117. We Are an Army!
We are an army.
We build towering walls and hide what we must protect deep within them.
With spears and bows pointed beyond the walls, we defend everything inside from outside enemies.
“Something's strange.”
Among those foolish and ignorant humans, there was one man who gave off a completely different feeling.
The first thing he said while looking at us was—
Something's strange.
We are not strange.
We are an army.
We exist to protect the world.
We are warriors of the world who would sacrifice our lives without the slightest hesitation if it meant protecting it.
“I understand that this is the center of the Demon Realm.”
The Demon Realm is dangerous.
Just like the front lines, enemies invade from time to time.
Sometimes, a gigantic monster appears.
Other times, enormous hordes of monsters come.
They scratch at our gates with their claws.
They gnaw at the wooden barricades with their teeth.
They pile up the corpses of countless comrades to form bridges and try to climb over our walls.
“But why would things that aren't even human build structures imitating humans in a place humans have never stepped foot in, then guard a relic?”
Because we are an army.
Because what we protect is the world.
We are soldiers who protect the world.
No matter where we are, neither our purpose nor our form changes.
The reason we endure harsh training.
The reason we hold spears in our hands.
The reason we willingly march toward the front lines.
It is all because we are the human army that protects the world.
“Is that important?”
“Of course it is. They say if you know your enemy and know yourself, you'll never lose a hundred battles. It's much easier and more efficient to understand something before charging in blindly.”
“Since when did you care about things like that, Uncle?”
“Haha, Aien. It's because people like you fall for it that this old man can charge in screaming at the top of his lungs. You're supposed to get excited with me.”
That human with the unusually different aura was clearly the commander of the group.
There was no doubt.
Those creatures were puppets trying to steal the world beyond this wall.
They spoke intelligently.
They gave off a strangely warm atmosphere.
They pretended to be human.
But they were not humans.
They were monsters.
Enemies who carried weapons and aimed their bows at us to steal and violate what belonged to us.
“The gatekeepers are wearing armor, but you can't see their faces. So they're not human. Something is only pretending to be human.”
“Ah, like the seeds of Jamani's army from before?”
“No. Those were humans that had become twisted. These are twisted things taking on human appearances. Their fundamental nature is different.”
They did not have enough spears to threaten us.
They possessed no cannons capable of destroying our walls.
They didn't even have bows capable of firing over them.
There was no reason for us to lose.
There was a clear reason for us to remain cautious of them, but they were not a threat.
However, we would not lower our guard.
Carelessness was not our duty.
We were simply an army that followed orders and protected what must be protected.
Personal feelings only interfered with operations.
“The things holding bows on top of the walls don't even have heads. Either they never intended to perfectly imitate humans, they didn't need to, or they simply weren't capable of it.”
“They don't seem like the type to attack first. Let's rest while we think about it.”
“Sure. Everyone, take a break.”
The enemy began building a forward camp in front of our walls.
No.
They did not dig deeply into the ground.
They did not set up tents where soldiers could rest or where commanders could hold strategy meetings.
Instead, they lit a fire right in front of us, grilled meat, and happily chatted among themselves as if they had come here for a picnic.
“Uncle, you think it's strange that the things inside are imitating humans, right?”
“Exactly. There's no reason for them to. Honestly, how much of a threat are humans in a place like this? I nearly had a heart attack when I saw a penguin with spider legs suddenly fall out of the sky.”
“You're saying that if they wanted to defend themselves against monsters, they should have taken the form of other monsters instead of humans?”
“That would've worked better. We've already confirmed that there's a food chain even here, haven't we?”
They understood this place's ecosystem well.
Had the recent decline in monster attacks been because these humans were exterminating the monsters around them?
We could do the same.
Our army had far more experience exterminating monsters than they did.
In every respect, our military strength was superior to that of their tiny platoon.
We possessed cannons capable of shaking the heavens and bringing thunder down upon the earth.
Our arrows could pierce even the toughest monster hides.
Our walls were invincible against their attacks.
“If I had to guess, maybe this entire place was reconstructed based on the memories of the relic inside.”
“You mean because the witch at its core is human, the things created from her also imitate humanity?”
“...”
The enemy commander did not possess the ability to defeat our army.
That man didn't even have the means to fully understand the strength of our forces.
He was an incompetent commander.
Leading a weak and foolish platoon.
...There was no longer any reason for our army to leave them alone.
If they were enemies we could easily overpower, then it would be better to subdue and capture them immediately.
“Ah! They're moving!”
“Hmm... As expected.”
“What's ‘as expected’? What is it? Don't stand there acting cool just because you're the only one who can see something different. Explain it.”
“The instant the soldiers started moving, the entire flow of the walls changed. Things that usually sit still like rocks have weak flow, and it hardly changes. So what I'm saying is... maybe that entire thing is actually one monster.”
[We are an army!]
[We shall destroy our enemies in perfect formation, plant our flag upon their remains, shout of our victory, and sing our military songs!]
[We are an army!]
[We protect while fighting! We kill while fighting! We win while fighting! Together, we fight!]
[You have encountered ‘We Are an Army!’ at the center of the Demon Realm!]
[Beware the endless advance of its soldiers and the rain of arrows pouring from the sky!]
[You have seen through the true nature of ‘We Are an Army!’!]
[The enemy has become wary of the Adventurer and is now on high alert!]
