It was around the time when Takuto's lifestyle was being reformed by the new hero Isla that Atou and the Dragontan dispatch force likewise carried out their duties faithfully with all their heart and soul.
But the combat operations being conducted in Dragontan that day were more of a hunt than a defense.
"Ah, Lady Atou! A group of about five goblins! Coming from the southwest!"
"Yes, yes. I understand."
Outside the town of Dragontan, beneath a hastily erected sun awning, Atou was receiving a report from a Fonkavun scout.
How many times had she repeated this exchange by now?
Though somewhat exasperated by the interruption just as she was about to drink a rare tea she had found in Dragontan, Atou never let her irritation show on her face and, as prompted, gazed out beyond the horizon from outside the awning.
In that instant, a massive tentacle erupted from behind her and drove into the ground.
An eerie rumbling sound echoed through the earth, and before long, faint sounds of flesh and bone being torn apart along with screams drifted on the wind from the distance.
"Good hunting. Oh, it's done now."
"A-ah, thank you very much!"
The scout saluted as he retreated with a mixture of reverence and fear.
He seemed somewhat frightened, but Atou was relieved to note that he was not repulsed by her.
It was difficult for non-demonic races to accept those of demonic nature. Normally, there should have been far more turmoil in Dragontan over the acceptance of Mynoghra's forces, but there was a certain trick to it.
In truth, they harbored a certain misconception about Atou, which was why she was feared but not despised.
Of course, the fact that this was the reason was somewhat unsatisfactory for Atou, but that was another matter entirely.
"Could it be that goblins are no longer even worth the effort at this point?"
"Lord Mortar..."
Before she knew it, Old Mortar was standing beside the simple chair she occupied. Atou replied without looking at him, sipping at tea that had gone lukewarm as she stared blankly toward the horizon.
"As for being called an octopus-hybrid... well, the people of Dragontan certainly have their own way of putting it, don't they?"
Yes, this was precisely why the people of Fonkavun had accepted her. Setting aside her entourage of subordinate ghouls who had guided them, everyone from the Dragontan defense force and city administrators down to the common folk considered her an octopus-humanoid. It was a notion that had spread like wildfire after Pepe's initial shocked reaction upon seeing her tentacles—"She looks just like an octopus!"—and while Atou found the designation distasteful, she couldn't deny its utility. This left her in a state of mild inner conflict.
"It's infuriating, I'll admit... but it's better than being regarded with strange aversion. Of course, if you were to say the same thing to my face, you would receive a baptism of tentacles. Octopus ones."
"Hoh hoh hoh! I wouldn't dare speak so insolently!"
Old Mortar laughed heartily as he watched the writhing tentacles before him, settling into a chair he'd produced from seemingly nowhere. Around them, Fonkavun scouts continued to bustle about. Some of the subordinates Atou had brought along appeared to be coordinating quite smoothly with the Dragontan defense guard.
As Atou idly observed that their joint training, grounded in real combat, seemed impressively effective, Old Mortar leaned on his staff with both hands and posed a quiet question.
"Now that I mention it, Lady Atou. What abilities have you managed to acquire thus far?"
"From the goblins, I obtained 'Wilderness Activities.' From the orcs, 'Stamina Enhancement.' And from the hill giants, 'Monstrous Strength' and 'Regeneration.' I spotted a Stone Golem recently, so I'd very much like to claim 'Stone Skin' next."
The results of this joint defense effort were already, in their current state, as successful as could be hoped for. Barbarian tribes possessed low combat capability; any unit with a modicum of strength could handle them with relative ease. Normally, they would be treated as mere fodder, yet that didn't mean the abilities they held were without value. In fact, many possessed abilities disproportionate to their standing, and by seizing them, Atou had undergone a more potent enhancement than anticipated.
Just hearing the names of the skills was enough for Old Mortar to recall their precise characteristics. Simultaneously, he felt a surge of delight at the knowledge that Atou, now combining these powers, had sublimated into a far more formidable existence.
"My word, a catch beyond expectations. Surely our King is well pleased with this?"
"Yes! Yes! Master Takuto praised me too! When I return, he'll praise me even more."
"How auspicious--Oh?"
Old Mortar strokes his chin beard, his sharp gaze fixed on the hill visible ahead.
Drawn by him, Atou listlessly turns his gaze that way and discovers a small shadow suddenly appearing atop the hill.
"It's a Hill Giant. Hm, there have been many raids today."
Even after seeing it multiple times, the mechanism remained unclear.
The savages appeared suddenly.
This phenomenon, generated by a mechanism different from normal laws, was still a difficult problem plaguing their minds.
Initially, possibilities like teleportation magic were considered. But according to Old Mortar's investigation, there were no signs of it whatsoever.
He said he couldn't sense even a fragment of mana, let alone an incantation.
If even he, who boasts unparalleled knowledge and experience in magic within Mynoghra, denied it, the likelihood of teleportation was extremely slim.
That left instantaneous appearance as the only explanation... but adopting that theory meant ignoring the laws of physics, which was ultimately an unthinkable phenomenon.
Of course, since magic itself existed, one could argue that physical laws were merely nominal.
Regarding the extermination of savages aimed at defending Dragontan, and the acquisition of abilities to strengthen Atou, progress was smooth. But when it came to investigating the cause of the savage appearance phenomenon, they were at a complete standstill.
And this situation continuing meant a delay in returning to Takuto, which was an unbearable suffering for Atou.
"This is troubling. At this rate, I wonder when I can return to Master Takuto's side..."
"Ah, Lord Atou! I apologize! A Hill Giant! We are urgently preparing the archers!"
The Dragontan scout who had informed Atou of the savage raid earlier arrived again, this time with an even more severe expression.
It was only natural. The Hill Giant they spoke of was a very powerful unit with combat power of 4.
Moreover, it possessed enhancement abilities like Superhuman Strength and Stamina Boost.
An ordinary military force would struggle inevitably, and casualties would be unavoidable.
In fact, if they let their guard down, total annihilation would be a real possibility.
A city guard detachment would be utterly outmatched.
"Yes, I understand. The archers are in the way, so have them fall back. I will handle this."
"But, if you do that— Ah! Please wait!"
She rose gracefully, already sprinting before the beastman scout could stop her.
Her speed was such that it could be mistaken for a galloping horse; she had already closed the distance to where the Hill Giant's expression was clearly visible.
—And the extermination, called battle, began.
"Gwaaaah!?"
"Hello. Die."
The instant they engaged, Atou used a superhuman leap to spring before the giant's eyes and brought her holy knight's sword down upon its face.
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, the giant crossed both arms to protect its vitals, but the mighty sword swung from Atou's slender, reinforced arm easily sliced through the Hill Giant's tough flesh.
"GYAAAAAAH!?"
One arm cleaved to the bone, the Hill Giant howled in agony and rage, swinging its massive club wildly.
Atou dodged these ground-shattering blows like a circus performer, each impact creating a tremendous crash, all while showcasing the intricate swordsmanship unique to Holy Sword techniques.
The number of Hill Giants Atou had already felled exceeded one hand.
If it were medium or small savages like orcs or goblins, the count would be immeasurable.
It was no longer even training, and there was nothing left to gain.
She had picked up the Holy Sword techniques confiscated from a Quolian holy knight and played around with them to get used to them, but it seemed that wasn't necessary either.
Should I just finish this quickly with a tentacle?
Hopping lightly to and fro while dodging the Hill Giant's attacks, Atou was mulling over that very strategy when suddenly, an air of devastation swelled around her.
"Oh my?"
"Ggihh? GROOOOAARGH…"
The air grew stagnant, and miasma thickened across the land. The ground shifted in hue, and the hardy plants that had been sprouting across the wasteland withered away at an alarming pace.
The neutral-aligned Hill Giant's movements noticeably slowed, a tormented expression crossing its face. Conversely, Atou, who was evil-aligned, felt power surging through her body.
"Mortar, is it? How kind of you to lend a hand."
She glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of Mortar in the distance at Dragontan, mid-incantation.
He had most likely activated the military magic of devastation known as "Devastated Earth." This spell transformed a fixed area of land into cursed territory—an exceedingly convenient tool for forces of evil. Deployed in battle against nations outside the evil alignment, it simultaneously bolstered one's own army while weakening the enemy's. Furthermore, in peacetime, casting it along one's borders could effectively expand territorial claims. On top of all that, its low cost made it an extraordinarily practical spell.
It had only become usable thanks to the Mana of Devastation supplied from Mynoghra's royal palace, but until now there had been no opportunity to employ it in combat. Mortar's intention was likely to let her test it out while she still could.
Atou restored the motivation that had bottomed out and got right to confirming her enhanced physical capabilities.
"Gi—GGYAAAAAH!"
Now dodging attacks with gestures no different from a dance performed at social gatherings, Atou nevertheless suddenly relaxed and came to a stop. The Hill Giant—whether it interpreted this as an opening or not, she couldn't tell—seized the chance to bring its massive club crashing down.
A thunderous crash of destruction rang out as the giant's eyes twisted with delight...
"Heh heh, light. Too light."
"What!?"
Atou caught the Hill Giant's attack with ease using a single slender arm.
Blessed by the cursed land's correction, the gap in their power had become a chasm as wide as heaven and earth.
The giant's expression twisted with shock and despair.
From the very beginning, it had been toyed with. There was a reality as devastating as it was absolute.
"A fine expression. Then, farewell."
Still reeling from the shock that its full-power strike had been caught by this tiny creature, the Hill Giant stood frozen.
Atou unleashed a full-power sword strike straight at its face.
Cleaved vertically in a single line down to its chest, the Hill Giant slowly crumbled backward and soon lay prone upon the ground with a deep, earth-shaking thud.
With a soft sigh, Atou looked down at the massive corpse of the Hill Giant.
In a few days, wild beasts would tear it apart, but its appearance would clearly not improve.
It was also not too far from the city. Perhaps it would be best to just heap some dirt over it.
This task, which arose every time the barbarians were slain, could be said to be more backbreaking work than the defeat of the barbarians themselves, depending on the situation.
Just as these thoughts occurred, the corpse suddenly began to fade.
Atou's eyes widened in surprise, and he involuntarily took a few steps back.
"...Eh? It disappeared?"
The inexplicable phenomenon continued without pause, and the Hill Giant's corpse vanished from the spot as if it had been a magic trick.
This was a phenomenon that had not been observed until now.
Wary that some new threat might be approaching, Atou unfurled all of her tentacles and scanned her surroundings alertly.
...There was nothing out of the ordinary.
Wait—where the Hill Giant's corpse had vanished, something small and shiny, like a stone reflecting sunlight, caught her eye.
Atou moved one of her tentacles and carefully picked up the object.
"...A gold coin?"
It was a coin made of gold, of a type she had never seen before.
...
...
...
"Hill Giants are no longer enough to pose even the slightest challenge. —Well, they were never any match for you in the first place, Atou."
Mortar welcomed Atou back with evident delight after she returned from finishing the fight. Part of his high spirits surely came from witnessing the visible improvement in her combat ability, but there was likely also the joy of having his own magic successfully proven in real battle.
"I can't very well call myself a hero if I fall behind at this level. Besides, it's proof that the ability absorption is going smoothly... So, Mortar, how are things on your end?"
Atou answered his flattery with a casual wave of her tentacle, settling into a chair to inquire about the progress of the work he had been originally assigned.
The task given to Mortar was the investigation and development of the dragon vein pit.
From his demeanor, however, there seemed to be no problems.
"Fortunately, things are progressing smoothly on this end as well. My word, such a mystical place actually exists. I'm behaving quite unbecomingly for my age, getting this excited over it."
The dragon vein pit was, true to its name, a massive hole that had opened up in the earth. Dense mana had blown into it over many years, solidifying into crystal-like formations of magic that stood like a forest. The Dragontan dragon vein pit, too, was in a similar state, though some of the magic crystals had been chipped away for investigation purposes.
Even Atou herself had been momentarily captivated by the fantastical sight when she first laid eyes on it.
It was no wonder old Mortar was excited. Of course, its true value lay not in its artistically pleasing appearance.
"Heh heh, that's fortuitous. If we can utilize the pure Mana from the Dragon Vein cavity, large-scale land reclamation will become possible. If there's magic that can transform barren land into fertile earth in an instant, Mynoghra will achieve even greater development."
"The magics made possible through 'Military Sorcery' techniques are all fearsome in their power. To have magic specialized for land improvement—truly, I look forward to it already."
The conversation blossomed, and thoughts drifted toward the future.
One could say without exaggeration that Mynoghra had acquired an extremely powerful card in the current situation. It was still under development, but imagining the prosperity it would bring to Mynoghra when it finally bloomed was exciting.
It was only natural to be excited.
"I'm sure it'll blow your mind. The visuals are unnecessarily elaborate, after all—oh, right, old Mortar, there's something I'd like to ask."
"Oh? What might that be?"
Sensing the nearby Fonkavun guard had departed midway through the conversation, Atou decided to borrow old Mortar's wisdom regarding the earlier anomaly. It was a phenomenon that posed a dilemma, but there was no reason to ignore it either. Furthermore, it wasn't something to publicly announce at this stage. Leaving a concern unaddressed was the act of a fool. He would need to report to Takuto later, but first, it would be best to conduct a preliminary investigation here.
Therefore, old Mortar was chosen as the suitable confidant.
"Does this look familiar?"
It was the gold coin obtained from the Hill Giant earlier.
"Hmm? Let me see—this is currency, isn't it? A gold coin, no less... Where did you get this?"
"It dropped from the Hill Giant."
"Eh? Dro... hmm? A Hill Giant carried something like this?"
"Yes. Is it from a nation you recognize?"
Normally, items didn't drop from enemies.
If that character originally possessed it, then naturally it should be obtainable upon defeat, but the phenomenon of the corpse vanishing remains inexplicable.
In Eternal Nations, an item-dropping phenomenon actually exists, but it is limited only to legendary-grade weapons or items that significantly impact the game.
This gold coin did not seem to be of that caliber.
Atou observed the elder Mortar, who was staring intently at the gold coin.
The elder seemed to have an unfavorable impression.
"Hmm? Well, no. I have neither seen nor heard of it. Moreover, the technology used on this coin... I suspect it is not from this continent. With your permission, I could inquire with the wise ones in Dragontan later, but the answer will likely be the same."
"Truly? Then it came from elsewhere... There is also a concern. Just now, that Hill Giant, its corpse suddenly disappeared. This is an omen unlike before."
"Barbarians appearing out of nowhere bearing foreign coins. And their corpses suddenly vanishing - it's rather unsettling."
Atou's expression hardened.
Initially, they thought the coin was something the Hill Giant had obtained from some poor victim, but it seemed that was not the case.
Then the situation could no longer be viewed optimistically.
Because some hidden thread was beginning to show itself. If an unknown entity was involved, they had to raise their vigilance to the maximum.
And there was the matter of the disappeared Hill Giant corpse.
There had been nothing, then it suddenly appeared.
And upon being defeated, it suddenly vanished.
Only the gold coin remained.
Suddenly, Atou recalled that this phenomenon resembled something they had heard of before.
"Yes. This is almost exactly like an RP—"
In that instant, Atou's expression opened in shock.
"Lord Atou?"
"No... That can't be right."
Atou stood up from the chair she'd been sitting in and, in a flustered motion, pressed her hand to her ear and closed her eyes. It was at the moment old Mortar realized this was the familiar gesture she made when trying to contact her lord, Takuto, that a scout from the defense force came tumbling into the tent in a panic.
"Emergency! A massive horde of barbarians has appeared! Wh-what is this?! They cover the earth as far as the eye can see!"
Old Mortar, with a agility surprising for his age, dashed out of the tent and fixed his gaze on the horizon.
"Wha... This is!"
There, a vast horde swarmed, so dense it seemed it might fill the very ground, clearly visible even to his somewhat faded eyesight.
=Message===
The Filth Atou has acquired the following abilities due to unit defeat:
"Field Activity"
-No movement penalty for marches in the field.
"Physical Enhancement"
-Unit movement speed ×1.5
"Brute Strength"
-Unit combat power ×1.1
"Regeneration"
-Unit recovers 5% HP each turn
-Unit recovers 10% HP during rest
---