CROSS OVER (TENSURA x SEKAI SAIKO NO ANSATSUSHA, ISEKAI KIZOKU NI TENSEI SURU)

Chapter XI

Rimuru pov

A few days had passed since the end of the Academy Market. I arrived in the classroom, and then while I was chatting with Naoise, an announcement sounded over the broadcast equipment.

“The following first-year students from Class S are to report to
Visitation Room 2. Lugh, Naoise, Epona, Claudia, Tarte, Rimuru, Ciel and Shinsha. This is a top priority.”

If they had called Naoise, Dia, Tarte, Lugh, Ciel, Shinsha and me without Epona, this would likely have been about our secret mission. The hero had been called as well, however, so it had to be something unrelated.

“I wonder what it could be. This must be quite the emergency.”

“We’re missing class. I have a bad feeling about this.”Lugh said

Naoise ,Lugh and I looked at each other with bitter smiles on our faces. I hoped it wouldn’t be anything too bothersome, but that seemed unlikely.

~xXx~

Lugh pov

We entered the visitation room to find the instructor in charge of Class S,
Professor Dune, and a dignified-looking woman in knight’s clothing waiting for us. Decorations on the woman’s uniform immediately informed us of her skill. Clearly, she held some sort of high position.

Professor Dune motioned for us to sit. Once we did so, he used a pen to
mark a point on a map hung on the wall and began to speak.

“Apologies for causing you to miss your lessons. I’ll get straight to the
point. You Eight are being sent into combat. A village about five kilometers west of here is being encroached upon by a horde of around one hundred orcs. Orcs use human women for breeding. If left to their own devices, the orcs will multiply and attack the nearby city of Rutolia. We must avoid thatoutcome at all costs. We’re going to set up an ambush and wipe them out before they have a chance to do anything to the village.”

Monsters had been appearing in larger numbers lately. These portentous events foretold the return of the Demon King. I’d been expecting something like this to happen sooner or later.

Our professor laid out a sensible and straightforward battle strategy.
The city of Rutolia was the economic center of this region, and it couldn’t
be allowed to fall. While Rutolia possessed strong defenses in the form of heavily fortified walls, the hope was that we would stop the orcs before sealing off the city became a necessity.

However, three things were bothering me, and I raised my hand.
“Lugh Tuatha Dé. You may speak,” Professor Dune allowed.
“I have a few questions. There should be a stronghold in front of the
village. Does the orcs’ advance on the village mean they managed to break
through the stronghold unharmed?”

“No. The orcs didn’t push past the stronghold. It seems they simply
appeared beyond its perimeter. Unfortunately, the bastion has its hands full dealing with another group of monsters, so they won’t be able to offer any help.”

“Okay, my second question: No matter how strong we are, we are students. It hasn’t been very long since we enrolled, and we haven’t received much training in military strategy. Could you please share the reason for entrusting us with this duty despite our inexperience?”

I didn’t lack confidence, but I still wanted to know why eight first-years
had been chosen. We had power to spare, but we weren’t coordinated as a group to move effectively as a unit. Sending us into battle seemed abnormal.

“The honest answer is we’re simply shorthanded. When there are
monsters that need exterminating, the duty is first entrusted to the infested
domain’s ruler. If they are not able to deal with it, they request help from the Royal Order. Lately, monsters have repeatedly been appearing in large quantities, and the Royal Order has sent out all personnel not needed to defend the capital. When the knights cannot deal with a situation, professors and upper-level students are dispatched from the academy. As you may have already surmised, all available professors and upper-level students are away.You eight are the only first-years the faculty feels can handle this responsibility.”