LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 253.1
Chapter 253.1. God-Tier
Hakata. In my youth, it was a place I wanted to visit. Okinawa, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku. Rather than sightseeing, I was more interested in the food. The local delicacies from each region. However, I was also somewhat interested in sightseeing.
Now, in a world where sightseeing is no longer possible, as I ride atop a giant black bird resembling a flying aircraft carrier, I gaze down at the city below and think. The city stands guarded by two walls. The inner city boasts beautiful buildings, while the outer city is cluttered with shantytowns.
It’s likely the war with the monsters caused extensive damage. Here and there, I see collapsed buildings and houses, with unnatural patches of empty land scattered about. These must have been destroyed by monsters emerging from dungeons. The damage here seems worse than in Tokyo. Even parts of the walls have been reduced to rubble, which instantly conveys the harsh reality of Hakata. On the other hand, aside from that, there’s hardly any difference between Tokyo and Hakata.
Everywhere is the same. Tokyo, Hakata—it doesn’t matter. There may be slight differences in how the cities are laid out, but they’re negligible. Nothing surprising.
Floating above this city, I wriggle my hands nervously and break into a cold sweat at the sight before me.
“Captain Konoha of the Taira clan. As expected of the leader of the Jester Knights. Using magic of that magnitude—color me impressed.”
Nodding earnestly, I mutter to myself, clutching my mental stability item tightly. Truly, it was astounding.
“Sakimori! Are you seriously blaming that magic on Konoha? That aura was clearly wicked-nya… hey, stop poking my ears-nya!”
The mental stability item is annoyingly noisy, but that’s just how it works. The ear fluff feels nice, though. It’s soothing to touch. The fine strands give a pleasing sensation.
“And watching Karin’s face turn beet red when I touch her—it’s amusing too.”
I also enjoy how Karin wriggles her body in ticklish discomfort when touched. Her tail sways back and forth, and I never tire of watching it.
“You sadist! I’m not some pet cat-nya! Make me your subordinate, not a toy—moooof!”
As she struggles and tries to escape, I grip her tail tightly. This kitten is quite the feisty one. But I already understand the fluffiness level of my supposed subordinates.
“I get it, you’re fluffy. And with the cold, it’s also nice and warm.”
Flying at high altitudes in winter can be freezing, so today I’m bundled under my shadowy cloak with a thick wool sweater and scarf. The new fox-fur scarf I bought is delightfully fluffy and warm—I really like it. Sometimes it seems to move on its own, but it must be the wind.
“Nyaaah! I became your subordinate for moments like this, but to think you’d steal it, Sakimori…”
The catgirl glares bitterly at my fox scarf, but I have no intention of letting go of her cat ears. Just relax for a bit. I’ll stroke your tail too.
“Don’t pet it the wrong way-nya! It gives me the creeps-nya!”
She pretends to go limp as if she’s about to collapse, so I gently support her waist. Honestly, I’m a little confused myself, so bear with me.
“Well, just wait until I calm down. As I said, Konoha’s magic really shook me.”
I disable dark mode and take a deep breath. I feel myself absorbing the mana of all the defeated enemies, as if I’m breathing it in. There’s no sign of turning into a monster—it’s like pouring a cup of water into the ocean. These were all low-level enemies, so I haven’t reached level 8 yet, but at this pace, I’ll get there in no time.
And this god-tier power… it’s terrifying. To think I could selectively eliminate only the monsters in sight.
“Is that form of yours a skill? Sakimori, people are definitely going to call you the Demon King later.”
As I stroke the catgirl, Shingen—riding on the same bird—comments with a disapproving expression. Indeed, the dark mode was a bit much. But I had to confirm the power of a god-tier spell quickly. I had no choice. I bet, from the outside, I must look like a decent guy. At least, that’s what I’ll tell myself.
God-tier magic consumes 2,500 mana. Can you believe it? One shot, and my mana was nearly gone. And that’s just the default cost. If I tried to concentrate or condense it into a core, it’d take several times more.
Even with no special modifications, a single blast wiped out tens of thousands of monsters. They don’t call it god-tier for nothing.
Area-of-effect spells take time to cast. Even for me, it took over ten minutes to activate, so it’s impractical for regular combat. Single-target spells might not take as long, but with the amount of mana needed, it’s undeniably god-tier. Not something I can use recklessly.
“I used magic to adopt this form for intimidation. It’s bound to surprise the enemy, right? But seriously, Captain Konoha is amazing. Just look—everyone on the ground is cheering for her.”
Below, Captain Konoha receives applause from Hakata’s soldiers. They cheer in awe, respect, and some emotion I can’t quite place, clapping with desperate faces full of admiration.
“Doesn’t look like an act to me. But you plan to ride this out, huh? You’re going to let that girl take all the credit? Well, I guess it’s fine, since you’re benefiting too.”
Shingen shrugs in exasperation at my words but soon agrees. Captain Konoha has been enjoying quite the perks as a leader, so it’s only fair.
If Konoha hears this, she might protest fiercely and even file a complaint.
“Right? Let’s say it’s her due for being famous. Baba and the others, I’ll leave it to you.”
I glance around, and they nod in agreement. No problem, then.
Riding on the bird with me are Karin, Shingen, Baba, and a few other subordinates. I had a bad feeling, so I came to Hakata ahead of the fleet. They’re on their way now.
Rear Admiral Kuki leads the fleet, accompanied by Colonel Marume and several staff officers, with 3,000 soldiers and various supplies. Hana is with them too.
I taught Hana plant magic, so she’s going to help cultivate crops in Hakata’s struggling fields. Jun insisted on coming along, so he’s with us as well.