The Case of Being Reincarnated as a Heretic Mob Character in an Eroge Where Everyone is Extremely Determined - Chapter 23

Chapter 23: I’m such a popular guy (despair).

The whole thing started with information sent by a spy to our headquarters.

It seems a Believer who had blended into the town closest to Metashim had noticed some suspicious movements by the Orthodox army.

The spy’s information had just been communicated to the Executives at headquarters a moment ago.

Then, Stella, having learned of the Orthodox’s plan to retake Metashim through Pork, shared the information with Joanne and me.

This conflict was not mentioned in the original work.

After the fall of Metashim, the scene faded to black, showcasing the protagonist’s screams and curse-like resentments.

It then switched to the protagonist, haunted by nightmares after growing up.

However, it is natural for the Orthodox to want to reclaim land taken by heretics.

Excluding bases where information is concealed, Metashim is the only heretic-controlled territory marked on the map.

It was obvious they would come prepared with a blade for retaliation to take back this land.

Originally, I was supposed to wait for my mental stability to return before transferring to the northeast branch, but if the Orthodox Executive is moving to reclaim Metashim, I cannot ignore it.

Thanks to the experiments progressing without a hitch, I was unfortunately pushed into becoming a key player in the strategy.

“There were signs of a Metashim reclamation operation, but it’s come sooner than expected. Oakley, you’ll infiltrate the city disguised as a civilian.”

“…Normally, you’d be trained first at the northeast branch, but this is an emergency… Now, go outside.”

After exchanging glances with Joanne, I began to observe her left hand.

There’s only one bomb, and it’s for Joanne alone.

‘Transferring’ her into the city would be highly effective, but depending on the number of Orthodox Executives gathered, it could be no different than jumping into hell oneself.

“How many of the Orthodox Executive are assembling?”

“For now… Yeah, I’d say it’s safe to assume that all of their Executives will come.”

Although we are the ones to launch a surprise preemptive strike, if the Orthodox Executive are assembling, it’s better to have more bullets.

Joanne frowned, skeptical about whether we would still attack despite this.

“…If we’re assuming the worst-case scenario, wouldn’t just transferring me not be enough firepower?”

“That’s right.”

Pork said, and then looked up at the sky above Metashim.

“―That’s why we’re going to increase our numbers now.”

Immediately after that remark, three silhouettes, backlit by the sun, leaped into view.

Landing on their knees, the trio slowly rose to their feet and walked towards us.

“Phew, the main body has arrived.” (TL/N: Pork is using a corpse the whole time.)

Slender and long beautiful legs.

A toned figure exceeding 170 centimeters. The beauty dressed in men’s clothing, with her black short hair tied back in one, flashed a vulgar smile with her gray eyes sparkling.

The first Executive to appear was—ranked fifth in the hierarchy, Pork Tedrotus.

The second Executive,

“Aaros-sama sure is rough with his people…”

An old man with wrinkles like a withered tree about to snap.

Yet, within his uncharacteristic appearance, there’s an unwavering core.

The name of the old swordsman towering over my height is Shadiq Lane, ranked third in the Executive hierarchy.

He possesses the precognitive ability to see ten seconds into the future, known as ‘Gather and Read (拾読)’ but beyond that, he has no other special abilities.

Nevertheless, the fact that he’s ranked third, above Stella, who can reflect attacks—is a manifestation of his unfathomable strength.

And of course, the last Executive to appear—

“Oakley-kun, it’s been a while. I hear a lot about your hard work.”

The man in all black, wearing a white mask with an X mark and a trilby hat—Aaros Hawkeye.

Ranked first in the Executive hierarchy, and the evil charisma led the cult known as the Aaros Temple Order.

It’s already abnormal to command a group of such unique Executives, but his own combat abilities are also at an extraordinary level.

Is this Guru Aaros really going to transplant a piece of flesh onto my body…?

It’s all too hasty.

I was petrified by the appearance of the three Executives, unable to lift my face due to genuine fear.

Present at this moment, excluding the second-ranked and the non-combatant ranked seventh, Juanquiro, all the combat power of the order was gathered here.

Being the center of attention like this makes me feel extremely stressed.. .

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I felt death looming over me.

“We pour excessive military might to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Read the undercurrents, anticipate the future, and never let the enemy take the initiative. It’s the iron rule of large-scale combat.”

I can only nod with a foolish expression to Aaros, who speaks with such vigor.

Joanne watches over the outcome with an anxious look.

All Executives except Joanne nod to each other, and then each uses their own method to sever one of their fingers.

Pork cuts off her left pinky with her own thorn, Stella bites off her right pinky, Shadiq uses the sword at his waist to chop off his left index finger, and Aaros pulls out his right index finger and presents it.

“Sigh… I didn’t want to resort to such a heinous strategy, but well, I’ll do anything to win.” (Joanne)

“… Stella’s pinky… in case of emergency, I permit it to be eaten as emergency rations.” (Stella)

“This is a parting gift from me. Lad, take it.” (Shadiq)

“Be proud, Oakley-kun. Other Believers would want to have such an experience, but they can’t.” (Aaros)

I felt a sense of disgust at their light-heartedness, as if they were giving a signed farewell card to the club seniors, I gritted my teeth and cut off the finger that was the marker.

I was completely carried away by the atmosphere, or rather, swept along.

Anyway, I never thought I’d suddenly have to align so many fingers like this.

It’s bad enough that Joanne’s already obsessed with me and can grasp the position of the ‘Marker’, but today I’ve added four more constraints to that obsession.

I’m activating Shura mode all at once.

“Ugh…”

I’ve bled too much today.

Earlier, I performed a head exchange that was a near-death experience by the three-second rule, and blood poured out so much that it’s almost funny, I thought I might die from a different cause like shock.

There was also a tremendous amount of bleeding during the upper and lower body exchanges, but come to think of it, why am I still alive?

It wouldn’t have been strange if I had died. Maybe my body is slowly adapting.

One by one, the fingers are reattached, and healing magic is applied to each part.

With this, I now host Joanne on my left ring finger, Pork on my left little finger, Shadiq on my left index finger, Stella on my right little finger, and Aaros on my right index finger.

However, I believe that once the operation is over, parts of my fingers should be returned to me.

The ‘transfer’ range of everyone but Joanne is at most one kilometer, and since the Executive is scattered all over the Holy Nation Geluid, ‘transfers’ won’t casually occur… right?

There aren’t any psychos who feel so special that they want to keep exchanging forever, except for Joanne, right?

Even after some time, my body showed no signs of rejection, and Joanne let out a small sigh.

I never thought that my body would be compatible with another Executive’s.

Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing… I still don’t know.

“Somehow, I’m happy.”

“What?”

Pork asked lightly in response to Aaros’s earnest muttering.

Aaros, while looking up at the sun, nodded several times emphatically.

“Well, you see, I’m deeply moved to see Oakley-kun in such a splendid form. When we missed capturing Celestia, Oakley-kun had a look of utter despair, as if he was about to be crushed by pressure… But now, he’s about to take flight, having shaken off that failure. It’s as happy to me as watching my own child grow.”

The unusual pressure I felt back then was mostly Aaros’s fault.

My life’s a complete mess because of you, but it seems the person in question is oblivious to my personal grudge.

Aaros can perform things similar to teleportation under certain conditions.

The reason why he went out of his way to exchange fingers with me probably is because he acknowledged me.

“Well, we don’t have much time left. Let’s put the mobile fortress plan into action right away.”

While being princess-carried by Joanne, I departed from the city of Metashim and arrived in no time near the nearest town—Daskell.

Dropped off at a point where I could survey the distant outer walls, I received an explanation of the town from Pork.

The town of Daskell town is said to be under strict surveillance.

With the Executive preparing to retake Metashim, access to the town is being rigorously monitored.

The key to the mobile fortress plan lies in ‘catching them off guard.’

If the starting point, the intrusion of Heretic, is discovered, the effect is halved.

Worse yet, if the Executive’s flesh is crushed preemptively, then as they say, ‘let’s transfer’ and put the body in a blender, it’s possible that the Executive could die on the spot without being able to revive.

In short, it seems that I am required to infiltrate the Executive perfectly. But what to do?

I have no decent means. I’ve been trained as a soldier of the Aaros Temple Order, but I had no connection to such infiltration missions.

As I was at a loss, Aaros came up and casually tapped me on the shoulder.

“Let’s give advice to the troubled lamb.”

“Y-yes…?”

“Because you don’t possess healing magic or means of recovery, there is a strength you can make the most of. Think about it.”

“…a strength that only I can make use of?”

“Yes. That answer is something you must find for yourself. I’m sure you can find it.”

With those words, Aaros and the others began to dig a hole in the ground to stand by at the very edge of the ‘transfer’ range—exactly one kilometer from the center of the town.

What a power play.

Are you planning to break through the one-kilometer restriction by waiting directly under the center of the town?

Left behind in the digging, I stand on the surface with only Joanne.

“Oakley… I believe in you.”

Joanne then utters words like she is a brave heroine.

…For me, I’d be more grateful if the chaos of battle led to the death of someone on the heretic side.

…..

Time goes back a little, at a church in the center of the town of Daskell.

There were five orthodox Executives gathered.

“The reason I’ve gathered everyone here is none other than this—”

Saren Deputy, the first-ranking Orthodox Executive, began with a solemn tone.

The four Executives gasped at the words of the woman known as the ‘Phoenix’, and the ‘Hellfire Wizard.’

“We will wait for the sunset on the day of the new moon and sweep away the Heretic forces occupying Metashim. Until then, we will devote ourselves to preparation… Does anyone have objections?”

At those words, the large man ranked third, Cress Walker, nodded.

The fourth-ranked female knight, Pomett Yosta, took a deep breath.

The sixth-ranked Noun Tilty remained impassive, and the seventh-ranked Celestia Hotthound stood up, flipping her monastic robe.

“Saren-sama, please wait. I have a concern.”

“Speak.”

“It’s about the Heretic Executive, Joanne.”

The moment Joanne’s words reached her ears, Saren furrowed her brows.

She felt almost overwhelmed by the intensity of her gaze, but Celestia did not falter and continued.

“The ‘Marker’ ability she possesses can be used not only as a point for throwing but also as a destination for ‘transferring’. This is only my speculation, but―I believe the enemy will send a ‘Marker’ into the city of Daskell to thwart our efforts right from the start.”

“Hmm. Is that for the purpose of her throwing something besides for attacking? As a transfer point? Or for both?”

“…I do not know. However, the Heretic has been sending spies that even we cannot fully grasp. It would be wise to assume that our movements to reclaim Metashim have been leaked.”

It was Celestia’s wild intuition, honed from many battles with Joanne Sagamix, that understood the aim of Oakley and Aaros, yet she still missed something―still one step behind.

“What is the likelihood that a ‘Marker’ has already been sent?”

Cress interjected.

Celestia was at a loss for a response to his question, but Cress didn’t want to pressure Celestia either. So he continued,

“So you’re saying to be wary of the people in this town too huh…”

“…I see. Then, I will impose a state of high alert on the town. No one is to enter or leave the town until the operation is carried out. No objections, right?”

Saren instructed the soldiers who were waiting.

Although there was a heretical spy who had escaped the town at almost the same time, but this state of high alert would later cause trouble for Oakley.

“And one more thing. He’s probably using a fake name, but… beware of a man named Oakley from the Heretics. He’s like Joanne’s right-hand man.”

Having said all she wanted to say, Celestia quietly took a seat in her chair.

“…That’s the situation, so until the operation is carried out, be on guard throughout the town. If you find anyone resembling a ‘Marker,’ eliminate them immediately.”

With Saren’s words as their last directive, the five Executives dispersed throughout the town of Daskell.