The Counterattack

For a while I just kind of stood there, speechless and motionless. The world was still moving around me, but I felt like it was all a movie that I was watching.

Evanito and Briggo were still mourning Kor. One of the other Edge Lords helped Nuxanor walk over to where Kor's body had been lying, but Nuxanor seemed beside himself and I don't think that he was fully grasping the situation. The same could be said for Animak. Johnny and Hyde helped him to his feet, but it was clear that both he and Nuxanor were yet to recover from the effects of Melody's projection.

At some point Samurina dissolved into a bright green aura and the aura then retreated back inside my body. I barely noticed it. A few moments later, more Edge Lords arrived on the scene. I recognized some of these people from before – they were here earlier, inside the stealth magic space – before Nuxanor asked them to leave. Someone must have told them about the Demon Lord's attack and so they turned back.

The newly arrived Edge Lords quickly secured the perimeter. They also restrained the remaining Darchangels and took them all into custody.

Briggo went to check on Nuxanor and Animak. They both seemed to be doing better, but they were still relying on their subordinates for support. As the Edge Lords carried away Kor's body, Briggo walked over to me.

"We'll get her back," Briggo sad as he clapped his hand on my shoulder. "I swear to you, Birito. We'll get her back, and we'll avenge Kor."

"Okay, let's go," I said matter-of-factly. "Let's go after them right now. I'm ready."

Briggo shook his head. "I'm sorry, my friend, but you're not ready. You're clearly exhausted. Come, walk with me. We're going back to the palace in Flexington. There's a carriage waiting for us outside the magic space."

"NO! We have to go after them! She sacrificed herself for me… I have to help her!"

"I know how you feel, Birito. I've known Kor for over 15 years, and all I could do was watch helplessly as they killed him. And John Recon? I thought he was my friend and the martyr of Twigoslavia, but it looks like he betrayed us all." His eyes were full of rage. "Trust me, I want to get these bastards and save Truck-chan just as much as you do."

"So let's go then! We have to go after them now, before they get away!"

Briggo sighed. "We can't follow them, Birito. They already got away."

"NO! They're here somewhere, we can still…."

"Jordanio's portal magic has enormous range. Once they passed through that portal, we lost the power to track them. They're gone."

"NO! We can't lose them! They've got Truck-chan! We have to… we need to…." I was so upset that I didn't know what to do with myself. I felt lightheaded and I was beginning to hyperventilate.

"It's all right, Birito," Briggo said as he walked me out of the magic space through the same gate that we had used to enter. He still had his hand on my shoulder.

"It's not all right! We have to find them…."

"We know where they're headed. They're obviously targeting ancient magic, and the Demon Lord's naval fleet has been circling the island kingdom of Tek. Tek is home to the Library of Barrixandria, the world's biggest repository of ancient knowledge, including forbidden books and magical relics with untold powers. That's where they're going next. I'm sure of it."

"Okay," I said and nodded. "All right! Then that's where we're going too! I'm ready to leave right away."

As we made our way through the forest, I saw that several carriages were lined up along the main road. One of the carriages took off before we got there – it was the one carrying Kor – but the others were waiting for the rest of us.

"It's not that simple," Briggo replied. "Tek is an island nation surrounded by a treacherous waters. We'll need some time to prepare a proper expedition. And besides, you've just been isekai'd into this world, Birito. You still need time to adjust, and to hone your kink. I saw that you made her manifest – that is amazing! – but without years of proper training, you won't stand a chance against the Demon Lord."

"Screw that!" I snapped. "I beat his damn projection, and I faced him without fear. Yes, he's stronger, but I'll get stronger too. I'm definitely coming with you! Don't try and stop me, Briggo…."

Briggo led me into one of the carriages, and a few minutes later Johnny and Hyde joined us as well, along with a still-dazed Animak. Once all five of us had entered, the carriage began to move. Lubo was nowhere to be found so we went ahead without him, and this time around, there was no one sitting on my lap.

Truck-chan was gone.

Everyone was quiet for a while. Even the shmexy trees outside sensed that the situation was sombre, and they didn't make any jokes. Even if they did, I don't think that I would have noticed. I was so caught up with what just happened that I could hardly sit still. I wanted to move and jump around and SCREAM.

I hated feeling so goddamn helpless, so I focused all my attention on planning Truck-chan's rescue. I would get stronger, I would identify all of Recon's weaknesses, and I would concoct a master plan that makes everything right again. But to do that, I needed more information.

"Hey, Briggo," I whispered, although I probably didn't have to. The other guys weren't paying any attention to us. "How did you beat your projection? It looks like Animak and Nuxanor couldn't do it."

"It was devious, Birito," Briggo muttered. "The projection knew exactly what my worst fear was, and it confronted me with it in the most terrible way."

"Would you be willing to tell me about it? Was it heights?"

"I think we should both recount our experiences to each other. It may help us understand the true nature of that power."

I nodded.

"It wasn't heights, Birito. My worst fear is letting down my friends. Ever since Animak and Nuxanor had their falling out, I've been blaming myself for failing to stop their madness. And now that I am here and making them finally see reason, the projection made me think that I let down my other friends."

"Oh? What friends?"

"The Chad Lad Pirates. When I left this place and traveled to the Lawless Lands, I settled in Skull Canyon. It is a rugged place in the southernmost region of the Western Lawless Lands, a region known as Pirate Bay. There I met new friends, and I became the captain of my own pirate crew."

I nodded.

"In the projection, I suddenly found myself back in Skull Canyon. But things were not as I had left them. I walked towards our pirate headquarters – which is an old beached battleship half-buried in sand – and I saw that something had happened there. Something terrible."

Briggo paused for a moment.

"It was so real, Birito. I could feel the sand beneath my boots, and I could smell the sea. And then I smelled the blood."

I understood what he meant. My own projection had been incredibly vivid.

"All my Chad Lad Pirates were dead. They had been stabbed and shot and smashed to bits by some unknown enemy. One by one, I walked past the lifeless bodies of my precious comrades. I thought that I would lose my mind, Birito.… I was screaming and shouting and ripping out my own hair in agony. They were all dead because I left them there – because I ABANDONED them – just like I abandoned Twigoslavia."

"That sounds terrible," I said. "How did you break out of it?"

Briggo smirked. "The projection was truly impressive, but it made one mistake. The final body I came across was my First Mate, Bruno. He was lying facedown in the sand some distance away from the beached ship, four arrows sticking out of his back."

Briggo began to laugh.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Isn't it obvious, Birito? The projection made it look like Bruno was shot in the back while trying to run away. But you see, Bruno would NEVER run! He has a hundred scars on his body, but not one of them is on his back. He would sooner die then turn his back to an enemy. That's how I broke the projection! It was thanks to my comrade Bruno. I know him too well to fall for such a trick."

I nodded. "Great job, Briggo."

"And what about you, Birito? What was your projection like?"

I explained everything in detail.

"Oh, I see," Briggo said. "Your hatred for otaku was you overcompensating for your own past. You blamed all your failures on being an otaku, so you developed an irrational hatred for that aspect of yourself."

"Yes, I think so. And I think that this internal struggle – this inherent lack of confidence – was stopping me from unlocking my kink."

"But you unlocked it, Birito!" Briggo exclaimed. "She was amazing – you should be proud!"

"Yeah. I didn't realize it at first but coming to this world changed me. Meeting you and Truck-chan showed me that I can make friends even without putting on an act. For the past few years I've been playing the part of a stern and serious professional who abides by all social norms and expectations. I thought that this was the only way to be respected in society, and I played the part so well that even I began to believe it. But ever since I came to this world, I've been a total mess. Acting like some serious professional was never even an option in this crazy place. And yet someone as awesome as you still wanted to be my friend. And a beautiful girl like Truck-chan still said that she liked me."

Briggo smiled and patted me on the back. I don't think he meant to hurt me, but it was still painful. "That's right, Birito. You're a good guy with lots of potential. You've already shown immense courage in this world despite being a complete newcomer, and you even helped me confront my own fear of heights. Your kink manifested in record time, and your Chadformation is only just beginning."

I shrugged. "I keep hearing about potential and Chadformation, but none of that matters now. My potential didn't save Truck-chan, and if I couldn't even help the one girl in the world who actually liked me, then what's the point of having a kink? What's the point of having potential?"

"Well, what did you expect, Birito? Did you think that you could just flop into this world and instantly become the strongest? That would be ridiculous! I've been training my body and my kink for decades, and so have the rest of these guys. You will become strong, but it takes time, discipline, and good old fashioned hard work."

I didn't say anything after that, and we were both quiet for a while. Slowly, the sounds of the city began to trickle into the carriage, and then we heard fireworks again.

We were in Flexington.

The carriage took us back to Nuxanor's palace. Nuxanor and his Edge Lords went inside the palace first, and the rest of us were led in after them. Meanwhile, the carriage that had been carrying Kor's body was driven through the courtyard and into a different section of the palace.

The throne room was still the same mishmash of headless statues, creepy paintings, and graffiti, but the atmosphere was different now. No one was screaming "Billy" anymore; on the contrary, everyone was eerily quiet. The man named Noble ran up to Nuxanor and greeted him. He seemed to already know what had happened, and he walked Nuxanor up to his throne.

The ruler of Nuxturia slumped down in the upholstered chair, his face downcast. Nuxanor seemed deeply affected by the loss of Kor, and by everything else that had just taken place inside his own kingdom.

"Bring me Sir Flexalot," he said weakly.

"You heard him," Noble called out. "Bring out Sir Flexalot!"

One of the strangely dressed palace attendants nodded and rushed out of the room. About a minute later he returned with a massively obese cat that looked like a cross between Garfield and a sumo wrestler. The palace attendant dropped the giant cat into Nuxanor's arms, and Nuxanor began to stroke it gently. The cat barely reacted; it seemed to be half-asleep.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Animak asked Nuxanor.

Nuxanor nodded. "Get your best men ready, and I'll get mine. We can't let this stand."

"They're going to Tek, but I have a way to beat them there."

"How much time do you need?"

"Three days."

"Good," Nuxanor said as the cat shifted slightly in his lap. "We'll be ready to go."

Animak nodded and invited us to follow him back to Slavograd. He was beginning to regain his composure.

Animak, Briggo, Hyde, Johnny, and I walked to the back of the throne room, and then Johnny did his thing again. His kink created another passageway between the two kingdoms, and we walked until we were back in Animakistan.

I couldn't help but think about Truck-chan. When we left Animak's palace and entered Nuxturia, she was with us. Now she was gone… taken to who-knows-where by murderous villains.

I was both sad and angry at the same time.

"It's almost morning," Animak said to Briggo and me. "Go to you chambers and get some rest. This afternoon you will be summoned to the Imperial Study for a top-secret meeting. There I will explain our plan of attack. In three days' time we depart for the Kingdom of Tek."

A female palace attendant escorted the two of us to the wing of the palace where our chambers were located, while Animak and the Men of Culture walked off in the opposite direction. Briggo told me to try and get some sleep, but I didn't think it was possible. All I could think about was Truck-chan and how I failed her.

I deposited myself on the bed and forced my eyes to close. I could hear the birds chirping outside the window as the morning sun began to rise.

Hours passed.

I think I must have drifted off to sleep at some point, but it was the kind of turbulent sleep that only made me feel more tired afterwards. At some point a servant brought in food and I ate it slowly over the course of an hour. I didn't have much of an appetite, but I knew that I had to eat.

I didn't have time to feel sorry for myself. I had to eat, I had to train, and I had to get stronger.

She was waiting for me.

Sometime in the late afternoon, Briggo and I were summoned to the Imperial Study. I was surprised to see how many people were already standing around the large circular table in the middle of the room. All the Men of Culture we had met so far were there, but there were others in Men of Culture robes that I didn't even recognize. Aphrodesia was there, and several individuals in expensive suits were there as well. There was also one man in an ornate military uniform.

Animak cleared his throat. "Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming on such short notice."

Everyone in the room bowed respectfully.

"As you all know, the Demon Lord's army is marching south towards the Twigoslav Peninsula, and the armies of both Animakistan and Nuxturia have been dispatched to stop their advance. We are in the process of fortifying the Ancient Tower since it is the best strategic position for defending the peninsula from an invading land army."

The people in the room nodded in agreement.

"But what you may not know is that the Demon Lord infiltrated our kingdoms under the guise of a Springle Elf, and last night he and several of his minions attacked us in Nuxturia."

Those in the crowd who did not know about the events of last night gasped and whispered to each other in disbelief.

"That's right, the Demon Lord attacked us during a secret meeting with Nuxanor. Multiple people were injured, one of Nuxanor's Edge Lords was killed, and a close friend of Lor D. Briggo was abducted."

Briggo nodded solemnly.

"What's more, the Demon Lord is planning a maritime invasion of the Kingdom of Tek. He is obsessed with ancient magic, which means that his target is the Library of Barrixandria."

"We have to stop him!" someone shouted. I turned and saw that it was the man in the military uniform.

"Yes, we do, and that is why we are forming an elite attack force which will travel to Tek and stop the Demon Lord's invasion without compromising our defense against his main army. The elite attack force will be comprised of the best warriors from both Animakistan and Nuxturia, and it will include Briggo, Nuxanor, and myself. I have invited you here today because I want all of you to join us."

"YES!" one person screamed, "LET'S GO!" said another, and then everyone in the room was shouting excitedly.

"We are honored to be invited," one of the Men of Culture said.

"And it is an honor to have all of you by my side!" Animak exclaimed. "But the Demon Lord has a significant head-start. His invasion is already underway, and it is likely that we won't catch up to him in time if we use conventional means of transport. And so we must employ a riskier approach."

Animak signaled to Sir Mudan, who proceeded to open the door. And then, to my surprise, in walked someone I recognized. It was the cute girl from the Dragon Train! The one who said that she was a Conductor.

"This is Malta Gatari," Animak said and Malta bowed. She was wearing the same dark blue uniform from before, only she wasn't wearing her cap. Her curved horns were now even more visible atop her small blonde head.

"Pleased to meet you," Malta said softly.

"Aww…" Briggo whispered. "She's so damn cute."

Animak continued: "It is common knowledge that the dragons we use for the Dragon Trains can only be trained to travel from Point A to Point B along a very simple route, and they virtually never deviate from their course. However, ten years ago a lost baby dragon was found atop a great mountain in the Lawless Lands. The people who found it wanted to sell it to the highest bidder, and I bought it for myself."

"I don't like where this is going," Briggo muttered.

"This dragon was different than all the other large dragons that we've encountered before. For one thing, it grew to only half the size of a regular Dragon Train dragon, but more importantly, it was far more sociable towards humans. For the past few years Malta Gatari has been working diligently with this dragon, and we think that he's finally ready."

"Ready for what?" Briggo asked.

Animak smirked. "Ready to carry us on its back to the location of our choosing. Ladies and Gentlemen, the elite attack force will travel to the Kingdom of Tek on top of a dragon!"

Everyone gasped.

Briggo sighed. "I knew it."

"Your Highness," Mudan said to Animak. "There's someone here to see you."

"Who is it? I'm kind of in the middle of something here…"

"It's Lady Lucy."

"OH! Well, excuse me everyone, but I have to dip out for a moment." Animak suddenly left the Imperial Study, and as he opened the door I caught a glimpse of a beautiful woman in a fire-red dress. Then the door was shut again.

Once Animak left, several people ran up to Malta and started asking her about the dragon.

"They're gonna let me come along, right?" I asked.

Briggo nodded. "I spoke to Animak. It's risky to let a novice join such a dangerous mission, but I promised to take responsibility for you."

"Thanks, Briggo! Seriously, thank you so much."

"Don't thank me yet. We leave in three days, and Master Wong agreed to put you through a rigorous kink training regiment during that time. Are you prepared to go through that? It won't be easy."

"Yes, of course," I replied. Master Wong creeped me out, but I was determined to go after Truck-chan. A couple of days with Master Wong was a small price to pay for a chance to make things right again.

Briggo smiled and slapped me across the back. As always, it was painful. "Then go get ready, Birito, because your training starts tonight."

"Right," I said. I was prepared for anything. Nothing would stop me from completing my Chadformation and saving Truck-chan.

"Oh," Briggo added as we left the Imperial Study and made our way back to our chambers, "Master Wong said that you should arrive wearing nothing but your underwear, and that your entire body should be covered in peanut butter."

I stopped walking.

"What's the matter, Birito?"

"Wait… WHAT?!"