Oniwaka's[Rank Up]seems to be [Rampaging King]. Oniwaka had a huge body as he was a High Ogre, but now he is twice as big. In addition, the musculature on his whole body has developed to be as thick as armor. The color of his skin is dark red, as if dyed in blood. His dark purple hair is lustrous and sharp as a knife.
Two horns point upwards on the top of his head like thick stakes. They are extremely sharp and look like they could drill holes into an object when headbutted. A pair of crimson eyes glitter with the look of a hungry animal. His sharp fangs have now fully grown. Metal armor wouldn't stand a chance.
His protective armor, the loincloth, is worn as if it were clothing, and has tiger-like patterns. He also seems to utilize what looks like a ball-and-chain in battle. The ball-and-chain seems to be a useful tool in capturing prisoners. Although the weapon looks small in the hands of Oniwaka, the size of the iron ball easily exceeds 30 centimeters in diameter and is quite heavy.
I had thought that there was an ability that was restraining the high level power from Oniwaka's mind and body, but now I discarded such a thought because it didn't exist. As a result of various investigations, I found out that the chain that connects the iron ball to the shackles has the ability to expand and contract freely from its basic state of a few dozen centimeters to a maximum of about 10 meters.
If you wrap the extended chains around your arms and legs, it can be used like chainmail, but if you swing it around, it can be used as a weapon by itself. Anyway, if you're not used to handling iron balls with chains, you might end up destroying yourself, so I'm planning to teach you how to use it later. Nonetheless, it was really useful having both a means of offense and defense in a single item. He could possibly hurt himself while using it if he wasn't too careful. That shouldn't be a problem with constant practice though.
I did not have a lot of knowledge on that type of weapon, but I could tell how useful it was as I had used my thread to attack in a similar way before. Then, the living body weapon was a spiked-club with a brutal appearance. It's huge to hold in a hand and looks like a thick column of iron which have spikes that line up regularly. A strong wind is unleashed if an object with that kind of weight moves. Even if it is just waved lightly, it could damage the surrounding area.
If a serious swing were to hit directly, most beings would not be able to withstand the heavy blow and their defenses would be completely destroyed. Even defending, they won't be left unhurt with more than just a scratch. Physically, it's very powerful, but its obvious that it doesn't have the ability which could make it classifiable into[Magic]apparently.
It's possible to inflict a mental state status from abnormal attacks such as[Fear]by roaring or the power of observation. But still, it is not[Magic]in the first place. However, in Oniwaka's case, there is only one ability which could be considered as related to[Magic].
I should think of [Rampaging King] as a subspecies that purely specializes in physical stats. He'll be mistaken for a muscle brain. He's got a slight vulnerability to magic or sorcery because he is specialized in physical stats. However, I am astounded that he almost doesn't seem to have any problem with his vitality and defense towards it.
His skin will regenerate back that which was carbonized even when roasted, came loose, and fell from the Hell's flames before the skin, it can also take the cannonballs of a spear and the ice of the rock with his thick muscle armor. Uneasiness remains for the mind attacks and the like, but he won't have any problem if I supplement him with magic items for it.
Still, he often follows Minokichi and Asue whose evolved race is superior in physical aspect, but somehow I feel a sense of loneliness when looking at the subordinate of the two big Oni. I wonder if it was better to have more physical contact, but I am on the verge of being troubled as a father. Well, even I personally haven't lived for one year yet. I shouldn't be too troubled.
Putting personal sentiment aside, today is the eleventh day of holding the festival. Since today is the last day, I climb the platform which I built by raising from the ground after having filled myself with vitality from the grand breakfast using dragon meat and dungeon ingredients. Just like the first day when I declared the opening of the holding, I look around at the members settled along with orderliness and spoke words of appreciation in [Outside Training Ground].
Like the first day, the number of members standing in line surpasses 3,000 people. However, the number of members who were scheduled to participate in today's event had dwindled to less than a third of the total, or less than 1,000.
Treatment was provided and done by the medical care corps Prière which were lead by Seiji-kun with a large amount of magical medicine used in the middle of the event. However, the best treatment system is soaking oneself inside the hot spring which had many benefits, including the promotion of natural resilience. From the slight wound such as a scratch or the blow to the serious wounds such as multiple fractures or internal organs exploding, it is cured to a degree that does not have after effects. By luck, there is no dead people appearing from any unexpected accident that didn't happen at the event.
However, you cannot be sure whether all of the injuries are completely recoverable. There are limits to regeneration due to differences in the degree of physical ability when weak members are compared with top-classes such as Kanami-chan and me. They also were consumed in the harsh schedule which goes beyond their body's limit.
It is hard to wipe the fatigue that is clinging onto the depths of the body with just having a rest, since there are those who require more rest for a while for trauma caused by extreme fear and stress. The numbers aside, I would say it was less than 1,000 people. However, those less than 1,000 members are not in perfect condition, and most of them are injured and look tired.
It could only be said that they were simply not at their the limit yet. As I did the event, there were times when I was doing one thing or another, however I could notice the improved quality and the quantity of magical power that can be felt from the bodies of the approximately 3,000 members who lined up. Then, somehow it just decreased though I only naturally stood there.
Even if it's not perfect, there is no doubt that almost everyone has improved one or two-stages or even more strength than before the festival. Many members achieved[Rank Up], which will lead us to greater success in the Holy War. I wonder if the growth of the members, especially the Goblins and Hobgoblins, are remarkable or not, since they are particularly in the childhood period of growth yet.
The bodies containing useless fat had decreased by the hard work and had gotten muscular instead. Before, they looked like full-fledged soldiers that had somewhat become lax on their guard.[Rank Up]did it, or it's expect to when it only happened to the ones who seem to have the Oni talent carrying our futures core.
Anyway, I go to the seat, which was next to the [Outside Training Ground] to explain the things for the last event, after having finished saying some words of appreciation to the people who were none other than the approximately 1,000 members who were able to make it until this point.
Finally, the 10 people who were inspectors for those events ―― In other words, they're me and Kanami, Minokichi-kun with Asue-chan, Burasato-san with Supesei-san, Kugime-chan with Aifu-chan, and Avenger with the Rusty Iron Knight ―― will have a battle against the approximately 1,000 people.
If one were to speak of it... the face of the top members are lining up in front of many eyes. Rusty Iron Knight seems warped in complicated feelings as of having to mix himself lining up beside the platform of the top members class, and also Avenger is somehow showing a discouraged expression.
Rusty Iron Knight was saying that the members [Event's Inspectors] who stood in front of them are good. "Why did you have such a reaction Rusty Iron knight?" I thought, but then realized and puzzled if perhaps Rusty Iron Knight might've wanted to fight against us too.
He is sure is so greedy to become strong every passing day. As for Avenger, it must be the same too. Rather, it is more blatant. In the first place, I wanted manpower and Avenger fell to me to achieve his revenge for oneself. I want a strong man to acquire power all the more, because he is settled by string-pulling when his revenge object came out from this [Holy War].
If that's the case, then I must grant their wish. Since it's the case, I had the 8 Demon Generals who added Rusty Iron Knight and Avenger to a counterpart vs. the composition of approximately 1,000. A courageous shout and screaming showing some slight desperation echo in the vast forest. It's good If their spirits are that high.
With that said, I decided to start it on the [Outside Training Ground] at once. Of course, we also won't be serious. Since if I become serious, I might bring a person to death in an unexpected accident. Even without mentioning, some limit was put to each person's [Top Members] ability as well as having their specialized weapon made from wood by construction arms for the training.
Still, there are differences that come from my existence and potential isolation from some of the tribe. However, this mock battle rather won't be of any use if the differences like this couldn't be overturned by fighting spirit as if it is as an actual battle.
Since using specialized weapons made from wood in the battle, would it be better if the members do their best, as much as they can, to set their aim at these weapon's destruction?
I made them from a dark brown sturdy flexible wood called[Astraeado], which in fact I could gather only in a small portion of the large forest in various ways, because their condition at least won't be disintegrated even if we used it as complex wooden construction. Anyway, its got a superb reputation for its sturdiness.
They won't die instantly even if I hit them directly, given safety measures, but we cannot try using them too hard even if it's unpleasant to top members, because the bones of several of people among the mass could be easily broken. For the time being, I continuously made hits and drove them away by having 4 tree spears wielded by my 4 arms.
There are a few strong people, some of those 100 times more tenacious than before, who I can usually only dispel by swinging the spears around, but I might carelessly go too far since it just happens to be a counterattack. In that case, it should become their nourishment to grow, because I placed my hits carefully, as of pointing out their weak points.
Since this time the children - Auro and Argento, Oniwaka and Opushii came aggressively at me, my motivation was raised. To them, they think again of the fact that their father is great, so I kindly, carefully and thoroughly play with them.
It may be violent physical contact, but such a physical contact may seem to be quite good as lineage of the "Oni". Anyway, Minokichi-kun and Asue-chan of the heavyweight division that strengthened my right and left, acted violently with wooden axes and wooden hammers to wait for a hand in.
I plunge into the place where a great number of people gathered and, because their defenses were weak, I smashed the battle formation without care. The state was such that two large ogres in question on the scene were such as a natural disaster that even resistance is not permitted at all. Still, from the experience of the event, the decrease of members was a bit more slower than before.
Burasato-san is running about the length and breadth of the field inexhaustibly fighting against Avenger who projected sword techniques which he cultivated in actual fighting. Her physical movement is more refined than before, and there is little consumption such as physical strength or concentration by reducing wasted movements, the single blow adds to sharpness and weight more, and the model of one's offense and defense confines even a counterattack.
Burasato-san has the power, but Avenger endures well. Since going easy was useless when having anything to do with Avenger, Burasato-san let her wooden sword be wrapped by blood and strengthened it, and the surroundings got shredded just by its aftermath while giving off an intense spark.
Just as expected, it created a big vacant space around them since it was not at a level that could be meddled with by other members. Since they could die too soon if caught in it, it would have been inevitable.
Kanami-chan and Burasato-san waited at the rear, while Kugime-chan put up a barrage without ceasing. As for Kanami-chan, shockingly armed with the devil gun[Water Pressure Compressor Gun - Water Egg], but using a non-fatal water hammer bullet, she fired at the members who were careless from a long distance.
Members could not come too close at all as she continued supplementing magical power, because in a sense there was almost no intervals long enough between the continued shooting and Kanami-chan aiming and squeezing a trigger together endlessly.
Having the only non-lethal aim could be too accurate, its weak power was what saved them from it. Also, the water hammer bullets are dodged by a minimum movement or perhaps it was because the members who can avoid it increased from before. Thus, the numbers do not seem to have decreased greatly from that either.
Supesei-san brings out low rank[Magic]as if it was raining. Truly a festival event. It is calculated so that plural magic raises each others effects this time ―― For example, placing magic to produce explosive flame and also to produce a whirlpool of the wind in the same area. ―― It was sublimated to simple mixed system[Magic].
While the degree of difficulty goes up with it, if I can establish this with the same technique that I tested in the last event, then as a result of such a mixed magic system, higher power comes to be relatively easy to have.
But it seems to be far from practical use, since it's still at research stage. Because the magic of the same person uses the same fuel called the magical power, anything will relatively easily mix, but when it is the magic that others use, it will resist and seem to dampen it. Well, putting the detailed technical stuff aside, the movement of the members was quick, second to none with the innumerable falling magic. It could be said it was a reflection of past experiences.
It may be said that Kugime-chan is the most quiet one, but she stuns members approaching with[Paralyzing Gaze]and[Chaotic Gaze]. Still when she was close to a shield by her comrade, she performed a reading of an action to see physical movement, it pointed out an exact chance and rolled it to the ground.
There are many members who got defeated against Kugime-chan, which is not a battle-type, as it is hard to attract as much attention as she was, while not flashier than her surroundings. There is composure in Kugime-chan's movement, which forecast near future to see all of the companion's moves. There was a feeling of elegance to it, the impression was that she was totally dancing.
I continued hitting with the same strategy as before to forestall them. I wanted members to develop a method to overcome the partner who controlled the flow of the battle freely. However, as for that, it seemed to be still a bit more difficult.
I strode along a battlefield with a feeling like in the case of Aifu-chan, which was a search-and-destroy mode personnel. I feel depression from normally handy members. She operates without knowing what she is doing. Some members were also trying to fight back but long-range attacks were not effective, mostly due to the fact of the corrosion, but she also could not be easily attacked, because their minds are contaminated if they come too close.
Even if they somehow come close through the mental pollution, they got intercepted anyway, because her ability for simple battle is unexpectedly high as she had repeated that training all over. Actions taken are incomprehensible at a glance, and it seems to be difficult for the members to deal with. I continued it for such a feeling from morning to the early afternoon, but the approximately 1,000 people have been tired out, too.
A small number of them might see it as unavoidable. And because of such a fact that more of that burden is increased. So they rescheduled it, and the approximately remaining 2,000 people, who took a rest in half a day, were added to it.
If it be said that I reach the limit and take a rest in the half day, I recovered to some extent. It can be said that I endured it for remainder of around several hours, and outrunning you has you at your best. The last event, of which there was also a little gap, was the plan to invite an ending of the corpse troubles. I do not die, but am really in a state such as one step before dying.
After Seiji-kun took minimum treatment generally quickly, I held the ending ceremony. After words of considerably short appreciation, I announce that for 6 days counted from tomorrow there shall be a break for maintenance, rest, and the rearmament. This way, seven days later from now, I convey a plan to depart for the planned site for [Holy War].
I distribute arms from the dungeons for the people who had excellent results, as a reward for their trying hard. Accounting for most of it were the items that were dropped when killing a dungeon monster in a Labyrinth, because the things which came out of the treasure chests of the hierarchy boss are few, even so I still released them.
By the way, there was a magic item of the[Legendary]grade, that I got in spite of being a minimal number from a treasure chest of the dungeon boss, but it is scheduled to be provided for top brass members again at later date.
Team members that are full of bruises are told to stand as dignified as they can, but as soon as I finished the closing ceremony, while doing so they dramatically fell to the ground almost like a doll that had cut their control strings.
A wry smile leaks out to the figures for surviving through on guts unintentionally till the last. However, it is not too bad. It may be a rather good tendency. I entered into launching a banquet all the while being satisfied and slept late at night. The liquor was delicious.