Chapter 794

Today is the day to rescue the First Angel, Ruto, from the Demon King's Castle on the Forgotten Continent.

And ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????today is October 1st—Allen has turned 17 years old.

Just ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????before 7 AM, the Bird H summoned beast was staring at a clock magic tool in the guest room of Rodan Village.

*Tick*

*"Cock-a-doodle-dooooo!!"*

Right ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????at 7 AM, the Bird H summoned beast, shaped like a rooster, flapped its wings wide, raised its beak to the sky, and crowed loudly.

"Gwah!?"

Allen, who had been sleeping in the guest room since he didn't have his own room, jolted upright from the futon laid out on the woven mat.

*"Cluck cluck"*

"Ah, Cocco. Thank you. And hello to me, 17 years old."

*(It crows because it's a rooster. But for some reason, it also lays eggs. Maybe my extracted memories weren't quite accurate in this regard?)*

He’d heard from Mels that the designs of the summoned beasts were based on memories from his previous life.

After ruffling the head of the Bird H summoned beast, which was proudly puffing out its chest with its wings raised at the edge of the futon, Allen stepped into the hallway and locked eyes with Rodan.

"W-what was that huge noise?"

"Good morning, Dad. Your bedhead is something else."

"Oh? Really?"

Rodan replied while fiddling with his messy hair.

*(Did we wake up at the same time? He’s been waking up later since becoming village chief.)*

The crowing from the guest room where Allen was staying in the chief's house woke everyone sleeping within a one-kilometer radius. However, those already awake weren’t excessively startled. While a one-kilometer radius didn’t reach the farming areas, it was enough to rouse everyone in the residential district. Having lived in Krena Village until he was eight, Allen knew village mornings started early, so aside from Chief Rodan and himself, most people were probably already awake.

Back in Krena Village, Rodan, as the household head and village chief, used to finish breakfast and get ready by just past 6 AM, over an hour before Allen, the late sleeper, would wake up, and then start working in the fields.

After washing his face, Allen headed to the dining room where Theresia was already up and preparing breakfast. From the morning, a lavish spread worthy of a dinner feast was laid out for the three siblings.

"Oh, good morning. Come now, let's all have breakfast together."

Though Theresia was smiling, Allen’s unnecessarily high intellect picked up on the subtle change in her voice, as if she was trying to be brave.

*(I’m glad they’re treating me normally. Something shocking happened yesterday regarding Cecil, but I need to focus on today’s battle.)*

Yesterday, he’d been bombarded with questions about the marriage arrangement with Cecil, but he’d dodged them by focusing on the fact that he’d just heard about it himself and didn’t know anything yet. He could think about it after tomorrow. Maybe yesterday’s Cecil incident was just a misunderstanding and nothing at all. He really didn’t want any flags raised by both the Granvelle family and his own family right before the important battle with the Demon King's army. The only saving grace was that Cecil, due to her training, hadn’t heard about any of this.

The soup Theresia made, which he’d drunk many times during his childhood as a serf, now had more abundant ingredients like vegetables and meat, but it still tasted just as delicious.

His family knew Allen was leaving this morning for the battle against the Demon King's army, so everyone ate together, including his grandparents.

"......"

"What's wrong, Mash?"

*(Hey, hey, don’t make that face. It’s bad luck.)*

Allen planned to start preparing for the battle against the Demon King's army after breakfast. He noticed Mash had frozen, holding the wooden bowl filled with soup in one hand, as if he couldn’t swallow his food.

"Brother Mash."

At Allen’s words, Myla responded, and the whole family’s gaze turned to Mash.

"I’ve already cleared B-rank dungeons, and I’m almost there with A-rank ones too. Can’t I come..."

"No, you can’t. We talked about this yesterday. I’m sorry, but you’re still not strong enough."

Partly because Mash was his precious younger brother whom he couldn’t take along, but Allen stated the facts.

"But..."

"Mash. The world you’ll adventure in from now on will be a world without a Demon King. It might be a bit boring, but please bear with it."

*(I will never let the final boss respawn. I will crush it utterly. Well, this operation’s top priority is rescuing Ruto, but...)*

He couldn’t be sure the Demon King's army would be completely destroyed in this battle alone, but he stated it definitively.

"I see... That’s so cool, big bro..."

Mash seemed convinced by Allen’s firm, non-negotiable declaration. Mash had also been nervous about the atmosphere suggesting he might fight the Demon King, but perhaps relieved by the turn of the conversation, Rodan spoke to Allen.

"Allen, this is your home. You come back after the fight. You’re the eldest son of the Rodan family."

"Yes. Stay well, Dad, Mom. Mash, I need to move the academy city’s forces soon. Should I teleport you?"

"Nah, I’ll stay a bit longer. It’s the festival today, and apparently, there’s no class for like ten days after the new semester starts."

*(I think the academy’s summer break ended on October 1st, but maybe the schedule changed due to the Allen Army or the academy city’s expansion. Maybe the King is holding some kind of opening ceremony.)*

Due to the academic system changes Allen had proposed to the Five Continent Alliance, the expansion construction to accept students transferring from other academy cities was completed today. The Allen Army had helped, but the construction, led by the Ratash Kingdom, was finished, and King Inbuel was apparently holding a ceremony, so the start of classes after summer break was slightly delayed.

Mash said that Princess Laylana, from the same "Hundred Flowers Blossom" party, was too busy with the ceremony to even go dungeon diving, so she decided to participate in the village festival to pray to the God of Harvest instead.

*(Krena and the others are here too. Well, I’ll be dismissing all the summoned beasts and teleportation points after this. It’s helpful that Mash is staying behind.)*

Noticing that the Spirit A summoned beast stationed outside to guard Rodan Village had finished its departure, Allen thought this.

"Cocco-chan, you crowed really loud this morning."

"Yeah, but it seems you slept well."

"Yep, I’m wide awake!"

To heal the fatigue accumulated over the nine days of training and preparation for this day, he’d used the awakened skill "Herb" from the Grass F summoned beast to fall into a deep, healing sleep, and was woken by the Bird H summoned beast’s special skill "Morning Wake-Up." He and Mels had prepared enough of these for not only his companions but also the Allen Army, expecting fierce battles ahead, to ensure their stamina was fully recovered.

With the festival scaffolding at their backs, Krena and Dogora stood with their respective families who had come to see them off. All the parents were desperately suppressing their anxiety and forcing smiles.

"Alright, let's go. Well then, I'm off!"

It was hard to leave, but he intended to return to his home again after defeating the Demon King. If he finished quickly, the festival might still be going on, but he’d save that enjoyment for next year.

At the Count's mansion in the town of Granvelle, Zenoff and Pelomus, fully equipped for the battle against the Demon King's army, were waiting. Around the entrance were the Count's family and their servants, Fiona's family, and Pelomus's parents who had come from Krena Village.

"Make sure you come back alive, okay?"

"Of course, Fiona."

The married Pelomus gave his beloved wife Fiona a warm embrace.

"...Next is Kiel."

Reversing the order in which he’d sent them—to the town of Carnel, the academy city, and Fortenia, the capital of Rosenheim—he retrieved everyone and headed to Heavy User Island.

In less than an hour, around 9 AM, they arrived at the training grounds for the Allen Army near the center of Heavy User Island.

Mels had also retrieved the companions and various units stationed around the world, so all companions participating in this battle and the 20,000-strong Allen Army gathered on the grounds.

His eyes were immediately drawn to Tamtam and Haku, who were exceptionally large, each 100 meters long.

*"Gyao!!"*

"Haku!!"

Haku and Krena, reunited on the grounds after nine days, rejoiced. Apparently, Haku had been taken back to the Dragon God village by the Dragon King Matildora nine days ago for "special training" and had been acting separately from Allen and the others.

In Haku’s right hand was a huge, crystal-like orb about ten meters across.

*(It seems he received the 'Dragon King's Orb' from the Dragon King. I couldn’t analyze what kind of asset it would be. Is it an enhancement orb he didn’t use even during the trials with Krena?)*

While Krena and the others trained hard in the Sword God's dojo for today, mastering ultimate and secret techniques, Haku had been taken by the Dragon King to the Dragon God village for enhancement.

To incorporate it into the strategy, Allen had asked the Dragon King what effect the "Dragon King's Orb" had. He was told it was something necessary for the Dragon King to fulfill her duties. That explanation wasn’t helpful, so he asked for more details. The "Dragon King's Orb" was apparently something entrusted by the Time-Space God Desperado, used to manage the Gate of Judgment connecting to the divine realm. If enemies came to the Dragon God village or there was an obstacle to protecting the gate, the Dragon King's Orb was used to forcefully eliminate them.

It seemed to be an item for temporarily enhancing Haku. When asked if it was okay to lend an item entrusted by the Time-Space God to another dragon, he was told that Haku had undergone trials to become the temporary Dragon King for this very purpose.

They decided he would use it, timing its use for when it was necessary.

*'Lord Allen, my Clairvoyance has detected the edge of the Forgotten Continent. As far as I can ascertain from above, there are no notable movements from the Demon King's army at the moment.'*

*(Ah, that's a relief. At this speed, we should arrive in just under three hours.)*

Currently, Heavy User Island was slowing down as it moved northward through the skies from the northern part of the Central Continent. Quattro, flying near the leading edge of the island, reported to Allen on the status of the three fortresses established near the southern edge of the Forgotten Continent, about 100 kilometers away.

*'Allen. The status of each army seems to be fine.'*

"Is that so? Is everyone here? Mels, I'm sorry."

*'...It's fine. It's logical. There's a possibility I might be able to attempt the rescue first.'*

Allen apologized again to Mels regarding his assigned role in this operation. To increase the operation's success rate, he couldn't give Mels the role he desired. However, with the battle against the Demon King's army imminent, Mels voiced no complaints. He seemed to understand that his actions could determine the operation's success, which was tied to rescuing Ruto.

Next, Sophie, who had been speaking with General Lukidrall, came over.

"Lord Allen, the generals request a few words from you before they deploy their formations."

The Allen Army was about to advance to the positions explained on the eighth day of preparation. Before that, they wanted their Supreme Commander, Allen, to say a few words before the operation began.

"...Understood."

With his companions behind him, Allen moved to deliver a brief address to his army, initiating the operation.

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