◈ 541. [STAGE 31] Scarecrow
“What do you like, Janice?”
Summarizing the story, I wiped my forehead.
“I know that you are a good person, and I know very well what kind of relationship you have with Hannibal. I thought… … .”
I broke out in a cold sweat as I looked around at the other men around me.
“… How can I tell this to Hannibal?”
“… .”
“… .”
Hellish silence again.
The already stuffy atmosphere of the men’s barracks turned even darker. Everyone lowered their heads, covering their faces in the shadows, trying not to meet each other’s eyes. It was a situation where there was no answer.
Son Hannibal appeared shouting ‘You are my father’.
From the standpoint of this child, how anxiously he must have waited for his father all his life.
But in fact, they are not related by blood, and he just told such a lie to save the child’s life at that moment… … .
The fact that I was a complete stranger who made a noble but stupid decision.
who will deliver
Who’s gonna put a bell around the cat’s neck! uh?!
“… No, there is no need to tell the truth.”
Janice, scratching her chin with a black beard, nodded.
“Wouldn’t it be okay if I were your biological father? I’ve lived with that kind of heart from the beginning.”
“Should I call this a real clergyman or a true hukou…? … .”
I honestly admired it, but Lucas tapped me on the shoulder. huh? why?
“… Over there, sir.”
“huh?”
“But over there. that… .”
what’s over there why? what’s up
Looking at the direction Lucas beckoned, among the men who were swarming and listening to the story… .
“… .”
There was Hannibal.
Compared to the other mercenaries, he was so small that everyone didn’t notice. I opened my mouth wide as I looked over there, and the men around Hannibal also noticed it belatedly and scattered in panic all at once.
“omg?! what!”
“Since when are you here?!”
Hannibal looked around and answered cautiously.
“… Ever since the story of your appointment to the Mist Kingdom?”
“You heard it, damn it!”
“Who’s the one who didn’t keep him far away!”
… it’s me these kids
I left it in the restaurant next to the barracks, but the story got longer, so it seems to have sneaked back. oh my.
In any case, the men who did not know how to deal with this situation scattered all at once, and Janice and Hannibal stood apart and faced each other.
“… .”
“… .”
The awkward bursting air spreads in all directions.
Both of them had a clear look of bewilderment. Janice would not have wanted to tell the truth in this way, and Hannibal would have never known that such a truth existed.
It was a time when two people who had stopped, not knowing what to call each other, stared into each other’s eyes.
Ding-deng-deng-deng-!
“… ?!”
“uh?”
“what?”
Suddenly the emergency bell rang.
Everyone in the barracks, who had been watching Janice and Hannibal with bated breath, looked up in bewilderment. Neither did I.
The sharp, ear-piercing sound echoing throughout the city must be… … .
bang!
“It’s an enemy attack!”
The barracks door was pushed open, and a guard hurriedly rushed in and reported.
“It’s an attack by monsters! Our outpost is being invaded, Your Highness!”
“What bullshit? The next enemy sortie is a few days away… … .”
Needless to say, I flinched. Because I’ve been through something similar before.
I hurriedly turn on the system window. The time left until the start of the stage quickly wears out and disappears at the same time… … The dark event of this stage has been output.
Dark event ‘Surprise’.
Reduced monster corps sortie time, random replacement of kaiju corps, and not being detected by the dark event tracker on this side.
No, why did you put such an effect on one event! It’s real that the balance is crazy!
“Hey, you fucking monsters!”
I shuddered.
Really, they are bastards who interfere with everything, but they even interfere with the moment of the rich (?) reunion.
“Story later! Prepare to dispatch the entire army!”
“yes!”
“Prepare for dispatch-!”
The soldiers had been listening to the story of Janice and Hannibal a while ago, but when a state of emergency was declared and I ordered the troops to go, they all went back to their rooms with lightning speed and started arming themselves.
“… .”
“… .”
Among the others scattered and moving in all directions, Janice and Hannibal stood there for a moment, looking at each other. Like two stones in a river.
Eventually, however, the two kicked each other’s legs and ran to their respective places. Just like all other heroes and soldiers do.
I wanted to care more, but I couldn’t afford it.
I hurriedly took Lucas and the hero party ‘uncles’ behind me and ran outside with the guards who had arrived earlier.
‘Existing dungeon scouting is meaningless… … Due to the effect of the dark event ‘Ambush’, the monster army was also replaced.’
I manipulated the system window to see the identity of this monster corps. If the conflict started at the outpost, it would have been reflected in the system window.
and.
“… ?!”
When I saw the name of the monster corps of this stage, I became the flagship.
Scarecrow.
‘The scarecrow army… … ?!’
Damn damn damn it!
The Scarecrow Corps is a monster that inflicts mental abnormalities such as fear and mind control. In other words, I, who can apply the [Indomitable Commander] effect, is the counter.
‘But what if I don’t?’
I have no choice but to be helpless… … !
Since my existence itself is the perfect countermeasure against the enemies’ mental abnormalities, in other words, I have not established countermeasures against mental abnormalities other than myself.
It would have been much better to invest the resources here elsewhere.
I shuddered. Of course, this is the case!
“Who is out at the outpost now?”
“Dearmuddin, the ivory tower owner, is on guard duty at the outpost today!”
When the name of the archmage came up, I was relieved.
If it’s that old grandpa, he’ll be able to easily chew on mental abnormalities.
“That and… .”
But then the guard stuttered and added hesitantly.
“Prince Mikhail, who was originally on duty, was also there… .”
“… what?”
“Bo Originally, the Vermillion Kingdom Army was on duty at the forward base today. However, he was dropped from the list because he had to return sooner or later, but since it was his last duty duty, he volunteered to stand… … .”
I gaped.
My intuition was screaming.
this
is X
I shouted with all my might.
“everyone! Sprint through the teleport gate! To the forward base as soon as possible!”
I ran with the strength I used to shout and suck, but damn it.
Tadadadadat!
Except for me, the other heroes were much faster than me. Everyone overtook me and shot forward like bullets.
No, you need me on this battlefield! Why is my body so weak even after a 3rd job change!
I think it was then.
“Lord!”
Taat!
Lucas stopped in front of me and put his back out.
“thanks!”
I quickly mounted and Lucas was launched forward using [Step of Tenacity].
Lucas flew at full speed, overtaking all the other heroes in the lead. In an instant, the teleport gate got closer.
After all, people have to use their heads! If your legs are slow, you can take a car!
‘Please everyone!’
As I jumped into the teleport gate, I prayed.
‘Hold on… … !’
***
A little while ago.
advance base. above the castle wall.
“… .”
Mikhail stood at the edge of the fortress wall and saw countless trees cut down in front of the outpost.
The forest that the carpenters and laborers of the Crossroads had painstakingly cut down was vast and desolate.
It didn’t have the same amount of ghost energy as it did when it once swarmed and marched here, but the forest still had a suffocating, gloomy aura.
Mikhail inhaled with a pale face. He clenched his trembling fists.
Right in the middle of this forest, all of his men died.
because of your own mistakes.
Mikhail had to watch the whole scene with open eyes while being tied up by the enemy corps commander and unable to move. The sight of his men being killed one by one.
“… .”
Blood dripped from Mikhail’s bitten lip.
Just then, footsteps came from behind Mikhail. Mikhail slowly looked back.
“Kuhm.”
It was Diarmudin, the ivory pagoda owner, who approached, sweeping his long white beard. Mikhail nodded softly.
“Dear Mudin.”
“Crown Prince Mikhail.”
Standing next to Mikhail silently, Diarmudin glanced at Mikhail.
“I won’t give you any consolation.”
“… .”
“Just remember. All heroes and legends are completed only after enduring their own pain and adversity.”
Mikhail said nothing. Diarmudin continued.
“You are young, so don’t beat yourself up by digging too deep into this. Isn’t the road ahead bright?”
“… That’s a good word, but it’s for those who have the next opportunity.”
A self-deprecating smile formed on Mikhail’s lips.
“I was in a position not to fail. I only had one chance.”
“… .”
“After such a miserable failure, as soon as I return to my hometown… I will be ‘abandoned’.”
Diarmudin raised his eyes in surprise.
“Who said that?”
“The people who made me.”
Mikhail slowly closed his scarlet eyes.
“If it fails even once, it will be scrapped. I will be just like my brothers. I was educated that way.”
“… .”
Diarmudin shook his head.
“The Vermillion Kingdom is still doing that kind of thing.”
“Because it is our country’s long-cherished wish to make a ‘perfect king’.”
“… .”
“And at least I don’t think I’m made to be that king.”
Diarmudin spoke slowly to Mikhail, who lowered his head.
“I won’t offer any consolation again. but.”
“… .”
“Remember that you are young enough and there is not one set path in life.”
After saying that, Diarmudin quickly turned around and went inside the outpost.
Looking at the old wizard’s back, Mikhail snorted.
“It seems like a useless consolation… .”
There is only one path given to you.
And having fallen down on the road, there is nothing left now.
“I am, we are… You’re a failure… … .”
Mikhail, who had been muttering, looked at the forest beyond the castle wall again.
and
“huh?”
I found something I hadn’t seen before standing far away at the edge of the forest.
it
sucks… … . Squeak… … . Squeak… … .
It creaked and swayed its limbs noisily in the wind that blew.
A scarecrow with a straw bag over his head.
“… ?”
Mikhail rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was seeing anything wrong. And it floated again.
OK.
Sigh. Sigh. Squeak… … .
Is it an illusion?
The Scarecrow was approaching.
I was at the far end of the forest earlier, but now I’m in the middle of the forest… … .
“… what?”
And every time Mikhail blinked.
Geek. Geek. Geek.
The scarecrow got closer little by little.
Mikhail’s trembling legs slowly stepped back, but the speed of the scarecrow was much faster than that.
When Mikhail came to his senses, the grotesquely swaying scarecrow was standing right in front of the castle wall, and it had grown in size too.
To the extent that an arm could reach Mikhail on the castle wall.
“… what are you?”
Mikhail asked in a trembling voice, and the straw bag that the Scarecrow had put on his head tore open… … .
“What do you look like?”
he said in a dry, laughing voice.
Geek, Gig, Geek… … .
Gigg. Gigg. Gigg. Gigg. Gigg. Giggig. Giggig.
Before I knew it, countless numbers of scarecrows were standing all over the forest.
The scarecrows held out their hands to Mikhail, who was unable to move.
《I am your fear.》
The scarecrow’s deformedly long arms, which stood closest to him, slowly embraced Mikhail.
《… It’s your nightmare.”
