Published at 25th of March 2019 9:39 pm

Chapter 216: The Flying Boat, and the Silver Oni Warrior

「It really can go pretty fast 」

「It can, right?」

I get on a high-speed flying boat that has been left behind in [Hangar] and leap into the sky. Currently, I’m in the skies of Regulus. Monica is in charge of piloting.

The high-speed flying boat [Gungnir]. The shape of its hull is somehow like a swelling bulge only in the center of what appears to be leaves of a short bamboo grass… It looks like a forum resembling a spearhead having small wings attached to its back.

It doesn’t look like it’s flying due to aerodynamics even if it’s actually flying, so it’s probably being moved by some sort of power.

As one can expect of a vessel classified as a flying boat, it can land on both the ground and the water surface. It can fly at a considerable speed but frankly saying, I can fly faster by using [Fly] with all my power.

The number of passengers it can handle is 12 people at most while guaranteeing a considerable degree of space.

Originally, Ether liquid was used as fuel to operate it, but after reassembling and improving its systems it uses the energy received through the amplification of magic power taken from the surrounding light and atmosphere just like the new frame gears.

「I guess this aircraft will combine with Suu’s frame gear, right?」

「The rear portion of this aircraft will do the transforming. It will naturally be on autopilot during the time of combination, so we’ll be unnecessary」(Monica)

This aircraft can be switched to autopilot as well. If I’m to describe it bluntly, just by boarding and asking [Take me to〜] one will be taken to his destination thanks to the installed voice recognition feature. However, it can’t deal with unexpected situations, so leaving everything to autopilot is a problem as well.

「A concealment barrier has also been installed just in case, so it shouldn’t be visible while it’s flying. Well, the noise generated by flying can still be heard though」(Monica)

「Does this flying boat have any sort of equipment?」(Touya)

「Nothing at all. But it has sturdy body, so you can even defeat a fraze with its ramming attack」(Monica)

Oh well, it might be safe if that fraze is a lower class at most, but I would like you to refrain from doing a suicide attack or anything similar against an advanced class with this guy.

Gungnir passes through Rodomea, arriving at the skies of Yuuron.

「Say, the wasteland and ruins stand out…」

Wrecked houses, mowed down trees, devastated earth, this kind of things done by the frazes are being burned into my eyes.

Amongst all of that, I notice the reconstructions of towns and cities here and there. Even after an event like that happened, there are still people living there who are earnestly determined to live their lives on this land.

I become a little sad when I think that I might be seen as an enemy by these people.

『Lord』(Kohaku)

「Hm? Kohaku?」(Touya)

A telepathy from Kohaku comes in while I’m gazing at the view spreading beneath me. Did something happen?

『Yae-sama is saying that she wants to talk to the Lord……Guuue！ 『Touya-dono! Can you hear me！』』(Kohaku & Yae)

「I can hear you, and since I do, you shouldn’t treat Kohaku too roughly」(Touya)

I can hear Yae’s voice mixed with Kohaku’s telepathy. The scream from before is definitely Kohaku’s. Why is she panicking? what on earth has happened?

『Just now, a letter from my mother came through the gate mirror! She wrote that army of Hashiba has started to invade Oedo, that a war has started! The army of Hashiba has 200,000 men while the Tokugawa/Date allied army has 60,000 men…There’s more than 3 times the difference in war potential. In addition to that, Ieyasu-sama was injured during the first battle……!』(Yae)

「Come again!?」(Touya)

Is it the army of Hashiba Hideyoshi which Tsubaki-san has talked about? Is he moving to unify Ishen before launching an invasion of Yuuron?

『I will embark on [Schwertleite], and scatter the Hashiba army!』(Yae)

「Well, I wonder about that」(Touya)

I have a problem with throwing a frame gear into fights between humans though. Calm down, Yae-san. Don’t panic. Oh well, I guess it can’t be helped since her family is in crisis.

「Monica, change the course towards Oedo in Ishen」(Touya)

「Roger」(Monica)

We head directly towards Oedo since I don’t know where the battlefield is. Ten minutes from now, we also will have arrived in the vicinity of Oedo.

『In any case, I’m opening [Gate]』(Touya)

I then open [Gate], having faced the guest room away from the cockpit. Both Yae and Kohaku come jumping inside here from where they were initially, yet it feels as if Kokahu has been pulled in while her neck was being gripped rather than her jumping in.

「Touya-dono! ……Hey, where is this?」(Yae)

Yae drops Kohaku as she restlessly looks around. Having fallen on the floor, Kohaku unsteadily faces up and tips over.

『Guuu……』(Kohaku)

Raising a small groan, Kohaku’s eye turned around and looked exhausted. How cruel.

「We’re inside the flying boat. I’ve been in the middle of a test flight. We are heading to Ishen now」(Touya)

「I am grateful… I was told that honorable father and elder brother have gone to the battle, so I…」(Yae)

Something like this happened before as well. That time, their opponents were the army of Takeda’s devil masks though.

However, I wonder what has happened there. It would be better if it’s an allied country, but it’s an internal war after all. Furthermore, won’t it be rather bad to support Ieyasu-san who is merely one of the federal lords? I guess it will absolutely be exposed if something like the frame gear is used.

It’s probable that some parties will declare that I’m trying to make Ishen my vassal. I guess Yuuron would do that.

「Just as I’ve assumed, shall I disguise myself as a masked commander who happened to pass by at this time?」(Touya)

「Masked…?」(Yae)

I take out mythril fragments from [Storage] and make a mask by slightly modifying it. It won’t be a mask that covers the whole face, it only covers the top half. It looks like I will even be able to attend a masked ball using this as well. Shall I also attach horns or anything similar?

If I remember correctly, I also should have Ishen-styled clothes which I’ve received from Zanack-san. If I wear hakama and uwagi, tabi in zouri, as well as jinbaori, I will likely look like a person from Ishen. It’s also fine to clad myself in illusion with [Mirage], but that’s troublesome in its own right.

I get dressed quickly after placing [Invisible] on the surroundings and becoming transparent. Even though Yae is my fiancee, I’m still reluctant to change in front of her.

Oops, I forgot about the katana. There’s the prototype left from the time when I made Yae’s [Transparent Flower], right? I take it out as well after changing my clothes and place it into the obi on my waist.

I finally wear the mask, and the passing by oni warrior is complete. I think I look quite cool with a black hakama and Jinbaori.

「How do I look?」(Touya)

「Even if you ask me… Well, I see you as someone from Ishen…」(Yae)

Yae looks at me as if she doesn’t know what to say. Is it that strange? But I guess there’s no way that someone who wears something like a mask can be seen as honest.

「Master. We are in the skies of Ishen」(Monica)

I peek outside from the window due to Monica’s voice that came from the cockpit and see the greenery continuing to spread on the land below, unlike Yuuron not long ago.

「There are signs of people gathering in the northwest plains of Oedo. The battlefield is most likely there」(Monica)

「Hurry up to that place at full speed」(Touya)

「Okay. We will arrive in one minute」(Monica)

Before long, I could see an erected castle rising on the back side of the hill located in the plains spreading around. The castle feels like a Japanese-styled castle mixed with the western design here and there. The multi-layered moat has been laid around it.

Moreover, there are tens of thousands of soldiers shooting fire arrows at it in order to surround it. Some of the soldiers lined up in the back are holding golden gourd flags. Is that the army of Hashiba? By no means their number is 200,000, but are they perhaps the vanguards? Nevertheless, there are a few tens of thousands of them.

Past the bridge laid across the moat, there are soldiers vigorously charging over and over while holding a log which they call a battering ram in front of the gates. Although the arrows are being fired from the side of the castle aiming at those people, the wind begins to blow and arrows stray away from their targets. So there’s a wind-attribute magician present.

The wind blows as the log starts to break the castle gate. E~to, this is not the time to watch it. I have to hurry up.

「Yae, go inside the castle. Find Juubei-san and Juutarou-san and tell them that I’ve come. Keep it a secret from other people. Kohaku and I will be kicking the guys at the front of the castle gate」(Touya)

「I understand… Say, will it be fine even if I don’t wear this mask?」(Yae)

「It should be okay. Our engagement hasn’t been announced in large-scale unlike with Yumina and the others. Why? You want to wear one?」(Touya)

「Quit joking. I will cause father and elder brother to worry」(Yae)

In what way?

In any case, I send Yae to the place beside the castle tower. I then take Kohaku, who took her big form and transfer on top of castle’s gate.

「Wha~!?」(???)

「What is…!?」(???)

I jump down in front of the castle gates paying both sides no heed even if they are surprised at the sudden appearance of a white tiger and a sliver masked man in front of them.

「HEY! You are a hindrance! Out of the way!!」(???)

A commander who’s directing the battering ram gives an order to assault to his soldiers. Does that mean he is going to smash us together with the gate?

I extend my hand towards the log drawing close to me after being loaded.

「Gravity… Power Raise」(Touya)

I stop the log with one hand, producing a heavy sound. Having gripped this log, I raise it together with the people clinging to it and strongly throw it into the castle moat. It’s a non-attribute magic [Power Raise] which increases physical strength along with making my own body heavy, which in turn, stopped that log.

「Wha~, wha !?」(???)

The allied forces of Tokugawa/Date which were pointing their bows at me from the castle walls thus far dismissed their aim and faced the army of Hashiba which was starting to panic. Have they judged that I’m not an enemy?

Kohaku’s fierce roar blows off all of the soldiers of Hashiba standing on top of the bridge as well as those that were standing nearby.

「I’m warning you. Withdraw from here. Otherwise…」(Touya)

「Or what? What are you saying!!?」(???)

The commander, who’s backing away from the other side of the bridge, asks me. I take out the smartphone from my breast pocket and affirm that Target Lock has been completed. It goes without saying, the target is the army of Hashiba.

「Slip」(Touya)

「What a…!?」(???)

The next moment, a light shock similar to an earthquake reverberates under my feet. Ooh, as expected of the number of people here. All of them falling down simultaneously is bound to become a magnificent view. The soldiers in front of me have fallen down altogether.

It looks like the ones who are riding the horses are okay. Is that because the designated target has been [the soil under feet of the Hashiba soldiers]? Well, I guess that’s fine. I cannot bring myself to injure the horses after all.

「What are you doing!? Get up!」(???)

「Are you kidding me!? We’re in the middle of the battle!」(???)

The superior officer is shouting in anger all over the place not being able to understand the state of the affairs from horseback. That kind of guy doesn’t want to notice what’s underneath him. Those like him, who don’t recognize this disaster, will be met with a painful experience.

「Now then, shall I move about once in awhile?」(Touya)

I take out an Ishen-styled spear from [Storage]. I’ve removed the blade from it beforehand and applied [Power Raise] as well, so it’s the most suitable in such situation.

It should be fine to have all of them (although I say it, there are also fellows who are being protected with objects like talismans) be paralyzed with [Paralysis], but it will lead to troubles after that. Their numbers are big for them to be prisoners of war, and it will leave a bad aftertaste if they get killed by the allied forces of Tokugawa/Date who have understood that they can’t move.

Let’s have them escape after being knocked out a bit in here.

I agily get on Kohaku’s back.

「Are you ready, Kohaku? We are going straight into the enemy’s camp」(Touya)

『By your will』(Kohaku)

I rotate the spear once with a swoosh and set it up by my side.

「The Silver Oni Warrior is coming 」(Touya)

I’ve always wanted to say that at least once.

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