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The Rising of Tanaka – 63 Part 2

Pasifista

「Let’s head to that mountain. We’ll camp there and wait for the three of them to return.」

「That one, huh…. It will certainly be easier to defend, but if we are holed up there, will we no longer be able to escape anywhere then? In addition, it seems unlikely for us to be able to secure food there.」

「It’s impossible for us to escape anyway. They are faster than us, after all. Moreover, we also have food on us right now, and that should be enough. Even if we set up camp there, the food we have would probably be enough to last for two days, after all.」

What a truly desperate situation. However, there was no fear in Curryman’s expression.

「It will be fine. The three of them will be back in less than a day.」

「That’s right. The question is, whether we make it last this one day or not.」

「Well, that’s what people usually call the moment we have to display our might.」

Curryman and Kugel looked at each other and floated a smile. They were both aware that it was going to be a fierce battle, but the warriors didn’t seem to be concerned about it at all.

「For the time being, we can only hope that the cavalry won’t catch up.」

「If they do catch up, we can just have them as warming up then.」

The group of demons began to move. They headed toward the high ground where the battle, which would become the last and greatest trial of this journey, would take place….

◇ ◇ ◇

「Commander! It was reported that those monsters are beginning to move toward the mountain ranges!」

「Are they intending to go into the mountains in this danger zone? What the hell are they thinking about…? No, if the so-called demon lord is among them, then it is possible to break through that place, huh… Relay it to the unit that is moving ahead! Continue to keep track of the monsters while maintaining a certain distance as they are! Before they converge with the main force again, try avoiding any loss of manpower, if at all possible. The main force should also hurry up to converge with them!」

Giving order to the messenger from the cavalry, he began to run. And then, the commander fell into thought as he sped up the march.

「What’s wrong, commander-dono?」

Perhaps keenly sensing the change in the mood of the troops. The ones who appeared there were several people who were of somewhat different nature than the quietly marching kingdom soldiers—Hero Kamui and his party members.

Perhaps this was what should be called fate. The group of kingdom soldiers that had their eyes on the group of demons led by Tanaka was the independent battalion whose goal was to subjugate the Demon Lord.

Still unable to obtain any valuable information about the demon lord, for the time being the independent battalion had come to this eastern land in order to chase after the demon tribes that had been displaying unsettling movements. Still unable to grasp the Demon Lord’s track as usual, just as they were about to cast their nets around this area, that was when they came across a group of demons that boasted a scale of more than a thousand members.

There were some suggestions that they should contact other forces and continue their search for the Demon Lord, but as it was impossible for the force in charge of sealing the border to have the leeway to hold off a group of a thousand demons, only this one time, they had no choice but to deal with this group.

「Hero-dono, huh. There’s something I’m a little concerned about.」

The battalion commander explained his concerns from earlier to Kamui. About a certain area within the mountain ranges that had turned into the turf of powerful monsters, and was said to be impossible to pass though. And the fact that this group was about to head into the mountain.

「If it’s just a bunch of reckless folks then that’d be good and all, but if they have the confidence – and the power – to cross that place, I think it’s going to be quite a big deal.」

「Do you mean the Demon Lord is in that group?」

「It’s a possibility.」

The atmosphere of the hero party changed.

「I’ve already issued an order to the leading unit not to arbitrarily open hostility. Our main force will be rushing to converge with them. Please prepare yourself as the battle is imminent, o hero and his companions.」

The hero party nodded in silence. The commander replied with a nod, seemingly satisfied with the figures of the hero party who showed no negligence, and the spirit that was oozing out of them. And then, he issued an order to the main force to hurry up and converge with the leading unit.

「Don’t worry. We’ve definitely gotten stronger.」

Kamui involuntarily let out his thoughts. What he recalled was that time when he learned what true fear was – the battle against the monsters that were far beyond common sense.

「We got to know our weakness, we experienced what fear was. And we’ve also ceaselessly worked hard to not lose out to them. I don’t know how powerful the Demon Lord is, but after that experience, there’s no way we will lose.」

The one there was the figure of a boy who had become a level more robust. No, it might be more accurate to be called the figure of a boy who was transforming into a man.

「Kamui-sama.」

Kaltovich blushed at the majestic figure of such a Kamui. In a way, that attitude of hers might be the proof that the hero party had regained their confidence and attained solid power.

And next to Kaltovich, who was radiating pink-colored air, it was impossible to tell what she was thinking as usual, the expressionless Tetsujin stared intently at the mountain ranges. The place where the next battle would take place–.