost at the same moment…
“Hey, hey, no, no, wait a minute!”
From the direction of Kirose, I see light approaching along the road I was heading down. It’s a holy light created by a large-scale diversionary sacred technique, something that even the demons would overlook. I recognize it as the same type of magic used by Shes when she was the Zombie Queen.
Within that light, several dozen Kingdom soldiers are riding horses. The one at the front, on a white horse, has likely noticed me and is drawing a sword from his back.
“…Holy Sword!?”
Even from a distance, it’s clear that this sword has an overwhelming presence. It’s likely… the Hero. In other words, that’s the “Hero Unit,” right?
…Ah, what a coincidence.
When I calmly analyze the situation, I realize that this…
“The Demon Army’s Elden recapture operation and the Kingdom Army’s Kirose ambush operation… They’re almost completely overlapping in terms of timing!”
So, what kind of situation am I in right now?
The answer is simple.
I’m caught between the battlefield of Elden and the Hero Unit, which has probably reversed its course from the Kirose ambush to respond to the distress call from Elden.
In other words, this is very bad.
…So, what should I do?
“Alright, let’s head to the Elden battlefield!”
Let’s dive into the battlefield!
If I keep moving alone like this, there’s a high chance I’ll be caught or killed by the Hero Unit. However, if I can blend into the chaotic battlefield, I’ll likely be overlooked.
…Also, it’s definitely safer to stay close to Lord Agito!
“Zombie Soldiers, turn around! We’re heading to Elden!”
The Zombie Soldiers turn away from the Hero Unit… but at the same time…
“—Kiwi Alaya!!!”
A woman’s scream echoes from behind as a holy force—one of the sacred techniques, “God’s Word Bullet”—strikes the body of the Zombie Soldier. Its body is engulfed in white flames. However, I don’t feel the heat, as I’m being carried on its shoulders.
“…This is… God’s flame?”
I quickly use Dark Heal to put out the fire. God’s flame is a surge of holy power created when healing techniques, particularly those meant for evil-aligned beings, go out of control. To counter it, I send magic to neutralize the holy energy!
“This is nothing to worry about.”
My Dark Heal, with its purple glow, envelops the Soldier, fully restoring it. The holy flames are quickly extinguished.
This is easy. Although “God’s Word Bullet” is a high-level technique that combines healing with offensive power, its effect is weaker when used from a distance.
…If only that healer had infused the power to repel evil into the “God’s Word Bullet,” maybe they could have sent me flying into a minefield.
It seems their battlefield experience is quite lacking. I’m saved.
The Soldier, still carrying me, continues running with Shes and the Zombie Thief toward Elden’s north gate.
“Kiwi Alaya!!! How dare you mock God again!”
The woman’s voice continues chasing us. She’s riding a gray horse and glaring sharply at me from above.
…Who is that priestess?
To instantly recognize my face and name from this distance, she must have remembered me from my time in the Kingdom (which is obvious).
But if that’s the case, then she might be someone I know.
…Could she be a priestess from the Healers’ Association?
Could it be… Maria Ester, the former head of the Healers’ Association, who perfected the technique for reviving patients suffering from cardiac arrest…?
No, that can’t be it. She should be close to seventy by now.
Could it be Elise Wacker, the author of the paper on “Appendix Natural Harmonization Heal”?
No, she’s probably retired too.
…Hmm, I should be able to recognize someone with an interesting paper, but…
“Well, whatever. Anyway…”
We four continue past Elden’s north gate.
The city, dyed in fiery red flames, greets us, with thick black smoke billowing into the sky. Kingdom soldiers holding rifles can be seen everywhere, and demons charge ahead without hesitation.
I was planning to just carry out some strategic leadership work and head back, but… I never expected to end up in the middle of a battlefield.
“This really is unpredictable.”
“Don’t run away, Kiwi Alaya!”
“Ugh… they’re still chasing me. What on earth did I even do?”
For now, I urge the Zombie Soldiers to run faster.
The combination of zombies and priests is incredibly poor. If they catch up to us, it’s going to be a huge disadvantage.
…For now, let’s head toward the middle of the town, where the fighting should be lighter. Even the Hero Unit won’t make the foolish decision of leaving the battlefield just to chase after me.
