Chapter 450: O Dragon, O Dragon! Part 27

Author's Preface

This update was a total bitch to write...

"What the hell is with that value pack of buff effects?!"

"Damage bonus and regen... no, feels more like it rolls a recovery proc at set intervals?"

"Dammit... that's so totally unfair..."

Looking up, Pencilgon groaned out a complaint, glaring at Skull Azuchi, which was wrapped in a clearly abnormal radiance.
The stated condition was being engaged with Noirlind, but confirming the granted effects was possible even for players facing something other than the Black Dragon. And that unprecedented buff, likely consuming the full extent of Skull Azuchi's resources, was more than enough to make the players' eyes change color.

"What do we do, Leader? Beat them up to make it stop?"

"Good idea; now let's think about how to beat them up while keeping our own hands clean."

Pencilgon and OiKatzo were facing Brockentried, not Noirlind. This was because Pencilgon was gathering the surviving Mandys to interfere with the anti-Noirlind faction, while OiKatzo was searching for the Argent Owl who was running rampant while alternating between fighting the White and the Green.
Their objectives were entirely different, but because their destination was the same, they ended up fighting together.

"Even with the top clan's orders, they've got groups like the Knights Tempura backing them, so we basically have zero advantage... We definitely can't provide an advantage that rivals Skull Azuchi's buff... Hey, Katzo-kun. I've got about three evil schemes lined up, but if I pull them all off, it'll probably cause trouble for the other kids, won't it?"

In an exceedingly rare occurrence, OiKatzo's eyes went wide at Pencilgon showing hesitation regarding an evil scheme.
Makes sense—if this was something that only caused trouble for Sunraku and OiKatzo, Pencilgon would have executed it without a second's hesitation.
But the current Wolfgang wasn't composed solely of fiends; even from OiKatzo's perspective, there were players within it who weren't suited for "unhealthy" gameplay.

It wasn't hard to wonder why a woman who had so spectacularly ruined her own flesh-and-blood brother was now trying to act like a good person... but no, that wasn't it.

"...Even so, you still have to do it, right?"

"...Yeah."

Pencilgon wasn't hesitating; no, even if she were, she wouldn't show it this blatantly on the surface.
So why was she acting so deliberately dramatic? Because it was deliberate, obviously.

"Alright, let's do this!"

With an attitude practically screaming "I have my reasons, and therefore I must," she signaled the start of the pre-planned operation.
The Mandys—who had been pretending to deal with Brockentried while actually bogging down its massive body to subtly obstruct the movements of the players—shifted their actions the moment Pencilgon raised her finger high into the sky and snapped.

"My Mandys! We're changing the battlefield! Other Mandys too!!"

"Yeahhhhhhhhhhh!!"

The heavily armored troops raised a cheer.
Like a conductor leading an orchestra, Pencilgon guided the Mandys—marching forward with heavy, thudding steps—toward the next battlefield.

"Focus entirely on defense! Without making a single attack, you are to protect the players from Noirlind's attacks!!"

"Ah, meat shields... regardless of which direction they're facing."

Tanks were the breakwaters standing on the front lines to absorb enemy attacks, but if they "squatted" in place, it meant that one of the battle lines would be constantly plugged up.

"Oh, don't be like that, it's to reduce the casualties caused by Noirlind... Pure goodwill, just pure goodwill."

The existence of the Mandys was being thoroughly advertised by Zenith Guevara and Super Farmer, who wanted to spread that information. Just to be safe, spy-role players under the influence of Zenith Guevara and Pencilgon had been mixed into the players flooding toward Noirlind, so the Mandys—who had achieved decent results in the Brockentried fight—weren't likely to be actively targeted and removed.

"Next up is... oh, perfect timing. Hey there, Samurai Rabbit!"

"Mumu, you are Pencilgon-dono!?"

Perhaps deciding there was no longer any need to hide in this place, the samurai-garbed rabbit came running up, exposing himself to the public eye just like Diale and Emul. Calling out to stop him, Pencilgon swept her gaze over the humanoid figures flaunting strong reptilian features standing behind him and smiled.

"Nice, nice, it's absolutely wonderful that you're hanging out with the Lizardmen... Heading over to Akitsu Akane-chan's place?"

"Indeed, that is correct."

"Excellent! No, you see, I've heard about the Lizardmen and Dragonewts from Akitsu Akane-chan, so if you're going to mix in over there... right, I want you to casually protect Noirlind for me, you know?"

"Is there any need for us to protect him?"

Pencilgon aggressively slapped the shoulder of the head-tilting Ceecrue and shot him a wide grin.

"The fact that Noirlind has followers is what's important here! I'm counting on you!!"

"Mu, understood! ...Wait, why are you hoisting me up?! Hold on, nowaaahhh...!!?"

They felt somewhat similar to Sunraku when he was in the zone... In short, seeing Ceecrue carried off like a portable shrine by reptilian humans who gave off an aura of absolutely not listening to a word anyone said, a flicker of anxiety crossed Pencilgon's eyes as she saw them off, wondering, (Is it really a good idea to let those guys out of my control even a little bit?)

(No,) Pencilgon mentally corrected, slapping both her cheeks to hype herself up.
A battlefield was always a fluid, unstable, living thing; drafting a strategy that accounted for a certain degree of unpredictable elements was the absolute basics. That being the case, an irregularity of that level was nothing to—

※ Irregularity Number Two

"Heeeey! Katzo, let's go beat up Brockentried toooo!!"

"Wait, where are you grabiiiiing...!"

※ Irregularity Number Three

『The physical body of the White Dragon Bryreinyego turns inside out at the peril of its life』

『Caution! Hazard Mode!!』

※ Irregularity Number Four

『Tottoriiiiii!!』

"No, seriously, why are you only targeting meeeeeeeee!!!"

※ Irregularity Number Five

『Hahaha, kuhahahahahahahaha!! You dare spout that "Name"! Then I shall use my entire heart and soul to reduce that so-called immortality of yours to ashes!! Behold! My, the Heavenly Sovereign's, "Dragon x Driver (Dragon King Engine)"!!!』

…………

…… 

"Things are way too damn lively around here, son of a bitch! Fine, let's do this!!"

Echoing into the night sky, Pencilgon's scream melted into the sounds of the battlefield and vanished...

Author's Afterword
That thing where you occasionally reread your own work from the beginning, find a lore inconsistency, and your mental state cracks.