Episode 479: Urban sea battle (1)

Shootaaaaa-

The rain is pouring down in torrents.

The world that had turned into a sea was rippling more and more violently.

The people gathered at Tochka gradually show signs of anxiety.

"Aren't we going to be trapped here and starve to death?"

"What - there is so much food piled up. "You still have plenty?"

"But what if this great flood continues?"

"They say it only lasts 150 days. "It's okay because we have enough food and more drinking water."

"But it's already the sea outside. And seriously, how do you know if the flood will stop in 150 days?"

"I heard that the eldest son of the Don Quixote family has gone to pick up the fleet. That's why everyone is waiting now."

The rumors circulating among refugees were not empty.

In fact, Tochka, a highland area, is the safest fortress in the world, but at the same time it is a completely isolated place that is no different from an uninhabited island.

Is that why? Bikir was staring endlessly at the distant sea again today.

… slam!

Waves that reach the sturdy walls of the castle on a high plateau.

The white foam blooming as the water broke white looked like a flower garden.

"… … ."

Bikir was sitting on the wall in the pouring rain.

As if cooling hot quenched iron, you are hitting your body with cold rainwater.

at that time.

"Is it raining today too? Cheongseungmaji."

There was a voice coming from behind Bikir.

Camus.

She also walked next to Bikir in the rain.

"It's really pouring down a ton."

Camus said as he looked at the water flowing down the castle wall like a waterfall.

"If it weren't for the sea of ​​fire created by the devils, this would have been a disaster. The two disasters intertwined exquisitely, reducing the damage. Isn't this also what you calculated in Nouvelle Vague? "Before we erupt the volcano."

"For the most part."

Vikir nodded quietly.

The calculation wasn't perfect, but it was roughly correct.

But if the margin of error had been a little wider, something really big would have happened.

"… … ."

"… … ."

Bikir and Camus were looking in the same direction.

The two didn't say anything for a while.

In the end, it was Camus who spoke first.

"… … "I'm sorry about what happened to your father."

Bikir, who had been standing motionless until now, responded to those words.

At best, my shoulders were only slightly shaking.

The memories of that day are still clear in my ears.

'… … 'Why is that?'

'I do not know.'

Memories that are fading away. White burnt ashes. Now scattered in the rain.

Hugo, who died fiercely, was a hero to everyone in Tochka that day.

However, Bikir has no choice but to regard Hugo as an object of complicated feelings.

"… … he."

Bikir opened his mouth after a long silence.

"I don't know how he crossed the threshold of Type 9."

Compared to my previous life, the result was quite different.

Camus hesitates for a moment at Bikir's words.

"actually… … ."

"?"

"He came to see me a long time ago."

Camus' testimony was quite surprising to Bikir.

"It was not long after the trial in Nakajaniye ended. He wanted to discuss it with me. A way to get you out of prison. ah. FYI, Sadi, it looks like she was holding that woman's hand back then."

The fact that Sadi and Hugo had joined hands was a bit surprising even to Bikir.

For Bikir, Hugo seems to have prepared more things than expected.

The process of ThindiWendy finding Sadi, who had disappeared, the process by which Iyenne was able to go to Nouvelle Vague to avoid summary execution, and the process by which Sadi created a false identity and was able to pass through the gates of Nouvelle Vague.

It was all thanks to the help that had been spread out in secret.

Bikir remembered the image of Hugo he had seen at the trial.

-The Baskerville family's argument is as follows. Although the crimes are serious and vicious, including charges of treason, parricide, and poisoning of the family head, the defendant deserves to be treated like a nobleman as he is an inheritor of the blood of the Baskerville family. Therefore, we request a ruling that takes this into account.

The back of Hugo, who was just sitting back in his wheelchair without raising any objection.

"… … ."

Bikir is speechless.

Camus continued talking about that time.

"While we were talking about helping you escape from prison, the topic of the Wraith Tree came up. "Inevitably, I had no choice but to mention the 'Grave of the Stings.'"

Camus raised his hand.

Tsutsutsutsutsutsu… …

The revenant tree waves its long, bare branches sky and sky.

"I was surprised at how the revenant tree reacted to Hugo. "It looks like he read 'a certain memory' from the wraith tree."

At Camus' words, Bikir nodded quietly.

Because there was definitely something to point out.

[Even after stepping into the realm of supremacy, only those who continue to run without resting with the same mindset as when they first picked up the sword will gain something.]

[This is an area that denies all common human understanding, empathy, understanding, faith, common sense, probability, and causality. A being who has not experienced death can never set foot here.]

[You probably won't be able to reach this level in your lifetime.]

[This is because the realm of Type 9 is beyond the threshold of death.]

[A true Baskerville will come here at the end of its life.]

[We will see each other again someday.]

What Hugo saw was probably the appearance of a Cane Corso.

What did he feel from his older brother's words?

Bikir thought once again.

Meat-eating (六式). A state that can only be reached by transcending all emotions.

Chil-sik (七式). A state that can be reached only by regaining the feelings that have been abandoned.

Eight types (八式). Just like the time when I first picked up the sword, I have to go through countless brutal battles to reach a point where I can reach it.

Old style (九式). An incomprehensible zone at the core of the highest realms that only those who have experienced death can ascend to.

"… … ."

With what mindset did Hugo cross that threshold?

At the entrance to the other shore of life and death, Bikir thought and thought.

at that time.

widely-

Camus put his hand on Bikir's shoulder.

"Don't try to handle everything on your own. "You've come this far, so think about the people who are thinking of you."

"… … that's right."

And there was a voice that agreed with Camus' words.

Dolores. She suddenly appeared in front of her castle wall and said to Bikir, putting her umbrella over him.

"Everyone gathered here follows Vikir. "These are the people who are ready to follow wherever Vikir goes, right?"

"… … "That's true, but don't I have an umbrella?"

"It's for two people."

Dolores, ignoring Camus' grumbling, continued speaking to Bikir.

"Don't worry Tudor. "He's a strong friend, so he'll definitely come back with a fleet."

At her words, Bikir turned his head towards the sea again.

Looking at the fierce storm and the high waves, it seems that no strong fleet can set sail.

Now that we had won, the hour was urgent, but it was a very frustrating and hopeless situation.

"I am always watching from the watchtower, so you should stop going in. "You can't do it even if it hurts your health."

Iyen suddenly appeared and spoke to Vikir.

Her superhuman eyesight, which allows her to see several kilometers away, far exceeds that of Bikir, and if Tudor comes with a fleet, she will be the first to see it.

"What, savage? "Why do you keep acting like a stranger to other men?"

"savage? Do you want to get ripped off again?"

"Oh, it reminds me of the old days? "Do you know if that's still possible?"

Camus of the Morgue and Aienne of Valak had never been on good terms.

at that time.

"You guys stop fighting. "My brother, I'm already in a state of trouble."

Sinclair appeared after completing repair work on the castle wall.

Camus and Iyenne narrowed their eyes, but Sinclair looked away.

She said as she placed a cup of warm tea in front of Bikir.

"The next battle will be the final battle. "How about calming your mind with a cup of tea?"

"… … Are you going to the imperial castle? "I have only encountered it in literature."

Next to Sinclair was Circo, who was in charge of security.

Kirko asked Bikir.

"But does the fact that the earth is like this mean that all the people living in the lowlands have died?"

"We gathered as many people as possible to Tochka to prevent that from happening. And those who could not come here due to time and space were also evacuated to other highlands in advance. "I think I did the best I could."

Sinclair answered instead.

It seems that the two continued to have this conversation on the way here.

Right then.

"Huh!?"

Iyen, who had been fighting with Camus next to Vikir, jumped up.

She has good eyesight, and she seems to have seen something beyond the swirling waves through the darkness and the storm.

Finally, Iyen shouted loudly.

"come! Fleet!"

It was as she said.

Soon, a huge ship began to approach through strong waves and storms.

The large and heavy ship was approaching the highlands of Tochka, ignoring any waves.

The number of such ships is enormous. It is truly an enormous feat.

Dolores also shouted with joy.

"It's a Tudor! "The Tudors are back!"

As she said, a flag symbolizing Don Quixote was fluttering on top of the captain's ship in front.

Even at first glance, there were a lot of people on board the ship.

"It's true! Tochka was not flooded!"

"Is there really food there?"

"Ah, there really is salvation! "There was land that wasn't flooded!"

"You should have believed what those who walked in the night said! If it had been like that a long time ago... … ."

There were also an incredibly large number of refugees aboard the enormous number of ships.

And at the stern of the captain's ship in front, two familiar faces appeared.

It was Tudor and Bianca.

"Bikir! Sorry for being later than promised! "No shame!"

"We're late because this idiot was passing by and said we had to save all the people stranded in the highlands!"

The two were still bickering and fighting even in this emotional moment.

Camus, Iyenne, Dolores, Sinclair, and Cirko looked concerned as they saw the numerous other refugees coming to Tochka.

"If we accept more of them, won't our food supply decrease?"

"Hmm, new security problems may arise."

"are you okay. They said there was enough food. "Security is also at a manageable level because the Nouvelle Vague team joined us."

"You can tolerate it for about five months. "We poured all of our family's assets into it."

"It's good to pursue justice, but nothing should get in the way of the final battle."

Right then.

"Does not matter. "I have to leave here soon anyway."

Bikir finally stood up.

"Now it's the final battle."

Then everyone's expressions hardened.

They also understood Bikir's words.

A one-shot match that will soon take place in the imperial capital.

The final hour is approaching.

* * *

The number and types of ships Tudor led were enormous.

A longship with a small hull and shallow draft that allows for small-scale, quick maneuvering, the Carvi, which has 13 rows of oars and can carry 26 oarsmen, the Sneka, which has 20 rows of oars and can carry 40 oarsmen, and 100 combatants. Skade, which can accommodate , Draka, which can carry over 1,000 combatants, etc.

Moreover, the people who drive these numerous ships are veterans of the Don Quixote family who know how to freely navigate the vast sea.

Not only did they possess tremendous navigational skills as they navigated the North Sea, where drift ice was floating, but they also had the courage and courage to rush to the center of the empire, which became the sea.

Clap! Clap!

Numerous ships cut through the rough sea.

A death squad joined by the Baskervilles, the Morgue, the Quo Vadis, the Bourgeois, and even the survivors of the Don Quixote and Usher families.

Moreover, characters from Colosseo Academy, Themiscyra Women's College, Varangian Training Center, and Tower of Magic all gathered in one place.

Prominent figures such as Osiris, the Seven Counts, Lespane, Adolf, Pope Nabokov I, Cardinal Luther, Archbishop Mozgus, Damian, and Headmaster Banshee were all standing at the forefront.

And in addition to that, everyone who has been in a relationship so far gathers in one place and fires up their will to fight.

The Allied Forces of Tochka went to the imperial capital aboard Don Quixote's ship.

Going inward, further inward, tracing the map of the ecliptic, which has now been transformed into a sea chart.

Meanwhile.

"… … ."

Bikir, who was on the leading captain's ship, was standing at the stern, looking out at the endless horizon.

Cheolgrug-

Every time the ship shakes from side to side, the sound of the chains wrapped around Bikir's hands scraping on the deck can be heard.

Next to Bikir, Minipin and Chihuahua were looking worried.

"Oh my! Subconsul! Over there... … !"

Bikir turned his gaze in the direction the Chihuahua was pointing with his finger.

A huge shadow spread across the water next to the ship.

A huge sea monster whose identity cannot be guessed is seen passing under the water.

Naturally, this is a species that would not live here.

'I can see how the ecliptic will change.'

Where the emperor lives. No, now this is where the crown prince lives.

I have a rough idea of ​​what the submerged place would look like by now.

The opponent who will make the final negotiation in the imperial capital, the center of the empire, is Ilbeonsi. The first protagonist who led the era of destruction.

And it is also the destination of several lives that Bikir has crossed over.

The revenge of the comrades who died first was slowly coming to an end.

Whiiiiing-

A strong sea breeze blew and inflated the sails.

The boat began to run as if flying on the waves.

Cheolgrug-

The sound of chains scraping against the deck again.

Vikir tightened his grip on the chain in his hand.

Then Minfin next to me turned his gaze towards the end of the chain and stammered a question.

"Well, but Vice-Consul. I've been curious about this for a while... … "What is that?"

I didn't ask the question because I didn't know what was really tied to the end of the chain.

It's a coffin.

What Bikir was carrying was a large and heavy coffin.

You don't know who's inside.