THE HOELSCHER EMPIRE
Get me more booze!
I've heard stories about this place, but the Empire sure reeks of bad news.
Well, it is a military nation.
That must be from the demons' invasion.
That's terrible.
ARIFURETA - FROM COMMONPLACE TO WORLD'S STRONGEST SEASON 3
ROAR OF REVOLUTION
Hey, stop that!
I don't mind you butting in on someone's business,
but at least don't cause us trouble.
You're protecting Miss Shea so much,
but why are you abandoning those suffering beastmen?!
Don't ask the obvious.
There's no way Shea is the same as the other beastmen.
Anyway, let's gather some intel.
It may sound wrong to you, but come on, Koki.
Let's focus on Miss Shea's family now.
I know.
You have it rough, have you not?
There aren't many simple people in this world.
Of course.
You certainly have your difficulties, too, as you notice more than most people.
Including your good Samaritan nature.
Miss Tio...
You can just think of this as the ravings of your elder,
but you should be more spoiled.
Look over there.
There should be someone who can spoil you.
Uh...
Looks like Cam and his troop have run amok.
Yes. They seem to be the talk of the town.
Yeah. In the end, they seem to be detained in the castle.
From this point onward, I'll be collecting more intel with Yue alone.
Huh? Why only you two?
Why not go with all of us...
Wait, are you trying to sleep with Miss Yue?!
Is that so, Hajime?!
You can't do that! Nuh-uh!
What are you even thinking?!
You cannot just always choose Yue.
Master, may I tag along as well?
No way!
What are you complaining about out here?!
Want to do it outside?
No, I won't.
Then, want to go in somewhere?
It's not about the place...
Shizushizu, what do we do?
We're getting to a dangerous topic here!
So they really do that...
But Kaori hasn't...
Damn... Just damn...
Cut it out, guys.
The reason is, some guys may require some harsh torture to make them squeal.
You guys won't be able to do it in terms of mentality.
Is that so...
See you later.
Looks like you guys had some fun, huh?
You look so bright, Yue. What did he do to you?
Why are you getting the wrong idea?
It's obviously because she sucked my blood.
Huh?
Do you really think I slept with Yue?
What am I, a dog in heat?
Quite an opinion you have on me, eh?
No way! I already knew you weren't sleeping with her from the get-go.
Right, Miss Kaori?
Y-Yeah, of course, Shea!
Forget it.
Anyway, we've got the intel we wanted.
We're infiltrating the place where Cam is highly likely to be tonight.
It'll be only me, Yue, and Shea going in.
It's better to have someone able to use Hide Presence and Teleport go, just in case.
Say, Nagumo.
What?
It's a little late,
but if Miss Shea's family is held captive by the Empire,
can't we just ask them to release her family?
Lily should be in the castle right now,
so I guess we can talk it out.
But Cam's troop killed the Imperial soldiers on top of infiltrating the Empire.
Do you really think they'll just let those guys go by our request?
That's...
This might affect the princess' negotiations, too.
Are you sure?
We can't just trouble Lily...
Hey, Amanogawa.
I have a favour to ask you.
Huh? You're asking me a favour?
Ah, forget it.
I can't ask you to do something dangerous.
Sorry, never mind.
Wait, hang on! At least tell me what I need to do!
Well... I say infiltrate, but the security is just super tight.
That's why I wanted you to bait those soldiers out of the way.
Bait?
Like, say, you're running wild on the pretext of saving a beastmen...
...and luring the soldiers your way.
I'll do it! Consider it done, Nagumo!
I see, so you're in with the idea, huh? That's the Hero for you.
All right, let's reward you with something for your trouble.
For the righteous hero team, I'll present you with something special.
What's this?
As you can see, they're masks.
But why?
Why, you ask?
It's not a good idea for a hero to go on a rampage in the capital with no context.
You gotta hide your identity.
And what better way than using a mask?
In all ages and cultures, heroes wear masks.
I made sure each has a different colour to help differentiate.
Well, that emphasis is just so...
I'll give you the leader's colour, red.
Don't worry, Hero. LOL.
Hey, did you just...
Sakagami, you'll have the blue one.
The calm, cool, and collected colour.
O-Okay.
As for you, Taniguchi...
Is it pink? That's a bit embarrassing...
You'll have yellow.
A subtle pronoun in many ways.
Nagumo, do you actually hate me?
And finally, Yaegashi...
Hang on.
There's only one mask left, so you don't say...
Of course!
The only option, pink! That's your colour!
No way!
Besides, it's not like wearing a mask is the only way to hide one's face, anyway!
You're just having fun with this, aren't you?!
Look, if you're hiding your identity, you must do it thoroughly.
Also, Yaegashi...
Such a "cool beauty" person like you,
usually likes cute things, in contrast.
Huh?
That's what I heard from Kaori.
That's why I went ahead and chose pink for you.
Better be grateful now.
Such condescending attitude...
I don't really like cute things!
Anyway, what did you even tell this guy, Kaori?!
Your cute side, that is.
Like, your room is filled with stuffed dolls!
Wait...
Oh, yeah. You've always loved animals, right?
Especially small and cute ones, like rabbits or cats!
I see!
So that's why you've been glancing at my rabbit ears?
Take this, Yaegashi! The pink mask belongs to you!
What's up with this atmosphere...
Just so you know, I don't really like pink, okay!
I just have no choice!
I'm not happy at all, so don't get the wrong idea.
You can touch my rabbit ears for a bit.
Right now, the chieftain must be provoking the Empire to the fullest, I bet.
Yeah.
While we're at it, want to bet on the chieftain's injury?
Sounds great.
Then, I bet he's lost both his rabbit ears.
Hey, you're killing there!
These days, our chieftain's speech and conduct look more and more like Boss'.
Yeah, it's like Boss has possessed him.
Well, even if Boss got caught, he'd just destroy everything and get out like it's normal.
In fact, the capital would go all tears!
Boss never holds back, after all.
He's a devil, after all.
No, more like a demon.
That'd make him a demon lord!
You all seem well, you bunch of (CENSORED).
We haven't met for so long, but that's quite some stuff you're saying.
Hey, why the long silence?
Sorry, guys. Looks like this is it for me...
I'm finally seeing things...
Huh?! Boss?!
What?!
Keep it down.
He's surprisingly well?
He's so in tatters, though...
I regret worrying about them.
Why are you here, Boss?
Let's talk later.
The enemy!
Where?!
Where are they?!
Where?!
Where are they?!
Over there?!
Who are you people!
You and your weird masks! Are you mocking us?!
N-No, we're not...
You're obviously mocking us!
Especially the pink girl!
Are you trying to show that you're cute?!
I'm not trying to...
He just forced me...
It's not my fault...
Hey! You have no right to mock Shizu...
I mean, Pink, with your ugly excuse of a face!
Yellow is super mad!
She's right! Shizu...
Pink likes cute things, and it's nothing bad!
If you hurt her feelings more, then I...
Red, won't forgive you!
Yeah, Blue Mask won't forgive you either.
Come on!
Yeah!
What pathetic swings!
And you call yourself soldiers of the Empire?!
Put more strength to it, you (REDACTED) bastards who can only (CENSORED)!
You're just like *** who can only ###!
Angry much? Then try breaking one of my bones!
Zip it! Why do we have to listen to your insults?!
If you have time to move your mouth, then move your arms instead!
So your arms are like your lovers who can only do %%%?!
You bastard!
Stop it! You can't do that! He'll die!
So the other guy's also a (MISSING TEXT)?
Enough excuses, just show me your bloodlust, you #$% fools!
What's up with this guy?!
I'm losing my mind!
Hey, do we really have to save him?
Want to go back?
Excuse me, but please save him just in case.
You're a century too early...
...to fight the Dark Hunter of the Forbidden Depths,
Cambantis Elfalight Rodelia Haulia!
Shea, your dad's having a blast there.
He's trying to kill his daughter with embarrassment!
I can't! I'm going back home!
Hey, don't try to skip work!
Wait...
Are you Boss?
Well, uh...
I can't believe you could lash at people in such shape.
Looks like I'm not dreaming.
Oh, even Yue and Shea are here too?
I've already rescued the others first.
Come on.
Thank goodness...
I'm glad everyone's safe!
Mister Hajime, Miss Yue, thank you!
Good thing we made it in time.
What do you think you're doing, Yaegashi?
I'm just trying to get spoiled to relieve some stress.
Boss, do you have a moment?
We were captured alive, and got interrogated for days.
They were interested mostly...
...in the sudden change of the Haulias, and the source of our possessed weapons.
And also Verbergen's intention.
Get to the point.
Okay, Boss.
We, the old Haulia tribe, together with the new members we took in as family,
are waging a war on the Empire.
Don't be so stupid!
So you're actually turning insane because you lost your fellow rabbitmen?!
We are perfectly sane! Listen to...
My rabbit ears won't humour you!
I can't allow you to be so suicidal!
No! You can't touch there, Mister Hajime!
No...
Well? Have you calmed down?
It won't be too late to knock 'em dead after at least listening to their explanation first.
Right... I'm sorry, I'm okay now.
Father...
I'm sorry.
Cam, don't tell me...
You want to tell that to get me to join in your struggle?
As if.
But we could come to this conclusion because you trained us.
So, we wanted to at least convey our determination.
The reason being?
So you'll listen to us?
If you could come to that conclusion because I trained you,
that means it's also on me if you're trying to be reckless.
Besides...
As we mentioned before,
we rabbitmen have piqued the interest of the Emperor.
And a very strong one on that.
So you want to say the Emperor has started hunting for rabbitmen?
Yes.
The Emperor said, "I'll keep you here as pets."
Of course, we almost spat on him there.
Oh...
But instead, we gained his favour...
He also mentioned it'd be fun...
...to capture all rabbitmen and train them...
They may actually invade the forest again,
and attack even more rabbitmen now.
Yes.
Verbergen hasn't fully recovered yet,
it won't last another siege.
So, if the Empire is asking for a ceasefire,
in exchange for the rabbitmen...
Being defensive will get you stuck...
All the rabbitmen will literally be taken away, huh...
Correct.
It's not that difficult for the survival of the Haulia tribe alone.
However, if the other rabbitmen's future perishes because of us...
We can't have that.
Still...
Don't tell me...
You mean to strike at the Empire with only a hundred of you?
Of course not. We can't face them head-on.
The rabbitmen's stealth abilities don't fall short to other beastmen.
So it's an assassination?
Correct.
You don't think the imperial family won't be prepared for assassinations?
We're not after the imperial family,
but the people around them.
We'll show you that us rabbitmen can do that.
In the end, if they can afford to not interfere with us,
that's more than enough.
Will the Empire actually annihilate all rabbitmen,
or will they admit your strength out of meritocracy,
and open up a table for discussions...
This is quite an awful wager.
Even so, we must do this.
Father...
Everyone...
Shea, don't look so down.
The fact that we can have the will to fight...
...is the ultimate happiness for us.
But...
We fight for our right to live.
No matter how strong or weak,
if we back down here, we'll end up losers like last time.
I can't allow that to happen.
Father...
Look forward, Shea.
Don't look back at us.
You have made your decision.
That you'd go forward with Boss, out to the open world.
Stay true to that determination.
Shea.
Mister Hajime...
I don't have to fight in this case.
I... suppose so.
Hey.
Don't jump to the wrong conclusion.
I won't fight, but I never said I won't help.
Huh?
The Haulia tribe must show their strength in this battle.
We must make them think that the Haulia tribe are a significant threat.
As long as beastmen hunting is the norm here,
even if I fight to protect them,
the same thing will happen again when I'm gone.
Above all, you have your determination.
That's why I won't fight at all.
However...
Our mood booster is looking sad.
You'll be mistaken if you think I just leave like that.
B-But, Boss...
What are you...
If you're going with a boring plan that'll make her cry...
I won't allow it.
You all will draw your swords directly at the Emperor's neck.
Grab his hair and bring him down to his knees.
Hold all his family, friends, and subordinates down before him.
Control the castle, make them think backup isn't coming.
Make them think the Empire will meet its demise overnight!
Let it be known in history that they'll be hunted for life...
...if they mess with the Haulias!
Do you understand, you m****ts?!
Sir, yes, Sir!
I can't hear you!
And you call yourself warriors, ladies?!
So you're just a bunch of ^&$@#, huh!
Sir, no, Sir!
Then prove it!
That you're no squires, but kings!
Gung-ho! Gung-ho! Gung-ho!
Behead anyone standing in your way,
with the sharpened murderous intent and will!
Behead! Behead! Behead!
You're all the main cast!
As long as I'm here, I won't let this be a half-assed effort!
You understand?!
Aye-aye, Sir!
Very well. Keep up the spirits.
The new Haulia tribe, with its 122 soldiers,
will bring down the imperial castle!
THE PRINCESS'S ORDEAL
Next episode: The Princess's Ordeal.
THE PRINCESS'S ORDEAL