The next area I jumped off to was the cemetery area.
There, Wight was busy finalizing the defensive troops’ deployment.
Beside him were the Dwarf Smiths and High Elves that were to be left behind to help in our defense.
He was conversing with the Dwarf Smiths when I arrived. The Dwarf Smiths were the ones controlling the golems and as such, being on the same page with them was important.
When he noticed me, he concluded their conversation and ran up to me.
"My lord, how nice of you to come."
"Are your preparations in order?"
"Yes, my lord. We will be somehow able to pull off the strategy you came up with."
"That’s good news... Wight, I’m sorry for asking you accomplish this unreasonable role."
For this war, the one with the greatest responsibility was him: to endure the fierce assaults of the three Demon Lords. We had set up some tricks and traps to counter our inferior numbers but those required mastery and nerves of steel to implement fully.
"I’m glad to have been entrusted with such an important task by you, my lord. I am not as strong as Kuina-sama and the others and yet you’ve recognized my intellectual prowess to be worthy. I truly am a monster luckier than I am due."
The same as ever, Wight said some pretty pleasant things.
"Ah, I have such a good follower, that’s what I think whenever I see you."
"I should be the one saying so, my lord. I take pride in serving you."
As he replied so, I noticed him acting a little hesitant about something, as though he couldn’t say whatever it is he wanted to say.
"If you want to say something, you may freely do so."
".........Can I make a shameless request?"
"Go ahead."
"If we get through this ordeal, I would like to ask for a reward."
It was unusual for him to say something like this himself. It pleased me though to know that he had such a side to him.
"What is it you want? In deference to your undeniably good work thus far, I will grant whatever it is so long as it’s manageable."
"After this war is over, I was thinking of marrying Ske-san and I would like you to officiate it. There is no one I want to officiate it more than you, my lord."
For a moment, I was at a loss for words; I was too surprised. A marriage between two undead monsters of all things.
That said, I did think it was fantastic. There was no way I would say no to this.
"Okay, it’s a promise so you absolutely can’t die, you hear me?"
"Yes, as my lord commands."
After I had checked and instructed some members of the defensive troops, I once again transferred to another location.
◇
"Ah, Oto-san. The first platoon has completed all its preparations."
"The maintenance of the weapons for the first and second platoon is complete, master. We’re ready to go at any time."
My next destination was the entrance of my dungeon.
Here, the dungeon conquering troops—including Kuina and Rorono— were gathered.
Each monster was properly equipped and motivated.
"Kuina, I’m counting on you to lead the first platoon well."
"Yes, leave it to Kuina!"
The first platoon was composed of Kuina and Rorono at its core, the two High Elves, and the 12 highly mobile monsters from the mixed unit corps.
Having high-rank monsters like Kuina and Rorono made this platoon an elite one but it was due to the two High Elves—who were going to provide excellent reconnaissance as well as anti-air measures—that the platoon could fight without any reservations.
They would be led by Kuina. She might appear and act like a child but in truth, she possessed one of the sharpest and quickest minds among my monsters while also having an outstanding sensitivity to perceive danger.
She might not be suited to lead our entire fighting force due to her lack of a greater perspective but as a commander of a detachment being dispatched on a mission like this, there was none better.
"Okay, now, second platoon, follow me."
I was the one to lead the second platoon.
At its head was the S rank monster Ancient Elf. Performing high-precision, high-impact sniping with her improved anti-materiel rifle as she flew at very high speeds, there was no single individual that could match her prowess. No one except for Kuina that is, for as mighty as Ancient Elf was, her capabilities to annihilate her enemies were still inferior compared to Kuina. She was frailer than Kuina too.
Plus, on a place where the ceiling was low, her mobility was greatly hampered.
To cover up for her weaknesses, there were the two mobile and destructive Mythological Foxes to guard her sides and the two Dwarf Smiths to support them.
Furthermore, to insure destructiveness, we were also going to take along half of the Griffon’s aerial bombardment corps as well as the six slow but powerful B and C rank monsters that remained from the mixed corps.
In terms of number, this platoon might seem inferior to the first platoon but in terms of overall fighting power, the two were roughly equal.
"Yes, we will follow master anywhere, even to the ends of the world!"
Said Ancient Elf before she smiled.
I had decided that if she could prove herself in this war, I was going to name her.
By doing so, I would have completed my [Monsters of the Covenant] and I was excited for that.
"Okay, let’s go over our strategy one last time."
Only five minutes remained until the fighting begins. I decided it was better for us to review our strategy just to be sure.
"Kuina, you will be taking the first platoon and assault the limestone cave. That cave is probably the dungeon belonging to the [Viscosity] Demon Lord. Go in there and cause as much ruckus as possible."
"Yeah, we’re gonna blow things up. By drawing as much as attention as possible, we will be making Wight’s duties a little bit lighter. Oto-san, I’ll show you what a Celestial Fox is capable of in a war."
It seemed my intention was properly transmitted.
The more they were able to force the enemy Demon Lord to focus on defense, the less his offense would become. The number of enemies Kuina and her platoon would face would increase but with their speed, they would be able to outrun most enemies resulting in fewer battles.
"Ancient Elf, as soon as the war begins, we will be heading to the tower dungeon with full haste. I believe that belongs to the devil-looking [Evil] Demon Lord but it doesn’t really matter if I’m wrong. Dwarf Smiths, you two will be riding on the back of the griffon corps."
Ancient Elf nodded and the Dwarf Smiths prepared to ride the flying monsters.
With this, the slow-footedness of the Dwarf Smith would no longer be an issue.
"Now, everyone, to [War]!"
Right when I announced such, a voice resounded in my head.
<<Children of the Planet, it’s time to show the residents of this world your radiance. Let the [War] begin!>>
And thus, we flew out of our own dungeon.
For us to not lose, we had to conquer at least two dungeons as Wight held on. It was a race against time.
◇
~From [Steel] Demon Lord Zagan’s point of view~
"Damn, that bastard, how dare he look down on me"
[Steel] Demon Lord Zagan had retreated back to his own crystal room and shouted thus.
It wasn’t enough to calm his rage though so he pounded on the walls.
In his assumptions, [Creation] should have been cowering in fear but the enemy was calm and was even provoking him.
And with that, he was enraged.
"Damn, damn, damn, he’s facing three Demon Lords and yet why does he act like he has the advantage? Why do I have to be mocked by that guy? Is it because I can only make B rank medals!?"
That had become a sore spot for the [Steel] Demon Lord. His high pride could not forgive the fact that he was inferior right from the moment he was born.
From the moment his parent told him that he would be able to create another’s original medal if he was somehow able to break that Demon Lord’s crystal, the thought had always been in his mind. So back when he proposed an alliance with [Wind] Demon Lord Stolas, it wasn’t only out of gaining a powerful ally but to also gain a chance of tricking her and snatching away her [Wind] medal.
But alas, Stolas turned down his offer. In his mind, it wasn’t because she sensed his ill intentions but because she was falling in love for Procell.
Finding even his charms being outdone by Procell wounded his pride all over again.
"Getting carried away just because you’ve got a good medal out of pure chance while I had to rely on my own ingenuity, hard work and connections. I’ll make this lucky bastard realize what real strength is. With my flawless strategy, that bastard will be crushed instantly."
With hazy eyes, he stared at the monster standing beside his crystal.
It was a demon being lent by the [Evil] Demon Lord.
Its form was that of a cross between a goat and a human. It was capable of communicating via telepathy with its fellow quadruplets no matter how far away they were from one another.
By making use of this monster, he was able to get in touch with the Demon Lords on his side at any time.
"Fufufu, come attack and we’ll end you."
Their strategy was exceedingly simple.
First, they gathered more than half of their troops on the very first room of each of their dungeons. Procell who would lose if he doesn’t attack was forced to split his troops between attacking and defending.
And the troops he would send to their dungeons were bound to be of poor quality, Zagan thought. If so, those monsters would be crushed by the fighting force they assembled at any of their dungeons. At the same time as that assault, the goat demons would communicate with their twins and the Demon Lords not under attack would join together and launch their own offensive against Procell’s dungeon to tear it apart.
They did not fear his defenses either even if it had annihilated Stolas’s monsters. The golems and the mysterious weapons were the only threat it had but they found a way to counter it. And that countermeasure lied within the overwhelmingly high resistance to physical attacks of a Monster of the Covenant of [Viscosity]. That and the useful subordinates of [Evil].
"There’s our trump card too."
In addition to those mentioned above was a trick that seemed almost like cheating. In the final room of each of their dungeons were A rank monsters that had grown up to their maximum levels. These monsters were given by their parents that deemed Procell to be dangerous.
A parent was allowed to give to their young Demon Lord only three original medals and a few DP but nothing else. However, that restriction only applied on a parent and their ward which meant [Steel]’s parent giving [Evil] the ownership of a powerful monster was allowed. And so, [Viscosity]’s parent also gave a monster to [Steel] while [Evil]’s parent gave one to [Viscosity].
Of course, these monsters had to be returned upon the war’s conclusion but still, it was reassuring. Even if a monster somehow made it to the innermost part of their dungeons, there was no way it could win against an A rank monster at its strongest state. These loaned monsters would turn the tables on the unsuspecting invaders, never letting the crystal be broken.
"Procell, before my resourcefulness, you’re but a fool unknowingly dancing to my tune. Now that I think about it, I feel quite sorry for you, fuhahaha! I wonder what I’ll do after I break your crystal. Shall I make you beg for your life only to kill you soon after? No, I’ve got a better one. How about before breaking your crystal, I tell you to transfer your monsters over to me? I’ll tell you something like they won’t vanish if I control them. Knowing how big of a fool you are, you’ll probably even be happy to hand them over, won’t you? Hmm, your monsters are pretty so how about right after I have control over them, I show you how I’ll appreciate them? Fuhahaha."
The [Steel] Demon Lord laughed out loud. The [War] was going to start soon but he couldn’t help look forward to what kind of face that awful [Creation] Demon Lord Procell would make upon being defeated by his ingenuity.
Time passed quickly as he was lost in his thoughts and then the [War] had begun.
TL note: 羊 usually defaults to sheep in dictionaries. Goat just seems more fitting for a demon, isn’t it? And yes, demon (悪魔/akuma) is used. Whether there is a difference with monsters or it’s just because it originates from Evil, we’ll have to wait and see.
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