CH 117.2

Chapter 117.2. The Reason Why Mashiro Disappeared

It’s a template, but he can’t help himself. Is it because he’s in a difficult place?

“The situation has changed with the saints’ presence. Including them, let’s talk about it again inside the Big Cat.”

Everyone nodded at Admiral Koujo’s words, and we were on our way to the romantic ground landing ship Daitora.

The Big Cat is convenient because it has an operations room. It’s a ground landing ship, after all. It also has a sleeping room and can carry vehicles, so it is like a moving base.

The only regret is that it costs too much. Considering we can only use it in a limited number of ways on the ground. We cannot say that Big Cat is superior to Big Dog.

However, when the hologram is displayed on the operation desk. It looks as cool as in a sci-fi movie, so I think this one is better.

“This is Tokyo. Where the research team invaded.”

In the dimly lit ops room, a high-resolution hologram shows Tokyo. The resolution is better than the street view in my previous life, and it’s as if I am there.

In this world where the technology of magical architecture exists, buildings do not have to be reinforced concrete to be strong. Therefore, the ruined Tokyo is a forest of high-rise buildings.

“That’s the site of the Great Kanto Earthquake.”

Yamiyo looks at the hologram and mutters sadly.

“Yes, we abandoned Tokyo due to the Great Kanto Earthquake, and several attempts were made to take it back, but all failed due to the heinous environment. It’s now a designated danger zone where monsters roam.”

“We have confirmed that druids are living in the area, and we have found mercenaries hunting druids. The deployment of the troops and the surveys of the various areas are progressing well, and there have been no problems.”

As Ima Hama explains, Admiral Koujo gives him a stern look and explains what has happened.

“What mercenaries?”

Masatoshi asks, his face is serious in the light of the hologram.

“He’s a mercenary who calls himself Zephyrus. He wears magic armor that drives in the sky and was discovered by the squad to which Nagamasa-sama belongs when he was burning forests and hunting the druids who live in hiding. After hearing his name, we tried to warn him to stop hunting druids, but he dutifully evaded us and insisted that it wasn’t against the law, and even though we stopped them at that moment, he was hunting druids again in other places.”

He said he had a proper discussion. He landed and agreed to the conversation. Well, he is dealing with warriors. No doubt he couldn’t just ignore them.

“Is it Zephyrus? A dangerous-looking person is flying in the sky?”

“Well, to be honest, he seems to have good skills, and his magic armor was a powerful-looking custom armor, but he’s only a mercenary. He didn’t seem to have any intention of fighting with the country. They were open to discussion and made no pretense of attacking us.”

“He was that quiet? Even though he’s a mercenary?”

“That’s because he’s mercenary. He doesn’t seem to do anything that doesn’t make money.”

For some reason, Masatoshi looked surprised, but I guess he thought that the image of mercenaries made them rough and ready to fight regardless of who they were fighting with. In reality, mercenaries cost money, so they don’t do anything that doesn’t benefit them. I guess. I don’t know it, too.

But Zephyrus, I’ve heard of him somewhere. I think the guy who gets eaten by the stone dragon had a name like that.

He sounds like someone who is a pain in the ass. The pattern is that if it’s a template, a new Zephyrus will appear as a result of the story’s corrective power.

Not good. I’m going to get another Wings of Anemoi. I wonder if I can kill him every time.

But there is another possibility. It’s not a corrective force. It’s a case of someone trying to correct it. Someone who knows the story, i.e., a reincarnated person, is trying to fix it. I often hear that in the template of the original story.

In that case, it might be the person who killed me. He’s the guy who killed me on the escalator. I don’t forgive that guy.

I’m blessed with a wonderful family and friends in this life, but that’s that, and this is this. I’m going to give him what he deserves.

At the very least, I’ll pay him back for the 50 million yen I saved in my previous life. It was hard work to save it. I’ll pay you back for all the trouble I went through in my previous life.

With a slightly dangerous look in his eyes and a teaspoon full of vengeance pouring into his heart, the admiral touched the holographic image with his finger, enlarged the map, and continued his explanation.

“At this point, the druids and the investigation team made contact. After that, we lost contact with them. We determined that something had happened, and Vice Admiral Mashiro, who went to the rescue, is missing. When we sent the unit forward, we encountered a horde of monsters and they caused a lot of damage.”

With a bitter expression on his face, Admiral Koujo tells the story. I see.

“The druids used Lost Forest magic to prevent the invasion. In addition, there is also the Lost Forest used by the monsters, making it difficult to advance, but there are [Life Detection] reactions from Nagamasa-sama’s survey team and Vice Admiral Mashiro’s unit in the druid’s hiding place that was we initially discovered.”

“So the druids have caught them. ……… But it’s surprisingly close. It’s about 20 kilometers from the entrance to Tokyo.”

Aguni Enraku chuckles as he rests his large hand on the operation desk.

“We can easily win at this level. The Lost Forest has a nucleus of trees, right? We’ll burn the forest from one end and proceed. And then we’ll rescue Lord Nagamasa, the Mashiro boy, and the others, and our mission is complete.”

“You mean you’re going to force your way forward?”

“That’s right. No one will complain if we burn the forest in the danger zone. Leave this to the Aguni, who are masters of fire, hey, Masatoshi?”

“Ugh! Ah, Kohon. Right, I can’t do that.”

Masatoshi jumped up and pulled a face. He tried to stop him, but Enraku ignored me.

“It’s decided. It’s a simple mission. It’s an excursion that will take us in a few hours. Leave it to me.”

Aguni Enraku was full of confidence. Well, the main monsters in Tokyo are plants. The Aguni, fire magicians, would be fine.

Of course, Mii-chan goes with him.