CHAPTER 9 - PART 3 & 4

Part 3

Several other ideas were raised and shot down, the conference was proceeding badly.

Someone raised the possibility of using ropes and climbing tools to assault the fortress, but another person rejected it, stating the speed of the fortress made that impossible.

Someone brought up the idea of building a barricade bigger than the destroyer. The staff countered by stating an example of the destroyer going around the obstacle, turning around and flattening the town, returning the hall to silence.

Magic was ineffective, you would get stomped on if you drew near, and aerial attacks would be shot down.

And all its attacks were swift.

I understood now, no wonder Aqua and Megumin wanted to escape.

Maybe he was frustrated by the rough pace the meeting was going, Taylor who was sitting beside us said:

"Hey Kazuma, you are quick witted, do you have any good ideas?"

He threw me such a curve ball.

It was useless to ask me that…

The only method I could think of was to get Megumin to blast it from a distance, but if spells were ineffective because of the barrier…

...

There was a barrier, so magic was useless.

I turned my head and looked at Aqua who was sitting beside me. She was drawing on the table with the water from her cup to kill time.

"Hey Aqua. Wiz said that with your power, you could break through even with 2 or 3 bosses maintaining the barrier, right? In that case, the destroyer's barrier should... Wahh! What is this—!"

After saying that, my gaze was attracted to the artwork Aqua drew on her table.

This could definitely be called a masterpiece. It's a drawing of a beautiful goddess enjoying playing with a flower in hand…!

"Right, she did say that. But I never tried it before so I don't know, there is no guarantee that I can really break the barrier."

As she spoke, Aqua poured the water from her cup unhesitantly onto that painting.

"Ahhh! What a pity, why did you destroyed it?!"

"Why are you shouting so suddenly? I already finished it, that's why I am wiping it away and drawing a new one…"

As we were chatting about these, the staff yelled:

"There is a way to break the barrier?! The destroyer's barrier?"

These words made Aqua and I the focus of the adventurers.

I waved my hand hurriedly.

"No, I just thought it might work, she said there is no guarantee too."

Hearing my panicked explanation, the entire hall turned rowdy.

And so…

"Anyway, could you please give it a try? If it works, we can attack with magic…! Ah, but low level spells are useless against that mobile fortress. All the adventurers in this town are novices, our mages are lacking in firepower…"

The staff became troubled again and the place fell silent once more.

At this moment, a certain adventurer pointed out:

"Don't we have someone with amazing firepower? The one with a screw loose."

Once he said that, the guild became loud again.

"That's right, the one that is wrong in the head…!"

"We have that screwy girl…!"

"Hey, stop. If you are referring to me, then do it that way alright? If not, I will prove right here how wrong my brain is."

Seeing Megumin stand up with her staff in hand, all the adventurers averted their eyes.

Beldia, the boss from the demon king army had caused a lot of trouble.

Because that guy said Megumin was a 'crimson magic clan girl with a screw loose', that became the way the adventurers referred to Megumin.

Megumin who stood up from anger started blushing in everyone's gaze of anticipation.

"Ughh… Even with my explosion spell, I might not be able to… finish it off in one shot…"

She mumbled this and sat down immediately.

If that was so, there needed to be one more person.

If there was one more person with powerful spells…

— When such an atmosphere was lingering in the guild, someone opened the door suddenly.

"Sorry I am late…! I am the owner of the magic item shop, Wiz. Technically, I am an adventurer, please let me help too…"

The one barging into the guild was Wiz who was wearing an apron on top of her black robes, who seemed to be in the middle of work.

From her dressing, she looked like a girl that came to help in the distribution of emergency food rations.

When the adventurers saw Wiz…

"It's the shop owner!"

"The impoverished owner is here!"

"Shop owner, thank you for taking care of me in my dreams!"

"The shop owner is here! We will win! We will definitely win!"

The cheering started instantly.

I knew Wiz was a lich.

But why were the adventurers cheering about 'definitely winning'?

"Why is Wiz so famous? She is so popular, why is that? And don't call her an impoverished owner alright, that's so pitiful. Is her business really that bad?"

I asked Taylor who was seated near me.

"Don't you know? Wiz-san was originally a famous wizard. She was a renowned powerful arch wizard, disappearing for some time after retirement before showing up in this town suddenly to set up shop. Wiz-san's business isn't good because most of the adventurers in this town are novices, and can't afford the expensive magic equipment in her shop. She would have better business if her shop was in the capital. We don't need to fight powerful enemies, so we have no use for pricey potions and magic items. Everyone drops by the shop just to see the beautiful shop owner, but don't buy anything."

No, since you guys were there to see her, you should've bought something.

"Hello everyone, I am the shop owner of Wiz magic item shop, please take care of me… I am the shop owner, please visit my shop. My shop is still in the red…!"

As we spoke, Wiz was acknowledging the cheering adventurers.

I, I will buy something next time.

"Shop owner of Wiz magic item shop, it's been a while! On behalf of all the staff in the guild, I welcome you! This way please!"

While ushered by the staff, Wiz nodded at the people around her, sitting at a table somewhere in the middle. After Wiz had settled down, the adventurers looked at the staff chairing the conference in anticipation.

The staff answered the hope of everyone and said:

"With the shop owner here, let's continue our strategy meeting! Since the shop owner just arrived, I will summarize the current situation… First, the arch priest Aqua-san would dispel the destroyer's barrier. Next the screw… Megumin-san will cast the explosion spell at the destroyer. That's the plan so far."

After hearing this, Wiz placed her finger near her mouth and thought for a moment.

"… It would be better to target the legs with explosion spell. The destroyer has four legs attached to its body on either side, so Megumin-san and I would take one side each, is that okay? If we take out the legs of the mobile fortress, it would be easier to handle…"

The staff nodded, agreeing with Wiz's suggestion.

And as expected of a lich, she could even use explosion.

That's right, by blasting off the legs, it would no longer be a mobile fortress, and the town wouldn't be ravaged.

And with the golems on the torso, it would be dangerous. There was no need to send people to attack with this method.

After the destroyer was immobilized, we could just keep watch over. Megumin could cast explosion on it once every day, and slowly take it down.

As for the supervisor who was controlling the destroyer, if we blast him with magic every day, he might just come out and surrender by himself.

After this, we finalized the battle plan with Wiz's idea as the core.

But as a precaution, even though it wasn't effective, we still included the plans to set up traps and barricades in front of town.

"Well then, the plan is to attack the legs with explosion after the barrier is dismissed. In the event the legs are not completely destroyed, all the vanguard adventurers, please equip weapons such as war hammer and standby around the place the destroyer would be passing by. Be prepared to attack the legs that might not be completely destroyed by magic, and take them out. The researcher who made the destroyer is probably still in the fortress, so he might make a move too. To counter that, the guild has prepared arrows with ropes tied to them for the archers to use. Everyone with light armor, please be ready to invade the fortress!"

The staff chairing the conference finalized the battle plan, giving out the instruction to everyone.

Part 4

Aside from the adventurers, the townsfolk were gathered in front of the town, working nonstop to construct a temporary barricade.

The boss of the construction company who took care of Aqua and I when we first came to town were among them.

The designated area to intercept the destroyer was the plains before the main gate of the town.

They knew it was useless, but the adventurers with the relevant jobs still set up simple traps.

Before the obstacle in front of town, a group of 'Creators' congregated there in heated debate as they drew magic circles on the ground.

"Hey Darkness. I am telling you this for your own good, so retreat for now. I know how tough your defence is, but you are pushing this too far. It wouldn't do any good for you to stand here. Just let go of your useless fetish and wait at the side of the road with me, alright?"

And I was even further in front of the road block, desperately trying to convince Darkness who was standing there, refusing to leave.

This perverted crusader just stood her ground and wouldn't listen to me.

Darkness stuck her new sword into the ground, resting both hands on the hilt, looking into the distance. She was watching for the destroyer which had yet to show up, without moving.

The silent and still Darkness finally said:

"Kazuma… I have always acted this way, so it can't be helped if you think like this… But, do you think I am a woman who would be lost in my own desires even in such an emergency?"

"Of course, isn't that obvious?"

Darkness paused for a moment, and then continued calmly with a slightly blushed face:

"… I am a crusader. And aside from that, I have other reasons compelling me to protect this town. One of these days, I just might share this reason with you."

Seeing me nod from the corner of her eyes, Darkness continued:

"I can't explain now, but I have the obligation to protect the citizens of this town. The townsfolk might not think so, but I believe it to be so. Hence… no matter how reckless this might be, I won't take a single step away from this position."

"You are really stubborn sometimes."

Hearing me say that, Darkness said with a troubled and uneasy expression:

"… Do you dislike stubborn companions?"

"A certain arch priest frustrates me when she is being stubborn. But the stubbornness youare showing right now isn't bad."

I said casually.

"… I see."

Darkness muttered softly and seemed to relax.