Chapter 420: Side_Digest: Calamity Turns, and People Move

Author's Note
Sen's Fortress you really you... seriously you... I'm sorry for the late update, I was just taking a shitty vacation in a rotten village. [*1]

"Heeey Farmer, a production request just came inー."

"No, no, not Farmer, Super-Farmer, okay? That's super important."

"What's the difference specifically?"

"Doesn't it sound stronger?"

Is it really a matter of sounding stronger... the informant Zenith Guevara let out a sigh before looking around the area and floating an incredibly wicked smile.

"How should I put it... there's an amazing thrill in monopolizing information and being the one to distribute it."

"Zeni-chan, you really seem to love that kind of stuff, don't you? Even though I'm the one doing all the behind-the-scenes work."

"Ahー, it's like, you know, being a management consultant or something like that."

"Since it's a monopoly on sales, let's gouge 'em, yeah?"

Laughing back equally wickedly at Zenith Guevara was the Super-Farmer. He was, in a sense, a pureblood production player, possessing the "Farmer" main job, which is rarely seen among the entire player base.
Having discovered unknown items while wandering the Sea of Trees in search of possibilities for new crops, the Super-Farmer caught the attention of Zenith Guevara, who had noticed the topic amidst the constant flow of chatter on the BBS. Zenith secretly contacted the Super-Farmer... and as expected, his suspicions proved correct.

Plant-type monsters... no, perhaps they should be called Monster-type Plants, the "Human Dragora." Though neither of the two present had any way of knowing this, they possessed a system similar to the Conquista Dolls that a certain player had contracted with after many twists and turns.
Because of this, Zenith Guevara schemed to monopolize and conceal this information, winning over the Super-Farmer as his accomplice.

"Besides, if you're aiming for money, now is the time to announce it, right? You announce it before the Christmas shopping season so it sells on Christmas. If you release it after Christmas, the only customers left are broke, right?"

"You say that, but the original plan was to do a demonstration against some random colored dragon. But now they're all coming here at once, so it can't be helped."

"Yeaaah..."

"Oh, thanks, Mandi."

"He says, 'Here is some freshly squeezed juice from a Culverin Melon harvested this morning,' apparently."

The sight of the power-type Human Dragora pointing both thumbs at itself as if to say, "I made this," was something Zenith Guevara was already used to. He rolled the orange juice—distinct from citrus—poured into a wooden cup over his tongue.

"Gourmet Tongue banzai... really feels like it."

"Being able to eat high-quality ingredients you grow yourself is the real thrill of a production job, after all... Oh, there, there, it's mealtimeー."

Watching the Super-Farmer walk away while cooing to the rustling saplings as if soothing a baby, Zenith Guevara stared at the scene.

He looked upon the massive number of Human Dragoras that had entered the final adjustment phase in preparation for the coming day of the decisive battle. And he uttered a single phrase.

"...Looks like an evil production factory."

"A bit late for that, don't you think?"

"By the Twin Swords! By Dirnadia of the Mora Begalta (Peerless Twin Swords)! Just as I thought, that bastard is nowhere to be found, no matter where we search in the caves!!"

"That damned Buri-buri Nyan-nyan, did they cower in fear of our martial might!!"

Watching the two warriors who approached noisily to report, shaking the earth with heavy steps, the woman stroked the two swords hanging behind her waist and let out a sigh.

"The White Dragon Bryreinyego will consume everything if we do not regularly hunt her small dragons; it is for that very reason we have fought with weapons in hand..."

However, the White Dragon Bryreinyego had disappeared... and the Small Visitor had foreseen the calamity of dragons far to the east.

"Then, the place where the dragon's calamity resides shall be our land. If anyone objects, raise your sword; my twin swords shall be your opponent."

That was their way. If one wished to object to the leader's policy, it must be spoken with weapons, not words. As expected, there were no objections; only numerous gazes, glaring with overflowing combat intent, reflected the woman.

"Then rise, brave warriors! My brethren bearing immense power! Go and tell our unseen friends!! We Gigants (Giants)... no, the Mora Begalta are heading east to strike down the storm of the Dragon Calamity!!"

The numerous massive figures, far removed from ordinary humanity, let out a roaring battle cry from the depths of their stomachs, shaking the very air.

At this very moment, the flag for the Giants' migration quest was triggered... and because there was no one to accept it, it began moving forward through auto-progression.

"Chief! The sky is scary..."

"Oh, there, there... But, we cannot overlook this, can we..."

A small chick clung to the blind owl. The owl looked up at the sky with unseeing eyes, sensing it through means other than sight.
How much time had passed since the great sky had been stolen by the dragons? As long as there remained the danger that being spotted by a dragon would result in the entire flock being annihilated for "being insolent," they could not fly through the sky without worry.
No matter how skilled they became at dodging trees, there were no trees growing in the sky.

"Muu..."

It remembered the words of the wingless visitors, and the words of the wandering wolves.
The time for hiding was over. The wingless ones who appeared from the edge of the sea intended to fight all the dragons.

The owl did not favor conflict, but likes and dislikes did not possess the power to overturn reality. If that was the case, then the day had come where it had to leap past the fear that its own words might cause young wings to fall to the earth. The owl let out a sigh filled with resolve.

"...My child, could you go and call for the Desperados (Fist-Fighting Roosters)?"

"Y-Yeah!!"

───Even if I was bestowed with wings that cannot fly, I have no intention of letting my spirit break as well.

Among those bound to the earth by the weight of fear, despite being capable of flight, there were occasionally born cursed children who were inherently incapable of flight.
While many chose the wrong path at the end of their servility, the owl recalled the young ones who harbored unwavering will within their Wings (Fists).
The owl believed that they, who had now formed a massive group of flightless cursed children, were the most fitting to be entrusted with the fate of the Birdians.

They seek battle above all else.

In search of pride? ───No.

To prove their own strength? ───No.

Then for what purpose?

It is the 'Destiny' they bear simply because they were born that way.

"So, what are we going to do?"

"There is nothing to do. What is the point of defeating dragons? We do not sharpen our fangs for such a thing."

At the words of their Leader, who dismissed the calamity brought by the dragons as "such a thing," the one who had asked the question tried to say something... but flattened his ears and clamped his mouth shut.

"...What is it? Speak if you have something to say."

"N-No... it's nothing. But you know, shouldn't we at least inform them?"

The Beastmen were currently split into three... strictly speaking, four factions, engaging in internal conflict.

The "Lionheart Vanguard," led by the lion beastman Lerál, advocating for "Prosperity through Power," and gathering strong support from those proud of their martial might.

The "Foxfire Society," led by the fox beastman None (No-Ne), advocating for "Prosperity through Intellect," and spinning various stratagems.

The "Abundant Elephant Army," led by the elephant beastman Dad-Dad, advocating for "Prosperity through Wealth," and using their monopolized supply of food as a foothold.

"I couldn't care less about those who, despite being born as Beastmen, abandon their purpose to engage in petty struggles for the top... but I suppose we cannot afford to crush the emerging buds of our brethren either."

And finally, the "War Wolf Squad," composed entirely of dog and wolf beastmen, led by the wolf beastman Wör, who desired above all else to fight the "Beast King," whom they praised with awe and worship.

Wör, who was both the commander and the "Leader," let out a sigh that seemed genuinely bothersome. He selected three dog beastmen from among the squad members, entrusted each with a message, and sent them running.

"Our objective is the Beast King... the Great Lycaon and nothing else. We cannot afford to halt our steps for trivial matters like dragons."

One of the Seven Supreme Species, the ultimate "Wolf," Lycaon, was the symbol of the peak they had to overcome... and also the object of their worship, to the point of carving her figure into their flags.
It would be a little while longer before the path of the wolves, who had no choice but to chase her remnants across countless generations, took a sharp turn...

The sparks of conflict do not always stem from noble roots. Sometimes, a long-standing dispute can meet its end through the mediation of a single young girl.

Freedom is not a circumstance, but lies within one's own will and the actions based upon it. The people bearing the fragments of dragons, having arrived at that conclusion, decided to follow their own will and aid the black dragon and the young girl.

『Hmph, to receive the honor of bearing my fragments, and yet be so incredibly slow.』

"Everyone is weak at first! You get stronger from there! Ah, since Noirlind-san was strong from the very beginning, does that mean you're going to get even stronger?!"

『Kukuku... As flattery, it earns a passing mark. Very well, I shall forgive your dust-like fawning.』

"Even dust can pile up to become a mountain, Noirlind-san!"

『.........? Hmph, I suppose so, yes.』

For an instant, the intimidating aura of the black dragon flying slowly through the sky wavered, but as if pulling himself together, he once again wrapped himself in his arrogant, overbearing aura.

"I heard from my... um, friends? Allies? That not just Siegwurm, but the other dragons are coming too."

『The old geezer, the small fry, the lunatic, and didn't that arrogant fool expose her corpse... Hmph, they are nothing more than trash clinging to life. My target is Siegwurm and Siegwurm alone.』

"I agree, narrowing down the target is a good idea. But still, Noirlind-san, it seems you've earned quite a bit of resentment from the people at the frontline base, so... we're going to help you!"

"Ou," the black Dragonewts responded, flying behind Noirlind like chicks chasing their parent bird.
Unable to fly continuously like Noirlind, they periodically dropped to the ground, using trees and rocks as footholds to leap again, keeping pace with Noirlind, who was flying at a low speed and low altitude.

『Do as you please. If you willingly offer to exterminate the maggots swarming me, I suppose I can grant you the honor of following in my wake.』

"Fufun, a challenge is only a challenge when you face it in the best possible condition! Please focus on the fight with Siegwurm, Noirlind-san!"

『...Hmph.』

The black dragon looked forward, saying nothing more.
However, he neither shook off the young girl riding on his back, nor did he brush away the small shadows following behind him.

Author's Afterword
A dragon got purified by the Light Attribute and turned into a tsundere, for real?

There were a lot of things I wanted to describe, but I wanted to advance the plot quickly, so here's the Digest Compilation Jutsu!!

Translator's Notes

• [1] This is a reference to Dark Souls and Demon's Souls. Sen's Fortress is an infamous trap-ridden area. The author uses 'Kusare-mura' (Rotten Village), which is a portmanteau of Blighttown (病み村 / Yami-mura) and the Valley of Defilement (腐れ谷 / Kusare-dani), two notoriously toxic and annoying areas.