Chapter 284: The Battle for the Second Tower

Chapter 284: The Battle for the Second Tower

Hmm? The slaves that had split off into a separate regiment are approaching the central portion as well.
I change the channel.

“Kiel-kun!”

The slaves close in to find Kiel waiting for them, taking on an imposing stance.

“Move aside!” (Imya)

Oh? Imya’s mixed in with the group.
I’m surprised she came. She admitted herself that she was unfit for battle.

“I’m sorry, but you’re not getting past! I promised Niichan.” (Kiel)

Kiel changes to her dog form, and the other slaves raise their various weapons.

“Even if it’s Kiel-kun, I won’t hold back. In the end, it’s all for Shield-Oniichan’s sake.”
“You’re wrong everyone. Everyone’s misunderstanding something. Niichan… Niichan granted me power. If you all ask, then you too will…” (Kiel)

Kiel jumps forward and starts biting at the slaves.
However, perhaps due to the fact that they’re used to battle, the group is able to keep up with her movements.
The slaves with the highest levels work together and feign attacks at her.
They must be trying to wear down her stamina.

“…Then there’s no choice. Niichan told me not to use it if possible, but I’ll show you my serious face!” (Kiel)

WAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!
Kiel roars to the sky, and her form begins changing once more.
Magic surrounds her, so all that is seen is a black silhouette. The sound of her bones creaking sounds out, as her form warps and changes.

“Ah… aaaah…”

Upon seeing the black shadow, a majority of the attacking slaves begin shaking.
Only Imya manages to remain calm.

“Hah… hah… How is it! This is my new power!” (Kiel)

Kiel shouts out in an excited voice.
Her form is now that of a dog with three heads. That of Cerberus, the guardian of hell.
But the problem is that her form isn’t particularly large. Since the base is Kiel, it still looks like a puppy… no, it’s a wolf cub-like Cerberus.
Perhaps it would be best not to call it Cerberus, but Kielberus. Looking from afar, its outer appearance is still relatively cute.
(TL: This pun isn’t in the original; instead, Naofumi says Cerberus in Hiragana instead of Katakana, downgrading the name’s effect. I’m not sure how to convey that in English)
(ED: Perhaps it would be better to call her <3Cerberus<3 XD)

This is the form Kiel wished for.

“I’m coming! Prepare yourself!” (Kiel)
“Wah! Stay away! Get away, stop!”
“Father! Mamaaaa!”

(TL: Remember, the thing that assaulted the village was…)

The villagers run around in panic.

“Everyone, get down!” (Imya)

Imya runs forward and stabs at Kiel with a dagger.
Kiel grumbles as the dagger stabs into her shoulder.

“If it isn’t Imya-chan. You don’t find me scary?” (Kiel)
“No, not really…” (Imya)

… It seems Imya’s surprisingly fearless.
Though, I agree that Kiel isn’t really scary.
No matter how I look at it, she’s cute.

“Kiel-kun, you told me this on the day I was bought, right? The place I was going to would be somewhere where if you work hard, you’ll get appropriate compensation. Is it still the same?” (Imya)
“Of course!” (Kiel)
“It doesn’t look that way to me. That’s why I want the Hero of the Shield-sama to come back. Kiel-kun, I will defeat you!” (Imya)

Then, Imya produces a cookie from her pocket and throws it.
(TL: The Trojan Aeneas was able to pacify Cerberus with drugged cake.)

“S-sweets!?” (Kiel)

Kiel suddenly turns her attention to the thrown treat. She chases it and begins chomping on it.

“Everyone, now! Calm down; collect yourselves!” (Imya)

Imya claps her hands on one of the panicking slave’s faces.

“B-but that monster’s here! We have to escape… we have…”

… This reaction. It’s somewhat like Raphtalia’s panic attacks when she was younger.
Ah… I see why Kiel wanted to take on that shape.

She thought something like strength = evoking fear. She turned into what she feared to obtain strength.
However, it seems that Imya coincidentally noticed her weakness…
Did Ren and Itsuki tell her tales of the other world? Or is it chance?

The monster Cerberus lives in this world, so perhaps it has similar qualities.
I thought the same when I finished the modifications.

“If we don’t do anything here, what do you think will happen? Didn’t we get stronger as not to lose to the wave!?” (Imya)
“… Right, not to lose… We’re working so we won’t have to lose any precious people anymore!”
“I was scolded by Imya-chan, haha!”
“Kiel-kun! We won’t lose!” (Everyone)
“Hah! Like I’m going down so easily!” (Kiel)

Kiel finishes munching on the cookie and starts running at the slaves.
She’s really fast.
As expected of my modifications.
She’s making a fool out of the villagers!

“Ku! She’s too fast. At this rate, we’ll never get through!”
“GAUUU!” (Kiel)

Kiel snaps at Imya with one of her mouths.

“___!”

Overcoming the pain, Imya grabs and holds down the other two heads.

“Now’s your chance!” (Imya)
“Yeah!”

… What is this?
The slaves have begun singing a lullaby.
Dammit! How do they know all of Kiel’s weaknesses!?
(TL: The Hero Orpheus was able to get past him by putting him to sleep with his lyre. Also see Fluffy from Harry Potter. )

“Ah… Uu…”

Kiel’s jaw slackens, and she staggers from side to side.

“Uu… Not yet, I am… not done yet! Like I’d go down here!” (Kiel)

… I guess it’s time.
I open the line and connect it to Kiel’s room.

“Kiel, retreat.” (Naofumi)
“Niichan!? But…” (Kiel)
“They know your weaknesses. At this rate, you’ll definitely lose. Just fall back for now.” (Naofumi)
“Damn! Understood, Niichan.” (Kiel)

Dammit… I never expected the situation to be this bad.
I showed off my massive modification of the Bioplant. Were they able to deduce Kiel’s modifications from that?
And the monster that should have been a traumatic existence for a majority of them… Did they already prepare to overcome such a hurdle beforehand?
That’s the only thing I can think of.
Kiel obeys me and leaves the room with haste.
I told him to go assist Motoyasu if something like this happened.
With his increased fighting ability, if he goes to assist Motoyasu, then something should change.

At that moment, the alarm rings once more.
From the second tower’s core piece, someone’s accessing all of the other towers’ cores. He’s trying to shut them all down.
I see… So that’s why Rat participated in this mission.
But that’s futile.

“Rafu~!”

The monster I had prepared as a final line of defense, Mii-kun, breaks through the ceiling to confront the hacker.
Some bugs were apparent when he sparred with Firo, so I didn’t want to send him into combat so soon. But, I stationed him above the core room just in case.
That’s the place where the land’s power and magic gathers. It was perfect for tuning him. I’m lucky I placed him there.

“Ku… I was so close…” (Rat)
“Unfortunately, your efforts are fruitless.” (Naofumi)

I connect my speaker to speak with Rat.

“Do you think that is enough to breach through my security?” (Naofumi)
“Marquis, just quit it already!” (Rat)
“Hahaha, I’ll make you regret ever thinking of opposing me. Go forth!” (Naofumi)

How ironic. Rat, you shall be disposed of by the monster you cherished so!

“Rafu~!”

Mii-kun swings his thick tail at Rat.
Being familiar with monsters, Rat predicts and evades his attack. She throws a syringe at him.
Again, useless. Don’t think that’s enough to stop a fully strengthened Raph.

“The drug isn’t…”

Rat freezes as if she had seen something unbelievable. Her movements are quickly limited by Mii-kun.
Mii-kun pulls out the syringe and starts walking toward his former friend.

“Rafu~!”

He raises his large arm and lowers it with great force.

“Agu…”

It’s a narrow room at the center of the tower with various devices set everywhere.
Rat’s knees give out below her, and she falls to the floor. Mii-kun raises his arm overhead, as if to give the finishing blow.

“… Rafu~”

Mii-kun and Rat exchange glances.

“… Mii-kun?”
“R-Rafu~!?”

It happened at a moment’s notice.
Mii-kun grasps his head and cries out.
Ku… I guess his body’s tuning is still inadequate.

“Marquis! What is the meaning of this!?” (Rat)
“No idea. It’s what your precious monster wished for.” (Naofumi)
“Even so… you went and did something like this…!? ” (Rat)
“Rafu~!”

Mii-kun starts going out of control, and the core room begins crumbling to pieces.
Ku… This is exceedingly troublesome.
Eventually, with the sound of shattering glass, the core piece breaks.
The tower rumbles and begins to collapse.
There’s no choice.
I open all audio lines in the second tower.

“Those who follow me, the tower is crumbling. Retreat with haste. If you run to the third tower, the fakes will be unable to follow.” (Naofumi)

I change the channel to observe the Fake and Firo’s battle. It seems it was put on standby due to the rumbling of the tower.
They haven’t defeated her yet?
I guess the fake’s got some skills.

Due to Kiel’s help, Motoyasu was able to drive off Ren and Gaelion. They were heading to assist Firo’s group.
They join up with Sadina on the way. I guess I’ll have to honestly admit defeat here.
After I order him to return, Mii-kun takes a last look at Rat and climbs through the ceiling to escape.

“Mii-kun! Wait!” (Rat)
“… Rafu~!”

That isn’t the Mii-kun you know anymore.
He’s been reborn as one of my subordinates.

After that, Rat walks out of the room to meet the fake.
At the same time, Motoyasu meets Firo’s group and uses his portal to teleport them away.
The last footage I see before the tower collapses is that of Ren and Itsuki meeting the fake and teleporting all of them back…

It seems Itsuki’s getting over his curse. His SP recovered a bit.
That’s bothersome.

Anyways, we lost the battle of the second tower.
I have to admit that.