"There. Is this how the enemy moves?"
If Robin or Perona were here, they would have already made a map with the enemy positions... but I guess there is a limit to what I can do alone.
I am high up on the Red Line, so the wind is strong.
My hand is burned, so it is hard to hold the paper down and hold a pen at the same time.
"Around the castle. To be exact, the main battle is outside the moat. No obstacles. They tried to limit movement with fences, but it isn't working well..."
My writing is messy because my hand is shaking, but it will help me understand the situation.
"Since there are no obstacles, the enemy group is thick and pushing through with force."
There isn't much falling debris around here.
They planned to push with numbers from the start... or rather, they made it easy to spread out the zombie soldiers.
I can see some broken defense fences that were trampled over.
The Marines must have lost ground and retreated.
"I see dead Marines and slaves here and there. That means they aren't reusing them as zombies, and they don't plan to collect them."
It is safe to assume that muscle-head isn't here.
Still, I don't want to get ambushed and have my shadow cut, so I will stay alert.
"...It is an aggressive attack, typical of pirates... but I understand most of it." I tapped the paper with the pen. "I found an opening, but how do I strike it..."
--
"Damn it! Why does it have to be here in the Holy Land!"
At the north gate of Pangea Castle, facing a swarm of zombies attacking like an avalanche, CP Chief Spandine shouted orders to his men. His face was dripping with sweat.
"Stand your ground! If even one soldier gets through, all our heads will fly!"
It wasn't a metaphor. He was desperate because their heads would literally fly—no, they might be beheaded.
Actually, being killed by these zombies might be better.
He had seen enough tragic Marines and royals who met with 'accidents' and went 'missing,' only to be kept as pets by their employers.
Damn it! I don't care about the places we or the Knights are guarding, but are the Marines okay!?
He wanted the Marines to fail a little.
If the Marines made a noticeable mistake here, his own position would be a bit safer. In fact, finding Marine mistakes was part of the CP's job.
But the situation was so bad now that he didn't know who would get blamed. He couldn't help but worry about the battle on the other side.
There was a report that Kuro engaged the enemy leader, Golden Lion, but he didn't know what happened after that.
They were too busy fighting this army and holding the line to gather information.
— Pururururu. Pururu.
"You are late, Kuro, you bastard!!"
"...Mr. Spandine, isn't your reaction too fast?"
"Shut up, you idiot! Who else would call me from the outside in this situation! You beat the enemy, right! You beat him!? Say yes! Right!? Right!!?"
"Mr. Spandine, calm down."
Maybe that was why, the moment the Silent Step Den Den Mushi rang, the CP Chief picked it up himself before his aides could react.
"We somehow drove away Shiki the Golden Lion. But he took the food storage—"
"We can worry about that later! So you can move now!? Then come help us right now!"
"Mr. Spandine, please look at the bigger picture... this is really bad."
"Shut up, I am busy with what is in front of me, do something! You are a pirate, right!? Do your duty!!"
"That is a lot of contradictions."
In the Mogwa Kingdom in the West Blue, CP Chief Spandine met this pirate as an enemy. Kuro of the Silent Step, also known as 'Black Cat'.
Spandine didn't like him, but he had to talk to 'Black Cat' for work. While talking to him and the girl Marine who was usually with him, they had become close enough to talk casually when no one else was watching.
However, 'Black Cat', who was focusing on talking smoothly to make Spandine lower his guard, was secretly licking his lips in his mind.
"Honestly, I am tired and my combat power is low, but I came up with an idea while watching the enemy."
"You have a plan!?" Spandine asked, hope rising.
"...Yes. So, Chief Spandine."
"What!?"
"Can I ask you to turn that whole area into a sea of fire?"
"Are you crazy!!!!!" Spandine opened his mouth wide and shouted so loud the receiver rattled.
On the other end, the pirate muttered quietly, 'I thought so.'
"This is the Holy Land! It is one thing if the enemy sets it on fire, but if we burn it, we will be executed!!"
"Well, I had a feeling you would say that. Then, it will be a bit tiring, but let's go with Plan B."
"If you thought it wouldn't work, don't say it!"
"Sorry, I am at the age where I want to take it easy."
Unlike Spandine, who had no room to breathe, the pirate seemed to be enjoying the conversation.
"So! What is Plan B!?"
"Yes. To block the enemy... or rather, to see the true nature of the enemy, I will make a little dam."
"A dam!? How!!?"
"For that, I need you to prepare some things and lend me some men."
The explanation was over in less than a minute.
The pirate proposed a plan that was impossible for a normal person, but very simple.
"I understand," Spandine wiped his sweat. "If that is all, I can spare the men."
"Please hurry. I will start preparing immediately."
"Got it! ...Kuro!"
"Yes?"
"We can win, right!?"
"Of course."
--
— Fire!!
At the front line, which was now the final defense line, Hina was firing a rifle along with other soldiers.
Teacher and Rear Admiral Munchkin told me to learn from Kuro's methods, but what am I supposed to do in this situation!?
The man feared as 'Black Arm Zephyr' was swinging his arm, turned black with Haki, blowing away modified zombies one after another. But he didn't have the same momentum as when she saw him fight for real before.
It was a relatively open space, so he could have used his full power, but his punches lacked their usual sharpness.
The fact that this was the Holy Land was unconsciously dulling his fists.
Head... just aim for the head...!
Hina was better at hand-to-hand combat, but she could handle guns better than a bad Marine.
She said her rhythm had been off since the day she met the Black Cat, but the genius of the Marines was the real deal.
If Kuro were here, he would have muttered, "Why is your kill rate and headshot ratio so high?"
"Private, do you have enough ammo!?"
"Yes, no shortage!"
Fortunately, since it was the defense line of the Holy Land, there was no shortage of ammo so far.
Thanks to that, they managed to create a barrage and slow down the enemy a little.
But what would happen if the enemy didn't stop?
The enemy seemed endless, as if they were spawning infinitely.
At this rate... if we could destroy the bridge over the moat, it would be fine, but I don't know if the Celestial Dragons would allow that. Worst case, we have to retreat to the castle gate...
Ironically, through this battle, Hina realized the difference a good commander made.
If Sengoku or Vice Admiral Tsuru were here, or if they could easily communicate, this wouldn't have happened.
Or maybe... maybe...
Kuro! You are alive, right!?
The rain of debris had stopped, and there was no longer any threat from the sky.
Actually, all the truly dangerous giant debris had been blown away by something that could only be called a shockwave from far away.
Most Marines didn't know what was happening, but Hina and a few others knew whose attack that was.
It told them Kuro was safe, but it also conveyed how intense the battle was.
The fact that it stopped meant the fight was over, one way or another.
If you are safe, show yourself already!
The moment Hina shouted that in her heart, as if it was transmitted, a new change occurred on the battlefield.
A roar echoed from the sky.
Some Marines looked up, thinking they were being attacked from the sky again, but there was nothing there.
Conversely, those who were looking straight at the enemy noticed it.
A ship was running through the sky.
Not from above, but a giant ship was flying in sideways.
"Everyone, take cover!!"
Along with the voice of the commanding officer, the giant ship crushed many zombie soldiers and landed in the large plaza in front of the castle with a roar.
"Is this, could it be...!?"
Following the order, she turned her back to the battlefield to take cover, then glared at the direction the ship came from.
In the sky, another ship was flying in the same way.
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