Dungeon Battle Royale ~ Since I became a Demon King, I will aim for World Domination
Dungeon Battle Royale ~ Since I became a Demon King, I will aim for World Domination - Chapter 253:

Chapter 253 鈥?Invasion of Nonoichi City 鈶?

鈥溾€濃€漇hion-sama! Shion-sama!鈥濃€濃€?/p>

My subordinates loudly celebrate my victory.

鈥淣-No way鈥izoguchi-san has鈥︹€?/p>

鈥淪omeone as powerful as Kousaka-san鈥n an instant鈥︹€?/p>

鈥淭-They are this powerful, huh鈥?鈥?/p>

鈥淐-Can we win this鈥?鈥?/p>

The humans despair over Mizoguchi鈥檚 loss.

The stage is set.

鈥曗€旳ll hands! Begin a general offensive!

鈥溾€濃€漊uooooooohhh!鈥濃€濃€?/p>

My subordinates launch their attacks against the crestfallen humans.

鈥曗€曘€奃ark Night Tempest銆?

鈥淕o, go, go, go!!鈥?I spur my subordinates on while attacking myself as well. 鈥淢ake noise! Come on! Clang your shields!鈥?/p>

Responding to my call, Iron and Hibiki鈥檚 corps clang their shields all at once. The humans, who have fallen into a state of panic, are drawn to those sounds like moths to the light.

鈥曗€昐aburou, take your unit and eliminate Mizoguchi鈥檚 party members.

鈥淎t your command! Team J, time to sortie!鈥?/p>

Now that they鈥檙e discouraged and off-balance, we can finish them off!

Saburou鈥檚 unit assaults the high-ranking humans who watched Mizoguchi鈥檚 battle full of worry. It immediately turns into a scene from Hell, the air filled with agonizing screams. All I can hear are the screams of humans, the many humans who fall to the ground.

We鈥檝e harvested far more from the two duels than I anticipated.

鈼?/p>

One hour after our victory in the duels.

As a result of us pushing the attack, we lost many subordinates, but at the same time we succeeded in killing a bigger number of humans. We鈥檝e advanced the frontline up to a distance of 100 m from the gate leading into Nonoichi鈥檚 city hall. I wanted to destroy that gate by today, but there鈥檚 still lots of humans left.

After casting a look at the wall protecting the city hall, I begin with the finishing touches.

鈥曗€曘€奟eign銆?

I close my eyes and chant in my mind while holding my right hand towards the ground. The ground trembles, and at the tip of my right hand forms a black vortex with a diameter of around 30 cm, as if swallowing the space around it. The usual array of messages streams down across the display on my smartphone.

銆嶻ou have started 銆奟eign銆嬨€?/p>

銆庛€奟eign銆?has been announced to the hostile entities within its effective range銆?/p>

銆嶱lease remove all hostile entities in range within 180 minutes銆?/p>

銆嶢lert! Hostile forces confirmed within the effective range. Please eliminate them at once.銆?/p>

銆嶥isplay map of effective range? 銆愶脊锛ワ汲銆戙€€銆愶籍锛€?/strong>銆?/p>

Messages stream down across my phone鈥檚 screen. I tap 銆愶脊锛ワ汲銆?/strong>.

What鈥檚 reflected on my smartphone is 鈥?70,000 people in total by a rough estimate. The yellow dots amount to 10 percent of the whole. 20% are neutral 鈥?white dots. And the remaining 70% are red dots.

For close to 70% to still remain hostile under these circumstances鈥ust how much do these people hate me? I feel a light dizziness assailing me due to the breakdown of hostility grades harbored by the humans.

Having said that, I鈥檝e got no intention to act like an honest fool and pass on this information to the enemy. I take out my 銆怣egaphone銆?/strong>.

銆嶵o all humans of the Kanezawa Liberation Army! Did you hear the 銆奟eign銆?alert!? It鈥檚 really amazing! I underestimated them鈥 truly underestimated the bonds between you! For sure I hadn鈥檛 expected that only 40% of your entire force would lose heart and desire to surrender to our Aster Empire, even after being cornered into such a hopeless situation!銆?I lie to the humans.

銆嶭et me ask you, humans! Has the heart of the comrade next to you already broken? Will you be able to support those of you who lost their will to fight? What kind of feelings are the 40% harboring about this battle as they鈥檙e being forced to participate by the 60% who willfully chose death?銆?/p>

I continue my speech while observing the reactions of the humans.

銆嶻ou folks of the Kanezawa Liberation Army are truly magnificent! Did you decide your current course of action 鈥?to oppose me 鈥?by majority vote? 60% vs. 40%. It鈥檚 somewhat disappointing that not all of you have banded together to challenge me as one, but鈥hose willing to resist are the majority! The majority even under these circumstances! Even if 40% of your comrades wish to live, it鈥檚 just the opinion of a minority!銆?/p>

I exaggeratedly gesture as if I鈥檓 closely listening to something.

銆嶩mm? Your numbers are big? All of you belong to the majority under these circumstances鈥mm? The number of those having lost their will to resist isn鈥檛 all that great? Really? My smartphone is showing me that 40% of you are willing to surrender, though. Is it possibly seeing through what you truly desire deep down in your hearts without being aware of it yourself? The technology of that bastard of a mastermind, who created this broken world, is damn awesome!銆?/p>

Now then, what鈥檚 going to happen if they鈥檙e under the impression that 40%鈥lmost half of their comrades lost their will to fight on? They鈥檝e been believing that everyone banded together to fight against us. And in reality, only 10% are willing to surrender.

Peer pressure exists. But humans鈥nd especially Japanese people have a strong tendency to go with the majority opinion. It鈥檚 not just me who thought that it鈥檇 be impossible. It鈥檚 not just me who doesn鈥檛 want to die. What if they imagine that almost half of their comrades are embracing such thoughts?

I look down on my phone鈥檚 screen once more. The number of yellow dots has increased to 30% of the whole.

銆嶶h? This is a weird phenomenon! I intended to praise you for putting up such a brave fight, and yet the number of those willing to surrender has grown? Their number鈥as exceeded 50%? Why? Did you realize that you aren鈥檛 the only one wishing to live on? I wonder which side would be the majority now if we took a vote. 銆嶬anezawa鈥檚 Sage銆? 銆嶬anezawa鈥檚 Saintess銆? can you hear me? Half of your comrades wish to survive鈥o surrender to our Aster Empire, you know? What would happen if you made a vote at this very moment? Or are you going to drive them towards their death like you did earlier with your hero?銆?/p>

I work on shaking up the humans with my words.

銆嶩mm, I see鈥?At this point it鈥檒l be a walk in the park to overrun you, but I鈥檓 a generous man and thus I鈥檒l give you one last chance! We won鈥檛 attack for 48 hours from now on. Those wishing to live are to disarm themselves and visit my Domain! Lastly, be aware that attacking us as we retreat will be equivalent to abandoning the lives of tens of thousands of your comrades. Well then, humans, I hope that you鈥檒l choose wisely!銆?/p>

鈥曗€旳ll hands, retreat!

After I recommend surrender, I return to my Domain together with my subordinates who鈥檝e reached their limit by now.

Chapter 254 鈥?Invasion of Nonoichi City 鈶?

Six hours after we retreated.

While replenishing my subordinates and their items, I ponder about the future plans鈥?/p>

鈥淪hion-sama, can you please spare me a moment?鈥?Mrs. Tamura shows up at my room.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 wrong? Did you run out of some materials?鈥?/p>

鈥淣o, we have more than enough materials at hand. I would like to consult you about something else.鈥?/p>

鈥淗ooh? What is it?鈥?/p>

I happened to hear that Mrs. Tamura is troubled about me not calling her by her official name, Masako, but I can鈥檛 imagine that she鈥檇 approach me about such an issue during busy times like these.

鈥淏efore we discuss the matter at hand, I would like to introduce you to a certain person, but would that be alright with you?鈥?/p>

鈥淚ntroduce a certain person? I don鈥檛 mind. Who is it?鈥?/p>

I nod as I agree with Mrs. Tamura鈥檚 request.

鈥淧lease come in, Mr. Hasebe.鈥?/p>

Once Mrs. Tamura calls for him, a well-dressed, white-haired elderly man enters the room.

Hasebe鈥 feel like I鈥檝e heard that name somewhere before, but who was he again?

鈥淪hion-sama, you have my deepest gratitude for being so kind as to allow me an audience with you. My name is Hasebe Kazurou.鈥?Mr. Hasebe introduces himself accompanied by a formal, refined bow.

鈥淢r. Hasebe is the chairman of Kanezawa鈥檚 Board of Education and an active city council member.鈥?/p>

After listening to Mrs. Tamura鈥檚 additional information, I remembered Mr. Hasebe.

鈥淎ahh鈥t鈥檚 our first meeting, but I recall you helped us out at that time.鈥?/p>

Mr. Hasebe previously allowed us to use his name to recommend surrender to the Kanezawa Liberation Army.

鈥淚t would be the greatest delight for me if the number of casualties was lowered by even just one person through the usage of my name.鈥?Mr. Hasebe replies to me with a smile.

鈥淪hion-sama, as you are well aware, Mr. Hasebe belonged to the moderate faction within the Kanezawa Liberation Army.鈥?/p>

鈥淵ou mentioned something like that, yeah.鈥?/p>

鈥淣ot long ago Mr. Hasebe was contacted by his friend in Nonoichi鈥檚 city hall.鈥?/p>

鈥淔riend in Nonoichi鈥檚 city hall means鈥︹€?/p>

鈥淐orrect, a member of the Kanezawa Liberation Army which is currently fighting against us鈥︹€?Mrs. Tamura answers by finishing my words.

鈥淎re they asking for clemency? In that case, I intend to accept all those who wish to surrender, just like I told the Kanezawa Liberation Army earlier.鈥?/p>

鈥淎llow me to thank you for your kind-hearted mercy, Shion-sama. However, we are here to talk about another matter.鈥?/p>

鈥淚 see. So what is it?鈥?/p>

Is Mrs. Tamura going to ask me to turn Mr. Hasebe into a bloodkin as her brains or something like that? But, it鈥檇 be boorish if I were to interrupt again with my unfounded predictions. I鈥檒l stay silent and listen to what they want to discuss with me.

鈥淥kay, please go on, Mr. Hasebe.鈥?/p>

鈥淢rs. Tamu鈥曗€曗€?/p>

鈥淢y name is Masako Shion, got it?鈥?/p>

鈥溾€-Excuse me. Thank you, Masako-san.鈥?/p>

Seeing Mrs. Tamura鈥檚 graceful smile, my body shivers.

鈥淪o, what is that you want from me?鈥?/p>

I ask for the details of their consultation, also in order to avoid the conversation shifting into a dangerous direction.

鈥淎 little while ago I was contacted by my friend. If I start with the conclusion of our talk 鈥曗€?they want to surrender.

鈥淗mm?鈥?I cock my head in puzzlement after Mr. Hasebe finishes.

If they want to surrender, they just need to do so. We鈥檒l accept anyone except for 銆嶬anezawa鈥檚 Sage銆? 銆嶬anezawa鈥檚 Saintess銆?

鈥淲e are not talking about my friend alone here. He has approached me about the wish of the entire Kanezawa Liberation Army to surrender.鈥?/p>

鈥曗€??

I鈥檓 shocked by this unexpected statement.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 mind that, but鈥s all of the Kanezawa Liberation Army on board with this?鈥?/p>

Since I鈥檝e launched a Reign earlier, I鈥檓 grasping the mental state of the Kanezawa Liberation Army better than anyone else. 30% have lost their will to fight, and even when including the neutrals, it鈥檚 just 50% who are unwilling to fight. Even if those numbers grew as an effect of my recommendation for surrender鈥here鈥檚 still a long way to go for it to reach 100%.

Above all, I can鈥檛 believe that their leaders 銆嶬anezawa鈥檚 Sage銆? 銆嶬anezawa鈥檚 Saintess銆?would accept a surrender.

鈥淣o, unfortunately the number of people openly vying for surrender is less than half of the total.鈥?Mr. Hasebe shakes his head in disappointment.

鈥淚sn鈥檛 it impossible then?鈥?/p>

鈥淵es, therefore I wanted to talk with you, Shion-sama.鈥?/p>

鈥淎bout what?鈥?/p>

鈥淚f you could give us your permission, after three days鈥hey will start an armed uprising when you resume your invasion.鈥?/p>

鈥淚s that going to work out?鈥?/p>

鈥淚f you give us three days鈥?time without invading during that period鈥t will show our friends in the Kanezawa Liberation Army that you are going to accept their will to surrender, Shion-sama. We will gather those of the same mind in the meantime.鈥?/p>

鈥淎re three days going to be enough?鈥?/p>

鈥淵es. Currently the internal state of the Kanezawa Liberation Army is in a mess. We will try to persuade the others quickly without wasting time.鈥?/p>

鈥淗ow high are the chances for success?鈥?/p>

鈥淚 think the chances are high that we will manage. Many people within the Kanezawa Liberation Army have raised complaints about the way how the sage and saintess interacted with Mr. Mizoguchi.鈥?/p>

鈥淚 see鈥n another note, you mentioned an armed uprising, but what exactly are you planning?鈥?/p>

鈥淎fter three days, we will throw the gate open upon your signal, Shion-sama.鈥?/p>

I analyze Mr. Hasebe鈥檚 proposal in my mind.

鈥淚 understand. But, are you fine with that?鈥?/p>

鈥淲hat do you mean?鈥?/p>

鈥淵our friends who are going to pull off the armed uprising鈥ill need to betray mankind, you know?鈥?/p>

鈥淚f we can save even one life with that鈥e have resolved ourselves to get slandered for this.鈥?/p>

鈥淚t鈥檚 possible that it won鈥檛 stop at slander, isn鈥檛 it?鈥?/p>

鈥淩ather than continuing the battle just like this鈥 believe this method promises us a higher probability of survival.鈥?/p>

鈥溾€ndeed. I鈥檒l go along with your proposal. Please tell me if there鈥檚 anything I can help you with.鈥?/p>

鈥淵ou have my gratitude for your kind offer.鈥?/p>

Mr. Hasebe and Mrs. Tamura deeply bow their heads, and leave the room.

An armed uprising, eh鈥? If Mr. Hasebe鈥檚 idea works out鈥onoichi鈥檚 city hall is likely going to fall after three days. A coup d鈥檈tat at the end of an internal collapse, huh鈥?

I chuckle all by myself in my room in light of this unforeseen, great opportunity.