Makoto sat up on the sofa and tugged on the leash around Darkness's neck with his right hand.
Darkness was pulled forward and ended up lying across his lap.
Makoto then slapped her on the butt, producing a crisp sound.
Darkness buried her face in his lap, let out a soft, sweet moan, and went limp like a boneless mass on Makoto's private area.
Makoto pressed Darkness under the table. "Yunyun, go inform Luna and ask her to tell the people in the city to evacuate."
Yunyun looked suspiciously at Darkness, who wasn't moving, 'What was she doing?'
But hearing Makoto's request, she didn't ask any further. She nodded and turned to leave.
In the original work, she was willing to commit crimes for Megumin, whom she considered her only friend.
Now, Makoto's place in her heart was on par with Megumin's, and even slightly exceeding it.
Naturally, Yunyun wouldn't hesitate to do things for him.
Beam chuckled lightly. "Chainsaw-sama, with Belzerg's level, they can't possibly break into the city."
Makoto smiled. "Just in case."
With that, Makoto clapped his hands. "Alright, everyone, pack up. We're going out."
Makoto reached out, hooked his finger under the chin of Darkness, who still had drool at the corner of her mouth, and lifted her face. "If you don't want to join the battle, just stay at home. Wait for the outcome of the war."
Kazuha watched the backs of Makoto's group as they left, then turned to look at the team's brains. "What should we do?"
Shiho thought for a moment and decided to stay in the city.
Axel was their base. She had originally planned to settle here with her sister.
No matter who came to rule this city, she didn't want to leave anytime soon.
There was another reason... she wanted to witness Makoto's terror for herself.
At Alderp's place, Makoto had basically done nothing.
As a researcher, Shiho had a professional curiosity about unknown things.
Her sister and Mrs. Shizuka and the others had painted Makoto as such a god. She wanted to know if it was true.
…
Two days later.
The Belzerg royal family had mobilized tens of thousands of troops.
The royal capital wasn't far from Axel. Two days of forced march brought them there.
Tens of thousands of people set up camps outside Axel, surrounding it, as if a moat had appeared.
Makoto stood on the city wall, looking down at the dense encampments below.
"They even set up camp."
Yu stood beside him, his brow slightly furrowed. "I thought they would just attack directly."
Having read quite a bit of Chinese history in recent years, Yu wasn't surprised by the act of setting up camp.
Setting up camp often meant preparing for a prolonged war.
And now, with the disparity in troop numbers... the Belzerg Kingdom's army had at least 30,000 men, while Makoto's side, even counting the three Uzaki women who were somewhat of a liability, numbered less than ten.
With such a disparity in military strength, what was Belzerg hesitating for?
Why not just attack directly?
"They've probably heard about you and are a bit cautious."
Shiho walked up the city wall steps and reported to Makoto, "Most of the people in the city have already left. Axel is almost a ghost town now."
Makoto nodded.
The Teddy Devil stood up from his feet, jumped onto the stone wall, and said, "Boss, should we launch the first attack? Wipe these people out directly?"
Makoto thought for a moment. "Give those forced to join the battle a chance."
With that, Makoto turned and left.
Yu immediately understood his boss's meaning.
He stood in the most conspicuous position on the city wall, took a deep breath, condensed his Chakra in his throat, and shouted down at the Belzerg Kingdom's encampment below.
"All eyes on me—!"
The sound exploded over the encampment like an invisible cannonball.
Thirty thousand soldiers looked up simultaneously. Hundreds of cooks preparing meals paused their work at the same time.
"Listen up, you fools who are now hostile to Nishikawa Makoto-sama!"
Yu's voice boomed like thunder across the plain. "I know many of you were forced to join the army to make a living or support your families! Now, Nishikawa Makoto-sama, in his great mercy, is giving you a chance... those of you who don't want to die have three days! Quit, slip away, get lost now! If you die, don't blame us!"
The encampment erupted.
Soldiers poked their heads out of their tents, looking at each other.
"Is that guy crazy? Does he know how many of us there are?"
"But have you heard that rumor? Over in Melromarc—"
"A meteor? You believe that too?"
"It's not about believing or not. The point is, what if it's true?"
The soldier in the middle lowered his voice. "I heard that not a single civilian in Melromarc died, but the royal family... was completely killed."
After a slight pause, he continued, "But there's news recently that the queen has returned to the country and taken the throne."
The queen he was talking about was the wife of the now probably deceased Aultcray Melromarc XXXII, who had been turned into a human vase by Beam... Mirellia Q. Melromarc.
When Makoto's group had caused trouble in Melromarc, this queen had been on a diplomatic visit to another country with her second daughter, thus escaping disaster.
Yu's shouting didn't cause the 30,000-strong army to lose morale, but it did spark quite a bit of discussion within the royal army.
Inside the main tent, the king of Belzerg had changed into silver armor.
After hearing Yu's shouting, he couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.
"Trying to demoralize my army with this method? How stupid."
Kyouya stood beneath the tent, wearing his usual dark blue light armor.
The magic sword given by Aqua hung at his waist.
Kyouya gave a slight bow. "Your Majesty, it would be best not to underestimate the enemy. If the opponent is truly on the same level as Fluder of the Baharuth Empire or the monsters of the Slane Theocracy, then he does have the confidence to say such things."
The king of Belzerg's cold laugh immediately subsided, and his expression grew increasingly serious.
During this time, the rumors about Makoto had grown more and more intense, and he had also begun to worry.
If he could truly summon a meteor, if he truly mastered seventh-tier magic, then sending 30,000 men would only be a matter of a few moves for the opponent.
After a moment of silence, he ordered to immediately send someone to Melromarc to verify the truth of these rumors.
"Iris doesn't need to go to the battlefield right away."
The king looked at Claire beneath the tent. "Have her prepare in the rear. Wait until Nishikawa Makoto has been weakened to a certain extent before she makes her move."
Claire nodded to show she understood. The king of Belzerg then remembered something else and asked, "By the way, Iris has left the royal capital for the first time. Is she feeling any discomfort?"
Claire shook her head. "Quite the opposite, Your Majesty. The princess... is quite excited."
As soon as she finished speaking, Rin rushed in from outside the tent. Her skirt was stained with dirt and grass clippings, and her forehead was covered in sweat.
"Your Majesty! Th-the princess is gone!"
Everyone inside the tent's faces changed dramatically. The king's breath caught, and he almost fainted.