079 Overrun

When you run into monsters in a forest or a dungeon, they try to kill you. No questions asked.

I didn’t care about the "why." If this were just a game, I’d dismiss them as nothing more than lines of code. But this world was reality. And what I felt radiating from those monsters was pure, unadulterated resentment. They couldn’t stand the fact that a species weaker than them was thriving. Honestly? I felt the same way about them.

"Gyaaggaa—!"

"Begone."

Allen and I were at the absolute front, leading the charge and thinning the herd. Huge, ferocious monsters aren't just high-stat attackers; they’re built like tanks. However, our Artifacts were coated in a layer of mana, giving them an edge that was frankly terrifying. I could lop off limbs and heads with zero resistance—no blood clinging to the blade, no fat gumming up the works. I just wove through the gaps in their reach, dismantling them.

"Incredible..."

"Don't just stand there gawping! There’s more coming!"

The soldiers of Bruno weren't weak. There were even some high-level knights among them. But they clearly lacked experience in the specific brand of meat-grinder training we’d undergone to prep for monsters. They were struggling against the larger specimens.

And, of course, Allen was moving even better than he had during our match at the tournament.

"Power Up—! Hah!"

He was copying Duke’s magic, slicing through monster necks with the efficiency of a world-class gymnast. Protagonist bastard. He can’t even put out his full power if it’s just for his own sake. He’s the type who always puts others first. In a twisted way, he’s the perfect fit for this world’s brand of Noblesse Oblige—a concept practically overflowing with deception and malice.

"Nell’s Special Move! Rain from the Heavens (Downpouring Rain)!"

Following our lead and completely ignoring the formal chain of command, Nell caught up to us. I’d seen it at the tournament, but her magic was clearly specialized for crowd control. Rain poured from the sky, hammering the monsters with heavy damage. Even if the droplets didn't land a fatal blow, they weakened the beasts enough for the soldiers to finish them off. I noted that as a distinct tactical advantage of a large-scale battlefield.

"Debibi!"

"Yeah, it’s about time."

Debi was already summoned. We both pressed our hands to the ground. Usually, I have to mentally sketch out those tedious magic circles, but since Debi handles the heavy lifting, the activation is near-instant. This time, I prioritized mana replenishment and healing.

—Blessing of Healing and Impulse of Destruction.

"Ho! The Blessing of Light!"

Boldic, who had carved his way to the front line before I’d even realized it, gave a predatory grin at the sight of my magic. His greatsword, which looked as massive as Darius’s, was already stained crimson. His style was clearly focused on blunt-force impact over sharpness. It was the first time I’d ever seen a monster look like it was in actual agony. To notice my magic immediately in the middle of a chaotic melee... he really was an A-class Adventurer.

I glanced back. The monsters we’d missed were currently being intercepted by Cynthia and the rest of the team. I couldn't tell exactly who was doing what from this distance, but they hadn't let a single beast breach the city limits yet.

"Allen, don’t overextend!"

"Yeah—I know!"

The monster advance had ground to a temporary halt. They’d likely designated us as "high-threat targets" and realized they couldn't move forward without wiping us out first. That suited us just fine.

Giant Cyclops, Golems, Demon Wolves, Demon Dogs, serpents—a menagerie of bizarre, twisted monsters bared their fangs at us.

"Is this really all you’ve got?"

There were a lot of them, sure, but individually, they weren't much. They were just mindless beasts. Knowing the Original Story as I did, it was no exaggeration to say they existed solely to be exterminated by humans. You just had to be logical about it. Every monster has a pattern. Once you’ve dodged their attacks two or three times, you’ve basically solved the puzzle.

Allen seemed to be grasping this by pure instinct. If he struggled with an attack once, he dodged it effortlessly the second time. Seriously, this protagonist's growth speed is a total cheat!

『Fansent-kun, the monsters are—』

Cecil’s telepathic warning cut through the air. In fiction, everything going perfectly is the ultimate omen of disaster. This world, unfortunately, was following the script to the letter.

"—Rage?"

I’d seen it with the Siren Golem, but Rage was supposed to be restricted to specific individuals. It was a rarity. But to my horror, every single monster surrounding us began to glow a deep, angry red. It was the unmistakable symptom.

"W-Why?! Uwaaaaaaagh!"

"D-Dammit, what’s happening?!"

"Stop—! Gyeaaah!"

These were massive monsters to begin with. The stat boost from Rage was insane. Their speed tripled instantly, and their attack and defense followed suit.

"Get a grip, soldiers! Funnuraaaaaaa!"

Boldic roared, single-handedly stabilizing the crumbling morale. Bruno had its own commanders, of course, but a country this large was usually too formidable to be attacked. They’d been soaking in lukewarm water for too long. This is why they got trampled in the Original Story.

Right on cue, someone realized this was the make-or-break moment. Cecil barked out a new set of instructions, and the rest of our group moved up to join us on the front line.

"—Guoooooooooooooon!"

The next moment, a giant Cyclops right in front of me turned and decked one of its own kind. There was only one person capable of that.

"I’ve subjugated them! The ones that aren’t glowing red are mine!" Olynn shouted.

The difficulty of subjugation scales with the target's mana capacity. Hah, look at Olynn. The kid’s actually growing up!

"Am-Amazing! He brought that giant thing under control!"

"That girl is out there giving it her all! The rest of you, show some spirit!"

"""OHHHH!"""

Thanks to Olynn’s passive abilities, the soldiers' morale surged again. I didn't see any reason to correct them on Olynn’s gender.

"Hah! I like it! Huge monsters are actually worth the effort!"

That was Duke. He had Artifacts equipped to his fists—the same shape as his old Knuckle Kaiser, but these were clearly designed to channel his internal mana into his strikes. It was a hybrid of raw physical strength and explosive magical power. No, calling it a "strike" was an understatement.

"Hah! This really opens up the place, doesn't it?"

The guy is literally punching holes through them. I couldn't help but smirk at the sheer absurdity of his power.

Cynthia was hacking her way through the horde using Glass Ace. She hadn't switched to an Artifact yet. She likely preferred the weapon she was comfortable with over something she’d only just picked up. Lilith, meanwhile, had enchanted her concealed knives and was a blur on the battlefield, systematically blinding every monster she passed. There’s nothing easier to kill than a blind beast. It was a pragmatic, efficient style that suited her perfectly. Shari was doing the same from the rear, supporting everyone with a series of well-placed magic traps.

Everyone was showing the fruits of their training. No wasted movements. Even though the Calamity hadn't happened that long ago, their growth speed was honestly breathtaking.

But I wasn't about to be left behind.

"Dark Rain—Unnatural!"

I unleashed a black rain from the sky. I’d already refined the magic formula: damage for my enemies, a blessing for my allies. The wounds on the nearby soldiers began to knit shut. Simultaneously, I opened up an Unnatural wall in mid-air and began firing magic cannons through it.

After the tournament, I’d gotten stronger, too. The monster count wasn't dropping, but strangely, I was having fun. I was savoring the thrill of a battle that felt like it could last forever.

"Look at him... he’s laughing..."

"He’s insane. But I’m glad he’s on our side."

Haha! This is great! This is amazing! Come on, give me more! Try harder to make me suffer!

"Wh-What is that?!" Nell screamed.

In the same breath, a soldier was launched high into the air.

What now?

I shoved through the monsters to get to the front. Standing there was... a Demon? No, it was a... pseudo-one.

"U-Uwaaa! It’s Beryl! The bounty head! Wh-Why is he here?!"

Boldic noticed first and held the soldiers back. "Stay back! He’s turned into a Pseudo-Demon!"

He had the same bronze skin as Boudan, whom I’d killed before, and stood over two meters tall. But the black horn protruding from his skull was the dead giveaway. Allen moved to my side, his eyes wide. It was clearly his first time seeing one.

"Is he... human?"

"Allen, stay sharp. That’s a..."

Pseudo-Demons were a localized "disease" that had started appearing after the Calamity centuries ago. One day, a black horn just sprouts from a person's head. It only ever happens to villains. The cause is officially "unknown," but I knew better. It’s what happens when malice and mana intertwine, catalyzed by the Demon Race. Simply put: they’re magical cyborgs.

Which means this Stampede isn't an accident.

The moment someone becomes a Pseudo-Demon, they’re hit with a "debuff" that sky-rockets their stats. Why call it a debuff instead of a buff? Because they lose their sanity. They trade their soul for raw power. That’s what makes them "pseudo."

Dammit. This means the main story of Noblesse Oblige is actually moving.

The worst part? They gain access to magic similar to the Demon Race.

"Aga... Aga?"

"—Get back!" I yelled.

Everyone tensed up. Mana has personality—my darkness, Cynthia’s ice. When someone becomes a "pseudo," their original traits evolve into something explosive. I knew Beryl’s file. His specialty was mana-dispersion attacks.

In other words: explosions.

—DOGOON!

The next instant, a giant monster nearby simply disintegrated. Chunks of flesh flew like shrapnel, raining down on the soldiers, shredding skin and snapping bone.

"Gaaaaaaah!"

"My arm! My arm!"

Soldiers screamed in agony. Some had been completely dismembered. To Beryl, the monsters weren't allies—they were mobile bombs. And the bigger the monster, the bigger the blast. We were standing in the middle of a living minefield.

But...

"Now it’s starting to feel like the world of Noblesse."

I leveled my sword. Real Demons use powers far beyond this. If I let a pseudo-one scare me, I’d never make it. Besides, if he was here, the real deal was probably nearby. I had to put this thing down, and I had to do it now.

This was the Noblesse Oblige I remembered. And I wasn't going to lose. Not here. Not ever.