Chapter 511 part 1

Day 108 – Morning, the Theocracy, Streets

It seems breakfast is forbidden today. Well, not that there is no breakfast, I just was told not to make it. Even though they’ve been the ones overeating and going for seconds… I’ve even been changing the sauce for the cutlet sandwiches each time so they wouldn’t get bored, but apparently my kindhearted consideration went unappreciated?

「Why are the two Dungeon Emperors already so worn out this morning? Why do you push yourselves to exhaustion in enemy territory! Why would you start a flesh-to-flesh pro-wrestling match in a church in the middle of the night!」

No, I’m worn out too, you know? Who would’ve thought they’d steal the logical, systematic techniques of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in such a short time? With the numbers against me, I was pinned and toyed with, Highschool Boy-san licked until he hit the limit? Sure, the Sex King passed Lv25 and powered up, but when you think about it, the Dungeon Emperor-sans are already level 50+ and were in peak condition… It was a harsh, grueling, but quite pleasant battle. Can’t the sun hurry up and set already… Maybe there is some sort of a skill to smash it somehow?

「Look, they are your martial arts instructors, right? Of course I have to thoroughly check their ground techniques? I have to drill them on steamy flesh-to-flesh grappling techniques or it won’t do? Steady, relentless daily training is what builds a sound body and lets a sound mind dwell in it, right? So yeah, I’m tired?」

「「「Don’t drill our martial arts instructors with steamy flesh-to-flesh grappling techniques! Those are not for combat use!」」」

「Why does he think that would foster a sound mind, anyway?」

「Still, if it comes down to a grapple, those joint locks are effective, aren’t they?」

「Yeah, the way it rationally dismantles the moving parts of the human body is pretty amazing.」

「But you’re not supposed to let them grapple you! The basic rule is to keep moving and not get caught.」

What do they plan on using martial arts for if not in combat? I don’t get it? Still, ground grappling really is dangerous. In a one-on-one situation it’s terrifyingly strong, but in the chaos of a battlefield it’s extremely reckless! Yeah, two-on-one was unfair to begin with?!

So yes, it’s true, you can’t let yourself be grabbed. In Systema or in Taikyokuken there are plenty of techniques to attack joints, but the basics are about instant destruction from a standing position, or locking a joint to control the enemy’s body and use them as a shield. By contrast, ground techniques are inherently about using your body and weight to pin and restrain the opponent while keeping close contact. And since there was that slippery Lotion-san involved, it turned into an intense fight. Slippery holds that wouldn’t lock, wonderful squishy resistance, I struggled a lot but was left deeply satisfied. Yes, a refreshing morning indeed.

After finishing breakfast we left the town. Me, Armored Pres-san, Slime-san, and Dancing Girl-san are scouring the surrounding towns and villages on Horsie-san. Yesterday’s town was easy to figure out, but most of the others were hosting numerous troops while maintaining good relations, which made them hard to touch. When you don’t know who’s an enemy, you can’t make a move without risk of turning the whole town against you.

Just being soldiers doesn’t make them enemies; most of the time they are just people. So I settle for picking up valuables left behind. It didn’t seem like the Church army was dropping anything especially worthwhile anyway.

And so, by securing the town we’d actually restricted our own movement. As an opening move it was a blunder, but it still had room to exploit, and it’s not uncommon for a poor move to turn great if one can pull through. The enemy would be eager to finish it here, which makes for a good bait. Still, to come all this way after just one day with no communication, that’s fast. That town really was just a bait, huh.

The four of us were scouting on horseback, but with a large army advancing on the town, we followed behind, and as expected, they had hostages with them…

「Soo, they ended up falling for it, huh?」

「Arianna, san. Pres-san, and the, others, have come, out. Surrounded… already.」

「Unfamiliar presences secured.

They are being lured by hostages,

Just as we thought.」

The Sister Girl had come back here, of course a trap would be laid. With hostages, there’s no escaping, and in the Theocracy, hostages are everywhere.

Told it was negotiations the Sister Girl and others were lured out. The Girls rushed out to protect them, and managed to seize the hostages back. Up to that point, it was flawless. But in order to protect the hostages, they became immobilized and were surrounded. The enemy numbers at least five thousand. A complete encirclement. Ironically, because they had successfully reclaimed the hostages, they were now unable to move; they couldn’t break formation to attack without exposing a hole in their defenses, and yet the enemy, too, couldn’t press forward, because Pres and the others were simply too strong. A perfect stalemate.

Then the Theocracy’s army began shooting arrows in an endless barrage, as if trying to wear them down by exhaustion. Maybe they were aiming for a battle of attrition, but the supply train behind them is already out of food? After all, I already picked everything off the carts while we were following behind?

But psychologically, the encircling side always has the advantage. The longer the tension drags on, the more it erodes the spirit and strips away clear thought. Another reason they couldn’t move 『Reflection』 shields. By reclaiming the hostages, they’d lost their offensive options… It’s not just that they ate too much and can’t move, right?

Still, without hostages, victory would be certain. Even if they had overeaten, it still would be an easy win. Their Sister habits are revealing that everyone is back to neat slim bellies now. Against foes of that caliber, they could sweep through with brute force alone. Numbers be damned, the difference in levels is mercilessly overwhelming. I mean, level 10 as an ordinary soldier? On the Frontier even children would beat that! But those rescued must be protected, and they are fragile. Humans die too easily, which is why they are forced into a defensive position, afraid of the slightest what if, unable to go on offensive.

The barrier is probably to keep poison in. Useless against Pres and the others, of course, but for the ex-hostage civilians it could be lethal. And it keeps draining MP. Still, if it comes down to endurance, there is no way the enemy can compete with the girls who have been stuffing themselves as if they are about to go into hibernation. Seriously, the mere reveal of miso soup led to a fearsome eating spree!

「Should, we, rescue them? We promised to, leave this, to, them. Just watch?」

「This is boring and dull.

I crash in.

We do lunch.」

These two had eaten almost as much as the girls, yet their bellies were slim and slender while their chests remained GLOBAL. Truly, a whole world must be stored inside those bosoms. Really, where does all that food go? Anyway, using Rajingan’s Farsight, I checked the situation… the protected previously hostages are women, probably sisters. Unclear if they are just drained or were attacked, but they are sitting slumping powerlessly, their clothes torn, while the Sister Girl and others wept as they wiped away the tears of the women.

「I saw. Let us kill, them. The promise… that was, a lie?」

「That is trash.

Cleaning trash is not covered by our promise.

Letting them breathe only makes the air dirty.」

(Jiggle-Jiggle)

They’re angry. Armored Pres-san, Dancing Girl-san, even Slime-san, are all furious. The enemy may be only numbers, but still, five thousand…

「All right then, I have a secret plan! A counter-encirclement annihilation strategy for the Church army!」

「「「What? No waay (monotone) (J-Jiggle-Jiggle (monotone))」」」

They practiced that? Sure, but you’re supposed to end it with an exclamation mark! Otherwise it sounds like you are not even surprised. Anyway, total annihilation is the basics of encirclement.