Chapter 307: Beginning of the Festival

Chapter 307 - Beginning of the Festival

――To all leaders: Urgently gather in the war council room!

After logging out of Laplace, I sent a telepathic order to my leaders. Going a step ahead, I headed to the council room to wait there for my leaders to arrive.

Thirty minutes later all leaders of the aster Empire had assembled in the council room.

"You have mentioned that it's urgent, so what is the reason for calling us together?" Yataro spoke up, representing the other leaders, after they had all sat down.

"We'll begin our invasion into Niigata in seven days from now. Our goal will be to gain total control over Itoigawa."

"Hooh...so we're finally going to make a move, huh?"

"YEAAAHH! It's been a goddamn long ass time since our last genuine invasion!"

"Yaaay〜!"

"Whoa! We're going to move at long last!"

Hearing my declaration, the eyes of my belligerent subordinates started to sparkle.

"Did you come up with some sort of great plan?"

A steadfast person like Rina was more worried about the details of the plans.

The operation this time――a cooperation between the upper class demon kings――is highly confidential. I don't think that my leaders would leak it, but...it's more than possible for them to accidentally let something slip.

"This time's strategy is――something you have to look forward to after it starts."

"Hoh...so we have to wait to see what sort of plan it's going to be this time, huh?"

"I see. It's even a secret from us."

"Hehehe...you will surely tell me, your strategist, right?"

"...? If you're a strategist, come up with a plan by yourself."

"――!?"

The two old men in my leader group cracked a cheerful smile while Google-chan blinked at me in surprise, her mouth wide open.

"Let me first brief you on our offensive and defensive deployments. We're aiming to take Itoigawa. There exist two demon kings and 67 sectors in Itoigawa. And in addition, around 200 km² is human land."

I began to explain the situation while pointing at the map of Itoigawa which I had hung up in the council room beforehand.

"Hmm, quite big."

"If you compare it to places in Ishikawa, Hakusa would have the same size," I answered Takaharu's comment.

"The demon kings ruling in Itoigawa are a Devil and an Oni. The Devil Demon King owns 42 sectors. He's level 21 with a supposedly balanced build since we got information that he has brought Creation and Alchemy to B-Rank. In contrast to that, the Oni Demon King rules over 25 sectors. He's level 19 with his Creation being B and his Alchemy being C, but...it's rumored that his Body is A."

I passed on the information which Kaede and Tusk had gathered.

"An oni with Body A, huh...? Dat sounds awesome, doesn't it!? I'll take him on!"

"Nishishishi, if he's got Body A, he's a great match for you, Taka-cchi! Want me to give you a helping hand?"

"Hah! No need!"

"I see. I wonder what sort of pleasure I'd experience from being hit by attacks from an opponent with Body A...haa haa..."

"Fatherly master! We should also speak up on this occasion!"

"Cúu, calm down a bit. Shion-sama has already decided who is going to fight him."

"Ha ha ha! Body A, you say...? In the case of him getting captured, we shall welcome him in Team J!"

"A demon king who boasts a Body equal to that of Takaharu, eh...? We won't be able to be careless with him."

My leaders started to kick up a fuss without any reservations after hearing the information.

"Could I continue with the explanation? We're going to invade the Devil Demon King's domain first since it's located closer to Toyama. Because he has many sectors under his control...let's see...right, we're going to split up into five teams who will invade his domain simultaneously."

"Finishing him off in one stroke, right!?"

"The first team will consist of Rina's corps. Flora will serve as her adjutant while Flora's corps will join up as well."

"Roger."

"No problem."

"The second team will consist of Takaharu's corps. Sarah, you'll add your corps to his and assist him as adjutant."

"Ayes!"

"Wai-! Me being the adjutant!? You must bee kidding! Don't you have it backwards?"

"Hah! Shion's orders are absolute, remember?"

"The third team will consist of Hibiki's corps. Red, your corps will join him while you act under him as adjutant."

"As you command."

"Aye!"

"The fourth team will be Kotetsu's corps. Iron will join with his corps and serve as Kotetsu's adjutant."

"Alright."

{Affirmative}

"The fifth team will consist of Chloe and Layla's corps. Layla will be Chloe's adjutant."

""As you wish, Shion-sama!""

As soon as I finished the announcement of the invasion teams, Yataro called out to me, looking flustered, "Hmm? Shion, may I?"

"Go ahead."

"Izayoi and Saburou are going to stay behind, but...aren't we investing a bit too much power into the invasion?"

"It's okay."

"Ha ha ha! Yataro-dono, you're quite a worrywart. I, the right-hand-man of Shion-sama, will be staying back as well! The protection of the Aster Empire will be set with this!"

"Shion-sama, as your lowly servant I shall protect your land while putting my life on the line."

Contrary to Yataro who was feeling anxious, Saburou laughed carefreely while Izayoi accepted all of it.

"Shion, I'm not Yataro-dono, but...is it truly going to be alright?" Rina also voiced her worries.

"It'll be alright. Don't worry! You guys should rather worry about yourself than me. This time we'll invade a domain while leading large armies for the first time. Things will be different from the times when we did Reigns. You won't be able to be careless...but I'd like you to take the sectors as quickly as possible."

"...Leading large armies?"

"Yep. Rina, you do know about the new rule, don't you? Tying ourselves down to the same number of people like we've done until now would be nonsense, don't you think? This time I plan to deploy a third of our whole combat force for the invasion."

"A-A third!?! I know about the new rule, but...won't we fall short on hands on the defense then?"

"Leave the defense to us. Rina, you and the other invasion members just need to worry about that side."

"If you say so, Shion...I understand."

In the end Rina agreed reluctantly.

"This is all I had to tell you! All hands, start getting ready for the large-scale invasion in seven days!"

"""Roger!"""

The preparations for the large-scale strategy――or if I'm going to borrow the word of the Upper Class Demon King thread――festival has begun.