True power.
As Anterize chewed upon the words spoken by Takuto Ira, King of Mynoghra, she felt a faint spark of anticipation mingled with profound unease for the coming demonstration.
Naturally, Anterize was no simple village girl.
Beyond childish fantasies, she had a reasonable guess as to what Mynoghra might practically offer. A new type of weapon usable by common soldiers. That must be what Mynoghra had inferred from their letter and prepared. The sound of hard objects clanking faintly from the cart confirmed it.
Fonkavun had initially envisioned the provision of combat magic usable by their own forces or controllable monsters. Yet, even if it was just a weapon, it certainly met their requirements.
Indeed, one could argue it offered greater immediate utility and strategic breadth than magic demanding talent and training time, or monsters requiring control techniques and carrying the risk of going berserk.
The sole concern was the potential for leakage or imitation of the weapon, but... judging that without seeing the actual item would be difficult. After all, they had no idea what kind of thing would even appear.
"Now then, preparations should be satisfactory. My deepest gratitude to the people of Fonkavun for your swift response despite our sudden offer."
"N-No, please don't mention it, Lord Mortar. But is this truly alright? This location might be rather conspicuous depending on circumstances... While I don't know exactly what you'll show us, it isn't something meant to be flaunted openly, is it?"
"Hoh hoh. Your concern is most appreciated. However, the power born of our king is somewhat... extreme, and therefore prone to drawing attention."
"A-Ah..."
Anterize scanned the area, subtly observing the so-called preparations.
The location was on the outskirts of Dragontan, in a slum district once overrun by degenerate thugs, effectively becoming a lawless zone.
Crammed together were structures barely qualifying as dwellings, their dilapidated exteriors combining to make "ruins" an apt description.
In this rather peculiar spot, several training dummies had been set up. Originally prepared for soldier training, they were now lined up as targets, clad in heavy iron armor that had flowed in from Quolia. Gazing at them from a slight distance, Anterize delved deeper into her thoughts.
(Ranged weapons? Could it be some type of crossbow? Generally, they're considered scholars' toys with complex structures unsuitable for mass production, but did they manage to complete one that could withstand actual combat?)
If so, then he would have to feel somewhat disappointed.
Anterize's knowledge of the crossbow—a device using a complex structure to enhance a bow's penetration power and accuracy—was purely accidental.
During his time in El-Nar, a clan power holder had acquired one from who-knows-where and, showing it off, allowed him to handle it.
At the time, elf warriors with some expertise in archery had derided it as a toy, its complex structure making it prone to breakage and thus nearly useless on the battlefield. However, Mynoghra might have succeeded in developing an improved crossbow that addressed those issues.
But... there were still things that didn't add up. Just now, Elder Mortar had said it was "radical and conspicuous."
Even assuming what was about to be unveiled was a crossbow or similar projectile weapon, it seemed unlikely to be so attention-grabbing.
The drill grounds in Dragontan, though narrow and with minimal facilities, should have sufficed.
Despite this, they had politely declined that proposal.
Instead, they had designated this district—a complete no-man's-land now, though it couldn't be guaranteed that spies or similarly unwelcome guests hadn't infiltrated.
Of course, personnel were deployed to clear the area, but the unexpected was always a possibility in the world.
Mynoghra surely understood that risk.
If that was the case, only one answer could be conceived.
It was something that could not be hidden at all—something far more flamboyant and intense than any crossbow.
"Elder Mortar. Unloading and checks of all sections are complete here as well. We are ready to fire, but what should we do?"
While Anterize was lost in deep thought with a troubled expression, someone nearby, who had been issuing instructions, directed a question toward Mortar.
It was the Dark Elf woman who had been seated at the table during the earlier meeting.
She was using some sort of specialized terminology to question Mortar.
It was evidence that established operational procedures existed. It seemed this was, as he'd suspected, larger in scale and more removed from existing technology than he'd imagined.
"Mm, mm. Then I shall go speak to His Majesty and the staff-wielders. Lady Anterize, excuse me for a moment."
Suddenly addressed, she hastily arranged her expression to look elsewhere, then offered a light bow with a smile.
It seemed the preparations were nearly complete. Anterize steeled herself and took a deep breath.
"Oh, excuse me. Before we begin..."
"Oh? Something wrong?"
But just as Mortar was about to step away from the gathering, a voice called out to him.
It was the woman from earlier. She apparently had a lingering question.
Anterize hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was permissible to listen in, but seeing that neither of them seemed particularly bothered by her presence, she remained where she was.
"No, I was just wondering who will take the first shot? Gear Captain and the selected few are prepared, but..."
"Mmm..."
Old Mortar stroked his beard slowly, his gaze sweeping over the area.
Then, as if a thought had struck him, a slightly mischievous smile crossed his face...
"Emuru. You do it."
He made such a declaration.
"A-ah, yes. I'll prepare then... W-What, you mean me!?"
The woman, apparently caught completely off guard, raised her voice in a shrill protest.
Only then did Anterize finally realize that the woman flusteredly arguing with old Mortar before her was Emuru, an important figure from Mynoghra with whom she had exchanged several documents.
Still, that person seemed to have her own share of hardships.
With a strange sense of kinship, Anterize watched the flustered Emuru make her preparations with a gentle gaze.
"...Then, esteemed guests, thank you so very much for your patience. We shall now demonstrate the power of which Mynoghra is so proud, for all of you gathered here in Fonkavun."
Perhaps about half an hour had passed when the elder, Mortar, took the stage as the master of ceremonies.
Takuto Ira, King of Mynoghra, watched from a simple viewing stand, observing the proceedings.
Among the onlookers were the staff-bearers, civil officials, and squad leaders of Fonkavun, their faces reflecting a mixture of thoughts and emotions as they gazed upon the unfamiliar presentation that was about to begin.
"What Mynoghra offers this time as our compensation is a new weapon, one that can be wielded by any individual."
So it was as suspected.
Anterize felt a small thrill of satisfaction that her guess had been correct.
At the same time, a faint disappointment arose—crossbows, probably.
"A weapon for war must satisfy all requirements. Anyone can use it, it is easy to learn, easy to deploy, and difficult for the enemy to seize. Above all, it excels at killing. Such items are needed in vast quantities, and at an affordable price."
"Certainly, the combat prowess of a single colossal unit or complex and powerful magic may be the flashy highlight of a battlefield. However, it is also an undeniable fact that those who form the backbone and support it are necessary. No matter how you look at it, the fighting capability of the common soldier is a matter that cannot be ignored."
"...I daresay the distinguished people of Fonkavun may harbor feelings of bitter humiliation from the recent war. Why must your peaceful lives be threatened by such barbaric and witless inferior species? Is there no way to strike such creatures right in their faces with all your might? Is there no means to educate their lacking minds on just how foolish it is to lay a hand on your nation?"
"—Our country has prepared the means for exactly that."
The words were skillful. And captivating.
The people present were enthralled by a mode of rhetoric reminiscent of a kind of agitator. Combined with the alien aura emanating from Mynoghra, it sparked intense interest and excitement.
Unconsciously clenching her fist, Anterize found herself listening intently.
"Now, the woman here is Emuru, a civil servant of our nation, and one who possesses little in the way of combat skills. Her knowledge and expertise contribute greatly to our country, but her physical abilities fall far short of even an average soldier—she would likely lose to a child of fighting age."
"Um, hee hee..."
Following Mortar's words, a woman's voice could be heard in the venue. It was Emuru.
Seemingly nervous about the concentrated attention, she approached the center of the hall, bobbing in small, deferential bows.
The moment they saw that figure, Anterize and several of the Fonkavun-side attendees' expressions shifted ever so slightly.
It was because she was holding something that resembled a staff.
No—its shape bore closer resemblance to a crossbow. The grip in particular was something they had seen before.
But everything else—the launching mechanism in particular—was aberrant. Where a crossbow would have a string drawn back, there was none, and the whole thing was abnormally long.
How could such a thing even be used? The Fonkavun delegates were transfixed by the incomprehensible weapon.
At the same time, they harbored doubts—how could this woman, who hardly appeared to be skilled in combat, wield that weapon?
"However, there is no need for concern. Allow me to reiterate. A weapon is—something anyone can handle, easy to master, simple to deploy, and difficult for the enemy to seize. Above all, it must excel at killing. That is the necessary condition."
As though she had seen through their thoughts entirely, Mortar wove those same words once more, making it plain that worry was unnecessary,
"Emuru, do it."
A declaration that would change the fate of Fonkavun.
"Y-Yes!"
In that instant, Anterize experienced a vision of time itself flowing in slow motion.
Emuru fiddled with several parts of the weapon, then slowly took aim at the target, settling into a deliberate stance.
A moment of stillness. And then—
A terrifying chain of concussive blasts echoed through the area.
"Kyah!?"
Without the slightest care for the cute shriek she had just let slip, Anterize frantically turned her eyes toward the scarecrow target.
Gone was the heavy iron armor that had boasted such formidable defensive power. In its place was nothing but a wretched, punctured, crumpled heap of scrap metal.
No one had the faintest idea what had happened. Everything had ended the instant those deafening blasts erupted in rapid succession.
"Th-This is..."
An involuntary groan-like sound escaped my lips.
How could one describe what had occurred?
Putting it into words proved terribly difficult. All I could comprehend was that the scarecrow positioned as a soldier in the distance had been struck by an intense attack in the blink of an eye.
A thin wisp of smoke rose from the tip of the staff-like weapon, and a strange, pungent odor I had never smelled before hung in the air.
While the dog-folk soldiers with their keen senses of smell involuntarily wrinkled their noses, the people of Mynoghra continued their conversation as if this was the expected outcome.
"Hmm... the standard is rather lenient. Emuru, how many hours of training did you receive?"
"Let me see... approximately two hours of instruction and eight hours of practical application, I believe."
"Hmm. Supplementary training will be necessary. --That said, well, it's a passing grade. Very well, you may step back."
Emuru gave a deep bow toward the observation stand before finally dashing away with small steps, as if her turn was finally over.
But Anterize had no capacity to spare for her.
"Te-ten hours!? To produce that level of power, no... is that why!? What manner of thing have you prepared for us!?"
Anterize silently agreed with the excited, surprised voice Tonukapoli raised.
It was because it was far too dangerous, far too far beyond the standard.
She already had some information on the individual named Emuru.
Since she had served as a deputy officer in a Dark Elf warband, she likely wasn't incompetent in actual combat, but judging by her appearance and demeanor, she was more the type to hold such a position for her intellect.
In short, as the elder Mortar had said, her physical abilities were average, and apart from her level of education, she was no different from the common citizens present.
Yet she had just punched a hole through armor made of solid steel. One only had to consider how staggering that fact was to understand the resulting silence.
(I thought it was an advanced type of crossbow, but my assumption was naive! What is that thing? I have no idea what kind of mechanism it uses to fire! The arrow's velocity is too fast to begin with!)
The arrow, loosed in an instant, struck its target in the blink of an eye and riddled the armor like a honeycomb.
Hard, heavy armor, whose entire purpose is to protect its wearer from all manner of attack, now lay in this state. If the same thing happened in actual combat, it was as clear as fire to see what would happen to the person inside.
A weapon too excessive for any human to wield. And what was truly terrifying was the fact that Mynoghra was prepared to mass-produce it.
(The form of warfare is going to change! With this absurd power, before it can even be brought into close combat, everything will be shot down along with all countermeasures!)
"Well then, relying on Emuru alone might leave us somewhat lacking in information. Gear, the Warrior's Guild."
"Aye. Everyone, demonstrate the fruits of your training so the King need not be ashamed."
"YES SIR!"
Of course, Mynoghra was unaware of Anterize's bewilderment. They carried on with the planned demonstration as scheduled, ignoring the stunned expressions on the faces of the Fonkavun delegates who could not process the shocking scene before them.
"Target! Range two to three! Two-second burst! Firing stance!"
"FIRE!!!"
An explosion of sound several times greater than before became a round dance, driving the targets before them to annihilation.
Through the ringing in her ears emerged a sight that could only be described as excessive.
It was overwhelming.
Emuru knew of few beings capable of responding to this.
A High Holy Knight would likely, perhaps even a mid-tier Holy Knight might, be able to sense the line of fire and evade. Conversely, it meant that without forces possessing that level of high-tier combat ability, there was no escape from this rain of death summoned from hell itself.
(Ha-ha-ha... What is this? What does Mynoghra intend to fight with?)
Before that overwhelming power, she felt a dry laugh escape her. At the same time, she sensed a strong excitement welling up from deep within her chest. How much would a Fonkavun soldier equipped with that weapon be able to accomplish? Without a doubt, they could form one of the strongest elite units on the Dark Continent, excluding Mynoghra itself.
Of course, thorough management was necessary to address the risk of leakage, but there was no longer any need for street thugs and ruffians to put on airs, and the bitter resentment toward barbarians who ravaged the land would be a thing of the past.
This was a potent remedy.
This change was too drastic for words!
"Ladies and gentlemen of Fonkavun, with this, Mynoghra concludes the unveiling of the new power we proudly present — the 'gun.'"
Silence.
No one could react to this overwhelming, almost excessive destructive power — this utterly alien force.
Fonkavun maintained this silence for those reasons, and Mynoghra held its quiet composure as if deliberately granting everyone time to process the situation.
But amid it all, there was one person who was looking around this way and that.
Takuto Ira, the king of Mynoghra.
His demeanor could almost be taken as asking, "Hm? Why isn't anyone surprised?"
That was not the case. Everyone was so shocked that their thoughts had simply ground to a halt.
Of course, there was no way a mere elf like Anterize could presume to guess what thoughts dwelt in the mind of the king of ruin. And so, setting aside the king's attitude, she struggled to grasp the situation through the fog that had settled over her thoughts.
As if mocking that instinctive effort to avert her gaze from reality, his voice rang out with startling clarity through the silence.
"I think I want a little more impact."
Mynoghra's king, Takuto Ira, suddenly declared something to that effect.
"Carrier, Mearia."
"Yees!"
"Yes, sir!"
The words that followed came swiftly.
Murmurs of unease were also leaking from the ranks of Mynoghra's personnel — this appeared to be an unplanned action.
Only Atou, the king's sole confidant, and the two girls whose names had been called showed not a hint of unease.
"I'm done!"
"It is ready!"
At that, Anterize was rendered utterly speechless.
What the two girls brought forth, their voices bright and enthusiastic, was a massive contraption wholly unsuited for girls of their age.
(That… that can't be another… gun, is it?!)
The structure was vastly different. It resembled a bundle of staffs bound together, possessed some intricate mechanism, and was clearly not intended to be portable. What manner of creatures were these girls who could lift it so effortlessly?
But that question was now secondary to a far more pressing concern.
Generally, size was directly proportional to power.
In El-Naar, certain spirit warriors would employ enormous longbows to achieve greater power and range.
Following that simple logic, the monstrously large weapons held by these two girls before him must possess...
some staggering level of...
"Show him what the gun can do."
"Two—Three—!"
Then the air shattered and the earth exploded.
With a strange sound like a giant hornet taking flight, the house directly behind the deformed, unrecognizable target was blown away. Small, tube-like objects scattered from the colossal gun, and from the glowing tips of the staffs, countless arrows beyond counting streaked toward their objective at speeds the eye could barely follow, carrying with them the intent of utter destruction.
The buildings of Fonkavun were sturdy structures of wood and mud. The hardened earthen walls were not easily broken and offered considerable resistance to fire arrows.
Yet they were pulverized to splinters before this onslaught, as if a sandcastle were being kicked apart.
It was only at this point that Anterize finally understood.
Of course, something like this would be conspicuous and extreme...
Even though only a few seconds had passed, the scenery before her eyes had completely changed.
As if remembering her ringing ears, Anterize moved slowly to finally suppress them, but could only gaze at the spectacle in silence.
"What I have just shown you is, regrettably, not included among the items we are able to offer. It is merely to ensure you understand that my nation possesses such power, and that we offer our cooperation to all of you, our friendly nations, backed by this overwhelming military might."
Having said this, old Mortar broke into a slight cold sweat as he concluded.
"Well then—what do you think?"
The satisfied voice of the King of Ruin echoed through the arena, which had been utterly ravaged.
Even Pepe could only stand with her mouth agape at this sight.
...
...
...
"There is nothing left... is there."
While the members of Mynoghra were withdrawing to the city hall to prepare for the continuation of the conference, Anterize, accompanied by several officials, was overseeing the cleanup operations in the arena that had become strikingly open and clear.
"A moment, Anterize."
"Lord Tonukapoli..."
Turning at the voice, she found the bull-headed staff bearer had somehow come to stand beside her. The profound exhaustion etched onto his expression was not a figment of her imagination.
Naturally, Anterize must have been wearing a similarly terrible look herself.
"Regarding that long vacation you mentioned earlier... I apologize, but it must be postponed indefinitely."
"Haha, hahaha... Understood."
I was a fool to have worried that once the city was handed over, I would be relieved of my duties.
Fonkavun is short on talent. At this rate, I shall continue to be driven like a workhorse.
Had I perhaps taken the wrong job? Anterize mused idly, but all was now water under the bridge.