The frontline of the invasion troops into Ruiso Kingdom.

Commander: Power Structure 6 POV.

I, Akihiko¹bright red prince, had been chosen to lead our army towards the most dangerous objective, Ruiso Kingdom. Akihiko wasn’t my birth name, but it is the name I was given when I was assigned the number 6 seat within the Power Structure.

Being the home state of the abnormal, we knew Ruiso Kingdom would be the one where we would suffer the biggest losses. Thus I was chosen to lead this army, as my Humanoid Taming skill could force all of these worthless worms to attack without running away.

My force isn’t what I wanted it to be, as most of my direct subordinates had been assigned to different missions, but we couldn’t sacrifice the most skilled people. We will need to be able to guide the foolish sheep after they learn of the deception that is the Goddess.

And while the others may think theirs are the best for that, in truth, mine are the greatest. They will follow any command given without question.

I pushed my forces deeper into Ruiso Kingdom. According to number 1’s estimation, we should reach the nearest towns in just a few hours. We will destroy them and move forward, reaching the first large city within the day. As long as these lazy worms keep marching at good speed!

But way before we even reached the first small village, before we ever should have been noticed, someone came to greet us. Not on foot, no. Flying on the back of a golden dragon.

“HOLD!” I called out to everyone. “Magic Barrier, immediately!” I ordered. We can’t be wiped out yet, and while a dragon might be a difficult target, if I can touch it, I might be able to tame it. That will turn everything around. With a dragon by our side, we might be able to threaten the abnormal with his own dragon.

However, the person … no, people, on the back of the dragon weren’t the abnormal. At least based on our description of the abnormal. However, the person riding in front was a big shot. 

A prince from the Kingdom. Elias Ruiso. Our intelligence said he changed from going after the throne to be the grand general. So if I can bring him under my control, this will be easy.

It might even be him who summoned the dragon, not the abnormal. Some people can summon those card monsters used by the abnormal. We secured a few of the ‘fake cards’ he has, but no one ever sells the real ones, and stealing them from the guild of his hometown wasn’t worth the risk.

But securing someone who has both cards and the skill to use them will be a valuable asset. Especially since the abnormal does seem to trust this Prince. Based on the information we have, he doesn’t give dragons to just anyone.

As I pondered how I would get myself to the back of that dragon, a voice called down on us from on top of it. Speaking to us from up high, just what a Goddess believing person would do.

“Forces of the United States of Power! You are trespassing on lands owned by the Ruiso Kingdom. Turn back immediately, or you will be seen as a threat to national security, and dealt with appropriately.” The voice said.

I didn’t know how his voice carried this well, but it must have been the work of the other person with him. Because the Prince uses Fire Magic. Unless the dragon somehow did that, but dragons don’t use magic with that fine detail.

“Bring down that dragon!” I ordered my troops, and our ranged forces began to attack.

While I watched that, I got one of my flying subordinates, asking them if they could fly me to the dragon. Sadly the dragon was moving too fast, and trying to fly in front of it to predict it was too dangerous. So I had no way of getting to the dragon.

The dragon didn’t seem to care about our attacks. Maybe they really didn’t hurt it, but it more so seemed like the wind was blowing our arrows off course, and some sort of weak lightning was running across the dragon’s scales, protecting it from our magic.

After flying a few laps around us, and repeating their message three more times, the dragon began to fly away and I ordered our troops to follow it at maximum speed.

The card monsters have one big disadvantage. They have a summoning time limit. So they will have to land, and then we can capture them.

As we ran after the dragon, I attempted to contact our great leader. Sadly I didn’t hear him thank me like he usually does, but he must be busy with our true plan.

The Smorog destruction force. 

Commander: Power Structure 3 POV.

“Finally. I’ve been waiting for this day.” Hugo spoke next to me. “Finally we can destroy those morons at Smorog.”

“Calm, Hugo. It is fine to be emotional in times of triumph, but we are in the middle of the operation still.” I reminded him. “Like at the forge, when the steel is hot, keep your emotions cool. Otherwise the finished blade will be brittle.”

“I … Yes, Lord Takumi.²Directly translates to artisan, skilled, or craftsman. Hugo responded, as he refocused himself.

Takumi Sato. The name I was given by the truthseer. 

Out of everyone within the Power Structure, I was the first to meet him. Back then, he was still just a young child, and no one would listen to him. 

But since I had nothing more than the clothes on my back and the wares I was carrying, I gave him a chance.

And in just a few short decades, that trust had turned into a country with the military might to rival the Empire itself. 

The knowledge the truthseer had completely turned my understanding on everything. Everything the three Kingdoms told was a lie. Their Goddess was a lie. Their foundation was a lie. Nothing but violent people who threw out their true king, the Demon Lord. 

Even that name was a lie. According to the truthseer, the Demon Lord should more appropriately have been called the Magic King.

At first I believed the truthseer was a reincarnation of the Magic King, but he vehemently denied it. He was simply the one who knew the truth. Thus I began calling him the truthseer.

And with his knowledge, I not only became a blacksmith much better than the greatest master smiths of Smorog, but I also learned the truth about enchanting, and I evolved into an Enchant Master.

His symbolic language of ‘Japanese’ truly was the greatest gift one could ever receive. And while I never was able to show Smorog the weapons I enchanted with it, I am now bringing some of those weapons to their front door.

The abnormal might have somehow recovered the weapons taken from Smorog, but we have everything we made. As it should be. I never wanted to steal those weapons, but 6 and 7 believed they would help, and they were right there.

Those overly traditional fools of Smorog won’t even know what hit them.

But as I was thinking that, the ground in front of us opened up, and an entire squad of people fell in. Some sort of pitfall? Was it just a leftover from a hunt long ago, or had Smorog dug some after our last operation?

I rushed towards the hole so I could help the troops out of it, but they weren’t there. The pit was empty, as if the bottom of the hole had a trap of its own which had closed on top of my troops.

“Lord Takumi, look out!” Someone yelled, and I jumped back from the hole. I then watched as it closed, and the ground returned to looking like it always had.

“Dig them up, now!” I ordered my forces.

I may have been stuck with forces mostly belonging to 6, but I’m not going to leave anyone behind. They followed my order, even if my Earth Magic did most of the job. But despite digging much further down than the trap originally was, we didn’t find the squad that had fallen in.

“... Lord Takumi?” Hugo said to bring my attention back to here and now. 

“The abnormal knows of our plans!” I declared. “He has trapped the route. Our brave soldiers must have been teleported away. Stay vigilant and those who can fly up front.”

As soon as we were back on the move, I contacted the truthseer. I told him that the abnormal had figured out our plans, at least some of them, and had prepared traps for us. 

But despite that, I didn’t hear anything back. Has the abnormal done something to prevent us from communicating with the truthseer’s Unique Skill? 

There is no chance he defeated the truthseer and Hajime, is there? No, there can’t be. No matter how strong he is, he can’t beat them. And we got a good estimation of his power just a few months ago. He can’t have grown enough in that time where he could take on even the current Hajime. And the truthseer is so much more powerful than Hajime.

Besides, 5 is our secret weapon against him. If the abnormal shows himself, 5 will hopefully be able to teleport there and show him just how powerful curses can be. 

So we had to keep going. 

But as more of my forces fell into traps that appeared out of nowhere, I began to doubt our ability. Especially since they seemingly couldn’t fly out of it if they were within the area.

The Ruiso front was the first where things began to happen. Likely because of the leader there.

The frontline of the invasion troops into Narra Kingdom.

Commander: Power Structure 7 POV.

“Sir! There is an issue.” One of my underlings who was supposed to be scouting ahead rushed back towards us while yelling.

“Report.” I ordered.

He stopped and took a second to catch his breath before talking. 

“Sir Michi.³Means "way," "road," or "path," essential elements on a map. Some sort of fortification or perhaps a small castle has been built on the path we planned to take.” He quickly reported.

“What!?” I called out. An entire fortified structure? I know I gave my unique skill to our great leader so that he may give it to Hajime, but that was two days ago. And our latest scout reports were from no more than a week ago. There is no way something like that could have been built in a week. 

Even 3 and his letters, couldn’t do it that quickly. At least not without it being a structural mess.

“It must be a hastily made Earth Magic one. We should be able to take it easily.” I responded, and my orders were spread to the others.

“... I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you.” I heard someone whisper into my ear, and before I could react, I felt something pierce into my neck. Just a tiny sting, like an insect bite.

I turned around and saw someone. It was hard to make him out as he was covered by an illusion or something, but a man with a long lower body like that of a bug was standing there. He held a … a syringe? How does he have one? The great leader is the one who came up with the idea, and only 3 can make them. So how does he have one? The syringe barrel still held a small amount of some sort of liquid.

There was also a short girl holding onto him, as if on a piggyback ride.

As they ran away under the cover of their illusion, I felt my body seize up. Some sort of paralytic venom perhaps? But when I tried using my Telekinesis and Mana Flight skills, they wouldn’t activate.

I hit the ground and my troops heard the thud. They helped me up, but I still couldn’t move a muscle. I couldn’t even speak.

So I did the one thing I could do, I contacted our great leader in hopes that he could share a poison or paralysis resistance skill with me. But despite sending the message, I heard no answer.

Despite my situation, my forces knew they needed to continue. So 13 took the lead from me, and they kept walking, leaving me on the ground. I may die because of it, but it is worth it. I already gave my Unique Skill, my individuality, for this goal, and I am more than ready to give my life as well.

However, it clearly wasn’t the goal of someone to have me die. Because just a bit after my forces had left me, the abnormal teleported next to me. 

I tried to talk, but I couldn’t. 

The abnormal lifted me up and hoisted me over his shoulder before teleporting away.

He took me to some sort of large hole in the ground. It almost looked like a mine, but it was nothing like our mines. And with no hesitation, the abnormal jumped in.

Had I not been paralyzed, I would have screamed. I can fly, but falling is still scary.

As we reached the bottom, I saw rows and rows of cells. Some of them had people, including some of my letters and sub-numbers who had been with other forces.

The abnormal tossed me into one of the cells, somehow doing it without even having to open the cell door. As if he threw me through the iron bars blocking us in.

And after I hit the floor, I felt some sort of magic affect me, which undid the paralysis I was under. 

I immediately tried to attack the abnormal, but none of my skills responded to me. I then tried bending the iron bars, which should have been possible with my level, but they didn’t move at all.

“Sorry to say, but those bars are locked in both Space and Time. Even an adult dragon couldn’t bend them.” The abnormal said. “Oh and I’ve blocked you from communicating with the Power Structure holder, but feel free to try.”

The abnormal then teleported away without chanting a spell, or seemingly even putting in any effort.

Did … Did we underestimate him? By that much?

No. It must just be me. To me he looks like a demi-God, but so does 1. And he is still no match to the Godlike power of the great leader.

Afterall, with just a thought, all of our power will become his power.

nro_8

Maybe a strange way of telling the story, but it is way more interesting than me just basically recapping everything while Brian watches from the control room. This gets us into the heads of the Statesman who are carrying out the operation, and some of their individual goals beyond the Power Structure Holder.