How did it even come to this?
I was sent to this world with orders to exterminate goblins, yet somehow I’m facing the Demon King’s army. Well, one of the Sixteen Generals is a goblin. That makes them a valid target for extermination. But this is clearly far beyond what I can handle! This is way past the level of extermination! This is already a war!
「…I’m not a hero nor I am a brave…」
What kind of impossible demand is this for a former factory worker? Everything is slipping through my small hands.
Ah, I want to run. I want to throw everything away and escape. I want to shout to hell with it all and run from every responsibility…
But I can’t run. I already carry responsibilities I can’t abandon. There are things I must protect. I finally have a place to belong. More than anything, I don’t want to die because of that useless goddess. I want to live for myself and die of old age.
If I run, I lose everything. All the hardship I’ve endured will be meaningless. My life will be ruined by that useless goddess, and I’ll become just another dead exterminator.
I don’t want that. It would be frustrating. It would leave me with nothing but anger. I’d want to scream don’t mess with me until my voice gives out.
「I’m not a hero nor I am a brave. I’m just a small, insignificant human. But even a small human can cling on and fight. We use our wits, we use our tools, and we gather together to defeat the strong. Don’t you dare underestimate the weak」
A cornered rat will bite a cat. I’ll show you exactly what that means!
I summon a megaphone and switch it on.
「To Rodos of the Roaring Thunder, one of the Sixteen Generals of the Demon King’s army. I am Takato, a goblin exterminator. Your defeat is certain! Surrender!」
This will expose my presence to the Demon King’s army, but that only changes whether it happens sooner or later. They would find out eventually.
「If you can’t even defeat a single exterminator, there’s no way you could defeat a hero! If you refuse to surrender, then leave at once! In consideration of you being the weakest of the Sixteen Generals, I’ll let you go!」
At the same time, I subtly make both allies and enemies aware of the hero’s existence.
There’s about four hundred meters between us, so I can’t see what expression Rodos of the Roaring Thunder is making, but I can feel his presence steadily swelling. Good. My provocation is getting through. Get angry. Rage all you want. I have no intention of letting you escape.
I switch off the megaphone and turn on the transceiver.
「From 00 to all units. Rodos of the Roaring Thunder is on the verge of exploding with anger. If he goes berserk, we can’t predict how the remaining goblins will move. If they retreat, do not pursue」
「01, understood」
「03, understood」
「Understood」
Ah, Kainzel-san is right beside me.
Now then, what will you do? Before I can even finish the thought, Rodos of the Roaring Thunder’s anger reaches its peak. A shout echoes out, and he charges straight toward us.
「01, I’m leaving the signal and timing to you」
「01, understood」
「Kainzel-san, please provide support」
「Leave it to me」
I switch from the MINIMI to the PSG-1.
With legs that could win a gold medal at the Olympics if he were human. If I had met him in the forest, I would have been killed for sure.
But here, there are no obstacles. There’s some uneven ground, but from atop the defensive wall, everything is in clear view. It’s perfect for sniping.
First Azur Rise fires, then Mebi follows.
Even in a fantasy world, there aren’t many creatures that can take anti-materiel rifle rounds and battle rifle rounds and remain unfazed. Well, something like a mountain behemoth or a dragon might shrug it off, but if it were that powerful, it would have attacked alone from the start instead of coming in numbers.
Even at their strongest, they’re only several times stronger than a human. They shouldn’t be ten times stronger. Though with magic in play, you can’t measure everything by physical strength alone.
「The target has stopped, but it hasn’t collapsed. Firing!」
The PSG-1 also uses 7.62mm rounds. If it hits, even a Mokudan will go down. That is, if it strikes a vital spot.
「Bisha, fire as well!」
The distance is two hundred meters. Even the MINIMI should be effective at this range.
A cloud of dust rises, and Rodos of the Roaring Thunder disappears from view, but I can still sense his presence. He’s still alive. He’s a tough one.
I switch on the megaphone and stop the firing.
「Is he dead?」
「No, he’s still alive. Looks severely wounded」
If he had taken all that and still been fine, I would have ordered a full retreat.
「01, finish him!」
「01, understood!」
Passing through the fortress gate, she sprints toward Rodos of the Roaring Thunder with a Benelli M4 at the ready and fires every remaining round.
He’s probably using magic to heal or defend himself. He just won’t die. But he no longer has the strength to counterattack. She draws the tactical axe from her back and brings it down.
Ladarion’s strike was so ferocious it caused the ground to explode, erasing the presence of Rodos of the Roaring Thunder.
A heated battle? Don’t expect something like that. The moment he gets close, it’s the end. Look forward to my next life.
「Rodos of the Roaring Thunder, one of the Sixteen Generals of the Demon King’s army, is dead! Eliminate the remaining enemies!」
I raise the megaphone and shout at the top of my lungs.
「Kainzel-san, Bisha, resupply your ammunition now. There’s a separate unit of nearly a hundred nearby」
I don’t know if they’ll attack. If they flee, that’s fine. But they might come at us in desperation. Until their presence disappears, we can’t let our guard down.
The one leading that separate unit is Misaro of the Demon Flute. Only the gods know how that one will act.
──Piroon.
An electronic chime rings out, even though it’s not thirteen thousand kills.
──I don’t know either. That’s something Takato-san has to decide. Still, I’ll help. Consider it a reward for crushing one wing of the Demon King’s army.
Then take me to Misaro.
──Fufu. By my authority, I’ll grant Takato-san physical abilities and magic power on par with a hero for three minutes once per day. Use it well. Now then, cheat time, start!
For a moment, my vision distorts. The next instant, Misaro is standing right in front of me.
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