Chapter 400: The Battle to Repel 4

“Mr. Largus! Rilda!?”

Running to the beach house that was miraculously unharmed, I shouted their names toward the sea surface. Then, their faces popped out at the edge of the coast.

“Ah, thank goodness! Come over here for a second!”

When I called out, Largus and the others returned to the sea. Then, faces began popping up one after another near the beach house. About fifty people appeared all at once, which inadvertently surprised me.

“Eh!? There were this many of you!?”

When I asked reflexively, Largus nodded deeply.

“This is an important battle to protect our homeland. I have brought two hundred warriors.”

“That many!?”

I was astonished. However, Largus nodded as if it were nothing.

“We, too, have lived in this sea for a long time. With a few exceptions, we have no enemies.”

“I-I see… Does that mean you can handle anything other than that Hydra or the monster whales? Well then, I have a favor to ask of you brave people, Mr. Largus.”

“Hm? What is it?”

When I went to ask my favor, they listened to me with incredibly positive expressions. Truly, the mermaids are very honest and straightforward.

Thinking such things, I used Wood Blocks to make normal-sized crossbows.

“I want you to use these weapons to attack the Hydra from a distance.”

When I asked, Largus, who had taken a crossbow, narrowed his eyes with a serious face. He held the newly made crossbow in both hands, raised it in front of his face, and furrowed his brows.

“……Will this be effective?”

“It’ll be fine as long as it stops its movements even a little bit.”

It is undeniably dangerous, and not knowing the power of a Van-brand special crossbow would make anyone anxious. Would this be too difficult? Just as I was thinking that, Largus quietly tucked his chin.

“……Understood. We will try.”

“Really!? Thank you!”

Hearing Largus’s reply, I smiled and thanked him. At that, Largus shook his head from side to side.

“The thanks go to you… You are putting your lives on the line to fight for our sake. We will spare no effort to cooperate.”

Saying that, Largus turned back to Rilda and the others. He briefly explained the plan and had one of the young men hold a crossbow. It was a muscular young man who looked like a fast swimmer. Seeing that, I immediately started making bolts as well.

“You draw the crossbow string and place the bolt here. Then, you pull this to fire. Got it?”

When I asked, Largus and the others nodded deeply. After confirming that, I continued making bolts.

Meanwhile, Largus glared at the Hydra chasing Ortho and his group.

“It is dangerous, but I believe this is a time when we must make our stand. I want everyone to challenge it with all your might.”

When Largus said that, the mermaids nodded with resolute, tragic expressions. The terror of facing that Hydra underwater… just imagining it is terrifying.

However, we have to stop the Hydra’s movements somehow. Even if Ortho’s group and Arte’s puppet toy with it, we can’t accurately target the violently thrashing Hydra.

“……Alright! Then, I’ll hurry up and make the crossbows! I’m counting on you!”

As I said that and rapidly transformed Wood Blocks into crossbows and bolts, Largus had the young men take the crossbows and bolts in turn and gave them instructions. Mermaids appeared one after another to take the weapons, so much so that I barely had enough time to make them.

Thinking it would probably be an interesting sight underwater, I created the twentieth crossbow and forty bolts and handed them over. Even so, it was still not enough. As I was concentrating on making crossbows, Rilda, who was keeping an eye on the Hydra, let out an “Ah.”

When I raised my face and looked in that direction, the Hydra was on its way back.

It seems Ortho and his group temporarily evacuated into the forest. Well, it can’t be helped after being chased that much.

“T-Temporary halt! We’re taking shelter!”

As I hurriedly stood up and said that, Arte shook her head from side to side and stepped forward.

“N-No! I will!”

Saying that, she swiftly sent the new puppet running. Dee widened his eyes and laughed at the puppet running with wind-like speed.

“Ooh! This is fast!”

Dee happily followed the puppet’s movements with his eyes. Meanwhile, the puppet approached the Hydra in the blink of an eye and leaped. Jumping over a dozen meters high in a single bound, the puppet carried its momentum and slashed at one of the Hydra’s heads.

Due to the puppet’s sheer speed, the Hydra was late to evade. Slashing its right arm from left to right, fresh blood scattered from one of the Hydra’s eyes. At this, the Hydra screamed and writhed its body.

Seeing that, Dee dashed out to pursue the attack. As he left, he raised one hand toward Khamsin and shouted.

“Khamsin! I leave Lord Van’s protection to you!”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

Khamsin replied with a loud voice to Dee’s words. In reality, Dee probably did it judging that it would be difficult for Khamsin to fight a giant opponent, but Khamsin, unaware of this, gripped his sword tightly and steeled his resolve.

Seeing the situation where everyone was protecting me, I sat back down on the spot and picked up the Wood Blocks once again.

“Till! Get them to bring more Wood Blocks!”

“Y-Yes!”

Giving instructions to Till, I resumed making crossbows in a great hurry.