The legend of the Crimson Demon clan started from Suqing

#255 - High ideals

The spreading mist was a trap that plunged everything within its range into an abnormal state, and there was no way to avoid it. Its massive area of effect was evident from the state of the victims.

It wasn't just Zun Zun and the surrounding squads affected by the mist; in fact, as far as the eye could see, many squads had stopped to deal with their companions' abnormal conditions.

Zun Zun was unaffected.

There was only one truth.

That was the activation of the [Body of God] effect, which purified the mental attack from the White Whale. He couldn't think of any other reason.

Zun Zun wanted to take advantage of the situation and inflict more damage on the visible White Whale, but his pilot, Flam, was in poor condition. Her frail body was now grimacing, and her originally cute face had become distorted.

"Flam, let's go back."

"O-Okay... !"

Flam clicked her tongue in frustration and nodded apologetically.

"It's not your fault."

"Lord Zun Zun..."

"This kind of mental pollution is unavoidable. In fact, everyone has been affected. Look at those people."

He gestured for her to look at the soldiers who were constantly self-harming. The maid's face turned pale. No matter how old, girls never want their delicate skin to be ruined.

The earth dragon changed direction, temporarily moving away from the White Whale. At the same time, Crusch's voice came from the other side of the mist, "Those who can move, transport the injured to the big tree! If necessary, a little force is acceptable!"

After issuing the firm order, responses came one after another. Crusch seemed unaffected by the mist, even maintaining her reason and calmly giving instructions.

Being hit by the White Whale's mental pollution was truly infuriating. Fortunately, Ferris was able to temporarily suppress and dispel the effects of the pollution, but with so many victims, he couldn't possibly handle it all alone.

Manpower was diverted to recover the injured, which greatly reduced their combat power.

And more importantly, they couldn't let the White Whale approach the defenseless subjugation force. Their current situation was not optimistic.

"In short, we just need to restrain the White Whale, right?"

"That's right."

Zun Zun's question received Crusch's decisive answer, and then he grinned and confidently said, "Leave it to me, I'm best at walking dogs!"

"Although that's a fish, and a big whale at that."

Natsuki Subaru made a tactless remark.

But thanks to him, the tension and sense of crisis dissipated a bit.

The White Whale was the White Whale, one of the Three Great Demonic Beasts, a terrifying opponent and enemy. No matter how frivolous the tone or how much they tried to sugarcoat it, its strength could not be underestimated.

Zun Zun's offer to go out was rejected by Crusch.

After all, he was the sixth royal candidate, and he could even obtain the throne simply by marrying him.

But she couldn't stop him.

This was the conviction and decisiveness of a warrior, and Crusch could not erase the other party's feelings—as a general.

"I agree."

"Wait... !"

"There's no need to persuade him, Natsuki Subaru. Zun Zun is a warrior now. Are you going to disregard his beliefs!?"

"Ugh!"

Natsuki Subaru was rendered speechless.

He knew that Zun Zun had been swallowed by the White Whale in a previous loop, and no one even remembered it, so he didn't want Zun Zun to face danger. But he couldn't voice this worry.

"Um..."

Zun Zun suddenly raised his hands, looked up, and said loudly, "I'm sorry to interrupt your brewing emotions! But I want to state that I don't have such lofty ideals or beliefs! The reason I'm doing this is because I want to stand out! Because I can show off!"

Ah! ! ! ?

Natsuki Subaru opened his mouth wide and stared in disbelief, and Crusch pursed her lips, unsure of what to say.

They must not understand, right? But there's no helping it. This is the Crimson Demon Clan—willing to die to show off!

Zun Zun pulled open his shirt, making a strange and magical pose, just like Natsuki Subaru's actions in the reception room back then.

"—I, Zun Zun, have a dream, and that is to become a kingdom superstar!"

"As expected, he's got chuunibyou."

Natsuki Subaru sighed.

Crusch also said, "Although it's a bit surprising, the look in your eyes tells me that you are undoubtedly serious. Then, in response to your conviction, I will agree. But there is one condition: who is your companion?"

The task of luring the White Whale was dangerous, so two people had to go together.

But Zun Zun's pilot, Flam, was currently receiving treatment and could not go with him.

"Don't worry, I have a suitable candidate."

Zun Zun grinned, then grabbed a gray-haired boy from the crowd.

"Waah—! No, I don't want to go! I don't want to be White Whale bait!"

He cried and struggled.

Compared to these determined soldiers, this guy was truly a coward.

Why was he on the battlefield?

While everyone was wondering this, Natsuki Subaru blurted out his name after seeing him.

"—Otto!?"

Although he was wearing knight's clothing that Natsuki Subaru found displeasing, Otto wasn't as powerful as he remembered, and he had even ignored his existence after the start of the battle.

"I actually forgot about you just now. You're too unnoticeable, aren't you?"

"Wuu ~ ~ ~"

Otto whimpered.

He had obviously been deliberately hiding his presence, but Zun Zun was familiar with his knight's magic and pulled him out of the crowd.

Crusch carefully examined Otto.

"Forgive me for speaking frankly, but I don't think he's up to the task because he looks too weak."

"That's right, I'm really weak! Don't make me face the White Whale, I'm so thin that I'm not even enough to fill a tooth gap, please send someone else!"

The Duchess's blunt words didn't hurt Otto.

Normally, being looked down upon like this should have provoked anger and rebuttal, but it was as if the reverse psychology had no effect on him. Otto quickly nodded, admitting his weakness.

Zun Zun punched the screaming, cowardly knight.

"It's okay, I believe in him."

Whether it was the punch or the words that worked, Otto whimpered and stopped crying.

Perhaps others thought Otto was useless and might even be a hindrance in the dangerous mission ahead, but Zun Zun had noticed the cowardly knight's unusual qualities.

First of all, Otto's earth dragon wasn't trembling.

Even Crusch's white, superior breed of earth dragon was anxiously pawing the ground under the White Whale's pressure, but Otto's ordinary earth dragon didn't show much change. He must have used his Word Soul blessing—the ability to communicate with non-human beings—to appease the uneasy earth dragon.

In addition, Otto wasn't as affected by the White Whale's mental pollution.

Even the powerful Rem felt uncomfortable and occasionally showed a trace of pain on her cheeks, but this guy Otto not only felt no discomfort, but also shouted loudly with vigor.

This guy was undoubtedly the most suitable tool person.

"...Alright, since you trust your knight."

The Duchess nodded seriously.

So Zun Zun pulled Otto onto the earth dragon, said goodbye to Crusch, and then moved away from the big tree.

Along the way, Otto shouted into the wind, "No, no, no, I can't do it! Fighting the White Whale is impossible! That guy is one of the Three Great Demonic Beasts, a powerful existence that you can only pray to escape from! We can't win!"

Even though Zun Zun often heard him shout in panic, he still found it a bit noisy and subconsciously slapped Otto's thin back.

"Don't be afraid!"

"That hurt—"

"Look at that White Whale. Its left eye has been gouged out, and its left fin has been cut off. It's just a huge piece of fish meat that can hardly move and is at everyone's mercy. Are you still afraid? !"

"But..."

Otto obviously wanted to refute something, but Zun Zun and Wilhelm's successful battle had yielded pleasing results, and he had no reason to refute.

"Besides, Otto, are you a Do M?"

"What?"

The oncoming wind prevented Zun Zun's words from reaching Otto's ears.

Then Zun Zun leaned on his back and shouted, "Are you a Do M!? You say no, no, but your body obediently does it! And look, you're even more excited than me!"

"No way!"

Otto shouted.

He desperately denied that he was excited about subjugating the White Whale. He should be scared, timid, and wanting to escape. However, he couldn't lie to Zun Zun, because from the beginning, Otto's breathing had become stronger, and the magic power in his body had become active.

Whether you like it or not, your body doesn't lie.

It's more like Otto is the type who desperately avoids things at first, but when he finds that there's no way to retreat, he'll go all out.

Once you're on the thief's ship, you can only accept your fate.

"But how exactly do we attract the White Whale?"

"It's simple!"

Zun Zun aimed at the White Whale still soaring in the sky.

"—Light of Saber!"

A lightning bolt as thick as a bucket instantly shot out, landing on the face of the leisurely soaring White Whale. Then, Zun Zun made a face at it while raising a middle finger.

The provocative action made the White Whale pause.

In addition, Zun Zun had also cut off its fin. Old enemies were extremely jealous when they met. The huge Mist Demonic Beast turned its body, wagged its tail, and swam towards Zun Zun and Otto.

The huge body, like a mountain, moved through the air, shortening the distance in one breath with a momentum that surpassed the wind.

The jaws, enough to devour everything, approached.

Its nose was right behind them, close enough for Zun Zun to smell the fishy stench.

"Otto!"

"Waaaah—"

At Zun Zun's shout, Otto suddenly tightened the reins, deviating from the original course at the last moment, while dodging the White Whale's pounce from behind—it chewed the earth, swallowing the grassland along with the road surface.

"So, so scary!"

"So exciting! So fun!"

"Not fun at all!"

Zun Zun's hearty laughter echoed in the street, followed by Otto's annoyed screams, while the White Whale's roar seemed to underline the two of them.