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Depicting a scene akin to a venomous serpent ensnaring a colossal elephant within its coils, Nidhogg, having entwined itself around the Sky Garden, writhed ominously.

Its vast, serpentine form devoured the monsters of Imperial Crimson that crossed its path, proliferating while its elongated neck inched closer to the heart of the Sky Garden—the core of the Scarlet Jade Castle.

This bastion of monsters, home to approximately 100,000 denizens and Hiyuki’s cherished miniature garden, now lay at the mercy of a single, menacing serpent.

The inhabitants of Imperial Crimson were of notable strength; they were formidable warriors, with few exceptions. Yet, even they found themselves overwhelmed by this unprecedented onslaught. The massive serpentine invader, a daunting wall of flesh, halted even their mightiest. They were seasoned in battle against monsters, but never one of this magnitude. The sight of it left them dumbfounded, their eyes widened in shock as involuntary groans escaped them.

They were taken aback, yet not deterred. Fear was a concept foreign to them; their resolve to combat this vile foe was unwavering. Their creed was simple: if it was an ‘enemy,’ they would relentlessly attack until its utter annihilation.

Heeding the directive to avoid close proximity to its serpentine mass, they swiftly shifted to long-range assaults; a barrage of elemental attacks—fire, water, poison, and wind blades—hurled indiscriminately towards their foe. Initially, their attacks seemed effective, causing visible damage, but their hope waned as they witnessed their offensive impact lessening, until, alarmingly, their assaults began to heal their adversary. The grim realization dawned upon them.

—This fiend is feasting on our attacks!

They attempted to withdraw immediately upon this revelation, but their realization of the enemy’s cunning came too late. Some were ensnared by its Evil Eye, others caught in its tentacles, and some simply overpowered by its sheer size. Inevitably, every monster present was consumed.

Certainly, members of the Round Table, those of ‘major power’ status or military ranks, were promptly informed of Nidhogg’s unique traits by ground forces. However, civilian monsters at the scene were unaware, falling prey to this trap.

A grim milestone was reached fifteen minutes into Nidhogg’s assault, with nearly 300 monsters missing (presumed absorbed)—a catastrophe for Imperial Crimson in its inaugural battle.

Yet, there was a silver lining. Following the initial onslaught, casualties significantly decreased, thanks in large part to the swift intervention of the Round Table members and a shift in Nidhogg’s attack strategy.

Twenty minutes into the confrontation, as both sides reached a stalemate, small wart-like protrusions appeared on Nidhogg’s intestinal-like surface. Soon after, Nidhogg began bombarding the city with countless projectiles ejected from these growths.

These projectiles, roughly the size of a human at first glance, burst upon impact, spawning vampires with unnaturally red glowing eyes. However, “vampire” hardly seemed an apt description for these crude, clay doll-like creatures with roughly assembled heads and limbs—they were merely decayed monsters. Regardless of their true nature, they launched indiscriminate attacks on anything that moved, disrupting coordination with their main body, Nidhogg, and prompting sporadic guerrilla warfare across various fronts.

◆◇◆◇

Within the inner sanctum of Scarlet Jade Castle, a strategic meeting unfolded.

“The enemy’s battle forces have dispersed, taking on forms resembling vampires—or rather, quasi-creatures with vampires as their foundation.”

A black-haired woman, her complexion porcelain-like and her appearance that of an intellectual lady clad in an outfit reminiscent of Native American attire, reported the situation to Utsuho in a matter-of-fact tone. However, beneath her elegant upper body, a vast spider’s body lurked, unseen at first glance.

«Spider Woman» Shiori, the informant for the Thirteen Demon Generals, remained outwardly composed. Despite her upper body’s stillness, her spider lower half was in constant motion, operating her numerous legs and silk glands. She skillfully manipulated the ultra-fine threads she spun, which stretched far and wide, to acutely monitor the ongoing changes in the battlefield dynamics.

“Nidhogg has been launching these projectiles at an approximate rate of 4,000 per minute. Each projectile’s threat level is around LV35, which isn’t inherently alarming. Yet, their numbers have escalated to 6,908…7,026…across the front lines, and continue to rise alarmingly.”

“What is the aerial interception unit doing!? Isn’t Izumo overseeing the skies?”

Utsuho’s voice, laden with frustration, prompted Shiori to shake her head.

“Izumo is exerting maximum effort. He’s intercepting 92% of the projectiles before they can reach the ground. Nonetheless, achieving total accuracy remains challenging. Lord Ikaruga would have likely achieved near-perfect interception, but given the current circumstances, that’s not feasible. Sadly, luck isn’t favoring us at the moment… Ah, Sasaki, head of the Imperial Guards, proposes allowing the angels of the Imperial Guards to deal with the missed shots. Your directive?”

After a brief moment of contemplation, Utsuho decisively shook her head. “No, that approach would be detrimental. Only ‘holy’ attributes have been effective against it. The Imperial Guards must not divert from attacking the main body. Let those on the ground handle the cleanup of these pests.”

Under different circumstances, the morale of human or demi-human troops might have crumbled under such duress. However, the denizens of this nation were all seasoned warriors. Utsuho’s unwavering belief in their courage, prowess, and allegiance reassured her; this challenge was one they would undoubtedly overcome, evidenced by—

“The rate of enemy force elimination has reached 99.7%. It’s effectively 100%.”

—Shiori’s ensuing report.

Yet, it’s not an absolute 100%. Such persistent nuisances.”

Utsuho’s dissatisfaction was clear, even in the face of their progress.

“The remnants are in sparsely populated or non-combat zones, delaying their eradication… If desired, I can engage directly.”

Shiori’s threads, adept for sensing, could equally serve to cut or ensnare.

It wasn’t wrong to say Shiori was ever-watchful, her gaze extended through the myriad threads that acted like limbs, keenly observing the enemies as they wreaked havoc as if they owned the place. Clearly, she was itching to jump into combat herself.

“For now, stay focused on monitoring and analyzing the situation. We need to patiently wait for the right moment. Once the groundwork is laid, we will launch our offensive. I will not rest until the blood of our foe stains my hands.”

“Is it feasible?”

“…Yes.” The response came unexpectedly from Susa’s alter ego, who materialized suddenly.

“Susa!?”

“The Vampire Ancestor has amalgamated its minions into a chimera. However, this chimera lacks a core, indicating there’s a puppeteer orchestrating its complex movements and the rapid execution of these assaults.”

“So, neutralizing the Vampire Ancestor could dismantle their strategy?”

“Exactly.”

Utsuho’s summary of Susa’s analysis was delivered in a laid-back manner. It sounded straightforward but was a challenge that had stumped their forces, bringing them to this critical juncture. Utsuho’s expression hardened with determination.

“……Hurry, then. Tengai and the others are desperately preventing the Princess from rushing over by herself.”

“This truly is a critical situation.”

Utsuho concealed a smirk behind her fan, her anticipation for the impending confrontation evident.

◆◇◆◇

High above, where the Sky Garden floated in an otherwise empty sky, a formidable force assembled. Around 500 angels, flanked by a contingent of dragon-kin five times their number, prepared to strike Nidhogg from their aerial vantage point. Leading them was «Metatron» Sasaki, a mechanical angel with silver wings, relentlessly firing from an absurdly large auto-cannon that looked like it belonged on a battleship rather than in the hands of an angelic being.

When she had appeared as a gacha reward, players had levied all sorts of criticisms, especially concerning how her mechanical armor and weaponry broke the fantasy aesthetic (and with the myriad complaints management received, the part 2 project was subsequently abandoned).

But in this moment of turmoil, her combat style—pure long-range destructive power without reliance on any elemental magic—was precisely what was needed.

Sasaki, adeptly managing the gigantic gun with its rotary barrel, relayed instructions to her troops encircling Nidhogg.

“Hold your positions until the signal, then unleash hell. Concentrate on its main body and ignore the lesser spawns. Angel Corps, your target is the beast’s flesh. Dragon Warriors, obliterate that structure on its back. On Lord Utsuho’s command, unleash everything.”

Sasaki sighed quietly, continuing to down the incessant vampire bullets that Izumo, stationed above her as the second-in-command of the Thirteen Demon Generals, had missed with his dark matter beam wall. Her cannon unleashed a torrent of bullets like a relentless waterfall.

“This cautious strategy is a far cry from our usual direct approach. I hope they act soon; my troops’ patience is wearing thin.”

Sasaki focused intently on the mastermind of this devastation, determined to halt its unending onslaught.

◆◇◆◇

“A moment’s respite is too much to ask for, it seems…”

Kokonoe, one of the Seven Beasts of Calamity, muttered as he faced the relentless waves of the enemy’s soldiers. Their appearance, unsettling with eerily asymmetrical red eyes, a gaping void where the nose should be, a purplish tongue hanging from a skeletal mouth, and a body that seemed a haphazard fusion of human and insect elements, made one question the nature of their foe.